The crowd had nothing but contempt for the thug. Many had been robbed by him, and even those who hadn't knew someone who had. The man was clever, always striking in areas without surveillance cameras. Without evidence, victims could only swallow their losses and move on. Some had tried to teach him a lesson, but the thug had picked up some fighting skills from who knows where. He always managed to come out on top. Over time, people learned to avoid him altogether. Now, his attention had been drawn to the poor child. Bad luck for him. The lottery shop owner hesitated before speaking up, “He’s just a kid.” “So what?” the man sneered. “You think I care if he’s a kid or not?” With that, he turned and left without looking back. The shopkeeper sighed but didn’t pursue the matter further. He’d seen this kind of thing too many times. All he could do was hope the boy would get home quickly, hand the money over to his family, and steer clear of trouble in the future. Arthur, clutching his winnings, headed straight for the bank. He was sixteen now—old enough to open a bank account on his own. But as he passed through an empty alley, the thug suddenly appeared, stepping out from the shadows. With a stick in hand and a crooked grin on his face, the man slowly approached. “Well, look who it is. Fancy meeting you here, kid.” Arthur frowned. “What do you want?” “Just hand over the cash, and I won’t hurt you. Deal?” Arthur narrowed his eyes, instantly realizing the thug’s intent. He’s here to rob me. “You're healthy and normal. Why resort to something as illegal as this?” The man burst into laughter. “Why? Robbing’s so much faster! Who’d be dumb enough to waste time with tedious labor?”“Aren’t you afraid of going to jail?” Arthur asked, buying time as he scanned the surroundings for something he could use as a weapon. He didn’t know how skilled the man was, but with that stick in his hand, Arthur couldn’t afford to take any risks. “Jail?” The thug scoffed. “I’ve been there before. What’s there to be afraid of?” “Is that so?” Arthur’s lips curled into a sly grin as he suddenly pulled a stick from the ground. Without warning, he launched himself at the thug. The man, unprepared for the kid's attack, momentarily froze, allowing Arthur to deliver a powerful blow to his side. Reeling from the hit, the thug quickly recovered and swung his stick in retaliation. It became clear that the man had street-fighting experience, likely honed through countless brawls. Compared to the basic training Arthur had once undergone, the man was rougher but undeniably skilled. Arthur, on the other hand, was battling with a malnourished sixteen-year-old body. His stamina was no match for the thug’s. The fight dragged on, evenly matched, but Arthur grew increasingly anxious. I don’t have the energy for this. I need to end it quickly. In the heat of the struggle, Arthur spotted a small electrical wire along the wall. No choice. The $1,400 was all he had. He hadn’t bothered with lotteries in his previous life, and this was the only set of numbers he had remembered. In the event of theft, he lacked a contingency plan. Steeling himself, Arthur saw an opening. He planted his left foot on the wire and yanked with his right hand, tearing it free from the wall. Without hesitation, he thrust the exposed end toward the thug. At the same time, Arthur jumped back, creating distance between them. The man’s stick was mid-swing, aimed for Arthur’s head, when a jolt of electricity coursed through the man's body. The thug froze, his eyes going blank, before crumpling to the ground. Arthur quickly dropped the wire and collapsed to the ground, gasping for air. The thug wasn’t seriously injured, thanks to the low voltage and the brief exposure. But it was enough to incapacitate him. Arthur had no intention of killing him—murder was a line he wouldn’t cross. Once he caught his breath, Arthur pulled out his phone and called the police. It was only then that he noticed a scrape on his chest, blood oozing from the wound. Thankfully, it was nothing serious—just a superficial injury. Patting his pocket, he confirmed the money was still there. The police arrived not long after, and to Arthur’s surprise, the officer in charge was the same one he’d encountered last time. The officer stepped out of the car and frowned at the sight of Arthur leaning against the wall. “You again?” Arthur gave a weak laugh. “Yeah, fancy seeing you too.”