As the figure shielding her collapsed, Nangong Shiyu was exposed directly in the gun’s line of fire.
The armed shadow advanced. Nangong Shiyu retreated step by step until her back hit the wall.
It’s over.
That was her first thought.
I’m done for.
But—
I don’t want to die.
That voice echoed deep within Nangong Shiyu.
No. Absolutely…
I can’t die.
“I don’t know who you are,” the gunman said coldly, aiming the Type 92 pistol at Nangong Shiyu’s forehead. “But you’ll die here.” He pulled the trigger.
The moment the bullet left the barrel, everything slowed to a crawl.
The metal projectile flew toward Nangong Shiyu, moving incredibly slow.
This must be what you see only when you’re about to die, Nangong Shiyu thought.
Because she was dying, time itself seemed to slow down.
Like a thousand-times slow-motion replay, the bullet that should have hit her forehead in less than a second now crawled, as if it would take ages to reach her.
But it wasn’t just the bullet or the surroundings that were frozen. Everything, including Nangong Shiyu herself, was slowed.
She couldn’t escape the deadly trajectory, even though everything seemed so slow.
She could only watch helplessly as death’s scythe drew closer, unable to do anything.
She knew she couldn’t escape.
She was really going to die.
Ah—
To think her life would end like this. How utterly pathetic.
Getting shot by gangsters just for meddling in their feud—what a ridiculous way to die.
Honestly, it was her own fault, wasn’t it?
If only she had stopped Xia Zixin, none of this would have happened.
She shifted her gaze from the bullet to Xia Zixin lying on the ground.
A black hole from the bullet marred Xia Zixin’s clothes, blood seeping out, slowly staining the purple chiffon dress crimson.
Then, Nangong Shiyu looked at Xia Zixin’s face.
They’d only known each other for a day. But how had that day been for her?
…
She couldn’t be entirely sure, but if she had to say… it had been happy, hadn’t it?
That day with her had been truly joyful.
Even though her body had turned female, even though she’d inexplicably become the Thunder God, even though she’d encountered those terrifying Aberrants, even though she was now about to die at the hands of gangsters… with Xia Zixin by her side, Nangong Shiyu had been happy.
She recalled Xia Zixin’s blissful smile after finishing the breakfast noodles, the happy moments during dinner. It felt like the happiest, most joyful day in the past nine years.
That was Nangong Shiyu’s heartfelt feeling.
That day had been truly wonderful.
Xia Zixin must have felt the same, right? Otherwise, why would she be smiling? Nangong Shiyu thought, gazing at Xia Zixin’s face.
…
…
…
She was smiling.
Xia Zixin was smiling.
And it was a mischievous grin.
Just as Nangong Shiyu realized something was wrong, the metal bullet reached her face. Then, lightning erupted from her forehead, catching the bullet and halting it a centimeter from her skin.
Yes, the bullet stopped.
Just like that, it stopped.
Not only Nangong Shiyu, but even the gunman on the stairs stared in dumbfounded shock.
They locked eyes, neither knowing what was happening—not even Nangong Shiyu herself understood.
“W-What are you?!” the man stammered in terror, firing several more shots. But every bullet, like the first, was caught by lightning erupting from Nangong Shiyu’s body, stopping harmlessly before reaching her.
“Mortal weapons can’t harm a god. Save your breath,” Xia Zixin said, rising from the stairs as if she hadn’t been shot. She walked toward the gunman with a sly grin. “Any hostility triggers a god’s self-defense. Even the most terrifying weapon of this age—a nuke—couldn’t scratch a god.”
“M-Monster! Ghost!” The man aimed at Xia Zixin, pulling the trigger repeatedly. But the empty magazine betrayed him, refusing to fire.
“Alright, alright, stop screaming. It’s late. You’ll scare the kids next door,” Xia Zixin said casually. With a swift chop to his neck, she knocked the gunman unconscious. Then, she turned to Nangong Shiyu and flashed a victory sign.
“Yay~”
