Waking up, I found my face drenched; someone must have just thrown water on me. Before I could make out the faces surrounding me, there was a sharp smack beside me, followed by a woman’s stifled sob.

I twisted my head. Zhao Jiajia was tied to a chair next to me.

Her face was already swollen from the beating, nearly unrecognizable. Boss Tong’s suit jacket lay discarded on the floor, his sleeves rolled up, a leather belt in his hand, sweat pouring down his face.

“You bitch!” Boss Tong spat, raising his hand again, ready to strike Zhao Jiajia with the belt. I shouted urgently, “Stop!” Boss Tong merely glanced at me but brought the belt down hard anyway.

Zhao Jiajia’s face whipped to the side, spitting blood from her mouth onto my face. She seemed too exhausted to cry anymore, only her limbs flailed ceaselessly, a testament that she was still alive.

Gritting my teeth in hatred, I was just about to follow the example from revolutionary films and spit at Boss Tong when I suddenly heard a soft whimper from in the distance. I looked over and saw a girl in a black dress peeking around the edge of a pillar.

Her hands were covering her face, looking as if she couldn’t bear to watch. A million possibilities flashed through my mind: was this Boss Tong’s legitimate wife, his new mistress, or perhaps one of his underlings?

But I soon realized none of those fit, because I saw a flicker of genuine sorrow when she watched Zhao Jiajia being beaten. It finally dawned on me: this must be Zhao Jiajia’s friend.

She must have been the one who alerted Boss Tong while we were waiting for her at KFC. This wasn't a spur-of-the-moment act; her relationship with Boss Tong must be long-standing—she was likely a mole planted by him long ago.

Although Zhao Jiajia appeared fragile, I always knew her to be fiercely strong. If it were only physical pain, she wouldn't be weeping so heartbrokenly.

It had to be the betrayal by her friend that caused such intense emotion. I looked at Zhao Jiajia’s expression and confirmed it: her limb movements weren't from pain, but from pure rage.

Even with her head bowed, her eyes were rolled up, glaring fiercely at the girl in the distance. I heard her mumbling, “Why… why did you sell me out?

Just for money?” Her words solidified my suspicion. In truth, it wasn’t surprising; for a possessive man like Boss Tong, planting a spy or two would be standard procedure.

It was just that our luck had run out so completely. “What are you shouting for!” While I was thinking, Boss Tong suddenly roared at me.

I flinched, about to curse back, when the leather belt in his hand swung towards my face. Crack.

A searing pain erupted on my face, and stars exploded behind my eyes. Before I could recover, Boss Tong delivered a heavy kick directly to my injured leg.

The intense pain made every muscle in my body seize up, cold sweat dripping down my forehead. The violent agony stole my voice, and Boss Tong followed up with two more savage lashes across my back.

Then I heard a snap on my back, followed by splinters raining down from above, and a trickle of crimson blood running down my neck. I knew Boss Tong must have used the chair to strike my back.

The pain was so crippling I couldn't straighten up; my entire body shook like a sieve, and I nearly bit my lip until it bled. Seeing that I was on the verge of collapse, Boss Tong brought over a basin of ice water and dumped it over my head.

He then yanked my hair, forcing my head up, and spat directly in my face. I convulsed in disgust, but my hands were bound so tightly they were nearly rubbed raw, yet I couldn't break free.

I could only stare back at him with bloodshot eyes. Boss Tong seemed pleased, laughing heartily.

“Aren’t you so domineering, so arrogant? Go on, take her and run!

See where you can flee this time! You son of a dog!” I finally couldn’t hold back and spat a mouthful of saliva at him, which only earned me another brutal beating.

This time, a heavy impact from the chair struck my head, and my consciousness began to fade into a haze. But as my mind swam groggily, I heard Boss Tong saying to Zhao Jiajia, “You bitch, did you think I didn’t know you called the police?

I hadn’t had my fill of you yet, so I pretended to know nothing. But every cent you wired out was intercepted by me, because I planned revenge.

Furthermore, I know everything about you flirting with that other boy at school—that’s why he got into a car accident.” I was stunned by this revelation; it must have wounded Zhao Jiajia even deeper. Indeed, after he finished speaking, a furious, cat-like screech erupted beside me.

I knew Zhao Jiajia was on the absolute brink. Boss Tong had indirectly caused the deaths of her parents and her lover, pushed her into a state of total abandonment, and now planned to kill her—this was perhaps the deepest, most profound vengeance in the world.

And then, Boss Tong declared, “Come on, strip her clothes. She’ll be a corpse soon enough anyway.

Boys, let’s have some fun!” I was consumed by rage, struggling to lift my head. I saw several leering construction workers approaching to strip Zhao Jiajia’s clothes.

Others in the background were already unbuckling their belts, grinning wickedly in anticipation. “No… no…” Though Zhao Jiajia had almost lost the strength to speak, she cried out in despair.

I couldn’t bear to watch anymore, my teeth grinding audibly. My chest felt crushed by a thousand-pound weight; I couldn't draw a breath.

Just as the workers stepped closer to Zhao Jiajia, I felt a sudden warmth spreading from my trouser pocket. Then, the scene before my eyes shifted drastically.

In the pitch-black warehouse, the figures shrouded in shadow began to faintly glow. Looking closer at those nearest to me, the luminescence was clearer; I could even trace the movement of the energy currents within their bodies.

“What is this?” I gasped, realizing that the pain in my injuries was vanishing at an incredible speed, and my whole body was filled with an inexplicable power. “The power of Nian is back!” It took me a full three seconds to process what was happening.

At that moment, the leading worker had ripped Zhao Jiajia’s outer shirt, revealing her undergarments. But as the man reached to pull down her bra, he suddenly flew backward as if struck by a truck, landing five or six meters away with a thud against a row of paint cans, letting out a wretched howl.

This was utterly supernatural. Everyone present froze, dumbfounded.

For a split second, the entire world fell silent. Everyone stood rigid, staring at each other.

About ten seconds later, Boss Tong managed to ask the man next to him, “What the hell just happened?” The man stammered, “I… I don’t know. It looked like something knocked him flying!” Boss Tong paused, wiped the sweat from his face, slapped the man, and ordered, “What are you standing there for?

Help him up! See if he’s hurt!” The man, bewildered by the slap, finally snapped to attention with an “Oh,” and ran over to haul up the person sprawled near the metal cans.

Soon, the man was slowly helped back, and Boss Tong demanded, “What happened just now?” The man shook his head. “I don’t know.

It felt like something bumped me.” Silence descended again. After another ten seconds, it seemed everyone had forgotten the strange event.

One worker asked, “Boss, are we still going through with this woman or not?” Boss Tong gritted his teeth. “We’re doing it!

Why wouldn’t we!” Then, three or four men charged toward Zhao Jiajia. But as they reached her, there was a soft poof in the air, and a massive force hurled all three of them backward, sending them skidding three or four meters away before they rolled to a stop.

This time, everyone was completely bewildered. Even the terrified Zhao Jiajia stopped crying and stared around with wide eyes.

“Damn it! What in hell is going on!” Boss Tong pulled out a handgun and scanned the area, obvious panic in his eyes.

Just then, the ropes binding Zhao Jiajia began to writhe like snakes, slowly starting to untie themselves automatically. Though the sight made Boss Tong’s scalp prickle, he commanded, “Quick!

Hold the ropes! Don't let her break free!” This time, over a dozen men rushed forward and managed to hold the ropes down, finally avoiding being repelled.

They were all sweating heavily from the effort. At that moment, the ropes binding me also began to move.

The remaining workers rushed over to secure my bonds. Seeing both of us restrained, Boss Tong seemed to let out a breath of relief.

“What the hell is this, magic? Can you do illusions, kid?” He glared fiercely at me, but I just smiled back at him innocently.

Seeing that I had been nearly beaten to death but now possessed some hidden energy, he was startled and cursed, “It really is you causing trouble! You think this cheap trick can fool me?

I’ll shoot you first!” He raised the gun, preparing to fire. Zhao Jiajia cried out from beside me, “No!” But it was too late.

The gun shot up from Boss Tong’s hand and hovered in mid-air. The muzzle slowly pointed directly at him.

Boss Tong’s face instantly drained of color, and he froze rigid. I chuckled, “Aren’t you running?

Want a bullet wound?” Boss Tong snapped back to reality, turned, and fled, shouting, “Don’t kill me! Don’t kill me!” But after only two steps, there was a snap, the firing pin struck, and the bullet lodged itself in his calf.

Boss Tong stumbled and crashed to the ground, his whole body trembling violently. He cried out, “This!

What kind of dark sorcery is this!” I smiled faintly. “My apologies.

That was one shot returned to you.”