Wanlong Shopping Center, this colossal structure with over a hundred thousand square meters of usable space, was currently undergoing extensive renovations in full swing.
The construction site was bustling with activity, filled with the roar of machinery and the sounds of workers laboring away.
Liu Yutong, Yun Cheng, and others, wearing white hard hats, weaved through the site accompanied by the project manager in charge of construction and several technical staff.
The project manager pointed at various areas while giving his report.
"Miss Liu, look over here. The partitioning for the anchor stores in Zone A is basically complete, and the progress for pre-buried water and electrical pipelines has reached 65%..."
"The steel structure for the atrium's skylight has been successfully joined, and the installation of the glass curtain wall will officially commence next week..."
"The laying of fire sprinkler and ventilation ducts is proceeding simultaneously. We will absolutely ensure it passes inspection on the first try..."
"Miss Liu, rest assured, all the materials we are using are procured strictly according to your requirements..."
Liu Yutong gave a slight nod. Yet, despite the project manager's various assurances, she still decided to personally inspect some details.
When she encountered something she didn't understand, she would ask the professional borrowed from Yu Mo's company who was by her side.
Only after confirming there were no major issues would she proceed to the next area.
The group arrived at the core of the under-construction Zone C, where enormous intersecting steel beams and the yet-to-be-capped dome loomed overhead.
This was also the final area of their inspection.
Just as Liu Yutong was about to ask approximately how long it would take to complete construction and handover,
figures suddenly moved at the edge of the high steel framework above.
Immediately after, a low utterance of "Now!" faintly drifted down from above.
Before Liu Yutong and the others could react, several stone slabs plummeted down from the height without warning, aimed directly at Liu Yutong's position.
Yun Cheng, who had been maintaining high alert, looked up and spotted the anomaly instantly, his expression changing drastically!
"Miss, look out!"
Acting on instinct, Yun Cheng lunged forward with great force, shoving Liu Yutong away from the spot, while using the momentum to roll forward himself.
Thud!
They both landed heavily, one after the other, on a neatly stacked pile of relatively soft fireproof acoustic insulation material nearby.
Liu Yutong grunted, her vision swimming for a moment, her white hard hat knocked off. Mainly because Yun Cheng had pushed her with such immense strength.
Almost at the exact same moment they hit the ground!
Bang! Crash!
Deafening crashes rang out consecutively as those stone slabs smashed onto the concrete floor where Liu Yutong had just been standing, instantly shattering into pieces!
Dust billowed, and shattered fragments of stone flew everywhere!
"Miss!"
Yun Cheng didn't hesitate. He scrambled up and used his body to shield Liu Yutong's position.
Several Wanlong Hui members around them also snapped into action, rushing forward without a second thought, instantly forming a human wall that tightly protected Liu Yutong at its center!
These Wanlong Hui members, regardless of their usual personalities, at this life-and-death moment, didn't even think—they simply acted.
"We must protect the Miss!"
"The Miss's life is more important than all of ours combined!"
Falling rubble pelted their backs, arms, legs, and bodies like hail, yet they stood firm, gritting their teeth and bearing it without a single sound.
As the dust settled slightly, it revealed Liu Yutong, shielded at the center.
She pushed herself up from the insulation material, her black long hair slightly disheveled, with some minor scrapes on her forehead and wrist, but fortunately, she was otherwise unharmed.
Seeing the Wanlong Hui members forming the human wall before her, ignoring their own pain, Liu Yutong had no time for pity or to look up and see what the assassins looked like.
But no matter who they were or how many there were, they absolutely could not be allowed to escape!
The immediate priority was to evacuate to the open, safe area outside, to prevent the assassins from launching a second attack.
From such a height, anything falling and hitting a person could be fatal.
"Everyone, run outside now!"
Yun Cheng and the Wanlong Hui members, ignoring the pain in their bodies, immediately tightened the protective circle, firmly shielding Liu Yutong at its core as they covered her rapid retreat.
Above, several assassins watched as the dust cleared and saw that their target was unharmed, their faces turning ashen.
"Damn it, she's still alive! Quick! Again!"
"Throw whatever you can! We must crush that woman to death!"
Just as Liu Yutong and her group were sprinting downstairs, the assassins hurled more objects down. This time, it wasn't just stone slabs, but also steel rebars, metal angle irons, and other lethally heavy items.
Coupled with the inherent clutter of the construction site, even while running, the group's speed was limited. Someone even tripped over something.
When those objects rained down from above, some people found it impossible to dodge.
"Protect the Miss!"
A member of the Ten Thousand Dragons Society, positioned somewhat farther from Liu Yutong, was Zhang Tao, the one who had recently returned from the southern district. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw several steel rebars with sharp ends hurtling toward Liu Yutong's back. Without a moment's hesitation, he made a decision that bordered on suicidal.
Zhang Tao immediately snatched up a roughly half-meter-long, arm-thick square wooden plank from the ground and swung it fiercely upward at an angle!
He actually intended to try and knock those rebars away.
Although he knew the odds of failure were high, and that a single misstep could cost him his life, he charged forward regardless.
Thwack!
Crack!
The wooden plank whistled through the air and actually struck the sides of two of the rebars, deflecting their trajectory. They shot past Liu Yutong's side with a shriek and plunged deep into the concrete floor nearby.
However!
The third rebar, carrying terrifying penetrating force, slammed straight through the left arm he had just raised!
"Ahhh—!!!"
Zhang Tao let out a blood-curdling scream, clutching his agonizing arm as he collapsed to the ground. Blood instantly stained the black uniform he wore.
His body even convulsed violently, beyond his control, but his fading consciousness remained fixed on the Young Lady's direction, desperate to confirm her safety.
Seeing that the Young Lady was unharmed, a faint, relieved smile touched his trembling lips.
It was good that the Young Lady was safe!
"Zhang Tao!"
Liu Yutong, still running, whipped her head around just in time to witness the gruesome scene.
An unprecedented surge of fury, heartache, and icy killing intent instantly flooded her heart.
Yun Cheng also saw it happen, his eyes nearly bursting from their sockets.
He shoved Liu Yutong toward the entrance of the emergency exit, then turned back without a second thought, along with two other Ten Thousand Dragons Society members. Braving the still-falling, potentially lethal debris, they desperately dragged the fallen Zhang Tao to his feet and quickly pulled him toward safety.
Fortunately, they managed to avoid further injury on their way back.
However, several ordinary construction workers in their forties who had been working on the first floor, along with two of the technicians accompanying Liu Yutong's inspection, were not so lucky.
One was struck on the head by a brick. Thankfully, his safety helmet was of good quality and held, so he survived, though he was knocked unconscious.
The others sustained injuries of varying severity: fractures, legs gashed by shattered concrete, broken ribs—all serious wounds.
Finally, the group scrambled out to the safety of the open area outside.
Liu Yutong didn't even have time to compose herself, her eyes locked on the exit.
Only when she saw Yun Cheng and the others emerge safely, bringing the severely injured Zhang Tao with them, did she allow herself to breathe a slight sigh of relief.
