The Black Swan Behind (Beauty of Fire)

“Oh my God.. What is this place?” Lilian muttered as she reached downstairs.

Just like Lilian, all the residents of Redvalley were flabbergasted when they saw the splendour of the underground kingdom. The ceiling was made like a rocky cave, decorated with many crystals and disco balls.

It was an unexpectedly luxurious entertainment venue. Even though the tables and chairs were in a mess because of the fighting, the luxury of the place was undeniable.

As happened above, the ongoing battle was stopped when the residents arrived. All members of Jita Kyoei were confused by the arrival of those people. They also wouldn’t attack civilians. Meanwhile, the RJC members gave super surprised faces because most of them know the faces of the residents. It was because they had been taking turns guarding Redvalley Street.

The people went deeper and found a group of men gathered in the middle of the great hall of the place. There, they saw the figure they had been looking for. It was Marcel Douglas and some of his men who they often interacted with on Redvalley Street.

Lilian, who saw her grandson with a face full of wounds, immediately walked over to him. “Marcel! What happened to you, Boy?”

Marcel wasn’t the only one who froze by noticing the presence of the Redvalley residents in that place. Emma stepped back when Lilian suddenly passed her from behind to approach her grandson.

Marcel’s tongue went numb. He couldn’t believe his grandmother could get into the place he’d been hiding for so many years, the place where his money came from. This place was the reason why he could give his grandmother a comfortable life as a rich person. The place where Marcel brought out his demon side.

.....

“Marcel, please tell me what happened. What exactly is this place?” Lilian asked again by touching her grandson’s wounded face. “Are you fighting?”

All of Marcel’s men looked at each other. They knew that their leader had been hiding the truth about Bluevalley Street all along. All the residents on Redvalley Street, including Marcel’s grandmother, did not know of the existence of the Underground Cave which was actually very close to them.

“No fighting here?” Ian’s voice caught the attention of everyone in the room. The man came with Black Number Two. They were holding a middle-aged man who was carrying several large black bags.

“Albert,” Kenny muttered with his open-wide eyes. This was indeed a messed up.

Ian threw Albert forward so that the man fell on the floor with his bags.

“You?” Lilian frowned. She remembered the man. It had been a long time, but she didn’t forget his face. He was the man Lilian had seen talking with Jack when her grandson was still working as Apollo’s confidant.

Of course, Albert didn’t recognize Lilian. There were too many faces that passed in his life’s memory. He immediately stood up to face Marcel. “Marcel. They caught me,”

“That’s right, Marcel. We caught this man escaping from the back door. Looks like subordinates are the same as the leader. Has running away become your people’s habit?” Ian said mockingly.

“What the hell is this? Can you guys explain what happened?” Yonas asked in a loud voice.

“This place is called the Underground Cave. The night business and illegal gambling belong to the Red Jack Commander group led by Marcel Douglas.” Troy answered.

The news shocked everyone who was there. In an instant, a commotion broke out in their midst.

“Illegal gambling?” Lillian repeated. Then she looked back at Marcel who was facing down. “There’s no way Marcel runs a business like that. His job is security. He works to guard Redvalley Street. Don’t slander my grandson! I can sue you for libel!” She scolded the man with the big muscles.

“Sorry, Ma’am. Instead of hearing the explanation from a stranger, why won’t you ask your grandson yourself?” Emma said slowly.

“Aren’t you the man who saved me from being kidnapped? Even you are here too,” Lillian said. Then she turned back to Marcel, “Why are you silent, Marcel? What they say is not true, is it?”

Martin snorted. “This is taking too long! Bring me the bag!” He roughly snatched the bags that were still guarded by Albert.

This made all of Marcel’s men move and wanted to block Martin furiously.

“Get your hands off!” Renu was about to swing his wand at Martin’s head.

“Let him,” Marcel said suddenly.

Renu stopped his hands. He looked at Marcel questioningly. “What do you mean, Marcel?”

“Marcel! Inside that bag are important files!” Albert exclaimed, still trying to hold his bags which were being seized by force by Martin.

“I said, LET HIM!” Marcel snapped. Everyone there was shocked and speechless, except Martin.

Lilian covered her mouth with both hands. She stepped back from her grandson who looked messy. Her eyes started to water. Now, she knew that what the big muscular man said was true. So this huge place really belonged to Marcel? So all this time, Bluevalley Street was still operating?

Marcel looked at his shocked grandmother. “This place is mine, Grandma. I run a dark business in this place, continuing the biggest business that Apollo left behind. I employ people who are trapped in poverty as fighters to become gambling objects. This is a business that Jack hated so much, but I’ve been keeping to this day,” he explained.

“Oh.. Marcel.. No.. Why? How could you do this..” Lilian muttered. It was as if her feet were floating in the air. The truth she heard from her own grandson’s mouth broke her soul.

“Because I could,” Marcel answered firmly. “I need this business to make a lot of money,”

“Money to buy all that expensive stuff? I didn’t think you were so disgusting, Marcel!” Yonas said loudly.

Hearing that, Lilian turned around and took a brusque step toward the moustache man before pointing at his chest. “Don’t you dare insult my grandson! How could you say that to the person who saved Redvalley Street?! Where’s your gratitude?!”

Even though she felt disappointed in her grandson, Marcel was still her grandson, no matter what. She wouldn’t let anyone hurt her grandson. Until she died, she would keep defending him. That was called family.

Marcel smiled faintly. “You don’t need to be mad at them, Grandma. What Yonas said was true. I used the money to buy all the luxury things I wanted. I have another huge, luxurious house. With this business, I have a comfortable life as a rich person, which I have always wanted since a kid. With this money, I hope to give my grandmother a decent life because she has suffered for decades. With money, I can be happy,”

Then Marcel looked at the Redvalley crowd who were staring at him with disgust. He then chuckled. “With this money too, I’m keeping RJC standing and growing because Red Jack Commander is the token of the struggles and suffering that Jack had gone through to provide a better life for his family and the people of Redvalley Street.

I want to keep it alive and grow it bigger. But unfortunately, lately, the danger is getting wider and I am forced, again, to use this dirty money to help my sainted business. That is to protect Redvalley Street whose income is always lower than the expenses.

If only rely on the income from Redvalley residents’ payments, I won’t be able to eat three times a day. I’ll see my grandmother freezing cold in the almost collapsed house. The group that my brother had formed would disband due to financial difficulties.”

What Marcel said made the Redvalley crowd fall silent. This made Marcel laugh even more. He felt like he wanted to cry. It could be seen from his red eyes.

“What I have been doing is indeed evil. I admit that I am mad about luxury. I admit that I love money with my soul. But the funny thing here is that everything that Jack and I did for Redvalley residents seemed to be meaningless because I dreamed of becoming a rich man.

Jack suffered for many years, pretending to be a criminal and hated by everyone, just to defeat Apollo and be murdered. Jack’s dream was to see all the residents of Redvalley live in peace. I was just trying to keep that dream. But why is it so hard? Why wasn’t I the one who died at that time? So that I could take my despicable dreams with me, so that I don’t have to make it happen and disappoint everyone!” Marcel shouted.

“Marcel..” Lilian’s tears flowed freely.

She approached the boy and hugged him tightly. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t know your burden was this huge. Please forgive your ignorance grandmother. Please forgive me for always pressuring you to be liked by everyone. I have all the fault here. Oh, God.. My poor grandson..”

Marcel tried to hold back his tears. He just stood there with his face down, couldn’t even hug his grandmother back. He closed his eyes, so as not to have to see the faces staring at him with pity.

Would Jack be strong enough to face this? If Jack stood in his shoes, what he would do?

“Having a lot of money has been my dream since I was little. I hate the condescending looks people gave me. I hate it when people wear nice clothes while I have to wear worn-out clothes with holes in them. I want to treat all those wounds in me. But what kind of job I could do to make it happen?” Marcel asked.

Then he opened his eyes and glared at the people around him. “Tell me! What can I do to become rich?! A job that won’t interfere with my time taking care of that damn Redvalley Street! Can you people answer?!”