The kick landed squarely on the man's most vulnerable spot.
He grunted, and his grip on the little girl loosened.
Delight nearly spilled from her eyes. She could barely keep from smiling.
If he let her go, she could escape this awful place.
She could get out from under Eguang's claws, too, and never be locked up again.
Her days might finally be a little more peaceful. She wouldn't have to suffer every day.
There was no need to agonize over it. She wanted to leave, so she would.
However they looked at it, this was a good thing for everyone. There was nothing to object to.
It seemed perfectly reasonable. She couldn't find a flaw in it.
There was no point worrying about it for too long. Overthinking would only make things harder.
If she waited too long, the consequences could be disastrous. No one could contain them.
She took off at once, running so fast that she was far away in a few strides.
A sudden change swept through Ship 713, and the atmosphere tightened.
People fanned out to search, turning the deck and cabins upside down.
For several grown men, finding one little girl was easy. It took almost no effort.
They drove her all the way to the highest point and blocked every way out.
Everyone there felt a jolt of dread. Something was wrong.
Danger seemed to lurk everywhere on the ship. Nowhere felt safe.
The ship suddenly lost its balance in the glare of the spotlights, and chaos erupted.
The sight was terrifying enough to send anyone into a panic.
Below, the crowd surged into the sea, throwing up a spray of water.
The little girl's gaze hardened. She jumped in after them without a moment's hesitation.
She knew this couldn't wait.
If she