Chapter 38
The anger didn't consume my reason, but instead filled my heart with courage.
Just as I was about to speak, I felt Athena move beside me.
The next second, Athena grabbed Swamp by the throat.
Luna was startled by this sudden turn of events. She took a step back, then screamed at me.
"Look what your person did! Make her let go of my brother, or I'm going back to get my brothers."
Luna could be so arrogant because they were a big family.
All their relatives and friends lived together.
Besides the two of them, they had three older brothers who hung around on the streets.
Unlike Luna and Swamp's petty bullying, her three brothers would actually use knives.
I once saw Luna's oldest brother knock down a fruit vendor, stomp on him hard with his feet, and then beat him with a steel pipe.
I heard that vendor's hand was broken and never recovered.
Even though Athena knew how to fight, I was still worried she would be at a disadvantage against Luna's three brothers.
Just as I was about to speak, I suddenly heard a clicking sound.
The sound was somewhat unfamiliar. I turned around in surprise.
I saw Athena had pulled out a gun from somewhere and was now pressing it hard against Swamp's head.
Swamp was startled. He stared blankly at Athena and the dark barrel of the gun in her hand, his legs trembling.
This was the first time I'd seen Swamp look so pathetic.
Athena stared coldly at Luna, who wanted to run and call for help. Her tone was calm but warning.
"If you turn around now, I'll shoot immediately. The people you call will only find a corpse."
Luna might seem tough, but she was a bully who feared the strong.
She never dared to bully another girl on the street who always carried a gun.
Hearing Athena say this, Luna immediately froze in place, not daring to move.
She looked at me, her eyes red and full of hatred.
"I was just joking with you, and you let your person treat my brother like this. Aren't you afraid the police will come and arrest you?"
Hearing Luna mention the police, I found it funny.
When my mother used to say she'd call the police, they were somewhat worried but also mocked her, saying the police wouldn't side with poor people like me.
Especially without a man's support or financial help, even if we called the police, we'd just get lectured.
Now that Swamp was being held by Athena, they were talking about calling the police.
I looked at Luna with a blank expression and said nothing.
Luna's obedience turned into real fear.
Maybe she realized I was completely different from the Sonya they used to humiliate.
Finally, Luna knelt before me. She clasped her hands together, looking at me pleadingly.
"Please have your person let go of my brother. We'll never bully you again."
Before I could speak, Athena spoke first.
"First, you should apologize to Miss Sonya, especially for that nickname you gave her. Also, I assume you've bullied Miss Sonya quite a bit before. How should we handle that?"
Athena's tone was very gentle, just like when she usually spoke to me.
But I saw Luna shudder the moment she heard Athena's words.
She looked at me, then at Athena, seeming to realize something. Without hesitation, she slapped herself.
While hitting herself, she said to me, "I'm sorry, it was my fault. Giving you that nickname was my fault too. You can do whatever you want to me. You can come hit me if you want, but please spare me and my brother. Let us live."
Luna hit herself pretty hard. Her face quickly swelled up, and blood seeped from the corner of her mouth.
Although I hated her, I didn't want her dead.
So I glanced at Athena. Understanding what I meant, Athena stepped back, but still kept the gun raised.
She shook her head at Swamp.
"Your sister has made her choice to survive. Now it's your turn."
Swamp's eyes were full of resentment.
But he still made the same choice as Luna. He knelt before me, slapping himself hard while apologizing.
"I'm sorry. Everything we did to you before was wrong. I hope you can forgive us."
Watching these siblings who used to show off in front of me and treat me like a toy do this brought a sense of satisfaction to my heart.
I nodded at them, my tone carrying a warning. "I hope you truly realize your mistakes and stop bullying others. If I hear from anywhere else that you're still bullying people, I won't let you off."
After I finished speaking, Luna and Swamp immediately stood up.
They nodded repeatedly, glancing timidly at Athena beside me.
Finally, Athena lowered her gun, though she still held onto it.
After hearing me speak, Athena lowered her eyes and stopped looking at them.
Luna tentatively took a step back.
Seeing no particular reaction from Athena, Luna grabbed Swamp, and they ran off, disappearing from my sight.
What just happened had attracted the neighbors' attention.
When I looked over, they quickly looked away.
Some even closed their doors.
When Luca used to beat my mother and me, they would open their doors and watch the same way, not caring whether we lived or died.
Only the landlady of the barber shop, who had always been decent to my mother and me, leaned against her doorway and looked at me with mixed feelings.
"You seem to have found good friends now. Your mother can rest easy in heaven."
I smiled at her and nodded. "Thank you."
Hearing my thanks, she felt a bit embarrassed. She lowered her hand, walked up to me, bent down, and looked at me seriously.
"When you and your mother were being bullied before, I was helpless too. I'm glad to see you can protect yourself now."
I knew this landlady was often beaten by her own husband, but she would occasionally give us some spare change to help my mother and me.
Without her, my mother and I might have starved to death.
I was grateful to her.
So I looked back at Athena and asked quietly, "Do I have anything I can give her? She was good to me before."
Athena thought for a moment and said, "I can get some cash for you to give her."
I figured nothing would be better than cash. The landlady would need that money.