Chapter 4 Quite Tricky Jaziels opinion of Caleb took a nosedive, sinking to an all-time low when he heard the conversation. Suddenly, Jaziel turned to Vivian and said, Vivian, I need to tell you something. He then gently pulled her aside. Caleb has ill intentions toward you. Hes no good. I suggest you distance yourself from him, Jaziel warned. Vivians eyes widened in shock as she stared at Jaziel. What are you saying? Has prison muddled your mind or something? Caleb has been kind enough to help us. Why are you badmouthing him? Jaziel persisted, I overheard some people saying that Caleb is engaged. It seems youre just a temporary interest to him. Vivian chuckled, a mix of frustration and disbelief in her voice. With all this noise and from such a distance, how on earth did you hear that? Jaziel, youve really let me down. As the argument reached Caleb and others, their expressions darkened instantly. Jaziel, right? Caleb said coldly, his gaze sharp. I only greeted you just now out of respect for Vivian. I hope you wont say such things again. Keep up with this behavior, and dont expect any more courtesy from me. Id hate to be rude, but dont push your luck. In Calebs eyes, Jaziel was nothing more than an ex-convict. His interest in Vivian was the only reason he was even bothering to show Jaziel any respect. Im warning you toostay away from my cousin. If you dont, dont expect any mercy, Jaziel said firmly. You… Calebs expression grew darker, his anger palpable. Sophie, sensing the escalating tension, intervened. Caleb, Jaziel has just been released from prison and might not fully grasp the situation. Dont take it personally. Sophie shot Jaziel a sharp glare. Jaziel, apologize to Caleb right now. How dare you disrespect him? Caleb was a bronze medalist in the citys boxing championship. He could knock you out with a single punch. Jaziel smirked disdainfully. If it werent for his concern about scaring Vivian, he would have gladly made Caleb vanish without a second thought. Having risen to the top of that intimidating prison, Jaziel was not someone to be underestimated. You seem to look down on me, Jaziel? Why dont you step up on stage and spar with me? Caleb clenched his fists, eager to teach Jaziel a lesson. Jaziel scoffed. This kid actually dares to challenge me. Its the perfect chance to put him in his place and make sure he stays away from Vivian. Jaziel nodded in response. All right then. Everyone was momentarily stunned by his response. Sophie frowned deeply. Jaziel, are you a fool? Ive already told you Caleb won a bronze medal. Do you really want to challenge him? Are you out of your mind? Vivian quickly intervened, Caleb, he doesnt know what hes talking about. Please, dont take his words to heart. No, no, Caleb said, shaking his head. Since Jaziel wants to give it a shot, Ill spar with him. Dont worry, Ill go easy on him. As he spoke, a sly grin spread across Calebs face. Ill go easy on him, sure. But Ill make sure hes bedridden for at least a couple of weeks. Jaziel couldnt be bothered to waste time and headed straight for the ring. The crowd buzzed with excitement at the upcoming fight. Who does this kid think he is, challenging Caleb? Everyone knows Calebs punches are notoriously heavy. I heard hes that girls cousin who just got out of prison. So what if he was in prison? Just a few days ago, I fought a guy whod just been releasedhe used to be a big shot on the street, skilled in brawling. I nearly had him coughing up blood. Compared to us professionals, ordinary people like him are just trash. The crowd cheered as Jaziel stepped into the ring. Caleb followed, tossing a pair of boxing gloves to him. Jaziel promptly discarded them, letting the gloves fall to the ground. I dont need these, Jaziel said firmly. True traditional combat arts involved a range of hand techniques, and boxing gloves would only get in the way. For Jaziel, handling someone like Caleb, who was merely a small fry, was childs play. He could have taken him down effortlessly without breaking a sweat. His reluctance to wear boxing gloves was simply a matter of preference. This young mans so arrogant. Calebs expression hardened as he clenched his fist and tossed the boxing gloves aside. Fine, if you dont need them, neither do I. As soon as the referee raised his hand to signal the start, Caleb lunged at Jaziel with impressive speed. In one smooth motion, he threw a powerful punch aimed straight at Jaziels cheek. A cheer erupted from the crowd below. Vivians concern grew as she watched. Caleb had promised to show mercy, yet the force behind his punch was so formidable that it sent a shiver down her spine, even from a distance. Jaziel remained rooted to the spot, showing no signs of defense, as if he were momentarily stunned. I thought he had some skills. Is that all hes got? I bet hell be knocked out by Mr. Zillen in just one round. A few of Calebs friends erupted into laughter. Just as Calebs fist was a mere centimeter from Jaziels cheek, Jaziel moved with lightning speed. He deftly sidestepped, narrowly avoiding the punch. Seizing the moment, he grabbed Calebs arm and delivered a powerful counterpunch. The blow landed squarely on Calebs face with brutal force. Caleb spun around and collapsed to the ground, completely incapacitated and unable to continue the fight. In an instant, the crowd fell into stunned silence. Caleb, who had won third place in a professional boxing competition, was now unexpectedly knocked out by a single move. Vivians mouth fell open in shock. In her memory, Jaziel had been nothing more than a frail scholar before his imprisonment. Though he had struck the scion to protect his girlfriend, he had used a knife from a nearby shop and his combat skills had seemed unimpressive at best. Sophie was so astonished that her jaw nearly dropped, her words coming out in a jumble. D*mn, hes incredible… A few of Calebs close friends quickly gathered around, their hostile gazes locked on Jaziel. Jaziel, unfazed, pointed at them assertively. Who else wants to step up and spar? Upon hearing Jaziels challenge, the group fell into immediate silence. Caleb was no pushover, and if Jaziel could knock him down so effortlessly, they would only be setting themselves up for humiliation if they accepted the challenge. Cowards, Jaziel said disdainfully as he turned and left the stage. He then said to Vivian, Im going to step out for a bit. If anything comes up, just give me a call. Vivian nodded instinctively. The next moment, Jaziel stepped out. He had given Caleb a harsh lesson, and if Caleb didnt learn from it, he wouldnt hesitate to leave him with a permanent scar next time. Meanwhile, Caleb dizzily struggled to his feet in the ring, staring at Jaziels retreating figure. His fists clenched tightly in frustration. Ive made a fool of myself today! At the same time, a hint of apprehension was evident in his eyes. Its tricky to deal with this cousin of Vivians.