Li Xinyi knew she couldn't be careless at that moment. If she tried to resist, they would use every means to silence her before she made any commotion. She understood her situation. Without thinking twice, she ran to the reinforced glass, threw her weight against it, and the pane cracked and spidered under the impact.
Their leader's eyes widened in shock. "Stop her now!" he barked, but it was too late. Not even in his wildest dreams had he expected her to jump from the thirty-fifth floor. As the strongest among the people in the office, he would never have dared to jump from that height — jumping meant a death wish.
Science is absolute and ordinary humans cannot defy gravity, but she was not ordinary. A spiritual energy user, she concentrated the ambient spiritual energy and willed it to wrap around her, slowing her descent. She crashed down, creating a roughly human-shaped hole in the road; vehicles screeched to a halt. Though the energy slowed her fall, it did not prevent injury. Her body, already weakened by the strain of her secret family technique, was further damaged; excruciating pain radiated through her.
Blood trickled from the corners of her lips. She reached a trembling hand out of the crater and dragged herself free. Feeling broken bones, she summoned spiritual energy and forced them back into place.
In the office room…
"You idiots, what are you all staring at? Huh? This commotion has alerted the enemy. Go after her, kill her, and finish the job!" the leader shouted in a hoarse tone. He melded with the shadows via his jutsu and descended rapidly, followed by his subordinates.
She couldn't wait for anyone. Even if her family and security were alerted, it would be too late — they would reach her first. She had to move. Limping, she picked up speed and ran in a random direction. First she needed a safe place to recover; then she could find her family and deal with the assassins.
Meanwhile, at the show "Speak from the Heart"…
"Actor Junhao, welcome to 'Speak from the Heart.' Please have a seat," the anchor said with a practiced smile.
"Thank you, Mr…" Chaithanya paused as he looked at the anchor.
The anchor hurried on, "Please call me Zhou."
"Oh — Mr. Zhou, nice to meet you, and thank you for having me on the show," Chaithanya replied politely.
"Ha, Actor Junhao, please don't mention it. Let's begin," Anchor Zhou said as he rose from his seat.
Chaithanya kept feeling small fluctuations of spiritual energy, again and again. Curious about their source and range, he turned toward Zhou and said, "Mr. Zhou, I have urgent business. Why don't you call the director and postpone the recording until tomorrow?"
He did not wait for an answer. Chaithanya stood and ran for the exit.
The director, watching the recording, was stunned. "What the heck is he doing? Where is he going in the middle of the shoot?" he exclaimed, then, overcome with frustration, hurled his phone to the floor. Anchor Zhou stared after Chaithanya, speechless.
The director snapped back to himself. "Where is my mobile? Find it now!"
His assistant approached with the broken phone in her hands. The director glared and demanded, "What? Didn't I tell you to find my mobile?"
The assistant hesitated. "But this is your mobile — you threw it to the ground a minute ago."
"Shit," he muttered, eyes wide, and reached for the damaged phone with a sinking heart. Six thousand RMB gone just like that.
"Damn him. Cancel the contract," the director fumed.
"But you put a hefty penalty for breach of contract," the assistant said meekly.
The director sighed. He had anticipated that an A-list actor might breach for a big movie offer, but he had not expected repeated delays. He regretted not including stricter terms.
Chaithanya sprinted toward the source of the spiritual fluctuations. Within minutes he reached the area and saw a seriously injured woman surrounded by men dressed like ninjas. "Is this a film shoot?" he wondered, stroking his chin.
One of the masked men sneered, "Madam Li Xinyi, you've overexerted yourself. You don't even have the energy to lift your hand, do you? Stop wasting our time and die already. We'll give you a quick death."
"So it's not a shoot," Chaithanya muttered. He moved, and a gust of wind brushed the men as he appeared behind Li Xinyi.
She tried to attack the man who had appeared behind her but had no strength left. She collapsed weakly; he caught her by the waist. His hot breath brushed her ear and a faint blush stained her bloodied face.
She turned her head and whispered weakly, "It's you."
"Hmm? Do we know each other?" Chaithanya asked, bewildered.
Seeing him, Li Xinyi relaxed and lost consciousness in his arms. Chaithanya looked at the ninja-clad men, their eyes full of questions, and said, "I know you're confused. In the script, you're supposed to kill her and walk away like nothing happened, but there are people who don't let life follow the script."
He gently laid Li Xinyi on a roadside bench and faced the men. "Why don't you skip the part where you get your asses kicked and just leave?"
"So what — you're a spiritual user? So what if you're a bit stronger than me? Stop showing off. We have the advantage in numbers," the lead man snapped, pointing at Chaithanya.
Chaithanya shook his head and stepped toward him. Before the leader could react, he was punched to the ground. Chaithanya stared down at him. "You talk too much," he said.
The leader recovered quickly, spat blood, and glared at his subordinates. "You idiots — all of you, attack him at once and kill him!" he barked.
They were in a secluded spot, so the commotion drew no attention. The men in ninja garb drew poison-lashed weapons and surged forward.
Chaithanya felt the pressure. True, they were weaker than him individually, but numbers mattered. He did not hold back. He struck at their vital points while they aimed for his, trading blows that tested his patience. Still, blow by blow, punch by kick, he brought them down one by one, each strike delivered with full force.
He would show no mercy to those who came to kill him.