The timing was too coincidental. There was no one around, she had no one to turn to for help. If she tried to run toward the main road.. she certainly wouldn't be able to outrun this person.. In that case.. there was only..
Nana suddenly turned around and sprinted toward the door of her home.
She didn't see it—or perhaps she had already realized before this, that the person behind her was slowly raising the handgun in their hand toward her.
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Author's Note: This chapter is a bit short.. I accidentally released it early..
Then I added a bit more.. but it's still a little short.
See you in the next chapter, mwah~
..
Thanks to the nutrient solution provided by Ye Ling and Riri Yeye Little Angel, love you all, mwah~
Chapter 71: She held her head high, her eyes filled with contempt..
As her thoughts surged and fluctuated in her mind, Nana's cheeks took on a strange redness. The "knowledge" previously taught by Zhenjun flooded into his brain at this moment, every single instance appearing with startling clarity.
Perhaps it is because humans are more likely to unleash their potential when pushed to the brink, Nana squeezed her eyes shut and lunged sideways in a near-instinctive roll onto the ground. The eardrums caught vibrations from the air, transmitting them to the cochlea at a speed nearly impossible for a human to achieve, where they transformed into two sharp sounds within the nerves. By the time her brain belatedly realized the meaning behind them, a stinging pain had already radiated across her left cheek.
There was no time to rejoice at surviving death; Nana performed a side roll to stand up and began running toward home without a moment's pause.
Another gunshot rang out from behind her.
Nana's heartbeat seemed to skip a beat at the sound of the gunshot, she stumbled, nearly falling to the ground. The Black-haired girl had no time to worry about anything else; she ran as if she had lost all conscious thought, only realizing something was wrong once several seconds had passed and she found herself still unharmed.
She had been lucky to dodge the first shot, but she hadn't even realized the second one was coming!
It's not possible that the person sent to tail her is some kind of amateur who can't hit anything but the edges.
Recalling that the gunshots at the beginning were two rather than one, she did not stop her pace, but she looked back hesitantly.
And that single glance would inevitably force her to stop in her tracks.
“Sister Kimie?”
..
The slender and delicate woman was being brutally grabbed by her hair by the tall man in black; her raven-black, smooth long hair hung limply, partially obscuring her delicate and gentle face, while the part that remained exposed was twisted in pain.
Shimabukuro Kimie's abdomen was a tragic shade of red, as blood flowed out steadily, soaking her soft, pale yellow dress with white patterns. The sticky liquid meandered and dripped down, as if marking the passing of the Black-haired girl's life, dripping rhythmically at the hem of her skirt. Within seconds, small splashes of blood bloomed upon the ground.
A small Walther PPS lay dropped before her. The black-haired man stared at the handgun with a cold expression for three seconds, then kicked it away.
The man's left hand gripped Kimie's hair tightly, causing her to let out a pained groan, while her right hand hung unnaturally at her side. From Nana's perspective, she could faintly see mottled red stains on her right shoulder.
Nana realized what had happened almost instantly.
The first shot was aimed at her, but she was lucky enough to dodge it—or perhaps it wasn't entirely due to luck, but rather the second shot fired by Kimie that saved her life.
But Kimie was not so lucky.
She had certainly received training from Takao Haruki, but she was still just an ordinary woman; a few short months of training were not enough to turn her into a sharpshooter, certainly not enough to allow her to deal with an experienced Assassin.
And so, the next shot was the source of the gunshot wound to her abdomen.
Run—!
Shimabukuro Kimie's gentle black eyes were filled with distorted pain and urgency. He used all his strength to shout hoarsely, only to be immediately throttled by the black-haired man, his mouth making struggling, wheezing sounds.
"Bitch!" The man sneered and cursed, spitting at Kimie.
Liquid slid down Kimie's cheek.
Nana's chest heaved violently, rage surged from her chest, burning until her green eyes turned a faint red.
Black clothes, the man grabbing her hair, watched her trembling, silently telling her not to come out, woman.
She grit her teeth, almost able to taste the blood between her lips and tongue.
But her rationality coldly told her that rushing forward would be futile, just like those cold, unforgettable times from years ago.
She had always thought that her hatred had settled into her blood as time flew. Nana would never forget "hatred," but she was no longer so reckless, so naive.. so hot-blooded.
She thought that as time passed, her hatred had not vanished, but had gradually come to coexist with her life—she would no longer give up everything for the sake of revenge, but would instead think calmly.
She—thought—
It was only now that she finally understood that everything she had once taken for granted was not real.
She no longer felt resentment because of hatred, nor did she suffer from it; however, this was not because the hatred had subsided, but because it had gone dormant.
It lies dormant in her blood, dormant in her heartbeat, dormant in her life. As time flies, everything seems to have returned to calm, but as long as there is a single opportunity, it will erupt all at once.
But now was not the time.
It was suppressed by reason—just like that day.
And it was the second time she had hated her rationality—and her cowardice—this much.
Nana gave Kimie a long, deep look; the pleading in the other woman's eyes was like a sharp blade, shredding her heart and leaving it bloodied and torn.
She closed her eyes, turned her head, ran back in the original direction.
..
The Silver-haired youth's anxious shouts failed to elicit even a single response, the silence on the other end only made the youth more nervous.
He frowned at the mobile phone screen for three seconds, thinking of the last meaningful sentence his girlfriend had said, he could no longer restrain himself.
"I'm leaving first." Niwang Yaji swung his tennis bag onto his back with one hand, his green eyes devoid of their usual playfulness.
What's wrong?" Sanada frowned, observing his Teammate's uncharacteristically serious expression. "Did something happen?
"It seems like Nana is in trouble.." Niwang Yaji said uncertainly, his eyes heavy as he replayed every detail of the conversation the two of them had earlier in his mind.
For a moment, he almost regretted not forcing this girl to reveal her "secret."
"Hashimoto-senpai?" Marui looked curiously at Niwang's mobile phone while she quickly finished the last chip in her hand.
"Yeah." Niwang lowered his eyes and gave a very soft response.
..
She should have known long ago that she couldn't outrun that man.
The Black-haired girl thought indignantly, the moment she entered the room, she ducked and pulled a hidden cord, triggering the mechanism.
Heavy objects tumbled down, striking the black-haired man in the head and face.
This was no mere classroom prank; every self-defense item set up was chosen for its sharpness rather than its weight. Caught completely off guard, the man's forehead was struck, drawing blood.
She reacted extremely quickly, enduring the Pain to retreat immediately, using one hand to protect her head and vital organs to minimize the damage.
With a swift roll, Nana did not linger, immediately searching the House for any self-defense items.
However, in the next second, she was grabbed by the wrist by the man, she stumbled forward.
The force applied to her wrist was terrifyingly great; Nana almost thought she could hear the sound of bones cracking. Her body tumbled to the ground due to the shift in her center of gravity, yet her arm was being pulled upward, her skin feeling as though it were being torn apart with pain. She gritted her teeth, refusing to let out a single groan.
Propping herself up with her free hand, Nana struggled to maintain her balance, refusing to let herself fall into a state of complete helplessness.
The man threw her aside. After stumbling a few steps, she, unable to maintain her balance, was violently flung toward the coffee table. The collision between her body and the furniture forced a cry of pain from her, a sound intertwined with the dull thud of impact, composing a symphony of one-sided abuse.
The glass on the coffee table was knocked down, shards scattered across the floor. The moment she braced himself with one hand against the ground, several sharp pieces of glass pierced directly into his right palm, crimson blood gushed out in the next second, with one piece even embedding itself into his fingertip.
The pale flesh and sticky blood possessed a nauseating hue.
She would have to buy new wine glasses again—Nana thought aimlessly. Perhaps it was because the pain was so intense that she had to let her thoughts drift away to find some relief from the pain—then, in an instant, she mocked herself.
I don't even know if there will be a chance to walk out of this silver-white door.
The Man gave her a cold, sidelong glance before turning away and walking toward Kimie, who lay collapsed to the side, her life hanging in the balance.
So you are the woman Gin is looking for?
The Black-haired man's voice was powerful and hoarse, carrying threads of killing intent and gloom, filled with ill-intentioned mockery.
Nana was stunned—this wasn't quite what she had expected.
However, in this current situation, there was no time for her to think deeply. Kimie's chin was gripped tightly by a large hand, the other party forcing her head up to interrogate her with sinister words: "You are quite a beauty."
Kimie tilted her head back halfway, letting out heavy breaths, her black eyes looking at him with a hint of mockery, without saying a word.
The man let out a cold snort and threw her aside with a wave of her hand. Kimie's upper body slammed into the floor, causing her to let out a muffled groan; the blood from her abdomen seemed endless, staining a large area crimson.
"I have plenty of ways to make you talk." The words were heavy with foreboding. The man stood up, seemingly searching for a suitable "tool." She still had injuries on her shoulder, but he didn't seem to care about them—or perhaps he cared so much that he was desperate for revenge.
Nana's eyes darkened. He struggled to his feet, staring at the Black-haired man with a cold, sharp gaze, his voice hoarse yet exceptionally clear: "You've got the wrong person."
Oh?" The Black-haired man felt a flicker of interest at his words. She stepped forward like a cat playing with a mouse, her Black eyes scanning Nana up and down as he let out a cold sneer. "A girl with no chest and no ass; it seems Gin's taste isn't all that great either.
Combining her previous words, Nana understood almost instantly what he had misunderstood. She immediately calmed herself and began to test her own suspicions.
She tilted her head slightly, wearing a look of disdain. "Since you know who I am, aren't you afraid of offending her?"
The Man narrowed her eyes, a cocky smirk spreading across her lips. The blood on her head had not yet been cleaned, her aggressive expression appeared exceptionally terrifying in Nana's eyes.
However, she knew she could not show any fear.
You might as well try complaining to Gin.." The Black-haired man gave a strange smirk. "Hiding a beauty away outside the Organization..
His gaze swept across the furniture and decorations in the living room. "It seems you have developed True feelings?"
“So what if it is?” Nana turned her head away, regulating her breathing, her gaze meeting the man's eyes directly.
“Well?” The Man seemed amused. She took a step forward and reached out to stroke Nana's cheek. His rough calluses, paired with his gaze, gave the Black-haired girl an urge to vomit. "There are plenty of people who want to sit in his position. Once the Wolf King is brought down, what do you think will happen?"
I'm really looking forward to seeing the end of that pretty boy who flatters Brandy to climb the ranks, only to end up entangled with Vermouth and the others—
She spoke with mockery, saying things that he would never say in front of that "pretty boy" before her, her gaze sliding down from Nana's face to rest upon her chest.
“That also has nothing to do with you.” As the man raised his hand, attempting to grab her clothes, Shiratori Nana grabbed his arm. The glass shards embedded in her right palm left several bloody scratches on the man's muscular arm, yet the Black-haired girl, feeling the same pain of glass piercing her flesh, did not even blink.
Nana let out a sharp, mocking sneer. "No matter how fallen the Wolf King may be, he is still a wolf! Regardless of her fate, it has nothing to do with a pest like you.."
She held her head high, her eyes filled with contempt, declared proudly, "Because you are not worthy!"
The man narrowed her eyes, a clear fury appearing within her black eyes, Nana subconsciously sensed the danger—
enough, in the next second, the man, overcome by shame and rage, swung a palm toward her.