The screaming stopped. The little girl slowly crawled out from under the table to see why was everything so quiet and what caused the loud thud she heard a moment ago. She walks to the kitchen, her hand trembling in her chest.
She peeks inside and sees her mother's back as she stood over her father who didn't seem to move.
âYou bastard! Monster! You've made my life a living hell but I've accepted everything so we don't die on the streets, but now you plan on throwing us out for some new bitch? You rot in hell! â Her mother shouted as she stabbed the already dead man.
âMommy? âThe little girl called as she entered the kitchen.
The woman stopped and looked over at her daughter.
âMy child...Xiang...it's over. Father can't hurt us anymore, see? He... he's dead. âThe woman said as she realized what she's done.
The woman stood silent for a moment before smiling warmly at her daughter.
âYou need to be strong, alright? I'm sorry, mother couldn't protect you... you're a strong girl, I know it. Mommy will have to go now, but I'll always be watching over you, alright? Be strong for me. â The woman spoke with a smile before raising the knife to her throat and cutting her throat open.
The shock made the girl freeze on the spot, looking at the pool of blood that was almost reaching her feet.
She rushed to her mother, shaking her.
âMother, wake up! Don't leave me! Please wake up... âThe girl begged as she sobbed, the realization that she is alone finally reaching her.
After hours of crying she felt numb.
âAunty?Mother and father are dead... please come here.âThe girl spoke, holding the phone close to her ear.
Zhia Xiang was shaking and crying in her sleep. Victor woke up and shook her awake.
She woke up with a scream and stared at the wall, panting like she ran for her life.
âThe nightmare again? âagent 0 asked.
Victor rushed to the fridge and took a bottle of water, giving it to Zhia Xiang.
âThanks. âShe said before drinking more than half of the bottle.
âYou had a nightmare... what was it about? You were calling for you mother... âVictor reluctantly asked.
Zhia Xiang hugged her knees to her chest breaking in and out to calm down.
âA traumatic memory. âZhia Xiang mumbled, hiding her face in her knees, trying to shake the gruesome image out of her mind.
âDo you want to talk about it? âVictor asked again, hoping it would help her.
âWhen I was 12, my mother killed my father and then herself... in front of me. âZhia Xiang said.
Victor fell silent as he sat closer to her, pulling her head on his shoulder.
âIt's alright now, the nightmare is gone. Do you think you can sleep again? â
Zhia Xiang shook her head.
âIs there something I can do to help you? âVictor insisted.
She shook her head again, closing her eyes. She snuggled closer to him and relaxed her body.
âWe can start a mission now to take your mind off of it. âVictor suggested.
Zhia Xiang raised her head and looked at him, thinking about his suggestion.
âThat sounds good. âShe replied with a hoarse voice.
Agent 0 sat at the screen and opened the tab with their new mission.
âNext mission is about sergeant Beatrice of special forces who was died by explosion in a trap mission. Her team was sent to save the daughter of a president from enemy forces, but the location they were given was a factory filled with bombs. In her last moments, Beatrice realized that Thomas, their general, couldn't have made such a grave mistake and concluded that he wanted them dead.The tasks are to expose Thomas and keep the team safe. âAgent 0 read.
âWhat's the purpose of special forces?âZhia Xiang asked curious.
âMostly doing dirty work like killing, kidnapping, blackmailing, finding people and such. âAgent 0 explained.
âI see... Why did Beatrice suspected Thomas of setting a trap? It could be someone higher. âZhia Xiang questioned.
âIt says that Thomas asked Beatrice to go out with him, but she refused. Unsatisfied with her rejection, he tried to assault her, but Beatrice kicked him in the nuts and ran away. After that incident, they hated each other. âAgent 0 explained.
âWhat an asshole. I see why he would want her dead, but the whole team... he must be nuts. âVictor stated.
âMen can't handle rejection. Some will destroy an entire country because of it, not caring for the innocent. âZhia Xiang added, finishing with a sigh, before speaking again: âSay, how will Victor transmigrate?â
âHe will be invisible to everyone else, like me. âAgent 0 replied.
âAlright. Let's go then. Are you ready? This is a modern setting, a lot of things won't make sense to you.âZhia Xiang explained, looking at Victor.
âI am. I'm looking forward to learning about those things. Let's start. âHe stated, his eyes shining with enthusiasm.
Zhia Xiang pressed the accept mission button and the three were transported in a bedroom.
Beatrice's memories came into Zhia Xiang's head and it made her dizzy.
âBeatrice considers the team mates her family. Seems like quite a lot of people look down on her for being a woman, the clasic sexism, just what I wanted,ha. The incident between her and Thomas already happened so I should be careful around that bastard. â The woman though as she arranged her thoughts.
Victor took the liberty to look around the bedroom and find a laptop.
âThis is like a smaller version of that Xiang has in her room, interesting. â
âCan you take this with you? Like a phone?âVictor questioned, gaining her attention.
âYes, but you'll still need a charger and electricity in case the battery dies.â Zhia Xiang explained.
âI see. The room is rather simple, is this a standard in these times?âVictor questioned, interested in gaining information.
âPretty much. Not many people have the money to decorate their houses with expensive furniture, vases, paintings and such so this is pretty much most of the houses in modern times.âZhia Xiang explained.
At that moment, she remembered her own apartment, small and cozy, filled with plants to make the place more lovely.
âAgent 0 said nothing will change in my world after I left so my plants should be fine. They better be. â Zhia Xiang thought.
Two knocks made the team move their attention to the door.
âBeatrice! Are you up?âA male voice asked.
âYes.âZhia Xiang replied.
âThat voice must be Daniel, a colleague of Beatrice. â She thought.
Victor walked to the door and touched it, hoping he could get through it, but to his disappointment nothing happened.
His act gained a sigh from agent 0 who flew next to his face.
âYou're invisible, not a ghost. You can't get through walls. âThe robotic cat explained.
âWe were wondering if you want to eat out with us since it's our day off and stuff.âDaniel continued.
âGive me ten minutes to get ready, I just woke up. âZhia Xiang replied, stepping inside the bathroom.
âI'll wait outside with the others, alright? Right at the entrance!âDaniel added.
âOkey!âZhia Xiang shouted from the bathroom as she turned on the faucet and washed her face and teeth.
Victor heard Daniel's footsteps go away until they weren't audible anymore. He grabbed the doorknob and tried opening the door, but it was locked.
Agent 0 sighed and threw a pair of keys at his head. Victor frowned and glared irritated at agent 0.
âWhat? Isn't it enough that I have to practically babysit you? Lucky me to get appointed to Zhia Xiang. âAgent 0 complained, folding his paws.
âYou're rude for a thing made out of metal. âVictor added as he unlocked the door and peeked in the hallway.
âYou are here thanks to this thing made out of metal, idiot. âAgent 0 argued.
âI'm here thanks to Zhia Xiang. âVictor continued, stepping outside the room.
âShe couldn't take you here without me! Ungrateful brat. âAgent 0 spat, hitting Victor in the head.
The man groaned and tried to grab agent 0,but he dodged.
âAnnoying piece of metal!âVictor said thought gritted teeth as he reached to grab agent 0.
âHa!Catch me if you can, brat!âAgent 0 provoked.
Victor remembered he could use his magic and smiled, creating wind to push agent 0 down from the air.
âThis isn't fair!âThe robotic cat whined, trying to fly through the wind.
Zhia Xiang finished her quick shower and choose a pair of mom jeans and a black shirt to change into. As she zipped her jeans, she felt a strange presence looking at her.
Zhia Xiang turned around towards the open door and her expression turned serious.
_________________________________
i can't believe i managed to finish a chapter, good job me.
basically, I'm having a big writers block, I've exhausted the ideas i had for this book and i finally came with a new one.
+life is hard and my mood is mostly bad, lack of motivation, etc.
I'll try my best to finish this mission and then we'll see. Thank you for people who still read this book, i was very excited about it when i started it and had a bunch of ideas noted down.