hapter 327
Miranda’s words had struck a nerve, setting Hugo and his entourage ablaze with anger. Yet, they had principles–they didn’t hit women. For a gentleman to strike a lady would be a scandal they couldn’t afford. So they found themselves utterly frustrated by Miranda’s audacity.
Meanwhile, the guys on Miranda’s side, the heirs of the Zephra circle, found her boldness exhilarating.
Hugo clenched his teeth. “Miranda! You must have a death wish!”
Miranda turned to Will beside her. “How’s your shooting practice going lately?”
Will scratched his head. “Not bad, I suppose. Since you’ve been teaching me, I’ve improved a bit.”
Miranda nodded and then addressed Hugo, “Same rules as always. Since we’re at a shooting range, let’s have a contest. Loser calls the winner ‘Daddy‘. How about it?”
Miranda wasn’t about to back down, especially since her friends had been insulted. She couldn’t let Will and the others get pushed around by these guys. Some people only learned when they got a taste of their own medicine.
“Of course, if you don’t want to shoot, we can always settle this with our fists,” Miranda said, glaring at the group across from her. “Though in that case, I’d be enough on my own.”
Her bravado was palpable, and she clearly didn’t think much of Hugo’s crew. She could take them on herself,
but she wanted to make sure Will and the others felt included.
Carter and the other wealthy kids from Zephra felt their lips twitch unwittingly. Miranda seemingly took a specially liking for role–playing.
Hugo and his buddies laughed. “You? Do you even know your own limits?”
They’d heard rumors about a hotshot girl shooter from Zephra, but seeing was believing. They figured it was just a gimmick for the shooting range, a performance rather than reality.
Many of them, sons of officials or military families, had been trained since childhood, some even spending time in the army. They thought less of Miranda’s amateurish skills, which were no match for them.
As for a fistfight, well, many of those military family heirs had trained in martial arts, even though they didn’t join the army. Their skills were nothing to scoff at. Miranda’s words seemed to mock their strengths, which only made them laugh. Some started mocking her.
“Little girl, think you’re tough, huh? Never been knocked down before?”
“You have any idea what kind of training we’ve had normally?”
“Pretty face, but not much else, huh?”
Celeste chimed in sarcastically, “You think this is Zephra? So provincial, bragging like that, you might regret it
later.”
She was eager to see Miranda get what she perceived as a well–deserved lesson.
But then, the boys standing with Miranda stepped up, standing shoulder to shoulder with her, their faces set with determination. They were ready to back Miranda, no matter the odds.
“Can’t let a girl handle this alone. We’ve got this.”
“Yeah, you stand back. We’ll take care of it!”
Initially, they stood by Miranda out of camaraderie from the range, but her words had ignited something within them. If Miranda, a girl, could stand fearless, why shouldn’t they?
At the sight of them rally around Miranda, Celeste’s smile faded. She couldn’t understand what spell Miranda
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Chapter 327
had cast over them, wondering people would actually defend someone like her.
Carter, too, was affected by their momentum, even as the situation spiraled beyond his anticipation. However, when he gazed at Miranda’s figure, he felt the unexpected and unswerving urge to protect her.
Just as he was about to step forward, Miranda checked the time. “Oh, looks like we’re out of time for shooting. I’ve got other plans.” She glanced at Hugo’s crew and said, “Guess we’ll settle this hand–to–hand.”
Hugo and his friends wore a mix of disbelief and mocking grins. But before they could react, Miranda was already in motion.
“Hey!”
A man started to shout, but his words died in his throat as Miranda’s pace suddenly surged, her movements a blur. With a single punch, she sent one of Hugo’s guys sprawling. Then, in a swift turn, she kicked another, her agility and power breathtaking.
Her speed and strength left the others with no time to react. Even those trained in combat couldn’t match her sheer skill. Two managed to muster a response, only to be swiftly floored by Miranda.
The crunch of bones shattering echoed, sending shivers down Carter’s and the others‘ spine. The mere sound of it was agony enough, like a phantom pain spreading through the onlookers as their face winced accordingly.
By the time everyone realized what had happened, Hugo and his friends were writhing on the ground, unable to move the limbs that hurt the most–clear signs of broken bones.
It was brutal, utterly brutal.
