The Ambush on West Street

The day before the weekend, Iordera and Sophia made plans to visit the beast-eared loli in the cellar that evening. Since their accidental exchange of secrets last time, they hadn’t spoken of it again, maintaining a silent understanding between them. Yet, their bond had deepened considerably.

Sophia’s classes had not yet concluded, so she would arrive later. Iordera, however, clocked out of work early.

That day, West Street felt subtly different.

During the day, West Street functioned as an ordinary pedestrian thoroughfare. Its shops primarily operated at night, making it entirely a night market district. As it was only early evening, merely a few establishments had opened their doors, leaving the street far from bustling.

****

Several figures, cloaked in robes of various hues, stood out starkly. One lingered at the street corner, another at the far end, and a third, a short man, approached anyone they encountered on the thoroughfare to strike up a conversation.

True to form, he now halted a petite, white-haired loli.

“Little sister, might I trouble you for some information?”

[Warning: You are under the influence of psychic magic. Purification function initiated.]

Upon seeing the information on her control panel, Iordera maintained an unperturbed expression, striving for maximum composure.

Believing his magic had taken effect, the short man began his inquiry. “Is there any suspicious household on this street, or have you seen any unusual children? Perhaps ones with beast ears and tails?”

‘Damn it, they’re after Awang and the others!’

Iordera’s heart sank, but she knew she had to deal with this man first.

Having received no response for some time, the short man frowned. Just as he was about to repeat his question, he suddenly saw the adorable loli before him stick out her tongue, her eyes glazed and unfocused.

“Aba aba.”

“You… are you an idiot?”

“Aba aba.”

“Blast it,”

The short man muttered, walking away in disappointment. “Just a fool.”

‘What a waste, for someone so pretty.’

Continuing her “aba aba” sounds, Iordera wobbled out of sight, then darted into Sharp’s Workshop.

****

Grandma Sharp, tidying up her wares, looked at her in confusion. “What is it? Why such a rush?”

“No time to explain, quickly!”

Iordera flung open the cellar door and rushed down, rousing the lolis. “Awang, Duo Duo, Little Pa, wake up! There’s something urgent.”

Sensing the unusual gravity of the situation, Grandma Sharp hurried down after her. “What’s happening?”

“They’ve found us. They’re asking questions on West Street,” Iordera said, her words tumbling out rapidly. “They have psychic mages. They’ll extract information quickly. We need to move immediately.”

Grandma Sharp stiffened, then frantically helped the children get dressed. “Quick, get ready! We’re going to the safe house!”

Iordera seized the moment to close her eyes, switching modes to scan the energy fluctuations.

One was level 42.

Another 45.

And the third 43.

They were completely outmatched.

Grandma Sharp draped robes over each child, using the hoods to conceal their ears. As they rushed out of the cellar, preparing to open the door, Iordera held the doorknob still.

“Wait, it’s too late,” Iordera said, her hand firm on the knob. “They’re guarding both ends of West Street. We can’t get out.”

Grandma Sharp instantly grabbed a pair of scissors. “I’ll fight them!”

“No, it’s useless.”

Iordera stopped her, thinking calmly. Given the power disparity, fighting their way out was not feasible. The best approach would be to draw them away, allowing the others a chance to escape. But how?

Suddenly, Iordera remembered something.

“Grandma Sharp, do you still have that item from last time?”

“What item?”

“The set the client rejected—the beast-ear costume!”

Though Grandma Sharp didn’t understand the name, she recalled the item. “Yes,” she said, rummaging under the counter. “It’s here.”

Iordera snatched it and began putting it on. “And a robe, a face covering. Get me those too.”

Grandma Sharp paused, startled. “You mean to…”

“Quick!”

****

On West Street, the short man continued to cast psychic magic, probing for information. Suddenly, a slender figure, even shorter than him, darted out onto the street, bolting towards the intersection.

The short man vaguely caught sight of a pair of cat ears beneath the figure’s hood, and his spirits lifted. “Stop them!”

The one guarding the intersection was a tall man with remarkably long arms. He stretched out both hands, blocking the street like a barrier.

Iordera bent her knees and leaped, sliding along the wall of a building. Her hood fell back, fully revealing the folded cat ears.

“It’s her! Grab this one!”

The tall man lunged forward, his long arms swinging, repeatedly smashing punches into the wall, leaving gaping holes in the masonry. He was a melee warrior.

The loud crashes and bangs caused passersby to shriek in alarm. “They’re fighting!”

“The gang’s fighting!”

“Where are the guards? The soldiers? Are they off duty?”

“Someone come and stop them!”

At times, Iordera couldn’t dodge quickly enough. She would stand her ground, attempting to meet their blows with her elbow.

Thump!

Her elbow went numb, a sharp pain shooting through it. The force of the punch, however, caused the tall man to recoil slightly.

Iordera spun around and continued to run. Relying on her intimate knowledge of the terrain, she managed to maintain a short distance.

But when she glanced back, her heart chilled. Only the tall man was pursuing her!

They clearly believed one man was sufficient, while the others remained on West Street, ensuring no one could slip away in the chaos. The other two had not moved an inch when Iordera had fled.

She gritted her teeth. In this situation, there was only one solution.

Rounding a corner, Iordera didn’t continue running. Instead, she halted in her tracks.

Her right leg lifted, and her cheeks puffed out.

The tall man’s footsteps arrived as expected. The moment he turned the corner, he saw the white-haired loli open her mouth and unleash a high-pressure jet of air, aimed directly at his face.

He quickly leaned back, raising his arms to shield his face. However, this was merely a feint. As the tall man’s attention was fully focused on his face, Iordera’s raised leg shot out.

Crack!

A sharp sound of bone fracturing rang out, and the tall man uncontrollably stumbled backward. He cried out in pain, shouting to his companions, “Quick, help me! I can’t handle her alone!”

The other two were finally drawn in. The short man remained unhurried, but the other, a very thin individual, moved with incredible speed, reaching the corner in an instant.

His body and limbs were unnaturally thin and long, his expression obscured. The shadow he cast against the wall in the setting sun was terrifying, resembling a slenderman from a horror film.

He seemed similar to the tall man in that his foundation was weak due to his lack of bulk. Iordera instantly made this assessment and, employing the same tactic, raised her right leg.

Charge… complete!

Her kick, imbued with immense power and a hint of elemental force, shot out, but it struck only air. The thin man’s reaction was too swift; after turning the corner, he immediately retreated two steps, causing Iordera’s ambush to miss. That wasn’t all. As he retreated, his long arm swept downward, and a dark blur flashed, slicing through Iordera’s ankle like a scalpel.

[Alert: Right leg limb disconnected. Please reattach it to the correct position as soon as possible.]