“Keep dreaming.” Xiao Li looked at Luo Dong, without disguising the disgust and hatred in his piercing eyes.
“It’s fine if you don’t want to kill him.” Luo Dong suddenly smiled smugly, “Whatever the outcome, you two still have a good friendship. I’ll let you continue on being an affectionate couple in this lifetime.”
His eyes like that of a venomous snake, sneered at Xiao Li while a demented smile tugged at his lips. Xiao Li returned that contemptuous look with a stone-cold gaze that seemed to freeze the air around them.
The imperious, bumptious old swindler and the strong, anger youth faced off, using their eyes to communicate the disdain and enmity that they had for each other as they advanced into a battle.
In the overwhelming silent that took over, the room suddenly broke out in a weak fit of laughter.
Han Jia turned slightly over to look at Xiao Li. He looked to be in a rather good mood and the warm look in his eyes seemed to smile, “Finish me off, Xiao Li.”
“What nonsense are you saying?” said Xiao Li in a low voice.
Even though he was pale, weak and in an extremely difficult situation, but with just one of Han Jia’s smile, Jin Ting’s elegant and suave playboy mannerism appeared once again.
“I’ve always told you, being human….and living, you have to enjoy the present while you can,” his voice was still hoarse and came out slowly yet he still tried his hardest to keep it steady, “Because at this kind of moment, where you’re faced with death, you’ll look back, and see that you’ve at least lived a few happy and comfortable days. Xiao Li, I’ve lived long enough…it was fucking worth it. I won’t have any regret even if I die.”
“Shut up!”
Xiao Li struggled against the men that were holding him back. But, once Luo Dong gave a signal, those men quickly released him, allowing Xiao Li to quickly charge toward Han Jia’s side.
He helped him, making sure to be careful, “Today, either we go out together, or we stay here together.”
“You don’t need your brother anymore huh?” Han Jia asked and as if he had suddenly recalled something, he smiled again, “I’m not a good person. I deserve whatever happens to me today. You……when you go back, you must not think about revenge. If Qing Ye didn’t favor you, there is no way it would’ve come to such a compromise……”
“Those words are directed towards Dong Ye huh,” there was no trace of warmth in Luo Dong’s eyes as he looked at him, “Are you telling me Xiao Li won’t seek revenge or hinting to me that Xiao Li is Li Shi Qing’s bitch? Which is it? Are you afraid Dong Ye will make it difficult on him?”
Although Han Jia was having a bit of a hard time breathing, Xiao Li touched his cheek and whispered, “Don’t worry about this —”
Before he could finish his sentence, a loud muffled explosion came from the distant.
Xiao Li carefully held onto Han Jia’s weak body before slowly raising his head to stare squarely at Luo Dong. A twisted smile emerged on his face while he simultaneously said, “You should be worried that I’ll make it difficult for him.”
As he said the second half of that sentence, the explosion sounded one after another sound. Â Then, it got closer and even louder than before. Luo Dong was too shock to say anything as another explosion struck his ears. The loud explosion roared like a dragging storm causing the whole building to shake instantly. Within seconds, the wall broke apart, the window panes suddenly shattered under the tension giving way for the broken piece of glass and other debris to fly toward the center of the room. On top of that, the roof shook as if a thousand horses were trampling from above. Dust and pieces of building material fell, practically flying throughout the room. In just a mere minute, the entire room was suddenly lost in chaos.
None of Luo Dong’s subordinates knew what was happening. All they heard was Luo Dong bellowing out: “Don’t panic! Guard the door!”
A moment after the explosion ceased and the dust had settled, the crowd looked at the room to see if Xiao Li and Han Jia’s shadow were there or not?
Luo Dong cursed out in swear words, commanding: “Chase after them immediately, open fire when you see them. I want to see them dead!”
The subordinates promptly responded before quickly running out the door.
Once those subordinates left, the only remaining person was Luo Dong most trusted subordinate. He carried Luo Dong, whose legs were not so agile, on his back and ran out after the others.
Once they arrived downstairs, they discovered that, the building that Luo Dong had just purchased atop the center of this mountain, has been destroyed at several areas. Starting at the east side where the kitchen was and following along a succession of other rooms, several explosions were lit. It was obvious that the explosions were placed there beforehand.
The subordinates that left a moment ago was already down the mountain road. Someone had cleverly started the car. It was obvious now; there was a camouflage vehicle that they have never seen before fleeing off into the right in front of them. Luo Dong bellowed in rage and instructed some subordinates that had assembled a moment ago: “Someone go to the kitchen. Check and see if the gas and everything else there are safe or not. Don’t let another explosion go off again. Then, call the men that had gone down the mountain and tell them to block off that camouflage car. I don’t care what they do, stop them at all cost. I don’t believe that they can sprout wings!!”
At the moment, in that off-road vehicle, Xiao Li was in the back seat, holding tightly onto Han Jia. He stared in rage at the driver up front.
“You were too slow!”
“Sorry, I’m not too skilled at laying down the bombs. Before I retired, I mainly specialized in poison.” Ms. Zhang Juan Juan skillfully turned into a small corner while apologizing, “Unfortunately, you didn’t give me much time, so there was no way for me to contact a friend that’s an expert in bombs.”
Listening to her apologize, Xiao Li did not ask any other questions. He turned back to Han Ji and said softly, “We’re okay now, Han Jia……Han Jia!”
Han Jia was covered in cold sweat from head to toe. He was extremely pale and weak. Just as Xiao Li was about to turn him over for a look, he discovered a viscous layer of blood on his hands instead. His eyes widened slightly as he checked carefully. He doesn’t know when or how but to his horror, there was a bullet lodged into Han Jia’s back, close to where his lungs were.
“Drive faster.” Xiao Li exerted all his strength to block up Han Jia’s wound while whispering, “Han Jia, Han Jia.”
Han Jia could hear his voice; he wanted to open his mouth to answer but a mouthful of blood gushed out instead.
Xiao Li was well aware that there was a possibility his lungs had been punctured by the bullet. One of his hand was still pressed firmly against the wound while the other lightly lifted his head up to prevent him from choking on his own blood.
“If we go to the nearest hospital, we might not be able to lose them.” Zhang Juan Juan said calmly while she gave them a quick glance from the rearview mirror.
“Look for a hospital first then we’ll talk again.” Xiao Li’s voice sank as he spoke.
Zhang Juan Juan kept silent. However, as the car sped up even more, Han Jia was awakened by the bumps.
Once he saw Xiao Li’s hazy figure, he immediately smiled, “I lied to you Xiao Li.” Although he breathes with difficulty, he continued to speak intermittently, “I haven’t live long enough yet. I don’t want to die at all. Xiao Li, Xiao Li,” he wanted to lift his hand up but couldn’t. Saddened, he tried to speak again, “I’ve always mocked you, because I, I really envy you…I really do……”
“Don’t talk, just breathe,” Xiao Li comfort him, “I know.”
“You don’t know……” Han Jia stubbornly spoke, “I also want to have a younger brother. Even if, even if he’s ungrateful, it’ll still be good……I also want someone to love, someone to care about……to live happily and enjoy the present. Those happiness… are empty and meaningless Xiao Li. It feels empty to me……the happier it is, the more empty I feel. It hurts Xiao Li, Xiao Li. It hurts so bad……”
Han Jia gasped for air; pain seared his throat as he spoke but if he didn’t speak, it seemed as if he was dead. He had the expression of a gambler that was staking everything and incessantly allowed his voice to crawl painfully out of his mouth.
“You’re right, don’t be like me. Don’t be someone like me……” his breath waned as he forced his voice out. He pleaded and gazed at Xiao Li, “I don’t want to die! Xiao Li, I don’t want to die like this……I don’t want to die……”
“You won’t die.” Xiao Li tried his hardest to steady his voice, “Calm down. Don’t waste your energy. “You have a chance to care about someone.” After a moment, he softly said, “Don’t you still have Jiang Xiao Ning? Xiao Yang told me. Aren’t you with him now?”
Hearing that name, Han Jia’s eyes slightly widened. He gasped for breath for a long while, then hissed, “Help me tell him. Tell him, tell him I’ve never loved him……I only saw his father’s shadow in him……” his voice slowly weakened, “I’m sorry Jiang laoshi. He’s always been concerned for me, but I’ve never went back to see him……I only……I don’t have any face to go back……”
Since he had been captured, Han Jia endured much torment. His spirit and body was already on the verge of collapsing any moment now, yet he continued to say so many words. Some were thoughts that were hidden deep in his heart and others were personal private matters. Just hearing them, an ominous premonition struck him with great intensity and caused his voice to sink.
“Say that to him yourself. It has nothing to do —“
An ear-piercing sound shot from the slashed tire.
Zhang Juan Juan cursed out loud, “Fuck,” before loudly warning Xiao Li, “Hold on. Fucking gang of garbage trying to block my fucking path!”
The off-road vehicle still needed to go around round before it arrived at the foot of the mountain. But, to make matters worse, they could already see a group of people at the foot. It was obvious, they were waiting there to intercept them.
Ms. Zhang Juan Juan’s complexion ashen, she honestly doesn’t know if she can charge pass them or not. Once she looked through the rearview mirror again, the uncertainty increased.
Fuck, do we have to hand him over here?
Han Jia tried to take in a mouthful of air, but spurted blood instead. His eyes slowly became lifeless yet his weaken voice did not halted even when he coughed from choking in his own blood.
“Xiao Li……I don’t want to die……I don’t want to die……I don’t want……”
The vehicle turned into the last curve. They could nearly see Luo Dong’s subordinates’ stern expressions.
Zhang Juan Juan pressed down on the accelerator while her body slid down from the driver seat. One of her hand grasped tightly onto the steering wheel while her right hand had already pulled put a weapon. She grumbled, “You’ve invited me to a really thrilling game.”
Xiao Li’s pistol had long been taken away from him by Luo Dong’s subordinate. His right hand firmly gripped Han Jia’s wound while his left hand protected Han Jia’s head as to prevent him from suffering any stray bullet or receiving any other injury.
To their astonishment, Luo Dong’s subordinates looked as though they had just heard a preposterous command. The uproar of men ahead separated to either side of the road, leaving a wide opening for the off-road vehicle to pass through. As the vehicle flew pass the road, Xiao Li caught a glimpse of those men’s expression from the window. It was an expression brimmed with hostility and coldness.
He is accustomed to seeing this expression. This expression had more than once appeared on not only the opponents but also on his own men’s countenance. He had even seen it on Han Jia, even on himself. There had never been any hesitation to use such a dark expression to face everything.
Xiao Li lowered his head to look at Han Jia’s pale face before he painfully shut his eyes.
Meanwhile, Luo Dong was giving his subordinate a phone call.
“Did you let that vehicle go?……then, withdraw. Withdraw as fast as you can……. there’s no need to shadow them. Just take it as nothing happened!……Now and hurry up!”
He closed the cover of his cell phone ruthlessly, then waved his hand, as if any moment now, he was going to fling it away as to vent his anger. When he eventually calmed down, he shoved the cell phone into his pocket.
Luo Dong’s confidant who was standing to the side, dared to ask: “Dong Ye, it was clear we could have intercepted that car. Why is it that after receiving that call a moment ago, you……you were willing to let them go?”
“If I don’t let them go, there’s someone more ruthless that won’t let me go,” said Luo Dong with resentment, then he looked at the ruins that lied on the floor of the villa. His face became very unsightly as he muttered: “Being able to ask a professional killer for help is not strange. But, what’s strange is, how was he able to ask such a strong person?”\n