Chapter 56: BLACK CAT IN THE ABANDONED FACTORY

The Evening Shop was still filled with cheers and laughter. The customers who had been hiding in the corners of the room were now back at their respective tables, enjoying the food and drinks Kai had treated them to. Some of them still occasionally glanced toward the corner table, where Kai and Lydia sat, with admiring looks.

The dim lights on the shop’s ceiling were still glowing faintly, although some of them had shattered from the fight earlier. Clink... Glass shards were still scattered on the floor, and several broken tables and chairs lay in the corner of the room. But no one cared. The atmosphere in the shop actually felt warmer than before.

Lydia looked at Kai from across the table, a small smile on her lips. "You’re very brave," she said softly.

Kai lifted his head, his face a little sheepish. Hff... He wiped the remaining drink still dripping from his hair. "That was nothing. They just weren’t in prime condition."

"Not in prime condition?" Lydia raised her eyebrows.

"Yes," Kai said, still with his sheepish face. "If they hadn’t been drunk, maybe I’d be the one beaten up."

Lydia fell silent. She just smiled, but her eyes looked at Kai with a deeper gaze. She knew that the Ten Gates’ men weren’t people who were easily defeated. She saw for herself how Kai moved—fast, efficient, brutal. Those movements weren’t the movements of an ordinary person. Those movements were the movements of a killer.

But still far from the Grim Reaper, Lydia thought while sipping her beer. Still far.

"Ms. Lydia," Kai said, breaking the silence. "How did you know about the Ten Gates?"

GULP! Lydia choked. The beer in her throat went down the wrong way. Cough! Cough! She coughed several times, her hand covering her mouth.

Kai was slightly surprised. "Ms. Lydia, are you okay?"

Lydia raised her hand, trying to calm herself. Cough... "I’m... I’m fine." Her voice was a little hoarse. "Just... went down the wrong way."

Kai looked at Lydia with a worried gaze, but he didn’t ask further.

Lydia sipped water to clear her throat. After a moment, she spoke again. "They’re a very famous group in this city. Their influence is huge. They almost control all the outskirts of the city. Their businesses are varied—gambling, prostitution, drugs, weapons. No one dares to fight them."

Kai furrowed his brow. "This is the first time I’ve heard that group’s name."

Lydia put on a surprised face. "This is your first time hearing it?" She looked at Kai with a disbelieving gaze. "There’s no one in this city who hasn’t heard the name Ten Gates."

Kai shrugged. "I really just heard it."

Lydia looked at Kai with a deeper gaze. There was something strange. How could someone who could defeat dozens of Ten Gates gangsters alone—without significant injury—never have heard of that group’s name? How could someone who moved like a professional killer not know about the largest criminal organization in this city?

Who are you really, Kai? Lydia thought.

Kai himself was also confused. Why am I just hearing about the Ten Gates now? He tried to remember. Before becoming a teacher, he still took missions—missions to destroy dangerous organizations whose scope could even trigger a world war. He destroyed large organizations, organizations whose names ordinary people didn’t even dare to mention.

Maybe Leonhard didn’t tell me about the Ten Gates because he knew I was busy completing a mission at that time, Kai thought. Or maybe the Ten Gates wasn’t dangerous enough to be on Leonhard’s radar.

Haaah... Kai let out a soft sigh. He decided not to think about it too deeply.

Suddenly, a man approached their table. Tap... tap... tap... The man carried a tray of food and drinks they hadn’t ordered.

"Excuse me," the man said, his voice soft. "This is a gift from my sister. She... she’s the one you saved earlier."

Kai lifted his head. He saw a young girl—maybe around fifteen or sixteen years old—peeking from the hallway leading to the kitchen. The girl looked shy, her face a little red, and her eyes didn’t dare to look at Kai directly.

Kai smiled slightly. He waved his hand toward the girl, saying thank you without words. "Thank you."

The girl seemed to understand. Her already red face turned even redder. She smiled slightly, then disappeared behind the hallway.

The man also smiled. "Thank you, Sir. My sister... she’s very grateful. If it weren’t for you..." He didn’t finish his sentence. "Anyway, thank you."

Kai nodded. "No need to thank me. I just did what I should."

The man nodded, then left.

Kai and Lydia finished their food—including the extra food given as a gift. After finishing, Kai paid for all the orders, including the damage he had caused.

Clink... Cash was placed on the table. Kai then stood up, followed by Lydia.

Tap... tap... tap...

They walked out of the shop. The cold night air greeted them outside. The streetlights glowed dimly, illuminating the sidewalk that was starting to empty.

"Ms. Lydia," Kai said, stopping in front of the shop. "Want me to walk you home?"

Lydia smiled, shaking her head. "No need, Mr. Kai. I can go home alone."

Kai was still hesitant. "It’s already night. And you alone..."

"I’m fine," Lydia cut in, her voice calm. "I’m used to going home alone."

Kai looked at Lydia for a moment. He saw no fear in Lydia’s eyes—only calmness. Finally, Kai nodded.

"Alright," Kai said. "But if anything happens, call me. I’ll come right away."

Lydia smiled wider. "I’ll remember, Mr. Kai."

They parted ways—Kai walked toward his apartment, and Lydia walked in the opposite direction.

On the Street

Tap... tap... tap... Lydia walked alone along the sidewalk that was starting to darken. The streetlights glowed dimly, creating long shadows on the asphalt. The night breeze blew gently, carrying the scent of wet earth from the rain that had fallen a few hours earlier.

Haaah... Lydia let out a soft sigh. She enjoyed the calm of the night—the sound of crickets, the sound of rustling leaves, and occasionally the sound of vehicles passing in the distance.

But suddenly, she heard something. Tap... tap... tap... The sound of footsteps from behind. Lydia glanced back with the corner of her eye. She saw several male figures walking behind her—their distance was quite far, but they were clearly following her.

Hmm...

Lydia kept walking, not quickening her pace. She didn’t want to show that she was aware of them. But she started planning something. She took a different path—not the way home, but the path toward an abandoned factory located on the outskirts of the city.

Tap... tap... tap... Her footsteps were firm. The sound of footsteps behind her grew closer.

At the Abandoned Factory

The factory had long been unused. The building was large and dark, with cracked concrete walls and broken windows. In front, there was a large rusted iron door. Creeeak... The night wind made the door creak softly. Inside, it was dark—only moonlight entering through holes in the leaking roof.

Lydia stopped in front of the factory entrance. She turned around, facing the source of the footsteps.

Tap... tap... tap...

One by one, the male figures emerged from the darkness. There were about twenty of them—double the number that had been at the shop earlier. They wore the same black suits, with the same tattoos. In front of them stood the man with the tattoo on his face—the man Kai had beaten at the shop.

Lydia looked at them with a flat gaze. "What do you want?" she asked, her voice calm.

The man with the face tattoo stepped forward. Tap! Tap! Tap! His steps were deliberately loud, stomping on the dusty ground. "We want revenge," he said, his voice full of anger. "That man... the man who beat us at the shop. We want revenge."

Lydia raised her eyebrows. "Then why are you looking for me? I’m not him."

"Because you’re with him!" The man pointed at Lydia. "You’ll be the beginning. After we catch you, we’ll make him come. And after that..." He smiled, a smile that made Lydia feel disgusted. "I’ll play with your body every day."

Haaah... Lydia let out a small sigh. She shook her head slowly. "I thought the Ten Gates was a smart group. Turns out I was wrong. There are members this stupid."

HAAAH! The man grew angrier. "You dare insult us?!" He pointed at two men behind him. "Catch her!"

The two men stepped forward. Tap... tap... tap... The first was large and muscular, with a bald head and a tattoo on his right arm. The second was thinner, with long hair tied back and a scar on his left cheek.

Lydia just stood in her place. She didn’t move. Her hands were still at her sides.

The two men got closer. Tap... tap... tap... They were almost reaching Lydia—but suddenly, they stopped.

Thud! Thud!

Both men fell to the ground. Their bodies lay motionless.

HAAAH! The man with the face tattoo was shocked. "What happened?!" He looked at his two fallen men. "Get up quickly! Catch her!"

But the two men didn’t get up. They were already unconscious.

Ssss... The sound of a soft hiss. Lydia was still standing in her place, but in her hand, she was already holding a knife—a knife attached to a special rope. The rope was coiled around her wrist, and the knife glinted under the moonlight.

"All of you," Lydia said, her voice soft. "Come on."

HAAAH! All the Ten Gates’ men attacked Lydia.

The Fight Begins

Whoosh! Lydia’s knife flew, attached to the rope. Shlick! The knife pierced the shoulder of one of the men. THUD! The man fell.

Tap... tap... tap... Lydia moved quickly, dodging the incoming attacks. She spun, jumped, and danced among the dozens of men. The knife in her hand moved like a snake—flying, stabbing, and returning.

Sss! The knife pierced a man’s leg. THUD! Lydia kicked another man in the stomach.

CRACK! A man tried to hit Lydia with an iron rod. Lydia dodged, then threw her knife at the rope coiled around the man’s hand. SHLICK! The rope was cut, and the iron rod fell.

CRACK! Lydia hit the man with the knife’s handle. The man fell.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Lydia’s knife flew left and right, binding the legs of approaching men. THUD! THUD! THUD! They fell like falling trees.

Ssss... The sound of a hiss. The knife returned to Lydia’s hand.

Tap... tap... tap... Lydia kept moving. She never stopped. Every movement was efficient, deadly, and beautiful. She was like a dancer dancing in the middle of chaos—but her dance brought death.

SHLICK! The knife pierced a man’s arm. SSS! Blood spurted.

HAAAH! The man screamed in pain.

THUD! Lydia kicked the man in the chin. The man fell, not moving.

One by one, the Ten Gates’ men fell. Their bodies lay on the dusty factory floor. Some of them were still groaning, others were already unconscious.

Haaah... haaah... The man with the face tattoo stood in the middle of his fallen men. His face was pale, his eyes wide, and his body trembling. He didn’t expect it. He didn’t expect that the woman he thought was weak—the woman he thought he could easily catch—was actually a monster.

"Who... who are you really?" he asked, his voice trembling.

Lydia walked toward him. Tap... tap... tap... The knife in her hand was still glinting, blood dripping from its tip. Drip... drip...

"Why do you want to know?" Lydia asked, a mysterious smile on her face.

The man backed away. Tap... tap... tap... "Don’t... don’t come closer!"

Lydia kept approaching.

The man turned around, trying to escape. Tap! Tap! Tap! His steps were fast—but not fast enough.

THUD!

A kick hit the back of the man’s head. THWACK! The man fell to the floor, his face hitting the dust.

Lydia stood over the man’s body. She looked down, staring at the unconscious man’s face. A wide smile appeared on her lips.

"You’ll be useful later," she said softly, her voice almost a whisper.

She put her knife away—twisting the rope mechanism so the knife closed and became an ordinary rope. She rolled it up neatly, then stored it in a small pouch at her waist.

Tap... tap... tap...

Lydia turned, walking out of the abandoned factory. Her black dress fluttered gently in the night breeze. Behind her, the bodies of the Ten Gates lay motionless.

Haaah... Lydia let out a soft sigh, staring at the starry night sky. The mysterious smile still adorned her face.

"Kai Arden," she whispered softly. "You really are interesting. But you’re still far from the Grim Reaper."

She walked away, disappearing behind the shadows of the night.