The 3 B's- Beauty, Brains and Bravery

Military Chief Office, 14:30;

Rong Xinghe walked into the interrogation room minutes after Andrea had pierced all the seven bullets from Williams' Eagle 50 through Maksoor Khan's heart. The woman's hands were trembling now, tears streaming down her eyes endlessly. She'd never killed anyone before. Andrea was an innocent woman who'd been sold and bought like goods, a girl who'd witnessed her parents being murdered in front of her eyes. Ever since she'd been rescued by Rong Xinghe, she'd had no home to go to. She'd had nothing to lose. Until she realized she was to become a mother. 

And now that it was all over, now that she'd put an end to the monster, she couldn't feel the satisfaction she thought she would. Instead, she felt empty and broken. Where would she go from here? How would she live knowing she caused someone's death? Even if it was a terrorist, she'd never thought she would commit such a sin. 

"Come here.", Rong Xinghe sighed, pulling the woman in her arms, taking the gun away from her, "It's okay.", she said then, pacifying her. 

Feeling the affectionate warmth around her, finally, Andrea closed her eyes and mustered up the courage to mourn. For her mother, and father, and unborn baby. She cried, hysterically, for everything she'd lost. The tears were due, of course, for it was time. Time to let go of the past. 

"I am scared, Xinghe.", Andrea said when she'd calmed down, sitting over the floor, blood still dripping down the dead body next to them.

"You don't have to be.", Rong Xinghe smiled assuringly, "You had every right to do what you did today. You can stay at one of the villas booked under my brothers' names for the next few days. Take your time deciding what you want to do next. I'll help you, I promise."

"Thank you.", the woman managed to speak, "For everything so far."

_________

Blush Nightclub, 21:00;

Zhi Xi walked over to Mo Zixuan with a glass of Rusty Nail, eyeing the two girls across the place, chatting and laughing with Zhi Al behind the bar. Lu Wei followed his line of sight shortly after, swirling the whiskey in his hands himself. It was relaxing to watch them. The Rong twins genuinely smiling, not pondering over their work for once. 

"I still can't believe Al has such a passion for Mixology!", Ningtao laughed, looking at the trio in the corner. 

"Al is a professional at everything that describes 'fun'.", Zhi Xi shrugged nonchalantly, grabbing a stool for himself, "Mixology. Photography. Travel Writing. Guitar-ing. Mimicry. Dances. Vlogs. You name it."

"Yep.", Zhi Bo nodded, downing the last of his drink, "That's him."

Feng Mian chuckled, her gaze fixed at how carefree the two girls were with the man. Zhi Al had always been more of the Rong twins' friend, than their brother. But that was alright. He was the youngest of the Six tigers, after all, just a few years older than the girls. Besides, Zhi Al and Su Rogguang had shielded their innocence and their childhood, like no one, ever had. 

This night belonged to the Superfamily, and so, they'd booked the entire club for the next few hours. Three days from now, Xinguan were to get married. And though the girl's brothers were delighted for her, they wished for time to just stop. For things to stay the way they were when they were kids. 

"Do you guys think Xinghe will be staying with the Xis after marriage?", Ruo Cy questioned. 

"I hope not.", Su Rogguaang groaned at the mere idea of it, "I mean, Yuan's parents are fine. But Fang's old ones are overly critical of every little thing. Xinghe would literally kill them."

"She would?", Ningtao raised her brows, stunned.

"She can.", Lu Wei laughed out, "But that's not an issue.", he added, "I had a word with Yuan about it months ago. He plans to keep his distance from the Xis, anyway. He wants to have a home of their own."

"It is too late for me to break up with Al and chase after Yuan, isn't it?", Feng Mian bewailed, earning a round of laughter from the family. 

"She will be fine, gentlemen.", Ching Tong smiled, tilting her head to look at the three exultant siblings, "It will be difficult to see her in a wedding gown, all grown up, but she deserves this. Both Yuan and her deserve a chance at happiness."

The five men didn't say anything. They just looked at each other in agreement. They had done their part. They had brought both their sisters up into strong, independent, compassionate women. They'd educated them, taught them to put on a fight when necessary. Ever since the train incident, they'd not just protected them, but they'd encouraged the girls to protect themselves too, knowing very well that they couldn't be by their side always. Deep down, the men had always been aware that the twins would, one day, leave. But no matter how positive, goodbyes still hurt, didn't they?

Soon, the girls asked the family to join them on the terrace of the club, where they'd lit a fire in the fancily designed fireplace. And as they did, Rong Xinghe sat down between her Bro Lu and Bro Zhi Xi, her usual spot. She'd always felt safe in their presence. 

"You don't have to fear losing me.", the girl said softly, her eyes glued to the flames emerging from the fire, "Superfamily has never been that weak. What we have, it doesn't just fade over months, or even years.", she smiled, turning to her Bro Lu, "I will be there for you, guys. Ad infinitum. Hold onto that, okay?"

"Okay.", Lu Wei smiled, a knot forming in his throat as he leaned in to plant a kiss over the girl's forehead. "Ad infinitum.", the other five whispered in unison, their lips curling up into contentment. 

It was just then, that from the corner of her eyes, Rong Xinghe saw something sharp cutting through the air from above, towards her. Not her, to be precise. It was her Bro Bo, sitting next to Rong Xiao, who seemed to be at risk. Yielding to her military instincts, the girl at once, stood up leaping toward her brother. The aimed arrow's blade was four centimeters from Zhi Bo's torso when the girl clutched onto its carbon shaft, the sharp metal slashing her palm in the process. 

As Ruo Cy screamed in shock, realizing her husband had been the target of the weapon, the Five Tigers stood up subconsciously, encircling the Rong twins and Zhi Bo next, searching for the attacker in the darkness beyond. "I am fine.", Zhi Bo stood up as well, eyeing his wife, "But Xinghe is bleeding."

While the family thought of it as a mere scratch, Rong Xinghe anticipated otherwise. She could feel the heat rising to her head rapidly, as her gaze traveled to the blade. It was enveloped into a colorless liquid, a venom she could recognize anywhere in the world. She used it herself. Funnel Web Spiders mere the makers of it, its fatality twice as deadly as cyanide. Capable of torturing humans with arrhythmia, coma, painful deaths even; this attack was anything but a scratch.