Reborn As A Doomsday Villainess
Chapter 209: Why should a woman lead?

Chapter 209: Why should a woman lead?

Finally the day of the flood challenge had arrived, the winds were so strong that according to Lingquan they were ranging at 90 mph and higher.

"Everyone! Please hold hands and walk in pairs. We have to get to the dam before the flood starts!"

Qingran shouted as she guided them to the base, they were 60 in total and they needed to pick up their space so that they wouldn’t get carried by the flood coming.

"Help!"

Qingran turned to see an expected yet unexpected scene.

"What the fuck are you doing? Do you think now is your time to carry out your stupid plan??"

They had decided to take Mora hostage, even if it was personz they knew Qingran would come back to save them.

"Give your access to the dam or we’ll kill her right now. Make it snappy, the storm is fast approaching."

"So? Let it come? I have the means to survive it when it comes...do you?"

They passed as they weigh their options. Qingran could stay here and still survive the flood but what about them?

"Like we said, a woman shouldn’t be running the operation. So hand over authority to us and we’ll let her go?"

Qingran chucked and brought out a gun from her space, the wind had gotten even stronger and the rain had started to drizzle.

"I’m giving until the count of 5 and I’m not slowing down on my counting. If by 5 you still haven’t let her go, I’ll blow your fucking heads out. Dirty misogynists, run the operation you say? What makes you think you can be a leader just because you’re a man?"

The men holding Mora faltered, one of them tightening his grip on her arm while the other instinctively stepped back. They hadn’t expected Qingran to call their bluff so fast—or to meet their threat with a deadlier one.

"One," she said coldly, cocking the gun.

The rain began falling harder, slanting sideways in the wind. The sky overhead had darkened to a dull charcoal, and the air smelled of ozone and rising water.

"Two."

"Wait—wait!" one of them barked. His voice cracked slightly under pressure. "You won’t shoot with her right here—"

"Three."

Qingran didn’t blink. Her finger hovered above the trigger, her stance relaxed but final.

Mora struggled now, shoving her elbow back and landing a solid hit to the ribs of the man behind her. He grunted, loosened his grip.

"Four."

The second man let go instantly. The other cursed and released Mora too, pushing her forward. She stumbled, then ran to Qingran, wind whipping her hair across her face.

Qingran caught her with one arm and lowered the gun with the other. She didn’t take her eyes off the pair of them.

"Five," she said anyway, and fired.

The bullet tore through the air, just missing the space between the two men’s heads. They both dropped to the ground with shouts, scrabbling away.

"Next time," she said sharply, "I won’t miss."

She turned without waiting for a response and guided Mora back toward the others. "Move! Now!"

The group surged forward again, fear and adrenaline sharpening their movements. The base of the dam loomed ahead, a massive concrete ring enclosing a sleek, floating structure in its center. The building’s outer walls were reinforced with curved metal shielding, and just above the main entrance was a narrow row of solar sensors and hydrodynamic vents—tech meant to keep it powered and afloat no matter how high the water got.

Qingran placed her palm on the scanner. "Lingquan, unlock the doors."

<< Authorizing... Access Granted. >>

The entrance hissed open. "Get inside and grab a wall handle," she ordered. "Floor grips are for stabilizing. Once the system senses full contact, the inner doors will seal."

One by one, people filed in, holding onto embedded grips that ran along the walls and floor. Children were helped by older teens. Injured ones were carried.

Yu Song arrived last with Xu Tianming, rain soaking their backs. "Everyone’s accounted for!" Yu shouted.

Qingran hit the panel beside the door. << Lockdown initiating. >>

A series of mechanical thuds echoed as steel shutters rolled down over the outer doors and windows. Internal lights switched to a low, ambient blue.

Outside, the water began to rise. fɾeewebnoveℓ.co๓

A low rumble shuddered beneath their feet as the dam released its edge channels, allowing overflow to redirect. Still, the center would not hold forever—this was the real test.

Inside, the floating structure shifted slightly. The floor tilted, then righted itself.

"We’re buoyant," Yu Song said, his voice steady but tight.

Mora, still shaken, leaned against a wall. "They were really going to leave me out there."

"They were," Qingran said quietly. "But they don’t get to make decisions anymore."

Rain pelted the exterior with increasing violence. The noise was thunderous now, wind howling like a beast circling its prey.

Lingquan’s voice echoed through the speakers. << External pressure threshold rising. Elevation increase detected. >>

"Hold on," Qingran said.

With a great lurch, the building lifted. Water crashed against the sides, but the structure floated, swaying just once before stabilizing.

Rain lashed the sides of the floating base like whips, thunder cracking loud enough to shake the core. The interior lights flickered for a breath but steadied, casting a calm glow over the room.

Everyone was quiet, breath held.

Then—

Banging.

Frantic, wild banging from the sealed front door.

Qingran didn’t need to guess. She walked slowly to the closest exterior camera display and tapped the screen. A live feed popped up: two drenched, wind-beaten figures flailing at the steel door, faces contorted with panic. The very same men who had tried to hold Mora hostage minutes before.

They were screaming, though their voices were drowned by the storm. Their mouths shaped the words over and over.

"Please! Let us in!"

"Qingran! Qingran, we’re sorry!"

Another wave crashed over the dam, sloshing halfway up the sealed walls. The building shifted gently but remained stable. The pressure outside increased. Water had already reached their waists.

"They’ll drown out there.." Xu Tianming said lowly.

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