“Liam, you’re just too kind! This kind of scum, who can’t be taught by the law, needs someone to discipline him in place of his parents.”

A new round of torment was about to begin.

After all, the rule of the underground fight arena was clear: if you owed money and couldn’t pay, you had to pay with your body. As long as you didn’t die, you could continue being a tool for their stress relief.

My consciousness swayed, teetering between excruciating pain and the desire for unconsciousness.

The sounds around me were a blur, as though muffled by a thick, blood-soaked fog.

Someone roughly grabbed my limbs and dragged me into a damp, dark basement, tossing me onto the cold cement floor.

"Ms. Alba said not to let him die. We need him for tomorrow."

The iron door slammed shut with a deafening bang, and darkness swallowed everything.

I curled up in the corner, my body shaking with pain, while my heart had long since gone numb.

I didn't know how much time passed, but Celine's impatient voice finally cut through the silence, echoing through the brightened surveillance screen.

"Why can't I reach Kristian?"

"Celine, don’t worry, Kristian is probably just busy with work."