Chapter 14: Just a Slight Effort

“The last floor!”

“That girl must be there! Quick, go search! Find her!”

Hearing the voices getting closer, Serena’s heart jumped to her throat; she had no mind to check where Wuming was now, staring fixedly at the door.

I…

Can I see Wuming again…

A surge of loss suddenly welled up in Serena’s heart.

In her view, the fate of being captured by them was higher than seeing Wuming; she couldn’t even think of how Wuming would save her.

Why…

He clearly said he wanted to drive me away… Why come looking for me now…?!

He clearly said I was trouble…

Serena’s despair deepened a bit.

Meanwhile, at the entrance of the unfinished building.

“You think the boss and them succeeded?”

“I don’t know, it’s been a while.”

The guarding blood clan were chatting about their boss’s operation, unaware that two girls with guns were approaching them step by step and aiming at them.

Bang—!

Suddenly, a gunshot broke Serena’s despair; then she heard more intense gunfire from downstairs, like assault rifles.

What is that?!

Could it be—!?

After dealing with the blood clan at the door, Wuming turned his gaze to the bats circling above.

“…”

Wuming raised the gun at those bats; then another series of gunshots echoed on the ground.

“What’s going on!?”

“I don’t know, boss? Feels like the Other Race Bureau has their eyes on here, boss! What do we do now?!”

The subordinate blood clan asked him anxiously.

“Tch…”

The blood clan in the flashy outfit tried to check the outside through the bats, but was shocked to find he couldn’t connect at all.

And unable to connect meant they had been shot down.

“Damn Other Race Bureau! Dare to kill my bats!”

Serena also heard the blood clan’s conversation filled with surprise and anger.

Other Race Bureau…

For some reason, Serena felt a wave of loss; she had thought Wuming had come alone.

If I’m captured by the Other Race Bureau… I’ll be deported back to the demon realm too…

Isn’t that the same as being captured by them…

Serena thought again, maybe Wuming called the Other Race Bureau; perhaps he thought of some way.

Serena didn’t know, but it felt very possible.

“Hold off those Other Race Bureau people for me! Until we find her!”

That blood clan gave a death order.

“…”

Serena dragged her weak body to the window, looked down at the ground outside to see what happened.

If my fate is to be taken back…

Death might not be so scary.

Serena suddenly had the thought of jumping; if Wuming didn’t arrive and she was about to be taken, she would leap.

Wuming…

She touched the ring again, trying to sense his current position.

“…”

Bang—!

Bang bang bang—!!!

Wuming, with the other girl, cleared the floors; wherever they went, blood clan were wailing on the ground or unconscious.

Even so, Wuming adhered to the principle of not killing; the guns fired non-lethal ammunition.

But it was enough to beat them black and blue.

So strong…

[100% hit rate and 100% dodge]

And [infinite ammo] [proficient tactical moves]

These were the settings he gave them, so even small targets like bats could be hit; for Wuming, it felt like playing a game.

Controlling bots in battle.

The reason for searching floor by floor was that after transforming into her, he couldn’t touch the ring; he could only search step by step for Serena’s location.

Bang—!

Bang bang— bang!

Gunshots echoed continuously through the floors.

Those blood clan couldn’t even get close before being headshot by Wuming or taken out by a Mozambique drill.

Hold on…

I’m coming to get you, Serena—!

On the other side, sensing Wuming getting closer, Serena’s heart was mixed.

That’s Wuming coming for me…

This should be the first time someone risked danger for her…

Saved by a guy who said he didn’t care, who wanted to drive her away.

Serena had sensed Wuming was only three floors away; the gunshots below were getting clearer.

“…” Serena couldn’t control the tears flowing again; her mouth unintentionally licked a few drops, finding them surprisingly sweet.

Am I… finally not alone anymore?

Do I have… someone who cares…?

Serena asked herself in her heart.

“What the hell are you doing! Stop those people!”

Serena heard the furious blood clan’s voice outside again.

“Boss, though there are only three on the other side, we’re no match at all!”

“They’re too strong!”

Two?

Serena showed confusion.

Why two? Besides Wuming, who is the other? A helper from the Other Race Bureau?

But no, the Other Race Bureau wouldn’t send just one person with Wuming, right? Could it be Crosti?!

So… no Other Race Bureau?

Wuming came alone?!

And all the mysteries could only be revealed when Wuming came to her side.

As long as she didn’t pass out by then…

“Fuck!”

“I want to see what those two are capable of!”

“…”

Then, Serena heard sounds of going downstairs, followed by rapid gunfire and shouts; after lasting several seconds, the entire unfinished building suddenly fell into dead silence.

Is it… over?

Serena didn’t know; she could only prick up her ears to listen for sounds outside.

She could have known the outcome through the ring, but Serena didn’t want to; she wanted that feeling of anticipation, expectation.

To see with her own eyes Wuming coming to save her.

Then she heard someone coming upstairs, the crunching sound of stepping on debris.

Who could it be…

Wuming? Or those blood clan coming for her?

Serena didn’t know.

Her heart pounded, adrenaline surging.

She heard the footsteps pacing in different rooms, with no intention of coming straight here.

Since Wuming knows the ring’s use, he would come straight for me; he wouldn’t be like this…

Thinking this, Serena seemed to know a bit of the answer.

Could Wuming… have been taken out by them…

No… impossible…

He can’t die like this!

He just… became someone who cares about me…

Serena didn’t dare think of that possibility, but if not… then why isn’t Wuming coming straight for me…

Soon, Serena heard the footsteps reach her room; this was the last room in the whole building.

Bang—

First one, then several more knocks, but the person outside never spoke.

“…”

By now, Serena had the thought of jumping; just as she prepared to use her last strength to climb out the window, Serena finally heard the voice she had been wanting to hear.

“Do I have to invite you out before you’ll come out?!”

“Serena! Damn it!”

Outside was Wuming cursing at her.

It’s Wuming—!

He’s still alive…

Serena’s suspended heart finally relaxed.

But with her strength exhausted, she couldn’t go open the door for Wuming, and once relaxed, her eyelids unknowingly drooped.

“…”

Looks like that romantic scene won’t happen, that exciting moment…

I still have… so much I want to tell him…

“Wuming…”

Serena passed out.

“Serena!”

Outside was still Wuming’s knocking; he had thought she wasn’t here and was about to give up and continue searching when he heard Serena say his name; unsure, he called Serena’s name again.

However, what answered him was silence.

Could it be—!

Wuming shot the door lock, then forcefully opened the door.

Wuming rushed in, seeing Serena collapsed by the window.

“Serena!”

Wuming hurried to her side; moonlight shone on her slowly healing wound; for a moment, Wuming didn’t know what to do.

At least confirm if she’s still alive first…

Wuming quickly put his hand to her nose; confirming she was still breathing, Wuming sighed in relief.

Good, just passed out…

But this place wasn’t suitable to stay long; after sending a message to Crosti, Wuming carried her downstairs.

***

When they reached downstairs, Crosti had already driven the motorcycle to the entrance.

“—!?” 

She saw two girls appear on the first floor of the unfinished building, one carrying someone.

Crosti looked at them warily, not seeing Wuming, let alone knowing who they were.

“Crosti! Come help!”

Wuming called to her; hearing Wuming’s voice from the girl carrying the person, Crosti’s brain buzzed and crashed.

“Hurry, she’s heavy.”

Crosti suppressed her inner doubts and came forward to help; only then did she see who was being carried.

“Isn’t this—” Crosti recognized Serena at a glance; she remembered this was Scarlet’s target.

Crosti then realized who Wuming’s patient was, and what overloaded her brain even more was—

“You are…”

Crosti looked at them, her gaze focusing more on the girl in red clothes.

Under Crosti’s gaze, she saw the girl suddenly grab her face with both hands and pull outward, stretching it to an unbelievable extent as if feeling no pain.

With a rip— sound, Wuming emerged from inside her, performing a live transformation.

Waaahhhh—!!!!!

“Birthing an alien!!!”

Crosti was frightened by this scene.

“Calm down, Crosti.”

Wuming hurriedly comforted her. “It’s me; what birthing alien— look closely.”

Seeing it was Wuming, Crosti finally recovered.

“Wuming!? How did you…”

“I’ll explain when we get back, Crosti.”

Wuming had her ask later, then anxiously asked Crosti, “She passed out, seems seriously injured— what do I do, Crosti?”

“…Don’t panic, Wuming.”

Crosti came to Serena’s front; after confirming she just passed out, she looked at Wuming.

“Give her some blood; she just lost too much blood from healing the wound— drink some blood and rest, she’ll be fine.”

Hearing her, Wuming hurriedly took out a blood bag from his shoulder bag; he had thought it would come in handy, so he brought one from the fridge.

He bit open a corner of the blood bag, then one hand supported her head, the other slowly fed her the blood.

This continued until Wuming fed her all the blood.

“Next, let her rest well, and she’ll be fine— no big issue.”

Hearing that, Wuming relaxed; then his gaze turned back to the unfinished building, where many blood clan were still lying.

Ignoring them didn’t seem right.

So Wuming planned to make a call, but this time not to the Other Race Bureau, but to an old friend of his mom’s.

“Uncle Park, I ran into some trouble here; could you bring a few from the Other Race Bureau over?”

“What trouble? Just saw a bunch of blood clan sleeping in an unfinished building, about 50 or so; address is…”

Crosti watched Wuming finish the call and hang up; then he saw Wuming pat the girl’s head, turn her back into a figurine, and put it in the bag.

Then he carried Serena over to her.

“Let’s go quickly; the Other Race Bureau people are coming soon.”

“Let them handle the cleanup.”

“Yeah…” Though Crosti had a bunch of questions for Wuming, for now, she could only ask when they got home.

She already knew Wuming was very different!

He was a superhuman too!

After settling Serena in the middle, Wuming and the others drove away from there.