Chapter 13: 13 Double-Knife Killer

Amidst heart-wrenching screams, the five rioters were torn apart by Wu and Imaginary Saiwen, reduced to bloody fragments.

Qi Ming crouched down; light spilled from Saiwen, enveloping the unconscious Xiao Xue and healing her wounds.

“From now on, no one will dare to bully you again. Don’t be afraid anymore.”

Xiao Xue’s facial features softened as she closed her eyes; the resentment buried in her chest released, and she grew calm.

Imaginary Saiwen reverted to its toy form; Wu’s figure vanished into the snowstorm.

Qi Ming leapt upward; Saiwen flew toward the horizon, disappearing from everyone’s sight.

“It’s over…” Shan Zhong and Kishida exhaled in relief; the quadruple assault had terrified them.

Deputy Captain Nami Nishijo stared at the five rioters’ corpses, silent.

“I’ll go check on that child.” Emi was deeply concerned for Xiao Xue.

…………………………

“Flying through the sky isn’t bad… but transforming and fighting for two minutes exhausted me more than fighting monsters for two hours in human form.” Qi Ming panted slightly after reverting.

Near him lay Xiao Xue, unconscious; the villagers, now safe, avoided her as if she were a venomous serpent.

No one dared bully Xiao Xue anymore—and no one dared approach her.

“Are you okay?” Emi was the only one who stepped forward, shaking Xiao Xue awake.

Smiling sweetly, Xiao Xue no longer bore her former gloom: “I dreamed of my mother. She was with Saiwen, helping me chase away the bad people.”

Emi fell silent; Qi Ming walked over and greeted them: “Miss Xiao Xue, Team Member Emi.”

“Brother… are you…?” Xiao Xue froze upon seeing Qi Ming.

“Team Member Qi Ming,” Emi replied, slightly uneasy.

She thought Team Member Qi Ming was arrogant and had tense relations with other team members—he’d be hard to get along with.

“Miss Xiao Xue, would you like to leave and see the world? Go to a big city, get into a good university?”

Qi Ming wanted Xiao Xue to escape those who judged her with prejudice.

“But… my mother is here…” Xiao Xue gazed at the endless snow-capped mountains, her eyes filled with reluctance.

Qi Ming’s gaze was deep, as if piercing the softest part of the soul: “Then I’ll go speak with the village chief.”

Emi, sensing Qi Ming’s intent, was surprised—he, who always appeared aloof and superior, cared so deeply for a girl’s feelings.

Worried for Xiao Xue, she followed him and whispered: “Is it because mishandling this might cause the vanished monster to reappear?”

Qi Ming nodded: “That’s part of the consideration.”

Xiao Xue picked up the shrunken Saiwen toy and led the way; Emi and Qi Ming followed behind.

Villagers they passed remained silent, casting furtive, fearful, and hateful glances.

A child tried to say something to Xiao Xue—immediately, his parents, faces pale, clamped his mouth shut and dragged him away.

Xiao Xue’s situation had changed—and yet, it hadn’t.

Seeing this, Emi also felt Xiao Xue needed to leave, to start anew somewhere no one knew her.

At that moment, a whistling sound came from behind; Qi Ming reacted instantly, spinning and kicking.

The attacker flipped twice and a half through the air, landing on the ground, its crimson eyes fixed on Qi Ming in shock.

“An alien!” Emi’s face changed; she shielded Xiao Xue and drew the Victory Hyper Gun.

The alien had antennae on its head, a deep black body contrasting sharply with its silver face, and blades on both hands.

This was the [Zuruk Star Person], appearing in episodes three and four of *Ultraman Leo*.

He was an extremely murderous alien; in the original series, he slaughtered at night, dismembering the father of the Umeda siblings and MAC’s Team Member Suzuki—apparently, he’d been targeting them just now.

But why attack Xiao Xue? Doesn’t he fear [Wu] emerging to fight him to the death?

Yet judging from his demeanor, [Wu] might not even be able to defeat him…

Emi immediately fired; the laser from the Victory Hyper Gun struck the Zuruk Star Person’s right arm as he dodged left.

Enraged by the wound, the Zuruk Star Person raised his left blade, advancing to slash them apart.

Qi Ming stepped forward, blocking his path.

Sensing Qi Ming’s calm, unshakable aura, the Zuruk Star Person grew more uncertain; after a moment’s hesitation, he retreated and vanished into the night.

Qi Ming did not pursue; silently, he marveled that even walking a few steps could bring him face-to-face with a vicious alien—this world’s danger level was truly high.

Had those hidden glances watching him in Mount Chaowu earlier been from the Zuruk Star Person? Had he chosen this moment to strike, hoping to exploit weakness?

Emi soothed the shaken Xiao Xue, then looked at Qi Ming: “Thank you, Team Member Qi Ming.”

From the sharp whistle of his kick just now, she knew Team Member Qi Ming possessed real ability.

Qi Ming replied casually: “No need to thank me. Your reaction was good—you helped.”

As a foreign guest, he seemed unaware of Japanese etiquette… I’m your senior, and yet he speaks like this.

Still, compared to his interactions with Shan Zhong and Kishida, he’d been remarkably polite.

Emi used her PDI communicator to report the situation, casting a shadow over the hearts of Nishijo and the others.

One threat subsided, another arose—the attacks were growing more frequent.

Kishida: “The timing’s seamless.”

Shan Zhong began his sarcastic remarks again: “Didn’t you say you were chasing two monsters alone just now? Then how did you let this alien escape?”

“Team Member Shan, your stupidity always has such creativity,” Qi Ming asked. “Don’t you realize there’s a causal link between these two events?”

Even his body, after consecutive battles, felt exhausted.

He wouldn’t work himself to death like Shinchū Ken’go, burning out his body—that was beyond “what he could reasonably manage.”

In this perilous world, he had to maintain at least a passing level of readiness at all times, ready to fight any sudden threat.

“This alien is dangerous. Stay alert,” Qi Ming warned, recalling the Zuruk Star Person’s bloody record in *Ultraman Leo*.

“How dangerous? Because he survived your kick and ran away?” Shan Zhong retorted; Kishida also thought Qi Ming was making excuses to save face.

Emi shared her impression: “This alien ambushes, has high intelligence, assesses situations, and retreats—I agree we must raise our vigilance.”

Shu Xing Tuan, after viewing the footage captured by Emi’s helmet, immediately recognized the Zuruk Star Person.

He was a terrifying creature; fortunately, Qi Ming was here—otherwise, the outcome would have been unthinkable.

He said: “I agree with Team Member Qi Ming’s judgment. Don’t let your guard down. Find this alien’s trail as soon as possible.”

Hearing their captain say so, Shan Zhong fell silent again.

(End of Chapter)