The Supreme Soldier in the City
Chapter 419 - 426: Experts are Everywhere

Chapter 419: Chapter 426: Experts are Everywhere

The four men, although they felt the mighty strength of James Brown, were deeply humiliated by the fact that James was still able to strike Christopher Taylor under their protection. As members of the Brownie Family, their sole duty was to serve the family and ensure the safety of its members. Now that Christopher Taylor was injured, they had failed in their responsibilities. If they didn’t restore their honor, they would face severe punishment when they returned.

Without hesitation, the four men sprang forward and charged at James. They refused to believe that, even with their combined strength, they couldn’t subdue him.

James gently patted Emily Lopez and said softly, "Emily, go take care of your sister. Let your brother-in-law deal with these dogs."

Startled by the sheer force radiating from James’s body, Emily involuntarily staggered back several steps and sat firmly on the sofa, while Gina Lopez tumbled beside her. Emily quickly embraced her sister, who clung to her instinctively, twisting her body incessantly without any regard for propriety.

Emily’s attention was fixated on James and the four assailants. The five of them had already engaged in battle, and James was surrounded by the four. Though Emily knew little about martial arts, the ferocity of the punching and kicking convinced her that these adversaries were incredibly skilled.

Christopher Taylor, accustomed to witnessing fighters of this caliber, was most focused on the outcome of the fight. He screamed incessantly, "Kill him! Kill him for me!"

Meanwhile, Larry Frank and his group stared in stunned amazement. They had seen impressive fighters before, but usually, such people were merely brawlers with brute physical strength. However, the combat unfolding before them resembled the precision and ferocity of a martial arts movie—brilliantly choreographed movements, lightning-fast fists and feet, leaving them utterly dazzled.

James Brown had prior dealings with these families and understood that they often employed highly trained fighters loyal to their cause. These experts were tasked with protecting vital family members and performing discreet operations.

But James had never thought much of the martial prowess these families boasted. However, today he had to admit that these fighters weren’t weak. Each of the four posed a significant challenge, comparable to elite hitmen from assassin guilds.

Moreover, the four exhibited team-based strategies, working in coordination to attack ruthlessly, which made them exceptionally difficult to handle.

Still, their skills paled in comparison to James’s superior strength. He avoided using lethal force at first, choosing instead to gauge the true extent of the family’s power. Now that he fully understood their capabilities, his patience had run out.

"Open!" James suddenly roared, launching a forceful punch straight toward one of the fighters in front.

This punch carried unstoppable momentum, terrifying the man in its path. He immediately recognized that he couldn’t defend against James’s strike and retreated hastily.

The two beside him were paralyzed by the sheer intensity of James’s aura and dared not approach. The man behind him tried to intervene, roaring in desperation and attacking James in an attempt to force him to defend himself and alleviate the pressure on his comrade.

But James accelerated suddenly, causing the rear attacker’s strike to miss entirely. His punch connected squarely with the chest of the man in front.

The victim, realizing his peril in the nick of time, crossed his arms defensively and shouted, attempting to block the attack.

As flesh collided with flesh, the sound of bones cracking rang out. The man’s defiant shout cut off midway as his body launched into the air, flew over Christopher Taylor’s head, smashed against the wall, and slumped to the ground.

"Plth!" He spat out a mouthful of bright red blood, his head tilting lifelessly as his body remained motionless.

Although this punch didn’t kill him, it shattered his arm bones and fractured at least six or seven of his ribs. Under such conditions, remaining conscious was out of the question.

With one man down, the synchronized assault of the four instantly fell apart. Even while attacking as a unit, they couldn’t gain the upper hand against James. Now debilitated and reduced to three, they fell further outmatched.

"Master Johnson, run! He’s too strong!" one fighter shouted.

Christopher Taylor, sensing the unfavorable turn of events, finally thought about escaping. He realized that if James overpowered these experts, he’d be next in line for punishment.

"Master Johnson, we’ll hold him off! You need to leave now!" The remaining three fighters, feeling the mounting pressure, hurriedly urged Christopher to flee.

Without hesitation, Christopher sprinted toward the door, followed closely by Larry Frank and his group. Seeing Christopher make a dash for it, they dared not linger behind.

But they had no chance of escaping. James bellowed once more and accelerated his strikes, sending the three fighters flying through the air like severed kites. Each landed with a thud, coughing blood and sustaining serious injuries.

James then exploded forward with an arrow-like stride, arriving directly behind Christopher Taylor. Reaching out, he grabbed a fistful of Christopher’s hair.

"Ahhhh!" Christopher yelped as he continued running. The forward momentum made it feel as though his scalp was about to be ripped off. Screaming in agony, he froze in place.

"Let me go! Let me go! If you dare touch me, I swear I’ll destroy you!" he threatened instinctively, his tone as arrogant as ever despite the situation.

James sneered coldly, smashing Christopher’s head against the wall with tremendous force, producing a heavy thud.

"Ahhhh!" Christopher wailed as the impact left his head bloodied but not unconscious. Remaining conscious intensified the pain, causing tears to mix with the blood streaming down his face.

"Stop right there!" James barked at Larry Frank and his group, who had nearly reached the door. They froze in place as though immobilized, not daring to take another step forward.

"Th-this... This has nothing to do with us. It was all Master Johnson’s idea," James Clark stammered, trembling as he addressed James.

James snorted derisively and said, "Oh, is that so?"

James Clark quickly chimed in, "Yes! Absolutely! We didn’t even know your sister before this, and we’d never harm her without his orders!"

"That excuse isn’t good enough for me to let you live," James retorted with chilling finality.

The group exchanged terrified glances while James Clark stammered, "W-what... what do you want from us so you’ll spare us?"

James glanced at Christopher Taylor and replied coldly, "Slap him ten times, and you can leave."

"What?!" The group stared in stunned disbelief.

Christopher, furious, yelled, "You bastards! If you dare hit me, I’ll flay you alive!"

James responded casually, "You can refuse, and I’ll handle it myself." With that, he slapped Larry Frank so hard across the face that he flew into the wall. A bright red imprint of five fingers appeared on Larry’s previously immaculate pretty boy face.

James had watched the group’s actions closely from the moment they entered. He had suspected Larry Frank all along; the man seemed to egg on the conflict between Christopher and himself, showing signs of hidden motives. James thus chose him as an example.

Despite his overwhelming rage toward the group, James restrained himself from killing them outright. He was no longer the second-in-command of the Hawk Squad, and arbitrary murder wasn’t permissible. But compelling them to slap Christopher would guarantee mutual hatred between them, ensuring Christopher would retaliate and deal with them in due course.

As for Christopher, James certainly would not let him off lightly. Daring to target Gina Lopez and Emily Lopez demanded retribution. James couldn’t vent his anger without making Christopher pay dearly.

Judging by Christopher’s familial ties, any punishment of him would inevitably offend the Brownie Family. But James was unconcerned. The feud’s seeds had already been sown, leaving no room for reconciliation, and gave James all the impetus needed to deliver severe consequences.

"Well? Are you hitting him or not?" James roared fiercely, his gaze piercing through the group.

The group glanced nervously at Larry Frank, whose face remained covered as he had yet to recover; none wanted to risk such punishment themselves.

James Clark hesitated before approaching Christopher, gritting his teeth. "Forgive me, Master Johnson—he leaves me no choice."

Christopher’s eyes burned with fury as he roared, "James Clark, how dare you!"

James Clark clenched his jaw. "Master Johnson, it’s his ultimatum; don’t hold it against me." With that, he struck Christopher across the face.

Soon, James Clark delivered ten successive slaps, leaving Christopher’s face swollen and bruised. James barked, "You’re free to go," prompting Clark to flee without looking back.

Watching James keep his word, the others hesitated no longer. Each exchanged a brief apology with Christopher before delivering their own sequence of harsh slaps and hastily escaping.

Even Larry Frank delivered ten blows to Christopher before departing.

"Y-you traitorous bastards! How dare you hit me! I’ll never forgive you for this!" Christopher was fuming, blood boiling in rage. Being beaten by James was bad enough, but to endure the humiliation of his friends and subordinates slapping him was unbearable.

"Now it’s just you and me," James said leisurely, eyes fixed on Christopher’s.

Christopher shivered, realizing he was alone against James now. His haughtiness melted into panic as he stammered, "W-what more do you want from me?"

James sneered. "Simple: breaking your legs." Without further ado, he delivered swift kicks to each of Christopher’s legs.

Christopher screamed in agony, collapsing to the ground and holding his legs as he wailed like a slaughtered animal.