Gu Jin stepped into the room and froze.
Her eyes locked onto the horrible scene in front of her.
Two large n were holding down a small girl, no older than ten. She was crying, shaking, her little hands trying to push them away. Her voice was hoarse, full of fear.
"Please... please don’t... I didn’t do anything... please let go... I’m scared... I’m so scared..."
Gu Jin felt her stomach twist. Anger and disgust surged in her chest like a rising wave.
She could watch people fight. She could walk through blood and shadows. But this—hurting a child—this crossed the line.
Her voice was calm, but ice-cold. "Move away from her."
The two n looked up, startled. One of them snarled, "Who the hell are you? Get out if you know what’s good for you."
"I said," Gu Jin repeated, "move. Or you’ll regret touching her."
The other man laughed, standing up slowly. "Do you know who we are, girl?"
Gu Jin tilted her head and gave a cold smile. "Do you know who I am?"
The two criminals blinked. One of them growled, "Enough! Kill her!"
The first man rushed at her, fire swirling in his hands. The second followed, lightning crackling around him.
Gu Jin didn’t even blink.
She raised one hand. Vines shot out like snakes, wrapping around their legs and yanking them down.
The first man scread as poisonous thorns pierced his skin. He burned the vines, but by then Gu Jin was already there.
Her fist, coated in flas, slamd into his gut. He flew back, crashing into the wall.
The second man tried to strike her with lightning, but she ducked and sent a bolt of thunder from her palm right into his chest.
He dropped, twitching.
Both of them were down in seconds.
Gu Jin walked slowly toward them. "Still want to touch that girl?"
"No, please!" the first man begged, crawling backward. "We didn’t know! Please spare us!"
The second sobbed, "We were just ssing around! We won’t do it again, I swear!"
Gu Jin’s eyes were like stone. Cold and unforgiving.
"Next ti, I won’t stop myself."
They cried out, clutching their wounds, fear all over their faces.
Behind her, the little girl had stopped crying. She was staring at Gu Jin with wide, dazed eyes.
She slowly stood up, still trembling.
Gu Jin turned to her. "They won’t hurt you now," she said quietly. "You should leave."
The girl hesitated.
Gu Jin added, "If you want... You can co with ."
The little girl looked at Gu Jin and gave a small nod.
Gu Jin blinked. She hadn’t expected that. She glanced around the room, her mind racing. I can’t take her with right now. I have to find Jin Mu. But... where can I leave her?
Her eyes fell on the two n groaning on the floor.
She looked back at the girl. "I don’t have ti. Do you want to kill them and lock the door for you?"
The girl flinched. She looked at the n, then shook her head slowly. "No... they don’t deserve to die like this."
Gu Jin’s expression didn’t change, but a tiny sigh left her lips. rcy? she thought. After what they tried to do to her?
She felt a bit disappointed.
But then she reminded herself, the girl was young. Maybe she ca from a good family. Maybe she didn’t know how dark people could be. Maybe this was her first ti seeing sothing so evil.
Gu Jin crouched beside the n and stared at them coldly.
"If either of you lays a single finger on her," she said, her voice sharp as a blade, "I will find you. And I will kill you."
She took out a small scroll, drew a quick magic circle, and forced both n to touch it.
"This is a contract," she said. "Break it, and your soul will burn."
The n nodded in fear, too weak to argue.
Gu Jin turned to the girl. "Stay hidden. And if you still want to follow , find later."
With that, she rushed off, her boots silent as wind.
The girl watched her go, her wide eyes glowing faintly under the dark light.
Behind her, the two n sat up slowly, hate burning in their eyes.
"That damn woman," one growled. "When she cos back, we’ll tear her apart."
"Yeah," the other sneered, "and we’ll deal with this brat too."
But before they could say more, they heard sothing strange.
A soft chuckle.
They turned.
The girl was no longer shaking.
She stood tall, calm, and her smile was cold.
"I wasn’t planning to deal with you," she said sweetly. "But now... I think I should."
The n frowned. "What did you say?"
"You’re overestimating yourself, brat," one snapped.
But the girl’s eyes flashed.
"That red-eyed woman... she’s interesting," she said. "I think I’ll cling to her now. I don’t need anyone else."
Then her gaze darkened. Her voice turned sharp.
"Kill yourselves."
The n blinked, confused.
Then their bodies moved on their own.
With blank eyes, they reached into their belts, pulled out hidden knives... and slit their own throats.
Blood splattered. The room was filled with silence once again.
The girl stood still, not blinking, as their bodies fell.
She wiped a speck of blood from her cheek and turned away without a single glance back.
A smile touched her lips.
’Red eye woman.... you’re not like the others. I’ve t many won. Cold ones, kind ones, fake ones. But you... You’re fun.’
She thought for a mont.
’Should I bring her their heads? Maybe she’ll be impressed...’
But then she giggled.
’No. That’s too much. I’ll just act innocent. That’s easier.’
With a skip in her step, she walked after Gu Jin... quiet, cheerful, and dangerous.
Gu Jin ran through the dark hallway, her steps fast and silent. She had to find Jin Mu. Every second counted.
But then, she heard footsteps behind her.
She stopped.
Her eyes narrowed as she turned around sharply, ready to fight. Was soone following ? Another criminal?
But it wasn’t a man.
It was the little girl.
Gu Jin stared at her. The cold look in her red eyes slowly faded, just a little.
"...What are you doing?" she asked.
The girl ran up to her and clutched Gu Jin’s sleeve, her eyes wide and scared. "I... I was really scared. I can’t stay with those n. Please... let go with you."
Gu Jin frowned. She didn’t have ti for this. "I’m trying to rescue soone—my cousin. I can’t look after you right now."
The girl didn’t let go. "But I have no one else... please..."
Gu Jin let out a quiet sigh. She wasn’t good at comforting people. She barely understood emotions anymore. Her own heart often felt like stone.
She crouched down a little so she could look the girl in the eye. "Do you know your family na? Or a number I can use to contact soone?"
The girl shook her head. Her face turned gloomy.
"They left here," she said. "They said... they said they found two grooms for . Those two n... they were the ones."
Gu Jin froze.
Her hands slowly curled into fists.
So the girl’s own family had sold her? Left her here with criminals?
Even with her numb heart, Gu Jin could feel sothing sharp inside her.
Anger.
She took a deep breath and stood up straight.
"I see," she said, her voice low. "Your family... isn’t worth going back to."
The girl looked up at her.
"I can find you a safe place later," Gu Jin said, her tone calr now. "Sowhere no one can touch you."
The girl tilted her head. "Are you looking for soone right now?"
Gu Jin gave a small nod. "Yes. My cousin. Her na is Jin Mu. She’s a woman around twenty years old. Tall, black hair, pale skin. Kind of quiet."
She paused, then added, "She was with another boy. Pei Ke. He is tall, has dark hair, and looks rude and arrogant."
The girl closed her eyes.
She stood there quietly for a mont. Then she opened her eyes and pointed.
"The second last room at the end of this hall," she said. "They’re in there. So n are trying to do the sa thing to them... that those two tried to do to ."
"How do you know? Have you seen them?" Gu Jin asked gently. She thought that maybe the girl was mistaken.
The girl, on the other hand, pouted and said,
"I just know. Why don’t you trust ? How can I prove to you that I am not lying... Oh! I rember, your cousin had tried to leave this morning, but so thug had blocked her path."
Gu Jin’s heart didn’t race. It didn’t pound.
But everything inside her went cold.
She turned toward the hallway. Her voice was soft, but like ice. "Stay here."
And then she ran.
The mont she reached, her breathing hitched.
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