Three hours after the incident, the once-peaceful Patna Research Institute of Science had turned into a crime scene.
More than ten officers from the Patna Police were scattered across the institute.
Yellow tape blocked corridors.
Investigators moved in and out of Dr. Vedant's office while forensic teams examined every inch of the room.
One officer lifted the assistant's hand carefully. Assistant neck was twisted at unnatural angle.
Another scanned the drawers.
"Nothing…" one investigator muttered.
"No fingerprints on the drawers. Not on the door. Not even on the table."
Another officer frowned.
"That's impossible. Someone went through this room."
Yet every test gave the same answer.
No fingerprints.
As if the intruder had never existed.
Meanwhile, on a highway outside Patna…
A black sedan sped forward at around 60 km/h.
Behind the steering wheel sat a woman.
Her name was Manasvi.
Beautiful, sharp-eyed, and calm in a way that made people uncomfortable.
She held her phone between her shoulder and ear while driving.
"Isn't it weird?" she said casually.
"They didn't even find fingerprints."
A man from the investigation department replied through the speaker.
"That's exactly why the higher-ups are assigning this case to you."
He paused.
"There's thirty lakh rupees involved."
Manasvi smirked slightly.
"…Hmm."
Before he could say anything else—
Beep.
She ended the call.
A few minutes later, she slowed the car near a small roadside cigarette shop.
Rain had started falling.
Not heavy.
Just the annoying kind that soaks you slowly.
She stepped out of the car and walked toward the vendor.
"One cigarette," she said.
As she lit it, she looked up at the sky.
"Great… forgot my umbrella."
Then she noticed something.
About twenty meters away…
A group of men.
Around twenty-six of them.
They were holding metal bats.
In front of them were a woman and a small child, trembling in fear.
On the ground nearby…
A man lay bleeding heavily.
Probably the father.
Manasvi exhaled smoke slowly.
"…What a pain."
She flicked the cigarette and started walking toward them.
The thugs noticed her.
Their eyes moved across her body with disgusting grins.
"Hey lady…" one of them said, licking his lips. "Lost or something?"
Manasvi stopped right in front of them.
She tilted her head slightly.
"Uhhh… I forgot the location of Digha–Ashiana Road."
She pointed vaguely behind them.
Can you tell me the way?"
The men burst into laughter.
One of them, a fat man, stepped forward.
"Oh yeah, I know the way," he said, grinning.
"Why don't you come closer?"
The moment he lunged—
Manasvi moved.
Her hand shot forward.
She grabbed his neck.
And lifted him off the ground like he weighed nothing.
The thugs froze.
Manasvi looked around calmly.
"Ohhh," she said thoughtfully.
"So this is how you give directions?"
She casually pointed behind them.
"Is it that way?"
Then—
She threw him.
The fat man flew across the road and crashed into the fruit vendor's cart, scattering apples and bananas everywhere.
The thugs stared in disbelief.
Three of them rushed forward, swinging metal bats.
CLANG!
Manasvi stepped aside effortlessly.
One bat struck empty air.
Another she blocked with her forearm.
Before the third could swing—
She grabbed the bat.
And folded it in half like it was made of rubber.
The thug's eyes widened.
Manasvi swung the bent bat.
CRACK.
It hit one man's temple.
He collapsed instantly.
Another tried attacking from behind.
She spun.
Back kick.
He flew across the road.
Someone grabbed her from behind.
Big mistake.
She grabbed his arm, broke his hand, lifted him, and threw him straight into the charging group.
Five men fell like bowling pins.
Another thug charged screaming.
Manasvi stepped forward and punched him in the chest.
BOOM.
His body slammed against a wall, leaving a faint crack.
The remaining thugs froze.
They looked at the unconscious bodies around them.
Then at Manasvi.
And ran.
The entire fight had taken less than thirty seconds.
Manasvi dusted her hands.
"Annoying…"
She took out her phone and called an ambulance.
While waiting, she knelt beside the injured family.
"Don't worry," she told the child softly.
"Help is coming."
Just then—
THUD.
Something hit her head.
A brick.
The fat thug she had thrown earlier was standing behind her.
Breathing heavily.
Manasvi slowly touched the back of her head.
"…Seriously?"
She turned.
The brick in his hand crumbled.
No blood.
No injury.
Her fingers tightened.
The brick crushed into powder.
She grabbed his shoulder.
CRACK.
The man screamed as his shoulder joint shattered.
Manasvi sighed.
"I'll take compensation for this later…"
She glanced at her car.
"…But first, I have work."
The rain continued to fall as the ambulance sirens approached.
And somewhere far away…
The man in black was already several steps ahead.