The Understated Dragon Lord novel Chapter 288

Dylan scrambled up from the ground, his cheek burning from the slap, and glared at Daniel, bellowing, "You have the guts to slap me?"

"Slap!" Daniel didn't bother with a verbal response; instead, he answered with another sharp slap across Dylan's face.

Dylan was a mix of shock and rage, scarcely believing what was happening as he glared at Daniel and barked, "You dare slap me again?"

"Slap!" Daniel's hand met Dylan's face once more without any explanation.

Rage flooded Dylan after the third slap. "FUCK!" He cursed loudly, then shouted commands to his crew. "Take him down, beat this reckless country boy to a pulp!"

At Dylan's bidding, his pack of roughnecks charged toward Daniel like rabid dogs. These hoodlums, though not professionally trained, were no strangers to brawls on the streets. They were brutal to themselves and their foes alike, and they weren't unarmed. Armed with steel pipes, daggers, and even machetes, they attacked.

Daniel stood emotionless as they lunged toward him. Fists and feet flying, he floored the gang of attackers in under a minute. Walking up to Dylan, he said in no uncertain terms, "Kneel before the old hero, apologize, promise never to cross him again, and shut down your lousy mine!"

It wasn't a negotiation; it was an order from Daniel to Dylan.

"You country boy! After injuring my men and slapping me around, you want me to kneel and apologize? I've been The Dylan in River County for decades; I've never been insulted like this! You have no idea who you're dealing with!"

With those words, Dylan pulled out a handgun and aimed it at Daniel's chest. To ensure his safety, he stepped back, widening the distance between them. Even if Daniel acted quickly, he couldn’t outspeed the bullet from Dylan's gun.

"Kneel down now, or I'll shoot you on the spot!"

Gun in hand, Dylan was cool and confident. He didn't rise to a position where a single stamp could shake River County with his fists—it was the gun. Dylan could kill without trial.

Anyone in River County who dared mess with Dylan would meet their end by his bullet. All his past adversaries who'd offended him were taken out, leaving him without rivals.

Daniel, hands in his pockets, faced the gun pointed at his chest without a trace of fear, even poking fun with a laugh. "Wow, The Dylan lives up to his reputation! I thought you just had a gang of thugs at your command, but who would've thought you'd actually carry a gun? That old pistol and the way you hold it looks pretty professional; you must've killed before, huh?"

"I've taken lives with this gun, over a hundred," Dylan boasted. "If you don't do as I say, you're next!"