Crack!
Tian Yuren's howl split the narrow alley as his wrist bent at an impossible angle, bone jutting under the skin. He collapsed to his knees, clutching his mangled hand, his face pale with pain. His minions froze.
Jun Meiyu shivered in the corner, torn blouse clutched desperately against her chest. Her vision blurred—her glasses had been knocked away during the struggle. All she saw was a silhouette, slim but steady, walking towards her.
The figure bent down, fingers brushing the broken glasses from the dirt. In one smooth motion, they were placed gently upon her face.
Jun Meiyu's breath hitched as the world came into focus.
A young girl stood before her. No older than Fifteen maybe. Slender. Calm. Her expression carried neither pity nor fear, only a chilling stillness that made the air heavier.
Jun Meiyu's heart lurched. A girl? Just… a child? What is she doing here? It's dangerous. She'll be killed in an instant!
Panic gripped her. "You… y-you should run!" she begged in a trembling whisper, clutching at the girl's sleeve. "Please… don't stay here. They'll hurt you too! RUN!"
But the girl did not move. Instead, she straightened, stepping in front of Jun Meiyu, her back shielding her like a wall of iron.
Her voice was steady, cold as a winter blade. "You shouldn't have done... that!"
The thugs, stunned for a breath at Tian Yuren's agonized screams, finally shook off their shock. Their eyes darted to the one who had dared to stand against them.
And when they saw her clearly, their laughter turned vile.
A girl. Fifteen at most. Slender, porcelain-skinned, her delicate face unmarred by dirt or blood, like she didn't belong to the filth of the alley at all. Her calm, cold gaze only sharpened the beauty of her features.
The contrast twisted something ugly in their hearts.
"Look at that," one jeered, his eyes narrowing with lust and cruelty. "A doll-faced little brat. You think you can play hero here?"
Another spat on the ground, lips curling in a lewd grin. "What a joke. A mere girl standing in our way. You should've run home and played with dolls instead of protecting trash like her."
Their voices grew harsher, fouler.
"Don't worry," one sneered, licking his teeth. "Once we're done with that slut, we'll make sure you don't leave empty-handed. A pretty face like yours? Hah, we'll enjoy you slowly… let you learn what happens to little girls who meddle."
Their laughter was coarse, echoing through the alley, dripping with menace and degradation.
They lunged, hands reaching for her arms.
But Xi Jiayi moved first.
Her body shifted like a shadow—she slipped between their hands, her palm slamming into one man's elbow. Crack! His howl pierced the night as his arm bent the wrong way. Almost at the same breath, her knee snapped up into the other thug's stomach, knocking the wind out of him and sending him crashing to the ground.
The rest of the gang froze for a moment, stunned. Their mocking grins faltered. The girl they thought they could toy with had moved faster than their eyes could follow.
"Careful!" one barked hoarsely, his face paling. "She's not normal—"
But it was too late. They had already provoked a storm.
Bang!
The third man's punch never landed. Xi Jiayi's hand shot out, seizing his arm mid-air, and twisted. Bone cracked, and he screamed as his shoulder dislocated. She shoved him backward into the second thug, sending both sprawling.
Another rushed with a pipe, roaring. Jiayi didn't even glance at him—her heel struck the ground, her body twisting like a whip. Thud! The kick smashed into his ribs. He flew sideways into the wall with a sickening crunch, coughing blood.
Jun Meiyu clutched her broken glasses tighter, her breath caught in her throat. The girl's movements were inhumanly precise, fluid and merciless. Every strike wasn't just to defend—it was to destroy.
"Kill her!" one thug shouted desperately. Three came at once, their bodies almost double her size.
Xi Jiayi's calm eyes didn't flicker. She stepped forward.
Her fist slammed into the first thug's stomach, folding him like a knife. She yanked his head down, her knee smashing into his face. Teeth scattered across the pavement.
Another wrapped his arms around her from behind, trying to pin her. Her body spun, elbow crushing into his jaw. Snap! He collapsed like a puppet with cut strings.
The last hesitated—but too late. She seized him by the hair and rammed his skull into the brick wall. Crack! He crumpled, blood streaking down the rough stone, some splashing on her face, making her look deadly yet beautiful.
"Useless trash!" Tian Yuren roared, finally stood up. His veins bulging on his forehead, as he staggered forward, fury blazing in his eyes. "I'll tear you apart with my own hands!"
He swung his massive fist down at her like a hammer.
Xi Jiayi didn't flinch. She stepped into his blow, caught his wrist mid-air, and twisted. The bone ground audibly under her grip. Tian Yuren's scream ripped from his throat—then her boot slammed into his chest like a battering ram.
BOOM!
The brute's body crashed against the alley wall, plaster shattering, dust raining down. He crumpled, clutching his ribs, his once-arrogant face contorted in terror.
For the first time, the thugs' eyes widened—not with rage, but with fear. The alley fell silent but for groans and the frantic sobs of the beaten men.
Jun Meiyu could only stare, her lips trembling. Just moments ago she had been drowning in despair, her dignity torn apart, her body one breath away from being ruined. Now—this. A teenager, barely old, had turned the predators into whimpering prey.
Tian Yuren, still clutching his broken wrist, glared through tears. "Y-you… you'll regret this…!" His voice cracked with both fury and fear.
One of his men tried to echo him, stammering, "Y-yeah… we—we'll call the police! You—you can't just—"
Xi Jiayi crouched before him, her presence pressing down like a storm. Her calm voice cut through his stutter.
"Police?" Her lips curved into the faintest smile, yet it was colder than any glare. "Who do you think they'll believe? The men who tried to strip a helpless girl… or you?"
The thug's mouth opened, closed, trembling.
Then, without warning, Xi Jiayi turned—and slammed her forehead into the wall. Bang!
The crack of stone rang out, and when she lifted her face, a stream of blood slid down her temple, painting her pale features crimson.
Jun Meiyu gasped, covering her mouth. The thugs froze in utter terror, their eyes wide as if they were staring at a demon rather than a girl.
Tian Yuren looked at her in disbelief. "Wha–what are you doing?"
"She's… she's insane…" one whispered, his voice shaking violently.
"No," another croaked, unable to stop trembling. "She's a monster…"
And then—
WEE-OOO, WEE-OOO!
The distant wail of sirens rolled into the alley, bouncing off the walls.