Chapter 33 - 33 33 Hero

Words : 1769 Updated : Sep 10th, 2025

33: Chapter 33 Hero 33: Chapter 33 Hero They ordered two dishes and two bowls of rice, a very simple meal. Sarah kept her head down while eating, her demeanor was very charming, and her movements were quite graceful. James could tell Sarah was not from a wealthy family, and her family was probably quite average. For a girl from an ordinary family to possess such grace was indeed very rare. As he dined with Sarah, James suddenly remembered the days before he joined the military. Back then, he and another girl would sit together and have a simple meal every day at noon. Although the food wasn’t always tasty, those were moments James could never forget. “Are you full?” Sarah looked up curiously at James, who hadn’t helped himself to the food for quite some time. James smiled gently and said, “You eat first, I’ll eat after you’re done.” This was also what he used to say back then. He always liked to watch that girl eat, and only after she was nearly done would he wolf down what was left. He knew very well that she always ate sparingly, leaving more food for him intentionally. “Ah, no need,” Sarah was startled by James’s gentle gaze and felt somewhat flustered. It was then that James fully emerged from his reverie, shook his head lightly, and said, “Heh, then I’ll eat.” James knew how to be considerate. When taking food, he only took from the side closest to him, always leaving the other half untouched. He was well aware that some girls cared a lot about such things. Having executed numerous missions over the years, James had encountered many types of women. Sarah quickly noticed how James was selecting his food, and her fondness for him grew instantly. Originally, she was somewhat worried about going out with a male colleague for an inspection, but now most of those worries had dissipated. Surely, such a well-mannered man would not bully her. After finishing their meal, Sarah rushed to pay the bill, adding, “I can get reimbursed by the company for this.” James did not argue. Posing as Gina’s boyfriend over the holidays had earned him some money, but he had no savings to speak of and couldn’t afford to be extravagant. Since she could get reimbursed, it was best to let Sarah cover the expense. As they left, three young men in their twenties with a raffish air walked out of a private room. Their hair was dyed in various colors, and they were dressed in odd outfits. They reeked of alcohol and were also going to settle their bill when they spotted Sarah at the cashier. Their eyes lit up, exchanging lecherous smiles with one another. The restaurant was located in the suburbs, and it was rare to see a beauty like Sarah there. The three were no good, and upon seeing such a beauty, even if they didn’t drag her away immediately, it was essential for them to catcall her at least. A young man with red hair, wearing a leather jacket, approached Sarah and leaned on the bar with his left hand, asking with a smirk, “Hey beauty, are you alone?” Turning her head and seeing the redhead, Sarah was startled and subconsciously covered her chest, her face showing a panicked expression. “Don’t be scared, don’t be scared. We’re civilized guys, won’t do anything to you. Just making friends,” the redhead winked at Sarah. Sarah was silent, and as she turned to leave, she found she couldn’t move. Other boys had blocked her way from behind and to the right, which made her even more panicked. Stuttering, she said, “I’ve finished eating, I need to leave.” “Don’t go, let’s go sing some songs together.” Sarah was too fragile and timid, which only emboldened the three ruffians. Guys like them, little hooligans, loved to show off and chase girls. They wouldn’t dare to do much against someone tough, but Sarah’s timidity made them bold. In some self-defense manuals, it is said that when girls encounter hooligans, they must not show fear, as it would inspire more courage in the aggressor. “That’s right, we’ll take you out for some fun, guarantee you’ll never forget it.” The guy on the right brazenly reached for Sarah’s face. Although the bar owner was there, he was too scared to make a sound, and the other customers in the restaurant also did nothing to stop them. They felt it was a pity to see a beauty like Sarah harassed by these three thugs but lacked the courage to confront them, some even with a disgusting eagerness for the spectacle. Sarah, frightened to the point of tears, saw the man’s hand about to touch her face and could think of nothing but to scream. Suddenly, a hand reached out, grabbed the young man’s wrist, and another person appeared beside Sarah— it was James. Seeing James, Sarah clutched his arm as if grabbing a lifeline, and instinctively tucked herself between James and the bar in search of protection. But, as Sarah looked at the three burly men surrounding them and only James on her side, her heart sank. How could James possibly beat three men on his own? “Kid, beat it. This isn’t your business!” The guy being grabbed fiercely jerked his hand back, wresting it free, then glared at James with vicious eyes. James coldly looked at the three men and said, “Beat it.” The three men, who thought they had Sarah cornered, were infuriated by the sudden appearance of someone ruining their plans. The redhead fixated his eyes and cursed, “Damn it, who are you? Not a local, huh? You think you can act tough in front of us three and live to tell the tale?” James’s gaze swept over the three men once again. His look was so piercing it made them shiver inside, but they didn’t take his warning seriously. On the contrary, they took James’s gaze as an insult, which only aggravated them further. The redhead spat out another curse and swung his fist toward James. The people in the diner all cried out in shock, and the shop owner inwardly groaned, lamenting the fight breaking out in his establishment. As for Sarah, she screamed instinctively and shut her eyes. “Thud!” A muffled hit, followed by a scream—although the scream didn’t seem to come from James. Sarah quickly opened her eyes to see James still standing protectively in front of her. To her right, a bit more than two meters away, the redhead hooligan was sitting on the ground, clutching his stomach in agony. Then, after coughing, he spat out a bunch of filth. Sarah could hardly believe her eyes. She had expected James to be the one getting hit, but instead, it was the hooligan. The other people in the diner were dumbfounded, having not seen how James had made his move. Seeing the redhead flown away, now they realized James was not someone to mess with, hence why he wasn’t afraid of the three thugs. “Damn it!” The other two hoodlums finally snapped out of it, cursing simultaneously as they swung their fists at James. They didn’t truly think James was all that formidable, supposing he had just caught them by surprise. Now, on guard and acting together, they believed they could easily take down James. But their aspirations were grand, while reality was cruel. James landed a punch right into the belly of the guy in front, who immediately clutched his stomach, unable to catch his breath. With a swift leg sweep, the second guy was sent sprawling sideways, his head striking the bar so hard he was nearly knocked unconscious. With just those moves, James had floored all three hoodlums, and the people in the diner hadn’t even had time to process what happened. By the time they regained their senses, James and Sarah had already left the restaurant. The three hooligans struggled to their feet, cursing loudly inside the diner, but ultimately they didn’t dare chase after James. Anybody with a brain could tell they were no match for him; chasing after him would only mean another beating. There weren’t many taxis around here, so James and Sarah had to walk a few hundred meters to the main road, where they would find more cabs. Sarah’s mind was still in a daze, being pulled along by James in a stupor, her thoughts a blur until James spoke to her after walking more than a hundred meters. Only then did she come to her senses, realizing her hand was still in his, and swiftly but gently withdrew it, her face flush with embarrassment. “Thank you,” she said, walking alongside James, her gratitude evident. James chuckled and replied, “Why thank me? You’re my colleague, and now my mentor. Of course, I have to protect you.” The word “mentor” embarrassed Sarah, but also made her feel much more at ease. “If it weren’t for you, they would have taken advantage of me just now.” James looked down the road and asked, “Haven’t you encountered this kind of situation before when you’ve come here to inspect?” “No, I’ve only been here twice, and both times I was accompanied by Mr. Lee. We would leave immediately after our inspections, without eating in the area. I suppose Mr. Lee avoided staying here because it’s not very safe, something I hadn’t considered.” “It makes sense. A beauty like you shouldn’t be going to secluded places. Next time there’s something like this, bring me along. Protecting my mentor is my duty as an apprentice. It’ll also give me a chance to learn from you.” Sarah burst out laughing. “I’m not your mentor; you’re a year older than me.” “Age doesn’t define a mentor. I’m learning from you, so I should rightly call you mentor.” Sarah’s face turned red, and she protested, “That’s not right. We are just colleagues. It’s normal to help each other. S~eaʀᴄh the Nôvel(F)ire.nёt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Mr. Lopez has told us before that the most important thing for a department is to have team spirit. If we can’t work together, we are just loose sand. Only through cooperation can a department perform well.” When Sarah mentioned Gina Lopez, her eyes filled with admiration. James couldn’t help but respect Gina Lopez’s charisma. Indeed, Gina Lopez was an exceptionally capable woman.

Chapter 33 - 33 33 Hero

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