Manager Kim stood his ground, confident that Johan can't replicate his CQC.
But he was astonished by what happened next.
Johan blurred past him. Manager Kim's right sleeve tore apart. "What a crazy guy?! He almost succeeded!"
Manager Kim looked back at Johan, who himself looked a bit surprised. "I was surprised, but it was a natural result. CQC is not something you can watch and copy. CQC is our unit's combat technique. It's the art of approaching and attacking the opponent in an instant. The only reason he can use CQC is because he mimicked the posture of our skills."
Manager Kim rushed and threw several palm strikes at Johan. "I admit you're a genius. But you have to master all the positions to use CQC."
Johan slid back as he blocked each strike. But Manager Kim continued with his assault. "It's possible that you're a gemstone—"
Before Manager Kim could finish his words, Johan retaliated with the exact replica of Manager Kim's strikes. Manager Kim easily blocked them and followed with another flurry of strikes. "This guy?! Don't tell me his aim was to copy CQC, so he intends to memorize all my moves with his eyes?!"
At that moment, Manager Kim ran out of strategy. He finally understood how dangerous Johan was, especially his eyes.
Manager Kim stopped. "This is going to be hard without him getting hurt."
Saying this, he started to take off his coat. "Johan. I am sorry. This is going to be painful," Manager Kim said as he rushed at Johan.
Just then, bright light blinded his eyes. A sports car rushed at him with immense speed. Manager Kim quickly jumped over the car. But Johan took advantage of this and kicked Manager Kim.
Though Manager Kim blocked the attack, the impact sent him flying past the bridge.
Samuel Seo got out of his car. "That old man doesn't play with kids," Samuel said as he saw Manager Kim fall down the bridge.
Then he turned to Johan and approached him. "I couldn't reach you, so I followed you. Didn't expect that White Tiger forces would make a move this fast. How long before we get to our—"
Before Samuel could finish his words, a flying side kick smashed against his face. Samuel went flying and crashed against Johan's car.
Manager Kim stood topless, hundreds of scars covering his body. "You kids are really rude. Trying to run over an elder isn't a good thing to do."
Johan stood there, his mouth open. Samuel stirred and slowly stood up. "What's this? You didn't fall off the bridge?"
Manager Kim's face turned serious. "This fist is stronger than your might, just as night is longer than the day."
---
Mandeok looked shocked as he lay in the crater. "What... was that?!"
Mary Kim turned back to Jewoo and Taebong, who were helping Jason, Brad. "This fight is over. I didn't expect the Vice President of Workers to be this weak. Should we, the Cheonliang Family, take over them? Hehe~ It'll be fun to see everyone's reaction."
Just then, Mandeok rushed at Mary Kim to tackle her. "I am not down yet!!"
Mary jumped and wrapped her legs around Mandeok's neck, putting him in a headscissors. By twisting and using her lower body and extremities, she threw Mandeok in the other direction.
It only took two seconds to take down Mandeok for the second time.
The Cheonliang Family muttered, "As expected of the Empress of Two Seconds. She took down the monster in exactly two seconds."
Mandeok stood up, blood trailing down his face. His jaw tightened as he wiped it away with the back of his hand.
"I can't go down tonight. I made a promise to destroy this street today."
Mary tilted her head, watching him with mild amusement. "You really should stay down. I'm trying to be nice here."
Mandeok didn't respond. He shifted his stance, weight dropping low as his hands came up in a loose guard. Then he moved.
He spun low, leg sweeping out in a wide arc that carved through the air. Mary hopped back, but Mandeok was already rising, his other leg whipping around in a high kick that she had to duck under.
She rolled forward beneath the strike and came up behind him, reaching for his waist. Her arms struggled to lock around Mandeok's large figure. Mandeok's elbow hammered backward into her ribs. The impacts were heavy enough to crack bone, but Mary held on, her grip tightening.
Jason and Brad struggled to understand what Mary Kim was trying to do. Jewoo put his hands around Jason and told him, "Do you know that Empress of Two Seconds isn't her only title?" As if nostalgic, Jewoo closed his eyes. "Long ago... she was known as the Elephant. Partially due to her size, but mainly because she has monstrous strength."
Just then, Mary's sharp scream echoed.
"JEWOO!! You bastard!! I heard what you said! You're next!! Wait for it!!"
With a grunt of effort, she lifted the large Mandeok—who was three times bigger than her—off the ground and bent backward, slamming him onto his shoulders. The pavement cracked beneath them, spiderweb fractures spreading outward from the impact point.
Mandeok's head bounced off the concrete, but he twisted immediately, rolling away before Mary could follow up. He came to his feet in one smooth motion, hand pressed to the back of his skull.
"Look, I'm not here to fight to the death. So why don't you give up quickly and not waste my time? I have to maintain my beauty sleep." Mary said, standing and brushing concrete dust from her jacket.
Mandeok responded by charging straight at her. No technique this time—just raw power behind a straight punch that blurred through the air. Mary's eyes widened as she sidestepped, but the fist passed so close it ruffled her hair.
She grabbed his extended arm with both hands and dropped her weight, using his momentum against him. Mandeok tumbled forward, but he planted his free hand on the ground and converted the throw into a handstand. His legs scissored through the air, one heel catching Mary across the jaw.
Her head snapped to the side and she stumbled back, working her jaw. "Okay, that one hurt."
Jewoo shouted from the side, "You bastard! Shame on you for hitting a lady!!"
Mary smiled at Jewoo. "Hehe~ Yes. That's more like it. But I won't let you off for what you said previously."
Mandeok landed on his feet and immediately pressed forward with a combination of punches. Each punch carried enough force to dent steel. Mary weaved between the first two, but the hook clipped her shoulder and sent her spinning.
She used the rotation to her advantage, her leg whipping out in a counter that Mandeok blocked with his forearm. The impact echoed like a gunshot.
They separated.
Jason and Brad asked Jewoo, "Shouldn't we try to help her?"
Jewoo smiled. "Who do you want to help? That Mary Kim who reigns over current Cheonliang? That Mary Kim whose potential is acknowledged by Baki-hyung himself? Let's let her cut loose tonight."
"I've never met a woman this strong. I don't know what Big Deal has promised you, but Workers will provide more than they ever could. Come and join us," Mandeok said quietly.
Mary touched her lip where it had split. "Sorry. But I'm not here for Big Deal. I only came to help a bastard friend of mine."
Mandeok wiped his face again, smearing more blood across his cheek. Then he dropped into a low stance, one hand touching the ground. He spun and flipped, each rotation bringing him closer.
Mary squinted and watched carefully. When he launched into a spinning kick, she moved in instead of away. Her hand shot out and grabbed his ankle mid-rotation, stopping his momentum dead.
For a split second, Mandeok hung there, off-balance. Mary yanked hard, pulling him toward her as she dropped beneath him. Her legs wrapped around his neck from below, thighs locking tight around his throat.
She twisted her whole body, using her core and legs to wrench him sideways. Mandeok's feet left the ground as he was whipped through the air and slammed into the side of a parked car. The door caved in with a metallic crunch, the entire vehicle rocking on its suspension.
Mary released him and rolled backward to her feet. "I can tell it would've been a great fight if you hadn't fought that monster beforehand." She glanced at the unconscious figure of Jerry Kwon.
But Mandeok didn't wait. He was already moving. He pushed off from the ruined car door, launching himself at her with a flying knee. Mary raised her guard, but the impact drove her back, her feet carving furrows in the pavement as she slid backward.
Before she could recover, Mandeok was there, hands grabbing for her. She twisted, trying to escape. Mandeok clenched his teeth and squeezed with all his remaining strength. He hoisted her up and then drove her down into the ground with brutal force.
The concrete exploded beneath her, chunks of it flying in all directions. A crater formed where she landed, and for a moment she didn't move.
"Mary!" one of the Cheonliang Family shouted. Even Jewoo looked surprised.
Mandeok stood over the crater, breathing hard. Blood dripped from his nose and the gash on his forehead. "Is it finally over?"
Mary's hand emerged from the crater, grabbing the edge. She pulled herself up, spitting blood onto the broken pavement. "For God's sake, learn to be gentle with women. How will you get girls otherwise?"
She lunged forward, faster than before. Mandeok threw a punch but she was already inside his guard, her shoulder ramming into his chest with pile-driver force. He stumbled back and she was on him, jumping up to wrap her legs around his shoulders.
Mandeok tried to grab her, but she'd already locked her position. Her hands gripped his head, fingers digging in as she began to twist. The pressure on his neck was immense, vertebrae grinding as she wrenched him around.
He threw himself backward, trying to slam her into the ground, but Mary used the momentum. As they fell, she pulled harder, rotating him in midair. They hit the ground with Mandeok face-first, Mary riding his shoulders down into the pavement.
The impact cratered the street again, a full meter wide this time. Mandeok's entire body went limp.
Mary released him and stood up slowly, rolling her shoulders. She looked down at the unconscious vice president. "What... a monster."