Boom!
The sky, dark and oppressive, was veiled in thick clouds, blocking out all light.
Thunder roared, and lightning crackled, as if it intended to tear the heavens apart.
Boom!
Another deafening clap of thunder.
The rain began to pour, heavy and relentless, while the wind howled, violently shaking the trees. Raindrops lashed against the windows of the Zhao family villa, making an earsplitting racket.
A few reporters and cameramen, visibly unnerved, quickly made their excuses and left.
Zhao Lisheng stood motionless, rainwater seeping through the slightly open window, soaking his carefully styled hair.
The meticulously groomed strands now clung wet and sticky to his scalp, stripping him of any semblance of his usual elite appearance.
Trying to compose himself, he pulled out his phone, intending to call his powerful connections.
But as soon as he unlocked the screen, he saw two missed calls—both from his contact's secretary.
Without hesitation, Zhao Lisheng dialed back.
Ring... ring... ring...
No answer.
He tried again.
Ring... ring... ring...
Still, no response.
Ring... ring... ring...
On the third attempt, the line finally connected.
Zhao Lisheng exhaled in relief, hastily speaking: "Secretary Jiang, it's Guoliang. Is the leader available now? I—"
The secretary interrupted him in a slow, deliberate tone: "Minister Zhao, I thought you were smarter than this."
Zhao Lisheng's words caught in his throat, leaving him speechless.
The secretary continued, "You've broken the rules. Don't put the leader in a difficult position. The police will arrive soon. If you cooperate, you won't face the death penalty. But if you resist… you know the consequences."
The call ended abruptly.
Zhao Lisheng stood there, clutching his phone, his face burning with shame, while his chest felt icy cold.
He hadn't done anything wrong. It was just bad luck, that's all.
He would bounce back, he was sure of it!
Gripping his phone tightly, a sob suddenly escaped from his throat.
In the midst of the storm, as the wind howled and the rain poured down, a distant wail of police sirens echoed in the air, drawing nearer.
The police would soon arrive to take the once-powerful Minister Zhao in for questioning.
If he was lucky, he wouldn't get the death penalty—maybe just life in prison, or even a reduced sentence after a few years. He reassured himself that this wasn't the end. He could always return, even if it was behind the scenes.
It'll be fine. Everything will be fine, he kept telling himself.
Wiping the rain from his face, Zhao Lisheng straightened his back and walked toward the approaching police cars.
But just as he reached the door, a soft sound reached his ears—tap, tap, tap—the sound of a girl's shoes.
The cheerful melody from before played once more: "Quickly, quickly, catch him. Quickly, quickly, catch him."
Boom!
A bolt of lightning exploded across the sky!
Standing before him was a little girl, dressed in a pink puffer jacket and white pants, smiling sweetly.
The flash of lightning illuminated the long blade in her hand.
Though she appeared frail, this small girl possessed inhuman strength, and with a swift movement, she slammed Zhao Lisheng to the ground.
He fell heavily, watching in horror as the blade descended onto his leg.
A sickening, bone-chilling sound echoed through the air—
His leg was being sawed off!
Humming her haunting tune, the girl's shoes tapped the floor once more as she walked toward his head.
Then, she raised the blade high, ready to strike again...