Laurel confidently walked down the side streets with her new white blonde hair.
This made her feel nostalgic about her last life.
Because of her status as a S-rank hunter, she was always in the spotlight.
It feels the same way right now. However, other than having the same white blonde hair in both moments, the attention she received from others was different.
Compared to her time as a S-rank hunter, the attention she earned was mixed with envy and malice, but now in the side street, it was pure curiosity and admiration.
It was a good feeling.
She was even stopped by some people who told her she was pretty, which she appreciated.
Some even wanted to take a picture with her, but she remembered that she just sneaked out of the academy, and if the picture was posted on the internet, she was sure her family would find out.
That's why she politely declined, which they accepted, thankfully.
After that, she went to more shops and even purchased some of them.
With shopping bags on her hands, Laurel walked out of one of the shops with a smile on her face and the goods in hand.
She continued to walk on the side street to look for other shops when she halted her steps and saw something right ahead of her.
She raised her eyebrow when she saw the same petite blonde girl that caused the commotion in the main office.
Compared to this morning, the woman was not surrounded by those buff hunters in black suits.
She was now standing in front of a parked car on the side street, and it seems she was talking to someone who was inside the car.
After a few moments, the car started moving, leaving the petite blonde woman looking like a dejected puppy on the street.
Laurel's eyebrow went up even further with confusion.
"Who would even make the hunter association's president's granddaughter upset?" she mutters under her breath.
She was about to ignore that woman since it was none of her business when, right at the corner of her eyes, a fast vehicle came speeding down the street, and like a flash, it stopped in front of the petite blonde woman and snatched her into the car before speeding off again.
"Did I just witness an abduction?" she asked in disbelief.
Laurel contemplated what to do and waited to see if someone would chase the car like the blonde woman's guards who were tailing her, but there was none.
Laurel frowned as the car's figure disappeared into the distance, leaving her feeling helpless.
She grunted in frustration as she braced herself and ran as fast as she could. Because of the abnormal strength that she possesses, it is easy for her to catch up to the speeding car.
She followed them for a while before the car ended up arriving at an abandoned factory.
Laurel watched from a distance as male figures went out of the car, and one of them was carrying an unconscious petite woman like a sack of rice.
Laurel contemplated what she should do next as she watched them go inside the factory.
She grunted in frustration, like someone was forcing her to move. She bit her lower lip and, with a teary eye, placed her shopping bags, which cost over a thousand dollars, on the bushes.
"I'll be back," she said toward it before wearing her hood over her head to make sure her face was concealed.
With a deep breath, Laurel followed the men into the factory, determined to rescue the woman and put an end to whatever nefarious activities were taking place inside.
She sneaked inside and ended up hiding behind a stack of crates, listening intently to the conversation happening between the men.
"Are you sure we should do this without prior plans?" one of the men asked with a concerned tone.
"Dumbass!" a man who seems to be the leader smacks the other.
"We have been planning to kidnap this woman for months and failed miserably!" the leader shouted.
"But I thought we already gave up," the other said in a low voice.
A smack once again: "Yes, we did, but opportunity was laid in front of us. Who would even think we'd succeed in kidnapping her just because we just happened to see her alone on the street? Isn't that the perfect chance to finally get what we want?"
"There's a huge bounty on this woman's head. Do you want to know how much it is?" the leader asked.
The other nodded, and the leader whispered something to him, and he gasped.
"That's huge! We'll be filthy rich with that!"
The leader's words sparked excitement in the group as they realized the potential reward for their risky endeavor.
Laurel watched as the group of men snickered at something.
She rolled her eyes at them, seeing them as a bunch of fools.
Laurel crouched behind the crates, her sharp eyes scanning the area for any possible opening to ambush the kidnappers.
Her mind raced as she assessed the situation, noting the positions of the men and any potential escape routes.
Her heart pounded in her chest, the adrenaline coursing through her veins sharpening her senses.
She couldn't afford to make a mistake—one wrong move, and the petite woman's life could be in greater danger.
As she carefully inched forward, she noticed a narrow passageway that seemed to lead closer to the group without exposing herself.
She silently thanked her rigorous training for the agility and stealth she possessed.
Slowly, she started to make her way toward it, keeping an eye on the men who were engrossed in their conversation about the bounty.
Just as she reached the edge of the crates, ready to slip into the passageway, the unexpected happened.
Her foot accidentally nudged a small, rusty can that had been hidden in the shadows. The can clattered against the concrete floor, the noise echoing in the otherwise silent factory.
Every head in the group snapped in her direction. Laurel cursed under her breath, knowing she had lost the element of surprise.
She tried to make a run for it, but before she could even take a step, one of the men lunged toward her with surprising speed and strength.
He tackled her to the ground, pinning her down with a victorious sneer.
"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" the leader drawled, walking over with a predatory grin.
Laurel struggled against the man's grip, but he was too strong, and she found herself unable to break free.
The leader crouched down to her level, his eyes glinting with malicious amusement.
"Looks like someone decided to play hero. Too bad for you, sweetheart," he mocked, his fingers curling under her chin, forcing her to look at him.
Laurel glared at him, her defiance evident despite the precarious situation. "Let her go," she demanded, her voice steady.
The leader chuckled darkly. "You're in no position to make demands, blondie. But don't worry, we'll make sure you and your friend over there have a very interesting time."
He motioned to his men, who dragged Laurel to her feet and forced her to join the unconscious woman.
They were about to bound her to a rope when Laurel found the right opportunity to attack. She moved her head forward, and it collided with the enemy's head.
The man fell to the ground, unconscious from the impact.
The other men looked in disbelief at her unexpected actions, giving Laurel the split-second opportunity she needed to break free.
With her hands free, Laurel wasted no time. She swiftly grabbed the unconscious woman's wrist and pulled her away from the men, positioning herself defensively between the kidnappers and their intended victim.
The leader snarled in frustration. "Get her!" he barked, and his men lunged forward.
Laurel's training as an S-rank hunter kicked in. She moved with a speed and precision that left her opponents bewildered.
She deflected punches, countered kicks, and used the environment to her advantage. With a swift kick to the knee of one attacker, she sent him sprawling to the ground.
Another thug attempted to grab her from behind, but she twisted out of his grasp and delivered a powerful elbow to his ribs, knocking the wind out of him.
The remaining men hesitated, exchanging nervous glances. The leader's eyes narrowed. "She's no ordinary girl," he muttered. "Is she a hunter?"
One of the thugs, clutching his injured ribs, gasped, "She has to be. No normal person fights like that."
Laurel's eyes gleamed with determination. "You're right. I'm a hunter, and you've just made the biggest mistake of your lives."