Inside Maximus Playgrounds Garry’s POV
Garry swallowed hard, trying to keep his nerves in check as he stood in front of a towering figure the man he was supposed to impress.
“Hello, father-in-law.” He forced a grin, his voice holding a slight nervous edge.
Across from him stood William Maximus, a man built like a war machine broad shoulders, chiseled arms, and a presence that screamed danger. His short buzzed hair and well-groomed beard only added to the aura of someone who had seen, and done, a lot.
Dressed in a sleeveless t-shirt and shorts, the man looked relaxed yet there was nothing casual about the way his sharp eyes scanned Garry, sizing him up like prey.
William took a slow drag from his cigarette, then flicked it to the ground, exhaling smoke as he spoke. “So, you’re the stinky kid my daughter was fighting for?” His voice was deep, rough. “Hmph. You don’t look that impressive to me.”
Garry was about to respond when Jimmy, standing beside him, casually crossed his arms.
“Well, that’s true,” Jimmy chuckled. “But Garry isn’t that bad either.”
Garry gave Jimmy a look. “Dude, are you helping or making this worse?”
William ignored them, stepping forward. His intense gaze bore into Garry. “If you were a real man, you would’ve come alone. Only cowards bring backup when meeting their future father-in-law.”
Garry felt his throat tighten. The pressure was unlike anything he had ever felt before.
He had faced dangerous men before. Powerful men. In his past life, he had stood in front of crime lords, war veterans, and ruthless businessmen but knowing that the man in front of him had the final say in whether or not he could marry the woman he loved… that was an entirely different level of pressure.
Stay calm. Think.
He coughed lightly, forcing the embarrassment down, then met William’s stare with determination.
“I think we just see things differently, sir.” Garry said, his voice steady despite the knot in his stomach. “A man who chooses to go alone instead of bringing those who support him… that’s not courage. That’s recklessness. A real man values his allies. And a father should want his daughter to marry someone who knows the importance of that.”
There was a long pause.
William narrowed his eyes.
Then a low chuckle.
“Hoho… what a smooth-talking little gigolo my daughter fell for.”
Garry’s face twitched. “Excuse me?”
William smirked. “I haven’t done a background check on you yet, but just from what I see… You seem soft.”
Garry felt a chill run down his spine. There was something in the way William said that. Not an insult, not a joke just a fact.
“Background check?” Garry frowned.
William nodded. “Don’t worry about that yet. First, you need to pass your test. Only then will I even bother digging into who you really are.”
“And if I fail?”
“Then you die.”
Garry blinked. “Wait what?”
Jimmy patted his shoulder with a blank face. “He’s saying this is your first test. If you fail, he kills you. If you pass, he does a background check. And if he finds anything bad…”
“I die?” Garry guessed.
Jimmy nodded. “Yeah. Pretty much.”
Garry sighed, rubbing his temples. “Right. Okay. Good to know.”
He took a deep breath, then asked the question he was dreading the most.
“So… if I pass both? Does that mean I can marry your daughter?”
William’s expression didn’t change.
“Don’t fly so high, kid. Passing just means I’ll let you live a little longer. I’ll still find a way to kill you eventually.”
Silence.
Garry: “…”
Jimmy: “…”
Garry forced a smile. “Right. Of course. Makes sense.”
This is going to be a long day.
Garry swallowed his nerves and tried to keep his cool.
“So, what exactly do I have to do to marry your daughter, sir?” He asked, feigning curiosity while his heart hammered in his chest.
William Maximus smirked, as if he had been waiting for that question.
“A certificate of approval from God.”
Garry blinked. “…What?”
“You heard me.” William’s voice was casual. “You can pick any religion. Just bring me proof that it’s the real God.”
There was silence.
Jimmy, who had been casually observing from the side, let out a low whistle. “Are you sure you want your daughter to marry in this lifetime?”
William shrugged. “Who knows.”
This guy… is insane. Garry thought. Absolutely batshit.
But before he could dwell on that ridiculous requirement, William clapped his hands.
“Alright, let’s get on with the test first. I don’t like wasting my time talking to dead men.” His sharp gaze locked onto Garry. “You know how to shoot, right?”
He didn’t wait for an answer. With a flick of his wrist, he tossed a Desert Eagle straight at Garry.
Garry caught it instinctively.
The weight of the gun settled in his grip. It felt cold, heavy very, very real.
“How hard can it be?” Garry muttered, looking at the gun. “It’s just a pistol. Even though I’ve never shot or used a gun before, I think I’m talented. Maybe I can pass any test with ease.”
Jimmy choked back a laugh.
William let out a dry chuckle, adjusting the black sunglasses he had just pulled from his shorts pocket.
“Clean my ass.” He sneered. “I can tell the difference between a first-timer and someone who’s held a gun before. And kid, you’ve definitely held a gun before.”
Garry froze.
William narrowed his eyes. “Seems like I’ll have to dig into your background later… assuming you survive this test.”
Garry forced a laugh, but inside, he was screaming.
“So, where’s the target?” Garry asked, trying to change the topic.
William simply pointed to the distance. “Over there.”
Garry and Jimmy turned their heads.
A vast, empty shooting ground stretched before them. A nearly two-kilometer field with scattered targets placed at different distances.
Tables were arranged in a line, each holding a single bottle.
120 meters
180 meters
—
—
300 meters
The farther the target, the harder it was to see. The 300-meter bottle looked like a damn speck in the distance.
“Which one should I hit to impress you the most?” Garry asked, trying to keep his voice steady.
William smirked. “If you hit even one, I’ll be shocked. If you hit three, I might start believing in miracles.”
“Impossible?” Garry raised an eyebrow.
William nodded. “That distance isn’t for amateurs. Even professionals struggle with it. There’s no way you’ll land a shot.”
Garry felt a chill crawl up his spine.
“You didn’t give me a fake gun, did you?” He muttered, inspecting the pistol.
William scoffed, tapping his temple. “You’re welcome to test it on yourself.”
“…Yeah, no thanks.”
Garry sighed, shaking his head before turning back toward the targets.
He raised the gun, lining up the sights with the 120-meter target.
From the outside, he looked confident.
Inside?
Panic.
“Shit. Shit. Shit. What do I do?!”
120 meters… Even professional shooters struggle with this distance!
I can only hit something within 10, maybe 20 meters at best.
This isn’t shooting… this is sniping.
He swallowed hard, gripping the gun tighter.
Then his gaze drifted to Jimmy.
A silent, desperate scream for help.
Jimmy simply raised an eyebrow. “Good luck, buddy.”
“WHERE IS THE HELP LUCAN PROMISED?!?”
Garry wanted to scream. He didn’t know who to curse more Lucian, himself, or the damn psycho standing beside him.
Williams strolled up to Jimmy, tilting his head as he peered at him over his sunglasses. “So, what do you think? Can he do it?”
Jimmy didn’t even blink. “He’ll pass this test.” He shot Williams a side-eye, his confidence unshaken.
Williams let out a low chuckle, shaking his head. “Young people these days… always so sure of themselves.”
A smirk curled at his lips. “Wanna make a bet?”
Jimmy raised an eyebrow, waiting.
Williams continued, “If that kid even knocks down a single bottle—”
“You lose, you drop your shorts and run three laps around this field in your underwear,” Jimmy cut in before Williams could finish, his voice casual, almost lazy.
Williams froze mid-sentence. Slowly, he removed his sunglasses, studying Jimmy’s face. Then, he looked down at his own shorts, considering.
His expression twisted into something between confusion and suspicion. Finally, he narrowed his eyes at Jimmy. “Wait… do you want to see me in my underwear?”
Jimmy froze for a second. Then, his face twisted in disgust.
“Hell no! What the fuck, old man?!” He raised both hands in defense. “It’s just a bet! You’re the one who keeps saying it’s impossible! If you’re so sure, then take it.”
Williams stared at him for a long moment, then smirked.
“Hmm… fine.” He adjusted his sunglasses back onto his face. “But kid, if you lose… you run those three laps naked.”
Jimmy snorted. “Yeah, no thanks. I’m not the one doubting Garry.”
Williams clicked his tongue. “Tch. Thought you had some guts.”
Jimmy just rolled his eyes, crossing his arms as he turned back to Garry.
“I don’t need to make a bet to know Garry’s got this.”
Williams hummed, looking toward Garry as well. “You trust him that much?”
Jimmy smirked. “Not really.”
Williams let out a laugh. “Then why so confident?”
Jimmy stretched his arms. “Because it’s not about Garry i beleive in god up.”
Love always do miracles
—-
Sorry guys not being able to updates belive me sO much going on in life kinda tired
and these fucking exams …i swear