I Don't Hit Women, but You're Not Human

What rotten luck. When she'd walked in, no one had told her things would end up like this.

Watching the monster's new mouthparts regrow, Song Weishi felt her vision darken, then darken again.

The creature's body had visibly shrunk a full size, but its mouthparts were absolutely terrifying—two glossy, pitch-black mandibles, powerful and sturdy, opening and closing with a snap. Song Weishi could feel goosebumps prickling across her entire skin.

Chu Miaoxuan's voice crackled through the earpiece. "Xiao Song, can you handle it? Want me to open the passage so you can come out?"

At the same time, the System's voice echoed in her mind: "No, Host, you can't retreat. This is definitely a critical plot node—trust me!"

Song Weishi gritted her teeth and made her decision in an instant. "No need, Captain. If I'm about to die, you can come save me then."

As she spoke, the monster before her clacked its mouthparts together—click, click—and charged.

Its mouthparts were over half a meter long. If those things touched her, she was certain she'd become a juice pouch being squeezed dry.

Song Weishi swung her blade at the mouthparts. A loud clang rang out as the edge bounced right off, but the monster's mandibles remained completely unharmed, still driving toward her.

She narrowly dodged the attack, leaping agilely to one side. "System, you've screwed me over!"

The System kept cheering her on in her mind: "Keep going, Host! You can do it!"

"Easy for you to say. If I can't, I die, don't I?"

Song Weishi was already numb, continuously evading the mouthpart's strikes.

The monster, which had shrunk considerably, seemed to have an intense craving for the plump morsel before it. Seeing that it couldn't land a hit, it actually sped up, dragging its maimed body forward, preparing for a final assault.

Song Weishi's speed had reached its limit as well. She adopted a strategy of dodging and exhausting the enemy, noticing that the monster's body was still being consumed at a steady rate. Draining its stamina dry was the fastest and safest approach.

The training arena was huge, designed precisely to prevent accidents and give security personnel enough space for real combat practice.

After all, anyone who paid to come in wanted to improve. Getting injured here was still better than dying outside.

Song Weishi circled round after round, making the spectators above dizzy. Everyone who'd been watching in hushed silence was somewhat taken aback by her fighting style.

"Captain Chu, is this the newbie you're training?"

"Uh, yes."

"How come she's so different from your usual style? Is she going to fight or not? How long is she going to keep this up? Just go up and finish it in one strike."

"Is that the newbie with high potential? I saw the evaluation report a few days ago. I was disappointed that Chu Miaoxuan snatched up such a promising recruit. From what I see today, she's not all that either. She just dodges when things get tough. If she goes out into the field like this, she'll abandon her teammates for sure."

"Heh, better to give this newbie to her then. So what if she's physically gifted? A spiritual dwarf. Even if she's as strong as a monster, if she can't bring out her strength, what good is she?"

"..."

Chu Miaoxuan crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes, ignoring the others' comments. Instead, she focused on Song Weishi down below. The figure she'd seen on the tram this morning—the silhouette really had looked a lot like Song Weishi. She'd asked about it back then, and the other party had denied it, but a seed of doubt had been planted in her heart.

Now, it seemed, it probably wasn't her after all. Who had the stamina to exhaust a monster like that?

And this monster wasn't weak, either.

Song Weishi didn't hear the taunts from above. All she heard was the howling wind in her ears. No matter how fast the thing behind her moved, she stayed ahead, until heavy, ragged breathing echoed from behind.

When she circled around to the next lap, she saw the monster stopped in place, resting.

There were two bloodied holes on its back that had already scabbed over—where its crawling legs had been severed. The sight gave Song Weishi phantom pains, but since virtually all experimented monsters were the culprits behind major incidents, she felt not a shred of pity.

The people who'd been devoured were the truly pitiable ones. This thing had lost its humanity, its cold, sinister eyes fixed unblinkingly on Song Weishi.

But the monster twisted its head, struggling even to turn around.

Song Weishi felt the moment was right. She stopped circling, stepped onto the monster's flat back, and stood atop it. Up above, Chu Miaoxuan, who'd been watching tensely, let out a breath of relief. At least there was no suspense now.

Only then did she find time to fire back at those who'd spoken rudely: "Enough. Everyone was a newbie once. I remember at the start of the apocalypse, your performances weren't any better than hers. Don't think you're above others just because you're in Hui City."

"Chu Miaoxuan, what's so impressive about leading two squads on field duty? If you didn't get first pick of the good recruits, do you think you'd be any better?"

A voice from outside the door shattered the barely maintained harmony. Chu Miaoxuan's face turned ashen. The voice was familiar. She stood still, refusing to turn around.

The bystanders enjoying the show chuckled. "Captain Jiang, what a coincidence, you're here too."

Jiang Yan smiled and greeted the others. No one knew how she'd gotten in. Chu Miaoxuan kept her back to her, unwilling to face her.

Her mood was positively foul right now. She didn't want to see that woman, who'd only gotten where she was through connections.

Chu Miaoxuan had earned her position through strength. What had this one done to deserve hers?

Her most despised person was Jiang Yan—that incompetent woman. Her vile, rotten personality disgusted Chu Miaoxuan so much she couldn't bear to look at her.

Jiang Yan cast a casual glance at Chu Miaoxuan, then turned her gaze downward. By now, Song Weishi's battle had reached its climax.

She was straddling the monster's flat back, hacking at its neck with her greatsword.

The neck, which had been too tough to cut through at first, now showed faint cracks of splitting. Song Weishi felt victory within reach.

The running earlier had drained her strength rapidly. Sweat dripped down her forehead in a steady stream. Song Weishi felt the hand gripping her sword trembling.

The System's voice had fallen silent. Song Weishi took a deep breath, ignored the monster's hands clawing back at her, and locked her grip around its neck.

Just a little more—just a little more and she could see its head roll. The monster, its head twisted to an unnatural degree, met her gaze calmly, as if its eyes had already accepted death.

It opened its mouth, trying to launch one final attack at Song Weishi. She instinctively recoiled, but its limbs wrapped tightly around her. Without hesitation, she swung her blade and severed them.

The monster let out a piercing, miserable shriek. The battle was over. Song Weishi stepped back, hunched over, as everyone above fixed their eyes on her.

Jiang Yan let out a derisive snort and spoke again: "What a fine recruit indeed. Captain Chu, I recall she has connections on Chief Xie's side, doesn't she? Getting into training so easily—isn't that favoritism going a bit too far?"

Chu Miaoxuan couldn't hold back any longer. She spun around and roared at her: "Jiang Yan, get the hell out of here! Who are you to badmouth my people? If your squad hadn't used up all the quota, she'd never have been assigned to this level of monster!"

All the chatter above ground to a halt. Everyone stared at them, full of curiosity. Chu Miaoxuan charged forward to throw a punch, but someone beside her caught her arm in time.

"Forget it, forget it. She's just talking. Captain Chu, have you forgotten that fighting is prohibited inside the Research Institute? If you want to throw down, take it outside."

The person holding her back meant well, but it didn't stop Jiang Yan from continuing: "You idiot, all you know is violence. Go on, hit me right here."

Jiang Yan was emboldened by her impunity, and even the onlookers were starting to find it distasteful. The friction between the two captains was well known. Many disliked Chu Miaoxuan because she enjoyed the best treatment within the team, feeling her abilities didn't match her resources. But what they disliked about Jiang Yan was her sheer arrogance—so arrogant she didn't seem like a decent person at all. Anyone who crossed her path was bound to get a sneer or two. She was arguably the most hated person in the security team—a natural-born menace. Aside from her outstanding combat skills, her cold indifference, her mocking tongue, and her habit of standing by during crises all made her deeply unpleasant.

Take this very moment. Everyone who heard her words felt a knot of discomfort in their chests. Their gazes turned cold, sweeping toward her, the earlier entertainment gone.

Jiang Yan, oblivious, laughed even more gleefully at Chu Miaoxuan's helpless rage, her radiant face splitting into a brilliant smile.

Everyone's attention was fixed on the two of them, completely forgetting Song Weishi, who was on the verge of victory below.

Song Weishi struggled to lift her blade, a heavy drowsiness creeping over her. It was the result of overexertion.

She really couldn't hold on much longer. Even if this mission was the most important thing in the world, if she lost her life, it would all be for nothing. She made the call on the spot and immediately hailed Chu Miaoxuan.

"Captain! I need to get out!"

Chu Miaoxuan heard the call and immediately reached for the switch, but the people beside her still hadn't released her. She shouted for them to let go, but it was too late.

The monster, already on its last legs, rallied in a final burst of strength and lunged. Song Weishi had retreated to the edge, waiting for the door to open, but the indicator above showed no sign of the passage activating.

She threw up her guard against the charging monster, pressing her body hard against the wall behind her.

Someone above finally hit the button, but it was a step too late. A searing pain shot through Song Weishi's arm as the monster's razor-sharp mouthparts slashed across it, leaving a long, bloody gash. Beads of blood seeped out in a steady stream.

She swung her blade one last time, chopping the creature's head clean off, then tumbled backward into the passage that had finally opened behind her.

Pain lanced through her arm. She clamped her hand tightly over the wound, while Chu Miaoxuan, standing before the elevator, stared at her in shock. The protective suit had been useless against this monster's assault.

What should have been a flawless operation today had been shattered by Jiang Yan. Everyone's faces were grim as they glared at her, but she remained oblivious, still sneering: "With such a magnificent physique, you're not afraid of a little scratch, are you?"

The System's voice rang out heavily: "Congratulations, Host, the mission is complete..."

Song Weishi stared straight at her. She'd already guessed who this arrogant woman was.

The nemesis from the earlier conversation between the captains. The two had been at odds for ages. Chu Miaoxuan had no mood to argue with her now. She watched Song Weishi's arm with tense urgency: "Come on, let's get to the infirmary. Right now!"

The path out was blocked by Jiang Yan, who stood with a whole crowd of apathetic subordinates behind her, showing no sign of moving aside.

Song Weishi stepped forward, feeling adrenaline surging through her body, completely oblivious to the pain in her arm.

She'd heard every word over the earpiece loud and clear. Without warning, she strode up and slapped Jiang Yan across the face, sending the woman flying.