Door Blocked

"You're finally back, Jiang Mian! I've been waiting forever!"

Li Hao?

How did he find this place?

Seeing the greedy look in Li Hao's eyes made Jiang Mian feel sick, her good mood vanishing instantly.

"Didn't you say yesterday you needed to 'think about it'? Why aren't you at school today? Are you messing with me?!"

Li Hao narrowed his eyes dangerously as he saw Jiang Mian dressed in her yellow uniform.

"Delivering food?"

He sneered, his tone dripping with unconcealed superiority:

"Jiang Mian, you acted all high and mighty yesterday, and then you turn around and do this kind of work? Aren't you ashamed running around town in this yellow outfit?"

He took a step forward, his expression particularly grim.

"I told you, if you followed me, you wouldn't have to suffer like this. Look at you now..."

Jiang Mian's scalp tingled. He had actually found her. How did he get the information... No, now wasn't the time to dwell on that.

She had already made plans. If she could choose [Gale] in the second stage, she could almost replicate the effect of Sequence 48 [Eye of the Storm].

Going head-to-head with him now would not only easily expose her but also ruin her persona.

Jiang Mian made a decision almost instantly.

What would a girl living alone do if she encountered a pervert after her?

Seeing the "fear" on Jiang Mian's face, Li Hao reached out to grab her.

She suddenly sidestepped, using her smaller frame to her advantage. Before he could react, she bolted out of the building without looking back!

"Damn it, you dare to run?"

Li Hao was stunned for a moment, then flew into a rage.

In his eyes, his awakened physical abilities far surpassed ordinary people, so catching Jiang Mian would be easy.

Jiang Mian didn't run towards the main road but darted into a narrow alley between buildings.

These cramped alleys were piled high with junk and had a complex layout, which surprisingly allowed Jiang Mian to gain some distance.

"Damn it! Stop for me!"

Li Hao's angry roar echoed in the narrow space.

Although his strength and speed were great, he seemed hesitant to directly blast away the obstacles covered in filth, like the messy trash cans around him. His movements were somewhat restricted, making him feel quite frustrated.

As she ran, Jiang Mian pulled out her slightly damaged phone from her pocket and dialed He Yi.

"Cap-Captain He! Help! Someone... Someone is chasing me..."

She panted, her voice trembling with a hint of a sob, sounding incredibly scared.

"What?! Where are you right now?"

"In the alleyway inside West District, Minghua Road, number 114..."

While reporting her location, Jiang Mian estimated the distance between herself and Li Hao, ensuring she wasn't too far ahead but also not close enough to be touched by his dirty hands.

She put the phone back in her pocket as He Yi's voice came through intermittently:

"Okay! Don't be scared, I've already notified the nearby patrol officers, and I'm rushing over myself! Try to run towards a crowded area..."

During the subsequent chase, Li Hao almost caught Jiang Mian several times, only to narrowly evade him.

He couldn't help but wonder if his awakening was for nothing, how could he not even catch up to a short-legged girl like Jiang Mian...

Jiang Mian felt that enough time had passed. If she continued, her body would "give out." So, she moved towards the alley's exit.

However, as she rounded a corner, she noticed a few flashy-looking figures leaning against the alley entrance, smoking.

They were the same thugs who had been staring at her when she left earlier.

Bad luck...

Jiang Mian's face stiffened. After this incident, she would definitely have to find a new place to live.

What a shame about the cheap rent, only three hundred a month... It was definitely the cheapest rental in the West District.

The leader of the thugs clearly recognized Jiang Mian, or rather, her striking yellow windbreaker.

Seeing Jiang Mian's bare face, his eyes lit up. He grinned and stepped forward, spreading his arms to block her path.

"Yo! Little Yellow Hat girl, long time no see. Where are you in such a hurry to go? Wanna hang out with us?"

A hint of ferocity flashed in Jiang Mian's eyes. Sometimes she really wanted to explode on these idiots.

Why were they all so lustful? Was everyone in this world so repressed...

She calmed herself down. These guys were just cannon fodder, not even awakened. She might be able to use them.

Jiang Mian's eyes instantly filled with tears, and she spoke with a choked voice:

"B-Big brother... Help me... That person behind me, he's been chasing me, it's so scary, please help me..."

The tone sounded like a desperate girl with nowhere to turn, carrying a heartbreaking sense of fragility that made the leader of the thugs' hearts bloom with joy.

This kid chasing after her looked like a student too. Even if he was an Awakener, he couldn't even catch up to a little girl like Jiang Mian... tsk tsk.

Wasn't this an opportunity for a hero to save the damsel in distress?

"Jiang Mian, get over here!"

Just then, Li Hao caught up. Seeing that Jiang Mian would rather ask these thugs for help than comply with him, he was instantly enraged.

The thug leader straightened his back, stomped out his cigarette butt on the ground, and stood in front of Jiang Mian, shouting arrogantly:

"Hey! Kid! Didn't you hear the girl say she's scared? If you know what's good for you, scram! Don't disturb our chat with the girl!"

"What are you barking about? You trash dare to block my way? Get lost!"

Li Hao didn't take these thugs seriously at all. He stepped forward, intending to grab Jiang Mian, who was hiding behind them.

"Damn it! You don't want the wine, so you want the punishment!"

Seeing that Li Hao completely disregarded him, the thug leader felt his face lose all dignity. He cursed and signaled his underlings to charge.

"Brothers, get him!"

The conflict instantly erupted.

Idiot...

A faint, almost imperceptible curve appeared at the corner of Jiang Mian's lips. Using one wolf to attack another, everything was under control... No, these thugs weren't wolves, and Li Hao was at most a pervert.

Whatever, making them dance to her tune... this feeling was actually quite nice.

After being scared for so long, she had to find some fun, right?

She watched the chaotic scene, putting on a frightened expression, and quietly slipped towards the exit.

Seeing Jiang Mian about to escape, Li Hao, in a moment of desperation, slapped the thug leader across the face. The latter felt his world spin before falling to the ground with a thud, instantly falling asleep.

"Stop! Public Security Bureau! Nobody move!"

Just then, a black car with the Public Security Bureau's logo pulled up at the alley entrance.

Two officers quickly got out, drawing the stun batons from their waists.

They glanced at the messy scene: the thugs lying unconscious on the ground, a few small figures of their underlings, and the menacing Li Hao.

Of course, there was also Jiang Mian at the alley entrance, pale-faced and trembling.

"Officer! He, he hit someone..."

Jiang Mian spoke up at the opportune moment, and with a trembling hand, pointed at Li Hao.

Li Hao froze.

Although his family background was decent, and his priority as an Awakener was extremely high, which supported his arrogance, facing official personnel, resorting to violence was suicidal.

Thinking of this, Li Hao could only unwillingly raise his hands, cover his head, and squat down.