Inside the mansion's security room, a grainy monitor flickered as the camera zoomed in on an approaching vehicle.
One of the guards squinted, lazily chewing gum. "Looks like a black car coming in from the east road. Not sure if they're just passing through. Let's check it out."
A voice crackled through the walkie-talkie, "Got it. I'm on my way."
He set the walkie down and leaned in closer to the screen again, watching as the car moved steadily, with purpose.Shuren still driving while smoking her cigarette spots the camera that saw them from afar
The guard who picked up the call lowered his radio.
"Alright, listen up—looks like we might have some company," he said, his voice low but sharp.
The other guards snapped to attention, loading their rifles and taking up positions along the mansion's walls.
"Keep an eye on the east side," another guard barked. "No one gets past those gates."
Cut to the car cruising down the road.
Inside, the tension was palpable. Shuren's gaze darted to the mansion gates in the distance, then up to a tiny red light blinking ominously above them.
She muttered under her breath, calm but clearly annoyed.
"…Shit."
Assad glanced over at her from the passenger seat. "What's up?"
Shuren kept her eyes glued to the road. "Camera picked us up. The guards are probably already on high alert."
Mya tensed, turning to peer through the tinted rear window. "So, what's the plan now?"
Shuren smirked slightly, her tone still cool.
"Somethin' called whatever the fuck I want."
Assad and Mya exchanged a quick, puzzled look. Shuren slammed her foot down on the gas, sending the car roaring forward.
The tires screeched as the car shot ahead like a bullet.
At the mansion gates, the guards stiffened.
"Vehicle incoming! Open fire!" one of them shouted.
Gunfire erupted in sharp bursts, slicing through the night. Sparks flew off the car's hood and windshield as bullets ricocheted off its armor. But Shuren didn't flinch; her eyes remained locked ahead, cold and focused.
"Mrs. Shuren—!" Mya shouted.
The car slammed into the gate at full speed. Metal shrieked as it tore free, the entire entrance exploding inward.
In seconds, chaos erupted.
One guard dove aside a moment too late, crashing into a wall.
Another fired off a shot blindly, only to be crushed mid-fire by the gate's twisted iron.
A third guard attempted to reload but got caught under the spinning wheel of the car as it drifted through the yard.
Two more were knocked off balance by the shockwave of the crash; Shuren's side mirror clipped one's jaw, dropping him like a stone.
The last few tried to regroup, but the vehicle skidded, sending a loose barrier crashing right into them.
Silence enveloped the scene, broken only by the low hum of the engine idling amidst the wreckage.
Only one guard was left, crawling toward his radio. He pressed the button weakly. "Intruder… alert—"
Bang.
A single gunshot rang out.
Shuren lowered her pistol, smoke curling from the barrel. "Too slow," she muttered, stepping out of the car.
The car door creaked open.
Assad stumbled out first, shaking his head to clear the ringing in his ears. Mya followed, steadying herself with one hand on the car roof, her eyes wide from the impact but still composed. The air was thick with the scent of smoke and burnt rubber.
Shuren was the last to emerge—completely unfazed.
She brushed dust off her coat, pulled a cigarette from her pocket, and struck a match with a calm flick of her wrist. The flame danced in her eyes as she took her first drag, the faint glow tracing the sharp angles of her face.
"Time to go," she said simply, exhaling a slow stream of smoke that swirled around her like a gentle mist.
Assad and Mya exchanged a quick glance—half disbelief, half admiration—before following her lead.
The three of them began walking toward the mansion entrance. The wind carried the faint crackle of the burning gate behind them. Shuren's cigarette glowed with each step, her silhouette framed by the moonlight and drifting smoke like a calm storm on legs.
Inside the mansion's security room, the frantic voice of the guard blared through the speakers. "Front gate! Now! All units, front gate!"
The order spread like wildfire.
Eighteen guards surged out from both sides of the mansion—nine from the left, nine from the right—guns raised, their boots thundering against the ground in perfect sync.
Outside, beneath the cold glow of the moon, Shuren stood completely still. Assad and Mya were just behind her, framed by the wreckage of a car and the scattered bodies around them.
"Open fire!" one of the guards shouted.
A barrage of bullets erupted—flashes lighting up the night like a fireworks display. Assad instinctively pulled Mya into cover, shielding her from the chaos of gunfire.
But Shuren remained unmoved.
She took another drag from her cigarette, exhaling the smoke through her nose as the bullets whizzed past her. Then—something utterly impossible happened.
The bullets slowed down.
Then twisted.
Some dipped downward, embedding themselves into the dirt. Others curved sharply upward, spiraling into the sky. Some bullets went left and some other bullets went right. A few even froze midair—hovering just inches from her skin, trembling as if they were afraid to make contact.
The air shimmered faintly around her, rippling with an unseen force. The ember of her cigarette glowed brighter, as if it were drawing energy from her.
Shuren tilted her head slightly, her eyes half-lidded. "Should I be cocky about how weak this shit is going so far?"
The guards froze. Confusion morphed into fear as they realized none of their bullets had found their mark.
Assad's eyes widened, a chill creeping down his spine. What the hell... is she?
The gunfire stopped, replaced by a stunned silence. The smoke from the barrels drifted across the field, mingling with the haze from Shuren's cigarette.
Her aura filled the air—calm, magnetic… and deathly absolute.