A Transaction Called Family

“Don’t blame me if you go home crippled,” the Boxing Champion said with a mocking grin.

The young man merely responded with a faint smile.

The bell rang.

A thunderous roar exploded across the arena as the crowd chanted the champion’s name. The massive fighter charged forward immediately, fists flying without restraint, each punch thrown with enough force to break bones.

At ringside, Mr. Valdez cheered wildly, throwing imaginary punches into the air as if he were fighting alongside his champion.

But inside the ring, the young man did nothing but defend.

He moved lightly, calmly, weaving, stepping aside, slipping past every strike. Punch after punch cut through empty air.

The champion’s attacks grew faster. Wilder. More aggressive.

Confusion crept onto his face.

No matter how hard he struck, kicks, hooks, jabs, he couldn’t land a clean hit.

The crowd’s cheers slowly turned into murmurs.

Something was wrong.

Then, the young man moved.

The shift was so sudden that the arena fell silent.

He dodged a straight punch, stepping inside the champion’s guard. His body lowered smoothly---- and his fist drove upward.

Boom.

A devastating punch slammed into the champion’s stomach.

The giant man’s body folded instantly, breath exploding from his lungs as his hands instinctively clutched his abdomen.

Before he could recover. The young man pivoted.

His leg swept through the air with terrifying precision.

CRACK.

A powerful kick struck the champion’s temple.

Gasps erupted across the arena.

The champion’s head snapped violently to the side, his neck twisting at an unnatural angle before his massive body collapsed onto the canvas.

Blood spilled from his mouth. He didn’t move. Silence swallowed the arena.

Moments ago, the undefeated king of underground boxing had stood invincible.

Now he lay unconscious, defeated in seconds.

All eyes turned toward the young man standing calmly at the center of the ring, completely unfazed by the giant he had just put to sleep.

At ringside, Mr. Valdez staggered to his feet in disbelief and rushed toward the ropes.

“Get up! Get up!” he shouted desperately, shaking the fallen fighter.

But the champion did not respond. He couldn’t hear anything anymore.

He was completely unconscious.

And for the first time that night, fear began to spread through the arena.

“Well, looks like I win this round,” the young man said calmly, his gaze fixed on Mr. Valdez. “I hope you’re a man who keeps his word.”

Mr. Valdez’s expression twisted.

“What makes you think I’d just hand over my life that easily?” he spat. “I have nothing left to lose anyway. If I’m going to fall, then we’ll all go to hell together!”

Suddenly, he pulled a grenade from inside his suit.

Gasps and screams erupted across the arena as panic spread through the crowd.

The young man, however, only smiled.

He walked toward the edge of the ring, stopping directly in front of Valdez, one hand resting casually against the metal fence as he looked down at him.

“Only a pathetic loser resorts to something like that,” he said coldly. “If you couldn’t handle the rules of this world, you should have stopped while you still had the chance.”

His voice lowered, sharp and merciless.

“What I hate most are weak people who think death is the fastest escape from their problems.” He straightened.

“Here’s some news for you.” His eyes darkened.

“I won’t allow you to die that easily.”

At that moment, men in black suits emerged from different parts of the arena, moving with precise coordination. Within seconds, they surrounded Valdez, disarmed him, and seized the grenade from his trembling hand.

He struggled, but it was useless.

“Take him away,” the young man ordered flatly. “I don’t want to see him.”

“Yes, boss.”

The men dragged Valdez away despite his protests.

The young man’s attention then shifted to the stunned girl, her father, and her brother, who remained frozen in their seats, unable to process what had just happened.

“This show is over,” he said without raising his voice. “Clear the arena.”

His subordinates immediately obeyed, guiding the audience out one by one as murmurs and fearful whispers filled the air.

The young man stepped down from the ring and approached the girl.

Without warning, he took her hand and pulled her gently to her feet.

Her father instantly grabbed the young man’s wrist.

A sharp, dangerous look flashed across the young man’s eyes.

He glanced at the hand holding him, then slowly lifted his gaze to the older man’s face.

“I won,” he said evenly. “She’s mine now. Take your hand off me.”

When the man hesitated, one of the young man’s subordinates stepped forward and forcefully removed his grip. Another handed the father a briefcase.

The father and son stared at it in confusion.

“There’s ten million inside,” the young man said casually. “That should be enough in exchange for her. Honestly, I’m the one taking a loss here, but it’s fine.”

His voice turned colder.

“Keep the money. Keep your lives. And disappear. Never show your faces in front of me again.”

The father and brother exchanged stunned looks. They knew they had lost everything. Men like him did not give money away without reason, certainly not to people like them.

“Papa----I don’t want—”

The girl suddenly pulled her hand away from the young man and rushed toward her father, clutching his arm tightly.

“Stop making a scene,” her father said coldly. “Go with him. He already bought you.” He pulled his arm away from her and shoved her forward.

Weak and shaken, the girl collapsed onto the floor.

Her chest tightened painfully as reality crashed down on her. Strength drained from her body, leaving her trembling.

Was she really that worthless?

Was this all her life was worth?

The questions echoed relentlessly inside her mind.

“You should be grateful,” her older brother added casually. “At least you ended up with him and not that disgusting old man.”

Tears finally slipped down her cheeks. She couldn’t stop them anymore. Pity for herself overwhelmed everything else.

The young man watched silently, his hand slowly curling into a tight fist.

“Get out,” he said coldly to the father and son.

Neither hesitated. They left immediately, satisfaction evident on their faces. Both of them were happy, they were going home with money.

That had been their only purpose for coming here.

As the girl watched them walk away, her tears fell harder.

Her chest hurt so much she felt like screaming, like breaking apart — but she forced herself to stay silent. Holding back her sobs only made her throat ache and her breathing uneven.

Watching their retreating figures, she finally understood.

She no longer had a place in that house.

From the moment her father handed her away, she had already lost her home.

She couldn’t help envying her siblings. They were lucky. They were not the children sold away to live in fear under the most terrifying Mafia clan.

When the father and son disappeared, the young man turned toward her. She was still sitting on the floor, fragile and unmoving.

One of his subordinates stepped forward to help her up, but the young man raised a hand, signaling him to stop.

“Get up,” he said.

“I knew you were naïve,” he continued coldly, “but I didn’t expect this level of stupidity. You knew exactly what would happen if you went back to them, and yet here you are, letting them break your heart all over again.”

His voice carried weight with every word.

“Tell me, how many times do you need to be sold and buried in their debts before you finally realize how trashy those people are?”

The girl wiped her tears away. Her gaze dropped briefly to the hand he now extended toward her before she looked up at him with defiance.

“Like you’re any better,” she muttered.

A slow grin spread across his face.

He crouched down until their eyes were level. Reaching forward, he gently gripped her chin and turned her face toward him.

“Oh, I know I’m a hundred times better than them,” he said softly. “Stronger. Wealthier.” His eyes darkened.

“Or have you forgotten? I’ve bought you, not once, but multiple times.” His voice lowered into something possessive.

“I’m your owner now. You belong to me.”

She said nothing, turning her face away from him.

For a moment, he simply stared at her. Then he stood.

“Get up,” he said. “Let’s go home.”

“I’m not going back with you,” she replied, remaining seated.

His expression hardened instantly.

“Oh? Then where exactly are you planning to go?” he asked, anger creeping into his voice. “Back to your parents’ house?”

His eyes flashed dangerously.

“What then? Where do I buy you next? From a brothel this time?”