Panic continued to spread.
The mansion descended into chaos. These so-called socialites feared death more than ordinary people. Their lives were opulent, allowing them to spend lavishly, keep multiple consorts, indulge in feasting and revelry, and wallow in luxury. Every extra day meant another day of enjoyment. They had too many reasons not to die.
And these reasons were enough to drive them to do things that defied reason.
"Hey, that assassin's target seems to be only the Xia siblings. If we stay in the hall with them, we'll definitely be in danger. How about we tie them both up and hand them over to the assassin! That way, we can distance ourselves from them, and the assassin won't trouble us!"
A man wearing a black waistcoat and slicked-back hair roared this hysterically. He somehow found two thick ropes, each as thick as an arm, and shuffled towards Xia Yu.
A hush fell over the chaotic crowd, followed by four or five more men. Their eyes gleamed with a predatory ferocity. Instead of dodging, they converged on Xia Yu from all directions, like a closing fishing net.
"Are you crazy?"
Xia Yu retreated from the overturned dining table. Even more terrifying was that more and more people were joining the hunt for him. The pair of fierce eyes gave him the feeling of a zombie apocalypse.
"No, it's not us who are crazy. Think about it, if two people die, everyone here can be saved. You are heroes! Do you understand? Heroes! Come on, get tied up obediently, let the assassin shoot a steel needle through your head, and none of us will have to die, hehe!"
The threat of death often turns humans into beasts, and beasts into ferocious monsters.
Xia Yu had now retreated to the front of a statue holding a giant sword. Beyond that was a cold wall. To his left was a bookshelf filled with books. The lamplight cut through from there. The still intact window suddenly shattered into pieces. A steel needle, gleaming coldly, like a sentient snake, suddenly pierced the shoulder of a woman in a pink bikini. Blood spurted out like a scattered blood pagoda!
Everyone descended into renewed turmoil. The clatter of high heels and leather shoes against the floor created a symphony of death.
Ren Yuanhao’s face was pale with the turmoil of his disordered internal energy, but this did not hinder his mind. He clearly understood how naive the thoughts of these people were. Assassins were never benevolent figures. An assassin choosing to kill a target in broad daylight had only one purpose—to display their superior killing skills!
This assassin possessed a mad desire for performance, a definite performative personality. Moreover, he understood human nature perfectly. This act of killing a chicken to warn the monkeys was merely to remind everyone that his attack range was extensive, his methods cruel, and that as long as he wanted to kill someone, no one could escape.
Yet, fear turned people's brains into mush. Someone in the crowd shouted again, "The assassin is already warning us. What are we waiting for? Let's tie up these two quickly!"
Blood had muddled their reason. Xia Yu had nowhere left to retreat. The surging crowd from all sides was shrinking their space to move.
Xia Yun'er's hand, holding the gun, was already slick with sweat. Her usual allure had transformed into an indescribable fear. She knew very well that what she held could also deter these madmen, as long as she pulled the trigger!
A gunshot echoed in the nearly sealed space. The bullet traced a pale arc through the air, piercing the shoulder blade of the man at the front. Flesh and blood flew. The man collapsed to the ground before he could even scream.
"You, you, who else dares to come, I, I will shoot!"
Xia Yun'er had thought she wouldn't dare pull the trigger, just as her shooting instructor always told her, psychological barriers often existed because one still had a way out. Once there was no way out, all barriers were nonsense!
At this moment, her psychological barrier had crumbled. A surge of murderous intent instantly transformed this beautiful, slender, and long-legged girl into a wild beast. Everyone immediately stopped.
Ren Yuanhao suddenly realized that this assassin not only had a performative personality but also enjoyed watching performances.
Watching people engage in a murderous drama where survival was the stage and death was the conflict!
—This guy is a genius.
Ren Yuanhao thought that if either side was allowed to run wild, it would only make the assassin lurking in the darkness more excited. And now, the only one capable of ending this farce was him!
—Although this damn 'who else but me' risk is huge, I like it!
Ren Yuanhao suddenly sat up from the cold floor. Xia Xiaomo tightly clutched his clothes, seemingly terrified, yet her face held a hint of girlish shyness, which made Ren Yuanhao’s heart flutter.
He reached out, stroked her hair, and said gently, "Xiaomo, stay here. I'll be back after I deal with the assassin."
"Don't go, I'm scared~ I'm scared for you~"
Ren Yuanhao tickled Xia Xiaomo's nose again and said, "Xiaomo, this is your Xia family mansion. As a member of the Xia family, you naturally should uphold the family's honor. If someone dies here, it will have a significant impact on your family. Therefore, there are things I must take care of. And you, you can also contribute to your family."
He pointed to the near-mad guests and hosts. "Look, these two groups are like two whirlpools. No matter who devours whom, your Xia family will be defeated. And you, you are precisely the one who can stop this vortex."
Xia Xiaomo pointed to herself, murmuring in disbelief, "Me, me~?"
Chen Tao, standing nearby, seemed to understand Ren Yuanhao's idea. However, this idea was entirely about placing himself at the forefront, a move fraught with immense risk. Moreover, Xia Xiaomo, by all appearances, was just a meek, submissive woman. Could she truly turn the tide?
"That's right," Ren Yuanhao's eyes suddenly emitted a calming power. "You are the third child of the Xia family, possessing your father's wise eyes. The current situation is like a turbulent ocean. If you don't place yourself at the forefront, you will be swallowed by the waves and sink to the abyss of eternal damnation."
"I, what should I do?" Xia Xiaomo clenched her fists, looking at the two opposing factions poised for conflict.
"You just need to prove that you are the third child of the Xia family!"
"But, if I do that, won't the assassin target me immediately?" Xia Xiaomo met Ren Yuanhao's gaze without yielding.
"Are you afraid?"
"Of course, I am."
"Now, I am your sword, your shield. With me here, are you still afraid?"
Ren Yuanhao extended his right hand, palm facing upwards, as if to perform the most ancient ritual of sword and shield with Xia Xiaomo. With this ritual, mages and knights could be reborn in blood and become invincible!