Suddenly, the peaceful atmosphere of the amusement park was interrupted by the sharp, loud sound of "bang, bang, bang!" echoing through the air. The noise sent ripples of panic through the crowd as people began to scream in terror.
"Was that gunfire?"
Kaguya stood up swiftly, her eyes narrowing as she tried to assess the situation. She glanced outside through the window, her instincts on high alert.
The amusement park had descended into chaos. The once bustling crowd scattered in every direction, people fleeing in panic, colliding with one another in a desperate attempt to escape. This only worsened the congestion near the exits, leaving many trapped. Cries and screams filled the air, accompanied by the sharp sound of gunfire and, occasionally, heart-wrenching screams that abruptly stopped—an indication that those unfortunate souls had likely met their end.
To make matters worse, explosions rang out in the distance, loud enough to send shivers down anyone's spine. The assailants had explosives.
At first, Kaguya thought this was just a typical shooting incident, but it soon became apparent that this was far more organized and large-scale. The continuous gunfire, coupled with sporadic explosions, suggested a coordinated group, not just a lone attacker.
Could they be terrorists?
Before long, the distant wail of police sirens could be heard, followed by the heavy hum of helicopters circling overhead. The authorities and military were clearly alerted to the incident, and given the gravity of the situation, they had arrived in record time.
The sound of gunfire and explosions grew more intense, and in the distance, plumes of fire and thick black smoke rose into the sky. Dust and debris scattered like falling snowflakes, adding to the already grim atmosphere.
It was clear the military had engaged in combat with the terrorists.
Inside the restaurant, chaos reigned. Plates, cups, and bowls lay shattered on the floor, tables and chairs were overturned, and panicked patrons and staff members scrambled for the exits.
"Don't go outside! It's dangerous!" Kaguya shouted in vain.
Outside, gunfire and explosions raged. Venturing out now would be suicide.
But the people, already consumed by panic, ignored her warnings and continued rushing towards the exits like headless chickens. Kaguya tried to stop them, but there were simply too many, and in their irrational state, they nearly trampled her as they surged forward.
"Stop—"
Before she could finish, a deafening explosion rocked the building. The shockwave, laced with heat, slammed into Kaguya, throwing her across the room like a rag doll. She crashed into the wall, leaving a sizable dent.
Kaguya scrambled to her feet, barely pausing to wipe the blood from her lip. The sight that greeted her froze her in place.
The restaurant's entrance was a scene of horror. The people who had rushed out moments earlier were now nothing but a bloody mess. The bomb had reduced them to a pile of mangled limbs and shredded bodies, their flesh and bones strewn across the floor. Even the ground was painted a gruesome dark red from all the blood.
"Damn bastards!" Kaguya cursed, eyes blazing with fury. Her fist clenched so tightly it left an imprint on the floor as she punched it.
Suddenly, she remembered something. Heart racing, she dashed back toward the restaurant's interior, her mind only easing when she saw Qiao Xiaoqing and Kaguya still safe by the table.
"What's going on outside?" Qiao Xiaoqing stood up calmly, asking with an air of authority. "What happened?"
Though she was part of a special operations team and accustomed to these types of situations, the distant booms and rumbles left her with a growing sense of dread.
"It's bad," Kaguya replied, her expression dark. "It looks like terrorists. They have guns, bombs, and possibly even heavier weapons."
"Heavier weapons?" Qiao Xiaoqing furrowed her brows. "How could they have smuggled such equipment through customs?"
"These aren't ordinary people," Kaguya added. "Regular civilians wouldn't have access to this level of firepower."
"You mean..." Qiao Xiaoqing's eyes widened in realization.
"Exactly. It's likely that internal forces have been compromised, working with foreign adversaries," Kaguya responded gravely.
"This is serious." Qiao Xiaoqing frowned, clearly troubled. Without her usual mission gear, she felt somewhat helpless in this dire situation.
Just then, she felt a reassuring squeeze on her hand. She turned to see Kaguya smiling at her, a calm and confident expression that helped ease her nerves.
Right, with Kaguya here, there was nothing to fear.
Suddenly, the sounds of chaos grew louder from outside the restaurant. Soon, a large group of people came rushing in—men, women, the elderly, and children—all with terror etched on their faces, their movements frantic and uncoordinated as if they were being herded like sheep.
Kaguya's face darkened. "We need to move upstairs, now. The terrorists are coming."
She suspected that these terrified people were being used as hostages by the terrorists, who were likely hot on their heels.
Without waiting for a response, Kaguya reached out instinctively to grab Qiao Xiaoqing's hand, but she quickly withdrew, catching herself before making contact. This earned a stifled laugh from Qiao Xiaoqing, who was promptly silenced by a sharp look from Kaguya.
The restaurant had three floors. The first two levels were for general dining, while the third floor was reserved for more luxurious events, often used for grand banquets. Given how expensive the regular menu was, it wasn't hard to imagine how much more extravagant the third floor must be.
But luckily, today they weren't there to dine.
Their luck, however, wasn't great. Not long after they ascended to the third floor, the flood of terrified hostages surged up the stairs behind them, followed closely by terrorists clad in green camouflage, their faces obscured by masks, wielding assault rifles.
"Get down!" one of the terrorists, a burly man, barked, kicking a middle-aged man to the ground. Before the poor victim could rise, the terrorist coldly pulled the trigger of his pistol.
"Bang!"
Blood splattered across the room.
Screams erupted as the man's blood sprayed across the floor, his body crumpling lifelessly.
"Shut up!" the terrorist roared, waving his gun menacingly. "Anyone who makes a sound will get a bullet in the head!"
The hostages immediately fell silent, their trembling bodies huddled on the ground. The only sounds that remained were the stifled sobs of women and children.
The terrorist surveyed the cowering hostages, seemingly satisfied with their fear. But then, something—or rather, someone—caught his eye. He grinned and began walking toward Kaguya and Qiao Xiaoqing.