Ava was not a fighter.
Sure, she could dodge a crowbar to the head and stab someone in the leg if necessary, but she wasn't some battle-hardened warrior like the Shifters running security for the bunker.
Which was probably why, the next morning, Lucas shoved a wooden knife into her hands and said, "Zhou's going to train you."
Ava blinked.
Then blinked again.
She turned to William Zhou, who stood calmly at Lucas's side, his usual unreadable expression in place.
Ava scowled. "Yeah, that's going to be a hard no."
Lucas smirked. "It wasn't a request."
Ava pointed at Zhou. "Your butler assassin is going to snap me in half."
Zhou raised a brow but said nothing.
Lucas leaned against the counter, too amused for Ava's liking. "Think of it as an investment. You can't keep being useful if you die the second a real fight starts."
Ava folded her arms. "That's what I have you for, Bai."
Lucas grinned. "Sure. Until I decide you're not worth saving."
Ava clicked her tongue but didn't argue.
Because, deep down?
She knew he had a point.
She had gotten lucky too many times. If she wanted to keep up in this world, she needed to be more than just the brains of the operation.
She sighed dramatically. "Fine. But if he kills me, I'm haunting you forever."
Lucas chuckled. "Noted."
Zhou stepped forward, finally speaking for the first time. "Come. We'll start now."
Ava groaned. "Oh, great. No time to mentally prepare. Love that for me."
Zhou ignored her.
Lucas just smirked.
And just like that, Ava Zhang's life expectancy officially improved—or, more likely, took a serious nosedive.
Ava had exactly five minutes to regret her choices before William Zhou tried to kill her.
Not actually, of course. Probably.
But as she hit the cold concrete floor for the third time in a row, she was seriously reconsidering her life decisions.
Zhou stood over her, completely calm, unaffected, and vaguely unimpressed.
"Sloppy," he said. "Again."
Ava groaned, rolling onto her side. "You say sloppy, I say creative defense technique."
Lucas, watching from the sidelines, snorted. "That wasn't defense. That was gravity winning."
Ava flipped him off.
Zhou, as patient as ever, offered her a hand. Ava hesitated, knowing it was probably another trick, but took it anyway.
The second she was upright, Zhou struck.
Ava barely had time to react—his hand shot forward, aiming for her center of gravity—but this time, she was ready.
She twisted, moving with the momentum instead of against it, catching his wrist just as her system kicked in.
[ANALYZING MOVEMENT PATTERNS…]
[COUNTER AVAILABLE – EXECUTE?]
Ava didn't think. She just moved.
She sidestepped, shifted her weight, and suddenly, Zhou's attack missed by an inch.
He stopped, his eyebrows raising just slightly.
Lucas's smirk widened. "Huh. Would you look at that?"
Ava exhaled sharply, her pulse thrumming.
She hadn't just dodged on instinct.
She had seen the opening before it happened.
Her system was adapting. Learning.
Zhou studied her for a moment, then nodded. "Better."
Ava smirked. "Damn right it was."
Lucas chuckled, arms crossed. "Let's see if you can do it twice."
Ava had exactly five minutes to regret her choices before William Zhou tried to kill her.
Not actually, of course. Probably.
But as she hit the cold concrete floor for the third time in a row, she was seriously reconsidering her life decisions.
Zhou stood over her, completely calm, unaffected, and vaguely unimpressed.
"Sloppy," he said. "Again."
Ava groaned, rolling onto her side. "You say sloppy, I say creative defense technique."
Lucas, watching from the sidelines, snorted. "That wasn't defense. That was gravity winning."
Ava flipped him off.
Zhou, as patient as ever, offered her a hand. Ava hesitated, knowing it was probably another trick, but took it anyway.
The second she was upright, Zhou struck.
Ava barely had time to react—his hand shot forward, aiming for her center of gravity—but this time, she was ready.
She twisted, moving with the momentum instead of against it, catching his wrist just as her system kicked in.
[ANALYZING MOVEMENT PATTERNS…]
[COUNTER AVAILABLE – EXECUTE?]
Ava didn't think. She just moved.
She sidestepped, shifted her weight, and suddenly, Zhou's attack missed by an inch.
He stopped, his eyebrows raising just slightly.
Lucas's smirk widened. "Huh. Would you look at that?"
Ava exhaled sharply, her pulse thrumming.
She hadn't just dodged on instinct.
She had seen the opening before it happened.
Her system was adapting. Learning.
Zhou studied her for a moment, then nodded. "Better."
Ava smirked. "Damn right it was."
Lucas chuckled, arms crossed. "Let's see if you can do it twice."
Ava cracked her knuckles, shaking out her arms.
She wasn't going down so easily this time.
Ava was starting to get it.
Sort of.
Zhou was fast, efficient, and completely merciless, but he wasn't just beating her into the ground for fun.
Every time he moved, her system tracked his motions, analyzing the angles, timing, and openings in real-time.
She wasn't stronger than him—not even close.
But she was learning.
And that?
That was enough to piss him off.
Zhou struck again, aiming for her ribs, but Ava saw it coming a fraction of a second before he moved.
Her system flashed.
[COUNTER AVAILABLE]
Ava twisted her body just enough to avoid a direct hit, then used her momentum to pivot—
And slammed her elbow into Zhou's side.
It wasn't a hard hit, but it was a hit.
Lucas, still watching from his comfortable spot, let out a low whistle. "Well, well. The newbie's learning."
Ava, breathless but triumphant, took a half-step back, arms still raised.
Zhou, to his credit, didn't look mad.
He looked… thoughtful.
"Your reflexes are improving," he said.
Ava smirked. "Yeah, well, getting thrown on the floor twenty times in a row will do that to you."
Lucas chuckled. "You call it training. I call it character building."
Ava shot him a glare. "I call it abuse."
Zhou, ignoring both of them, adjusted his stance. "Again."
Ava sighed, shaking out her arms.
This was going to hurt.
But if she wanted to survive in this world, she had to keep up.
So she nodded.
"Alright, old man. Let's go."
Zhou raised a brow. "Old?"
Ava grinned. "What, too slow to prove me wrong?"
Zhou attacked instantly.
And this time?
Ava was ready.
Ava hit the ground hard. Again.
She groaned, rolling onto her back, staring at the cracked ceiling of the training room. "You know, Zhou, I'm really starting to think you enjoy this."
Zhou stood over her, calm and unbothered, as if he hadn't just thrown her across the floor for the fourth time. "If you don't want to get hit, learn faster."
Ava sighed. Great advice.
Lucas, watching from the sidelines with a smirk, sipped what was probably an overpriced cup of coffee. "I'd listen to him, Zhang. He's giving you free lessons."
Ava shot him a glare. "How about you come down here and spar with him instead?"
Lucas chuckled, leaning back against the wall. "Oh, no. I like my ribs unbroken, thanks."
Ava muttered curses under her breath, forcing herself to her feet.
Zhou studied her, expression unreadable. "Again."
Ava adjusted her stance, fingers twitching.
Her system had been tracking his movements all morning, running calculations in the background. She was improving, but Zhou was still too fast, too precise.
But.
He had patterns.
And now?
She saw one.
The moment he stepped forward—left foot first, same as always—Ava moved before her system even flashed a counter.
Instead of trying to block or dodge, she did something stupid.
She lunged forward.
Not away. At him.
The movement caught Zhou off guard—only for a second, but that was all she needed.
She twisted her body, using his own weight against him, and swept his leg out from under him.
For the first time, William Zhou hit the ground.
Lucas let out a low whistle. "Well. That's new."
Ava took a half-step back, chest rising and falling fast.
Zhou, still lying on the floor, let out a slow breath. Then, to Ava's absolute shock, he smirked.
"Good," he said, pushing himself upright. "Again."
Ava groaned. "Oh, come on."
Lucas just laughed.
Zhou didn't wait.
Ava barely had time to dodge before he attacked again.