Their Mistake, Her Rise - Chapter 520: Chapter 520

After the chaos, Zoe and Shawn headed back to the barracks to get some rest.
That night, Zoe appeared to be in a deep slumber, so still that she seemed completely unaware as someone crept toward her.
The assailant thrust a dagger straight at her heart.
Zoe suddenly twisted aside, perfectly dodging the attack.
Refusing to yield, the attacker struck again and again. Yet each attempt missed by a hair's breadth. Growing impatient, he raised his handgun, ready to finish Zoe off.
Zoe moved like lightning. In one fluid motion, she snatched the handgun from his grasp, cocked it with a sharp click, and pressed the cold barrel against his forehead.
The failed assassin lunged at Zoe, but stood no chance. Within seconds, he was sent flying by Zoe's powerful kick. He slammed into the frame of the neighboring bunk bed with a loud crash, jolting the two sleeping occupants awake.
The two sat up and laid into the assassin with furious blows.
Before Zoe could intervene, the assassin had already been beaten to a pulp, barely clinging to life.
Zoe stood over the assassin pinned to the ground, glaring down at him. "Who sent you to kill me?" she demanded. She pondered, 'This guy isn't the one with those sinister eyes. He's just a decoy sent to mislead us.'
Shawn yanked the assassin up by the collar. "Talk!" he barked, his tone icy.
The assassin spat right at Shawn's face.
Shawn dodged, but the spit still splattered onto his shirt, staining it.
Zoe's eyes instantly turned cold at the sight. Before anyone could react, she vaulted off the top bunk. With a sickening twist, she snapped the assassin's neck before he could even blink.
She thought, 'Anyone who dares to insult my man is going to pay.'
Watching Zoe kill without blinking, the onlookers knew she was not someone to mess with. They thought, 'Thankfully, tomorrow's the last day. As long as we don't run into her, we should all make it out of this hellhole in one piece.'
"Toss the corpse in the hallway and get some sleep!" someone barked.
The others, not wanting any trouble, immediately complied.
Zoe didn't need to lift a finger. The body was swiftly dragged out and disposed of by unseen hands.
Just as Zoe lay down to rest, she felt that hostile gaze again. She quickly scanned the room, but everyone else was busy settling in for the night. No one seemed to be watching her.
She wondered, 'Who the hell is this creep? Tomorrow's the final day. Does he think he can keep hiding in the shadows?'
Suddenly, Shawn vaulted onto the top bunk in one swift motion.
"What are you doing up here?" Zoe asked.
"I'm here to protect you," Shawn replied. With that, he squeezed onto the narrow bunk.
Zoe sighed in resignation. She asked, "Where am I supposed to sleep?"
Shawn said, "Right here." Then he pulled her firmly into his embrace.
Zoe chuckled. She thought, 'This guy is trying to take advantage of me on purpose.'
Still, she had to admit she kind of liked this new, more responsive Shawn. At least now, when she flirted, he flirted back, way better than before.
Wrapped in each other's arms, the two drifted off to sleep, making the lonely singles around them burn with jealousy.
They complained inside, 'We are tormented day and night by the instructors, and now we are forced to endure this lovey-dovey display too. How utterly miserable!'
Just as everyone was about to fall asleep, a sudden commotion erupted outside. The next moment, several tear gas canisters came flying in through the door.
All trainees cursed inside, 'Damn it! Are we still pulling this on the last day?'
Everyone knew sleep was out of the question again tonight. Resigned to their fate, they dragged their exhausted bodies out to assemble.
God only knew how they survived these nine hellish days. Not a single full meal, never more than four hours of sleep—this brutal training regimen was downright inhuman. Yet against all odds, they're still standing.
As everyone assembled on the training ground, they were stunned to find a snow machine sitting nearby.