"Fuck! My hand—I'll kill you!" the thug howled in agony, then launched a vicious kick at Veil.
But how could his speed possibly compare to Veil, whose constitution had reached a monstrous 100?
Veil countered with a kick of his own.
Bang!
A dull, heavy thud echoed through the hallway as the thug was sent sliding backward across the floor like a ragdoll.
If someone looked closely, they'd notice a grotesque bulge around the knee of the man's slacks—his bone had been dislocated and twisted, forming a massive, unnatural lump. The pants were the only thing keeping the scene from turning utterly gruesome.
The commotion instantly drew attention from inside the villa.
To be more precise, it alerted the Black Dragon Society—not mere kidnappers, but a full-fledged gang.
This place wasn't just a random hideout—it was one of their key strongholds. Julia was only being held here temporarily.
Now, one after another, members of the Black Dragon Society surged in.
In the blink of an eye, more than a dozen gangsters flooded the hall, all of them burly, armed, and radiating aggression.
"There's something off with this guy—grab your weapons!" one of the leaders growled, his scalp prickling as he glanced at his unconscious comrade. Clenching his jaw, he roared, "Take him down! Don't let him take Julia!"
That girl was worth a fortune.
As long as they held her until the appointed time, a huge payout awaited. There was no way they'd just watch someone walk in and take her away.
Each man edged closer to Veil, eyes murderous. Some clutched batons, others wielded machetes—classic tools of the underworld. They weren't meant to kill outright, but crippling someone? That was easy.
But then something strange happened.
Even though he was outnumbered, Veil didn't retreat. He didn't even flinch.
Instead, he stepped forward.
In a flash, he grabbed the baton from the nearest thug, wrenched it free with brute force, and swung it with vicious precision.
The man stumbled forward from the sudden loss of grip—and caught the full force of the baton right between the eyes. His body crumpled like a puppet with its strings cut. One hit. Lights out.
"You've got some nerve kidnapping one of my people. Today, if I don't teach you bastards a lesson, you'll never remember your place!" Veil's voice rang cold and clear.
Bat in hand, he looked every bit the lone warrior. Facing down a dozen armed men didn't faze him in the slightest.
He moved fast—blindingly fast. Every time the baton came down, another thug fell, knocked unconscious by a blow to the temple or left writhing on the floor with a shattered shoulder.
A kick to the gut sent one man flying out of the encirclement like a sack of meat.
His strength was terrifying—far beyond anything these gangsters could handle.
This wasn't a rescue.
It was a massacre.
The so-called kidnappers were getting destroyed.
Through parted fingers, Julia peeked at the scene unfolding before her. Her wide eyes were filled with awe.
That valiant, unstoppable figure... that was her Veil.
Her white knight.
Her prince.
She had already been entranced by his looks. Now, after witnessing this overwhelming display of power, she was completely lost.
Heart, soul, body—everything now belonged to him.
"Let's go," Veil said simply, taking her soft hand and leading her out.
As they moved through the corridor, more Black Dragon Society members tried to block their way—but they barely lasted a second.
One fell with a swing of Veil's baton. Another, charging from a side room, got kicked back to where he came from.
This villa was crawling with enemies. It was a gang stronghold, after all. Under normal circumstances, even a highly trained special ops soldier wouldn't have made it out alive.
But Veil strolled through the chaos like he was on a leisurely afternoon walk.
What did Constitution 100 mean?
A normal human had a constitution around 10. Twenty meant twice the strength and agility of an average man.
A man with constitution 20 going up against two average men? It wasn't a fair fight. It was a beatdown.
Because strength didn't scale linearly—it exploded.
And Veil?
Veil had a hundred.
These gangsters weren't opponents.
They were toddlers.
By the time they reached the villa gates, not a single man stood in their way.
Behind them, groans and cries of pain filled the air. The floor was littered with the battered bodies of Black Dragon Society members.
Veil tossed the baton onto the villa's living room floor and scoffed. "Seriously? These are the infamous ruthless gangsters? What a joke."
Still holding Julia's delicate hand, he calmly walked away.
She followed in a daze, her gaze locked on his side profile like she was floating on a cloud.
A little ways down the road, they reached the waiting Bentley. Veil opened the door and helped her into the backseat.
As he climbed in beside her, he glanced at the brightly lit villa behind them, and a flicker of anticipation lit in his eyes.
Taking out a Black Dragon Society stronghold wouldn't go unnoticed.
He hadn't been subtle about it either—calling out his name, tearing through their forces, leaving a trail of chaos. There were surveillance cameras, too. They'd find him easily.
Saoirse, huh?
Looks like he wouldn't have to go looking for her after all.
She'd come straight to him.
Perfect.
Just as that satisfying thought crossed his mind, he felt a tug on his sleeve.
He turned—and Julia's flawless, doll-like face was suddenly inches from his.
Before he could react, her soft lips pressed against his.
He froze.
The kiss was light, sweet—like cotton candy melting in his mouth.
Julia's thoughts were a whirlwind. Her heart, her mind, her entire being—everything had been consumed by the image of Veil storming through that villa, untouchable, unstoppable.
He was her everything now.
She didn't want anyone else.
He was her one and only.
Finally, after what felt like ages, Julia shyly pulled back, cheeks flushed. She buried her head in his chest, wrapped her arms around his waist, and whispered softly, "Big brother... when I grow up, can I be your wife?"
A mediocre driver would've interrupted, told them to buckle up—"Safety first."
But a top-tier driver?
Kai silently adjusted the rearview mirror... and turned on soft, ambient music.
Julia had never heard this kind of music before—ancient, slow, totally not her style.
But that didn't matter.
Context was everything.
And right now, the lyrics floating through the air felt like they were written for her.
"From now on... I'll spend my whole life by your side."
Still hugging Veil, her voice soft as a kitten, she repeated it:
"Big brother... I'll stay with you forever, okay?"
For any ordinary man, this would've been a dangerous situation. The blood would rush straight to their head—and who knows what they'd do next?
Even Veil had to grit his teeth and remind himself—She's still a kid!
But then he looked down...
Those weren't exactly the features of a "kid" anymore.
Not small.
Definitely not.
"Just drive," Veil snapped at Kai, barely keeping the fire in his chest under control.
"Yes, sir!" Kai yelped and slammed on the gas.
Veil wrapped an arm around Julia, holding her lightly. He didn't say much.
His hand accidentally brushed her thigh a few times—but hey, that wasn't weird. Totally normal.
Besides, her cute pink dress had gotten wrinkled from all the chaos. Smoothing it out, making sure she hadn't been hurt—nothing wrong with that, right?
It wasn't like Veil wanted to be doing this.
But when he saw that flushed, adoring face gazing up at him with such pure gratitude...
He sighed inwardly.
So what if I did it?
She's just... someone who knows how to repay kindness.
(A true loli with a bombshell figure.)
Veyport City , outside a row of townhouses.
Julia had been holding Veil's hand the entire time. But the moment she saw Jodie standing by the door, the infatuation in her wide eyes cleared up, replaced by a misty glaze of tears.
With her legs wrapped in white stockings, she rushed forward on dainty steps—and launched herself into her sister's arms like a ball on a mission.
"Big sis! I thought I'd never see you again! Those bad guys were so scary! Waaah…"
Julia clung to her sister, burying herself in Jodie's embrace as she poured out all her grievances.
Jodie wrapped her arms around her little sister, gently stroking her head as she whispered comforting words, "It's okay now. It's over. Don't be afraid. I'm here. I won't let anything happen to you ever again."
"Did Daddy find out that big brother saved me?" Julia looked up, eager to share the good news with Kosdy.
Jodie paused for a moment, then smiled softly. "He knows. It's late now. Why don't you rest here tonight, Julia? Don't go home just yet."
This townhouse was one of Jodie's private properties. She rarely came here, except when a fight with her father pushed her to seek solitude. And right now, she didn't want her sister returning to that house. It no longer felt like home—no longer felt safe. Who knew what might happen next?
"Then… will big brother stay here tonight too?" Julia turned around, her cheeks flushing as she looked shyly at Veil, who stood a short distance behind her.
Jodie let out a soft sigh. She understood her sister's temperament, but Veil… he was like a man shrouded in mist—too mysterious. Something about getting too close to him didn't sit right. And besides, the age gap between them was… a little too much.
She gently took Julia's hand and led her to Veil.
"Young Master Lancaster," she said sincerely, "thank you for everything you did tonight. I truly mean that. When things settle down, we can talk more about everything… if that's okay with you?"
Veil smiled and nodded. "Of course. There's no rush. What matters most now is that Julia is safe and reunited with her sister. I wouldn't want to intrude."
Jodie, at least when it came to integrity, was someone Veil could respect.
Besides, he'd already hinted heavily that Julia's kidnapping was no ordinary incident—only one step away from outright naming the people involved. Anyone with half a brain could put the clues together.
What Jodie discovered on her own would cut deeper. The more truth she uncovered, the more that growing rift between her and her family would widen—until it eventually shattered everything.
"Big brother, don't go!"
Just as Veil turned to leave, Julia broke free from Jodie's hand, running up behind him and wrapping her arms tightly around his waist, pressing her head to his back.
"Please don't go…"
Veil could feel those soft 'balls' pressing into him. The corner of his mouth twitched. He gently pried her arms away, turned around, and had no choice but to issue an unofficial yellow card for her collision—especially in front of Jodie.
He rested a hand on Julia's head and gave her a warm, indulgent smile. "Be good, Julia. Stay with your sister. If anything ever makes you sad or scared, you can always come to me, okay?"
"Okay!" Julia nodded obediently, still reluctant to let go of his warm hand.
"…Big brother~" she whispered softly, holding on for just a moment longer before finally releasing him at Jodie's urging.
She followed her sister into the townhouse, glancing back every few steps, until the door finally shut behind them.
> Ding! Storyline deviation detected. Congratulations, Host—Villain Points +5000.
> Ding! Child of Fate Roy's luck decreased by 500. Congratulations, Host—Villain Points +5000.
Veil smirked in satisfaction as the system notifications echoed in his mind.
Just as he stepped past the front courtyard of the townhouse, he saw a familiar figure leaning against the wall.
Lisa.
She was watching him with her arms crossed, an amused glint in her eyes and a mocking smile tugging at her lips.
"Well, well… Leaving the Ruilu Gala halfway just to come knocking on Jodie's door? And now you're walking away like a kicked puppy?"
Who was Lisa?
Even though her family background didn't match Veil's, back in Luxhaven City, suitors practically lined up from here to the airport just to get her attention. If it weren't for her engagement to Veil, those numbers would've doubled.
There wasn't a man alive who didn't smile sweetly at her or try to impress her.
Except for Veil.
At the gala, she'd gone out of her way to talk to him—only to be brushed off without even a glance. He walked out as if she didn't exist.
Shortly after, Jodie had left as well. Lisa, driven by curiosity, had followed them.
She'd wanted to see just what it was Veil had been so desperate to do that he couldn't even spare her a moment.
And this was what she found?
Veil, standing outside Jodie's door in the dead of night… only to be coldly turned away.
She couldn't help herself—she had to take a jab.