Chapter 212 I Want to Pay Protection Fees
"Mr. Anderson, is something wrong?" Grace asked, curiosity lacing her voice.
"Ten thousand a year is chump change," Noah replied calmly.
Grace blinked, taken aback.
Ted's eyes glinted with amusement as he looked at Noah. “Oh yeah? And how much do you think is fair?”
"At least ten million a year," Noah said with a deadpan expression.
Grace gasped. Complaining about paying protection money was one thing, but ten million a year? That was insane!
"Mr. Anderson, you're joking, right?" Grace said, feeling a flush of embarrassment creep up her neck.
"I'm perfectly serious," Noah replied, his tone unwavering.
"What are you playing at? You trying to be funny?" Ted's face darkened, his brows drawing together in a sharp V. He'd never encountered someone who wanted to pay more protection money, let alone ten million!
"Not at all. Call your boss, Jack. I'll pay him ten million in protection money," Noah said, his expression unchanged.
"Jack's not here. Even if he was, and you told him you wanted to pay him ten million, he wouldn't take you seriously. He doesn't appreciate jokes," Ted said coldly.
"Why would he think I'm joking when I'm offering him ten million dollars?" Noah scoffed.
"Look, just beat it. Stop causing trouble, or we won't be so polite next time," Ted said impatiently, turning to Grace. "Come on, pay up so we can leave."
"Okay," Grace nodded. The longer these thugs hung around, the more uncomfortable the customers would become.
She pulled out her phone, ready to transfer the money, but Noah snatched it from her hand.
"I told you, I want to pay ten million. A thousand is insulting. I'm not paying it," Noah said coldly, his gaze fixed on Ted.
"You little punk, are you looking for a beating? Are you nuts?" Ted finally lost his patience, his fist clenching as he swung it towards Noah's face.
The punch was fast and unexpected.
"Mr. Anderson, look out!" Grace and Charlotte cried out, their faces draining of color.
The fist was inches from connecting with Noah's head when he moved, his left hand shooting out even faster.
Ted's punch landed squarely in Noah's open palm.
Ted froze, surprised that his blow had been intercepted.
The next instant, his face contorted in pain, and a scream ripped from his throat.
Noah's hand tightened and twisted upwards.
A sickening crack echoed through the restaurant.
Ted's wrist dislocated, a searing pain shooting up his arm, leaving him drenched in a cold sweat.
"Agh!" he shrieked.
"Ted!" The expressions of his lackeys shifted, the sudden escalation catching them off guard.
"What are you waiting for? Get him! Get him!" Ted roared.
His crew finally reacted, surging towards Noah.
"Mr. Anderson!" Grace and Charlotte's faces paled further. Noah was surrounded!
But Noah remained unfazed. He kicked Ted away, then turned to face the oncoming thugs.
A flurry of fists and grunts filled the air, punctuated by the thugs' cries of pain.
Grace and Charlotte watched, stunned.
They could barely follow Noah's movements, only seeing the thugs crumpling to the floor, clutching their stomachs or legs, groaning in agony.
"I... incredible... how... how is he doing that?" Grace and Charlotte stammered, their mouths agape.
Ted lay on the ground, staring at Noah in abject terror. His crew, usually formidable in a fight, were no match for this man. They had been taken down in a matter of seconds.
Noah stood amidst the fallen thugs, his clothes immaculate. He walked over to Ted.
"What… what do you want?" Ted whimpered, scrambling backwards on his hands.
"Didn't I tell you? I want to pay the protection money," Noah said, grabbing Ted by the collar and lifting him off the ground. "Call Jack. I want to pay him ten million dollars."
Ted hesitated, then stammered, "Are… are you sure you want to see Jack?"
"Do I need to repeat myself?" Noah's brow furrowed.
The other customers stared at Noah with a mixture of disbelief and pity, as if looking at a madman.
"If Jack from Orchard Breeze Avenue comes here, you're dead meat," someone muttered.
"Yeah, he's lost it," another snorted.
"If I were him, I'd be running for the hills. When Jack gets here, he's finished," another chimed in.
Murmurs rippled through the crowd.
"When Jack gets here, you'll be begging for mercy," Ted hissed.
Noah backhanded Ted across the face.
Ted gasped, his cheek stinging, half his face numb.
"Call him, and cut the crap," Noah said icily.
"Fine! I'll call him!" Ted gritted his teeth, pulling out his phone and dialing Jack's number.
"Ted, what's up?" a gruff voice answered.
"Mr. Chen," Ted hesitated, glancing nervously at Noah.
"Tell him exactly what happened," Noah said calmly.
Ted swallowed hard. "Mr. Chen, I took the guys to the Noah barbecue restaurant on Orchard Breeze Avenue to collect the protection money… and we got our asses kicked."
"What? Kicked your asses?" The voice on the other end exploded in anger. "How many of them? Which gang? Was it Ethan Wolf's crew?"
Ted said miserably, "No, Mr. Chen. It was just one guy. He was alone."
"What?! One guy took down all of you?" The voice was incredulous.
"Yes, just one guy," Ted said, nearly in tears. This was the most humiliating experience of his life. "And… and he says he wants to pay you ten million dollars in protection money!"
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