SWNOVELXO Chapter 32 - Another Girl
The sound of running water echoed from the shower, the silhouette of a person moving behind the frosted glass. Scattered across the room’s floor were pieces of clothing, tossed haphazardly—clearly belonging to a man. The garments were finely made, crafted from “Moire Silk,” a material resistant to small-arms fire.
A slender girl with pale lilac hair stood before a mirror. Listening to the sound of the water, she gripped an ice blade tightly in her trembling hand. Glancing at her fragile reflection in the mirror, she hesitated before lowering the blade.
Returning to the adjacent room, she rummaged through the man’s clothes until her fingers found something cold and metallic.
It was a black-silver firearm, intricately engraved with a personalized pattern. The “Silver Falcon C-23” was a high-grade weapon. Enhanced by a Blade Sequence strength, even a Sequence 2 individual could easily kill a Sequence 4 expert with it.
However, as soon as she tried to grasp the gun’s handle, it vibrated, and the barrel locked.
The weapon was biometrically secured—only the registered owner could fire it, and tampering triggered an alarm.
As this thought crossed her mind, the personal terminal on the bed began buzzing and ringing. Fortunately for her, the man was old-fashioned, refusing to implant AI assistants in his body. Otherwise, even in the shower, he would have known what was happening outside.
But her time was running out. If she couldn’t silence the device, the man would hear it—or the shower would soon end.
In desperation, she flung herself onto the terminal, trying in vain to disable it. She didn’t know the password and wasn’t its owner.
Hugging the terminal to her chest, she buried it in the bed’s blankets, her whole body trembling. Her mind chanted a desperate plea:
Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop…
Over and over, the same prayer echoed in her thoughts.
…
Finally, the ringing and vibrations ceased.
[Unlocked successfully. Welcome back.]
[You have one new message: Warning—your weapon has been accessed by someone else. Please take immediate action…]
…
Ten minutes later, a burly man with silver-gray hair emerged from the shower. His scarred body and fierce gaze spoke of a life entrenched in violence.
Dripping water onto the floor, he stretched his neck and entered the room, finding the lilac-haired girl sitting on the bed.
“Oh, still behaving yourself, huh? I thought you’d be crying or throwing a tantrum by now.”
The girl remained silent, her head lowered, fidgeting with something in her hands.
The man glanced at the table, where his personal terminal lay. Unlocking it, he found nothing unusual and casually set it back down.
“Don’t bother trying to escape. Now that you’re in my hands, not even your school teachers can save you.”
“Still, keep me happy, and your life won’t be so bad. It’s better than school, trust me.”
He walked closer, wiping droplets from his head.
“Even if you graduate from the best schools, you’ll just end up serving those old geezers in the companies. I’ve seen it all before.”
He lifted her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze. Her eyes, full of fear and unease, amused him.
“Alright, my little darling. Let me pamper you tonight.”
Ignoring her futile struggle, he forced a kiss.
The girl initially hit his back with weak fists, but her resistance was ineffective. Gradually, they sank further into the bed.
Just as he was plotting his next move, the girl’s body suddenly stiffened.
A gunshot rang out in the room.
With disbelief etched across his face, the man collapsed. Blood gushed from a dark red hole at the back of his head, staining the floor black and red.
The girl, now covered in thick, coagulated blood, sat motionless, her mind blank. After what felt like an eternity, she slowly pushed the man’s lifeless body off her, his weight landing on the floor with a heavy thud.
…
An hour later, blaring alarms filled the hotel as a team of white-clad police officers stormed the premises.
“A 16-year-old, unarmed girl managed to kill a trusted enforcer of the Silver Fang Gang?”
In the police station, a senior officer reviewed footage of the frail girl on the monitor.
“Yes, sir. The room only contained the girl and the deceased. The murder weapon had only their fingerprints.”
“Could this be the work of a rival faction framing her? These setups have happened before.”
Rubbing his temples, the officer foresaw a chaotic future for the Denia City. The fragile underground balance was bound to collapse, sparking conflict. All he wanted was a clean track record—why was it so hard?
“There’s a possibility, but no evidence suggests that,” replied a subordinate.
“Keep digging. Interrogate the girl further. See if she’s hiding anything.”
“Has she got any family? Talk to her parents or teachers to learn more about her background.”
“She has no family, sir. At school, she doesn’t seem to have many friends either. She was lured here by classmates.”
“Tsk, tsk. This world…”
Several days later, at the police station.
“There’s still no lead. How did she unlock the deceased’s firearm and terminal? The victim, for all his flaws, was a seasoned thug—there’s no way he shared his passwords or biometric access.”
“Did the girl explain how she managed it?”
“Yes, but it’s hard to believe.”
“Oh?”
“She claimed she prayed, and the terminal responded to her.”
“You’re kidding, right? That’s impossible. This isn’t some fantasy novel, and she’s no ancient witch with divine powers.”
“Sir, what if… just what if? You know as well as I do, this is a world with extraordinary abilities.”
“If that’s true, then it’s terrifying.”
The officer fell silent, lost in thought.
“Run tests. Make her replicate the process.”
…
Half a day later.
“Well, it seems we’ve encountered something truly unexpected—or perhaps, a stroke of luck.”
The officer emerged from the observation room, his hands trembling as he collapsed onto a couch, trying to steady his breathing.
“This is a terrifying ability, especially in our era of digital systems and AI.”
“Transfer the girl to a secure, isolated cell. No electronic devices—none, whatsoever! Do you understand?”
“Yes, sir.”
For the first time in a while, the officer activated the police station’s specialized communication device to report to higher authorities.
…
[Thank you for your service. Officer Y518349 of Denia City, Four-Leaf Crystal Constellation—your report has been received and escalated.]
[A special investigative officer will be dispatched to Denia City soon. During this period, ensure the status quo is maintained and do not provoke or harm the subject.]
“Understood. I will comply.”
The holographic emblem of a Blue Cobalt Tear slowly faded as the screen went dark.