Albert seemed to be thinking hard. Kevin could see the wheels turning in his father's head, weighing the pros and cons, calculating the possibilities.
"Just one punch?" Albert finally asked.
Kevin nodded.
Diana clutched her husband's arm. "Albert, you can't be serious—"
"Diana." Albert looked sharply at his wife. "Think about our situation. The debt to the Wibisono family. If this match doesn't happen..." He didn't finish his sentence, but the implication was clear.
"But Vano—"
"Vano will be fine." Albert tried to convince himself more than his wife. "Just one punch. Vano works out at the gym. He's strong. He can definitely take one punch from Kevin."
Diana still looked doubtful, but Albert had made up his mind.
"All right, Kevin. One punch. But after that, you have to go through with the marriage to Vivian Wibisono without complaint. Agreed?"
Kevin smiled thinly. A smile that didn't reach his eyes.
"Agreed."
---
Vano was brought to the main room fifteen minutes later.
Kevin studied his brother with a critical gaze. Vano did look like him. They were almost the same height, had similar facial structures, and identical eyes. But there was a fundamental difference between them.
Vano stood arrogantly, his chin raised high, his lips forming a condescending smirk. His body was more muscular than Kevin remembered, the result of hours at the gym that Albert was so proud of. His tight T-shirt showed off his large arms and broad chest.
"So this is my brother who was supposed to be dead?" Vano said mockingly. "I thought you were worm food at the bottom of a ravine."
Kevin did not respond. He just stood silently, studying his opponent.
"Father said you wanted to hit me," Vano laughed. "One punch, he said. Go ahead. I'm curious to see how hard a man who has been starving to death for five years can hit."
Diana stood in the corner of the room, her face anxious.
Albert was beside her, looking calmer but still alert. Several servants gathered at the door, curious about what was going to happen.
"Vano," Kevin finally spoke, his voice calm, "this punch is going to hurt. It's going to hurt a lot. I'm giving you a chance to prepare yourself."
Vano laughed even harder. "Hurt? Kevin, Kevin. Do you know how many sparring partners I've hit? I train with professional MMA athletes. My coach says I have natural talent. One punch from you?" He shrugged dramatically. "It might feel like a caress."
Kevin nodded slowly. "Alright. If that's what you want."
He stepped forward. One step. Two steps. Three steps.
Vano was still smirking, his arms wide open in an inviting gesture. He didn't even take a defensive stance. He was so confident, so arrogant, that his skinny, scruffy little brother couldn't possibly threaten him.
Kevin stopped right in front of Vano. The distance between them was less than a metre.
"Last time," Kevin whispered, quietly enough that only Vano could hear, "you looked at me with arrogance and relief when I was dragged away from here. You knew I was innocent. You knew I would be tortured. But you said nothing."
Vano's smirk faded slightly. There was a flicker of something in his eyes. Discomfort.
"That was a long time ago—"
Kevin moved.
There was no warning. No preparatory movement. One second Kevin was standing still, the next his fist was already landing on Vano's stomach with terrifying force.
The sound that came from Vano's body was a mixture of forced breathing and an unpleasant wet sound. His eyes widened, his mouth opened in a silent scream that never came out.
Then his body was lifted.
Vano flew backwards like a thrown doll. His back hit the wall with a loud thud, leaving a crack in the plaster. He slid to the floor, his body shaking violently.
The sound of broken bones echoed in the silent room.
Diana screamed.
Albert froze.
Vano lay on the floor, his body at an unnatural angle. His eyes stared blankly at the ceiling, his mouth open with saliva and blood flowing out. He did not move. He did not make a sound.
Unconscious.
"VANO!" Diana ran towards her son, kneeling beside him. "Vano, son, wake up! VANO!"
Albert stood frozen for a few seconds, then his face turned red with anger. The veins in his neck bulged as he shouted.
"SUHU BASKORO!"
The sound of heavy footsteps echoed from upstairs. The stairs creaked under the weight of someone descending quickly. Then the figure appeared.
Suhu Baskoro was a man in his fifties with a still-robust physique despite his greying hair. He wore grey traditional Chinese clothing, his eyes sharp and alert. The aura emanating from his body made the air in the room feel heavy.
A third-level practitioner of the Foundation Building Realm. The self-defence protector of the Tanjaya family and a close friend of Jose Tanjaya.
"Albert, what's going on—" Baskoro stopped when he saw the scene in front of him. Vano was lying unconscious. Diana was crying. And Kevin was standing calmly in the middle of the room.
Baskoro's eyes widened when he recognised the young man's face.
"Kevin?"
"Master Baskoro." Kevin bowed respectfully. The only person in this house who earned his respect. "It's been a long time."
Baskoro did not return the greeting. His eyes moved from Kevin to Vano, then back to Kevin. Something had changed in his gaze. A mixture of surprise and... recognition.
He sensed something from Kevin. Something that wasn't there five years ago.
"SUPERIOR BASKORO!" Albert shouted again, pointing at Kevin with a trembling hand. "Beat him up! Beat him to death!"
Baskoro didn't move. He was still staring at Kevin with a strange intensity.
"Suhu Baskoro, what are you waiting for?!" Albert looked almost crazy with rage. "He almost killed Vano! He—"
"It will affect tomorrow's event." Kevin's voice was calm, cutting off Albert's shouts. All eyes were on him.
"What event?" Baskoro asked, his voice deep and serious.
"The matchmaking with the Wibisono family's daughter." Kevin replied without looking away from Baskoro. "I will replace Vano. If Suhu Baskoro beats me up now, the matchmaking will not be able to take place. And the Tanjaya family's debt to the Wibisono family..."
He did not finish his sentence. There was no need.
Albert tensed. His anger was still burning, but Kevin's words pierced through the red fog in his head. The match was important. Vital. Without it, the Tanjaya family would be destroyed.
"Let him go," Albert finally said, his voice forced out of his constricted throat. "For now."
Baskoro stared at Kevin for a long moment, then nodded slowly. He stepped back, making way for him to leave.
Kevin walked past them all without looking back. His steps were calm, controlled, as if he hadn't just nearly killed his own brother.
But just before he reached the door, his steps slowed. He glanced at Suhu Baskoro.
There was something in that glance. Something that no one else in the room could read.
Five years ago, when Kevin was dragged out of this house, the only person who tried to help him was Master Baskoro. The old man tried to defend Kevin, tried to stop his handover to the Wijaya family. He even nearly fought with the Wijaya family's henchmen.
But Jose Tanjaya ordered him to back down. And Baskoro, bound by loyalty and gratitude, had no choice but to obey.
Kevin did not forget that.
He could sense Baskoro's aura. A third-level practitioner of the Foundation Building Realm. An impressive power for a small town like Aranca. But Kevin did not avoid confrontation out of fear.
He avoided it out of respect.
And perhaps, a little gratitude for the only person in this family who had ever tried to protect him.
Kevin stepped out of the main house, letting Diana's screams and Albert's curses follow him like fading echoes.
Tomorrow, he would marry Vivian Wibisono.
In the night sky, the moon shone brightly among the dark clouds. Kevin looked at it for a moment, his face showing no expression.
His teacher had once told him: "Close all the open doors. Settle all unfinished business. Only then can you truly be free."
Kevin lowered his gaze. One door had begun to close. There were still many others waiting.
And he had a lifetime to close them all.