Warning: The following chapter contains scenes involving violence and harm to a minor. Please proceed with care.

In the dimly lit alley, a woman stood, hair loose and tangled, falling across an expressionless face. Smudged lipstick blurred her mouth. Nail scratches scored her neck, peeking from beneath the loosened collar of a jacket that barely clung to one shoulder. Her fingers rested lightly, almost possessively, on the shoulder of the boy, who barely reached her chest.

Lily studied the boy’s trembling form and repeated her question, calm but firm. “Is there a problem here?”

The woman sighed, her voice measured. “My nephew got into a fight earlier in the evening. He was upset after I scolded him in front of his friends, so he ran away. Thank God I noticed when I got up to fetch water for my partner and came out to look for him.” She spoke casually, masking the chaos of their appearances, knowing anyone witnessing the scene would assume a different story.

Lily nodded, her tone softening. “Young teenagers are hot-headed these days. Let’s get out of here and talk slowly. The smell from the bin is making me nauseous.”

Ava’s eyes tracked Lily’s subtle movements—the tension in her shoulders, the way she cleared the narrow path for them without a word.

As they moved, the woman took off her jacket, revealing a compact, powerful frame. Broad shoulders tapered into a firm torso; her arms, thick with trained muscle, held in quiet, controlled poise. She draped the jacket over the boy’s shoulders as they stepped into the dim light. “You could catch a cold. Why go out in such thin clothes?”

Ava’s fury kept building up by the second as she caught sight of the ambiguous marks on his arms and neck vanishing beneath the jacket, as his swollen, pained face slumped into his neck.

Lily intervened, voice gentle. “He must be terrified. Why don’t we let him relax while I talk to you. He’s still a teenager. I think I understand him better—being closer to his age. I can help you see the situation from his side.”

She removed her headphones and placed them over the boy’s ears. Ava’s blood boiled, her heart racing, her sence of reason teetering. She noticed the faint lipstick smudges near his ears, the subtle pressure lines on his cheeks. Even Lily’s hands quivered briefly, though she masked it quickly.

“It sure is a cold night. Here, listen to some music while I talk to your aunt,” Lily said, tapping quickly on her phone and slipping it into the boy’s hands before the woman could respond.

“Miss, let’s talk over there. Give him some time alone to think.”

Lily guided the woman toward the roundabout, her grip light yet insistent. Then she smiled and asked, almost politely, “No offense, but can you prove he’s related to you? Are you his guardian? Running off at this hour isn’t something to be taken lightly. What if he runs into the wrong kind of people?”

The woman shrugged, a careless roll of the shoulders. “Me? Of course I am. I’m his aunt. His father is on a business trip and asked me to take care of him.” Her smile thinned. “As for danger, don’t worry. I’ll make sure this is the last time he behaves like this.” ava felt goosebumpses from this promise

Her tone shifted as she continued, sharpening with each word. And you,” she added, eyes sliding back to Lily, “what are you doing outside at this hour? Aren’t you afraid of running into the wrong kind of people?”

Even while she spoke, her gaze never stayed on Lily for long. It kept drifting past her, fixed on the distant figure, unblinking, patient, the way snakes watch their prey.

Ava, knowing well she is invisible to them, stood in the way, trying to block her line of sight as she herself faced him. Her eyes glistened as her breathing slowed, watching him retreat one careful step at a time. She did not look back, but she listened, every word cutting through the tension filling the air.

Lily ignored the earlier questions. “Did you inform his father about this?” she said. “Why don’t you call him now? Even if it’s late, I’m sure he’d want to know.”

The woman smiled without warmth. “I appreciate your concern for my dear nephew,” she replied, voice soft, almost indulgent. “But what I’d appreciate more is you letting us go home already.” she seemed to catch his small movement. In a sudden burst she shoved Lily aside.

“Baby, come here,” she crooned. “Be good. If you go back obediently, I’ll forget what you did.”

Time seemed to lock in place. Lily lay on the ground, fingers pressed to her head, not quiet covering the red liquid slowly driping from her forhead. The boy froze mid step, gripping the phone like a lifeline, knuckles white, eyes fixed on the woman as if blinking might break him.

Ava stood rigid, her eyes turning red, her string of reasoning snapped as she heard those chilling words, her hand trembling from anger reached her pockets.

she moved before thought could catch up. Her hand slipped into her pocket, fingers closing around the thin laces that felt harmless, almost fragile, as she stepped closer.

looped the shoelaces up and around, pulling from behind, her arms trembling as she leaned her weight back. Nothing changed.

The woman did not gasp or stumble. Her breathing stayed slow and even as she spoke, her voice low and steady. “Come here, baby. Don’t make me repeat myself.”

Ava pulled harder. The lace dug into her palms, biting skin, threatening to slip. Her arms trembled, then ached, then screamed. The woman took a single step forward, unbothered, dragging Ava with her.

No struggle. No reaction. As if Ava was not there at all— and actually she wasn’t. The scene yesterday had only three people, and two of them would die at any moment.

Lily, struggling to get up, shouted with her hoarse voice, “RUN AND DON’T LOOK BACK.” In the open space, the boy had a chance to escape. Unlike the narrow alley, there was room to move. He rushed the opposite way, running, adrenaline burning through him.

The woman was about to follow when Lily dragged her body forward in a sudden surge of energy. She wrapped her arms around the woman’s legs, refusing to let go. She mumbled as she sneakily reached into her pocket, “You really think he was listening to music? You better—”

Ava could not hear more. The system warning rang loudly in her ears. Breach of rules detected. Player 3, you tried to intervene in the past. As punishment, you will die once.

She fell to the ground, strength drained from her body, eyes closing as the woman’s hand moved toward Lily.

She could not pinpoint where the pain was coming from. It was not light, but not strong enought to make her mad. ‘System, you still have a conscience. Lowering my pain sensitivity as promised, even if I broke the rules. Maybe you are not that bad after all.’