LOOKISM - OVERPOWERD [DROPPED]

ch 27: Daniel?

"If you fall 99 times, stand up for the 100th," the man rasped through gritted teeth to a kid. The kid was bloodied, with streaks of crimson flowing from his eyes, nose, ears, and mouth. Heavy chains bound all four of his limbs, the metal biting into his skin.

"Sniff, sniff."

"Don't cry!" the man yelled, his voice fierce despite the weakness in his body. But even as he commanded the boy, bloodied tears streaked down the child's face. The man grabbed a bat, its weight and sharp coldness barely registering to him. Without mercy, he swung it with brutal force. The blows were so powerful that within seconds, the metal bat bent and splintered under the pressure, breaking apart in mere moments.

"I... I'll do it... Please, stop," the boy pleaded, his small voice shaking with fear.

"Good," the man grunted, turning away and tossing the broken bat aside like trash. He walked off, leaving behind a broken child and a shattered scene.

---

*Ring Ring Ring Ring*

Lin awoke with a sharp inhale, his mind clouded. "Hahh... That dream again," he muttered, rubbing the exhaustion from his eyes. His phone buzzed persistently on the nightstand, the name "Daniel" lighting up the screen. Lin frowned, his thoughts drifting back to the past, to that day...

---

That day...

"And congratulations on opening your 11th factory," said a lady with a polite but distant smile, extending her hand.

Lin nodded, shaking her hand with little interest. "Thank you," he muttered.

As he walked away, the woman huffed behind his back, her voice laced with disdain. "Kids these days... No respect for their elders."

It had been two weeks since the Allied meeting—and two weeks since that night with Zoe. In just a fortnight, the Allied Group had seen explosive growth, expanding faster than Lin had anticipated. Much of this success was thanks to Lin's strategic moves, buying out established businesses across industries—clothing, food, infrastructure, and even small IT sectors. His influence was spreading rapidly.

---

At a railway station...

At the railway station, Lin stood beside Daniel, watching as the train arrived with a screech.

"Tell your mom to take care of herself," Lin said, giving Daniel a small, thoughtful smile.

"It's not like you're not going to tell her that yourself when you see the 'big body,' anyway," Daniel retorted with a smirk.

Lin let out an exaggerated sigh, rolling his eyes dramatically. "Aiya, don't ruin the mood, man!"

Daniel chuckled. "Alright, alright. Take care." The train's doors slid shut, and as they did, Daniel waved to Lin from behind the glass.

Lin stood on the platform, waving back as the train pulled away. He stayed there for a few minutes, staring at the tracks, lost in thought.

---

Back in the present.

[An : yall can just skip everything in the brackets "()" ]

(Lin sighed and picked up his phone. "What's up, dawg?" he asked, slipping on his jacket and heading out.

Daniel's voice crackled through the line. "Just checking in. Mom's doing fine, by the way. Same old routine. You know how it is."

"Yeah, that's good to hear," Lin responded, but his tone lacked enthusiasm. It was one of those moments of conversation where the words flowed, but nothing of real substance passed between them. They talked about random things: work, the weather, Daniel's mom... things neither of them were deeply invested in.