"Don’t worry... I’m here."

There was a mix of emotions in her eyes when she said that, a bit of guilt, a bit of anger, but also something firm, something that didn’t leave room for doubt.

On the other side, Yan Cijin had already sensed someone approaching long before the door was broken open. With her current perception, she could feel movements from quite a distance, and she knew that whoever was coming wasn’t weak.

That alone had already caught her attention. But she didn’t expect this.

When the door burst open and Bai Li walked in, she was genuinely surprised.

Out of all the possibilities, she hadn’t expected it to be her.

This woman... her neighbor.

The one she had been quietly observing.

The one she had already marked as an anomaly in her life.

Her eyes lingered on Bai Li for a moment, studying her again, the way she stood, the way she held her weapon, the calmness in her expression even in such a situation. This was not someone ordinary. She had already known that. But seeing her here, stepping into a place filled with danger without hesitation, confirmed it even more.

But what surprised her even more was what came next.

"Don’t worry... I’m here."

Those words.

Simple.

Direct.

But for some reason...

They felt different.

Yan Cijin blinked slightly, almost caught off guard by the feeling that rose inside her. It was strange. Very strange. In all her past lives, she had never experienced something like this. She had always been the one protecting others, the one standing at the front, the one facing danger alone. She had never relied on anyone, never expected anyone to come and save her.

And yet, at this moment...

Hearing those words from Bai Li...

She felt something she hadn’t felt in a very long time.

A sense of security.

A feeling... of being protected.

It was unfamiliar, almost unsettling, but at the same time, it wasn’t unpleasant.

In fact...

It felt strangely... comforting.

She quietly flicked her fingers, and the faint blue light lingering at the tip of them dimmed and disappeared without making the slightest sound, so subtle that not a single person in the room noticed anything unusual. To them, it just looked like she slightly moved her hand, nothing more. But that tiny action carried something deeper, something that didn’t belong to an ordinary person. Bai Li herself didn’t think much of it, her attention already locked onto the three men standing in front of her. What she didn’t know though, was that the situation here was completely different from what she had imagined. In her mind, she had stepped in to save someone, to stop something disgusting from happening. But in reality, it wasn’t Yan Cijin who was in danger at all. If anything, these three men were the ones standing on the edge of something far worse. Only Yan Cijin and whatever higher force watched over this world knew what kind of fate these men would have suffered if Bai Li hadn’t shown up right now. Compared to that, what was about to happen next might even be considered mercy.

The three men, on the other hand, were visibly startled at first when the door burst open and Bai Li walked in so suddenly. For a split second, their hearts jumped, and they instinctively stepped back, thinking something serious had happened. But that fear didn’t last long. The moment they saw clearly that it was just a woman standing there, their expressions quickly changed. They relaxed almost instantly, their initial shock turning into annoyance and irritation. In their eyes, no matter how she looked or how she entered, she was still just one person, and more importantly, just a woman. They didn’t see her as a threat at all.

"Damn it, you scared the hell out of me! Where did you come from?" Li Sun, the one with the dyed red hair, said while clutching his chest dramatically, clearly more annoyed than actually frightened. His tone carried that same arrogance as before, as if nothing had really changed.

Bai Li didn’t even hesitate. She stepped forward a few steps, her expression cold, her eyes sharp as she looked at them. "Shut up. You dirty bastards can’t even save your own lives and you’re still thinking about this kind of trash. I’m honestly speechless," she said bluntly, her voice calm but filled with disgust.

"Who the hell are you calling dirty?" Xian Moi snapped back immediately, his expression turning ugly again. "We’re all going to die anyway. You want to die with us or what?" His tone carried both anger and madness, like he had already given up on everything.

A faint cold smile appeared on Bai Li’s lips after hearing that. She didn’t feel the need to argue anymore. Honestly, it felt pointless. With their strength, their mindset, and the way they carried themselves, they were nothing more than insects in her eyes now. She could deal with all three of them in a few seconds if she wanted to. There was no challenge here, no reason to waste words.

Instead of looking at them again, her gaze shifted past them, landing directly on Yan Cijin who stood a little behind. The moment their eyes met again, her expression softened just slightly, though her guard didn’t drop even a bit. "Are you okay, miss neighbour?" she asked, her tone much calmer now.

Yan Cijin, who had been silently observing everything from the moment Bai Li entered, slowly stepped forward. Her eyes lingered on Bai Li for a brief moment, as if trying to understand something deeper about her. Then a small, almost unnoticeable smile appeared on her lips. "Hmm... thanks for your care," she said softly, her voice steady, not showing even a trace of panic or fear.

Bai Li gave a slight nod in response, but her eyes didn’t leave Yan Cijin even for a second.

Seeing Yan Cijin suddenly move, breaking into a quick run straight toward Bai Li without even hesitating, Xian Moi’s expression instantly twisted. For a split second he was stunned, but then his face turned ugly as he immediately chased after her, his voice rising in irritation and anger. "What the hell are you standing there for? The fat sheep that was almost in your mouth is running away, hurry up and chase her!" he shouted, his tone impatient and filled with frustration, like he couldn’t believe they were letting this slip right in front of them.

His words snapped the other two out of their momentary pause. Zhang Xiao and Li Sun exchanged a quick glance before reacting almost at the same time, their expressions turning serious as they rushed forward as well. Whatever hesitation they had before was gone now. The situation had changed, and they clearly didn’t want to lose control of it.

But Bai Li had already moved the moment she saw Yan Cijin coming toward her. Her reaction speed was almost instant. She stepped forward, closing the distance in just a moment, and as Yan Cijin reached her, Bai Li grabbed her arm firmly but not roughly, pulling her behind her in one smooth motion. It was a natural movement, clean and controlled, placing Yan Cijin directly in a safe position behind her without even needing to think about it.

Now it was just Bai Li standing in front.

The three men slowed down and stopped about five steps away from her. Even though their minds were filled with those disgusting thoughts, they weren’t completely stupid. They had already seen the way Bai Li kicked the door open, the way she held that blade, and something about her presence made them instinctively keep their distance. They didn’t rush in blindly.

Xian Moi narrowed his eyes, trying to act confident despite the slight unease creeping into his chest. "What? You trying to play hero now?" he said, forcing out a smirk. "If I were you, I’d just give up already. Don’t think that little broken knife in your hand means anything. We’re three grown men. Taking care of you would be easy." His eyes flicked past Bai Li, landing on Yan Cijin behind her, his smile turning even more disgusting. "Just hand over Dr. Yan nicely. After we’re done... maybe we’ll let you have your turn too."

Li Sun quickly added, his tone almost joking, as if this was all some kind of game to him. "Yeah, exactly. Since we all like her, why not take turns? No need to fight among ourselves. Everyone gets what they want, right?" He chuckled under his breath, clearly finding his own words amusing.

Even though they were talking like this, there was still a bit of caution in the way they stood, the way they watched Bai Li. Deep down, they knew she wasn’t someone completely harmless. There was something off about her, something they couldn’t quite explain, but still enough to make them not rush forward carelessly.

Behind Bai Li, Yan Cijin watched everything quietly. A faint smile appeared on her lips after hearing their words, but it wasn’t because she found anything funny. It was more like she was observing, analyzing. She did have a good impression of Bai Li already, that much was true. But at the same time, she was curious.

Curious about what choice Bai Li would make next.

After all, Yan Cijin understood certain things very clearly. She knew herself, and she also knew how to read people. And from the moment she had started paying attention to Bai Li, she had already noticed something. Something subtle, but enough for her to be sure.

Bai Li wasn’t like those men.

And more importantly... she wasn’t interested in men at all.

Yan Cijin’s eyes rested quietly on her back, her smile faint but meaningful.

So now the question was simple.

Would Bai Li stand in front of her and protect her?

Or would she turn around... and become no different from the people she clearly despised?

Yan Cijin stood still behind Bai Li, not moving, not speaking, just quietly watching everything unfold in front of her. The situation had already turned completely, but her expression didn’t change much, as if she had already expected this outcome from the very beginning. Just then, she heard Bai Li’s cold voice from in front of her, sharp and filled with clear disdain, "You think I’m like you? You’ve lost all shame! Even at a time like this, you’re still thinking about these filthy things. You deserve to be food for the zombies." Her tone wasn’t loud, but it carried a kind of pressure that made the air feel heavier.

The three men froze for a moment, clearly not expecting such a direct response. Zhang Xiao’s face twitched slightly, his earlier confidence already cracking. "Zombies? You mean those monsters outside are zombies? Like in the movies?" he asked, his voice trembling a little as fear slowly crept into his mind. The reality of the situation outside was finally hitting him, and it was far more terrifying than anything happening inside this room.

Bai Li didn’t even bother looking at him properly, her eyes still fixed on them with that same cold expression. "Yeah. So what are you three standing here for? Either come at me together or get lost. Stop blocking the way," she said casually, almost like she was giving them a choice out of boredom rather than mercy.

That tone... it irritated them even more.

"Damn it, you’re asking for it, aren’t you? You really think we won’t dare touch you?" Xian Moi suddenly snapped, his fear turning into anger. In a rush of impulse, he grabbed a wooden stool from behind one of the shelves and charged straight at Bai Li, raising it high as if he was about to smash it down on her head.

But Bai Li didn’t move.

Not even a step.

She simply raised her Tang sword slightly, holding it close to her chest, her movements calm and precise. The moment the stool came crashing down toward her, she swung.

Bang.

The wooden stool split cleanly into two pieces mid air, as if it had been cut by something far sharper than it should have been. The sound echoed in the room, sharp and sudden, and before Xian Moi could even react to what just happened, Bai Li’s blade had already continued forward without stopping.

.

.

.

To be continued.