Chapter 57: The Stab of Justice_1

Jiang Yu and Kong Xiang were so engrossed in their discussion that they didn't notice the Redemptionists' meeting place had already been surrounded by armed police.

The loud bang they had just heard was the sound of the police breaking through the door.

Kong Xiang hastily took out his binoculars, only to curse himself for not being on the scene.

Meanwhile, Jiang Yu thought of Chu Xu's smile, of the murdered Pan Han, of the small nuclear bomb, and of that non-existent letter in Da Shi's arms.

A few minutes later, another not-so-loud explosion rang out from the meeting place.

Then there was a cacophony of voices; the meeting place seemed to have set off a yellow smoke bomb, with thick yellow smoke billowing from the doorway, as yells and gunfire merged together, and one after another, people rushed out from the thick smoke.

Kong Xiang slapped his thigh, "This time, the Redemptionists have no escape!"

He put down the binoculars, took the beer handed to him by Jiang Yu, and drank another can with gusto,

Smiling happily, Kong Xiang said to Jiang Yu, "Sending you to the Commander's side was the right choice. You've eliminated the Redemptionists all by yourself!"

Jiang Yu smiled without speaking, simply opening another can of beer for Kong Xiang.

Only after eating a couple of bites of his food did Kong Xiang continue, "Let's get back to our earlier conversation. What you just said reminded me.

"I was too arrogant on many issues before, so much so that I failed to confront some of my own failures.

"Go on if you have more to say."

Jiang Yu took a big gulp of beer, "Teacher isn't firm enough! We can be disappointed in humanity, but we must not despair! We certainly can't deny ourselves wholly!

"In my view, Evans and his followers are nothing but cowards and lazy people!"

Kong Xiang paused, thoughtfully continuing to drink.

Jiang Yu continued, "Should humanity, disappointing as it is, be destroyed?

"By normal thinking, if humanity has its flaws, we should find ways to improve, right? Why proceed to destruction?

"Improvement is a long and arduous process; it will face many difficulties and experience countless dangers and might not even succeed.

"So what if it doesn't succeed? Hasn't humanity come this far regardless?

"But Evans, with a simple 'humanity is beyond saving,' gave up on his own kind. Isn't that the act of a coward and a lazy person?"

Jiang Yu solemnly declared, "If given the chance, I will go in search of that hope for humanity,

"Even if this hope is elusive and distant, even if no one understands me, even through hard struggles, I will steadfastly carry on!

"Without fear! Without shortcuts!"

Kong Xiang laughed heartily again, "I indeed wasn't wrong about you!

"You will surpass me! Of that there is no doubt."

Kong Xiang popped a peanut into his mouth, "I should have realized it earlier, your ambition couldn't be contained by Evans's ideology."

Heaving a long sigh, he then said, "The wheel of fortune turns; now it's my turn to ask you, what do you plan to do with me?"

Jiang Yu leaned back in his chair; it was as if his previous declaration had drained all his strength, "Originally, I wanted to hand you over to the police, but, but I can't bear to."

Kong Xiang said indifferently, "I don't need the pity of my own student."

"It's not pity," said Jiang Yu, "Although you've made some mistakes, you weren't eroded by extremist thoughts, nor did you commit any heinous crimes. You shouldn't have to spend the rest of your life in a cage."

Kong Xiang emptied the beer from the can, "But in the end, I did provide a lot of theoretical support to Evans. In the eyes of many, my crimes are severe. If you let me go, it will affect your future."

This time it was Jiang Yu who laughed heartily, "I have a clear conscience, peace of mind is what matters, why should I care what others think or do?"

Jiang Yu knew that if today he were to send Kong Xiang to jail, he would never dare to recall his teacher again.

Jiang Yu added, "Evans has also reached the end of the road, probably preparing to hide from the upcoming massive manhunt for ETO."

Kong Xiang stared at Jiang Yu for over ten seconds before opening a can of beer and standing up to say, "Goodbye."

Jiang Yu also stood up, "Goodbye, Teacher. The next time we meet, we'll be enemies."

Kong Xiang's figure visibly hesitated, then he hastily left, drinking his beer.

The chaos at the gathering place was not yet over; it was over half an hour later when Shi Qiang came with two colleagues, iodine-like antiseptic smeared on the exposed skin of his face and hands.

Upon seeing Jiang Yu sitting alone and smoking, Shi Qiang sat down across him with a jovial laugh, "Not bad, you've started drinking."

Jiang Yu opened a can of beer for Shi Qiang, "Sorry, Da Shi, I let the man go."

Shi Qiang was about to take a drink when the police officer behind him quickly said, "Officer Shi, the doctor said..."

Shi Qiang waved his hand dismissively, "Ah! Once I get to the hospital, I won't be able to drink."

After a couple of sips, Shi Qiang then said, "I've looked into your teacher-student relationship with Kong Xiang, and to be honest, if you really had arrested him, I would have avoided you for good."

Jiang Yu smiled, but he coughed from smoking too much just before and had to drink a couple more sips of beer to stifle it.

Grabbing a handful of peanuts, Shi Qiang continued, "If it had been just me, I could've pretended nothing happened, but there were three of us that came..."

The other two police officers exchanged glances, feeling a bit uncomfortable with what Shi Qiang said.

Jiang Yu nodded, "I understand, this might become a handle against me, but I'm mentally prepared."

Shi Qiang stood up, "Alright, since the man has run away, let's call it quits."

Jiang Yu descended the stairs alongside Shi Qiang, "Da Shi, I hope you won't be too harsh on Teacher Ye."

Shi Qiang chuckled, "Don't worry, someone of her seniority, we'd be afraid to treat her harshly!"

During the light conversation, the four men arrived outside the Redemptionist gathering cafeteria.

But now the cafeteria was cordoned off with police tape; the yellow smoke-like radioactive material had dissipated, but the radiation inside the cafeteria was still very high, too dangerous to enter.

At a corner of the wall, Jiang Yu spotted Chu Xu, who was blown into a mangled mess.

Her beautiful face was replaced by ghastly red flesh, the hands that once played with guns and cigarettes were gone without a trace, and a large gash was blown open between her chest and abdomen, revealing her ribs clearly.

She was not yet dead, but the Grim Reaper's scythe was already poised at her neck. The doctor had only administered humanitarian treatment and did not attempt to lift her onto an ambulance.

Everyone knew she wouldn't live much longer.

When Chu Xu saw Jiang Yu, she lifted an arm that had been blown beyond recognition as if beckoning to him.

Jiang Yu quickly walked over to her and, seeing her lips parting and closing as if she wanted to say something, he lifted her oxygen mask.

In a weak voice, Chu Xu asked, "Did they catch you too?"

Without revealing the truth, Jiang Yu replied, "Yes, they caught me too."

Chu Xu looked toward Shi Qiang with difficulty, "Officer, I deserve to die for my crimes, but he is a good person, he hasn't harmed anyone."

Shi Qiang also didn't reveal the truth, "Don't worry, we won't wrong him."

Jiang Yu asked, "Do you have any unfulfilled wishes?"