The sound of impact rang through the alley.
Sharp.
Unforgiving.
For a second—
Everything froze.
The man staggered back, his balance breaking as the metal pipe struck his shoulder instead of his head. A low grunt escaped him as he fell against the wall.
Xiaoyu's hands trembled.
Not from weakness.
From shock.
I actually did it…
But there was no time to process.
"Careful!" someone shouted.
The others moved instantly.
Faster this time.
No hesitation.
No patience.
Xiaoyu stepped back, gripping the pipe tighter.
Her heart pounded wildly against her ribs, each beat louder than the last.
Her palms were sweating.
Her breath uneven.
Don't stop.
Another man rushed toward her.
She swung again.
Too slow.
He caught her wrist mid-air.
Hard.
Pain shot through her arm as his grip tightened.
The pipe slipped slightly in her hand.
"You're done," he said coldly.
"No—"
She twisted sharply, using all her strength.
Not enough.
Another hand grabbed her other arm.
Now she couldn't move.
Her breath hitched.
Her body struggled instinctively, but their grip was firm—trained, controlled.
"You should've listened," one of them said.
Her chest rose and fell rapidly.
Think… think…
But there was no plan left.
No space.
No time.
For the first time—
Fear truly settled in.
This is it.
Her fingers loosened.
The metal pipe dropped to the ground with a hollow clang.
The sound echoed louder than it should have.
Her resistance slowed.
Not because she wanted to give up—
But because her body was reaching its limit.
"Take her."
The command was quiet.
Final.
They began to pull her forward.
"No…" she whispered.
Her voice wasn't loud.
But it carried something else.
Something fragile.
Her eyes stung.
Not from pain.
But from realization.
She wasn't ready to lose.
Not like this.
Not without understanding anything.
Not without protecting the only thing she had left.
Her mother.
The thought hit harder than anything else.
And suddenly—
Her body reacted again.
She kicked.
Hard.
The man holding her stumbled slightly.
Just enough.
She twisted, pulling one arm free—
Hope flickered.
Then—
Gone.
A sharp force slammed her back against the wall.
The impact knocked the air out of her lungs.
Everything went silent for a second.
Her vision blurred.
Her body weakened.
"Enough," one of them said, his tone colder now.
Rough hands grabbed her again.
Stronger.
More forceful.
Her strength was fading.
Fast.
I can't…
Her head lowered slightly, her breath shallow now.
So this was how it ended.
Not with answers.
Not with truth.
Just… silence.
Then—
A sound.
Low.
Deep.
An engine.
Everyone paused.
Headlights cut into the alley.
Blinding.
Sharp.
The men turned instinctively.
The car stopped abruptly.
Door opened.
Footsteps.
Slow.
Measured.
Familiar.
Xiaoyu's blurred vision struggled to focus.
But she already knew.
"…You're late," she whispered weakly.
The grip on her tightened.
"Who is that?" one of the men asked.
No answer.
Only footsteps drawing closer.
Then—
A voice.
Cold.
Controlled.
Dangerous.
"Let her go."
Silence fell instantly.
The kind of silence that wasn't empty—
But heavy.
The men exchanged looks.
Uncertain.
"…You shouldn't be here," one of them said cautiously.
Lu Shen didn't stop walking.
"You're right," he replied calmly.
"I shouldn't have to be."
His eyes landed on Xiaoyu.
Bruised.
Breathing unevenly.
Held like she was nothing.
Something shifted.
Subtle.
But deadly.
"Last warning," he said quietly.
No one moved.
Big mistake.
The next second—
Everything broke.
He moved.
Fast.
Precise.
The man closest to him didn't even react before he was on the ground.
Another turned—
Too late.
Chaos exploded in the narrow alley.
Xiaoyu felt the grip on her loosen.
Then disappear.
She slid down the wall slightly, her legs unable to fully hold her weight.
Her vision swayed.
Sounds blurred.
But through it all—
She saw him.
Not calm.
Not distant.
Dangerous.
Terrifyingly so.
For the first time—
She didn't see a man in control.
She saw someone who had already decided how this would end.
Within minutes—
It was over.
Too fast.
Too brutal.
Silence returned.
Heavy.
Lu Shen stood there, his breathing steady, his expression unreadable.
As if nothing had happened.
He walked toward her.
Slowly.
She looked up at him.
Her thoughts tangled.
Her chest tight.
"You came," she said softly.
He stopped in front of her.
"Yes."
Simple.
She swallowed.
"…Why?"
A pause.
Small.
But real.
Then—
"Because you're mine to protect."
Her heart skipped.
Not because of the words.
But because of how easily he said them.
Like it wasn't a choice.
Like it was already decided.
He reached down.
Hesitated for a fraction of a second—
Then helped her up.
Her legs almost gave out.
But he steadied her.
For once—
She didn't pull away.
Because right now—
She didn't have the strength to.
And maybe…
Just maybe…
She didn't want to.