Scenario 3

Luna chose the staircase over the elevator, avoiding unnecessary contact with people.

If Lena were here, she'd definitely follow them just to see what kind of excitement unfolds.

Tsk. Luna shook her head. That reckless girl.

The situation was unknown, and no one could predict what might happen. Her fingers brushed against the cold hilt of the gun in her hand. There was a high probability of the naive ones losing their lives.

And Luna had no intention of seeking her own death.

"No zuo no die." If you don't court death, you won't die. Luna was a firm believer in that philosophy.

"I need to get out of this building fast," she murmured. A major commotion was bound to happen, and she wanted no part in it. Staying uninvolved was always the safest route.

As she passed by a window, her hand instinctively reached for the gun again. The pink-hooded leader had mentioned earlier that the CCTV systems were jammed before the mission began. That meant no security footage of her actions.

Without hesitation, she shattered one of the four-panel windows, its metal bars barely dented by the impact. She quickly tossed the gun outside.

Wasting no time, Luna resumed her descent. She has to get away from her fast, avoid all mess and then calmly sort herself out in a safe place.

Upon reaching the first floor, she spotted two towering security guards standing at the entrance, their sheer size making it seem like they could snap her in half with their bare hands. A metal detector loomed between her and the exit.

She patted her chest, whispering silent words of gratitude to her quick-thinking self for ditching the gun.

Huu…

Taking a deep breath, Luna composed herself and donned her best social poker face as she strode toward the exit. Under the guards' scrutinizing gazes, she forced a casual demeanor. Only when she stepped outside did she finally exhale.

"I'm safe… I—"

BANG!

"An intruder! … All guards—"

"Capture them!"

"They're wearing a pink hoodie!"

The sound of gunfire rang through the air. Luna immediately bolted.

Then, realization hit.

Pink hoodie?

She glanced down at her glaringly bright hoodie and cursed under her breath. Swiftly, she pulled it off, flipping it inside out.

Black.

It was a reversible hoodie, designed to be worn either way.

"Perfect…" She didn't want to abandon it entirely—it might carry her hair or DNA traces.

Now clad in black, she sprinted toward where she estimated the gun had landed. She couldn't risk leaving behind evidence that could tie her to this mess.

But if she had known what trouble awaited her next, she never would have gone back for it.

Because—

"Hot Pink! Thank goodness you made it outside. Quick! Take the child and run. I'll distract the enemy!"

Luna froze.

"The hell? You're the Hot Pink! Your whole family is Hot Pink!"

Before she could react, a man—massive and unnervingly strong—ripped apart the window bars with his bare hands and hurled a child out.

"What the—"

Luna's instincts kicked in. Without thinking, she dashed forward, catching the child before he hit the ground.

"Oomph—" The impact nearly knocked her over, her arms screaming in protest.

"But… I…"

"That perverted bastard was torturing the child and almost—"

The man cut himself off, rage flashing in his eyes. "Anyway, Hot Pink, take the kid and run to the designated place! We'll hold them off!"

"No, wait—!"

Before she could argue, he was already gone. More gunshots rang out.

Luna snapped back to reality and looked down at the child in her arms.

And then she cursed out loud.

"Fuck!"

The boy was naked, his small body littered with deep and shallow wounds.

What had the buff man said just now? Tormented. Almost…

Rage boiled inside her.

"That fucking beast!"

BANG! BANG! BANG!

"Damn it!"

Without hesitation, Luna grabbed the gun from the ground, pulled off her hoodie, and wrapped the shivering child in it.

The boy, silent and detached, barely reacted. His eyes were dull, his awareness seemingly shut down.

"Ah, fucking hell… I can't just leave you here, can I?"

Luna had no interest in getting involved in this mess. But she refused to let a child endure such horror again.

"What a life." She sniffled. "Kid, you better thank me for not leaving you here."

Clutching the boy tightly, she ran.

This wasn't kindness. This was just basic humanity.

Children should never have to suffer like this.

Luna didn't know what she was supposed to do with the kid, but her first priority was clear—get him to safety.

She sprinted through the streets, her arms trembling from the effort of carrying the boy. Finally, spotting a small clothing store, she ducked inside.

The child needed clothes. A disguise.

Luckily, the previous owner of this body carried cash.

—

A petite young woman stepped out of the store, holding the hand of a small child dressed in a black hoodie, long white socks, and short black boots.

She carried shopping bags, her lips curled in a gentle smile. Beside her, the child—now appearing as a cute little girl—wore a blank, almost bored expression, as if annoyed by the older sister dragging her around.

"Oh, Jenny, are you still mad at big sis? But what can I do? You've outgrown your old clothes," Luna sighed dramatically.

The little 'girl' remained silent, seemingly throwing a silent tantrum.

Luna glanced around and spotted an ice cream vendor under a tree.

"Alright, alright. No more shopping, okay? Big sis will buy you your favorite ice cream."

Pulling the child along, she approached the stand.

"Uncle, three vanilla cones, please."

"Vanilla coming right up!" the vendor said cheerfully, already scooping the ice cream.

Outwardly, Luna remained relaxed.

Internally, she was on high alert.

Her eyes flickered constantly, scanning her surroundings for any sign of the black-suited guards.

Her grip on the child's hand tightened slightly.

The boy, sensing the change, looked up at his 'sister' in her poor disguise. Then, he glanced down at his hand—held firmly, but not painfully.

He turned his gaze forward again, his expression unreadable.

---