Chapter 34: Out of Danger—What Are You?

Who was this man? He had just single-handedly blocked the punch of one of those monstrous men with ease. The attacker roared, veins bulging on his forehead as he struggled with all his might, but the man who had stopped him remained unmoved.

Before Anran could voice her astonishment, the second attacker swung a kick toward the man in black.

"Watch out!" Anran shouted, instinctively worried for the newcomer. She knew the strength of these men all too well. The wooden floor of the building was much thicker than the stairs, yet they had smashed through it effortlessly.

The man merely scoffed, his voice icy. "You're overestimating yourselves."

His voice sounded familiar. Anran couldn't follow his movements, but she heard two agonized cries. The next moment, both attackers were hurled across the room, their backs slamming into the wall. The sound of splintering wood echoed as they slid to the floor and collapsed.

One passed out immediately, while the other struggled feebly to rise before finally succumbing to unconsciousness. Anran let out a long breath of relief, her gaze lifting to the tall figure standing before her.

The man turned around. Though he was backlit, Anran could still make out his features. He was strikingly handsome, with deep, royal purple eyes—a color she had never seen before except in one person. No wonder his voice had sounded familiar. It was Ricardo, her tablemate from earlier that day!

Him again?

Seeing Anran's disheveled state, Ricardo couldn't resist teasing her. In an exaggerated tone, he said, "Well, well, what do we have here? A little kitten caught in a trap."

"Hey… Ricardo, are you making fun of me?" Anran puffed out her cheeks, her earlier gratitude swiftly evaporating.

Of course. He was just a shameless jerk!

Her agitation caused a sharp pain in her trapped calf, and she couldn't help but wince, her face scrunching up in discomfort.

Seeing this, Ricardo's smirk faded. He knelt down and placed a hand on the floor. With a sudden crack, the hole widened, and Anran's leg was finally free.

Anran stared at him in surprise, her eyes darting to his hand. It was as pale and almost translucent as she remembered, with slender, delicate fingers. How could such a beautiful hand possess such incredible strength?

"Wait… are you some kind of martial arts master?" Anran blurted out, bewildered.

"Hmm?" Ricardo raised an eyebrow, elegantly extending a hand to help her up.

Anran, misunderstanding his silence as confirmation, nodded to herself. No wonder he looked so pale and frail yet had such astonishing strength.

Taking his hand, Anran didn't hesitate to accept his assistance. His fingers were cold, and the touch sent a shiver through her, but it didn't stop her from using his strength to rise to her feet.

Anran knew that if Ricardo hadn't shown up when he did, she would've taken at least one punch to the head. Grateful, she said, "Thank you, Ricardo."

"My pleasure, little kitten," Ricardo replied with a smile, his demeanor shifting back to that of a refined nobleman, his earlier teasing tone gone.

No sooner had he spoken than a low groan filled the room. Ricardo's brow furrowed. Someone was still conscious.

He turned and strode over to the man, pressing a foot against his back. His voice turned cold as he demanded, "Speak. What kind of creature are you?"