treachery 3

**[Michael's POV]**

"Haaah… Huuh… Haaah… Huuh…" My breaths were heavy and ragged. My body screamed in protest with every movement, but I resisted and refused to show weakness in front of these hyenas. I glanced at the lifeless bodies on the ground, then stared at the steel rod in my hand, stained with their blood. I felt nothing—no sadness, hesitation, or regret.

I sensed two pairs of eyes glaring at me nervously. I lifted my head and met their gaze. It was James and Jackson. I could see fear and tension in their eyes. They probably thought they could take me down with numbers alone, but I proved them wrong.

A smirk crept onto my face unconsciously as I began walking toward them.

*Tok… Tok… Tok…*

The sound of my footsteps echoed as I spoke, locking eyes with them:

"Is this all you planned for… dragging me here and ambushing me with a dozen men?!"

"If this was your grand scheme, I'm sorry to ruin it." My sarcasm was met with silence. No one dared to reply.

"Where's your courage and arrogance now, Jackso—"

**"We knew it was impossible for you to lose to this many men."**

I was cut off. I turned toward the voice—it was the old man Alfonso, still sitting casually in his chair, glancing around indifferently. Seeing him like that sparked a bad premonition in me… and I was right.

***Boom!***

The door burst open, and a massive man stormed in. I immediately recognized him as the bodyguard who'd been standing outside the warehouse. But this confused me further—this man was someone I could easily defeat. I glanced at him for barely a second before he charged at me furiously. Despite his bulk, he was agile. He closed the distance swiftly, raised his fist, and aimed a punch at my stomach.

I tried to dodge, but my body froze suddenly, as if my limbs had turned to stone.

*"Oof!"* A grunt escaped me from the pain. The man clenched his fist again and struck my chest. I tried to evade once more, but my body still refused to obey.

*"Agh—!"* I gasped, feeling the air knocked out of my lungs.

***Thud… Thud… Thud… Thud…***

Every kick, every punch, pushed me closer to the edge of consciousness. The worst part wasn't the pain—it was the helplessness. My own body, the one I'd always relied on, had betrayed me.

*'Why… can't I move…?'*

*'The coffee… Damn it, how didn't I notice?!'*

That was my last thought before everything went dark.

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**[James' POV]**

"What in the world…?"

I stared in bewilderment at the man who'd single-handedly defeated thirty men—the man even the strongest members of first-tier syndicates couldn't touch. Now, he was being beaten like a sandbag without resistance. I thought this was part of my brother's plan and glanced at Jackson beside me. But the shock in his eyes told me he was just as clueless.

**"Baclofen,"** my father's voice cut through my thoughts. I turned to him, about to ask what he meant, but Jackson beat me to it, his tone suddenly electrified:

**"Ahahaha!"** Jackson laughed, staring at our father. I looked between them, still confused.

Jackson noticed my confusion and explained:

**"Baclofen is a muscle relaxant. It's used to treat spasms from conditions like multiple sclerosis or spinal injuries. It's odorless and tasteless when dissolved—perfect for slipping into coffee. It works by paralyzing the central nervous system."**

Realization hit me. I turned to my father in shock. *How did you make Michael drink it?!*

**"The coffee,"** my father replied coolly. Another question nagged me: *When did he even have the chance to spike it? He made the coffee right in front of Michael!*

My father smiled faintly. **"I added the drug to the coffee machine before he arrived. As for why it didn't affect me…"** He pulled out a red nasal spray, inserting the tip into his nostril and pressing it. Seeing this, I finally understood.

I sighed. *Who'd have thought the legendary Michael—the man who struck fear into the underworld—would fall because of a cup of coffee?* I chuckled, watching his unconscious body crumpled on the floor like a rag.

I glanced at Jackson, then at my father. **"Father… I want to play with him for a while."**

Jackson stayed silent, but my father nodded. My body trembled with excitement. *Hehe… I've waited years for this day.*

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**[Michael's POV]**

*"Ugh…"* I groaned, forcing my eyes open only to shut them again from the blinding light above.

**"Hehe… Look who's finally awake!"**

I turned my head and saw James grinning down at me with a twisted smile. I glanced around—I was stripped to my underwear, bound to a metal chair.

I locked eyes with him and mocked hoarsely: **"Wow… Let me tell you, James—I'd rather die than let a psycho like you touch me."**

His face flushed red with rage. He yanked my hair back, forcing me to look up as he snarled:

**"I'm not a damn pervert, you bastard! But I'll make you wish you were dealing with one instead of me. Today, I'll show you real pain."**

Before I could retort, he stuffed a cloth into my mouth.

**"Hehe…"** His manic laughter echoed in the dark room.

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**[James' POV]**

I watched Michael struggle to open his eyes. Joy surged through me, but I grew furious when I saw only disdain in his gaze, not fear.

**"Wow… Let me tell you, James—I'd rather die than let a psycho like you touch me."**

His taunt shattered my composure. I grabbed his hair and screamed:

**"I'm not a damn pervert! But I'll make you beg for death!"**

After gagging him, I dragged a table stacked with tools closer. My hands shook with anticipation as I picked up long-nosed pliers. Slowly, I clamped them onto the nail of his right big toe and ripped it off.

**"Fuuu… That's the last one."** I tossed the pliers aside, disappointed he hadn't flinched. **"Now, let's move to the hands. Which one first?"**

No reaction. My frustration peaked until I remembered the nasal spray. **"Oh right! Let's see if you keep that poker face now… Hehe!"**

I forced the antidote into his system. Within minutes, his expression twisted in agony.

**"AAAAAH—!"**

His scream sent adrenaline coursing through me. **"Ahahaha! YES! That's the sound I wanted!"** I laughed wildly, euphoric at the fear in his eyes.

I resumed with the pliers, tearing out his fingernails one by one. Each scream fueled my frenzy. When I finished, I shoved the pliers into his mouth and crushed his teeth.

**"AAAAAH—!"**

Laughing, I grabbed a knife from the table.

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**"Phew… That was tougher than expected."** I pushed the table away and stared at the man in the chair. His nails were gone, teeth shattered, body mutilated from head to toe, one eye gouged out. *No one would believe this broken husk was once the underworld's most feared man.*

**"Tsk… tsk…"** I clicked my tongue mockingly and left the room.

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**[Author's Note]**

* Hey everyone! Let me know your thoughts and suggestions in the comments!

* Thanks for reading—hope you have a great day! ^_^