Chapter 478
The large man grabbed Sophie’s hand.
That was the final straw.
He still wouldn’t listen despite being told nicely. Some people just need to taste the pain, don’t they?
The next moment, she grabbed his hand and wrenched it backward. To his shock, Quinton even heard the sound of breaking bones.
How could such a meek and frail-looking young woman be that heavy-handed?
“Ah!”
The large man let out a squeal of pain.
His comrades in the vicinity pulled him aside at once and surrounded Sophie.
“You’re here to sabotage us, aren’t you?”
Quinton’s voice grew cold.
No matter who she is, she shouldn’t have attacked my men on my turf.
“I’m sure you gangsters abide by your code of honor, Mr. Wheeler. How about this? I’ll fight you, and you’ll hear me out if you lose.”
If that is the only way to get him to listen, I don’t mind fighting him.
“What? You want to fight me?” Quinton’s eyes blazed. How long has it been since somebody dared challenge me to my face?
Without outstanding martial skills, he could not have commanded the Emerald Gang for decades.
Either I come for my enemies in the underworld, or they come for me.
“Very well!” Quinton rose from his seat.
Sophie responded, “Then we’ll step outside as it’s too cramped in here. I’m afraid we will break your things!” I came here today to talk about Mark. It wouldn’t be very polite to damage his belongings.
“How brazen of you!”
How dare this young brat challenge me!
“You need not raise a finger, Boss. I’ll teach her a lesson for you,” Quinton’s right-hand man said at once.
She’s just a bratty little girl. How dare she behave so arrogantly. Does she not take the Emerald Gang seriously?
“No. I’m the one she’s challenging!”
As a veteran of the underworld, Quinton would not turn down a challenge.
The group filed into the yard, and Quinton and Sophie stood on both ends while facing each other.
“Make your move! I’ll allow you three strikes!” Quinton declared imperiously.
I am an elder, in any case. My act of generosity is customary.
Sophie could not help chuckling.
“Don’t go easy on me, Mr. Wheeler. Honor your opponent by doing your best. Don’t worry. I won’t go easy on you as well.”
Quinton sneered, “What an arrogant girl. It appears you need a lesson today.”
Sophie laughed. “Please, don’t hold back.”
Without another word, she dove toward Quinton with an aggressive move, as she did not intend to waste any more time.
Quinton did not expect the frail-looking girl to leap into action so quickly.
Not daring to take this fight with levity, he parried her strike at once.
The movements of both combatants were swift.
Quinton’s prolonged tenure in the underworld had honed his instinct for battles to an astonishing degree.
However, Sophie suppressed him in both strength and speed.
Quinton felt her oppression from the beginning, but he persisted as he did not want to lose too severely before his many subordinates.
After Sophie pressured him, she backed off slightly to spare him some dignity.
Quinton’s men were stunned.
Is Boss getting old? He took so long to fight a little girl.
The duo went back and forth as they unleashed impressive, powerful moves.
At last, Sophie let him keep his pride by ceasing her onslaught.
“All right, I’m done fighting you. It’s boring!”
Quinton was furious that he could not even beat a young girl.
Then, he recalled that she was Mark’s friend and began considering recruiting Sophie into the Emerald Gang.
The boy is not suited for the Emerald Gang. His combat skills are so abysmal that he will suffer greatly if he takes over as the gang’s next leader. However, things would be easier if this young lady were by his side.
“So, may I have a private word with you?” Sophie asked politely.
Her forehead was covered with sweat from the prolonged sparring, but she remained beautiful beyond words.
How unexpected for such a pretty young woman to be such a terrifying opponent.
The huge contrast was shocking.
“Of course. Come with me.” Quinton led her to the study. He gazed at the young woman before him and wondered how to begin.
“What’s your name?”
“Sophie Tanner.”
“All right, Sophie. What do you want to talk about?” She might as well just go straight to the point! I don’t like beating around the bush.
“All right, then. I hope you can allow Mark to keep singing!”
Sophie was frank as he had hoped.
“He loves to sing, and he is good at it. I don’t know what you said that made him return to you, but I know he is not happy.”
Mark was her friend who she could not bear to see unhappy.
Besides, he was still the lead singer of the Wheelers.
Quinton could not repress a frown at Sophie’s words.
“So you are Sophie Tanner!”
Sophie nodded. “That’s me.”
“Does Mark know you’re here today?”
“No.”
“Aren’t you afraid of not returning alive? Besides, Mark came back of his own free will. I didn’t force him.” What could the Emerald Gang do if Mark refused?
Sophie smiled.
“You don’t have to refuse so hastily, Mr. Wheeler. You’re his father. Don’t you want Mark to pursue his dreams?”
Sophie came with only one purpose, and she was not giving up easily before achieving her goal.
“I have given him five years to do whatever he wants. Isn’t that enough? There is no way I can continue running the Emerald Gang now that I am old. He is my son. Of course, he should return to help me.”
It is only natural for a son to inherit his father’s business.
“Do you think Mark is suited for the Emerald Gang, Mr. Wheeler? Gang wars come and go and are full of dangers. I don’t think Mark is cut out for such a life.”
Quinton lapsed into deep thought. He, too, knew that Mark was not cut out for such a life, but no one was born ready for it.
“You have occupied the helm long enough. Don’t you know the danger it entails?” Sophie continued. “I don’t think any father would want to endanger their son.”
Gangs fight over territory and shoot at each other every day. Nobody knows what would happen at any moment. Is this the kind of life he wants to give Mark?
Quinton did not respond. Though he feared for his son’s safety, his former enemies might not let them go if he stepped down from his position of power.
