Red flames lit up a vast stretch of the night sky. Amid the scorching heat, sparks drifted through the air.
Along the paths in the park, the brother and sister fled the orphanage, gasping for breath.
"Big Brother, so... so many people are dead..."
"Don't look... We can't save them."
"I know, it's just..."
Just then, Xiaoya's brother suddenly grabbed her, bringing her to an abrupt stop. At the same time, a long, narrow shadow flashed past right in front of them.
With a sharp crack,
they saw a long, slender leather whip—a very, very long whip.
Xiaoya's brother immediately frowned and stared toward the end of the whip... At its end, a figure slowly emerged from the shadows where firelight mingled with the darkness.
"D-Director..." Hidden behind her brother, Xiaoya recognized the newcomer and instinctively tightened her grip on his clothes, shrinking completely behind him.
Her brother's expression was solemn. Yet the moment the director fully stepped out, he instantly put on an expression of delighted surprise. "Director! It's so good to see you! We're saved!"
The director—Ms. Molian—wore an unreadable smile as she said, "Is that so? Do you two really think that?"
Apparently failing to catch the hidden meaning in her words, Xiaoya's brother quickly approached her. "Director, my sister and I know we were wrong. We'll never hide again. Please, save us."
But the girl Molian flicked her hand, and the long whip on the ground instantly moved like a poisonous snake, wrapping around Xiaoya's brother's neck.
The whip recoiled, dragging Xiaoya's brother toward Ms. Molian. With a casual grab, she seized him by the collar.
"Director, what are you doing?" Xiaoya's brother looked shocked and terrified.
"Stop acting." Ms. Molian spoke calmly. "Since you call me Director, you should understand that I know the children