novelraw Chapter 788: End
Chapter 788: End
Obviously, the worst-case scenario for an active shooter had occurred. The perpetrators were more than merely well-trained.
Based on the fact that they had easily overwhelmed nearby armed civilians without suffering losses, this incident resembled a group of rogue special forces venting their grievances on the public.
Unless met with an equally capable force, they were virtually unstoppable.
Tonight's tragedy may not be over yet, Ling Qingyu thought.
But whatever these terrorists had planned, their misfortune was encountering Spirit Fox here.
Her girls had already defeated legendary ghost-tier operatives and prevented a false flag operation—what were the remaining three in comparison?
They would be eliminated soon.
Come to think of it, she should demand compensation from the mayor. After all, most of the terrorists had been taken down by her team.
She wasn't working for free.
Without her involvement, the scale of the tragedy would have been far worse—dozens injured versus hundreds dead was an entirely different outcome, not to mention the political consequences.
While her team above methodically evacuated the flight crew and nearby civilians through the underground garage to the armored van, Ling Qingyu, with Athena's assistance, tracked the terrorists' last known positions and advanced.
As she moved through the corridors, noting survivors hiding behind locked doors, she simply signaled the sergeant behind her to handle them while she continued the hunt.
Soon, she heard heavy footsteps echoing from a narrow turning corridor.
She raised her fist, signaling the sergeant to stop.
Two targets.
Ling Qingyu carefully sliced the pie around the corner, keeping her shadow concealed.
A glimpse of an automatic rifle entered her view.
Athena confirmed the targets' positions.
Without hesitation, she leaned out and fired—short, controlled bursts, emptying the magazine.
Pap! Pap! Pap!
The terrorists managed to return a burst of fire, as evidenced by the bullet holes tearing into the wall behind her.
Bang! Bang!
She pulled back instantly, ejected the empty magazine, and slammed in a fresh one.
The sergeant covered her angle, ready in case anyone rushed them.
Usually, she wouldn't need to burn through an entire magazine. Ten rounds would be more than enough to take down two tangoes.
However, that was based on the assumption that her aim was flawless. Compared to her guards, Ling Qingyu still lagged behind in technical shooting skills. She could beat them in a fistfight, but marksmanship required hours of dedicated training. Professionals existed for a reason.
Besides, both terrorists had their weapons trained in her direction. It would be foolish to aim for perfection when she could simply fire at whatever they exposed first to gain the upper hand.
Not to mention, they were wearing bulletproof vests. Going for headshots would require her to expose herself more than necessary—something she absolutely disliked.
Rather than fight head-on for a small angle and risk, why not exploit the enemies weakness— if not to avoid raising unnecessary attention, she would already have thrown a grenade out.
"Two down. One left," Ling Qingyu reported as she stepped out again.
Two bodies lay sprawled on the ground, blood slowly pooling beneath them.
Masks. Caps. Vests.
Ling Qingyu and the sergeant approached cautiously. She fired two additional shots into their heads.
The sergeant removed one of the disguises and frowned.
Ling Qingyu was surprised as well.
She had assumed they were from the Middle Kingdom, perhaps shouting Allahu Akbar.
No wonder she hadn't heard any such cries.
These terrorists were completely white—so pale that even bleach couldn't make them any whiter.
Damn.
Ling Qingyu frowned inwardly. White supremacists, extremists—it didn't matter.
All of them were cancers to society.
What exactly were they trying to prove by creating such havoc? Well, that was for the mayor to worry about.
Meanwhile, her girls eliminated the last man while descending the emergency staircase. His body tumbled down the steps, blood wetting the floor and nearly causing the flight crew to slip.
Aside from panicked exclamations, the crew remained safe. It didn't take long for the guards to escort them into the vans and depart swiftly.
As the vans reached the main avenue, a convoy of police vehicles sped past them in the opposite direction, heading toward the mall.
Her two personal guards, fully armed and equipped, stayed behind to regroup with Ling Qingyu. Once the unprotected flight crew was out of danger, the mission was considered complete.
The sergeant looked somewhat helpless as he noticed the trio relaxing, showing no intention of securing the entire mall.
"Don't look at us like that. We're just helping, you know," Ling Qingyu said with a light laugh. "Six terrorists down. The mall should be safe, but I suggest you wait for your teams to fully clear it."
By now, the sergeant knew his instincts were right. These women weren't federal agents—but they were undoubtedly a force to be reckoned with.
After all, they had confronted the terrorists head-on, outnumbered and without support—a clear testament to their skill and resolve.
In his eyes, they had earned both respect and gratitude.
Not long after, reinforcements arrived. Like a scene straight out of a movie's ending, the sergeant was surprised to see the police chief himself.
He had already reported the situation, and most assumed the threat had been neutralized. The follow-up was simply standard procedure to ensure no remaining danger.
"Uh—Chief!"
Before the sergeant could properly greet him, the police chief hurried over, visibly out of breath, and let out a huge sigh of relief. His reaction puzzled the sergeant.
"Thank God, Ma'am, you're alright. I could never forgive myself if something had happened. Why did you take such a risk?"
The police chief was genuinely shaken upon learning that this important figure had personally intervened in the terrorist attack.
Were businesswomen this fierce nowadays?
At first, he had assumed Ling Qingyu only meant her guards would step in when he received the mayor's call. He hadn't realized she was directly involved until her secretary personally briefed him.
That explained why Ling Qingyu and her two guards weren't interrogated but instead quietly acknowledged by the officers. Even the SWAT team, despite their curiosity, remained silent.
"I'm sorry. I couldn't just stand by when my subordinates were in danger," Ling Qingyu said, scratching the back of her head.
The police chief patted his belly and took a deep breath. He wanted to reprimand her—but considering her status and his own career, he swallowed his words and changed the subject.
After all, could he really tell her not to care about her subordinates?
What she displayed was true leadership—the willingness to stand alongside her people and face danger together.
A rare quality.
Especially among business elites, where most ruthless capitalists cared only about profit.
If he dared speak, he was sure his reputation at the station would be totally ruined tomorrow. A venerable sergeant was standing on the sideline.
…
Ling Qingyu's trio was finally picked up by Xiao Yue. Their convoy alone was enough to place some pressure on the police chief.
Thankfully, Athena ensured that none of their presence appeared online—just as Ling Qingyu preferred, unseen and unrecorded.
The police chief also made sure all involved officers signed non-disclosure agreements regarding the incident. Apart from him, no one knew much about them, and curiosity rarely lasted long anyway.
Speaking of the flight crew, Ling Qingyu found herself momentarily speechless.
On their very first assignment with her, they had encountered a terrorist attack at the airport—which, fortunately, had been resolved thanks to her.
Yes, personally.
Otherwise, for ordinary people, not even nine lives would have saved them.
And now, they had run into another attack.
It almost made her wonder if her flight crew possessed some kind of cursed physique.
What Ling Qingyu didn't know was that the crew themselves were also questioning their "supernatural" luck.
"So, our CEO barged in and started kicking doors. Satisfied now? Very low-key, huh?" Xiao Yue teased.
"Nah, it was just to ensure our girls' safety. Nothing more. I have no interest in anything else," Ling Qingyu immediately refuted.
Xiao Yue knew she was telling the truth. Ling Qingyu wasn't someone who sought danger—unless she was forced into it.
At that moment, the group was heading toward the hospital where Kate was.
They needed to regroup with her, discuss the situation, and, of course, retrieve the Suburban.
When she met Kate—slightly disheveled and anxiously waiting outside the operating room—Ling Qingyu saw a different side of her.
Was Kate finally going to settle down? Ling Qingyu mused.
As she hugged her, Kate visibly relaxed. Ling Qingyu then asked, "What's the matter? Worried you'll lose your future husband?"
"Who's worried about him? I'm worried about you. There's only one Qingyu. There are plenty of attractive men I can hug left and right—I don't need to think rationally about who to choose," Kate replied, folding her arms.
Ling Qingyu: "…"
Forget it. She had overthought things.
Kate was still the same Kate.
As for the topic of settling down, Ling Qingyu decided it was best not to bring it up again. Her blood pressure couldn't handle that level of chaos.
Perhaps, it was her curiosity driving her to know who Kate would choose to settle in the end.