Chapter 11

On a specially approved supersonic aircraft by the Jueguan Bureau, Yang Yi and several colleagues stared solemnly at the screen showing the Fire Demon.

The aircraft flew at high altitude, below lay an endless sea of clouds, occasionally revealing mountains, rivers, and human cities scattered like ant nests across plains and valleys.

This was her first United Nations mission, and it was even more unusual that it was Akka, one of Earth’s top nations, that had appealed to the UN for help—she’d assumed a country like Akka, even for the sake of face, would swallow its teeth and blood rather than beg; after all, they always called themselves world overlords. Apparently, she’d underestimated their shamelessness.

Besides Yang Yi, the team included Director Zhou Jian, Feng Liancheng, Chen Yushu, and two newly arrived officers—Wei Chang’an and Li Chengxuan—who had just completed a mission clearing exotic lifeforms from Yunnan’s rainforest. Both were B-rank: one controlled air via magnetic fields, the other controlled water.

“This Fire Demon appeared suddenly on the outskirts of Jin Shan City in California. Experts suspect it emerged from a random spatial rift—such events have occurred before, but never before has a sentient species appeared on Earth. This is the first case.”

“Sentient species?” Yang Yi stared at the Fire Demon rampaging through Jin Shan’s city center. Its armor and black greatsword were crude, yet undeniably the work of a sentient race.

How to distinguish a sentient species: use of tools, creation of tools. The day humanity learned to use tools, it separated itself from animals.

“Did Akka try to communicate with it?” Yang Yi asked.

“From the moment the Fire Demon appeared, Akka attempted communication using dozens of languages and auxiliary methods. Unfortunately, it showed no reaction.”

“Doesn’t understand? Or refuses to?”

Feng Liancheng’s fingers danced across his laptop, and soon the Fire Demon’s first appearance location and footage appeared on the main screen.

“Surely Akka’s military isn’t this useless?” Li Chengxuan frowned deeply.

The Fire Demon can trigger explosions in electronic devices using sound waves, and most modern weapons require electricity to operate. Plus, this is in a densely populated city center—in an era where everyone is a self-media creator—they dare not launch hydrogen or nuclear bombs into the heart of the city. That’s why Akka’s military is tied hand and foot.

Director Zhou regarded his subordinates sternly. “You are all elites of our Bureau. Upon hearing this, your first thought should be: if such a monster appeared in our own city, how would we respond? Why did we send so many people this time? This is a rare learning opportunity—a rehearsal.”

Everyone’s expression turned solemn.

Who could guarantee the next such monster wouldn’t rampage through their own nation’s city? How would they respond then?

“Especially you, Yang Yi. You’re the main force this time.” Director Zhou stared at her.

Yang Yi opened her mouth but said nothing.

As if sensing her unease, Director Zhou softened his expression. “Don’t worry. I know you lack experience and haven’t received relevant training. But last time you handled the sea monster, you did well—you have talent. And you’re a precious special asset of our nation. If things turn hopeless, prioritize your own safety.”

He patted her shoulder. “Treat this as training. Build experience for when our country inevitably faces a situation like this.”

“We still have over an hour until arrival. Let’s draft a rescue plan.”

About an hour later, the supersonic aircraft reached Akka.

Akka had been notified. Their supersonic aircraft flew unimpeded, encountering no interception, and entered Jin Shan’s airspace directly.

——

The building where Jesse Kyle worked had been split in half by the Fire Demon. Fortunately, Jesse’s half leaned against a neighboring tower, barely avoiding collapse, but the other half wasn’t so lucky—it shattered like tofu under the Fire Demon’s black greatsword, becoming a grave for countless people.

Jesse clung tightly to the window railing, half his body dangling outside, swaying a hundred meters above ground. His legs had been crushed by a flying desk; he had no leverage. His entire weight hung from his arms.

He couldn’t hold on much longer.

When the Fire Demon split the building, he’d watched his manager get thrown out the window and land on the ground like a meat patty. The 33-year-old overweight office drone beside him, too fat to support his own bulk, had gripped the railing like Jesse but couldn’t hold on—he fell, landing beside his boss in an even larger meat patty.

Did he regret coming to work today? Why hadn’t he taken the day off? Why hadn’t he been near a bomb shelter?

Why had a monster suddenly appeared in the city? Why were exotic lifeforms invading? Why hadn’t he awakened any superpowers?

There were too many whys in the world. Today, his whys were especially numerous.

His vision blurred. In his final moments, he didn’t want to curse fate. He thought of his girlfriend Emma. Though she had a fiery temper—the broken dishwasher had been smashed because she couldn’t shut the door properly after switching detergent—God, why was he thinking about that damn dishwasher now?

His body slipped further. His hands went numb, utterly senseless.

Suddenly, the earth trembled. The Fire Demon was besieged by countless missiles. It roared in fury as dozens of missiles detonated midair, shaking the ground.

The half of the building, still leaning against the neighbor, slid downward again in the shock. Survivors clinging desperately screamed in despair.

“God, save us!”

“No, I don’t want to die!”

“Mom… Dad…”

Jesse watched the ground rush closer. Finally… freedom, he thought.

Had Emma reached safety? He truly regretted not buying her a new dishwasher—no, damn dishwasher, he didn’t want to think of it at the moment of death.

Just as he thought of the dishwasher for the Nth time, he sensed something wrong—why hadn’t he hit the ground yet?

He opened his eyes. His body hung suspended in midair. Countless people falling from the building floated in the air. The half of the building, meant to crash onto the street, now defied physics, slowly drifting toward an empty square.

Then he and countless others drifted gently to the ground like willow fluff.

Saved?

Jesse sat on the ground, gripping a nearby ruin, scanning the surroundings, trying to understand what had happened.

“Look up there! It was her who saved us!”

“That A-rank Awakened!”

“Yes, it’s her! She saved the United Nations last time!”

“Her name is Yang Yi!”

“Oh God, thank you!”

She’d saved them all—why thank God? Jesse even had the presence of mind to think that.

He followed the crowd’s pointing finger. Far in the sky stood a figure, her shoulder-length hair dancing in the wind, arms outstretched, controlling invisible telekinesis to relocate people near the Fire Demon to safety.

“God, she looks like a deity…”

Jesse turned. It was the company’s receptionist downstairs—a beautiful girl—gazing raptly at the tiny figure in the sky, murmuring to herself.

A deity? Jesse asked silently. Indeed, only a god could wield such power…

————

“The Xia nation rescue team has arrived. Please cooperate with our operations!”

Director Zhou immediately contacted Akka’s military upon arrival, but they insisted the UN rescue team must follow Akka’s orders—especially since the entire team was from Xia.

Director Zhou sneered and cut the communication.

“Yang Yi, it’s your turn. Show them how we save people.”

What followed was exactly what Jesse Kyle witnessed.

“Our side has evacuated all civilians near the target. Now, please coordinate with our attack!” Director Zhou reconnected the channel. This time, no one dared say Xia’s rescue team should follow Akka’s orders.

“Initiate the bait operation!”

Yang Yi flew near the Fire Demon, staring at the giant. For the first time in her life, she felt stunned: her height barely reached its forehead; its eyes were half her body size. Even its remaining horn was four or five times her length.

Yet what surprised her was that she felt no fear. The same calm had come over her when facing the sea monster.

These terrifying giants seemed like harmless, ordinary objects—like the chairs and desks around her.

But she was certain she’d never seen such exotic lifeforms anywhere before.

This inexplicable familiarity left her disoriented… and terrified.

That terror drowned out even the tension and excitement of facing a sentient alien for the first time.

The Fire Demon clearly despised this tiny creature that had harmed it. It reached out to grab the only one who could fly—but instantly, it saw the little thing raise its hands. Invisible ropes bound its feet, and it stumbled helplessly to the ground.

Simultaneously, the surrounding armed aircraft launched a dozen missiles.

The Fire Demon gripped a building to steady itself and opened its mouth to roar again.

“Stop it!”

“Its roar triggers bombs prematurely!”

A half-baked Chinese voice crackled in her earpiece, thick with the odd intonation of a Westerner struggling with Xia’s tones.

Hearing that strange accent, Yang Yi frowned.

“Feng Liancheng, clear the communication channel of ‘noise’!” Director Zhou growled.

Akka had directly hijacked Yang Yi’s channel to issue commands—this was a slap in Director Zhou’s face!

Yang Yi suppressed her inexplicable terror, expressionless, and swung a punch into empty air. The Fire Demon’s facial flesh suddenly caved in, struck by an invisible force carrying a thousand tons of weight.

The punch silenced its roar mid-throat, forcing its head to tilt involuntarily.

Moments later, the dozen missiles struck, exploding across its body in bursts of fire and shredded flesh.

Where its armor didn’t cover, wounds ran deep, some exposing bone. Its blood was red like a human’s, but radiated a molten, scorching heat.

The Fire Demon howled in pain—the first time it made a sound other than its roar. Its voice was deep, resonant, with strange cadences, like a curse or an oath.

Was this their language?

As the curse echoed, the Fire Demon roared again. Yang Yi’s eardrums throbbed. She immediately flung her earpiece away. The nail-sized device sparked briefly in midair and went dead.

Yang Yi’s mission was to draw hatred, acting as a “bait,” luring the giant toward the beach where traps were being prepared.

When she flew to within ten meters of the giant, she punched its face from afar, then turned and flew toward the beach.

The enraged Fire Demon chased after her.