From Bullets To Billions novel Chapter 652

Chapter 652: The Mysterious Man (Part 2)

In a way, Yovan hadn’t really made up her mind whether or not Max was a good or bad person. She was stubborn by nature, and she felt her initial impression of the man, that cold, detached aura he carried, just felt fundamentally off. To her, people who stood that still and spoke that little were usually hiding something dark.

Maybe he was the one who had returned Talia’s ID card, but who knew if he had bumped into her on purpose? Perhaps he had even swiped the ID card from some other place just to create a reason to "meet up" with her later. Or, perhaps more likely, Yovan simply didn’t want to admit she was wrong and was desperately inventing elaborate scenarios in her head to avoid having to offer a sincere apology.

Still, this was a rare chance for them to hear about the mysterious Max from others who might actually know his history. Sitting directly behind Steve and Jono, the girls leaned forward just enough to catch the whispered conversation, their breathing shallow so as not to be noticed.

"Will you stop with those crazy stories?" Jono said, his voice cutting through the quiet hum of the lecture hall as more students filed into the tiered seating. "We all met him at the dorm party, and he’s as quiet as quiet can be. He spent half the night in the bathroom and the other half looking like he wanted to be anywhere else. There’s no way he did anything like what you’re suggesting."

Steve looked over his shoulder, peaking at Max for a split second to double-check his location at the far end of the room. He ducked his head back down quickly, almost making sure the other person couldn’t see him watching.

"I’m serious, though! Everyone was talking about it back at my high school," Steve whispered urgently, his hands moving animatedly to emphasize his point. "How there was this kid who had managed to unite all of the rival schools in Notting Hill. They said he managed to conquer and recruit the head delinquents from every single campus to form a giant alliance. He beat everyone who got in his way, and there are even rumors that his group went up against a real gang."

Steve leaned in closer to Jono, his eyes wide with a mixture of fear and admiration. "You know, the kind of groups that actually kill people and work in the deep Underworld? The legends say they managed to best them! They call the leader the ’Demon of the Streets’ or something equally terrifying."

Jono couldn’t help but let out a muffled, skeptical laugh that drew a few looks from nearby students. "And you seriously believe all of that? What you’re saying sounds like some type of urban fairy tale or a plot from a bad action movie. And for one moment, let’s say all of that is true, do you really think the Max sitting right there in this class, wearing a standard hoodie and reading a textbook, is that very same ’Demon’ capable of all that?"

The two boys, as well as the girls sitting directly behind them, turned to steal another look at Max. He currently had his head down, seemingly absorbed in the introductory business text. His build was certainly athletic, broad shoulders and a lean waist, but he didn’t appear to be a monster or a street-fighting legend. He looked like any other student trying to get through a boring lecture. Besides, if a person was truly capable of running a city-wide alliance, what were they doing sitting in a freshman business lecture at June Stone University? It simply didn’t add up.

"But the name matches perfectly," Steve insisted, his voice slightly shaky as he gripped the edge of his desk. "He’s called Max Smith. And it’s not just that, it’s the appearance too, especially with that blood-colored hair. How many guys do you know with hair that specific shade of red?"

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