Master of Lust

Chapter - 277

As Rick finished plating the pancakes, a trickle of maple syrup slipped off the spoon, landing on his pants. "Damn," he muttered, heading toward the washroom to clean up.

Turning on the tap, he began scrubbing the sticky spot, the sound of running water filling the small space. Then, faintly, beneath the rush of water, he thought he heard something else—a soft thud, followed by the creak of a door, and the muffled scuffle of hurried footsteps.

Thud... shuffle... whisper...

Rick paused, straining his ears. The sounds grew louder and sharper, each one seeping through the walls. Alarmed, he yanked on his clean pants and rushed out of the washroom. The sight that greeted him was shocking—a group of men, their faces set in hard, grim lines, had forced their way into the house. His heart raced as he realized they were trying to drag Jemimah away.

Rick took a moment to assess the situation, his mind racing. Who were these men, and what did they want with Jemimah? Not wasting time, he raised his voice with authority. "Leave the lady alone—now!"

Before he could react further, a familiar chime rang in his mind.

Ding!

System Notification

[

Quest: Show No Mercy

Objective: Take down 10 enemies in 5 minutes

Reward: 15000 XP, $25000, New Ability: Aura of Dread

Penalty for Failure: Reduced stamina for 24 hours

]

A taunting smirk appeared on Rick's face as he read the quest. Just as he locked eyes with one of the intruders, the man sneered back.

"It's better for you if you stay out of this, pal," the goon growled, his tone threatening. But before he could even finish his warning, Rick surged forward.

With a swift leap, he vaulted over the sofa, landing a solid kick squarely to the goon's jaw, sending him sprawling to the ground, knocked out cold.

As Rick's first two opponents crumpled to the ground, the remaining eight goons stepped back, momentarily stunned, before they quickly closed in, realizing the challenge he posed. Rick braced himself, his fists clenched, every muscle primed for the fight.

One of the goons lunged at him from the side, swinging a crowbar with a vicious arc. Rick ducked, feeling the rush of air as the metal weapon missed his face by inches.

He responded with a brutal elbow to the man's ribs, followed by a powerful knee that sent him crashing down. Without a pause, Rick spun to meet two more goons who charged him from the front, their fists raised.

He sidestepped the first and delivered a heavy uppercut, lifting the man off his feet before he collapsed. The other swung wildly, and Rick caught his wrist, twisting it with a snap before shoving him backward into two of his oncoming allies, sending them all stumbling.

Suddenly, one of the goons grabbed him from behind in a bear hug, locking Rick's arms. Rick drove his heel down hard on the man's foot, causing him to release his grip with a grunt of pain.

Using the moment, Rick pivoted, delivered a backfist to the man's face, and then kicked him into another thug approaching from his right.

With only four men left, two advanced cautiously while the others flanked him. Rick cracked his knuckles, then lunged forward, throwing a rapid combination of punches and jabs that connected with precision.

The two men staggered back under his relentless assault, unable to block the blows raining down on them. Finally, with a fierce hook, he sent one spinning into the last man standing, who stumbled, wide-eyed with shock.

Rick stepped forward, finishing with a swift, merciless kick to the final man's midsection, sending him crashing to the ground.

Ding!

[

Quest Completed!

+ XP 15000

+ $ 25000

New Ability: When you defeat a number of enemies with ease and without taking damage, they'll tremble with fear and flee!

]

[System: Allow me to activate your new ability, Master!]

Rick's eyes flashed with focus , and as he straightened up, his sheer presence shifted, radiating an intimidating aura.

The remaining goons, who had been inching forward to surround him, suddenly hesitated, their bravado draining away as they watched him standing untouched and unscathed among their fallen allies.

They looked at each other, eyes wide with terror, then turned and bolted, racing for the door.

Rick chased them outside, his heart pounding. But just as he stepped out, he saw two of the men hastily shove Jemimah into a sleek black SUV.

Another black SUV idled behind, along with a pick-up truck packed with the remaining thugs who had been trying to escape. Engines roared to life, and with a squeal of tires, both SUVs shot down the road.

Rick sprinted after them, determined, but the vehicles picked up speed, quickly putting distance between them

Rick stood outside, chest heaving as he watched the road where the SUVs had vanished. His mind raced as he took a few steps forward, scanning the surroundings, hoping by some miracle he'd spot a vehicle he could commandeer to chase them down.

But the street was empty, and he cursed under his breath. Of all the times for his own car to be gone—this was the worst possible moment. He clenched his fists, tense with frustration.

After a moment of tense indecision, Rick steadied his breathing, letting the frustration simmer down. He turned and headed back toward the house.

Rick's mind raced as he surveyed the wreckage of his living room, his eyes hovering over the scattered bodies of the intruders he'd just taken down. He scanned the room until his gaze settled on one of the goons, twitching feebly on the floor, his eyelids fluttering in semi-consciousness.

He hurried into the kitchen, filled a bucket with ice and freezing water, and quickly returned.

Rick returned to the groggy goon, knelt beside him, reaching down to lift his head, he grabbed his hair and suddenly slammed his face into the chilly water.

The effect was immediate. The freezing shock seemed to tear through every nerve ending on the goon's face, jolting him to full consciousness with a muffled cry under the water.

Pain shot through every bruise and wound, magnified by the biting cold, as his senses blazed to life.

His lungs seized as he struggled to breathe, his mouth flooding with frigid water, forcing him to sputter and choke.

The goon thrashed, his hands scrabbling weakly at Rick's wrists, trying to pull away, to lift his head even just an inch to gulp down air. But Rick's hold was like iron, pressing his head deeper into the ice, ignoring the gasping bubbles that broke the surface and the muffled grunts of agony.

"Now," Rick said, his voice low and calm, "you're going to tell me everything."

Suddenly the door behind them burst open, banging against the wall. Sharon strode in, her eyes darting between Rick and the scene before her, concern and urgency flashing across her face.

"Rick! What the fuck do you think you are doing?" she demanded, her voice both sharp. "You need to stop!"

Rick looked over his shoulder at her, completely unfazed, and shrugged. "Relax, Sharon," he said with a casual smirk. "I'm just having a friendly little conversation."

With an exasperated sigh, Sharon stepped closer, managing to force herself between Rick and the terrified, dripping man. Rick didn't protest but allowed her to push him back.

The goon collapsed onto the floor, shivering, coughing, and gasping for breath, a mixture of relief and lingering fear in his eyes as he glanced nervously at Rick.

"What did you think you were doing, Rick?" Sharon reprimanded him; her tone sharp with frustration.

Rick shot her a casual smile. "Just thought he was feeling a little warm, that's all. Figured I'd help cool him down, you know, so he'd feel comfortable enough to talk." Sharon sighed, rubbing her temple in exasperation.

Rick's eyes turned cold as he stared down at the shivering goon, who still lay on the floor, attempting to compose himself. Leaning forward with a menacing glare, he addressed the man, "Buddy, my question still stands. Who are you guys, and why did you—"

Suddenly, the door burst open again, and a team of police officers barged in, quickly surveying the chaotic scene. One officer, taking charge, glanced around and ordered, "Looks like the assailants are in no position for interrogation."

"They will need medical attention first—someone call an ambulance." His eyes landed on Sharon, and he gave her a quick, acknowledging nod. "Lieutenant Vintner," he said respectfully.

"Make sure you take him, too," Sharon replied, gesturing toward the goon beside her and Rick.

The officer paused, glancing at Rick. "What about him? Should we take him in for questioning?"

Sharon met the officer's gaze and replied firmly, "I'll handle him myself. Here."

Rick looked like he wanted to argue but decided it was better to hold his tongue for the moment, his eyes flicking between Sharon and the officers.

** ** ** ** **

[

Author's Note: While you are enjoying this story, don't forget to check out my two new stories:

1. My Harem Will Help Me Get My Revenge

2. From Beauties to Treasures: I will own them all

]