Alexander Hwang was being dragged away by Guile. He cried out as tears welled in his eyes. "Daniel Park! Please save me! Please!"
No one came to his rescue. He quickly changed sides and started to beg Guile. "Respectable sir! Honorable sir! I don't know them, sir! Please, let me go!"
Guile didn't stop at all.
Alexander continued to cry out. "Sir, you may not know, but I have been serving the Workers all my life! I worked at 3rd Affiliate and in this 1st Affiliate too! I am also the ex president of the 4th Affiliate! Sir, please let me go! Give me one more chance!"
Guile stuffed some clothes in Alexander's mouth. Alexander tried to speak, but he gagged.
Guile looked down at him. "Little fatso, can you keep quiet for a while? I am asking nicely, but don't test my patience. Okay?"
Alexander nodded.
Guile looked at the message on his phone. Another intruder had infiltrated. "Damn it! What kind of security does this place have? Why the fuck are so many intruders infiltrating this place!"
He saw a bunch of Workers getting off a lift. He approached the lift while dragging Alexander with him.
Alexander's eyes widened in surprise. He recognized a face among the Workers. It was Jerry Kwon from Big Deal.
Jerry also seemed to recognize Alexander Hwang. He seemed to be lost in thought. Alexander looked different now. He had no hair and looked just like Jerry. Those tattoos were new too.
Tears welled up in Alexander's eyes. Even though his mouth was gagged, his emotions seemed to flow freely through his tears. He was asking for Jerry's help.
Jerry sighed. His plan for coming here was to find information on Jake, but he found Alexander instead. Alexander had left Big Deal alongside Samuel, but even so, they were still a part of Big Deal.
Jerry removed his cap and walked out of the Workers group.
Some of them called out.
"Huh? What are you doing?"
"We have to move quickly. Don't waste time here."
Jerry stepped forward and swung his fist at the nearest Worker. His knuckles connected with the man's face and the Worker's entire body lifted off the ground. He crashed into two others behind him. All three went down in a heap and didn't move.
"What the hell?" another Worker shouted.
Jerry grabbed him by the front of his shirt with one hand and threw him down the corridor. The man's body tumbled across the floor for several meters before slamming into the wall. He slumped over unconscious.
Three Workers rushed at him together. Jerry caught the first one with a backhand that sent him spinning through the air. He crashed into the lift doors and crumpled. The second Worker threw a punch. Jerry didn't bother blocking. He drove his fist straight through the attack and into the man's chest. The Worker flew backward and took out the third attacker. They both hit the ground hard.
More Workers emerged from the lift. Jerry walked toward them. One swung a metal pipe at his head. Jerry caught it with his bare hand. The Worker's eyes went wide. Jerry ripped the pipe from his grasp and bent it in half with both hands. He tossed it aside and punched the Worker in the stomach. The man folded completely and collapsed, gasping for air.
Two Workers tried to tackle him from either side. Jerry didn't budge. He grabbed each of them by the back of their heads and slammed them together. The crack of skulls meeting echoed through the corridor. He let them drop.
A Worker tried to kick him. Jerry caught his leg mid-swing and pulled. The man flipped completely over and landed flat on his back. The air rushed from his lungs. Jerry stepped over him.
Three more came at once. Jerry swung his arm in a wide arc and his forearm connected with all three of their faces in one motion. They all went down simultaneously with blood streaming from their noses and mouths.
The last few Workers backed away with their hands raised.
"We're done," one of them said. His voice shook.
They turned and ran.
Jerry looked at the bodies scattered across the corridor. The entire fight had taken less than a minute. He rolled his shoulders and walked toward Guile and Alexander.
Guile stared at the carnage. He shoved Alexander to the ground. Alexander scrambled backward with the gag still stuffed in his mouth and his eyes wide with fear and hope.
"You just made a big mistake," Guile said.
Jerry stopped a few feet away from him. He looked down at Guile. His height gave him nearly half a foot of advantage.
"Let him go," Jerry said. "I won't say it again."
Alexander had tears of joy in his eyes.
Jerry didn't wait for a response. He closed the distance between himself and Guile in three long strides.
Guile stepped back and launched a jumping knee strike. His knee drove toward Jerry's midsection with enough force to crack ribs. Jerry took the hit full-on. His body shifted back, but he didn't go down. He grabbed Guile's extended leg with both hands and yanked downward. Guile hit the floor hard on his back.
Guile rolled backward immediately and came up in a crouch. He spun and his leg whipped around in a low kick that connected with Jerry's shin. The impact made a solid thunk. Jerry's leg buckled slightly. Guile followed with a hook punch to Jerry's jaw. Jerry's head snapped to the side. Blood appeared at the corner of his mouth.
"Are you ready for your ass whooping?" Jerry said. He wiped the blood away. "I said are you ready?"
Guile didn't answer. He lunged forward and delivered a low roundhouse kick to Jerry's shins, then immediately spun and drove a small hook into Jerry's head. Before Jerry could react, Guile spun again and clubbed him across the temple with the back of his fist. Jerry stumbled sideways. His vision blurred.
Guile pressed his advantage. He turned his back for a brief second and launched into a leaping back-spin kick. His heel caught Jerry square in the chest. Jerry flew backward and crashed into the wall. The concrete cracked behind him. He slumped forward, coughing.
Guile walked toward him with measured steps. "I'm not here to make idle chitchat. I'm a professional."
Jerry pushed off the wall and threw a heavy straight punch. Guile sidestepped and the fist sailed past his head. Guile crouched and swept Jerry's legs with a low kick, then immediately followed with a downward punch to Jerry's face. Jerry hit the ground hard. Blood dripped from his nose onto the floor.
Jerry rolled to the side as Guile's boot came down where his head had been. The floor cracked under the impact. Jerry got to one knee and swung his fist in a wide arc. Guile jumped over it and performed a backflip kick on the way down. His boot connected under Jerry's chin. Jerry's head snapped back. His teeth clacked together.
Jerry fell onto his back. He tasted blood in his mouth. Guile landed and immediately jumped again, aiming a spinning high kick at Jerry's head. Jerry rolled away and the kick hit empty air. He scrambled to his feet, breathing hard.
Guile advanced with a combination. He delivered a low kick to Jerry's ankles, then a knee strike to his midsection. Jerry tried to block but Guile was too fast. The knee drove into his stomach and forced the air from his lungs. Jerry doubled over. Guile spun and delivered a rear kick that caught Jerry in the side of the head. Jerry crashed into the lift doors. The metal buckled.
Alexander watched with wide eyes and the gag still in his mouth. Tears streamed down his face.
Jerry pushed himself up. His legs shook. Blood ran down from a cut above his eyebrow. He wiped it away and stepped forward. He threw a left hook. Guile blocked with his forearm, but the force of the punch drove him back two steps. Jerry followed with a right straight. Guile ducked under it and delivered a quick hook to Jerry's ribs. Something cracked. Jerry grunted in pain.
Guile didn't stop. He turned and performed a stationary upside-down kick that caught Jerry under the jaw. Jerry's head jerked back. Guile spun with his arm extended and clubbed Jerry across the face with the back of his fist again. Blood sprayed from Jerry's mouth. He stumbled but stayed on his feet.
Jerry grabbed for Guile but Guile was already moving. He delivered a low kick to Jerry's shins and followed with a small hook to Jerry's head, then finished with another spinning backhand strike. Jerry's knees buckled. He dropped to one knee.
Guile moved behind him and grabbed him around the waist. He lifted Jerry off the ground and bent backward, driving Jerry's shoulders and back into the floor. The concrete cracked under the impact. Jerry lay there dazed.
Guile stood and adjusted his collar. His breathing was controlled. He looked down at Jerry with cold eyes. "Stay down. This doesn't have to get worse."
Jerry's fingers twitched. He planted his hands on the floor and pushed himself up to his hands and knees. Blood dripped from his face onto the cracked concrete. His ribs screamed with pain. His vision was blurry. He shook his head to clear it.
"Not done," Jerry said. His voice was rough.
Guile's expression didn't change. He walked forward and delivered a low kick to Jerry's ribs. Jerry coughed and more blood came up. Guile followed with a downward punch to the back of Jerry's head. Jerry's face nearly hit the floor.
Jerry caught himself with his hands. He looked up at Guile through swollen eyes. He gathered his strength and lunged forward, wrapping both arms around Guile's waist in a tackle. His momentum drove Guile backward. They crashed into the wall together. The impact shook the corridor.
Jerry drove his fist into Guile's stomach. Once, twice, three times. They were heavy blows powered by raw strength. Guile grimaced and brought his knee up into Jerry's cracked ribs. Jerry's grip loosened. Guile grabbed Jerry's head with both hands and drove his knee up again, this time into Jerry's face. Jerry's nose broke. Blood poured down his face.
Guile shoved Jerry away and delivered a straight punch to his throat. Jerry staggered back, choking. Guile stepped in and threw a combination. He delivered a low kick to the ankles. He followed with a hook to the head. He finished with a spinning backhand. Each strike landed clean. Jerry's head snapped back and forth with the impacts.
Jerry swung wildly. His fist connected with Guile's shoulder and Guile spun with the impact, using the momentum to deliver a roundhouse kick to Jerry's head. Jerry went down hard. He lay on his side, breathing in ragged gasps.
Guile stood over him. His knuckles were bruised but he showed no other signs of damage. He looked down at Jerry without emotion. "You're tough. I'll give you that. But you're outmatched."
Jerry's hand moved. He grabbed the bent metal pipe from earlier. His fingers closed around it. He swung it from the ground in a wide arc. The pipe caught Guile across the knee. Guile's leg buckled and he dropped to one knee with a grunt of pain.
Jerry used the pipe to push himself to his feet. He swung it again. Guile blocked with his forearm and the pipe bent further. Jerry dropped the useless weapon and threw a heavy overhand punch. Guile tried to dodge but his injured knee slowed him. The punch caught him on the side of the head. Guile fell sideways.
Jerry stepped forward and grabbed Guile by the front of his shirt with both hands. He lifted Guile off the ground and slammed him into the wall. The concrete cracked. Jerry did it again. More cracks appeared. Guile's head bounced off the wall.
Guile brought both fists down on Jerry's arms, breaking the grip. He dropped to his feet and immediately jumped, performing a backflip kick despite his injured knee. His boot caught Jerry under the chin. Jerry's head snapped back. Guile landed and spun, delivering a high kick to Jerry's temple. Jerry crashed into the lift doors again. The metal groaned.
Jerry slid down to one knee. His vision was fading in and out. Blood covered his face and shirt. His breathing was labored. Every part of his body hurt.
Guile limped forward, favoring his injured knee. His expression remained cold and professional. He crouched and delivered a low kick to Jerry's legs, then followed immediately with a downward punch. Jerry tried to block but his arms were too slow. The punch connected with his jaw. His head snapped to the side.
Guile grabbed Jerry and pulled him up, wrapping his arm around Jerry's upper chest and neck. He jumped and swung his arm around, driving Jerry into the ground. Jerry's back hit with tremendous force. The floor cracked beneath him.
Jerry lay there, gasping for air. His eyes stared at the ceiling, struggling to focus. Blood pooled beneath his head. His arms barely responded when he tried to move them.
Guile stood and tested his injured knee. He grimaced but put weight on it. He looked down at Jerry, then turned toward Alexander, who had been watching the entire fight with terror in his eyes.
Alexander tried to scramble away but his legs gave out. He fell backward.
Guile walked toward him, limping slightly. He reached down and grabbed Alexander by the arm, hauling him to his feet.
"Where do you think you're going?" Guile said.
Behind him, Jerry pushed himself up on one elbow. His entire body shook with the effort. He tried to speak but only blood came out. He collapsed back down.
Guile glanced back at him, then returned his attention to Alexander. He raised his fist.
Jerry's vision darkened around the edges. He tried to push himself up again but his arms wouldn't hold him. He fell back onto the cracked concrete.
Guile raised his fist for a final strike at Alexander.
A hand caught Guile's wrist.
Guile's eyes widened. He turned his head.
A man stood beside him. He wore a black tank top, baggy gray jeans, and heavy boots. Shaggy black hair fell past his shoulders. Dark circles sat under solid black eyes. A black jacket was tied around his waist.
"That's enough," the man said.
Guile tried to pull his wrist free. The man's grip didn't budge. Guile looked down and saw six fingers wrapped around his wrist.
"Who the hell are you?" Guile asked.
The man didn't answer. He twisted Guile's arm and pulled him off balance. Then he drove his knee into Guile's stomach. The air rushed out of Guile's lungs. His body doubled over.
The man let go of Guile's wrist and grabbed him by the back of his head. He slammed Guile's face into his knee. Guile's head snapped back. Blood poured from his nose and mouth.
The man released him. Guile stumbled backward with his legs barely holding him up. He wiped the blood from his face and glared at the newcomer.
"You just made a mistake," Guile said.
The man stepped forward. "No. You did."