Chapter 559: An Academic God
"I’m Kelley Xavier’s fiancé! What’s wrong with getting a little close with my own fiancée? It’s none of your damn business!" Zane Coleman shouted arrogantly. With his years of experience chasing women, he could tell at a glance that Kelley had great potential. If she just took a little better care of herself and put on some makeup, she’d be an absolute knockout.
He was more than happy with this engagement. Deep down, however, he was a total scoundrel. Even if he genuinely wanted to get married, he couldn’t shake his disgusting habits. He was determined to take advantage of Kelley before the wedding, and since none of the adults were objecting, Zane Coleman naturally grew even more brazen.
"Who the hell says you’re her fiancé? It was just a verbal agreement, which means jack shit! If you ever dare to harass Kelley again, I’ll fucking kill you!"
A murderous glint appeared in Howard Thorne’s eyes as he glared viciously at Zane Coleman. The other guys couldn’t help but shiver. Even with the sun beating down, they felt a sudden chill.
Although they were hooligans, their antics were limited to petty scuffles. They would never do anything that involved a matter of life and death—they just didn’t have the guts. Seeing that things were escalating to a point where someone could actually get killed, they thought, ’We should probably get out of here.’
"Um... would you mind moving your foot? I have something urgent to take care of at home," the township chief’s brother-in-law said politely. When you’re pinned under someone’s foot, you have no choice but to be humble.
Jim Thorne didn’t move. He looked to his second brother, who was the one to call the shots.
Patrick Thorne gave a slight nod. Only then did Jim Thorne lift his foot. The township chief’s brother-in-law scrambled nimbly to his feet, wiped the blood from his face, and snapped irritably at Zane Coleman, "Didn’t you say you were engaged? If you’re not even married, what the hell are you doing harassing her? Don’t you ever come looking for me again!"
"I really am engaged! This kid is spouting nonsense!" Zane Coleman yelled desperately. He had worked hard to befriend the township chief’s brother-in-law, who was now his main backer. He couldn’t afford for that connection to fall apart.
Howard Thorne kicked him. "You son of a bitch! Kelley Xavier is number one in her school every single year! She’s going to university! You think she’d be engaged to a toad like you? In your dreams!"
The expressions of the township chief’s brother-in-law and his four cronies changed. ’First in the entire school every year?’
’Holy shit, she’s an academic prodigy!’ To slackers like them, the person they revered most was the genius who came in first every year. In their eyes, such a person ranked even higher than the Jade Emperor.
A toad like Zane Coleman really had no right to go after a swan like her.
"Pah!" the township chief’s brother-in-law spat, shooting Zane a contemptuous look. "Don’t you have any self-awareness? Even *I* wouldn’t dare to marry the top student. Where the hell do you get the nerve!"
He motioned for his four buddies to leave, but just then, a commotion erupted in the distance. Grandpa Huxley came running over with several people in tow, including Armstrong Huxley and his son. Some carried hoes, others carried shoulder poles. Grandpa Huxley himself led the charge, striding forward with a gleaming pig-butchering knife in his hand.
"Where are they?"
"Just up ahead! There are six of them against Howard!" Kelley Xavier cried out, frantic and terrified that something terrible might happen to him.
She knew that staying would only make her a burden to Howard, not a help, so she had made the quick decision to run and find Grandpa Huxley. He was the only one in the entire village who could truly help.
Grandpa Huxley spotted the confrontation and quickened his pace. He was even taller and more imposing than Felix Thorne, radiating a much fiercer aura. His heavy pig-butchering knife glinted, reflecting cold slivers of light under the sun. The hooligans, who had been on the verge of leaving, suddenly felt their legs turn to jelly and their teeth begin to chatter.
’Someone’s really going to die today!’
"Grandpa!"
Nan Thorne shouted happily. Kelley Xavier ran over, and when she saw Howard’s battered state, she began to cry guiltily. ’It’s all my fault he got hurt.’
"It’s just a scratch. It doesn’t hurt... HISSS..."
Howard had meant to comfort Kelley, but the moment he tried to smile, the pain made him suck in a sharp breath. His comical grimace made Kelley want to both laugh and cry. At the same time, it put her mind at ease; it was only a flesh wound that would heal in a few days.