The crack of the second shot was louder in the tight office. Splinters flew from the desk as Lian rolled behind the metal filing cabinet. Her knife gleamed in her hand, but it would not be enough against the pistol. She cursed under her breath.

  The man moved without hesitation, footsteps quick but precise. He was no ordinary guard. His gun tracked smoothly across the room, sweeping the shadows.

  Kai’s voice cut in, sharp and urgent. “That’s a professional. His stance, his speed… Lian, don’t trade bullets. Close the gap.”

  She didn’t need the advice. She already knew.

  The man’s gun swung toward her hiding spot. Before he could fire, she kicked the filing cabinet hard, toppling it forward. It crashed into his knees, throwing his aim wide. She lunged low, knife ready, but he twisted with surprising agility. His elbow smashed into her temple, making stars explode in her vision.

  She staggered but didn’t fall. He raised the pistol again, but she grabbed his wrist, twisting it upward. The gun went off, the bullet punching into the ceiling with a deafening crack.

  The struggle turned brutal and close. He was strong, his muscles straining as he tried to bring the barrel back down. She gritted her teeth, slashing with her knife. The blade sliced across his forearm. He hissed but didn’t let go.

  He rammed his forehead into hers. Pain burst white across her skull, but her grip stayed firm. She let the pain fuel her. In one fluid motion, she drove her knee into his stomach. The air whooshed out of him, and the pistol clattered to the ground.

  She slashed again, this time deep across his chest. He staggered back, clutching the wound, but his eyes burned with fury. He pulled a combat knife from his belt, blade long and serrated.

  Kai’s voice whispered, “He’s bleeding heavy, but he’s not slowing down. Careful, Lian.”

  The man charged. Their knives clashed, steel ringing against steel. Sparks lit the small office. Her movements were sharp, precise, honed by years of training. His were raw power, wide arcs meant to overwhelm.

  She ducked under a slash and cut his thigh. He roared, spinning with surprising speed, the serrated edge grazing her arm. Hot blood ran down her sleeve.

  For a moment, they circled, breathing hard, eyes locked. Hao whimpered from behind the overturned desk, forgotten by both.

  Then Lian feinted left and struck right, her blade plunging deep into his side. He gasped, eyes wide, and tried one last desperate swing. She stepped in close, twisting the knife upward, then yanked it free.

  The fight ended with a thud as he collapsed, blood pooling dark around him.

  Silence filled the room, broken only by Hao’s shivering breaths.

  Lian stood over the body, chest rising and falling steadily. Her arm stung where the blade had caught her, but she ignored it. She wiped her knife clean on the man’s vest, then turned her attention back to Hao.

  He had pressed himself into the corner, face pale and slick with sweat. “I told you everything,” he stammered. “Dock 14. The girls. Just let me live. I can pay you. I can—”

  This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

  Lian crouched in front of him, knife resting lightly in her hand. “You don’t understand,” she said softly. “This isn’t about money.”

  His eyes widened.

  She pressed the blade under his chin again. His body shook, tears welling in his eyes.

  Kai’s voice came quietly in her ear. “Lian. Containers first. Time is running. We don’t know how long until someone notices the silence out there.”

  She looked at Hao for a long moment. His lips trembled, words dying before they left his mouth.

  Finally, she stood. “Dock 14,” she said flatly, and turned away.

  “Wait!” he cried, scrambling after her. “Please! Don’t leave me here with—”

  The rest of his words were cut off as she closed the door behind her.

  The night air felt sharper after the blood and heat of the fight. She moved quickly through the stacks of containers, following the numbers stenciled in peeling white paint. Her boots echoed softly on the concrete, the sound swallowed by the distant hum of ships.

  Kai guided her through the maze. “Straight ahead. Left at the fork. Dock 14 is clear on thermals, but I’m not trusting that until you see it.”

  Her breath came steady as she turned the corner. The three containers sat side by side, dark red steel with heavy padlocks. They looked ordinary, just another shipment among thousands, but she could almost feel the weight of fear inside them.

  “Kai. I need the codes.”

  She unfolded the slip of paper Hao had given her. The numbers were scrawled in shaky handwriting. She read them out while pressing them into the electronic locks. One by one, the padlocks clicked open.

  The door of the first container creaked as she pulled it. The smell hit her like a punch—sweat, fear, and the stale air of too many hours trapped inside.

  Inside, huddled against the walls, were a dozen young girls. Their eyes widened at the sudden light, faces pale and gaunt. Some clutched each other, others pressed back in terror.

  Lian lowered her knife and softened her voice. “You’re safe now.”

  The words felt strange on her tongue. Safe was not something she could promise, not in this world. But it was what they needed to hear.

  A girl near the front, no older than ten, stared at her with wide eyes. “Are you… police?” she whispered in Cantonese.

  Lian shook her head. “No. But I’ll get you out.”

  Kai’s voice crackled softly. “Lian… you need to move fast. We can’t bring them back to the van. Too risky. I’ll call in a contact, someone who can handle this. You just get them out of the cages.”

  She nodded and opened the other two containers. More girls spilled out, some stumbling on weak legs, others clinging to her as if she were the only solid thing in the world.

  For a moment, the weight of it pressed on her chest. Each face was a reminder of why she did this, why she had chosen this life.

  She led them toward the dock’s edge, keeping them together with calm gestures and soft words. The harbor breeze lifted their tangled hair, carrying away the worst of the stench.

  Headlights flickered in the distance. A black van approached slowly, its engine purring.

  Kai’s voice came again. “That’s Mei’s team. They’ll take it from here.”

  The van rolled to a stop, doors opening to reveal two women in plain clothes. They moved quickly but gently, guiding the girls inside, wrapping blankets around their shoulders.

  Lian stood back, knife still in her hand, watching each of them climb into safety.

  When the last girl was inside, Mei herself stepped out. She was short, wiry, with quick eyes that missed nothing. She gave Lian a curt nod. “You always bring me the hard cases,” she said quietly.

  “They were waiting in metal boxes,” Lian replied, her voice flat.

  Mei’s eyes softened slightly. “I’ll take care of them. You know I will.”

  Lian nodded once. That was enough.

  The van pulled away, taillights fading into the dark. Silence settled again over the dock.

  Kai’s voice broke it. “You did good, Lian.”

  She turned her eyes back toward the warehouse, where Hao still waited. Her hand flexed unconsciously on the hilt of her knife.

  But the night was almost over, and there were still things to finish.