The Shop Manager smiled and said, “Scarface, you act like a dog for others, and you still have the nerve to question me?”

The muscles on Scarface’s face twitched a few times. He said in a deep voice, “Old man, have you forgotten your place? Do you really think you can mess with those big shots up on the surface?”

The Shopkeeper shook his head and replied, “In this underground street, I only take orders from Night Owl. As for those so-called ‘big shots upstairs’, sorry, I don’t know a single one of them. Their words mean nothing to me.”

Scarface stubbed out his cigar and tossed it to the ground. “Then you tell me, how do we settle this?”

The Shopkeeper said, “If you’ve got the guts, fight me one-on-one. If you lose, you and your men get out; if you win, I’ll sell you the shop. How about it?”

Scarface’s face darkened, as if he was thinking it over. After a moment, he nodded. “Fine.”

Hearing this, the people on The Shopkeeper’s side all sneered. These two knew each other inside out—there was no way Scarface could beat The Shopkeeper.

No one expected Scarface to actually agree.

Even The Shopkeeper was a little surprised, not sure what trick Scarface was up to.

Scarface took off his coat, revealing his knotted muscles. He took a dark red war blade from someone nearby, let out a roar, and charged!

The Shopkeeper sidestepped the attack, but there was a hint of surprise and suspicion in his eyes.

That strike from Scarface was powerful!

“This bastard, did he take something?” The people on The Shopkeeper’s side started whispering.

Both sides were old acquaintances and knew each other’s strength. Although both The Shopkeeper and Scarface were Awakened, Scarface was far weaker than The Shopkeeper.

But now, Scarface’s speed and strength had both increased dramatically, and the usually weapon-averse The Shopkeeper was suddenly at a disadvantage.

There was only one explanation for this: the [Gene Serum].

The so-called gene serum could forcibly boost an Awakened’s abilities for a short time, but the price was that after burning out their potential, they would never improve again.

This serum was expensive on the black market—no one knew where Scarface had gotten it!

Very soon, The Shopkeeper was in grave danger.

Scarface’s long blade swept with a howling wind, smashing into the floor and sending stone chips flying!

The little boy even forgot to eat his meat, watching the fight in the street with a face full of both shock and worry.

“That last swing was way off target! Looks like the gene serum only boosted his muscles, not his brain.”

“If he keeps swinging like that, as soon as The Shopkeeper catches an opening, he’ll lose.”

Blake commented while eating his barbecue.

Sure enough, Scarface overexerted himself, his blade getting stuck in the wall. The Shopkeeper seized the chance, closed in, and landed two heavy punches on Scarface’s chest!

Before Scarface could react, The Shopkeeper followed up with a kick to his abdomen, sending him flying.

Scarface spat out a mouthful of blood and collapsed on the ground, motionless.

“Alright, alright… I admit defeat…”

Scarface struggled to kneel, gasping for breath.

But just as The Shopkeeper let his guard down a little, Scarface suddenly lunged forward, right fist clenched, aiming straight for The Shopkeeper’s left chest!

Two sharp spikes suddenly shot out from Scarface’s right forearm, gleaming with a chilling light!

“The Shopkeeper!!” Uncle Grant cried out in alarm.

But it all happened too fast—there was no time to react.

The Shopkeeper dodged as best he could, but the spikes on Scarface’s forearm still plunged deep into his abdomen.

The Shopkeeper leapt back, blood spraying everywhere!

“Hahaha, didn’t expect that, did you? My arm’s been modified—it’s mechanical!”

“Kill them! Don’t leave a single one alive!”

Scarface grinned viciously, and his men surged forward in an instant!

The Shopkeeper’s people’s eyes turned red with fury, swinging their weapons to meet the attack—especially Uncle Grant, who charged at the front with two short blades in hand.

Meanwhile, The Shopkeeper, with the help of two people, retreated from the fight.

“Whoosh!”

A coldly gleaming throwing knife shot toward Blake’s position.

From the start, Scarface had planned to wipe everyone out—no witnesses could be left alive.

As for those clueless diners still eating?

No one would care if they were killed!

However…

Blake casually reached out and caught the flying knife between two fingers.

After nonchalantly spearing a piece of barbecue from the table, Blake flicked his hand.

“Want some meat? Then eat up.”

The flying knife, now skewering a large chunk of barbecue, shot straight through the thrower’s head! Not only that, but the knife’s momentum pinned the man to the wall!

Everyone present only saw a blurry black shadow flash by, and then the man who threw the knife was nailed dead to the wall!

“There’s another expert?!”

Scarface was now out for blood. With The Shopkeeper seriously injured and no longer a threat, he charged straight at Blake.

“Die!” Scarface raised his war blade high and slashed down at Blake!

But in the next second—

Scarface’s blade froze in midair, his whole body tensing up as he stood rigidly in place.