The world seemed to slow down. The cold, metal barrel of the gun stared at Qingxue, a chilling promise of death. Her mind, so sharp and quick just moments ago, went blank with terror. This was it. The end. She had come so far, only to fall at the final hurdle. The thought of Mo Chen, believing her a traitor, filled her with a terrible sadness. She wouldn't even get the chance to clear her name.
But as Mr. Liu's finger tightened on the trigger, a small, pink light zapped from behind her. It flashed around Mr. Liu's head, and his arm froze. His eyes went blank, his face a perfect, unmoving mask. The gun remained pointed at her, but he was as still as a statue.
Qingxue stared, her eyes wide with shock. She looked at the small, pink orb zipping around her head. Baozi. She had forgotten all about him.
"Baozi?" she whispered, her voice a mix of disbelief and relief. "What... what did you just do?"
