Chapter 44

Leo didn't explicitly say it, but the answer was clear enough.

Leo came from a respectable background. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been mingling with people like Zane.

However, the scene of Jack mercilessly beating Victor had left Leo in awe. His pride would never have allowed him to call anyone "brother" upon their first meeting unless it was someone like Jack.

Caspian struggled with his emotions for a moment before finally bowing his head to Jack. "From now on, you're my boss. Here's my number. If you ever need anything in this area, just say the word, and I'll make it happen-no questions asked."

Caspian was a man of his word. Though he had been thoroughly beaten, he accepted his defeat with dignity. Behind him, his followers stood silent, offering no resistance. For original chapters go to finḑnovel.net

Seeing the tension ease, Leo quickly stepped in to smooth things over. "Jack, now that Caspian's sworn his loyalty, how about we celebrate? I'll treat everyone to a hotel nearby. There's even more fun planned for tonight!" He shot Jack a conspiratorial wink.

Bella, however, frowned. "What nonsense are you spouting? We've got things to do. Save the chatter for another time."

Her initial good impression of Leo had taken a sharp nosedive after his last comment.

Jack wasn't one to dwell on the matter, so he took the opportunity to echo her sentiment. He said, "Not today. We've got plans later."

Leo chuckled awkwardly. "Alright then... my bad, Bella. I didn't mean anything by it. I spoke out of turn. You two go on ahead."

Seeing that there was nothing more to address, Caspian turned to Jack. "Boss, if there's nothing else, I'll be heading out. Just call me if you ever need anything." With a nod from Jack, Caspian gathered his battered crew and left in a hurry. Once outside the internet cafe, Jack released Bella's hand and exhaled deeply. After catching his breath, he turned to Bella, only to find her staring at him with wide, curious eyes, her gaze as bright and clear as a tranquil autumn lake.

Bella couldn't hide her intrigue. Had this seemingly ordinary guy really taken down Chris, the legendary Skybound Wars champion?

Chris was a household name in the e-sports community, a giant among players. The fact that Jack had managed to defeat him seemed almost too incredible to believe.

But what stirred Bella even more was the commanding presence Jack had displayed during the fight.

She knew fighting wasn't right, but in that moment, when Jack had stood protectively in front of her and pulled her into his arms, she couldn't deny it-he had captivated her.

Her thoughts wandered back to the first time she had stepped into Jack's dorm. He had been teaching Luca, the famous Alnewgo University singer and top guitar contender, how to play. At the time, she had been stunned. But now, upon reflection, it didn't seem so implausible.

After all, what could be more extraordinary than a seemingly unremarkable guy defeating Christ or single-handedly taking down a gang of thugs?

"Why are you staring at me like that?" Jack frowned, feeling uneasy under Bella's lingering gaze.

Bella bit her lip, torn between her desire to ask how he had accomplished all of this and the realization of how absurd it all seemed. It was like something straight out of a myth.