Jiang Fuyue executed two swift spinning kicks, catching her two opponents off guard and sending them staggering to the ground.
They quickly got back on their feet, throwing sharp, powerful punches aimed straight at her face. A single hit from such force would be fatal—brains splattered, instant death.
In the darkness, Jiang Fuyue’s lips curled coldly. She had anticipated their attack and swiftly sidestepped, letting their fists strike empty air while she remained unscathed. Then, she spun around and delivered a fierce backspin kick like a gust of raging wind. The man’s face was instantly imprinted with a bloody footprint, swelling visibly within seconds.
The injured man spat out a mouthful of blood, along with two white teeth. His expression turned ruthless as his veins bulged, muscles flexing with destructive power as he lunged at her once more.
In the narrow stairwell, the three of them exchanged brutal blows, each strike aiming to kill.
Jiang Fuyue glanced at the severed gas pipe. She mentally counted the seconds, knowing she couldn’t afford to drag this out. She had to finish them off within three minutes—otherwise…
At the two-minute, thirty-seven-second mark, both men collapsed.
Wasting no time, Jiang Fuyue resealed the torn gas pipe. With exactly two seconds left, she took out a lighter and—click.
The moment the natural gas met an open flame, a giant blaze erupted. The stairwell was instantly engulfed in fire, illuminating the darkness like daylight.
At the same time, the building’s alarm blared.
The shrill sound echoed through the quiet night, waking up the entire urban village.
Within seconds of ignition, crackling noises filled the air—sounding like explosions but not quite.
Jiang Fuyue had planned this chaos to facilitate her escape, but she wouldn’t gamble with innocent lives.
Natural gas consists mainly of methane. It only explodes when the air contains 20% to 74% methane. Too much or too little, and it won’t ignite or detonate—it all depends on the perfect oxidation ratio.
After calculating factors like leakage rate, stairwell volume, ventilation, weather conditions, and wind speed, she controlled the timing within three minutes.
Enough to create the illusion of an explosion but not enough to cause a real one that would endanger lives.
Boom—Boom—
Two deafening blasts shook the building. Thick smoke billowed as flames spread.
The alarmed residents rushed out. Covering their noses and mouths with damp cloths, elderly people carried children, young men shielded their elders, and families fled downstairs in a panic.
Those on unaffected floors also evacuated in an orderly manner, leaving their valuables behind—escape was their only priority.
Ordinary people didn’t know what had happened. Fear spread like wildfire—screams, cries, and alarms filled the building in chaotic disarray.
Jiang Fuyue ensured everyone on the burning floor had safely evacuated before slipping out of the stairwell herself.
Suddenly, she halted. A cold gleam flashed in her eyes as she whirled around and swung her knife.
The air seemed to rip apart under her strike, the razor-sharp blade slicing through the darkness, aiming straight for the figure behind her.
It was one of the two men she had fought earlier—he had regained consciousness. In his desperate escape, he had accidentally bumped into Jiang Fuyue. Startled, he tried to hide but was discovered nonetheless.
He had underestimated her. She looked small and frail like a harmless chicken, yet her instincts were terrifyingly sharp—even in this chaos, she had noticed him.
But he wasn’t easy prey either. Reacting quickly, he bent his body backward—the blade barely missed his throat. A sharp gust followed the knife’s path, leaving a thin cut on his neck, trickling blood.
Too close!
His expression turned grim.
Through the dense smoke, the two of them clashed again—punches and blades seeking death. Each strike carried lethal intent, the air thick with tension.
“Hand over the Red Blood Jade, and I’ll spare your life!” The man threw a forceful punch at Jiang Fuyue’s face, his fierce energy sending a chilling pressure through the air.
Jiang Fuyue dodged nimbly, kicking at his back while her dagger flashed forward.
“In your dreams! We’ll see who dies first!”
Her blade found its mark again—another cut on his neck. Though it missed the vital artery, blood seeped continuously from the wound.
Jiang Fuyue knew she couldn’t delay any longer.
The alarm had been blaring for nearly four minutes—help would arrive in less than five. That meant she had only one minute left!
Her gaze turned razor-sharp. She had to end this now.
With deadly precision, she launched a final, all-out attack. One hand formed a fist, the other wielded the dagger—her entire force condensed into a thunderous strike.
The man staggered back, his wounds bleeding profusely, staining his black clothes even darker.
Realizing her intent to finish him off, his survival instincts kicked in, but he was already too slow. His vision blurred, his strength faltering.
Jiang Fuyue smirked coldly. Her eyes gleamed murderously as she struck.
A brutal elbow jab hit his chest.
Thud!
The man slammed into the wall, clutching his ribs, coughing up blood.
Jiang Fuyue didn’t hesitate. She closed the distance in an instant—blade raised, and then—
Slash!
The night was dark, the moonlight cold.
By the time Jiang Fuyue exited the village, the distant wail of fire truck sirens filled the air. Red and blue lights flickered against the skyline, adding an eerie sense of urgency to the already tense night.
She tugged down the brim of her cap, her lips curving slightly.
She was free.
Jiang Fuyue headed toward the parking lot—Liu Sisi likely hadn’t taken the car yet, and she still had a spare key.
Then—her foot stopped abruptly.
She looked down.
Her shadow had merged with another—an unfamiliar one, stretched long under the streetlights.
An eerie chill ran through her. She whipped around—
And froze.
In the distance, under a lone streetlamp, stood a tall figure.
Dressed entirely in black, his sleeves were casually rolled up. Hands tucked into his pockets, his stance was relaxed yet exuded an undeniable presence.
The warm glow of the streetlight failed to reach him. The silver mask covering his face reflected a cold, distant sheen—unreadable, untouchable.
As if he existed in an entirely different world.
He was the man from the auction house—the masked enigma she had crossed paths with earlier.
Doctor X.
Jiang Fuyue raised an eyebrow, studying him. Three seconds later, she turned—and ran.
But before she could take a second step, she heard footsteps rapidly approaching.
Her heart sank.
The man had been twenty meters away just moments ago. Now, he was almost right behind her.
No longer hesitating, Jiang Fuyue sprinted with all her might. The wind howled past her ears, the night blurred around her.
The car was just ahead—if she could reach it, she refused to believe this man could outrun a car.
But his speed was terrifying.
Like a hunting panther, he closed the distance in an instant. Just as she reached the parking lot—
A powerful force surged from behind.
She dodged, but her momentum faltered for one fatal second.
That was all he needed.
In that heartbeat, the man cut her off, blocking her path.
A strong, masculine presence loomed over her, a scent both dangerous and intoxicating.
Jiang Fuyue instinctively took a step back.
The two stood still, facing each other.
Both masked. Both unreadable.
The night fell silent.
Jiang Fuyue’s eyes suddenly sharpened. She didn’t know why this man was relentlessly chasing her, nor when he had even started tailing her.
But one thing was clear—he was an expert.
With the state of her stamina now…
She probably wouldn’t be able to escape.
