“Hammer, screwdriver, box cutter… uh, should I make pepper spray with chili sauce? 😈”  
“Nah… wasting food would betray poor Niu Niu who’s already gone. 🥺”  

Hua Xin packed her usual trio of tools into her backpack, eyes gleaming with the light of victory.  
She felt…  
Absolutely certain she’d win.  

“Stabbing me in the back, huh? 🔪 Playing spy, huh? Spying on me for five whole years, huh? 😡”  
“Just you wait, Jian Fu Yin Fu—my revenge is coming…”  

The girl recalled how Mu Feng had once been utterly overwhelmed by her sheer presence. That faint trace of fear inside her melted away, replaced by confidence. Her eyes now sparkled with a dangerous glint.  

(Known stats: Mu Feng’s combat power is -4396; Xia Yan’s combat power is 87 million.)  
She wasn’t the same Hua Xin anymore…  
(Hua Xin’s combat power: 0.1)  
Heh heh.  

“Get ready to kneel before Lord Hua!! 😡👊🏻”  

Hua Xin pulled an elastic band from a cheap, bulk-packaged box and deftly tied her long, nearly waist-length hair into a high ponytail, revealing her pale, slender neck.  

Gently, she removed her clothes, then took strips cut from old garments and began tightly wrapping them around her chest.  
Ugh…  
Her naturally prominent curves were slowly flattened down.  
That suffocating feeling returned—as expected, cloth bindings alone couldn’t fully conceal “Hua Xin’s strength.” So…  

Next, she slipped into an oversized black hoodie that fell well past her thighs, perfectly sealing away her figure. 😋  
This was exactly why Xia Yan hadn’t seen through her disguise that night.  

“Sigh…”  
Hua Xin let out a soft sigh. She’d once been the most devoted follower of Da Lei—if someone didn’t have at least a C-rank strength level, she wouldn’t spare them a second glance.  
But… truth be told, it had felt pretty good back then too (kids, don’t ask).  

“Thousands of cups of wine—I’ve drunk them all and never gotten drunk… much less care about wind or rain…”  
Humming cheerfully, she sat by the door and put on her brand-new white sneakers.  
They weren’t as durable or scuff-resistant as her black ones—but they were so cute! 🥰  

Of the 200 yuan Lao Shui sent her, she’d only spent 30 on these simple online shoes; the rest went straight into her secret savings stash.  
Hua Xin stomped her feet happily at the doorway, then spun around once.  
Plain white shoes—nothing special about them at all.  
Yet her expression was as radiant as if she’d just received a priceless treasure, her eyes shimmering with joy.  

“Perfect!”  
“Full of energy!”  

Satisfied, she adjusted her mask and stood solemnly before the door, delivering her parting declaration:  
“Don’t worry…”  
“O Gate of Captivity. 🚪”  
“When I return today, you’ll see the prey 🥩 in my hands.”  
“Today… I’ll treat everyone to something meaty. 😎”  
(Translation: She’d cook without turning on the exhaust fan.)  

With unwavering resolve, she placed her hand on the doorknob and pushed open the door to the outside world.  
Today, she would go to school—on her own!!  

——————  

“She drives her neighbor’s Toyota chasing the sunset; her parents say she’s been everywhere dangerous. Tonight’s rapper on stage is her absolute favorite; she walks up to the bar and orders a whiskey sour first…”  

Old Liu, who’d just finished a full night shift, bobbed his head along to the tune, sipped his cola, and admired the sunrise he’d witnessed for decades. He sighed:  
“People these days just sleep in too late. 😫”  
“What’s with all this sleeping at your age!”  

“Hmm?” 🤔  
Suddenly, he pushed up his reading glasses. A familiar figure had appeared in his line of sight.  

There—walking quickly with her head down, wearing a hoodie even in the sweltering heat—was that socially anxious kid from the neighborhood.  

Old Liu glanced toward the gate. No sign of the usual motorcycle delivery guy…  
Had the kid finally recovered?  
That’s great news…  
After all these years, she’s finally stepping out of the shadows.  

He leaned back in his chair, removed his glasses, and felt a quiet sense of relief.  
“Those unreliable parents… sigh.”  

Knock knock knock.  
“Old Liu! I’m here to take over your shift. Go home and rest—you’ve been up all night!”  
A man in a property management uniform tapped on the glass window with a polite smile, then opened the door.  

“Ah, Xiao Li, you’re here. Take this leftover crayfish—it’s from my order, still warm.”  
“But don’t drink any alcohol, alright?”  
“I’ll head off now.”  
“Got it, got it!”  

After giving his instructions, Old Liu took off his security vest, revealing a trendy graphic tee underneath. He grabbed his foldable smartphone and stepped out of the guardhouse.  
His car was parked nearby.  

Slowly, he pulled out his Xiaomi SU7 key fob from his pocket.  

————————  

(But… isn’t everyone supposed to be half-asleep in the morning? Why are there so many people out already? 😭😭)  
(Don’t look at me, don’t look at me, don’t look at me… 😭😭)  

Hua Xin kept her gaze fixed on the ground, trembling slightly as she walked past countless moving shoes. All her earlier bravado had vanished like smoke.  

When she went out with Xia Yan, she’d just zone out in the car and arrive instantly. But now? She had to walk every step herself! 🥺🤧  

Wait!  
Even if she no longer had a sharp sword—she still had sharp eyes! 😡  

She suddenly lifted her head and locked onto a nearby shop. Her nose twitched as an intensely rich aroma filled the air.  

Bao…  
Baozi!!!  

Her eyes lit up like stars. The scent of meat buns hit her empty stomach—still growling from having eaten only one cookie this morning—like catnip.  

To eat or not to eat…?  
But it smelled SO GOOD! 🤤  
It probably won’t be too expensive…  

Swallowing hard, she found herself drawn toward the stall.  

Thud.  
“Watch where you’re going! Blind or what? Useless brat…”  
A man muttered angrily and strode off without looking back.  

Hua Xin rubbed her sore shoulder silently.  
That hurt… (teary-eyed)  
She was watching where she was going…  

Whatever—baozi first!  
Lao Shui can pay me back later! 😋  

“Hi, what can I get you?”  
“We’ve got pork, beef, lamb, Orleans-style, zucchini, egg, crayfish buns…”  

The rapid-fire list of fillings left Hua Xin dizzy. Gathering her courage, she asked shyly, head still lowered:  
“W-what’s the cheapest meat bun…? 🥺”  

Then—suddenly—it hit her.  
Her heart froze.  
Oh no… 😨  
She’d forgotten to use her fake voice! 😰  

(No no no!! Don’t catch me!! Don’t take me away!! 😱😱😱)  

Hearing that soft, delicate voice, the auntie behind the counter paused. Noticing the girl’s worn-out clothes, a flicker of pity crossed her eyes—quickly hidden as she flipped over the price sign.  

“Pork buns—only two yuan.”  

Huh?  

Hua Xin blinked.  
Right—strangers wouldn’t recognize her! Even in her current form, no one knew who she was! She could walk freely in public without fear!  

So… aside from school, she didn’t actually need to hide like this! She could go out openly! 😡  

But almost immediately, she quietly dismissed the thought and whispered meekly:  
“One… just one.”  

One minute later…  

“Nom nom…”  

Hua Xin crouched in a quiet corner near a willow tree, mask pulled down, and took a big bite.  
“So delicious… 🥺”  

She gazed happily at the steaming meat filling inside the soft white bun, chewing contentedly.  

“Hmm? This flavor…?” 🤔  
She took another bite—and suddenly, tears welled up and spilled down her cheeks.  

“This taste… it’s her favorite—beef baozi…”