novelraw Chapter 6: Sea of Darkness - (6)
Chapter 6: Sea of Darkness - (6)
Kui Xin maintained her composure and swiftly responded, “I’m dead broke, carrying a debt of three hundred thousand. Do you really think I’d have any valuables on me?”
The two robbers were speechless.
“If you want to rob someone, you should go to the affluent neighborhoods. In a rundown place like Anning Street, how could you possibly encounter any easy targets?” Kui Xin earnestly advised them, “Take my word for it—robbery here has no prospects. But if you targeted the rich, it would be different; one successful heist could sustain you for three years!”
The robber on the left hesitated. “But the wealthy areas are filled with surveillance.”
The robber on the right cautioned his companion, “This person is tricking us! Don’t fall for it!”
“Why would I deceive you?” Kui Xin dropped her umbrella and shrugged, palms open. “I have nothing in my hands, and my pockets are empty too. Living in a house with leaking walls, what benefit could there be from robbing me?”
“Wait!” The eyes of the robber on the right lit up as he looked at Kui Xin’s silver bracelet. “What’s that on your wrist?”
“Oh, this? If you want it, I’ll give it to you.” Kui Xin extended her arm toward him.
The robber on the right remained motionless, but the one on the left couldn’t resist stepping forward.
As soon as the robber approached Kui Xin, she swiftly clenched her outstretched hand into a fist and struck the side of his temple.With a crack—
The robber’s temple bones shattered audibly, his face contorted, and he crumpled straight onto the ground.
“… Fuck!” Kui Xin exclaimed, stunned even by the power of her own punch.
Her initial intention was to knock him out swiftly and then make a run for it.
Kui Xin belatedly realized that her physical capabilities were no longer what they used to be. In the past, when she fought with street thugs on her way home from school, their faces would bear bruises, and her knuckles ended up sore and swollen for two weeks, unable to hold a pen properly.
Kui Xin had aimed for his vulnerable temple, but the effect was far too astonishing! Under her fist, the human skull felt as fragile as paper. She could sense the robber’s bones colliding with hers before shattering.
The remaining bandit let out an angry roar and lunged at Kui Xin with a small knife.
Before the sharp blade could pierce her abdomen, Kui Xin reflexively sidestepped, almost instinctively evading the strike.
In her perception, the bandit’s movements seemed to slow down infinitely. Her body reacted faster than her mind could process.
With a swift motion, Kui Xin snatched away the bandit’s knife.
The blade’s silver glint danced between her fingers. With unparalleled fluidity, she thrust the knife backhanded, driving it into the bandit’s body. The tip accurately pierced through the gap between the ribs, straight into the heart.
She even managed to swiftly release her grip on the knife handle, calmly stepping back one pace to avoid the splatters of blood.
Her movements were as smooth as flowing water, and everything occurred within less than five seconds. Before Kui Xin’s mind could devise a strategy, her body acted independently, killing both assailants.
Kui Xin’s expression was blank as she stood dazed at the alley entrance, her clothes soaked by the rain. The black umbrella lay open and swayed on the ground, while beneath her feet, two bodies lay motionless.
She crouched down to check on their breaths, then shakily rose to her feet.
They had ceased breathing; they were already dead. Their pooling blood mixed with the accumulated rainwater, staining the puddles red.
“What… happened?” Her chest heaved, and her heart pounded fiercely.
The game system’s interface appeared before her.
“You have unlocked the innate talent [Combat Instinct].”
[Combat Instinct]: Predators possess hunting instincts, which can be further honed through training for more perfect execution. This is formed through rigorous muscle memory, developed from countless instances of demanding practice. Even under extreme conditions such as impaired consciousness or exhaustion, you will still be able to fight based on instinct alone.
Kui Xin let out a hiss.
This reflex wasn’t inherent to her own abilities but rather innate to the body she now inhabited. As a key member of the Resistance Army and entrusted with significant responsibilities, it was reasonable for her character to possess a sharp intellect, keen intuition, and exceptional combat skills.
These combat skills had been ingrained into her body as instincts, causing her to instinctively react with extreme measures when facing enemies.
At that moment, clanging sounds echoed from the end of the alleyway.
The hoodie-wearing young man returned, terror written all over his face. With his mouth agape at the sight of the corpses on the ground, he dropped the metal baseball bat in his hand, visibly shaken.
“Good sir,” Kui Xin said, wiping away the rainwater from her face and managing a stiff smile towards the hoodie guy. “Could you please call the police for me? I’m innocent; you heard them; they intended to rob us.”
“N-no problem.” The hoodie guy trembled as he took out his communicator, clumsily dialing several times before successfully entering the number.
When the call connected, a sweet operator’s voice responded, “Hello, this is the city security hotline. How may we assist you?”
“A robbery… address is…” The hoodie guy paused and looked at Kui Xin for help. “Where exactly are we?”
“Port Bay District, Anning Street, approximately mid-section,” Kui Xin said.
After reporting the address, the hoodie guy muttered, “We also need to call an ambulance…”
“No need; they’re already dead,” Kui Xin added.
The hoodie guy’s expression turned even more fearful as he stammered, “Did… did you do this?”
“It was self-defense.” Without looking at the corpses on the ground, Kui Xin succinctly replied, “Can you be my witness? To prove that they indeed intended to rob us with knives. There don’t seem to be any surveillance cameras nearby; you’re the only witness.”
Without hesitating for more than a second, the hoodie guy nodded. “Sure, if you require it.”
Kui Xin sighed in relief, picked up the black umbrella from the ground, shook off the raindrops, and walked towards the hoodie guy.
The hoodie guy nervously stepped back.
Kui Xin remained silent for a moment before saying, “You don’t have an umbrella, and the security officers might take a while to arrive. We can share one umbrella together. My name is Kui Xin, and I’m a student at the Black Sea Academy.”
“Xi Liang.” After learning about Kui Xin’s status as a student, the hoodie guy relaxed his guard. “I’m from the Black Sea Academy too. What field of study are you in?”
Kui Xin replied, “Criminal Investigation.”
“Criminal Investigation? No wonder you’re so skilled,” Xi Liang murmured.
“Thank you for your help tonight,” Kui Xin said, tilting the umbrella more towards him as she approached.
Xi Liang chuckled awkwardly. “No problem, just doing a good deed like Lei Feng… Although it seems you didn’t really need my assistance. My parents’ convenience store is right up ahead; I was startled when I heard about the robbery. I grabbed a baseball bat and rushed over immediately. We might have to give statements later, but first, let me reassure my parents that I’m safe. Wait here for a moment.”
Kui Xin slowly nodded, watching as Xi Liang dashed into the rain and disappeared around the street corner.
In contemplation, she activated her bracelet and searched online using the keyword “Lei Feng.”
Search results: “0.”
The Second World had no record of deeds inspired by Lei Feng or any mention of the “Lei Feng spirit.”
“As expected, my guess was correct,” Kui Xin thought to herself.
Hoodie guy Xi Liang was a player from the first world.
He must have just arrived in this world and wasn’t yet familiar with it, hence his clumsy attempt to dial the emergency number. Like Kui Xin, he likely struggled to comprehend the high-tech portable devices of the cyberpunk world. He hadn’t paid close attention to his surroundings or recorded any information, or perhaps he did remember but couldn’t recall due to panic. Consequently, when he called for help, he didn’t know they were at Anning Street in Port Bay District.
Xi Liang had been in this new world for too short a time; he clearly hadn’t learned about the Second World’s history yet. That’s why he referenced “doing good deeds like Lei Feng,” a phrase commonly understood in the First World but not known by people in the Second World.
Encountering a fellow countryman from another realm—a classic trope often celebrated in stories.
However, one of the six warnings given to players states, “Do not reveal your player identity to anyone.”
To absolutely no one!
After careful consideration, Kui Xin decided to adhere to this rule. She would not reveal her identity to the inhabitants of the Second World or other players. She would embody her character and act as a competent “Player,” treating it as role-playing.
Kui Xin waited under her umbrella for ten minutes, and then Xi Liang rushed over, drenched in rain.
This surprised Kui Xin; she had assumed Xi Liang was finding excuses to escape. After all, getting immediately entangled in a life-threatening case upon arrival in an alternate world seemed like a very unwise choice.
“My goodness, this rain is really heavy. I wonder when it’ll stop.” An umbrella appeared in Xi Liang’s hand, which he had taken from a convenience store nearby. “I’ve already informed my dad, and we’re just waiting for someone to arrive.”
After five minutes, a floating police car halted above Kui Xin and Xi Liang. Through its loudspeaker, a voice commanded, “Please drop your weapons and put your hands on your head.”
Kui Xin and Xi Liang complied promptly. The police car then descended onto the street, and two armed security officers exited their vehicle. Laser sights, aiding their aim, illuminated Kui Xin with red dots.
“I am Kui Xin, an intern security officer of the Investigation Department’s Field Operations Team, Seventh Squad,” Kui Xin swiftly stated. “While returning home, I encountered a robbery and retaliated in self-defense against the assailants.”
One of the female security officers focused her gaze on Kui Xin and said, “Yadang, scan.”
“Scan complete, face matched,” Yadang’s robotic voice responded. “Her statement is true. Hello, intern security officer Kui Xin.”
The AI continued broadcasting, “Xi Liang, a fourth-level citizen and student at Black Sea Academy’s Mechanical Engineering department, has no criminal record. Target assessed as non-threatening.”
“Liu Gaoyang, a Level 5 Citizen, unemployed vagrant with records of robbery, theft, and other crimes. The target is deceased; there is no value in resuscitating.”
“Song Yuan, a Level 5 Citizen, unemployed vagrant with records of theft, vandalism, and other crimes. The target is deceased; there is no value in resuscitation.”
The two security officers who exited the police car holstered their weapons and nodded at Kui Xin. “As part of the procedure, we need to take statements. Please come back with us for further investigation.”
“No problem.” Kui Xin glanced at Xi Liang, who was still in a state of bewilderment. “He’s a witness.”
“Alright, don’t worry.” The female security officer patted Kui Xin on the shoulder. “Once the statements are recorded, everything will be fine—it’s just following protocol.”
Kui Xin sensed something amiss. Although she was only an intern security officer, and the two people she killed had criminal records, her colleagues’ attitudes seemed overly casual. It was as if taking two lives wasn’t considered significant; they would simply go through the motions and release her afterwards, without any legal consequences or even disciplinary action. Why was that?
Kui Xin climbed into the rear seat of the police vehicle, with Xi Liang sitting next to her.
The police car ascended, flying towards the Investigation Bureau building with them onboard.
Xi Liang’s gaze turned complex. “So you have connections within… Why didn’t you say so earlier? You made me worry unnecessarily for quite some time.”
“It’s not really about connections; I’m just an intern security officer with a debt of three hundred thousand,” Kui Xin said wearily as she leaned against the police car seat. “I barely finished my shift and haven’t even stepped foot at home before having to go back…”
Author’s Note:
Kui Xin: It was my body acting on its own accord!