Yandere Levelling in Her World-Chapter 158 - 159: Following the trail

Kyouka stood in the dim, crumbling interior of the abandoned building, her boots crunching on shattered glass and debris. The air was thick with dust and a metallic tang, but what caught her eye immediately was the sticky, white drops scattered across the filthy floor. Semen. A lot of it.

Her face twisted into a mask of pure rage, her fists clenched so tightly her knuckles turned red. Beside her, Nina and Astrid exchanged uneasy glances, their expressions a mix of concern and determination.

"This is where the trails led," Kyouka muttered through gritted teeth, her voice trembling with barely contained fury. "That smoke she used to escape from the battle... this is where the traces ended."

Astrid, her red hair catching the faint light filtering through cracked windows, tilted her head curiously. "Is that an ability of yours? Tracking smoke like that?"

Kyouka shook her head slightly, still staring at the floor. "It might be. I've never used it before. It just... came to me."

Nina, her arms crossed over her chest, nodded thoughtfully. Her dark eyes scanned the room, taking in the eerie silence. "Well, we know our abilities aren't limited. They have secrets buried deep inside. This could be one of those hidden ones surfacing when we need it most."

Without another word, Kyouka knelt down, her fingers dipping into one of the semen drop. She brought it to her nose, inhaling deeply. Her eyes widened, then narrowed into slits of hatred. "That fucking bitch raped my brother."

Nina's eyes shot open in shock, her hand flying to her mouth. "How can you tell that for sure? I mean, that's... that's semen, but—"

Kyouka whipped around, her gaze fierce and unyielding. "I know my brother's smell. This is him. No doubt about it. She violated him here, in this goddess forsaken ruin."

The words hung in the air like a storm cloud. Nina's expression shifted in an instant, her wide eyes darkened, turning cold and murderous.

A shadow seemed to fall over her face, her lips pressing into a thin line. "Ren... raped by that faceless bitch? She'll pay for this. I'll make sure of it."

Astrid stepped forward, her voice steady despite the tension. "Can you track her from here? We need to find him quick before that thing does anything worse to him."

Kyouka closed her eyes, focusing intently. She inhaled again, letting the scent guide her senses. Minutes ticked by in agonizing silence, the only sound the distant drip of water from a leaky roof.

Finally, she opened her eyes, frustration etched on her features. "I can't. The smell of her... it's not there. It's like she vanished into thin air."

She paused, her finger still coated in the evidence. Taking another deep whiff, a spark of hope flickered in her eyes. "But I can track my brother. He's close by. The scent is strong fresher than this mess."

Astrid's face lit up with relief. "That's even better! Our priority is Ren. Killing that faceless woman comes next. We rescue him first, then we hunt her down."

Kyouka nodded sharply, wiping her hand on her pants. "Follow me. Stay close, I feel the smell of several monsters closeby"

The three women moved as one, exiting the decrepit building through a rusted side door. The cool night air hit them like a slap, carrying the faint scent of rain on the wind.

Kyouka led the way, her nose twitching as she followed the invisible trail, her steps purposeful and urgent. Nina walked beside her, her dark eyes scanning the shadows, while Astrid brought up the rear, her hand resting on the handle of her explosive axes.

As they disappeared into the alleyway, a shimmer distorted the air near the building's entrance. From the empty space, a woman materialized, tall, clad in sleek cameo tactical gear, her face obscured by a high-tech visor.

She was invisible no more. In her hand, she held a compact walkie-talkie, military-grade, with encrypted channels blinking faintly.

"Target spotted," she whispered into the device, her voice clipped and professional, like a soldier on a covert op. "Requesting backup. Three hostiles: Kyouka, Nina, Astrid. Armed and enhanced. Moving eastbound from the site."

Static crackled for a split second before a response came through, clear, authoritative, and eerily familiar.

It was a voice that sent chills down the spine of anyone who'd heard it before, laced with cold calculation. "Permission granted, Team Zero. You have the green light to engage. Neutralize the target, but capture the primary if possible. Over."

"Roger that," the woman replied, clipping the walkie-talkie back to her belt. She adjusted her visor, thermal imaging flickering to life, highlighting the fading heat signatures of the trio ahead. A smirk tugged at her lips beneath the mask. "Time to play."

***

Meiling groaned as she pushed herself up from the cracked floor.

"Agh… damn it…"

Her right hand hung at an impossible angle, the wrist bent backward, bones clearly out of place. Just looking at it made her vision blur. Her teeth clenched, breath coming out in sharp bursts.

"So this is how far she sent me flying…" Meiling muttered, her voice trembling.

She grabbed her broken hand with her left.

"No… I won't stay like this."

With a sharp cry, she twisted it back into place.

"AAAAH!"

The sound echoed through the empty, ruined building. Sweat poured down her face as she dropped to one knee, gasping.

"Hah… hah… hah…"

Her hand shook violently, but it was straight again. Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth where she had bitten her lip.

"Tch… Gu Ma…" she whispered. "That traitor…"

She leaned against a broken pillar, her breathing slowly calming as her thoughts caught up with her pain.

"I was blown away like nothing," she said quietly. "Not even a chance to resist."

Her eyes narrowed.

"To think such power was there all along…"

She remembered it clearly. The blinding radiance that had flooded the Lan District. The moment everything had changed. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

"That light… the one I saw when my district was on fire…"

Her fingers curled slowly.

"It's confirmed now," Meiling muttered. "That power belonged to the angel."

Her gaze dropped to the flooded streets outside the shattered walls.

"So it wasn't random," she said bitterly. "We were judged."

Her lips trembled for a moment.

"Judged for what?" she asked the empty room. "For existing?"

She laughed softly, but there was no humor in it.

"Hah… divine force, divine judgment… what a joke."

She pushed herself upright again, her injured hand pressed tightly against her chest. Every step sent pain shooting up her arm, but she kept walking.

"Even if it's divine," Meiling said firmly, limping forward, "nothing will stop me."

Her voice grew stronger with each word.

"Nothing will stop me from reaching my Ren."

She stopped at the doorway, gripping the frame as she steadied herself.

"And nothing will stop me from saving my mother."

Her eyes hardened.

"I will recover her," she said. "No matter what it takes."

Meiling stepped outside.

The wind was cold. The world beyond the building looked nothing like the Lan District she remembered. Water stretched endlessly in every direction, swallowing streets, homes, and memories alike.

She froze.

"This building…" she murmured.

Looking down, she realized the truth.

"I'm standing on the only structure left," she said quietly. "Everything else is gone."

Water surrounded the building completely, dark and unnaturally still.

She took a careful step closer to the edge and peered down.

"…This is too deep," Meiling whispered.

The surface rippled.

Then she saw it.

A massive shadow moved beneath the water, slow and deliberate. Something long and twisted. Something alive.

Her throat tightened.

"…What is that?" she whispered.

The shadow circled the building, disappearing and reappearing, its size impossible to judge.

Her heart pounded.

"A sea creature?" she muttered. "A dungeon monster?"

The water stirred again, and for a brief moment, something enormous passed directly below her.

Meiling swallowed hard.

"…Scary," she admitted under her breath.

Her legs trembled.

"If I fall in there…" she whispered. "I might not even touch the bottom."

The shadow shifted once more, as if responding to her presence.

She clenched her teeth.

"So this is it?" she asked herself. "The end of the road?"

Her injured hand throbbed painfully, reminding her of Gu Ma's overwhelming power. Her mother's sleeping face flashed through her mind. Ren's voice echoed in her heart.

"Lan Meiling."

She closed her eyes.

"…I'm not dying here," she said quietly.

She took a deep breath.

"Even if I starve," she whispered. "Even if I'm alone."

Her fists clenched.

"Even if I have to fight a thousand monsters."

Her eyes opened, burning with resolve.

"I will reach that angel again," she said. "She is my only salvation now."

The shadow below shifted violently, as if sensing her determination.

Meiling stepped forward, standing at the edge.

"For my mother," she whispered. "For Ren."

She exhaled slowly.

"I'm coming."

Then she let herself fall.

The cold water swallowed her instantly.

Her body plunged into darkness, pressure crushing against her from all sides. The shadow moved fast now, drawn to her descent.

Meiling forced her eyes open underwater.

"I won't die," she said in her heart. "Not until I wake you up, Mother."

The water churned.

And deep below, something ancient turned its gaze toward her.