chapter 9: blood

Suddenly she took out her cell phone and faced the leader "Okay let's see, you raped a girl a month ago cause she refused to take a ride with you, and gave her parents compensation, while making everyone think she threw herself at you and you were left with no other choice, she couldn't take all the jeers and mocking anymore and feel into depression, commiting suicide in the end and there's a lot of other cases like that, so brace yourself"..

Bones crunched, bodies crumpled, but Mina wasn't nearly done venting her frustrations. She grabbed one gasping would-be lothario by the hair and snarled, "Stay away from decent women, you useless punk..."

A low groan of pain punctured her monologue. Mina's head whipped around, searching for the source. In the deepest shadows, a large form stirred, a man struggling to prop himself against the alley wall.

Dropping the groaning creep, Mina cautiously approached the shadowed figure. As she drew closer and got a better look at the person, a cold sense of dread washed over her.

"Chenxiu?" she breathed, panic surging as she took in his battered appearance. His fine suit was shredded, ribs clearly broken and glistening wetly. But worst was the sickening blossom of red spreading across his midsection - a gaping wound still oozing.

Her medic's instincts kicked in as she rushed to apply pressure. "What happened? Who did this?"

Chenxiu's dark eyes fluttered open, still piercing despite his grievous state. "You...should see...the other guys..." he rasped with a pained half-smile before his head lolled back, consciousness winking out.

"No no no, stay with me!" Mina barked desperately, her heart thundering as she tore off her jacket to stop the bleeding.

Fumbling for her phone with slick hands, she dialed emergency services. Hanging up, she cradled Chenxiu's head in her lap, keening a litany of pleas for him to hang on as his lifeblood seeped through her trembling fingers.