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Chapter 46: Chapter 46 Khan’s Strength
Khan straightened his posture, his movements smooth and deliberate as he dusted the debris from his clothes, his fingers brushing over his dark jacket in a slow, almost mocking manner. Though his face remained mostly hidden beneath the black mask that covered everything but his piercing eyes, the slight crinkle at the corners of his lids hinted at a smile—one that radiated amusement rather than annoyance. He wasn’t frustrated by the kick Liam had managed to land; on the contrary, he seemed to welcome it, as if he had been hoping for more of a challenge. Chuckling lowly, his voice a smooth mixture of amusement and condescension, he tilted his head slightly to the side before uttering in a quiet but firm tone, "Now that’s more like it."
Before Liam had a chance to fully steady his breathing, Khan moved again, his speed almost unnatural as he closed the distance between them with frightening precision. This time, he no longer kept his hands idly behind his back, no longer playing the role of an observer testing his opponent’s strength. He went on the offensive, his arm shooting forward in a powerful punch aimed directly at Liam’s face. But Liam had been watching closely, his body already tensed and prepared, so the moment Khan’s fist came at him, he reacted instinctively, raising his forearm to parry the attack. The moment their limbs connected, Liam felt the sheer force behind Khan’s punch, the impact sending a painful vibration through his bones, but he ignored the discomfort as he countered immediately, his other hand snapping up in a sharp jab toward Khan’s ribs.
However, Khan was quicker. With an almost lazy movement, he slapped Liam’s attacking hand away with his own, the impact strong enough to send Liam staggering a few steps back, though he quickly corrected his footing. But before he could properly regain his stance, Khan’s arm shot out again, his fingers wrapping around Liam’s throat in a firm grip, effortlessly lifting him off the ground. Liam’s breath hitched as he felt himself being hoisted into the air, his feet no longer touching the floor, his hands instinctively grabbing at Khan’s wrist in an attempt to break free. But Khan’s grip was like iron, his strength absurdly overwhelming, and before Liam could even attempt another struggle, Khan slammed him down with brute force.
The impact was bone-jarring. Liam’s entire body convulsed from the sheer force of the slam, a sharp, searing pain spreading through his back and limbs as he gritted his teeth, his mind momentarily dazed from the collision. His breathing was ragged, his chest rising and falling erratically as he tried to process what had just happened. He had expected the system to kick in by now, to provide some sort of temporary boost like it had before, to double his stats or give him a surge of power to fight back, but there was nothing. No notification. No sudden rush of strength. Just the overwhelming silence of the system’s absence, as if it had completely abandoned him the moment he needed it the most.
Frustration bubbled inside him, but he barely had time to curse the system before Khan’s shadow loomed over him again, his fist already descending toward his face like a hammer. Adrenaline kicked in, forcing Liam’s body to react before his mind could fully register it, and at the last second, he rolled to the side, just narrowly avoiding the devastating blow. He scrambled backward, creating as much distance as he could while wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand. His head was pounding, his muscles aching, but none of that mattered right now. What mattered was figuring out how the hell he was supposed to fight back against this monster of a man.
Khan didn’t even give him a moment to think. The instant Liam found his footing, Khan was already upon him again, his movements fluid and precise, his strikes relentless. Liam managed to block the first couple of attacks, his arms moving instinctively to parry, but Khan’s onslaught was too fast, too overwhelming. Before he knew it, an elbow came crashing into his face, the sharp pain blinding as stars exploded in his vision. Then, before he could even recover, Khan’s leg shot forward, his kick connecting with Liam’s torso, sending him hurtling backward once more. His back slammed against the already damaged wall, the surface cracking slightly from the impact, and before he could so much as suck in a breath, Khan was there again, closing the gap between them like a predator cornering its prey.
There was no room to dodge this time. Khan’s fists struck out in rapid succession, each punch finding its mark as Liam’s body became the unwilling recipient of brutal blows. His stomach, his ribs, his chest—every strike sent waves of pain coursing through his body, each one more devastating than the last. He tried to fight back, tried to lift his arms to defend himself, but Khan’s relentless barrage left him no openings, no opportunities to retaliate. His breathing grew more labored, his strength draining with each punishing hit, and before long, his body could no longer keep up.
The final strike came in the form of a vicious knee to the face. Liam barely registered the moment of impact before everything went black, his body going completely limp as consciousness slipped from his grasp.
Khan straightened himself, staring down at Liam’s motionless form with mild disinterest, as if unimpressed by how quickly the fight had ended. Shaking his head slightly, he let out a small sigh before muttering, "Too easy." Without another word, he reached down, grabbing Liam by the ankle as if he weighed nothing at all. Then, with a complete lack of urgency, he began dragging him toward the door, his movements slow and deliberate, as if he had all the time in the world.
Reaching the doorway, he turned slightly, glancing back at the wreckage left behind in Amanda’s once-cozy living room. The walls were cracked, the furniture overturned and broken, the entire space looking as if a small tornado had torn through it. But despite the destruction, not a single sound came from upstairs. Amanda was still fast asleep, blissfully unaware of everything that had just taken place beneath her roof.
With a final glance toward the stairs, Khan smirked beneath his mask before stepping outside, pulling the door shut behind him as he dragged Liam’s unconscious body into the darkness.
****
Amanda stirred awake, her body sluggish and her head throbbing from the events of the previous night. She winced as she sat up, pressing a hand against her temple. Her mind was hazy, memories coming back in fragmented pieces, but she could still recall bits of what had happened after school.
The teachers had gone out for drinks together, and though she hadn’t planned on getting drunk, Rogers had insisted. He had kept pouring drinks for her, encouraging her to let loose, and before she knew it, she had reached her limit. Everything after that was a blur. She could vaguely remember the teachers leaving one by one, and then Rogers leaning in too close. Her stomach twisted as the memory sharpened—he had tried to kiss her. She had managed to pull away just in time, and he had quickly apologized, blaming it on the alcohol. Too exhausted to argue, she had accepted his apology and left for home.
As she rubbed her temples, another memory surfaced. Liam. He had come to her house. She remembered opening the door for him, talking to him... but what had she said? Her eyes widened slightly as she recalled something—she had tried to kiss him. A wave of embarrassment rushed through her, but she also felt a strange sense of suspicion. Had he kissed her back? Had something happened between them? She couldn’t be sure, but she remembered him pushing her away.
Her jaw clenched as she swung her legs off the bed. She needed to know exactly what had happened. Without hesitation, she walked over to her desk and turned on her computer. Because of the constant harassment she had faced from the thugs, she had installed hidden cameras around the house. She had almost forgotten about them, but now, she was grateful she had.
She pulled up the footage from last night and clicked play. The first thing she saw was herself stumbling into the house with Liam following behind. She watched as he gently guided her inside, her heart racing when she saw herself attempting to kiss him. But to her surprise, Liam didn’t take advantage of her drunken state. He stopped her, turned her around, and led her toward her bedroom.
Amanda exhaled slowly, feeling a pang of guilt. So that was what had really happened. She frowned as she kept watching, fast-forwarding the footage until she saw Liam helping her onto the bed. She saw herself reaching for him again, trying to pull him down with her, but he escaped at the last second, tossing a pillow into her arms instead. He had even taken off her shoes before turning off the lights and leaving the room.
Her fingers hovered over the keyboard as she continued watching, this time switching to the footage from the living room. She saw Liam sitting on the couch, watching movies, waiting... then, hours later, a knock at the door. She leaned in closer, her heart pounding as she watched Liam answer the door, only to be met with a sudden attack.
Amanda covered her mouth, eyes widening in horror as the fight between Liam and the masked man played out on the screen. She watched in shock as Liam fought back, saw the furniture breaking, saw the walls cracking from the sheer force of their battle. But then, as the fight escalated, she felt her stomach drop. Liam was losing.
Her hands tightened into fists as she witnessed the brutal beating unfold before her eyes. Khan was too strong. He overpowered Liam easily, landing blow after blow until Liam could barely stand. And then, the final strike—a devastating knee to the face that knocked Liam out cold.
Amanda felt her breath hitch as she saw Khan grab Liam by the leg, dragging him toward the door. She kept watching, her nails digging into her palms as the masked man exited the house, pulling Liam’s unconscious body behind him. The door shut, and just like that, they were gone.
Amanda stared at the screen, her body frozen. Liam had been taken. And she had slept through the entire thing.
