A totem pole

Luo Muchen was about to pick up Qie Xieling into his arms and carry him out when Valria groaned as she struggled to get back up on her feet. The sound of gunfire and chaos in the background turned into white noise the tension in the room spiralling. 

Her body ached as she slowly pushed herself up from the cold, hard floor. The impact had been brutal, the force of being flung against the wall sending shards of pain through her every nerve. But she was determined, fueled by her twisted desires and the satisfaction of her malicious smile.

As she rose, she wiped the corner of her lips, smearing away the trickle of blood that had escaped from the impact. The taste of iron lingered, a bitter reminder of the violence that had unfolded. Her eyes, filled with a mix of triumph and rage, locked onto Luo Muchen, who stood a few feet away, glowering back at her with an intensity that matched her own.