Chapter 9: Winning The Hearts
Janu stepped in front of Jaya Prakash and asked, '' Dad, who are these people? '' Her voice was soft and sweet.
Jaya Prakash, looking panicked, quickly said, '' Laxmi (Janu), these people are here to..."
As Jaya Prakash opened his mouth to console Janu, Obul abruptly interjected, his voice laced with contempt. "We're not here for pleasantries," he sneered, his gaze locked onto Janu like a predator eyeing its prey. "We're here for the land. All you need to do is sign the documents and transfer them to Dhanush." His tone carried an unmistakable threat, sending a chill through the air.
I glanced at Janu, who, despite her visible fear, maintained her composure and swiftly responded, "We will not sign any documents. You can leave now, or we will call the police."
Obul and his henchmen burst into mocking laughter. "The police? She's going to call the police?" he scoffed, turning his attention to Jaya Prakash. "Listen carefully, Jaya Prakash. Sign the document, or you will never see your daughter or your family again." His voice dripped with menace, leaving no doubt about the seriousness of his threat.
"Dad, please don't sign the documents," Janu implored, her voice filled with desperation. "This land belongs to the villagers. If you sign that document, a thousand people will lose their livelihoods." She grasped her father's arm, reminding him of the consequences that hung in the balance.
Obul's face darkened with anger as he listened to Janu. He strode towards her, reaching out to grab her arm, but I knew this was my moment to intervene. I quickly glanced at the system interface and paused the flow of time, seizing my chance to act like a hero.
I rolled up my sleeves and stepped to Janu's side. Gazing at her frozen in time, I couldn't help but notice her beauty, the desperation in her eyes as she pleaded with her father not to sign.
I looked at Obul's outstretched hand and grasped it, considering the fight ahead. There were sixteen goons in total. While I was confident that I could easily defeat them, I hesitated, knowing that my mastery of various fighting techniques and telekinetic abilities might result in unnecessary deaths. Using telekinesis against these minions would be like swatting flies with a sledgehammer—overkill.
I decided to resume the flow of time, and instantly, the world was in motion again. I looked at Obul and said," You can go back and tell Dhanush that Vlad is coming for him. You wanted to hurt the people I aim to protect." With that, I executed a swift kick, sending Obul sprawling backward.
I turned to look at Jaya Prakash and said, " Uncle, I promised to protect you and your family, and I won't let anyone harm you." As I spoke, I glanced at Janu and noticed her staring at me wildly, her eyes unfocused, as if she wasn't taking in anything I said.
I took her hand and pulled her behind me and also let Jaya Prakash stand with Janu behind me and I heard Jaya Prakash say " Vlad you take Janu with you and leave here. I will take care of everything here you don't have to worry "
I turned around and looked at him as he was looking at the large number of goons with Obul and said to him " Don't worry Uncle these guys are no match for me " without saying anything I walked up to Obul who stood up after receiving my kick.
" You have no idea who you are messing with " Obul was repeating the same old dialogues and I was bored listening to him. If I wouldn't want to make a better impression on Janu and others I would have already snapped their necks with my telekinesis.
I walked up to him and said in an intimidating tone, "Leave now, and you'll still have the chance to walk out of here on your own two legs."
Obul laughed along with his goons, then abruptly stopped and turned to the two goons behind him. '' Go beat that kid and teach him a lesson,'' he said. '' Maybe then he'll learn to talk nicely ".
Two goons approached me, and as they came close, I used a precise, one-inch punch to strike their chests. They dropped like puppets, and I used my telekinesis to check their vital signs. To my surprise, they were dead.
I recalled that in the movie 'Chronicle' (2012), where the protagonists' bodily strength remained unchanged despite their telekinetic powers. In my case, however, I had absorbed the entire crystal's power alone. Upon gaining the UNLIMITED GROWTH ability, the crystal's power fused with me, enhancing my body to its peak strength. This newfound power was likely why my punch had proven lethal to the two goons.
Obul was shocked by the sudden defeat of his goons and quickly turned to the remaining ones, snapping,'' What are you looking at? Go get him! ''
At Obul's command, his goons charged at me. I quickly prepared to use some of my more advanced fighting moves to defeat them, knowing that none of them would leave alive if they fought me.
I found myself surrounded and immediately began to punch and kick, employing a variety of moves. Within an instant, bodies lay scattered across the floor. I used my telekinesis to sweep through them and check for signs of life. Of the fourteen on the ground, only two remained alive—they had survived because I hadn't struck their vital points.
I looked at Obul and saw the fear in his eyes as he looked at me coming towards him. I walked up to him and kicked his legs, the sickening crack of bone echoing through the air as Obul collapsed to the ground, screaming in pain from his broken legs.
I approached the two men lying unconscious—the sole survivors among the goons Obul had brought. I hadn't struck their vital points during the previous fight, allowing them to live. I kicked them firmly until they regained consciousness and said, '' Take your people and Obul with you and go ".
I walked over to Janu and Jaya Prakash, both of whom were staring at me in astonishment. Gesturing towards the two men carrying Obul out of the house, I said in a sarcastic tone, '' I did warn him, but he didn't listen. Now he gets to walk out of here on all fours ".
Listening to my voice Jaya Prakash didn't say anything but I heard a burst of laughter and saw Janu standing there laughing wildly. This was the first time I saw her smile like that since I came in. I was happy to see her smile like that.
I noticed her cheeks flushed with shyness when she caught me looking at her. I turned to Jaya Prakash and said, '' Uncle, we should leave. Dhanush and his men will be here soon "
" Yes, we should leave," Jaya Prakash agreed. Hearing her father mention leaving, Janu, curious, asked, " Dad, where are we going? "
Jaya Prakash explained everything I had told him to Janu. She walked up to me and said, " Thank you for everything you've done. My name is Mahalaxmi, but you can call me Janu ". After thanking me, she formally introduced herself and extended her hand. I smiled and replied, " Hello, beautiful lady. I'm Vlad, but you can call me Vlad.' I shook her hand. "
Feeling the smooth touch of her hands on mine, I was reluctant to let go, but I did. Noticing her worried glance at her father, I placed my hand on her shoulder and said, '' Don't worry. I won't let anything happen to you or your family ".
I reached for my phone and called Masood, giving him instructions: " Send a team of skilled bodyguards with licensed firearms to Jaya Prakash's village. Also, get in touch with the police tied to the political party and have them ensure the village is protected at all costs. And send a few of those bodyguards to my bungalow as well. " I knew I had told Jaya Prakash I'd arrange for security, so it was important to have them there to reassure him.
" Okay, Sir, I'll take care of it, " Masood replied. After a brief pause, he added, " Sir, regarding Gana, we've already filed an FIR against him. I've just received word that he'll be arrested within the hour, and bail won't be granted. "
" Good job, Masood. Good job," I said, transferring another ₹10 crores to his account. " This is your reward for all your hard work. "
I was about to hang up the phone when I paused, hearing him say, " Sir, regarding Padma's husband, we've gathered all the evidence of his infidelity. And as for the case of Veerandra, we also have strong evidence against him "
I asked him to send both sets of evidence to my phone and hung up without saying another word.
With the evidence from Veerandra's rape case in my hands, I can easily sway Hansitha in my favor by ensuring her victory in court. Additionally, the compromising evidence against Padma's husband gives me a clear advantage in winning Padma over.
As I hung up the phone, I informed Janu and Jaya Prakash that the security team, along with the police, would be arriving soon. I told them to pack their things and leave immediately.
After waiting for a while, I saw Masood arrive with a team of professional bodyguards, and the police were also with him. He approached me and said, "Sir, everything has been arranged."
"Okay, let's go," I said, glancing at Jaya Prakash, who had arrived with his family, while Janu stood nearby as well.
I watched as Jaya Prakash left with his relatives, heading toward their vehicle, leaving Janu standing alone. I understood then that Jaya Prakash had recognized me as someone trustworthy and, in his own way, was trying to play matchmaker between me and Janu. I silently thanked him in my heart.
Turning to Janu, I noticed her face was flushed with a soft blush. Without hesitating, I took her hand and led her toward my car. I opened the passenger door for her, let her settle in, then closed the door gently. I got into the driver's seat and started the engine, driving toward my bungalow.
As I drove, I couldn't help but sneak glances at Janu. I noticed her nervously fidgeting with her fingers, clearly unsure of herself. It was obvious she was feeling shy and wanted to start a conversation, but didn't know what to say.
So I decided to start the conversation and said " Janu ...