That Vibrant Deep Red

The Class Monitor’s words silenced the entire hall for three seconds.

The shock was profound. In the eyes of everyone else, the Class Monitor’s actions seemed utterly insane—either her brain had malfunctioned or she was completely out of her mind.

To exchange hostages, wasn’t that sacrificing her own life for the safety of others?

Yet, observing the Class Monitor’s earnest gaze, I understood: she genuinely intended to save the girl.

Indeed, this was the Class Monitor I had always known—Lin Shujing, kind-hearted and always considerate of others.

‘Excellent! Class Monitor, I’ve decided! From today onwards, I shall be Ultraman Father, and you, Ultraman Mother! Let us birth a legion of little Taros to save the Earth!’

‘Alright, the above was purely my personal fantasy.’

More importantly, the Class Monitor’s current actions were an immense boon to my own plan. I had been fretting over how to incite a commotion, but now her move had captured everyone’s attention.

Silently, I retreated to a secluded corner, clutching the crystal pendant in my hand as I took a deep breath.

It had begun!

Cheng Tianxiong had been momentarily unable to restrain Lin Shujing, allowing her to rush before the robbers and offer herself as an exchange for the hostage.

Cheng Tianxiong instantly rose to his feet, shouting at the Class Monitor, “Class Monitor, come back at once!”

“Shut up! Sit down!”

The Stocking Mask Man roared at Cheng Tianxiong, who reluctantly complied, closing his mouth and resuming his seat.

The Stocking Mask Leader sneered, his gaze fixed on the Class Monitor. “Little girl, you have quite the nerve.”

“Are you exchanging, or not?”

The Class Monitor maintained her calm expression as she replied to the Stocking Mask Leader.

However, the beads of sweat trickling down her temples undeniably betrayed the profound fear she felt at this moment.

“Exchange? Do you think I’m buying instant noodles at a supermarket, where you can just swap them out?”

As the Stocking Mask Leader spoke, he suddenly waved his hand.

“Second Brother, go.”

No sooner had he spoken than the Pantsu Man sprang forward, seizing both of the Class Monitor’s hands in a vice-like grip.

“Bastards! What are you doing to the Class Monitor?!”

Cheng Tianxiong rose again, his voice laced with fury.

The Class Monitor gasped in alarm, utterly unable to resist as a handgun was pressed against her head.

“Behave yourself.”

The Pantsu Man stated.

Seeing she couldn’t break free, the Class Monitor could only glare defiantly at the Stocking Mask Leader.

“Didn’t you say you wouldn’t exchange?”

The Stocking Mask Leader scoffed. “Little girl, you are too naive. Sometimes, when buying instant noodles, it’s better to buy two packs.”

With that, the Stocking Mask Leader turned his head towards the bank’s exterior, shouting at the police outside: “Listen up, you lot out there! I now have two hostages! If you don’t disperse, I’ll kill both of them, then grab two more and kill them too!”

“Bastard! Release the Class Monitor!”

Cheng Tianxiong, seething with rage, was about to charge forward when another Stocking Mask Man immediately pointed a gun at him.

“Kid, sit down.”

Cheng Tianxiong was forced to halt abruptly, his jaw clenched as he stared intently at the Pantsu Man who held the Class Monitor’s wrist.

However, he adamantly refused to sit down again.

The atmosphere instantly grew taut.

Outside, after a moment of hesitation, the police showed subtle signs of retreating, yet inside the bank, the robber leader remained anxiously fixed on the exterior—this was their only escape route.

“Kid, are you going to sit down or not?”

Seeing Cheng Tianxiong remain motionless, the Stocking Mask Man impatiently repeated himself.

Cheng Tianxiong still gritted his teeth, refusing to comply.

“Cheng Tianxiong, please sit down quickly!”

The Class Monitor, now agitated, urged Cheng Tianxiong to sit.

“I won’t sit, not unless they release you.”

Cheng Tianxiong remained stubborn, refusing to budge.

The Stocking Mask Man scoffed, then, without hesitation, clicked the safety off his handgun and aimed it squarely at Cheng Tianxiong.

“Kid, you don’t know your place. Today, you’ll be the first to pay the price!”

The Stocking Mask Man pulled the trigger.

Bang!

The gunshot reverberated through the bank lobby.

“No!”

The Class Monitor struggled violently, while the Pantsu Man tightened his grip.

He sneered as he looked at Cheng Tianxiong, a vivid image of Cheng Tianxiong’s brains splattering already forming in his mind.

Although the Stocking Mask Leader also heard the gunshot, he made no move to stop it. These police refused to retreat; killing one would serve as a perfect deterrent.

Among the customers, loud screams erupted with the gunshot. In their eyes, Cheng Tianxiong was already a dead man.

Cheng Tianxiong, too, was startled, yet utterly unable to evade the bullet.

He could only squeeze his eyes shut.

The echo of the gunshot faded in the hall, and all eyes turned towards Cheng Tianxiong. To their astonishment, however, Cheng Tianxiong was completely unharmed!

What had happened? The bullet hadn’t seemed to go astray or hit anything else.

Where had the bullet gone?

Cheng Tianxiong opened his eyes, staring in shock at his own body. He couldn’t fathom how he had emerged without a single scratch.

“What’s going on?! Was it a blank?!”

The Stocking Mask Man instinctively lowered his head to inspect his gun.

Unexpectedly, at that very moment, a phantom-like figure abruptly materialized before him, moving with astonishing speed.

The figure’s lips curved into a sweet smile, revealing a pair of small dimples. With a soft ding-dong, the bullet dropped from the figure’s hand, clattering crisply onto the floor.

The Stocking Mask Man froze on the spot. The next instant, the gun in his hand was kicked away.

Then, before the stunned Stocking Mask Man could even react, a cascade of deep red hair flared around the figure.

The figure swiftly bypassed the bewildered robber, appearing before the Pantsu Man and seizing the hand that held his gun.

A sharp jolt of pain instantly shot through the Pantsu Man’s wrist, and the handgun clattered to the ground.

Without the slightest pause, the figure with the striking deep red hair lifted a leg and kicked the Pantsu Man flying. Seamlessly, the figure then took hold of Lin Shujing’s restrained hands.

In his final conscious moment, the Pantsu Man saw only a delicate, sweet face smiling at him. It was the mischievous grin of a child who had just pulled off a successful prank.

It was a girl!

This was the Pantsu Man’s last thought before he crashed headfirst into the glass wall, falling into unconsciousness.