With the three robbers now trapped in the water-filled construction site, their screams of pain and desperation echoed in the rainy night. The smoke from the extinguished flames had given the scene an eerie, otherworldly quality.

"You... You lunatic..." one of them managed to choke out between gasps.

I walked closer, the shotguns I had picked up resting on my shoulders, a cold smile playing on my lips. "Well, well, well. Look who's all wet now."

The one who had threatened me with the shotgun looked up at me with eyes wide with fear and pain. "Please, man, we didn't know... We thought it was just a pizza joint. We didn't know you were... one of them."

"One of who?" I asked, feigning ignorance.

He grimaced, clutching his burnt arm. "One of them freaks. You know, the ones who run this city. We're just small-time. We didn't mean to mess with your territory."

I crouched down, examining the burnt skin on his arm. "Freaks, huh? And what if I told you I'm not one of them, but someone who's had enough of people like you ruining the peace of this city?"

The three men exchanged terrified glances as they continued to struggle in the waist-deep water.

It's raining again...

The rain poured down on us, mingling with the smoke, creating an almost surreal atmosphere.

"I don't give a damn about your sob story or your excuses," I said, my tone cold and unforgiving. "You decided to mess with this place, and now you're going to pay the price."

The one with the burnt arm winced as I reached out and grabbed his shoulder, my grip tight and unyielding. The other two tried to crawl away, but their injuries slowed them down significantly.

"You know what's funny?" I continued, my voice lowering to a dangerous whisper. "I used to be a guy who followed the rules, who believed in justice through proper channels. But that all changed the moment I was reborn."

Their eyes widened as if they couldn't quite comprehend what I was saying. I took a step back and drew one of the shotguns from my shoulder, cocking it with a metallic click.

"You see, I've got this new perspective now," I said, my smile widening. "And let me tell you, I'm not here to play hero or villain. I'm here to bring chaos to your lives, to show you that there are consequences for your actions."

I pointed the shotgun at the one with the burnt arm, his face now pale with terror. "You wanted to threaten me with a shotgun? Let's see how you like it."

Before any of them could react, I pulled the trigger, and the deafening blast reverberated through the rainy night. The force of the shot sent the man sprawling backward, blood and water mixing as he screamed in agony.

The other two scrambled even harder, their desperation growing. One of them managed to pull himself up onto a ledge, his face a mask of terror and despair.

I turned the shotgun toward him, my expression cold and unfeeling. "You thought you could come in here and rob a place filled with memories of someone I cared about? You thought you could threaten me and get away with it?"

I fired again, and the second man's body jerked as the shot hit him. He fell back into the water, his movements growing sluggish.

The third man, the one who had been least injured, was crying and begging for mercy. "Please, please don't kill me! I swear, we didn't know!"

I approached him, my footsteps echoing in the rain-soaked air. "You didn't know? Ignorance isn't an excuse. You made your choice, and now you'll face the consequences."

I raised the shotgun, aiming it at him. He closed his eyes, tears streaming down his face.

"I will do anything, man. Just don't kill me. Please, I have money. I can give you whatever you want. Just let me go."

The rain continued to pour, mixing with the tears and rainwater on the man's face. He was trembling, his hands held up in a gesture of surrender, his eyes squeezed shut as if he couldn't bear to see what was about to happen.

"Please, I have a family," he pleaded, his voice shaking. "I have a wife and kids who depend on me. I didn't want any of this. I was just following orders."

I looked down at him, the shotgun still aimed at his quivering form. His words stirred something inside me, a reminder of the family I had left behind in my previous life. But this was a world filled with criminals, with danger lurking in every corner. Could I really afford to show mercy to someone like him?

"Did you think about their family when you barged into this place, threatening innocent people?" I asked, my voice cold and unforgiving.

His sobs grew louder, and he nodded frantically. "No, I didn't. I was stupid. I was desperate. But I'm begging you, please, don't take my life."

"You motherfuckers shot me. Has it been any regular human, their body would have become a pile of meat by now, and you... You want to live? Do you think you deserve to live?" I said, my tone growing angrier by the second.

He opened his eyes, his gaze meeting mine. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I know I don't deserve it. But please... Please have mercy."

"Wife and kids you say?" I asked, looking at him through narrow, angry eyes.

"Yes, please. I know I've fucked up. I know I don't deserve it. But they need me. They can't live without me. Please... I'm begging you."

I felt the weight of the gun in my hands, the cold metal and deadly power it contained. I could end this man's life right now. I could take away everything he cared about, just like he had taken away what mattered most to me. But I know when a fucker is lying. I have dealt with enough bastards like him to be able to tell when someone is telling the truth or not.

I looked up at him, my eyes boring into his. "Tell me, what's your wife's and kids' names? What do they look like?"

His eyes widened, a look of hope appearing on his face. "I... I..."

"Answer the question, you fucking idiot!" I shouted, my voice echoing in the night. "You have a wife and kids and yet you don't even know their names? Are you so fucking stupid that you can't remember what your own family looks like?"

He winced, stammering out an answer. "No! I... I know their names. I know what they look like. I just... I just didn't expect you to ask."

"Then tell me," I commanded, my tone leaving no room for argument. "What's their names?"

"My wife's name is Jenny. She has long blonde hair and blue eyes. My daughter's name is Rose. She's three years old. And my son's name is Sam. He's six," the goon replied.

"Really? And do they know what you do for a living?" I asked, my tone growing colder.

"No, I... I couldn't tell them. They would be so ashamed of me if they knew."

I scoffed, shaking my head in disgust. "I bet they would. I bet they would be fucking disgusted by you. You think they'd be proud of you? Think they'd want you back in their lives after what you've done?"

-------[Next ch on Wednesday]-------

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