Chapter 2 Sacred Treasures

Dwayne's eyes brimmed with despair. "Lester, what's that mangy mutt doing here? Get him out!" A slightly overweight man stepped out of the office. It was none other than Xavier. Lester lit a cigarette for Xavier. "Mr. Wells, you know this mutt. He's the one you threw out half a year ago. Now he's limping back, begging for scraps." Dwayne hung his head, feeling the scorching shame under their taunting stares. Anger burned hotly in his chest and across his face, but he forced it down. "A beggar should know how to beg properly. Standing up won't get you a dime. You need to kneel," Xavier sneered, taking a long drag from his cigarette. "If this mutt had any sense, he wouldn't have ended up with a broken paw," Lester chimed in, prompting unabashed laughter from the others. Though rage flared within him, Dwayne quickly suppressed it, replaced by cold determination. With a thud, he knelt before the man who had ruined his life. The office exploded with laughter at the sight. Swallowing his humiliation, Dwayne pleaded, "Xavier, I'm begging you. For the sake of our past friendship, please lend me $7,500." "Sure," Xavier said with a smirk, waving someone over. "Bring him something to eat." Lester returned with a half-eaten meal in one hand and a thick stack of cash in the other—exactly $7,500. Xavier buried the bills under the leftovers, pressing his cigarette butt into the mess before tossing it to Dwayne. "Eat. Finish it all, and the money's yours." Dwayne looked at the yellowing rice with flies buzzing over it. Gritting his teeth, he picked up the container. Suddenly, someone spat a glob of phlegm into the food, the mucus clinging disgustingly to the rice. "You!" Dwayne looked up in rage, but before he could protest, Lester grabbed the back of his head, shoving his face into the filthy meal. "Don't waste it! Finish every bite!" Lester jeered, laughing. Dwayne was subjected to disgusting and humiliating treatment, treated no better than a dog. Humiliated and treated no better than a dog, Dwayne's face was smeared with rancid food and soup as he fought the urge to retch. Gritting his teeth, he said in a trembling voice, "Xavier… you've had your fun. Now, give me the money." He reached for the cash, only for Xavier to stomp down on his hand. Grinding his foot into Dwayne's hand, Xavier sneered, "You used to be a star back in college—president of the student council, head of the business club. Even the campus belle slipped love notes into your bag. Remember Melissa? Your ex-girlfriend?" A flicker crossed Dwayne's face, but he remained silent. Xavier sneered. "Back in school, I liked her so much, but she didn't give me the time of day. She even said I didn't measure up to you. Well, now I've proven who's better. I originally planned to destroy you in three years, but fate was on my side. It only took six months. Just last month, Melissa, your ex-girlfriend, stripped down and crawled into my bed. That's when I found out how wild she really is. She begged me to have her three times over and almost wore me out." Lester chuckled slyly. "Mr. Wells, is she really that wild?" "Want to try? Once I'm done with her, I'll let you have a turn. With a few thousand dollars, she'll do anything you ask." Vulgar talk filled the air. Dwayne's entire body tensed in disgust, but he held it in. He didn't care about petty affairs of the heart anymore; all he wanted was the money to save Claire. Xavier flicked ash onto Dwayne's head, narrowing his leering eyes. "Since your ex did such a good job keeping me satisfied, I'll give you the money. But on one condition: bring your sister over and let me have her for a day." Back in college, Claire had often visited Dwayne. Her photos had circulated on campus forums. She was beautiful, poised, and intelligent, admired by many men. Xavier, who had frequently seen her around Dwayne, had been no exception. He, too, had dreamed of having her. At that moment, the fury Dwayne had tried so hard to suppress exploded. "Go to hell!" Dwayne lunged forward and punched Xavier square in the nose, drawing blood. Clutching his bleeding nose, Xavier roared, "Take him down!" Dwayne had trained in martial arts, but with his right hand weakened and their numbers against him, he was quickly overpowered. They dragged him to the back office, just as they had six months ago. Lester and a few others pinned Dwayne's shoulders down, forcing his arm onto the desk. Xavier picked up a metal rod, grinning wickedly. "I'll make sure both your hands are crippled, leaving you begging for scraps forever." With that, he brought the rod down onto Dwayne's hands, over and over. One strike. Another. And another… Dwayne's palms were smashed into a bloody mess. Pain seared through his fingers as every bone shattered. "Throw him out! Don't get the table dirty." Dwayne was dumped in an alleyway, right next to a garbage bin. His consciousness was hazy when he noticed an old man approaching. It was the man he had just met on the bus. "What a fine young man," the old man murmured. "Well, I shall bestow upon you a blessing." The old man gently placed his palm on Dwayne's forehead. Suddenly, Dwayne's pupils dilated, and he felt as if he were being transported into a realm of consciousness. The old man stood before him, his voice ethereal. "For three thousand and seventy-eight years, I have wandered, seeking a worthy soul to pass on my two sacred treasures, so that he may bring aid and salvation to all!" Dwayne's left hand glowed with white light, while his right hand radiated black energy. "The Hand of Yama—to judge life and death." "The Cosmic Vault—to hold the legacy of ages."