Chapter 12

Leaving behind a trace of anxiety, the chief returned to his office. As his retreating figure completely disappeared from view, the remaining men turned their attention to Greyson all at once. They stood there looking up at him with hardened expressions, as if confronting a violent criminal.

Their faces as they stared at him, arms crossed or hands on hips, were full of obvious discontent. Their hostility had peaked, amplified by self-loathing for having momentarily lost themselves to his unprecedented beauty.

In the razor-sharp silence, the air in the room grew increasingly taut. Amid this, finally, as if trying to establish dominance, a man stepped forward and spoke to Greyson in a low voice.

"You're going to be a firefighter starting today? You?"

As his gaze blatantly swept over Greyson's entire body with disbelief, another man asked in a rough tone as if to help.

"How did you get in here? We all went through tests, shouldn't you have to do them too?"

"Right, the physical fitness test. That's the most basic requirement."

Following the man who quickly chimed in, others started jumping in from all around, not missing a chance to speak up.

"When there's a fire, you have to rush into the scene carrying incredibly heavy equipment. Can you do that?"

"Suddenly coming in and calling yourself a colleague? No way, we can't accept that."

"We're a team. If a rookie like you comes in and ruins the team, everyone's lives are put at risk. Hey, are you listening?"

"Answer us, you bastard. Are you deaf?"

The men shouted in outrage, but Greyson showed no reaction. As he looked around past the men with an indifferent expression, he suddenly moved. Seeing him try to pass by while ignoring them, they burst out in anger and blocked his path again.

"This fucking bastard is ignoring us?"

"Where do you think you're going on your own? Without permission!"

"Get out right now, this isn't a place for someone like you to be nosing around!"

The men swung their fists under Greyson's chin while yelling. Having his path blocked, Greyson's face twisted before he let out a deep sigh. Until then, the men remained aggressive. This bastard's finally getting intimidated. Of course, we're firefighters who protect this area! How could a good-for-nothing like you handle us? As the men stood before him, puffing out their chests in satisfaction, Greyson dropped his shoulders as if discouraged and muttered in a completely deflated voice.

"Ah... I really hate ugly people..."

Though he muttered it as if talking to himself, it was clearly meant for everyone present to hear. A chilling silence fell instantly. The men who had been shouting and yelling until then became dazed as if they'd been hit on the back of the head. Though only a very short time had passed, Greyson truly seemed to have lost all his energy. The sight of him covering his mouth with one hand as if about to vomit and even taking deep breaths set fire to the men's hearts.

"What did you say? Hey, you son of a bitch!"

"Fuck, you want to die? Fine, let's go right now!"

"I'll kill you, you bastard! Who do you think you are to talk like that?"

"Come on, you coward! Come at us! We'll turn you to powder!"

With curses, someone threw a punch, and as if that were a signal, everyone rushed at Greyson. Watching them, Greyson stopped and furrowed his brows. Surprisingly, when the men hesitated at his face turning sullen with a "haa" sigh, he muttered almost like a complaint.

"Ah... I really hate touching ugly people..."

At that moment, the men's anger exploded.

"What? This son of a bitch!"

"Kill him, let's kill him right now!"

"We won't let you get away with this, you rotten bastard!"

The man at the front who heard his words threw a punch with veins bulging on his forehead. This was no longer about pride as firefighters. Their hearts were filled only with rage to beat this arrogant bastard to a pulp and teach him a lesson.

Unfortunately, Greyson easily avoided the devastating blow by simply turning his body slightly. While the man who had missed steadied himself, gritting his teeth after stumbling from the wild swing, another man rushed in. This time it was a kick. Though his leg shot up to thigh height in an instant, Greyson easily avoided it just by stepping back once.

The same situation kept repeating, but the men didn't give up. Rather, they threw their whole bodies into it more fiercely, their eyes burning as if determined to knock him down somehow. This situation wouldn't end easily. Greyson was getting bored. He was irritated at wasting time on such pointless things, and he was growing impatient dealing with these idiots when he should be finding his destined one as quickly as possible.

That's when it happened. As Greyson slightly turned his body to avoid another incoming punch, his eyes fell on 'that'. The firefighters' tool mainly used for opening locked doors, the metal crowbar, however, suggested a different use to him.

With a dull thud, just as the man's fist connected with Greyson's stomach, almost simultaneously, Greyson grabbed the metal crowbar.

"Oh."

The man momentarily blanked out, not even realizing he had hit Greyson who had been dodging so well until then. A shadow fell over him. As the man unconsciously looked up, Greyson opened his mouth. With a smile spread across his face.

"Now it's self-defense."

Then before there was time to think, the metal crowbar cut through the air. The man collapsed to the floor without even managing to scream. The other men who saw this were momentarily confused but had no time to hesitate. By the time they belatedly realized that Greyson Miller had deliberately let himself be hit once, the metal crowbar was already flying at their bodies.

What followed was a one-sided beating. The men hurriedly tried to regain their stance and rush at Greyson but couldn't even graze him. He struck their arms, waists, backs indiscriminately. Fortunately, he didn't hit their heads, but the impact to their bodies was far from light. As one man fell screaming, another would launch himself from behind, and when he was knocked down, the fallen man would stagger back up and charge again.

Now they no longer harbored any ridiculous thoughts about teaching Greyson Miller manners. All that remained in them was petty pride and stubbornness. A final will that they couldn't just collapse so pathetically.

Despite their desperation, Greyson wasn't even breathing hard. His movements as he wielded the crowbar skillfully were just enough and even appeared concise. This monster, the man who had rushed in first ground his teeth and spat out curses. He might kill us. A chilling premonition came with the fear. No, he definitely would. If not at this moment, then sometime, perhaps soon.

This bastard will end up killing us all.

The moment he thought this, the metal crowbar flew at his body.

He couldn't withstand this one. Is this the end? The man thought as he closed his eyes.

Thwack, a loud noise rang out. The sound seemed to come from farther away than expected. The man froze at the noise that seemed to echo from somewhere other than his own body.

When he slowly opened his eyes, an unexpected sight entered his view. Someone had struck Greyson Miller's back with a chair. And the moment he recognized the red-blonde man holding the broken chair leg, he unconsciously let out a sigh of relief.

"Dane...!"

As he called the name as if meeting a savior, he saw Greyson Miller slowly turning around with a frowning face. Then their gazes met in the air. Deep purple eyes full of displeasure and deeply furrowed blue eyes.

Dane, who had thrown away the broken chair, deeply furrowed his brow.

"What's this? Who are you?"

Pop, Dane stared down the unfamiliar man who had been causing trouble until just now, inflating and popping the gum in his mouth.