The Rise of David - Book 1
Copyright© 2025 by RichXpower
Chapter 3: The Underground King
As David stared at the woman whose face was caked with makeup, a glimmer of repugnance showed on his face.
The woman was Juliette Jones, and she was his former classmate. She had even pursued him back when they were still studying. At that time, his father had a proper job that was considered secure, so there was no shortage of girls trying to woo him.
However, he didn’t like her and got together with Sandy instead. He felt that the latter was far better compared to the materialistic Juliette, both in terms of looks and personality.
But from the look of things now, both of them are just the same kind of people! I made the wrong call!
“Why aren’t you saying anything when I’m your former classmate? Have you gone mute? You were pretty impressive back during our university days, even holding the post of president of the student council. What do you think the dean and lecturers would say if they were to learn that a student who was excellent in character and grades became an ex-convict after graduating?” the young man beside Juliette chimed in.
The young man was Warrick Fox, and he used to be David’s roommate. They used to be very close, but he also had a crush on Sandy. When he saw David dating Sandy, he held a grudge against the man. He tried to break them apart multiple times, but alas, to no avail.
They severed ties after that, neither contacting the other after graduating from university.
Well, the fact that they’re both here at the same time probably means that Sandy invited them. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have the right to attend the wedding.
David merely swept a glance over them before dipping his head and sipping at his water quietly. He wasn’t in the mood to bother with them.
When Juliette and Warrick saw him lowering his head, they grew increasingly smug, mistakenly assuming that he was afraid of them.
“David, I’m sure you haven’t found a job when you’ve only just gotten out of prison. Do you want me to recommend you for the job of cleaning toilets? While it’s somewhat dirty and tiring, you can at least make a living. Your father has lost his job now, so it’s of no use to pin your hopes on him.”
A triumphant smile bloomed on Warrick’s face, and he was over the moon that he could step all over David then.
Back during our university days, I wouldn’t have lost to him if it weren’t for his father having a secure job!
“Don’t talk nonsense, Warrick. How could the president of the student council clean toilets? At the very least, get him a clean job. How about cleaning the streets instead?” Juliette countered, giggling with a hand over her mouth.
“Haha...”
Warrick and Juliette’s ridicule of David had Baldy and the guests doubling over in laughter.
At that precise moment, David slowly raised his head. “If the two of you don’t want to die, hurry up and leave this place!”
His expression was indifferent, and his tone was mild without a hint of anger, but Warrick and Juliette both shuddered upon hearing that.
Juliette, especially, felt a chill engulfing her. It was as though her entire person was encased in ice, and she didn’t even dare look him in the eye.
All of a sudden, the scornful words she had prepared beforehand got stuck in her throat.
A long time passed before Warrick abruptly exploded as though he had suffered a great insult. His face contorted into a mask of rage, and he barked at David, “Why are you acting all high and mighty when you’re an ex-convict? You don’t even dare do a single thing though your girlfriend is marrying someone else, so why are you talking big here?”
“Exactly! Are you venting your wrath at us because you know that the Scott family is wealthy, so you don’t dare offend them? We’re no easy prey either!” Juliette berated as she snapped back to her senses as well, jabbing a finger at David.
“You’d better not provoke me.”
Having said that, David lowered his head once more.
“Damn it! So what if I want to provoke you! What would you dare do to me? This is Mr. Leyton’s wedding...”
As Warrick tore into David, he stepped forward and grabbed the latter’s collar, hauling him from the chair.
In all honesty, they were only targeting David to curry favor with Leyton, convinced that their careers would be smooth sailing after they got themselves in the latter’s good graces.
Hoisting David higher, Warrick was just about to make a move against him when David smacked him right across the face.
Slap!
A slap so resounding that it startled everyone in the entire banquet hall pierced the air. Warrick flew back and slammed against a table hard.
Crash!
The table splintered into a million pieces while the plates and glasses all fell to the ground, smashing to smithereens.
All the guests swung their gazes over, none of them paying Leyton and Sandy on the stage any mind.
Even Leyton and Sandy themselves couldn’t help looking in the direction of the commotion.
“Damn it! You’re really courting death!”
When Baldy saw that David had gotten physical, excitement suffused him. “Get him and kill him!” he bellowed.
At last, he could avenge his grudge with justifiable reason. Aware that David had some fighting skills, he didn’t act personally but ordered the dozen of lackeys behind him to do it instead.
“Kid, it’s a death wish that you dare make a scene at Mr. Leyton’s wedding!”
A dozen goons with batons in their hands charged at David.
When the guests saw that, they all unwittingly shook their heads, knowing that David had no hope of surviving.
“Beat him up! Kill him!” Warrick shouted with much viciousness. He was struggling to his feet with a hand over his cheek after he went flying with a slap from David.
On the stage, the corners of Leyton’s mouth turned up in a sadistic smile.
Everyone is just watching David make a fool of himself! No one sympathizes with him, so they definitely won’t save him!
In the face of the attack by the dozen men, David sneered and took a step forward.
Boom!
With that single step of his, the entire banquet hall seemingly shook as though there was an earthquake.
In a split second, the goons let out agonized wails before they all went flying back, smashing the tables and chairs around them. The entire place became a disaster area.
At once, the guests were all stumped.
As Baldy gaped at his lackeys on the ground, a chill ran down his spine.
At that moment, a well-dressed middle-aged man at the wing of the stage frowned deeply.
That person was none other than the patriarch of the Scott family, Yoel Scott, who was also Leyton’s father. Naturally, he was there since it was his son getting married.
As such, he saw David throwing the dozen goons back.
He was a martial artist himself, so he could tell that the man’s capabilities weren’t to be underestimated.
On the stage, Leyton’s brows creased when he saw the turn of events. “Damn it! What a useless bunch!” he roared as he rushed down the stage.
“Darling...” Sandy, too, dashed after him.
“Don’t act rashly, Leyton!”
Yoel, who had been sitting at the side of the stage without making a move, likewise went over, afraid that his son wouldn’t be David’s match.
“What’s going on? What exactly is happening here?”
A dozen hotel security guards rushed in with rubber batons.
In the five or six years Glamor Hotel had been operating, no one had dared to make trouble there. After all, it was the property of the wealthiest family in Horington, the Sullivan family.
Furthermore, it was the heir to the Scott family’s wedding then. The Scott family’s influence was a mere fraction beneath that of the Sullivan family, so whoever dared to kick up a fuss was equivalent to having a death wish.
In the private room on the third floor, William frowned when he heard crashing sounds from downstairs.
The hotel manager hastened over, his forehead dotted with cold sweat.
“What’s happening downstairs?” William questioned in chagrin.
“Someone is making trouble at the Scott family’s wedding banquet. He beat several people up and even broke things,” the manager hurriedly explained.
The moment William heard that, his face flushed bright red with fury. “Someone dares to make trouble here? What are the lot of you doing? How useless! Hurry up and send some security over lest the reputation of the hotel becomes tarnished!”
“I’ve already done that,” the manager replied.
“Why aren’t you there to handle the matter, then? Are you waiting for them to get up in arms?” William snapped, scaring the other man so badly that he took to his heels.
“Dad, you’re not all that well, so please stop fuming. I’ll go downstairs and take a look.”
After reassuring him, Josephine left the private room as well.
She was presently handling many matters of the Sullivan family. After all, she was William’s only daughter, and the man wasn’t in the pink of health right then, so all the burden fell onto her shoulders.
Meanwhile, more than a dozen security guards surrounded David in the banquet hall on the second floor.
The manager trotted over, bowing and scraping in front of Yoel. “I’m really sorry, Mr. Scott. I didn’t expect someone to be so audacious as to dare cause trouble at the wedding of your son. I’ll kick him out right away!”
After saying that, he said to the dozen or so security guards, “Why are you all still standing around? Haul the person making a scene here out!”
“Wait!” Yoel uttered when the security guards were about to act. “How could you just let him go when he wreaked havoc at my son’s wedding and unsettled my guests? How would the Scott family be able to hold its head up in public? Even if he doesn’t pay with his life today, he must leave his hands and legs behind!”
“Uh...”
His demand placed the hotel manager in a dilemma. What if he holds a grudge against the hotel and returns to make trouble here again in the future?
Discerning his thoughts, Yoel sneered disdainfully, “The Scott family will personally resolve this matter. You can all get out of here now!”
“Sure, sure! We’re leaving right away!”
The manager quickly nodded exuberantly upon hearing that he didn’t need to do anything.
“I don’t want his limbs, Dad! I want his life! I want him to die since he dared to disrupt my wedding!”
When Leyton finished speaking, he shot daggers at David. “I’m going to kill you today, David! I want you to know the consequences of angering me!”
“As I said earlier, you wouldn’t be getting married if I attended your wedding, but you just wouldn’t believe me. Do you believe me now?” David drawled with a chuckle, his gaze fixated on the man. There wasn’t a hint of fear in it.
“Not even when hell freezes over!”
Leyton swung his fist at David ruthlessly.
Thump!
Snap!
The crisp sound of bones shattering then split the air. On the heels of that, Leyton’s arm bent downward at a peculiar angle, making it very clear that it was broken.
“Ahh!”
The agonizing pain had him howling at the top of his lungs.
Everyone was staggered when they saw that. Oh my God, he actually dared to make a move against Leyton? He must be sick of living!
“Leyton!” Yoel swiftly stepped forward to support Leyton. After checking the latter’s arm over, he concluded that his arm was broken and would only recover in a few months.
“How dare you hurt my son, you b*stard? I’m going to kill you!”
Due to the wedding, he had merely planned to teach David a lesson initially. But right then, only one thought remained in his mind—to kill the man. Otherwise, he would be thoroughly humiliated before the many merchants in Horington present there.
Whipping out his phone, he summoned all the bodyguards at home, all martial artists whom he had spent a king’s ransom to hire.
Hence, they were far more skilled than Baldy and his lackeys, who were just ruffians hanging around Leyton to ingratiate themselves to him.
Despite seeing Yoel make a call to gather his men, David wasn’t in the least bit panicked. Instead, he sat back down and picked his glass of water up, sipping languidly. That further inflamed Yoel as David clearly hadn’t any respect for the Scott family.
“Kill him, Dad! I want him dead!” Leyton, whose arm was broken, roared with his face contorted.
“Don’t worry, Leyton. I’ll definitely toss him into the river today for the fishes to feast on!” Yoel swore as he gazed at his son in anguish.
Knowing that David was quite skilled, he didn’t act immediately but waited for his bodyguards to arrive.
Just then, the door of the banquet hall was pushed open, and Josephine walked in briskly to see who exactly was kicking up a fuss there.
“What happened, Mr. Scott?” Josephine asked Yoel as soon as she stepped in.
“This kid dared to cause a scene during my son’s wedding and even injure him. As such, there’ll be a bloodbath at your hotel today,” Yoel answered, pointing at David, who was drinking water at the table.
When Josephine swung her gaze over, she was wholly stupefied.
Never in her wildest dreams had she ever thought that the troublemaker would be David and that he hadn’t yet left.
“Mr. Chance? How could it be you?” Josephine inquired with puzzlement etched on her face.
“Are you surprised, Ms. Sullivan?” David flashed her a smile.
“You’re acquainted with him, Josephine?”
Yoel’s brows furrowed.
“Mr. Scott, there’s probably some mix-up. Mr. Chance is here to treat my father. All this must be a misunderstanding!” Josephine clarified.
“Treat your father?” Yoel’s frown deepened further.
“Who are you? And what nonsense are you spouting? This fellow doesn’t have any medical skills at all! He was just released from prison today! Let me tell you that he knows nothing of that sort! I’ve known him for many years, and I’ve never seen him treating anyone. Don’t be fooled by him!” Sandy shrieked at Josephine.
Josephine’s expression went chilly in a flash. But seeing the wedding gown on Sandy, she knew that the woman was the new bride of the Scott family, so she stifled her anger and asserted, “I can decide for myself whether it’s true. The fact that you’ve never seen it doesn’t mean that he doesn’t have any medical skills!”
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