Bab 9: Stepping Across the Edge

With a relaxed air, I returned to the break room and began mopping the floor. Minutes later, Danny came out of one of the nearby offices, followed by a surprisingly friendly manager who said, "Miss Danny, though it was a misunderstanding today, our company would still value a talent like you. We'll keep your resume on file, and if any opportunities arise, we'll be in touch."

'Nice! Even for a rejection, that's a pretty considerate one, and not something everyone can earn.'

Danny responded with a graceful smile and, as if casually, asked, "Manager Wilson, would it be possible for me to take a quick tour of the Eclipse Group offices?"

Manager Wilson pretended to think it over before nodding. "Typically, that's not allowed, but today, I'll make an exception."

Laughing, he led Danny down the hall, giving a quick overview of the nearby offices, eventually stopping by the break room.

"This here is the heart of the floor," he said proudly. "It has everything—sofas, a kitchenette, and a brand-new coffee machine. It's practically our lifeline around here."

Danny's eyes sparkled with a mix of awe and amusement. As her gaze met mine, I gave a subtle nod toward the break room.

Manager Wilson led her inside, passing right by me as I pretended to mop but kept a close eye on them.

Seconds later, a sudden deafening blast and a shrill scream shattered the calm. I jerked up to see Manager Wilson and a few nearby employees looking stunned, while Danny was standing frozen in terror.

In the distance, the microwave appeared to have exploded, and flames were already spreading fast, 'Is this Danny's doing? If so, she pulled it off perfectly.'

"The break room's on fire!" I screamed in panic.

At that moment, the fire alarm finally blared. Manager Wilson and the employees hesitated, casting anxious glances at the still-untouched sink.

I rushed forward, grabbing them by the shoulders and pulling them back. "We have to go—there might be more explosions. Let's get out of here!"

The sprinklers finally sputtered to life, but the water pressure was pitifully low, barely dampening the spreading flames. Whether it was construction shortcuts or Danny's clever manipulation, the fire only seemed to grow.

Chaos broke loose as the entire west side heard my shouts. Some of the braver ones ventured closer to see, while the more timid were already rushing toward the front lobby.

Amidst the screeching alarms and the smoke filling the hall, doors swung open as several executives appeared, bewildered and angry.

I dashed toward them, my face a mask of distress. "Sir! The break room just exploded—there's a massive fire. We need to evacuate." They barely had time to process before I bolted past, banging on every office door and shouting for everyone to clear out.

Another explosive sound ripped through the air.

'Danny is definitely putting in some extra effort. This time, even the managers and executives aren't asking questions', They hurriedly shoved their way out, practically dragging others with them.

"6:35. Perfect timing," I muttered, slipping back to the west wing. Danny was lingering at the back of the crowd, occasionally glancing over her shoulder.

I waved her over and, once we ducked into an empty office, gave her a thumbs up. "Nicely done. That fire's doing wonders. We're in a good spot thanks to you."

Danny finally exhaled, her chest puffing up with pride. "Not bad, right?"

Soaked by the sprinkler water, her hair clung to her flushed face. Her white blouse had turned semi-transparent, clinging tightly to the blue undergarments beneath.

The fabric hugged the enticing curves of her chest, revealing just a hint of the smooth skin between the buttons. Seizing the opportunity, I stole a few more glances before shaking it off and focusing back on the task. "Alright, let's split up. Check the west wing offices; I'll take the east. Don't forget the restrooms. Move quickly; we're low on time."

Danny nodded and hurried out the door. I turned and made a beeline for the one room I hadn't been able to enter earlier.

'Flag… what would it even look like?'

"The only office left is the CEO's, Ava Bloom," I muttered.

The first ten offices on the east side had come up empty. I pushed against the door to the CEO's office, and, sure enough, it was locked.

'Just my luck, tch', I reached into my pockets—'nothing useful, just my phone and mop. So, brute force it is', Fortunately, it was only a wooden door, not particularly sturdy.

I examined the hinges and lock, took a step back, then delivered a powerful kick to the handle, amplifying it with a burst of my ability. The door flew open with a satisfying crack, and right there on the wall behind the desk hung a bright red banner.

"Bingo! 'Top Ten Youth Entrepreneurs of Shanghai'… This has to be it."

I climbed onto a chair, pulled the banner off its hooks, rolled it up, and tucked it into my backpack before hurrying back into the hallway. Danny appeared from the restroom, looking frustrated. "Any luck? There was nothing in the restrooms."

Grinning, I patted my backpack. "Mission accomplished. It's a banner. Let's head down—time's almost up."

We reached the elevator. Danny pressed the button, but nothing happened. I shook my head. "With the fire alarm going off, the elevators are out of commission. We'll have to take the stairs."

Danny looked worried. "The stairs? This is the forty-fourth floor. Do we have enough time?"

I checked my phone: 6:42 PM. Opening the stairwell door, I peered down.

'The entire building is in full evacuation mode, with people crowding the stairwell. The nearest group is about seven or eight floors down, and with almost a thousand people in the building, we will be lucky to get out before 7:30.'

'This was a corporate office building, after all—how are there still this many people working at nearly 7 PM? The struggle of the working class', I sighed to myself.

Handing Danny a towel, I said, "Looks like we're taking the second route."

Danny buried her face in the towel and shivered at my suggestion, her big, wet eyes blinking up at me. "You're not serious…"

I gestured toward the crowded stairwell. "Think about it. Both the elevator and the stairs are out of the question. We need an alternative."

Reluctantly, I led her up to the rooftop, taking in a deep breath of the evening air. By now, November in Shanghai was chilly, and the temperature dropped quickly after sunset.

My jacket kept me warm, but Danny, soaked through, was visibly shivering.

I handed her my coat with a grin. "Gotta admit, I'm a pretty chivalrous guy, huh? I mean, I even brought a towel. Plus, no skirts were involved, and now you've got my jacket."

Danny gave me a playful swat, cheeks tinged pink, but accepted the coat.

I walked over to the edge, scanning the nearby streets. Oriental Pearl Tower was the tallest building in the vicinity, towering over everything else within a few miles.

The last rays of dusk had faded, and a vast starry sky stretched above, reflecting off the glow of the city lights below—a breathtakingly serene sight from this height. "It's beautiful up here," Danny murmured beside me.

"Yeah," I nodded, then pointed to a dark alley nearby, "See that? It's a small side street. I noticed earlier that most of the shops there are closed, so there's no lighting or foot traffic. Perfect landing zone. Too bad there's no grass around here for a softer landing."

Danny, unusually quiet, peered over the edge, biting her lip. Fixated on planning our descent, I missed her nervous expression as I continued, "Once we're in freefall, channel the wind element to control our direction. If you have any energy left, try to slow our descent. So, are you going to carry me, or should I carry you?"

She rolled her eyes. "What kind of man makes a girl carry him? You're carrying me, of course."

"Well, technically, if you carried me, I could focus entirely on directing us…" I started to joke, but her icy glare made me quickly backtrack. "Fine, fine! I'll carry you. Anyone who tries to take you off my back has me to deal with."

Her frosty stare softened slightly as I braced myself to go over the edge. "When we're about to land, brace yourself, tuck, and roll to spread out the impact. We'll aim to separate just before hitting the ground to cushion ourselves as much as possible. I've never tried anything this crazy before, so let's hope it goes well," I said.

"It's 6:50 PM. We're cutting it close. Ready?"

I crouched down, signaling her to climb on. A moment later, she gingerly pressed her soft, warm body against my back, her long legs wrapping around my waist while her slender arms encircled my neck. Her breath was warm against my ear, faintly scented with her perfume.

I supported her legs and stood, feeling her arms tighten slightly around my shoulders, 'Nervous about the leap we are about to take, or just from being this close?', I couldn't tell, but I didn't dare ask.

Scrambling to the edge, I swung one leg over the ledge, straddling the railing as I peered down. The cityscape below seemed surreal, like a glittering sea of lights against the encroaching darkness.

The faint glow of headlights and streetlights painted delicate patterns on the streets below, tiny moving dots that felt worlds away.

My fear of heights started kicking in again; my palms felt clammy, and my heartbeat quickened. The wind howled around us, cold and unforgiving, adding an ominous touch to the drop.

"Danny, are you ready with the wind manipulation? I'll count to three, and we'll go," I said.

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