Chapter 23

A river of blood flowed through the streets, with men's bodies lying in it. Their pupils reflected a blood-red moon, and beneath the moon was a sea of dark mountains.

----- Main Text -----

"Damn it! You bitch!" Guo Laosan cursed and shouted loudly at the people outside the door, "What are you all standing there for? Hurry up and help!"

However, they had all retreated far away, covering their noses and mouths.

It was said that childbirth was impure, and if a man got even a bit of dirty blood on him, he would have bad luck for the rest of his life. Naturally, they refused to enter. In his haste, Guo Laosan forgot about this tradition, so no one was willing to come in and help him.

(Tn: Die!!!)

As they were at a standstill, a loud bang resounded, and a gunshot rang from outside the door.

"Police! Don't move! Put your hands up!"

The people's expressions changed, and they turned to see a young man standing in the rain with a gun. He was completely drenched and covered in mud and bloodstains. He was panting heavily, his gaze scanning the area beyond the densely packed crowd as he stood in the rain.

The villagers took a half-step back, fear evident on their faces.

"This... This is the thug who kidnapped a woman last year!"

Suddenly, someone shouted, and everyone was startled. They scrutinized his appearance closely, and their hearts trembled with realization.

"It's him!"

"Damn it! He puts on a uniform and thinks he can pretend to be a cop?!"

Clang! Someone threw down a hoe and yelled, "Come on, if you have the guts, shoot me point-blank!"

Upon hearing this, the villagers slightly relaxed, discarding their tools and forming a solid human barrier. They shouted in unison:

"Murder! The police are killing people!"

"He kidnapped a woman in broad daylight!"

"If you're so capable, shoot us all! Let's see if you dare!"

Qin Lang's face darkened. He fired his gun into the air once more, shouting sternly, "Shut up and make way!"

The people became more certain that he wouldn't dare to make a rash move. Their courage increased, and several of them even used their bodies to block his gun.

Amid the deadlock, a miserable scream suddenly came from behind the human wall. Qin Lang's expression changed, and he followed the sound. He saw Fang Qing standing behind the crowd, pressing a pair of scissors against Guo Laosan's neck. Slowly, she pushed the tip of the blade into his flesh, causing a trickle of blood to flow down his neck. Fang Qing lifted her head, casting a distant smile toward Qin Lang. A pale face was illuminated by that smile.

A chill ran down Qin Lang's spine, and the noise around him seemed to recede. He widened his eyes, his voice trembling, "Fang Qing! Don't do it!"

Fang Qing's smile deepened, as if she had been waiting for this moment. Facing the gazes of the onlookers, she exerted more force, driving the blade deeper into Guo Laosan's neck.

His agonized screams abruptly stopped as Guo Laosan's head drooped, and he collapsed to the ground with a loud thud.

The blood splattered on the wall dripped down, landing on the faces of the villagers. Everyone fell silent in an instant, and a deathly stillness settled over them.

Suddenly, a faint cry echoed— the baby girl had begun to cry. The villagers then remembered their plan. Once Fang Qing had breathed her last, they would take the baby girl away.

Seizing the opportunity, Fang Qing slid off the bed, cradling the unconscious Lin Lang in her arms. She pressed the tip of the scissors against his neck.

"Fang Qing!" Qin Lang stared at her eyes, his voice trembling, "Put down the scissors! Come over to me!"

Fang Qing's face was ashen, and she struggled to speak, "I... I alone... in exchange for dozens of their lives, plus this one..."

"Don't say anything, Fang Qing!" Qin Lang interrupted her, slowly taking a step toward her.

"Stop! Don't come any closer!" Fang Qing pushed the blade further into Lin Lang's neck, causing blood to flow out.

"Fine! Fang Qing! I won't move, I'll stay right here!" Qin Lang dropped his gun at his feet, raising both hands to his sides, "Fang Qing! Everything's okay now, your brother is waiting for you to come back!"

"You're supposed to be a cop, aren't you?! Kill her already!" someone shouted from behind.

"She killed someone! Are you blind?!"

"Trying to show off in front of us, huh?! You piece of trash!"

"She's a liar! They're accomplices! Just kill her on the spot!"

With a stern expression, Qin Lang tried his best to ignore those voices. He looked at Fang Qing's face and said, "Fang Qing! In your letter, you asked me about my injuries. Do you still want to know now?"

Fang Qing's expression changed slightly. She looked at Qin Lang's face, and her eyes brimmed with tears.

The room fell silent for a moment, then someone suddenly grabbed Qin Lang's collar and yelled, "What the hell are you doing?! Are you protecting a murderer?!"

"Get lost!" Qin Lang shouted, shoving the person aside.

The man instantly became agitated. He bent down to pick up the gun from the ground, but before he could touch it, his hand was suddenly stepped on. Qin Lang seized the man's collar, flipping him over forcefully.

"The cop is attacking people!"

"This is insane! The cop failed to abduct someone, now he's attacking people!"

Qin Lang ignored the people around him. He half-knelt down, looking into Fang Qing's eyes, and said softly, "Fang Qing, I'm sorry. I broke my promise last time, but this time I will definitely take you home, okay?"

Fang Qing gazed at him, her lips, devoid of color, trembled. Just as she was about to say something, a long police siren suddenly sounded from outside.

Fang Qing looked up and saw a flicker of red light on the roof of a distant house. Her gaze fixed on a figure in the distance, and she was momentarily stunned.

"Fang Qing!" Qin Lang's tone grew urgent, "Put down the knife! Come over here!"

"Give me... the... gun..." Fang Qing's voice was so soft it was almost inaudible, "Give it to me..."

Qin Lang was taken aback. "Fang Qing, you..."

"Give it to me!" Fang Qing interrupted him, gritting her teeth, "Give it to me... and I'll come over..."

"Alright! Alright! Don't be afraid!" Qin Lang kicked the gun toward Fang Qing.

Fang Qing crouched down, her eyes locked onto Qin Lang's, seemingly wary that he might suddenly rush towards her. She picked up the gun, keeping one hand on Lin Lang's neck to hold him in front of her, while the other hand aimed the gun at the man whom Qin Lang had flipped over earlier.

The man on the ground saw the ominous black muzzle pointed at his forehead and immediately screamed. His pants were soaked in an instant, and just as his hand was about to reach the gun, someone stepped on it. Qin Lang grabbed the man's collar and flipped him over.

"The cop is hitting people!"

"It's reversed! The cop failed to abduct someone, now he's resorting to violence!"

Seeing the scene, the people outside the warehouse scattered in a panic.

The night rain gradually ceased, revealing a half-moon amidst the clouds. This moonlight illuminated the muddy scars on Qin Lang's body. Fang Qing's gaze landed on those wounds, and she froze for a moment.

"These aren't old injuries. I encountered a landslide on the way here and fell," Qin Lang said as he looked at her, his voice gentle, "Fang Qing, will you accompany me to the hospital?"

"I can't go back..."

"What?" Qin Lang's expression changed.

"I... I killed someone... Those people on the ground, I killed them..." Fang Qing's gaze grew dim, tears streaming down her face, "I can't go back anymore..." As she spoke, she suddenly pushed Lin Lang away and aimed the gun at Qin Lang's forehead.

Qin Lang's face turned pale, suddenly realizing something, but it was too late to stop her. A sharp bang pierced the air, and the bullet penetrated Fang Qing's chest. Blood splattered out, landing on the baby girl's pale pink face.

With a sharp cry, the newborn baby's eyes, which hadn't fully opened, twitched slightly, and she let out a high-pitched wail.

"Fang Qing!" Qin Lang shouted, rushing forward to catch her. The heavy, bloody smell immediately filled his nostrils. His heart skipped a beat, and when he looked down, he noticed a gruesome gash on her abdomen, and her clothes were soaked in blood.

He frantically pressed against her wound with his hands, but the large bloody gash proved impossible to cover with just one hand. He then looked at the remaining umbilical cord on the baby girl's abdomen and finally realized what had happened.

A buzzing sound filled his mind, bone-chilling coldness surged up from his spine to his skull, and a burning anger ignited in his heart. He couldn't control the tremors that spread through his body.

"I'm... sorry," Fang Qing clung to his arm, her voice barely audible, "I'm a bit dirty..."

Qin Lang's heart trembled, and he vigorously shook his head. "It's alright, Fang Qing. It's alright. I'll take you to the hospital right away! My people are on their way! Hold on!"

"But... my brother..."

"My people found him. He's fine," Qin Lang instinctively lied, "He's waiting for you to come back."

Fang Qing's expression eased slightly, and she asked again, "The injuries from last time... are they really healed? My brother said your injuries weren't serious... I'm afraid he lied to me..."

"When we get to the hospital, you can ask the doctor, alright? I'm really fine..." Qin Lang said, his eyes suddenly growing warm. He buried his face in Fang Qing's shoulder, choked up, "I'm... I'm sorry..."

Fang Qing was momentarily stunned, feeling a warm dampness on her shoulder.

"At that time, not only did I fail to save you, but I also forced you to live on..."

...

The sun was setting, casting the remaining light of day like blood. Their two figures were silhouetted on the mountain path, and the villagers were about to catch up to them. At that time, Fang Qing had just become pregnant. She hadn't run far when her vision blurred. She stumbled, falling to the ground, and added another red mark to the bruise that had yet to fade on her leg.

Qin Lang stopped in his tracks, quickly grabbed her arm, and attempted to help her up. However, Fang Qing pushed his hand away, bearing the hidden pain in her abdomen. She urged, "I can't run anymore! Hurry and go!"

Qin Lang held onto her arm, attempting to lift her onto his shoulder. "Let me carry you!"

Fang Qing gritted her teeth and pushed him away, her voice hoarse, "No! They're coming right behind us! You need to leave now or it'll be too late!"

As she spoke, she pulled something out of her pocket and clutched it tightly in her hand. Qin Lang's expression changed, and he immediately reached for her wrist, urgently saying, "What is this? Let go!"

He pried open her fingers, only to see a shard of broken porcelain. The sharp edge had cut her palm, leaving a bloodied mark. He grabbed the shard and tossed it aside, his heart racing. He stared at her face and asked urgently, "What are you doing?!"

Fang Qing bit her lower lip, not speaking. Tears silently streamed down her face. Seeing her like this, Qin Lang's words choked up in his throat.

The two fell silent for a moment, and suddenly, a clamor of footsteps came from behind them.

Fang Qing looked in the direction of the noise. About a hundred meters away, she could already see dozens of people with weapons rushing towards them. Her expression changed. Just then, she felt a sudden chill on her wrist. She looked down and saw that Qin Lang had handcuffed them together. He was kneeling, clutching her arm, and lifting her onto his back. He supported her against the mountainside and stumbled downward.

Fang Qing's eyes widened. She shouted, "Put me down!"

"Don't move!"

"Are you stupid?!" Trembling, Fang Qing slammed her hand hard against his back and her voice quivered, "I can't run anymore! If you don't leave now, they'll kill you! Don't you understand?!"

"What if I do understand?! Do you want me to hand you back over?!"

Fang Qing's tears fell onto the back of his neck as she choked out, "You already know the outcome, don't you..."

"Listen to their voices, so full of anger. They'll need an outlet for that rage. If I leave, they'll direct their fury towards you," Qin Lang smiled, "Later on, I'll say I've taken a liking to you, that I've forcibly taken you away. What do you think? Even if you deny it, they'll believe me! Want to bet on it? If I win, you can't commit suicide!"

Fang Qing remained silent because her throat had completely closed up.

"No bet, right? Then that means I've won!"

The last rays of the sunset faded away, and a cold white moon emerged from the clouds. Qin Lang slowly tilted his face upward and suddenly said, "Look, the sun has set, but the moon is still shining its light on us. As long as we endure, the sun will come back..."

...

"If I hadn't forced you to survive back then, would it have made things easier for you..." Qin Lang's voice broke into a sob, "I'm sorry..."

Fang Qing raised her hand, gently cradling Qin Lang's tear-stained face. The corner of her bloodied lips curved into a smile, "I... I don't regret it... To be able to see my brother one last time, and to meet you... I... I've never regretted it. You... bringing my... body back... you didn't break your promise." She raised her hand, placing the gun against his chest, "Go out... and say... say that I threatened you, that I... killed all those people. Remember?"

"No! Stop talking!" Qin Lang held her tightly in his arms, "We're going to the hospital, Fang Qing..."

"Qin Lang..." Fang Qing buried her face in his embrace, using her last bit of strength to say, "Thank you..."

Her hand suddenly loosened, and Qin Lang's eyes widened in shock. In a hoarse voice, he exclaimed, "Fang Qing!"

"Dead!" A voice suddenly came from a damp corner.

"Good riddance!"

"Damn it, she should've died on New Year's Eve! It's all that useless guy surnamed Guo's fault!"

The villagers finally breathed a sigh of relief and gathered from various corners. They all focused their attention on the newborn baby.

"Take that baby away! Let's go!"

"Ah—! What... what is that?!"

Suddenly, a howl sounded in the distance. The villagers turned their heads and saw phosphorescent-like lights forming a line on the mountain, rushing down towards them. The lights belonged to a group of wolves descending from the hill.

"Damn it! Wolves!"

"Why are there so many wolves?!"

"Don't stand there, run!"

In the blink of an eye, the wolves were upon them. The people scattered in panic. The lead wolf passed by the villagers and headed straight for Lin Lang, who was unconscious.

The wolf shielded Lin Lang and locked its gaze onto Qin Lang.

Qin Lang tightly gripped the gun in his hand, shielding Fang Qing beneath him. The wolf stared at Fang Qing in his arms for a moment, as if recognizing her face. Then, it turned its head, leaned close to Lin Lang, and sniffed him. It extended its slender tongue to lick the blood on his body. After a short while, Lin Lang's eyelashes twitched, and the wolf stopped, its gaze fixed on Lin Lang's face.

The wolf noticed Lin Lang's lips moving slightly, and a very short whistle-like sound emitted from his mouth.

The wolf's eyes flickered. It raised its head and let out a long howl towards the sky. The long howl echoed through the rainy night, and the other wolves followed suit, lifting their heads and letting out long howls.

The next moment, the lead wolf roared angrily, leaping out and quickly catching up to a villager. It bit down on the man's ankle, causing him to scream in pain and fall to the ground. The wolf then pounced on him and snapped his neck with a single bite.

In an instant, the wolf pack seemed to sense something. Their dark green eyes were fixed on the fleeing villagers.

Fangs tore through thin flesh, and the warmth of life burst forth like fireworks, creating a fleeting red in the dark night.

The sound of rain, cries, and wolf howls intertwined, echoing repeatedly.

A river of blood flowed down the streets and alleys, with the bodies of men lying within it. Their pupils reflected a blood-red moon, and beneath the moon was a dark mountain.

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End of the main story. I'll post an extra chapter tomorrow. I don't know if there are any readers who have reached this point, but if there are, I truly thank you.

I started writing this story in March of last year. At the time, I came across that incident and wrote this purely to vent my frustration. I'm really not cut out for writing, and I wrote poorly, especially in terms of emotional scenes. Anyway, thank you to the readers who have been leaving comments and likes. I'm not a fan of following serialized stories, especially as a newcomer with bad writing and plot, so thank you for encouraging someone like me.

Fang Qing didn't die. In the end, I decided to change the ending. Since reality is already so absurd, I'll write an ending that's opposite to reality.

Finally, in the extra chapter, I'll give  Qin Lang and Fang Qing a good ending.

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Tn: The book ended here, the author seem to stop writing after this. The only relief we can get is the author's note.