Chapter 48: The Confrontation (Part Two)

As the sun was setting, Ye Ling gradually awakened. The sunlight before her eyes was somewhat dazzling; she raised a hand to shield her face, waiting until she grew accustomed to the brightness. Turning her head, she looked at Xie Liu, who drove with an impassive expression. Ye Ling simply watched him quietly, taking in every subtle movement. Xie Liu seemed to devote all his attention to driving, so much so that he failed to notice Ye Ling’s gaze.

With every turn and tunnel, Xie Liu stared straight ahead, and each time he shifted gears or turned the steering wheel, he displayed an impressive proficiency. It wasn’t anything extraordinary, yet as Ye Ling watched him now, she found herself unexpectedly reassured by this man.

“Have you seen enough?” Xie Liu suddenly spoke, startling Ye Ling. “When did you realize I was awake?”

“Not long ago. We’re almost out of the mountains. Tonight, we’ll find a small inn to rest, and by tomorrow morning, we’ll reach the seaside.” Xie Liu drove steadily. The mountains ahead rushed closer, the car winding around peaks, and with each turn, the scenery changed.

In an instant, the endless mountains receded like the ebbing tide, revealing a shimmering lake in the glow of sunset, encircled by mountains. The lake, a jewel in the heart of the hills, sparkled with a mesmerizing luster. Along the lakeshore and the mountains lay a tranquil, beautiful village.

“We’ll rest there.” Xie Liu called to Lin Yang and the others in the back. Angel stirred, rubbing her eyes. Seeing Xie Liu glance her way, she flashed a mischievous smile—her little devil’s tail all but exposed.

Without the global translation system, communicating with the locals became an issue. Xie Liu knew a bit of the local language, but only enough to get by. In the end, they relied on Angel—the little devil who was fluent in both Chinese and Japanese. As she bargained with the innkeeper in her sweet, childish voice, all the travelers nearby were melted by her cuteness. People kept bringing little gifts, and cast curious glances at Xie Liu and his group. If not for Angel clinging affectionately to Ye Ling’s arm, some might have suspected them of child trafficking and called the police.

There were seven of them, and they booked four rooms. Ye Ling took Angel to stay with her in the central room. Xu Xiong dragged Li Shizhu into another—they hadn’t played games all day and needed to vent. Last, Xie Liu and Gong Hou fought over rooming with Lin Yang, coming to blows. Ten minutes later, Gong Hou hauled a despairing Lin Yang into their room.

Xie Liu, rubbing the spot on his face where Gong Hou’s meaty fist had landed, returned to his own room. As he closed the door behind him, he bit his lip and pressed a hand to his mouth; scarlet blood seeped through his fingers. Grabbing a handful of tissues, he pressed them to his mouth, slid down to sit against the door, and soon blood trickled from his nose and ears, staining his face. “Overused my ability again?” he murmured bitterly, staring at the bloody tissue.

Since awakening his fourth-level ability the previous night, he’d forced himself to use it continuously—telescopic sight, microscopic perception—putting himself under extreme strain. The constant battles had left his body on the verge of collapse. Wiping away the blood, he collapsed onto the floor. He needed rest. Disabling his powers, exhaustion swept over him, and he soon fell into a deep sleep.

Night fell, bringing a profound silence. The mountains at night were eerily still, the moon casting pale light as a gentle breeze rustled through, making everything seem tranquil.

But Angel opened her eyes. She sat up, looking at the sleeping Ye Ling beside her. For a long, long time, she watched silently, tears slipping down her cheeks. “Why… why, in the end, did I get to meet Sister and the uncles?” Her small form trembled in the darkness. She stifled her sobs so as not to wake Ye Ling.

“Angel doesn’t want to go…” Tears dropped to the floor, slowly spreading. “But… goodbye, Sister Ye Ling, Uncle Fatty, Pretty Uncle, and the three Weird Uncles.” She lay across Ye Ling, who in her dreams seemed to sense something—her brow furrowed and she muttered softly, “Mmm… Angel, be good, I’ll make dumplings for you… mmm.” Angel’s face froze for a moment, then showed a hint of release, almost like relief.

“I don’t want you to see…” she whispered, kissing Ye Ling’s cheek before slipping quietly from the room. “I don’t want you to see Angel dying…”

Angel left the room softly. Even at the last moment, she lingered, gazing at Ye Ling’s sleeping face. Would she still appear in Ye Ling’s dreams? Biting her lip, she closed the door with resolute finality. “What happened today can’t be allowed to happen again. I can’t let them face danger because of me.” She wiped her tears and turned to go—only to find a tall, shadowy figure blocking her path.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Xie Liu’s eyes glowed blood-red in the dark, giving him a slightly frightening appearance.

“Uh… I was going to the bathroom.” Angel averted her gaze. Xie Liu shot her an annoyed look. “Don’t cause me any more trouble, will you? You want to run off on your own again?”

Angel hung her head at his words. Xie Liu sighed, but she muttered, “Angel has to go. Angel brings bad luck; if I stay, Sister and the uncles will be in danger. I have to leave.”

“What kind of logic is that?” Xie Liu couldn’t fathom what went on in this twelve-year-old’s mind. He pressed a hand to her little head, forcing her to look at him. Her beautiful violet eyes flickered with uncertain light. “I don’t like those clichéd anime plots. You’re just a kid, why pretend to be all mature like those characters? It’s not good at all.”

“Sorry, I’m not some anime protagonist. I can’t promise to protect you perfectly, and I don’t care for those tired storylines. But I will say this: you being here—that’s our warmth. We’ll do whatever it takes to protect it. Don’t ask me why; I don’t know. Maybe I’m just a fool.” Xie Liu ruffled her hair, intending to say more, but suddenly his expression changed. He stepped forward, grabbing Angel and pulling her down around the hallway corner just in time—three silver needles embedded themselves in the spot where he’d just stood.

“Enemies!” Xie Liu’s heart pounded. Releasing Angel, who looked up at him, still shaken, he patted her shoulder. “Go get your sister Ye Ling—have her wake everyone. I’ll hold them off.” With that, he pushed her away. Angel stumbled off as Xie Liu raised his hand—two flashes of light, and the corridor lights dimmed. He rolled along the floor, extinguishing two more lights as he went, plunging the hallway into darkness.

“Huh!” came a surprised female voice from the shadows. Xie Liu frowned. “They got here so quickly? How did they find me?” He checked his watch—after three in the morning. “Persistent lot.” He drew his Desert Eagle, but grimaced—it was long out of bullets. With a sigh, he tossed it down the hall. A rush of wind, and the alloy pistol was sliced clean in two.

“Mother of God, this is bad.” He swallowed hard. Their opponent was either a superhuman or an extremely advanced cyborg. Seeing how casually they’d cut his gun in two, they were probably hindered by the darkness now that he’d knocked out the lights. He put on sunglasses—his eyes glowed blood-red when his abilities were active, making him a glowing target in the dark.

The night was deathly quiet. Xie Liu didn’t know the enemy’s location and dared not expose himself. He also didn’t know if Angel had managed to find Ye Ling and the others.

He decided to gamble. With a sudden sprint from behind the corner, a violet arc of sword-light sliced by, grazing his cheek and shattering a vase behind him.

“So fast!” he thought in shock. In the darkness, he saw a tall figure rushing toward him, wielding a blade of pure violet light, as dazzling as a shooting star.

He recognized it instantly: an Overclocked Lightsaber from Phantom City—only seven existed, all in the hands of powerful superhumans. Far superior to the junk Lin Yang carried.

There was no way to block it.

He drew his own short sword, dodging two fierce attacks—the assailant’s speed was astonishing, but in the darkness, Xie Liu’s eyes could track her movements clearly. He managed to evade again and again by the narrowest margin.

They exchanged several swift blows, Xie Liu forced to retreat. He soon realized that her speed and strength surpassed his own. They weaved through the corridor, their fight eerily silent; at one corner, Xie Liu ducked aside.

He knew the truth: he was outmatched. Her speed and reaction time were far superior, and even limited by poor vision, her strength was overwhelming.

His only hope was to stall for time—if Lin Yang arrived, maybe they’d stand a chance.

“Give up,” a magnetic voice called from the darkness. Though he’d guessed the enemy was female, hearing her speak still surprised him. “I won’t hurt you, as long as you hand over the girl.”

“Dream on!” Xie Liu sneered, lunging from the corridor and flinging two steel needles. But in a blur, the sword-light unfolded like petals, slicing both needles to pieces.

With a cold snort, Xie Liu shot a wire from his belt, hooking the wall and using the recoil to launch himself at the female silhouette.

She seemed caught off guard by his sudden charge. In a flash, Xie Liu’s twin daggers spun in a deadly arc, forcing her back. For a brief moment, his onslaught put her on the defensive, but she spun, delivered a sweeping kick—Xie Liu blocked, but she flipped and kicked him hard in the chest, sending him flying back. He felt a rush of killing intent—barely dodged a knife-hand strike to the neck, tumbled twice, and crouched low. His face burned from the force of her blow, even though he hadn’t been struck directly.

“Are you with the Special Alliance?” she asked, pausing, her violet blade glowing with despair in the dark. Xie Liu looked up. “What are you saying?”

She stepped closer, pointing at him. “Your eyes—they’re mechanical, aren’t they? How else could you see me in the dark? And why do they glow red?”

Xie Liu hesitated, reaching up—his sunglasses were gone. He gave a cold laugh, drew a miniature light, and fixed it to the ceiling. Gentle light spilled down, revealing his opponent at last.

She was stunning—her body flawless, a perfect blend of strength and beauty. Violet eyes, short violet hair, a top like a wrapped band, and shorts with one leg cut off. Her delicate face wore a cold smile; her right foot was forward, the violet blade pointed to the ground.

“I’m surprised the Special Alliance can make cyborgs like you. You look just like a normal human,” she said, stepping closer. Xie Liu backed away. “You’re mistaken. I’m not one of those filthy Alliance types.” He shuddered, half-crouched, and spat blood onto the floor.

“So, you’re a superhuman then. How strange—what’s your power? Never mind, it doesn’t matter. You’re already wounded inside, and after fighting me, you must have been holding on for dear life.” She approached. “You’re a worthy opponent—few can last this long against me. Normally, I wouldn’t take advantage of someone hurt, but tonight, I can’t fight you on fair terms.”

Xie Liu felt as if his insides were burning. Only now did he realize that, during their exchanges, she’d injured him internally. Beyond her speed, her strength was terrifying. He sighed—he’d been careless. Now, gravely wounded, he was at her mercy.

“Remember my name. I am Wendy.” The violet-haired woman raised her hand; with one swift knife-hand strike, she chopped Xie Liu on the neck. He grunted, collapsed, and fell silent.