NOVEL WEB 0025 – The Rat Killer Shows No Mercy
The underground world was bustling. Within the dilapidated sewer system, there were countless rats. However, all of this went unnoticed. People above ground came and went, yet no one could detect the activity below.
Except for Zoe Carter.
Standing near a sewage outlet with an umbrella, she quietly "watched" the unknown world before her, revealing its wonders. For some reason, she felt a sense of joy at unexpectedly witnessing the scenes of countless rats underground, especially when umbrella-wielding passersby looked at her in surprise as they passed by.
Because no one knew her current perspective. Passersby who occasionally passed by the back door of the market hurried past, finding it strange to see her standing by the sewage outlet on a rainy day.
But little did they know, at this moment, a feeling of being sober while others were intoxicated filled her mind.
Two seemingly intersecting worlds were now laid bare before her. Zoe herself felt a faint sense of detachment. Despite the pitter-patter of raindrops around her, her mood inexplicably calmed. She remembered her adolescence when she indulged in adolescent fantasies of being the unique individual standing at the intersection of two worlds, the most special existence among humans.
Now, all of this had become reality. She had indeed become a special existence, even though she was no longer that young woman.
Though she didn't know if she was truly the only special existence, all of this still made her somewhat sentimental. She pondered deeply amidst the sound of rain.
Suddenly, Zoe, who was fully immersed in observing the transparent world, noticed that the rat she had been following didn't linger underground but swiftly passed several sewage pipes and headed straight into the market.
Observing this, Zoe, separated by the ground, locked onto its trail and followed suit.
Thanks to her long-term training in olfactory senses and her innate proficiency in understanding the transparent world, the complex smells and noisy sounds of the market didn't affect Zoe. Or rather, even if there was an effect, it had been reduced to almost zero.
Before long, Zoe, walking in a straight line on the surface, noticed the rat winding its way to a drain beneath a seafood shop in the market. Seizing an opportunity when nobody was paying attention, it snatched a fish's innards and returned to the sewer.
Zoe followed back along the same route. Watching the rat expertly maneuvering in the underground pipes couldn't help but evoke a sense of admiration for its skill.
Based on the same route it took earlier, Zoe speculated that the rat likely emerged from the entrance it used to enter the sewer—namely, the sewage outlet at the market entrance.
With this in mind, Zoe headed to the relatively empty market entrance and waited. Looking at the scattered gravel on the ground, she curiously picked up a piece. At this moment, a bold idea struck her.
Since awakening, besides the significant changes in her auditory and visual perceptions, she also felt a noticeable change in her body—a kind of extraordinary control. Every movement after her second awakening made her feel an unprecedented level of coordination.
This was one of the reasons why there was little panic evident on her face after her second awakening. The immense control instinctively gave her confidence and assurance, a feeling difficult to describe.
However, Zoe became aware of this extreme sense of coordination. In short, every step she took felt more rational than before, and instinctively, she continuously adjusted her walking posture to increase speed, reduce wind resistance, and decrease energy consumption.
Every movement of her hands and feet felt smoother and silkier than before, as if her whole body was a seamless entity without gaps. It's difficult to convey this feeling of coordination and smoothness to outsiders. What exactly did it feel like? But Zoe's intuition told her that with her current level of bodily coordination, she could achieve many things that were previously impossible. Feats like cartwheels and ambidextrous combat were mere child's play for her, barely tapping into one-thousandth of the potential of her powerful coordination ability.
As she pondered, not long after, the rat, carrying the fish innards in its mouth, cautiously peeked out of the sewage outlet, sniffing around for danger before it could make the next move. But before it could react, a piece of gravel whizzed through the air, hitting it squarely on the back of its head with astonishing speed.
The rat, caught off guard by the swift attack, dropped the fish innards from its mouth and stumbled forward before collapsing to the ground, its limbs twitching but otherwise motionless. That thrown piece of gravel had sent the rat straight to its maker. The energy contained within it far exceeded 1.8 joules. If it had hit a person, it would have caused severe injuries, if not death.
Evidently, Zoe's bold idea was to throw a stone and try to hit the rat. Her intuition had told her she could do it. Moreover, there were only a few scattered cameras around, none of which could capture her actions. She didn't need to worry about exposing herself. She could boldly experiment with her abilities.
And indeed, she succeeded. The extreme coordination of her body made the stone in her hand feel like an extension of her own hand, controlled with ease. Coupled with her heightened perception abilities in the transparent world and the increased physical strength after her second awakening, the rat didn't stand a chance. It was killed instantly, without any opportunity for resistance.
This powerful and precise throwing ability was a testament to her coordination and perception abilities combined with the transparent world. Now, she possessed the ability to see through the transparent world, the auto-targeting from extreme coordination, and the killing power from enhanced strength. It was the epitome of speed, precision, and ruthlessness—a quintessential aspect of hidden weapon techniques.
Facing her, the rat had only one fate—to be eliminated the moment it exposed itself.
Looking at the dead rat, Zoe felt no remorse. Instead, her thoughts drifted away. Having acquired such powerful hidden weapon skills, her first thought wasn't anything else but recalling her happy and amusing childhood. With her current skill, if she had used it during her marbles-playing days, it would have been a game-changer. She might have become unbeatable within a few kilometers, and any child daring to challenge her would likely end up in tears. Then, she would proudly go home to brag to her mother.
Thinking of this, Zoe chuckled softly, casually flicking the rat's body back into the sewer with a piece of gravel. Then, she discreetly held her umbrella and headed home, hiding her skills and fame. Regardless of how much she changed, at least while her loved ones and friends were still around, she wanted to live as an ordinary person.
Just as she was thinking this, she reached the entrance of the apartment building to put away her umbrella and noticed something. The rain had cleared, and now, a brilliant light adorned the sky.
