It was past the usual working hours, so there wasn’t a soul in sight in the basement. Carol had left early today and reminded me to head back sooner. However, I lost track of time because I was engrossed in my work.

As I traversed the basement, I heard hurried footsteps behind me before feeling a rush of wind. I turned and instinctively dodged, but I took a hit on my shoulder. It caused me to grunt in pain.

Before I could realize what had happened, another blow struck me. This time, I saw what hit me. It was a wooden bat. I sidestepped and shouted, “Who are you?!”

I noticed the person wearing black sportswear with a hood and mask to cover their features. I couldn’t even make out what gender the person was. However, the person’s slender figure hinted at them being a woman.

“What the hell do you want?!” I demanded, retreating while watching the assailant. Suddenly, two more masked individuals with wooden bats appeared behind her.

I knew they were targeting me and had prepared for th