Chapter 139

The man didn’t back down as expected. In fact, he seemed more smug. That wasn’t unusual. Most rich men brought a few bodyguards and acted tough until someone pulled a gun. Then they all turned into cowards.

The thug sneered with utter contempt, reaching behind his waist. In a flash, a pitch-black pistol was aimed at Joshua, chamber loaded. All it would take was a twitch.

No one else seemed shocked. These guys were clearly gang-affiliated. But the group of college students who had just finished checking in were still in the small shop next to the lobby.

When they saw the gun, their faces went pale. They had planned to get out, but now, they decided to stay.

“What do we do? Should we call the cops?” one of the students whispered.

“If they’re bold enough to pull out guns, they must not be afraid of the cops,” another student whispered nervously.

“If we make them angry, we’ll be in real trouble. Seriously, don’t even think about it.”

The thug got even more cocky as he pulled out his gun. “I was giving you a chance to be generous. Don’t be an ungrateful prick.”

Joshua remained absolutely still. His pulse hadn’t even spiked.

It was just a gun.

The crucial point was who was holding that gun.

This man? No threat at all.

He’d been eyeing Shermaine from the start. Now, he dared to point a gun at Joshua. This bastard needed a serious lesson.

The thug kept talking. “And that pretty little thing you brought with you? Why don’t you call her down here? She can keep us company…”

Before he could finish, a violent crash cut him off.

To everyone’s shock, the refined-looking man exploded with violence. A fierce, lethal energy erupted from him. No one even saw how he moved; just a blur of motion. The next second, Joshua had him by the collar, slamming his body straight into a glass fish tank.

The glass shattered. Water burst out, mixed with red. The thug thrashed, but Joshua dragged him out and threw him hard against the wall. He collapsed instantly. Blood streamed down his face, and he could no longer move.

His companions never saw this coming. They’d all assumed this guy was an easy target, the kind you could push around for some quick cash. Clearly, Joshua was bone-deep ruthless, which was extremely terrifying.

Lesson of the day: never judge by appearances.

That pushover you thought might just be your worst nightmare.

Joshua let the man go and reached for a pack of tissues. He calmly wiped the blood off his fingers. Despite the brutal attack, he still looked elegant, like nothing had happened.

When the thug tried to crawl away, Joshua kicked the gun aside and placed a heavy foot on the man’s back, pressing him into the floor until he choked on his own blood. “You think you’re good enough to touch my girl?”

Now the thug truly regretted it. He had taken Joshua for a soft target, but he’d been dead wrong. That killing aura—no one who hadn’t seen war could carry that kind of weight.

Instantly, his buddies closed in, grabbing whatever they could find and charging forward without hesitation. After all, with more than a dozen of them, they just couldn’t believe one guy could take them all down.

The innkeeper didn’t even flinch. He just picked up his phone and started tallying up how much damage he’d be charging for.

Joshua didn’t rush. He calmly took off his glasses and set them on the counter. The eyes beneath—normally gentle when looking at Shermaine—were now filled with lethal intent, like they could swallow a man whole.

Just then, a man lunged at him with a punch. With one swift block, a sickening crack echoed, followed by a piercing scream as the attacker’s arm bent at an unnatural angle.

James hadn’t seen Joshua fight like this in a long time. If it weren’t for the public setting, he’d probably be even more savage. The rule was simple: as long as no one died, Joshua could play however he liked.

These idiots had it coming. They’d dared to think about touching Shermaine. According to Bradley, Shermaine was now Joshua’s most precious treasure. If he ever got to meet her, he’d better serve her properly, unlike Bradley himself, who ruined Joshua’s date and got his bonus docked.

James had no intention of intervening. Joshua had it under control. He’d just handle the aftermath later. But just as he turned to go back upstairs, he saw Shermaine coming down.

James panicked instantly.

‘Is it okay for her to witness Mr. York’s violent and gory side?’ he wondered.

Shermaine asked calmly, “What’s going on downstairs?”