Several more arrows whizzed past—thankfully, none aimed at me.
I couldn’t even spot the attackers. Only the *whoosh whoosh whoosh* of arrows cut through the dark.
This was insane. Who’d have thought I’d actually experience cold-weapon combat in this day and age?
I had no idea if Lizi Sa was okay. Every single arrow from the other assassin had targeted her. She wore formal attire, barefoot—anyone else would’ve been turned into a pincushion already.
The police still hadn’t shown. Lizi Sa’s fate hung in the balance. And I? Trembling on the ground like a useless coward. I wanted to act… but fear froze me. This feeling was utterly vile.
Just as despair and tangled emotions choked me, a sound rustled near the wall beside me.
Familiar. Like something I heard every single day…
What was it?
The noise grew louder—then blinding headlights flashed. A black sedan slid into view with a sharp drift.
_
From above, my residential complex formed a neat square: nine high-rises in a 3x3 grid, one gated entrance, walls sealing all sides.
The wide gap between walls and buildings created a circular driveway looping the entire square. Building 9—my home—sat deepest inside, farthest from the gate.
We were on that driveway now. Midnight silence. Streetlights dead. Thick clouds smothering the moon.
No wonder the place felt so eerily pitch-black.
_
The headlights seared my eyes. No ordinary person drifts through a residential complex at this hour—trouble was certain.
In that same instant, I spotted a hunched figure lurking by the building’s corner, crossbow leveled straight at me.
The car’s lights had exposed me. I twisted my head—Lizi Sa was already smarter. She’d slipped along the wall in the dark, hiding around the bend.
Unlike me, plastered stupidly to the road like a gecko. I still didn’t know the sedan’s intent. If they were here to kill me too? One press of the accelerator would do it.
Honestly, my mind was spinning. What *were* these people doing? Serial killers operate in shadows, savoring the thrill, right? A kitchen knife I’d get—but crossbows? A sedan? This felt less like a killer’s game, more like a cold, targeted hit.
They just wanted me dead. Period.
As my daze cleared, Lizi Sa’s shout cut through the night:
“Wei Shenji, roll! Roll over here!”
…Why did that sound like an insult?
No time to wonder. I twisted and rolled toward her.
With legs this wobbly, standing meant a crossbow bolt to the head.
She wasn’t far. After a few rolls, I scrambled desperately on all fours. Pathetic? Absolutely. But survival outweighed shame.
_
Suddenly, Lizi Sa lunged—tackling me down, shielding me in her arms.
At that exact moment, the sedan skidded to a halt before us.
The driver—a stranger—jumped out, grabbed me without a word, yanking me toward the car. Instinct kicked in: I wrestled his grip, teeth bared to bite.
Then a familiar face leaned from the passenger seat, voice urgent:
“Xiao Ji, it’s me! Get in!”
I blinked. Heavy makeup. A full mink coat. Only after a second look did it click.
“Mom?”
Even as I whispered it, the man hauled half my body into the car.
“No! Wait—take her too! She’ll die if left here!” I jammed my foot against the closing door, pointing wildly.
Only then did I see it: an arrow buried in Lizi Sa’s back. She’d tackled me to take the shot.
With a sigh, the man helped me haul her inside.
The door slammed. Tires screeched. We sped off. Crossbow bolts wouldn’t stop a moving car anyway.
Lizi Sa’s head rested on my lap, breath ragged. The arrow swayed with every bump.
Absurdly, the driver *stopped* at the gate to pay the security guard the parking fee. I’d expected a movie-style gate smash. Guess I’d overthought it.
But absurd or not—I froze, staring at the bleeding wound. *Should I pull it out?* Panic clawed at me.
“Who is this girl?” Mom asked from the front.
“She’s… the psychologist I hired,” I mumbled weakly.
The driver shot me a glance in the rearview—definitely suppressing a laugh. Mom turned, frowning as she studied me.
“You’re shaken. Are you hurt?”
Her expression softened into a gentle smile. Makeup made her look barely twenty—maybe younger than me. Yet that smile held pure, unmistakable motherly warmth.
“Then… we have to save her!” I cried. Blood had soaked her light blue shirt, the crimson patch spreading fast.
Mom nodded. Leaned over. Gripped the arrow’s shaft. Studied it three seconds—*yank*. Out it came.
I flinched hard. Lizi Sa’s body jerked, then went still across my lap. But her breath remained.
“Press your clothes to the wound. We’re almost there—the place has a doctor.”
Mom sat back, already examining the arrow in her hand.
_
*That place?*
I ripped off my school jacket, pressing it hard against the wound.
Honestly, I had a ton of questions for Mom. But right now? Stopping this bleeding was all that mattered.
