Chapter 20 – Arnold Grim (1)

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Usurping the mayor's position was nothing spectacular. In fact, it was too easy that it made me feel uneasy.

We tried to worsen the situation, but it seemed that people became exhausted from bashing me on the streets and on social media. They didn’t even bother I stole the position. Perhaps they felt it wasn’t worth it to fight me because the national and local government elections were already close. In their mind, I only had a month before a new mayor replaced me. But this position and this time frame were enough for me to do many things.

It looked like my father caught on to something. He won’t exacerbate my situation for the time being. The problem was the opponents and the unknown ‘allies’. Only the small countries I had bullied have come to claim my neck so far. It was a tiny force, and it wouldn’t differ in the grand scheme of things.

There were only five superpower countries and three upcoming superpower countries. All these countries had one defining strategy that made them a powerful nation. Military, diplomacy, technology, population, economy, infamy, etc. Out of all of them, we were the ones that specialized in making and lending money. ‘Money is the son of God, had been our motto since ancient times.

“Desperate times call desperate measures. We ought to strike while they were unaware.” The woman in red said.

“You aren’t scared of being a wanted figure. After all, every country wanted dibs on your bounty.” I scoffed, making the woman disgruntled.

“Let Arnold handle it.” The eldest spoke. No one had a different opinion.

…

Arnold Grim was born in the harshest place on earth. The north—was the symbol of hunger and desperation. Despite a lack of food and money, he was spoiled by love, however.

To get to the nearest school, his father trotted through the icy tundra every day while carrying his child on his back. His feet froze and even until he died, he couldn’t feel anything below his waist. But Arnold took it for granted.

To get money, his father had to take on as many jobs as possible, even to the point of not having a sleep. The doctor diagnosed him as having a lot of complications even though he was only thirty years old. Arnold didn’t seem to see it.

To not let shame his son, his father lied about being a businessman, had a nice car and a pleasant house, in front of many people. The foolish child bragged until his spittle dried out.

And the worst, he became friends with the people who created poverty in their place.

“Father? I don’t bother him at all anymore. He is old. Who cares if he suffers?”

“Right. I don’t like my old man either!”

“Hahaha!”

“Let’s party. Nobody will sleep tonight!” They guffawed with drinks and women in their arms. Total debauchery, hiding beneath the land of suffering.

He wasted his father’s efforts, money, and love. And soon, he’d forgotten where he belongs.

“It’s only right because he is my father.”

Then, he got into an accident one day. His body became dilapidated: couldn’t use all his limbs. No friends went to help him. No one visited him or called him about his health. It felt colder compared to when he was still experiencing the frequent fierce winds banging at their worn-out house.

Only his father was there with him. He was lucky, the doctor said. He could still recover. But the cost of surgery was enough to cripple the father a hundred times over from overwork. In a sense, it was over for Arnold.

So, the father sold himself.

“Win one hundred fights and we will give you twenty million dollars.” The devilish businessman grinned from ear to ear.

The percentage of getting the money was close to zero. This illegal sport had been going for a while, with thousands, if not ten thousand, of casualties every year. But his father didn’t even flinch as he cut his palm and signed his name on the paper.

Numbed from the waist down, sleep-deprived, intestinal cancer, and so on… it was an unfair handicap.

But the father smiled, already imagining the bright future of his son.

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