Chapter 301: Wan Xiaozhou Gets Shot
Fang Xiaocao and her two companions navigated through the winding passage, taking numerous turns before descending nearly two hundred meters. Eventually, the steep downward slope began to level out, making their path more manageable.
Fang Xiaocao speculated that they were now near the nest of the flesh-eating rats, or at the very least, on the same passageway leading to it.
After advancing a few more dozen meters, Hummingbird, who was scouting ahead, abruptly halted. She raised a hand and gestured for those behind her to stop.
Noticing the signal, Wan Xiaozhou and Fang Xiaocao immediately ceased movement and fell silent. They heightened their vigilance, preparing for potential combat.
Hummingbird crouched down and beckoned the others to come closer. Fang Xiaocao hesitated momentarily before stealthily approaching, using the silent steps Hummingbird had taught her. She gave her a questioning look.
Hummingbird pointed towards the passage ahead, signaling Fang Xiaocao to see for herself. Curious, Fang Xiaocao peeked out.
In the distance, two men were smoking, standing next to a cart. On the cart lay a corpse, its abdomen gruesomely split open.
Fang Xiaocao frowned at the sight.
At that moment, one of her previous doubts was resolved.
From the start, she had wondered why there had been five sets of dishes and stools when only three men had been drinking. Now, the mystery was solved.
The extra two sets belonged to these two men. But another question arose—why had they not returned to join their comrades after such a long time? Why were they still lingering here, smoking?
Judging by the number of cigarette butts at their feet, they had been there for quite some time.
Were they… on a date?
But… who would possibly engage in romance while standing over a mutilated corpse?
That theory was clearly ridiculous.
There had to be another reason why they remained there.
Fang Xiaocao’s mind raced as she furrowed her brows.
Suddenly, a thought struck her like lightning.
“Hummingbird, Xiaozhou, kill them now!” she whispered urgently.
Hummingbird and Wan Xiaozhou exchanged glances before nodding. They swiftly removed their backpacks and sprang forward like two leopards ready to strike.
Meanwhile, Fang Xiaocao holstered her dagger and drew her gun.
She turned to watch their rear.
A terrifying thought had crossed her mind—what if these two men had already discovered that the flesh-eating rat nest had been burned down? What if they had reported it to their superiors in the Pawnshop organization and were awaiting further instructions?
If that were the case, then the organization already knew someone had killed their men and escaped.
In other words, their pursuers could be closing in on them at any moment.
That was why Fang Xiaocao was so desperate to eliminate these two before more enemies arrived. She couldn’t afford to be attacked from both front and back.
Just as Hummingbird and Wan Xiaozhou charged forward, the two men simultaneously pressed their earpieces.
Their expressions darkened.
One of them turned toward the tunnel—just in time to see Hummingbird and Wan Xiaozhou lunging toward them.
“Watch out!” he shouted.
His hand shot toward his chest.
The other man reacted just as quickly.
He flicked away his cigarette and spun his leg backward in a powerful, sweeping motion. His long, muscular leg sliced through the air like a scorpion’s tail.
The kick wasn’t meant to strike an enemy.
It was meant to force them to back off and buy himself time to counterattack.
Although Hummingbird and Wan Xiaozhou were still a short distance away, the maneuver wasn’t wasted. The force of the movement carried him into a rapid spin.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The two men displayed exceptional training, reacting with near-instantaneous speed.
The first man had already drawn his gun, chambered a round, disengaged the safety, and fired.
The deep, resonant gunshots echoed like a death knell.
He didn’t hesitate. The moment his gun was raised, he emptied the entire magazine in a deadly burst.
Scorching bullets streaked through the air.
A merciless barrage rained down on Hummingbird and Wan Xiaozhou.
But these two weren’t amateurs.
They were elite assassins.
Dodging bullets barehanded might be impossible, but evading and countering in the chaos of battle? That was within their skillset.
The moment the gunman reached for his weapon, Hummingbird and Wan Xiaozhou had already thrown their knives.
At the same time, they dodged.
But the bullets were too numerous, and the passage was too narrow.
The relentless eight-bullet onslaught left no room for escape.
Wan Xiaozhou took a hit to her arm.
Her left arm went limp immediately, blood soaking her sleeve and dripping onto the ground.
She bit back a groan of pain.
Her already pale face turned deathly white. Beads of sweat trickled down, mixing with the strands of hair stuck to her forehead.
Her knees buckled, and she collapsed to the ground.
Yet, with her good hand, she swiftly pulled out her gun, chambering a round with a single-handed motion.
Hummingbird, though not shot, had grazes on her arm and thigh where bullets had sliced past, leaving thin trails of blood.
But she didn’t even glance at the wounds.
She somersaulted forward, charging at the two men.
At the same time, she unsheathed her katana.
The two knives they had thrown earlier now reached their targets.
The gunman, still firing, hadn’t had time to dodge.
A blade pierced through his gun hand.
His weapon clattered to the ground.
The second knife was intercepted mid-air—a swift kick sent it flying away.
Meanwhile, another gun was now pointed directly at the airborne Hummingbird.
A black muzzle, aimed right at her.
Hummingbird’s heart dropped.
“I’m dead,” she thought.
The man grinned as he took aim.
“You’re finished,” he sneered.
But the next instant—
Bang!
A gunshot rang out.
Thud.
A body collapsed.
The man lay sprawled on the ground, a gaping hole in his forehead.
A clean, precise headshot.
A single kill shot.
The handiwork of Wan Xiaozhou.
“Hah…”
Hummingbird exhaled sharply in relief.
