Chapter 40

Kyle, standing behind Faith, shifted slightly and stepped in front of her. With a simple movement, he raised his hand.

A modified sound echoed, and Joe's expression instantly changed. Though Kyle appeared not to retaliate, he had struck a nerve in Joe's arm, rendering it temporarily useless. For now, Joe wouldn't be able to lift it.

This sight left Faith and her parents utterly stunned.

Kyle smiled faintly and patted her head. "Faith, didn't I tell you? I can protect myself. Even if I were in danger, it wouldn't come from a small fry like this. In Kendonia, no one has the ability to lay a hand on me."

Faith's cheeks flushed a deep red, perhaps because Kyle was standing so close that his warm breath brushed against her face.

Kyle gently moved Faith behind him, then turned to Joe with a look of pure disdain. "Raising your hand against a woman—aren't you worried about losing whatever shred of dignity you have left? But laying a finger on Faith? That's a surefire way to lose your life."

"You little punk! Are you looking for death?" Joe glared at Kyle, but his arm remained limp at his side. For the sake of his dignity, he forced himself to act composed. "I thought you only had the guts to hide behind a woman. I didn't expect you to fight back."

"Kneel before my son and beg for forgiveness now, and I might let you live. But if you remain stubborn, don't blame me for being ruthless."

Kyle smirked playfully. "Actually, I was just thinking of paying your son a visit. While I've already left him in a state that's neither human nor ghost, judging by your tone, maybe I went too easy on him."

"If that's the case, I'll deal with you both while I'm at it."

His words hung in the air, suffocatingly silent.

Joe's eyes burned with fury. "It was you! You're the one who did that to my son?"

"Well, well, I've finally found you. Today, I'll kill you. I'll avenge my son and leave no trace of you behind!"

As soon as he finished, Joe swung his other fist at Kyle.

The weak punch almost made Kyle laugh out loud.

Shaking his head slightly, Kyle's gaze remained filled with scorn.

To everyone's shock, Kyle slapped Joe across the face. The blow wasn't forceful, but it was deeply humiliating—precisely Kyle's intention. Kyle's hand moved so quickly that Joe couldn't react in time.

"How dare you—?"

Three slaps later, Joe's face was visibly red and swollen.

Grinding his teeth, Joe swung his fist at Kyle again, shouting, "I'll kill you today if it's the last thing I do!"

Kyle didn't hold back this time. Catching Joe's fist, he twisted his arm, bending it unnaturally like a pretzel.

The sound of bones snapping filled the room, sharp and piercing.

Before Joe could cry out in pain, Kyle grabbed him by the hair, dragging him out like a lifeless dog. "Don't disturb Faith's peace. Let's take this to your son's room and have some fun."

Faith and her parents stood frozen, their faces pale with shock. It took them a long moment to recover from what they had just witnessed.

Before leaving, Kyle turned to Faith. "Take a rest. I'll handle this quickly and be back to keep you company."

As the door closed behind Kyle, Faith and her parents exchanged stunned glances. They had heard that Kyle had left Peter unrecognizable, but they never knew how he did it. The mere thought was terrifying. Yet, imagining it was nothing compared to witnessing it firsthand.