38. Crimson Beetle: Night Of The Slaughter

The lamp flickered on Wenyan's desk, the night was peaceful and serene. However, his nights were not considered peaceful for he was worried about his friend, or he could say, his only love.

When Chen Guang left his side and retired in his position as the vice captain of the Crimson Beetle, he never went to search for another to replace his position. For him, Chen Guang was the only suitable person as his vice captain and to his heart.

Too bad that he liked the other person and didn't liked a man for his companion. Lian Hua was Chen Guang's only love since childhood and up until now. But he didn't expected that his family soon became a mess after a year of his position as a Chief Censor.

He heard that Lian Hua died while giving birth to her youngest son. Also, he died with hatred towards Chen Guang. Wenyan was distressed.

God knows he really cared for Chen Guang. He also knows what kind of person Chen Guang was. If provoked, he sure knows what would happen to Chen Guang's enemies.

He knew the situation for a long time. He also stretched his hand for him, he was willing to help every time Chen Guang needed help. In spite of his gentleness, Chen Guang refused his hospitality and wanted to solve it himself. Given by Chen Guang's stubbornness, he knew that no matter how he will persuade him, the answer will still remained the same.

Maybe, Chen Guang really did made a mistake about his decision.

He sighed, thinking about the days when they fought together in battle. The ruthlessness combined with gentleness always struck him deeper in his chest. As they went always together in battle, he didn't even knew that he fell in love with him.

Despite all his love, he hid it deep to himself and he will not reveal this stupid feeling of his. Because he knew, his love for Lian Hua is as much as how he loved him. Also, he also knows how Lian Hua loved Chen Guang more than her life.

He was just a friend in Chen Guang's eyes.

He sighed and looked at the jade pendant on his palm. He thought, this jade pendant was the most sacred thing between the two sworn families of Wang and Feng. This pendant was the key to the most treasured place in the Qin Empire. Of course, the Feng family was tasked to protect that place even if it cost them their lives.

He placed the jade pendant in the hidden floor under his table. No one would be able to find that pendant and only Feng Wenyan, the elder royal family and the Feng family would know.

But, the peaceful night was broken when a member of organization, Jiao Li rushed onto the general's office.

"Your Excellency! The manor was ambushed by black clothed men!"

"What?!" The general enraged. He picked up his Crimson Beetle sword and rushed towards the gate.

The soldiers were fighting in the Feng manor's grounds and he, Feng Wenyan rushed to the elders place. His sword slashed the invaders he met, blood spurted from walls to the ground. Heads flying in the air, beheaded by his sword. His heartbeat was fast, eyes bloodshot, hoping that the elders were okay.

The moment he entered, it was too late. His father and his mother were lifelessly laying on the ground, blood flowing on their mouths and to their necks. It was as if his world had been poured by the coldness. The moment he lay his eyes on them, his tears were overflowing with hatred and agony.

He knew that he was outnumbered and the Crimson Beetle was too exhausted to fight. He saw how the people in the manor were slaughtered. From the elder helpers, who were innocent about the fight were annihilated, the children were killed, the maidservants were dismembered.

He ran towards Feng Weiyuan's yard, hoping that they were still alive. But as he looked at Feng Weiyuan's yard, his brother was kneeling, holding a sword while the blood was flowing over his mouth and nose. His wife was on the verge of dying. Once she saw Wenyan, she stretched her hand towards Wenyan's direction. She cried with pain and sorrow as she called Wenyan. Wenyan hurriedly rushed towards her as his tears flowing nonstop.

He lifted up Mrs. Feng's upper body. Mrs. Feng clutched on Wenyan's robes as she spoke with difficulty, "A-yan...my children...please l-let them escape from h-here. I'm begging you. P-please, I don't want my children suffer because of the pendant. L-let them escape from the manor, you...escape as well."

"Jiejie no! I can't leave all of you here! Please, you can't die!"

"For...the sake of your brother, please, let them be safe. Don't let them get harmed. One last time, promise me, okay?" Mrs. Feng smiled as he pointed the hidden cupboard in the room. Her limbs were almost broken but he managed to lift them up, shaking. Wenyan's heart had been shattered to pieces.

Wenyan looked at her with his watery eyes. However, his brave jiejie looked at him with a smile, mouthed him, "Jiejie and your da ge will always be with you. Don't cry okay?"

This time, the general whom they most feared was crying loudly. Her body was getting weaker and as seconds passed, the uplifted hand dropped with no signs of life.

"I promise, I will make them get away from here." Wenyan clenched his fists and dragged the two children of Weiyuan. They are Feng Qingyuan and Feng Delun.

"Follow me behind. Don't go astray." Weiyuan said filled with worries as he stared at the two. Qingyuan's crying face nodded as Delun was filled with shock and almost had no soul. They were sneaking as they went out of the room when a few black-clothed men were strolling around.

Luckily, a man with a veil on his face dragged them in the corner to where they couldn't be found.

He looked at the man with shock as the man shushed him.

"Follow me closely. Don't look back." The man muttered. Wenyan sucked a mouthful of breath and held the two young men's hands. Qingyuan tried his best not to break down in the situation and Delun seemed so out of his world. He couldn't recover from the horror that existed in front of him. Because of that, the trauma flowed all over his veins and caused him to faint.

Qingyuan widened his eyes in terror as he saw his brother losing his consciousness and slowly falling in the air. Good thing that he was beside him that he immediately caught him in his embrace.

"Uncle, Delun is..." Qingyuan choked in air as he wept in dreariness. Wenyan and the man looked at Qingyuan and were slightly taken aback when Delun was already leaning against Qingyuan's chest, unconscious. Wenyan tried to stable his mind and looked at the man with a veil. He knew that this man was the one he loved so much. He just couldn't get it why they have to meet in such an awful situation.

He laughed bitterly.

"Chen Guang..." Hearing that, the man flinched and closed his fist. He turned around and looked closely at Wenyan's sad eyes.

"I'm here." Chen Guang replied. Chen Guang was originally wanted to go back home. However, he heard one of the gossipers said that there was an ambush happening in the Feng manor. So, it was natural for him to go there. That place was also his home and playground, and he grew up there together with Wenyan.

However, it was too late. The moment he stepped into the manor, the Crimson Beetle was awfully outnumbered. Most of the members died and sprawled on the ground. His former comrades, his friends, his family were annihilated in the night.

He was enraged that he couldn't speak. His tears were uncontrollably flowing yet he knew he couldn't do anything about it.

Chen Guang suffered a great loss between his family and the family that raised him.

Still and then, he couldn't find Mrs. Feng's children's body and Wenyan's. And to that he was sure that they were alive.

He sneaked into the corner of Weiyuan's room and accidentally found him there. But, Wenyan was desperate and wanted to get out from the manor together with Qingyuan and Delun.

The trio were both lifeless and pained, just like how he was pained by his own family. Now, not only his family suffered but together with the Feng's as well.

As Chen Guang heard his name being called by Wenyan, he didn't expect that he was being seen by Wenyan and slowly turned his gaze to him and smiled painfully.

"Take them away. I need to settle this on my own."

"But Wenyan..."

"Just this once. Please listen to me." Wenyan said sternly. Chen Guang didn't refute and clenched his fist.

"But there were too many of them! You can't just barge in there and get yourself killed!" Chen Guang said fearfully. Wenyan was his best friend and brother, he couldn't bring himself but to be afraid that he'll lose him again.

On Wenyan's side, it was heartwarming and sad as well. He was beyond happy that Chen Guang was worrying about him. However, not the same as what he wanted to expect.

'At least, he was worrying for me not to die. That was enough.'

"Take care of them when the mess is over. By the time the storm calmed, then bring them here. I'm expecting you to obey my words as your older brother and as your captain of the Crimson Beetle."

"But you can't! You're the only one left! I couldn't let yourself taken away too!" Chen Guang's eyes were red, swollen from the tears he shed.

'Don't tell me, you'll leave me too?'

"As the only elder left in the family, I couldn't afford to let those monsters rule my only home. Even if I die, I will take them with me. Now go. Don't look back!" Wenyan ushered them to go. Chen Guang was in a mess but he couldn't refute Wenyan. He suppressed himself, grabbed Qingyuan who was holding his brother and ran away.

"But Uncle..." Qingyuan cried, he kept asking himself why did this happen to his family.

"Obey your uncle and as the future generation of the Feng family, you two should survive."

"But how?! My family are all dead! Now Uncle is there all alone! How should I be able to live in peace?!" Qingyuan cried as he held his unconscious brother. He couldn't bear the responsibility that was weighing on his shoulder while his heart was suffering from the loss of his whole family.

"I'm sorry, all I can do is to obey your uncle. For him, please live. And if you're strong enough, you can do what you want." Chen Guang said as his sad eyes stared at Qingyuan. They ran as fast as they could until the manor was far from their reach.

Until they rested, Qingyuan carefully laid his brother on the ground as his back leaned on the tree. Chen Guang did his best to save the two young men. However, he couldn't manage to save his best friend.

On the Feng manor, Wenyan clutched his sword. His body was too weak to hold on. His other comrade, Jiao Li lost his left arm to save his only child, Jiao-long. Jiao-long was crying but he chose to obey his father. Jiao-long hid in the cupboard as his father requested. There, he wept until he fell asleep.

Wenyan felt that his limbs weakened as he held up his sword. Jiao Li tried his best to shield Wenyan even though he lost his arm.

Wenyan knew that their time has come and couldn't wake up until the sun rises up from the dawn. They were surrounded by a bunch of black-clothed men while their swords pointing at them.

Jiao Li frowned deeper as Wenyan was as calm as a forest.

"Give us the pendant if you both value your lives." One of the black-clothed men said, but Wenyan felt that the voice was familiar. Just that he couldn't tell whose voice is it.

Even if they gave them the pendant, Wenyan knew that they will still kill them to shut the evidences. Wenyan is not a fool, Jiao Li thought so too. Wenyan just snorted and said coldly, "This was merely a child's play. Would I believe that a disgusting creature like you would let this mighty creature survive even though I gave it to you? Don't be such a stupid egg!"

The black-clothed man who spoke enraged and directly plunged himself forward to Wenyan. Went an closed his eyes as he had no strength left. But no one expected that Jiao Li rushed to Wenyan's side and caught the attack to himself.

Wenyan widened his eyes as Jiao Li clutched against Wenyan's robes. He smiled and blood coming out from his mouth, until he released his last breath. He died without regrets. His child was safe and he saved the person who saved him once. Dying wasn't such a bad thing after all. Too pity that he couldn't witness his child grow up, but Jiao Li know that his son will do well. Wenyan caught his body, eyes full anger and indignation as he watched the last member of Crimson Beetle died in front of him.

Wenyan jumped forward and slayed them one by one. The plunges of sword that embedded on his body seemed like nothing at all. He didn't mind the pain, all he wanted was to kill this people who made this mess.

However, there were many of them and he was the only one who survived. No matter how brave he is, no matter how strong he is, he couldn't resist the call of death.

There was one thing that he regretted since the beginning...

He wanted to tell Chen Guang that he loved him. But fate didn't let him do so.

Fate is really cruel.

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A/N: I intend to rest for a month but I didn't know I was this restless lol.

And I got sick wu~

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