A loud bang, accompanied by the screeching, teeth-grinding noise of metal twisting and deforming.
Maurice's pawn shop's custom-made, extra-thick, alloy-embedded rolling shutter door hung crookedly on its frame, like scrap metal brutally ravaged by an invisible giant hand.
A large section of it was even completely torn off, falling with a sharp, jagged edge onto the sidewalk, kicking up a cloud of choking dust.
Sunlight streamed back in, and although it came with Hell's Kitchen's unique hazy filter, for William Rodriguez, it was brighter and more captivating than the Hawaiian beach sun, almost bringing tears to his eyes.
He felt like he had just experienced an immersive rollercoaster ride at Hell's Kitchen Theme Park.
And it was the ultimate thrilling version, without seatbelts, where you could crash and die at any moment, and still have to pay for emotional damages afterward.
Jessica Jones walked out of the dilapidated doorway with a poker face.
Between her slender fingers, she tossed an antique ring that gleamed with a faint blue light.
Her demeanor was so relaxed, as if she had merely gone to the convenience store next door to buy a bottle of Coke, rather than conducting a "friendly negotiation" in a heavily armed, shady pawn shop and casually tearing down a door.
William swallowed with difficulty, uncontrollably glancing back at the chaotic scene inside the pawn shop—broken shelves, scattered debris, and the three burly men huddled in a corner, trembling like sieves.
Oh, my goodness!
God and all the big shots of Hell's Kitchen!
What kind of "negotiation" was this?
This was clearly Godzilla entering the city and stomping its foot at the entrance of this unlucky pawn shop!
Just a few minutes ago, when that fat Maurice pressed the alarm, and the rolling shutter and the showcase metal panels crashed down with a piercing noise, sealing them completely inside.
William felt that most of his life had already flown away, with only half of it left shivering in the cold wind.
"Do you think I've been running a shop in Hell's Kitchen for so many years without some means of self-defense?
The walls and windows here are made of custom-made, extra-thick steel plates, embedded with alloy!
Even a monster with great strength like you can't easily break through! None of you two will leave here alive today!"
Maurice's fat face was twisted into a snarl, looking like an over-fermented, about-to-explode dough.
However, Jessica Jones's reaction was shockingly simple and brutal, even insane.
She merely cast an impatient glance at the supposedly indestructible rolling shutter door, then told William in a concise manner: "Stand back, kid, don't let the flying metal scratch that face of yours that you're planning to sell insurance with."
Then, he witnessed what it meant to be a "human battering ram," what "violent aesthetics" meant, and what "why the hell did I take this job" meant.
Jessica didn't even take a running start; she just casually flexed her wrist, the movement as effortless as if she were merely dusting off her shoulder.
Then, she punched.
William only saw a blur of a Shadow, too fast to distinguish.
The next second—
"Dong—!!!!"
A deafening blast, as if it would overturn the entire block, almost tore his eardrums!
William felt the entire ground trembling violently, and the glass items on the counter all shattered with a "crash"!
William's heart almost leaped out of his throat! Was this the strength a human could unleash?! Was this the destructive power a carbon-based life form could possess?!
Then came the second punch, even more furious! Even more brutal!
"Dong Hong—!!!!"
The rolling shutter let out an even more piercing shriek, twisting into a greater arc, and the rivets holding it in place popped out like bullets with "bang, bang, bang" sounds, one even grazed William's scalp, taking a few strands of his hair with it!
The third punch! Like a heavy hammer swung by God!
"Kuang—Cha!!!!"
Accompanied by the colossal sound of metal completely breaking, the sturdy rolling shutter door finally couldn't withstand the destructive blow and was torn open with a huge gap in the middle!
Inside the entire pawn shop, items on the shelves clattered down.
The three muscular men, who had been arrogant and holding their "weapons," were now completely stunned.
Their weapons "clanged" to the ground, and they didn't even dare to pick them up.
Each of them huddled in a corner, trembling like candles in the wind, looking at Jessica with expressions as if they were seeing a ferocious beast that had traveled from prehistoric times.
The fat boss Maurice even "thumped" to the ground.
The madness on his face had long been replaced by boundless fear and despair; his fat face was as White as paper, his mouth agape wide enough to fit a goose egg, yet he couldn't utter a single sound.
Only the dark Water stain rapidly spreading in his crotch revealed his true psychological state at that moment.
William clearly remembered that when Jessica tore the opening of the rolling shutter further apart with her bare hands, and the midday sun, mixed with dust, shone on her, the scene was like a War Goddess descending... if one ignored her expression of "I'm really annoyed, don't mess with me."
"The ring." Jessica's voice was still cold, without a ripple, as if she had just swatted a fly.
But this time, Maurice scrambled to his feet, using both hands and feet, to get up from the ground.
He rushed to the safe, trembling so much that he could barely hold the key, opened the safe, and took out the sapphire ring.
He held it high above his head with both hands, offering it humbly, his entire body shaking like the last falling leaf in the autumn wind.
"Also," Jessica took the ring, casually weighing it, and added, her chin gesturing towards the completely ruined rolling shutter door, now a piece of performance art, "damaged public facilities, and my emotional damages, remember to compensate. The bill will be sent later."
Maurice's face was mournful; he wouldn't dare to say "no" to even half a word, nodding like pounding garlic, almost kowtowing to Jessica on the spot.
William still felt a chill down his spine and cold sweat breaking out as he recalled it now.
He finally deeply understood what "physical persuasion" meant.
And why Jessica Jones's private detective business could stand firm in this chaotic, villain-ridden Hell's Kitchen.
This was no detective; this was clearly a top-tier debt collection specialist with built-in directional demolition and forced demolition capabilities, also serving as an urban disaster emergency responder!
"Hey, kid, what are you spacing out for?"
Jessica's impatient voice pulled him back from his rattled memories and silent communication with the system, "Let's go, we still have to return the ring to that weeping old lady."
"Huh? Oh, okay, Ms. Jones."
William quickly jolted and trotted to catch up, "Uh... Ms. Jones, you were really... really... incomparably powerful! Unbeatable!"
He racked his brain but could only come up with such a slightly chuunibyou-ish but absolutely heartfelt description.
Jessica glanced at him, expressionless, and merely said indifferently: "Just work. Next time you encounter a locked-door situation like this, remember to find a sturdier cover than a counter, like behind a load-bearing wall. Don't expect me to precisely control those flying debris and collapsing buildings every time."