Chapter 19: A Dangerous Woman

 Chapter 19: A dangerous Woman 

She looked young, mid-twenties perhaps, with sharp features and an unsettlingly calm demeanor. Her glistening Silver hair was tied back neatly, and her piercing scarlet eyes met his without hesitation. She leaned casually against the wall, as if she had been waiting for him to wake up. 

"Finally...., I take it you enjoyed your rest?" she said, a faint smirk tugging at her lips. 

"..!!!!" Lin Mu's instincts took over. Without thinking, he lunged forward, his fist aimed at her face. But to his horror, his punch went straight through her as though she weren't there. Her figure flickered and vanished.

"What the—" Lin Mu staggered backward, his heart racing, his eyes began looking for her left and right.

His body shivered when he suddenly heard a soft laughter which echoed through the hallway. Lin Mu suddenly felt a gaze on his back and whipped around to see the woman standing a few feet away, completely unscathed.

"Interesting reflexes." she remarked, her smirk widening.

Lin Mu's fists clenched. "Just who are you? And why did you kidnap me...." Lin Mu asked with a wary look.

" Oh my, have you forgotten me already?." The woman took a step forward, her hands casually clasped behind her back. "fufufu, I guess it was a bit rude of me to take you without your consent." The lady chuckled while covering her lips with her fair pale hand.

" honestly I had no other choice. Besides, your safe here now, I'm sure in no time your injuries would be healed as good as new." 

Her calm demeanor only made him angrier. "Safe?, How am I safe?!, I don't even know you nor do I know about your motives for abducting me!, Who do you think would call that safe."

"Abduct you?" she interrupted, an amused look flashing across her face. "If anything, I saved you."

"Saved me?" his eyes twitched with uncertainty and annoyance. " Saved from what?"

She sighed, as if explaining something to a stubborn child. "From law enforcement, for one. Do you even realize what you've done?."

Lin Mu narrowed his eyes, the memory of the fight flooding back. The jeering faces, the mocking laughter, the unbearable weight of humiliation that had pushed him over the edge. " Tsk...They deserved it, Plus I was only acting in self defense..." he said through gritted teeth.

"Three people hospitalized and you call that self defense?" the woman said bluntly while giving him a cold stare, causing Lin Mu to unconsciously avoid her gaze.

 "You really don't understand what you've done. First of all, do you really think the Law enforcement would care about why you attacked them. All they see is a powerless variant taking out his frustrations on successful ability users. Second , That Girl and her friends you frightened had some very sturdy backing."

" Threatening to attack the daughter of the police commissioner?, are you really that tired of living." She said plainly while staring at Lin Mu as if he was a complete fool.

" Even if it was in self defense, what you said gave them the best opportunity to turn you into their perfect scapegoat, Your really lucky I stepped in." She added before letting out a breath then gently sitting on the edge of the King-sized bed.

Lin Mu's stomach twisted after carefully going through what she'd said. He had felt justified at the time, but hearing it laid out like this made him question his actions. Still, he wouldn't let her see his doubt.

"I see..., well I'm truly grateful to you, who ever you may be...., but please do forgive me, I just don't understand why, What's your angle?" he asked. "Why help me?"

The woman chuckled. "fufufu, I'm glad your not completely foolish." She did her signature chuckle again before continuing. " Though I did help out because I felt sorry for you, that wasn't the main reason...., simply put, I wanted something from you."

' Damnit!, I knew it..., could she be after the system?!.'

' No...I don't think that's possible, No one should be able to detect the system, so whatever it is she's after must be related to the fact that someone as powerless as me was suddenly able to show that level of prowess after a single night....'

Lin Mu's body tensed, his suspicion deepening. " And if I may ask, What is this thing which you seek?"

Instead of answering immediately, she stood up from the bed and began stepping closer, her piercing scarlet gaze locked onto his. Lin Mu instinctively backed up, only to find himself trapped against the doorframe which was now shut and locked without him knowing when. 

His heart rate Rose as she took her time to come to him before she leaned in slightly, her voice dropping to a low, almost teasing tone.

"Relax," she said, her smirk returning. "I'm not here to hurt you."

Lin Mu's jaw tightened, his eyes eyes hardening. "Then stop playing games and tell me what you want."

She straightened, her playful expression giving way to something more serious. "I want you to become my protege."

He blinked, caught completely off guard. "Your Protege?. What does that even mean?"

"it's obvious you have the potential to grow stronger." she said simply. " And with my guidance and help, you could become something far greater than the powerless variant they see you as....all I'm asking is that you follow me from now on... sounds simple enough doesn't it?."

Lin Mu's mind calmed down a bit when he heard her offer, at least she didn't pry into his sudden increase in power. But he wasn't about to let his guard down though.

"And what if I say no?" he said, trying to test the waters.

She simply shrugged, her expression unreadable. "Then you'll be on your own again. And next time, I won't be there to stop them from throwing you into a cell."

Her words made him remember one crucial point he was always unaware of, he didn't have any backing nor someone to protect him till he became capable of protecting himself.