"I'm just glad the child's all right." Xu Huo rarely gave the painted woman an approving smile. "You did well. I'll give you overtime pay later."
The painted woman lowered her head shyly, then added, "A few people got away."
"We can leave them alone. The Special Defense Department will handle it." Xu Huo took Tongtong by the hand and led him out of the Secret Room. After turning left and right through several rooms, they reached one with a window. "We'll go down from here."
Although he said they were leaving, he stood by the window without moving. The painted woman turned to look at the wall behind her. "Is there something over there?"
Xu Huo stared at the graffiti-covered wall. He waited until the person behind it had gone before looking away. Then he lowered his head and smiled at Tongtong. "Are you afraid of climbing down from the window?"
Tongtong glanced at the window with his little eyes, fear plain on his face. But then he said, "I'm a man. I'm not scared! Even when the bad guys caught me, I didn't cry!"
"Who was it that was crying just now?" Xu Huo teased him.
"That was because Sister Lichun hurt me!" Tongtong blushed as he defended himself, then stepped forward and hugged Xu Huo's leg. "Go ahead and jump. If I cry, I'm not from Country X!"
Xu Huo chuckled. He scooped the boy up in one arm and held him securely, then gripped the Strings with the other. "Close your eyes if you're scared."
He and the painted woman leaped from the Ninth Floor. He slowed their descent to keep the child safe and landed lightly.
After setting Tongtong on the ground, he told him, "Go home with the uncles and aunties from the Special