Miss Witch Doesn't Want to Become a Songstress-Chapter 209

"Open fire! Blow these bastards to hell!"

Amidst the ruins of the city, several hastily fortified strongholds were scattered throughout. A burly man with a menacing face shouted into his communicator, ordering his men to unleash a barrage of gunfire, temporarily suppressing the figures advancing below the stronghold.

This was the former site of Thousand Towers City, now a den of bandits and outlaws. Numerous gangs had gathered here, and while there had been occasional skirmishes, the mutual fear of each other had kept the conflicts relatively small. However, recently, a new external force had arrived. Though small in number, they showed no mercy to the gangs, aggressively attacking and wiping out several smaller factions in just a few days. This had put the remaining gangs on edge.

Today, the Black Shark Gang, which had been entrenched here, encountered this rumored external force.

Ducking behind the rubble to avoid the bullets flying overhead, Simu reloaded his sniper rifle with special ammunition and moved to a shadowy corner. Carefully peeking out, he aimed at the machine gun spewing bullets in the distance.

A soft gunshot rang out, and the machine gun was silenced. Immediately, several figures from their side rushed forward, engaging in close combat that felt more like a harvest than a battle.

At long range, ordinary people with high-powered firearms could pose a threat to transcendents. But once the distance closed, the situation changed entirely. In terms of reaction speed, agility, and resilience, ordinary people were no match for transcendents.

Xelian, dressed in black combat gear and wielding a black steel blade, quickly incapacitated the enemies inside the stronghold, pushing deeper until he encountered the gang’s leader.

"Stop! Or I’ll detonate the explosives!"

The previously aggressive man now nervously gripped the detonator in his hand, his finger hovering over the trigger. Behind him were several boxes of explosives, their bright yellow shells marked with black letters and numbers, indicating they were originally used for quarrying.

"Oh? Are you really willing to die here? I wasn’t planning to kill you anyway. I just wanted to have a reasonable conversation," Xelian said, twirling his blade before slowly sheathing it.

Seeing him put away his weapon, the gang leader and his underlings breathed a sigh of relief, though they still kept their guns trained on Xelian.

Should they shoot? The thought lingered in their minds. If they fired and failed to kill Xelian, this transcendent would likely retaliate fiercely, and they probably wouldn’t survive. But if they surrendered and negotiated, they were reluctant to give up the territory they had worked so hard to secure. If they managed it well, they could live comfortably in the future.

"Good. Now, step back slowly. You’re too close, and I might get nervous and set off the explosives, blowing us all to pieces," the gang leader said, feeling that his threat had worked.

"Fine."

Xelian slowly stepped back, and as the distance between them grew, the men holding submachine guns began to feel a glimmer of hope. Maybe they could take a few shots before Xelian could close the gap.

"Fire!" the gang leader suddenly roared.

A burst of gunfire erupted, sparks and bullets ricocheting wildly inside the room. Soon, the gunfire stopped, and the sound of bodies hitting the floor echoed through the space. Blood splattered across the walls and floor.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t Xelian who fell, but the men who had opened fire.

Jinzerk and Guro leaped through the window, their gun barrels still smoking. They checked the fallen men, then helped the groaning gang leader to his feet, stopping his bleeding before tying him up.

"Don’t worry, it looks bad, but you’re not going to die just yet," Guro said, propping the man against the wall. The detonator he had been holding was now in Jinzerk’s hands, being casually twirled.

"However, if you don’t cooperate, you might not be so lucky later," Guro added, making the man’s heart tighten.

In truth, the more desperate a person was, the more they feared death. These bandits lived for the thrill of plunder and the easy life it brought. If they died, they would lose everything.

"I’ll cooperate, I’ll cooperate! Please stop the bleeding. There’s healing potions in the safe over there. Please, give me one, and I’ll tell you where I’ve hidden my money," the man’s tone quickly softened.

"Haha, you’re quite the smooth talker. Of course, we’re not demons. We’ll save you if we can."

Jinzerk was in a good mood. Although he came from a wealthy family, he often found life dull because he could easily obtain anything he wanted, leaving him with little sense of satisfaction. Over time, he developed a taste for excitement.

Back in Southern 1st District, the most thrilling thing he could do was watch death races. Unfortunately, those were genuinely dangerous, and while Jinzerk enjoyed watching, he never participated.

Joining the club had been a spur-of-the-moment decision, partly out of curiosity about the black-haired girl and partly to placate his family elders. He could claim he was in the same club as his cousin, learning from her experience and so on.

Dolores was a model young lady in the eyes of the older generation. Not only was she beautiful and well-mannered, but she had also been involved in her family’s affairs from a young age, helping her father manage them. She was a well-known figure in Southern 1st District’s upper circles, so this excuse actually worked. It allowed Jinzerk to enjoy himself in the club while telling his elders he was working hard and occasionally needed to relax.

Life had been good, but the new semester’s training had opened a new door for him.

Having a gun but not being able to use it was frustrating. Jinzerk, coming from a wealthy family and seeking excitement, had bought many guns and weapons in the past. Unfortunately, in Southern 1st District, there was no use for them.

He was always surrounded by bodyguards, and no one dared to target this playboy. Moreover, Southern 1st District’s security was excellent, so he never needed to use a gun for self-defense. This lack of targets had left him mildly frustrated. Shooting at targets or fighting phantom crystal beasts in training grounds was boring and tedious.

But now, following the club to Northern 2nd District for training, all his suppressed desires and impulses had found an outlet. The sound of gunfire, the recoil, the adrenaline rush of bullets flying—it all gave him immense satisfaction. And with the academy teachers overseeing things, he could ensure he wouldn’t die recklessly or break any laws.

It was fantastic, as he put it.

This was why he was the most enthusiastic supporter of Thilan’s plan to clean up the bandits in the ruins of Thousand Towers City. During the operation, he ignored others’ warnings and insisted on being on the front lines.

If his peers from Southern 1st District saw him now, they would hardly believe that this man, draped in bullet belts, wearing a bulletproof vest and tactical goggles, charging forward like a brute, was the same playboy Jinzerk they knew.

After clearing the stronghold and tying up the enemies, the rest of the team soon arrived.

First to arrive was the idol girl, who leaped gracefully through the stairs and landed on the third floor of the stronghold. Her purple-red hair fluttered in the air as her black boots landed on the ground littered with bullet casings and rubble.

"Hi, Ruby’s here~"

She waved cheerfully at the enemies sitting against the wall, her mood light.

"Wow, what a mess. Blood and bullet casings everywhere. Good thing it’s me today. If it were Dolores, she’d probably scold you again."

Unlike the other female members of the team, Ruby showed no negative reaction to the bloody scene.

“Because I’ve seen this kind of thing often in acting, so I’m used to it,” was her explanation, though her companions suspected it was more due to her inherently different values—she simply didn’t care about such things.

"Stay still, okay? Genius doctor Ruby is here. If you’re good kids, you’ll survive~"

She pulled out a medical kit filled with rows of light blue healing potions, along with a terrifyingly large syringe.

Being injected with such a thick needle would probably hurt like hell. Although the captives knew that without the healing potion, they might die soon, the sight of the needle still made them nervous.

Guro, Xelian, and Jinzerk took turns guarding the subdued bandits and gang members, while Ruby administered healing potions to the severely injured to prevent them from dying. They also began interrogating the captives about their origins and the locations of their hidden supplies.

Of course, while the healing potions could stop the bleeding and prevent immediate death, fully recovering from gunshot wounds wasn’t something a single potion could achieve. Bullets lodged in the body needed to be removed, internal injuries required T4-grade hospital treatment, and if nerves were damaged, even higher-level treatments were necessary.

"Don’t worry, the cost of treatment will be deducted from your hidden supplies and valuables. If there’s not enough, well, I’m sorry. Ruby really wants to be a good person, like our gentle President Thilan. But, but, Ruby is too weak and not as amazing as President Thilan, so I have to pay for the treatments. So, if you don’t have enough money, Ruby will sadly have to give you euthanasia potion. After all, I’m not a demon. I can’t watch you suffer forever."

The idol girl wiped away tears as she placed a pale yellow euthanasia potion on her knee. The transparent glass tube had a code, indicating it was a legitimate euthanasia potion. Just one small dose would allow a person to pass away painlessly.

Absolutely do not take the euthanasia potion! Even a fool knew that living miserably was better than dying. One dose of this, and while there would be no pain, you’d be dead.

Realizing the imminent danger, the captured gang members quickly began spilling the locations of their hidden valuables and supplies. Even the gang leader, who wanted to stop them, couldn’t do anything—he was afraid of dying too.

"Actually, we also know where the Leopard Head Gang hides their stuff," one of the underlings hesitantly spoke up after they had finished confessing.

"If we help you find it, can it count toward our treatment fees?"

"Hmm, that might work. After all, we’re reasonable people," Ruby tilted her head, then nodded.

"Thank you, thank you..."

He then began recounting what he had seen recently—the Leopard Head Gang’s boss burying something, looking very secretive.

About ten minutes later, Ruby nodded, satisfied with the information.

"You’re such a good person~ Ruby likes good kids like you. Don’t worry, Ruby will find you a good doctor in the future."

The idol girl clasped her hands together and rested them against her cheek, expressing her gratitude. Her expression and actions somehow gave the captives a strange sense of satisfaction and happiness.

Meanwhile, the three boys turned their faces away, almost feeling like shedding tears for these bandits. They had been completely drained by this young lady, yet they still thought fondly of her.

After the interrogation, it was already evening. The group decided to stay in the stronghold for the night and prepare dinner.

The aroma of heated canned food filled the air as they ate happily, while the captives could only watch hungrily, their stomachs growling.

"Wait a little longer~ Ruby will feed you soon," the girl by the campfire said, kneeling on the ground and enjoying a warm pudding. Her posture and expression kept drawing the captives’ attention.

After finishing her dinner, Ruby picked up a can and walked over to the captives. She had them sit up against the wall, then began feeding them one by one with a spoon.

"One at a time, don’t fight~"

The scene wasn’t much different from a kindergarten teacher handing out candy to children.

"I never noticed Ruby had this side before," the three boys whispered among themselves, occasionally glancing at the girl who was now acting like a kindergarten teacher in front of the captives.

"She’s definitely a demon, and a particularly nasty one."

"Ahem, keep it down. Don’t let her hear. I’ve met quite a few celebrities, but someone as naturally suited for acting as Ruby is a first for me," Jinzerk rubbed his chin.

"Indeed, the more talented the idol, the better they are at deception. After all, acting is just a form of deception."

"Good thing she’s on our side. And even though her acting and mindset are top-notch, her transcendent abilities are average. If she had President Thilan’s talent, I can’t imagine what kind of demon lord she’d become."

"Thank goodness, thank goodness."

"Hey, what are you whispering about over there? Can you come help Ruby? Everyone seems really hungry, and Ruby can’t feed them all alone."

"Huh? Oh, sure, we’re coming."

The three exchanged glances, then stood up. One stayed behind to keep watch, while the other two went to help with the feeding.

As the night deepened, the ruins grew colder. After more than two months in Northern 2nd District, the members of the club had each grown in their own ways. While they were still far from being completely transformed, they had matured significantly in terms of temperament and handling situations.

This was probably what growth was all about.