Chapter 26

On the pedestrian street, Yu Yan yawned while eating a skewer. "Do you think the vendor will show up today?"

Heng Jianmu, who was standing at the stall, shook his head. "Hard to say."

Yu Yan sighed. "I really want to buy something."

She had brought her parents along again today. Even though they hadn't managed to catch the vendor yesterday, she held out hope for today. The products they had already acquired over the past two days were incredibly effective.

To name just one, the temperature-control bracelet had been a game-changer; ever since her mother started wearing it, she had never complained about the cold again. Then there was the automatic cooking machine. Their family had enjoyed a meal prepared by it yesterday, and the food was delicious—it truly felt like a liberation from kitchen chores. The machine didn't even need cleaning; they just popped the dishes into the dishwasher afterward, which significantly boosted their quality of life.

And the sleep-learning device—she had been reciting vocabulary in her dreams for the past two nights. You could say that if she wasn't going to be worked to death, she would work herself to the bone. Furthermore, her sleep quality had improved drastically, and her daily routine had become remarkably consistent.

As for the bamboo dragonfly, it went without saying; countless people online were offering small fortunes just to get their hands on one. Yu Yan truly hoped her parents could buy some, even if it meant queuing for days and nights. Anything bought was a bargain!

She took a bite of her skewer, looking at the queue. It was just as long as yesterday's, if not longer. She figured everyone else had the same idea. She had been hoping for a smaller crowd to make it easier to snag an item.

Just then, Yu Yan caught a glimpse of a masked figure approaching, with an unremarkable face and eyes brimming with wisdom. "The vendor is here!" she shouted.

The crowd was startled, looking around frantically.

"Where? Where's the vendor?"
"She's here? Is she really here?"
"Oh my god, I want a bamboo dragonfly! Vendor!"
"I see her! Is that the one?"
"She isn't carrying anything, though."

Xia Zui felt uncomfortable under the gaze of countless eyes as she walked over. "Hello everyone. I’m here to let you know that I don’t have any stock left, so you don't need to wait in line anymore."

As she spoke, Yang Hongbo, who was in the hotpot restaurant on the second floor, spotted the scene and immediately rushed downstairs. He had finally waited long enough to see the vendor; his persistence had paid off.

Yu Yan felt as if she had been struck by lightning. "It's really all gone?" she asked in disbelief.

Xia Zui shrugged. "It's all gone. But there might be new products next week. You can come back and queue next Monday. No need to wait these next few days."

As soon as she finished speaking, those queuing behind were on the verge of tears.

"Gone? I've been waiting here for two days, and there's no stock left?"
"Vendor, if nothing else, just tell us where you source your goods!"
"Help! I want a bamboo dragonfly! I need one!"
"Please, vendor, go get some more stock!"
"Unbelievable! I saw a store online selling bamboo dragonflies, but when I bought one, it couldn't even fly. The shopkeeper said his were just regular toys. If that's the case, why did he take pictures with it on his head?"
"New products next week? What are they?"

It wasn't just them; Heng Jianmu also asked, "What kind of new products will there be?"

Xia Zui shook her head. "It's a secret."

It wasn't that she didn't want to tell them; the truth was, she didn't even know what the stall would provide her with next week.

Behind her, Yang Hongbo, who had just reached the street level, watched the mysterious woman. He wanted to apprehend her right then and there, but he couldn't. He couldn't afford to alert the prey. His goal this time was to tail the vendor, find out who she was, and where she lived. He needed to know where these products came from and where she had vanished to after entering the alley last time. Countless mysteries awaited resolution, so he had to be patient.

"I'll be going now. See you next Monday," Xia Zui said, waving her hand as she prepared to leave.

But just as she turned, she heard someone scream, "There's a fire!"

Everyone looked up to see fire flickering on one of the floors of a building in Zone B. Thick smoke was already billowing from the windows.

Yang Hongbo looked toward the building in Zone B and immediately pulled out his phone to call the fire department. The crowd no longer cared about next week's new products. After all, a fire was no small matter. Moreover, the building in Zone B was primarily occupied by offices and studios; if it was on fire, there would definitely be many people inside.

The crowd scattered, watching the situation in Zone B, with many dialing emergency services.

Xia Zui was listening to Eleven’s report: "Xia Xia, there are thirty-two people trapped on that floor. The fire has blocked their exit. There are thousands of people in the building, but they are concentrated on the lower floors and are easy to evacuate. It seems the fire was caused by an electrical issue. The only exit currently available is the windows."

Xia Zui frowned, seeing figures climbing out onto the window ledges, appearing ready to jump. She didn't hesitate; she pulled out a bamboo dragonfly, placed it on her head, and flew rapidly toward the building.

On the twenty-first floor of the Zone B building, Fu Jing covered her nose and mouth with a damp piece of clothing, but she still couldn't avoid inhaling the thick smoke. She never expected that working overtime would lead to her death. She was only twenty-four, in the prime of her life.

There were thirty-one other colleagues working overtime with her. It was already 6:00 PM, and they were supposed to have finished at 5:30 PM. Her supervisor had pressured her to submit a proposal today, which was why she was still there. She didn't mind working late, but she never imagined she would encounter a fire. She didn't know where it started, but by the time she realized the severity of the flames, she was already trapped. The entrance was engulfed in raging fire, and the air was filled with choking smoke.

Fu Jing crawled toward the window, surrounded by flames, feeling as if she were being baked alive. Her colleagues were panicked, not knowing where to hide. Some tried to dash out, but the fire was too intense; they would be burned to a crisp if they tried. Others curled up in corners, looking as if they were about to pass out.

Fu Jing felt her consciousness slipping, but she desperately fought to reach the window. She thought that even jumping might offer a slim chance of survival, which was better than being roasted alive. When she finally reached the window, she felt a slight breath of air, but the fire behind her continued to roar. She struggled to climb onto the sill, gasping for air amidst the smoke.

Just as she was losing the strength to keep her eyes open, she saw someone outside the window. The person reached out a hand. "Hold on tight."

Fu Jing used her last bit of strength to reach out, touching the cold hand. Xia Zui pulled her up, held her in a bridal carry, and flew downward, whisking her away from the scene.

On the ground, when Yang Hongbo saw her flying up to rescue people, he shouted, "I am a police officer! Does anyone have a bamboo dragonfly they can lend me? Saving lives is urgent; I hope everyone can help!"

Seeing his badge, Yu Yan didn't hesitate to hand over her bamboo dragonfly. "Officer, good luck!"

Yang Hongbo nodded as he took it. "I will return this to you!" He placed the dragonfly on his head, grabbed a few bottles of mineral water from a nearby stall to drench himself, and flew toward the burning twenty-first floor.

After he left, voices rose from the crowd:
"I have one too! I'm going to help!"
"Me too!"
"I'm not strong, but does anyone need a bamboo dragonfly? You can borrow mine!"
"Borrow it to me! I'll go save people!"

One by one, people flew into the sky on their bamboo dragonflies. Almost everyone on the street watched the scene. In that moment, they looked at the heroes in the sky, praying they would save everyone and return safely.

As they arrived at the twenty-first floor, Yang Hongbo saw them coming to help and quickly stopped them from entering. "You all stay here; I’ll go bring them out!"

He was a police officer, and risking his life was part of the job, but they were civilians. Ensuring their safety was his duty. Yang Hongbo dived into the room, thick with smoke. He covered his face with his damp sleeve and quickly searched for survivors. Once he found them, he carried the unconscious individuals to the window and handed them to the people waiting outside for transfer. Then, he turned back, unfazed, and dived in again.

Xia Zui was about to rush in to help when the shy little stall suddenly spoke: "Xia Xia, I... I can lend you a fireproof cloak, but you must return it when you're done."

Before Xia Zui could answer, a transparent cloak appeared on her body. Eleven explained from the side, "This fireproof cloak will keep you safe from the fire. It insulates against all flames and smoke, ensuring you won't be harmed in the slightest."

Hearing this, Xia Zui whispered a "Thank you" to the stall and dived into the building. She searched for survivors, crossing paths with Yang Hongbo, who was coughing and clutching his face as he carried another person to the window.