On the lawn of a high-end residential community, a pure black cat sat quietly.
Not far away, a three-story villa with a spacious yard was engulfed in flames, with fire devouring everything.
…
Half an hour earlier.
After Leon shouted, he immediately regretted it.
It wasn't for any other reason; he suddenly remembered that Wesley hadn't technically died by his hand.
"Damn, does that mean I won't get credit for this purification?"
This was the first time Leon had encountered such a situation. In the past, he always took care of things personally, making sure the job was done. But Wesley? Technically, he was killed by Bullseye!
So many darts stuck in him—who kills like that? No normal person, that's for sure!
"Actually, normal people don't kill at all!"
This wasn't the time to check the system. Who knew what was happening outside?
While Leon might be rash and his thought process unconventional, he was far from brave. In fact, he was the opposite—he was cowardly, fearful of death, and always avoided confrontation if he could.
Why didn't he dodge the bullets earlier?
First, he knew he didn't need to fear regular bullets. He'd tested his gear thoroughly. One day, he bought a cute little bunny from a pet store and rented a van, a grill, some cumin, and beer…
(He never ended up eating that bunny, but after emptying a magazine into himself, he completely trusted his "four-person body shield" theory.)
Second, with his current agility, he simply couldn't dodge bullets!
Movies are all fake!
No one can dual-wield guns and maintain super-fast speed and accuracy!
No one can suppress an assault rifle with a pistol!
No one can dodge a bullet that's aimed to hit!
Of course, people are built differently. Leon once, in a fit of rage, slid across the floor and then passed out for an entire day!
In short, he knew he didn't need to dodge regular bullets.
If he did jump around like a monkey, dodging left and right, and still got shot in the end, that would be embarrassing!
No need for that, no need at all!
But now, things were different!
Wesley was dead, and if the people outside had been cautious about using heavy weaponry, now that Bullseye accidentally killed the hostage, they wouldn't hold back anymore!
Who knew what they might throw in through those broken windows next?
What if it was some stink bomb or something? No amount of physical defense could save him from that!
Right?
Not to mention...
Leon thought, from a villain's perspective, that the best choice right now would be to turn everyone inside—dead or alive—into ashes!
That way, Wesley's death would count as his doing, even if it technically wasn't.
Don't ask why Leon can think like a villain!
Just call it careful planning!
At times like this, to avoid getting hit with a pineapple grenade, flashbang, automatic peanut feeder, or some other weird weapon, Leon made a decisive choice—to flee the house!
…Leon, in cat form, had never expected this!
Incendiary bombs…
Are those things even supposed to appear in superhero comics?!
When it came to villains, Leon didn't respect a single one. Whether it was due to plot requirements or forced writing, most villains were idiots!
They loved using guns, strange techniques, and odd tools to fight superheroes.
It's like in *Detective Conan*—criminals always commit crimes with people around!
Apparently, it's to create an alibi!
And those who don't flee the crime scene? They stay to "prove" they weren't there!
Genius!
Give them a round of applause!
The simpler the crime, the harder it is to solve. Like throwing someone in the river, burying them, or burning everything. But when it comes to these things, Leon...
Knows absolutely nothing! Ha!
It's all from the internet! Ha!
Back to the dumb villains in comics, those who train in martial arts! They hone their skills, get beat up by the hero, and then go back for more. The higher-level ones use high-tech methods, pressing their advantage until they get beaten down from the sky. The even higher-level ones mess with people's minds, using cunning plots.
In the end, they help the hero grow.
Give them another round of applause!
It's not that complicated! With all that time and effort, why not just use fire?
Fight! Resist! Resist more!
Use a knife! A faster knife!
Explosions! Bigger explosions!
It's not rocket science!
Leon had analyzed it all. Most heroes and villains could be dealt with using just gasoline and a lighter.
Setting aside Marvel's physics and Ant-Man's size issues, even Hawkeye is just a regular person.
Captain America may survive a 70-year ice nap and pull helicopters, but no way he could survive a bucket of gasoline and a lighter.
Even Iron Man's earlier suits wouldn't stand up to it. If directors allowed for the use of gasoline and incendiary bombs, the Avengers wouldn't have made it to the fourth movie. Thor might survive, but everyone else would be toast!
Maybe it was his innate arrogance as someone who knows the plot.
Hah! I know the story! You got betrayed!
The person who betrayed you? They got betrayed too! Guess who did it!
Hah! It's you! (Yes, comics actually have plots like this…)
This kind of thinking kept Leon from shaking his arrogance entirely. He forgot this was a real world. Feeling proud of himself, he looked down on the villains, only to be taught a lesson by the very ones he underestimated.
No doubt, if Leon had stayed in the house to face the "metal bullet storm" he imagined, by now...
He'd be cooked medium-well!
Actually, more like charred.
Well, well, well! Look who's got a new perspective!
Leon realized he'd been dealing with villains all along! He might act like one himself, but only when necessary. See? Real villains bring real heat!
Even Bullseye, a guy who throws darts, started using fire! What's next, physical defense or magic defense?
Leon knew his 20 stamina points wouldn't let him banter with a villain in a burning building.
"Good thing I've built up my reputation as a lunatic!"
Under a tree not far from the fire, a black cat leaned against it, puffing smoke.
"Who would've thought I'm actually just a normal guy?"
With a sly grin, the black cat stopped a passing tabby: "Hey, buddy, want a smoke? Don't go that way—there's a fire. You'll choke!"
---
P.S.: So, uh, I broke the lightbulb socket at my grandpa's place. Anyone know how to replace it without getting electrocuted?
(End of chapter.)