Just as the robber raised his blade to cut open Rui's gown, a golden flash split the shadows.
The metallic gleam of the knife froze mid-descent as the alley filled with shimmering light.
Zou appeared instantly, materializing between Rui and her attackers.
He caught Rui mid-fall as the wiry thug released her in shock, cradling her against his chest.
Her body felt small and fragile against him, her blood staining his immaculate robes.
With one hand, he gently covered her eyes. "Don't look, Princess."
With the other, he waved his fan in a single, elegant arc.
Invisible threads of light sliced through the air—five sharp lines cutting through the gloom with deadly precision.
The robbers dropped silently, throats cleanly slit, expressions frozen mid-sneer.
Not a sound escaped them as they crumpled to the ground like abandoned puppets.
Blood pooled beneath them, dark and slick in the dim light.
