In an instant, all fell silent.
The moment Ji Jue turned the handgun and handed it over, the once crowded crowd seemed to stir for a moment, stepping back as if what they were facing wasn’t the gun’s handle, but its dark muzzle.
No, even more than the muzzle…
For a brief moment, those faces, so different from each other, all stiffened.
It was as if they hadn’t yet reacted; or rather, they hadn’t had time to grasp the meaning behind that news.
Opportunity.
Turning point.
Dawn.
Redemption.
What you call it didn’t matter.
Sometimes, when such a crucial moment comes before a person, the first feeling in the heart isn’t gratitude or joy, but fear.
Panic.
Unease.
Doubt.
Something welled up within those hollow eyes.
What if this is all a lie?
After escaping disaster, to receive such a gift — everything so beautiful it’s unreal — yet it’s right there within reach.
But what if this is true?
The moment such a thought surfaced in the chest, the impulse that had been eager to burst forth suddenly froze and disappeared.
Only a chilling silence remained.