activa-t Chapter 274 That was a woman.
Chapter 274 That was a woman.
Su Ming's breath suddenly hitched, the sight before him sending a surge of rage and shock through him. He knew this woman. Su Ming froze for a moment, unable to believe his eyes. Irene stood where light and shadow intersected, her eyes filled with determination. A miniature pistol clutched tightly in her hand, the muzzle pointed directly at the man in black. Her presence seemed to instantly reverse the situation. The man in black hesitated, the anger on his face gradually transforming into a sinister smile.
"So you're still alive," the man in black whispered, a hint of sarcasm flashing in his eyes. "It seems our intelligence was wrong."
"Stop talking nonsense and put your weapon down." Irene refused to back down, the calmness in her voice making it impossible to underestimate her. Her finger was firmly on the trigger, as if unwilling to give the other party any chance to breathe.
Su Ming stood nervously by, his emotions churning. While Irene's presence certainly relieved him, her demeanor made him vaguely uneasy. He couldn't help but whisper, "Irene, what's going on?"
Irene didn't answer immediately, merely staring coldly at the man in black. Her eyes seemed to analyze the situation, her mind racing, searching for the best response. The air in the room seemed to freeze, and everyone's breathing became rapid.
The man in black suddenly chuckled and slowly raised his hands in surrender, but his eyes were filled with a strange coldness. "Do you think you can get him out of here today? You are too naive, Irene."
Irene remained undeterred by the provocation, her gun still pointed steadily at him. Su Ming's emotions were mixed. He couldn't understand why Irene was so calm, as if she had anticipated everything. However, his intuition told him that things were far more complicated than he had imagined.
"We don't have time, Su Ming," Irene finally spoke, a hint of urgency in her eyes, "You have to come with me."
"But these people—"
"They won't take action for now." Irene interrupted him, quickly glanced at the surrounding environment, and continued: "You have to believe me, Su Ming, I can't explain too much."
Su Ming felt bewildered, but he could see Irene's determination, which made him trust her. He nodded and prepared to follow her. However, the moment they turned around, the man in black suddenly roared, pulled out a dagger from his arms, and pounced on Irene.
Su Ming's heart sank, and his body reacted almost instinctively, pushing Irene aside and placing himself in front of her. He felt a sharp pain in his shoulder as the dagger pierced his skin, blood gushing out instantly. He gritted his teeth, enduring the pain, and swiftly fought back, shoving the man in black to the ground.
"Su Ming!" Irene exclaimed, the coldness in her eyes was finally replaced by shock. She quickly fired, and the man in black fell to the ground. The dagger slid to the floor with a crisp sound.
The air was thick with the smell of blood, and Su Ming felt dizzy. The wound on his shoulder burned with pain. He tried to steady himself, but his limbs gradually weakened. Irene immediately stepped forward to support him, her voice filled with obvious anxiety. "You're injured. We must leave immediately."
Su Ming forced a smile and said weakly, "It's okay, I can still hold on."
"Don't be so stubborn." Irene quickly helped him up and took out a piece of cloth from her pocket to temporarily stop the bleeding. Her movements were skillful and fast, obviously she had received professional training.
"Who are you?" Su Ming finally couldn't help but ask, staring at her intently. "Why are you so familiar with all this? Why are you helping me?"
Irene was silent for a moment, a complex emotion flickering in her eyes. She seemed to be weighing something, and finally whispered, "I owe you an explanation, but now is not the time. Save your life first."
Although Su Ming wasn't entirely satisfied with her answer, he knew now wasn't the time to press the issue. They had to leave this dangerous place as quickly as possible. He nodded, gritted his teeth, and followed Irene out of the factory. The night outside was still as dark as ink, as if all danger was lurking in invisible shadows.
Ailin supported Su Ming and quickly led him through several alleys, eventually stopping beside a car parked in a secluded area. She opened the door and quickly helped Su Ming into the passenger seat, then took the driver's seat herself and started the engine. The car suddenly rushed forward, leaving behind all the shadows behind.
The atmosphere in the car was silent and tense. Su Ming leaned back in his seat, his mind still a mess. The pain had blurred his consciousness, but he forced himself to stay awake. He turned to look at Irene and saw that her face was not relaxed at all, but rather deeply worried.
"You...have always known this?" Su Ming asked while enduring the pain.
Irene's hands tightly gripped the steering wheel, her eyes staring straight ahead. After a moment, she whispered, "There are some things I can't tell you, at least not now. But you have to know that I'm not hurting you. I did all this to protect you."
"Protect me?" Su Ming asked in disbelief, "Why? I'm just an ordinary photographer..."
"No, you're not ordinary, Su Ming." Irene interrupted him, her voice filled with a firmness he couldn't ignore. "Your abilities far exceed your own imagination. Your sensitivity to light and shadow is one of the reasons why you became a target."
Su Ming frowned. He didn't believe he had any special abilities, but Irene's words seemed to hold a deeper meaning. The words "light and shadow" suddenly weighed heavily on his mind.
"You mean... I was dragged into this because of my photography?" he asked, confused.
Irene didn't answer, but instead sped up, seemingly unwilling to continue the conversation. Although Su Ming was filled with questions, he understood that pursuing them now would only waste time.
They continued to speed through the night, street lights flickering past the car window. Su Ming's consciousness gradually faded, but he still tried to stay awake. He knew that this was not over, but just beginning.
A few minutes later, the car pulled into a secluded street. After parking, Irene quickly got out, helped Su Ming out, and led him into a dilapidated apartment building. The dim light in the hallway made everything seem even more gloomy. Irene gently pushed open a door. The room contained only simple furniture, clearly a temporary hiding place.
"You rest here, I'll go find some medicine." Irene placed Su Ming on the sofa, with a tone in her voice that did not allow for refusal.