Chapter 138: A Farce

Chapter 138: Chapter 138: A Farce

Neither Seraphina Sullivan nor Sean Chandler had expected this.

After slapping him, the old woman immediately began to beat her chest and stomp her feet, wailing. Her finger was practically jabbing into Sean Chandler’s face. "It’s all your fault! All you damn monsters! If it weren’t for you, how could my son have died?! You’re the ones who brought this on us! Give me back my son! Give me back my son’s life!"

Listening to this, Seraphina Sullivan felt her brow darken in annoyance.

She roughly understood what had happened. The old woman’s son had likely been killed by the suddenly appearing Rogue Beetle that morning while clearing out the sludge.

But how could this misplaced hatred be blamed on Sean Chandler, who had not only dealt with the monster but also indirectly saved many more people?

This was completely irrational!

Seeing Sean Chandler’s expressionless face, the old woman seemed to feel it wasn’t enough and tried to strike him again.

This time, Sean Chandler wasn’t going to indulge her.

The moment the old woman raised her hand again, Sean Chandler shot his own out, fast as lightning, and clamped down on her bony wrist!

With his other hand, he grabbed her by the collar and effortlessly lifted her off the ground, like holding up a chick!

The old woman was instantly stunned.

She never expected that not only would he refuse to take it silently, but he would actually dare to fight back?!

After a moment of shock, she erupted into an even more shrill and piercing wail, her legs kicking wildly in the air. "He’s killing someone! Somebody help! Help! Why aren’t the police arresting him?! He’s a murderer! I saw him kill someone with my own eyes! There’s no law anymore!"

Her screams, like an alarm, instantly echoed throughout the entire residential complex, drawing over more residents who had been busy or resting.

Perhaps it was because they had been suppressed for too long, trapped at home by a month of torrential rain and floods. Or perhaps it was a complex mix of fear and jealousy toward the Players’ Power at work.

Indiscriminate accusations began to rise from the crowd, all aimed directly at Sean Chandler.

"Hey! How can you lay a hand on an old woman? Don’t think you can do whatever you want just because you’re a Player!"

"Exactly! Have you forgotten how to respect your elders?"

"Maybe... maybe you Players are the ones who attracted these monsters! Why else was everything fine before, but the moment you showed up, things went wrong? If it weren’t for you, why would so many people in our complex have died!"

"Right! That makes sense! You’re the ones who brought this on us!"

"Yeah! That’s right!"

Some people, either unaware of the truth or swayed by emotion, began to chime in, as if they had found an outlet for their fear and anger.

Listening to these illogical and ungrateful accusations, Seraphina Sullivan actually laughed out of anger.

"I’m truly witnessing the full diversity of the human species. I didn’t see any of you offering thanks when we were saving people, but when it’s time to shift the blame, you’re all tripping over each other."

Seeing that she had supporters, the old woman grew even more brazen. Her arrogance flared as she pointed at Sean Chandler and Seraphina Sullivan’s faces and cursed, "You disasters! You monsters! You shouldn’t be living in our complex! Get out! Take your damn Power and get out of our neighborhood!"

"Yeah! Get out! We don’t welcome Players here!" someone, incited by her words, immediately yelled along.

Seraphina Sullivan looked at this mob and found it laughable.

She couldn’t care less about their opinions. Sean Chandler had acted earlier mainly to eliminate the threat and avoid exposing himself. As for whether these people lived or died, she wasn’t particularly concerned.

But trying to kick her out of the little home she had worked so hard to build?

Seraphina Sullivan scoffed, took a step forward, and her icy gaze swept over the ones who had been shouting the loudest. Her voice wasn’t loud, but it carried a chilling coldness that made one’s heart palpitate. "You want us to get out? You can try."

She paused, her gaze shifting to Sean Chandler, and her tone became nonchalant. "I’d like to see whether your bones are tougher, or..."

Before she could finish, Sean Chandler, his face impassive, raised his hand. A brick from near his feet was now somehow in his grasp.

He just slightly tightened his five fingers—

CRACK... POOF!

In his hand, the hard brick was crushed in an instant, crumbling like a soft cookie. Red brick dust trickled from between his fingers.

The crowd, which had been seething with fury just a moment ago, fell silent as if their throats had been collectively seized. All the shouting and cursing came to an abrupt halt.

A chilling fear gripped them instantly, reminding them of the horrifying scene from not long ago: Sean Chandler downstairs, tearing apart Insectoid Monsters like a god of war, and cleanly snapping Hunter Lowe’s neck!

The air fell deathly silent.

The old woman, so incredibly arrogant just moments before, was now pale with fright. She stumbled back a couple of steps, trembling, not daring to make another sound.

In the face of absolute force, ignorant clamor seemed so pale and ridiculous.

Seraphina Sullivan’s icy gaze swept over the residents, now scared into silence, finally landing on the old woman whose son had died.

She slowly walked up to the woman, leaned in slightly, and spoke in a volume only the two of them could hear. Her voice was calm, yet carried a bone-chilling coldness:

"I’m sorry your son died. But don’t misdirect your grief and anger. Use your brain and think: if my Chandler hadn’t stepped in, you might have already been reunited with your son in the next world."

She paused, her tone becoming more dangerous and direct. "Of course, if you really miss your son that much and just can’t go on living... I don’t mind having him ’help’ you along and send you to see him."

Hearing this, the old woman’s face instantly turned ashen. Her body began to tremble violently, uncontrollably.

At that moment, it was as if an invisible viper had coiled around her throat. She didn’t even dare to breathe. All her previous arrogance had vanished, leaving only raw, primal fear.

Seraphina Sullivan straightened up, ignoring the old woman who was scared out of her wits and the neighbors who were furious but too afraid to speak.

Her mental fortitude was exceptionally strong. The accusations and malice from these insignificant people couldn’t stir the slightest ripple in her heart.

She and Sean Chandler walked straight toward their building’s entrance under the crowd’s complicated stares.

Just as they reached the entrance, they saw Miss Webb waiting there with a worried expression, having clearly witnessed everything that had just happened downstairs.

"Sullivan, sigh..." Miss Webb opened her mouth, but the words wouldn’t come out. It ended in a sigh. "Those people... don’t take it to heart."

A faint smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes appeared on Seraphina Sullivan’s face. "Miss Webb, don’t worry. I’m not bothered by it."

With that, she used her key to open the exceptionally sturdy security door, and she and Sean Chandler went inside, closing it behind them.

Susan Webb watched the tightly shut door, sighed heavily again, and returned to her own apartment with complicated feelings.

Inside, Seraphina Sullivan leaned her back against the cold door panel. The calm expression on her face gradually faded, replaced by a hint of deep thought.