It had been five minutes since they returned to the building.

Nangong Shiyu had worried everyone might have fled during that gap.

But as she and Xia Zixin arrived, muffled arguing still echoed inside.

At least some people remained—likely the little girl’s brother.

“Ready?” Xia Zixin’s expression turned serious.

“Ready for what?” Nangong Shiyu asked with a wry smile.

Was she referring to getting beaten by gangsters? Or something else?

Seeing Nangong Shiyu’s helpless look, Xia Zixin suddenly reached out.

She gently stroked the top of Nangong Shiyu’s head.

“W-what are you doing?”

“Petting you. Calming you down.”

As soon as Xia Zixin spoke, Nangong Shiyu pushed her arm away.

“I’m not a kid. I’m ready. Let’s go in.”

Nangong Shiyu knew this wasn’t safe.

This was gang territory—hidden threats lurked everywhere.

“Okay. Follow me, little sister.”

“I know that already.”

Xia Zixin was right. Staying behind her was wisest.

As a senior, she handled things far more skillfully.

Hiding wasn’t Nangong Shiyu’s style, but it was the right choice now.

Xia Zixin stepped forward.

Nangong Shiyu followed closely behind.

Dim lights cast a stale glow on the gray concrete floor.

The first floor was bare—dirty walls, a garage packed with eight motorcycles.

No guards. Only a sharp, metallic stench of blood hung in the air.

One whiff told Nangong Shiyu what awaited upstairs.

Passing through the lobby, the blood smell thickened on the stairs.

Bullet holes, bloodstains, and slash marks lined the walls.

But the true occupants were the silent corpses slumped along the steps.

Nangong Shiyu’s stomach churned.

Fear and nausea clawed at her mind.

She nearly vomited her dinner.

Covering her mouth and nose, she looked away.

Her eyes locked onto Xia Zixin’s back—it was the only thing keeping her legs steady.

Now she understood Xia Zixin’s “Are you ready?”

Only after seeing it did she realize: not everyone could endure this horror.

On the second floor, two knife-wielding men burst from a room.

Their eyes burned with rage.

But Xia Zixin reacted instantly.

Both men collapsed, unconscious, within seconds.

Their fall silenced the third floor.

The entire building went dead quiet—like a ghost house in the wilderness.

Nangong Shiyu heard only her own breathing.

It felt as if everyone upstairs had vanished.

The silence raised goosebumps on her skin.

Xia Zixin beckoned her forward.

They climbed toward the third floor.

Footsteps, once silent, now boomed like amplified thunder in the narrow stairwell.

Nangong Shiyu’s heart pounded wildly behind her ribs.

To her ears, it sounded less like a heartbeat—more like desert war drums on a high plateau.

Loud, yes. But hiding unseen danger beneath.

Honestly, she regretted coming.

Regretted agreeing to rescue the girl’s brother.

Regretted stepping into this nightmare.

Why bother with strangers?

They weren’t family. Not friends. Just passersby.

Helping was pointless meddling.

So why do it?

She glanced at Xia Zixin’s back.

Her words echoed in Nangong Shiyu’s mind:

“If that girl loses her brother… she’ll be heartbroken forever.”

That was Xia Zixin’s reason.

Her reason for wading into this mess.

Her reason for inviting trouble.

Just for that silly kindness?

Nangong Shiyu didn’t know.

Maybe it was genuine for Xia Zixin.

Just a small, warm mercy.

Nothing more.

Nangong Shiyu smiled faintly at Xia Zixin’s back.

Probably just her good heart, she thought.

As they neared the third floor, the door above swung open.

Blinding light flooded the stairs.

Both women instinctively shut their eyes.

Bad—

The moment Nangong Shiyu raised her arm to block the glare, she realized the danger.

She tried to warn Xia Zixin.

But her voice couldn’t outrun the gunshot.

A wet splatter hit Nangong Shiyu’s face.

The blood was scalding.

Painful.

Terrifying.