Chapter 119 21

Chapter 119

In the car, Cheng Xiaoyi and Jiang Mei occupied the back seat, while Xie Nian continued to toy with the butterfly knife in his hand.

Cheng Xiaoyi seized the opportunity to observe the man in the driver's seat and the smaller man sharing the back with them.

Her work in video surveillance had honed her sensitivity to people's appearances and builds. These two men had not appeared in any police files before.

Who could they be?

The shorter man looked young, perhaps in his early twenties, with dark skin and a youthful demeanor. He was engrossed in his phone, head bowed. Cheng Xiaoyi secretly noted he was playing "Peace Elite."

The driver appeared to be in his thirties.

He was powerfully built, with thick wrists and very dark skin—an unusual, deep bronze. Prominent blue veins snaked across his arms, conveying a sense of immense strength.

The man maintained constant vigilance, showing no signs of relaxation even while driving. When he turned his head, a scar was visible on his face.

Both men wore dark work uniforms.

Cheng Xiaoyi surmised they weren't Chinese but rather Southeast Asian, and both seemed extremely dangerous.

Based on their expressions and attitudes, they didn't appear familiar with the two suspects either.

Where had these two emerged from?

Gu Chuxi, seated in the passenger seat, offered a cigarette to the driver: "What should I call you, big brother?"

The man ignored Gu Chuxi's cigarette, giving her only a cold stare.

The shorter man, however, spoke up in broken Mandarin: "My name is Ananta, and he is Hong Mian."

Cheng Xiaoyi listened quietly from the back.

Ananta, she knew, was the multi-headed serpent in Indian mythology, the mount of Vishnu.

As for Hong Mian, she recalled it was a type of tropical tree. Such a gentle name seemed ill-suited for this stern, unyielding man.

Neither sounded like real names; they were likely code names.

Gu Chuxi's overture had fallen flat, but she remained unfazed, adaptable as ever. She lit her own cigarette.

She then asked them, "Did your boss mention how we'll make our escape after this is over?"

Hong Mian, in the driver's seat, remained silent.

Ananta's phone displayed the words "Winner winner, chicken dinner." He looked up and said, "When it's done, someone will come for you."

Hong Mian shot a glance into the back seat, his eyes clearly conveying his disapproval of their discussing such matters in front of others.

Gu Chuxi understood his unspoken message and looked back at them. With a gentle smile, she said, "Once we reach a secluded spot, we'll let them go."

Hearing this, Jiang Mei's trembling body finally relaxed a little, and she whispered, "Thank you, thank you..."

But Cheng Xiaoyi knew Gu Chuxi wasn't being kind. She meant they were planning to kill them.

"Them" might even include Xie Nian. Yet, Cheng Xiaoyi had caught the mention of a key figure in Gu Chuxi's words—who was this boss?

Ananta then turned his attention to his phone, head bowed. Seeing this, Cheng Xiaoyi's eyebrows twitched.

She saw the young man open an application resembling the tracking software used by police. He then whispered a few words to Hong Mian. Their voices were very low, but Cheng Xiaoyi still caught a few words: "They're following..."

Could it be...

Were these people using them as bait?

The car fell silent for a while as they gradually approached Magpie Mountain.

The tires crunched softly over gravel. Hong Mian stopped the car.

Ananta smiled at them: "We're here. Get out."

Looking out the window, they were at the foot of the mountain, where the road ended.

Gu Chuxi remained seated. She smoothed her hair and turned to ask, "Aren't you coming with us? How will we manage later?"

Most men would have prolonged the conversation if a beautiful woman had asked such a question.

But Hong Mian didn't even glance at her. His demeanor made one suspect he might be mute.

Ananta reached into the car, retrieved a gun, and expertly checked it. He then said, "We'll go our separate ways. Remember to take these two women with you." He then waved his hand, adding, "See you all later."

Seeing this, Cheng Xiaoyi's pupils constricted. These people had guns, and a good one at that.

Gu Chuxi dared not ask further. She muttered something, then turned, opened the car door, flicked her cigarette butt, and stepped on it.

She went to the back, pulling Jiang Mei along, while Xie Nian held the knife to Cheng Xiaoyi.

Hong Mian and Ananta locked the car, seemingly unwilling to accompany them, and swiftly ascended the mountain.

Xie Nian asked Gu Chuxi, "Right here?"

Gu Chuxi shook her head: "A bit further up."

Jiang Mei was pushed forward by Gu Chuxi. Naively believing the two had been discussing her release, she asked tearfully, "When will you let me go...? I won't tell anyone I saw you. Please, let me go..."

Gu Chuxi smiled: "Don't worry, wait a bit longer." Her butterfly knife remained pressed against Jiang Mei.

This section was the mandatory mountain path uphill. The ground was yellow earth, vegetation was sparse, and the slope was gentle. Not far off were some houses; shouting might alert people. This was not a good place for killing; they needed to go further up the mountain.

The night air of Magpie Mountain carried a chill. Under the cloak of darkness, trees cast stark shadows, and the distant mountains rolled endlessly.

It was utterly silent; this season, not even insect chirps could be heard, only the sound of footsteps on the ground.

Hong Mian and Ananta quickly vanished from sight, leaving only the four of them ascending the mountain. Cheng Xiaoyi seized a moment to glance downhill—the car they had parked was gone, likely driven away by someone.

Jiang Mei's legs were probably weak; despite Gu Chuxi's dragging, she still moved slowly.

Cheng Xiaoyi observed her surroundings while contemplating how to glean some information. Although Xie Nian was a pervert, he wasn't as formidable as Gu Chuxi. With this thought, she spoke softly to Xie Nian, "Where are those two men from?"

Xie Nian chuckled: "Funny, I don't know either."

Cheng Xiaoyi lowered her voice: "And you trust them just like that? Aren't you afraid Gu Chuxi might team up with them and kill you to silence you later?"

Xie Nian saw through her: "Trying to sow discord? I'm not falling for that. Knowing less sometimes helps you live longer." He looked at Cheng Xiaoyi and added, "You look good with your hair down. I'm in a good mood now; if you want to ask, you can ask something I can tell you."

Cheng Xiaoyi pondered for a moment, then asked, "Did you kill Wu Yuening?"

Xie Nian actually told her: "To be precise, Gu Chuxi killed her. But actually, we had arranged a better way for her to die. If she had gone quietly, there wouldn't be so much trouble now."

Cheng Xiaoyi was somewhat skeptical of this answer and asked again, "Have you ever killed anyone?"

Xie Nian smiled and answered candidly, "A few, more or less. Some people couldn’t bring themselves to do it, or tried to change their minds at the last moment. I just finished the job for them."

Cheng Xiaoyi followed them up the mountain, slightly out of breath, and asked, "Then why do you do these things? Getting close to people who want to commit suicide, luring women with sweet talk to sleep with them, and then watching them die..."

Xie Nian licked his lips, his dark eyes like those of a venomous snake as he gazed into the pitch-black forest. "I was born in a somewhat isolated place where women were rare treasures—even dead women were incredibly valuable. Ghost marriages were very popular there. The bodies of women were squeezed for every last bit of value, and my father was a well-known ghost marriage broker in the area. I don’t know where he found those bodies, but he made money from it."

"When I was little, I watched him prepare the bodies at home. Some had just died, some were already decomposing, some had turned to bones, some were ashes, and some weren’t even dead yet..."

Hearing his words while walking on the dark mountain path, with the cold, sharp knife occasionally brushing against her neck, Cheng Xiaoyi’s heart tightened. An involuntary chill ran down her spine, and she felt nauseous, almost vomiting.

"Among them, there were some special customers who wanted to arrange a ghost marriage even before they died. There was a man who probably had some kind of lung disease, coughing his lungs out. Before he died, he made a deal with my father. I remember on the wedding day, both he and the bride wore red clothes..."

Xie Nian slowed his pace, his voice eerie, "That woman was exceptionally beautiful, yet she was a bride on the verge of death."

Hearing this, Cheng Xiaoyi shuddered.

Xie Nian continued, "I still remember the woman’s blanched face and the man’s ghostly, gaunt, yet excited face... Later, I sneaked in. I imitated the man and looked at her..."

Xie Nian licked his lips again, as if relishing the memory. He turned to look at Cheng Xiaoyi beside him and said with a smile as they walked, "Do you understand? That was a child’s first understanding of gratification."

Cheng Xiaoyi listened to all this, looking at Xie Nian’s sinister face beside her. His eyes were slightly narrowed, his lips curled upward, like the expression of a snake or some other cold-blooded creature after a full meal.

Cold sweat broke out on her back, her hair stood on end, and goosebumps covered her arms.

Madman!

She thought: I don’t understand, but I know you’re a complete pervert...

In the dark forest, a feverish glow appeared on Xie Nian’s face.

He said, "So I like women, especially those who are about to die."

Then he looked at Cheng Xiaoyi: "Seeing you reminds me of a girl." As he spoke, he toyed with the hair at the side of Cheng Xiaoyi’s neck with his fingers, tilting his head with a mocking smile. "She also regretted it back then and no longer wanted to die. I even felt a pang of pity and considered letting her go."

Cheng Xiaoyi asked in a trembling voice, "And then?"

Xie Nian laughed: "She kept begging me to let her go. I hesitated for a moment, but she took advantage of my distraction and ran out. She called the police, forcing me to move away quickly. Those days of being on the run were really miserable. I eventually fled back to my hometown."

The smile on his face grew even wider: "But she was a prey I cherished. She thought she could escape me—how foolish she was. I had already dug up all her information and eventually tracked her down. I followed her for a month, watching from afar, seeing where she went every day and who she talked to. In the end, I stabbed her in the chest with a knife. How could she go back on her word to me?"

Cheng Xiaoyi’s pupils shrank. She remembered reading that case file. The dead girl was named Lin Wei, and she had a brother named Lin Hui...

Under the moonlight, Xie Nian’s young face looked like a fiend from hell, sinister and terrifying.

"Thinking of her now excites me. She was so beautiful when she died. The blood flowing from her chest stained her clothes red, like she was wearing a wedding dress. That’s what I’ve always been searching for—a bride, my bride..." As Xie Nian spoke, the corners of his mouth curled upward. Almost at the same time, Gu Chuxi ahead seemed to let her guard down, and the blade in her hand moved slightly away from Jiang Mei’s neck.

Now!

Cheng Xiaoyi finally found the opportunity she had been waiting for.

Taking advantage of Xie Nian’s distraction, she suddenly grabbed the man’s arm and bit down hard on the back of his hand. Her teeth sank into his flesh, and in an instant, a strong metallic taste of blood filled her mouth.

Xie Nian felt a sharp pain on the back of his hand and instinctively tried to pull his arm back. He struggled fiercely and finally broke free, but his hand was already bleeding. Cheng Xiaoyi’s eyes hardened with resolve. Mustering all her strength, she turned and kicked hard at the man’s crotch.

Xie Nian let out a cry of pain, his body curling up as he involuntarily doubled over in pain.

Seizing the moment while Xie Nian was crouching in pain, Cheng Xiaoyi snatched the knife from his hand. She lunged forward a few steps and stabbed toward Gu Chuxi’s back.

Gu Chuxi reacted extremely quickly. She picked up on the danger before Cheng Xiaoyi could get close and detected the officer’s intention, swiftly dodging aside.

The hiking jacket was heavy-duty, and though Cheng Xiaoyi had put all her strength into the strike, the pocket knife in her hand only penetrated half an inch.

The blade left a cut on Gu Chuxi’s back and severed a strand of her hair. The black strands scattered in the cold wind.

Gritting her teeth in anger, Gu Chuxi turned and slashed at Cheng Xiaoyi with her butterfly knife.

Cheng Xiaoyi quickly raised her arm, using her knife to block.

Clash! In the cold night forest, the sound of metal blades colliding was sharp and piercing.

Although the butterfly knife was compact and nimble, its blade was too short, putting it at a disadvantage against the larger blade.

In close combat, Gu Chuxi’s wrist stung, and she almost dropped her weapon from the impact.

Cheng Xiaoyi decisively kicked hard at Gu Chuxi’s abdomen. Gu Chuxi staggered back a few steps before barely catching her balance.

Seizing this opportunity, Cheng Xiaoyi shouted to Jiang Mei, who was standing there stunned nearby, "Jiang Mei! Run!"

Jiang Mei hesitated for a moment, her eyes filled with uncertainty and fear.

But at this life-or-death moment, her survival instinct took over. Compared to those two, she trusted Cheng Xiaoyi, a police officer, more. The woman finally turned and scrambled into the depths of the forest.

Gu Chuxi glanced back at Jiang Mei’s retreating figure, her eyes flashing with frustration. She took a step forward, intending to chase after her.

But Cheng Xiaoyi didn’t give her the chance. She lunged forward, grabbing Gu Chuxi by the collar.

Gu Chuxi was yanked to a halt.

Cheng Xiaoyi’s knife slashed out again, the sharp blade leaving a long cut on Gu Chuxi’s clothes.

"You’ve got a death wish!" Gu Chuxi was forced to turn and fight back, and the two women tangled together once more.

Gu Chuxi was strong, and her butterfly knife danced with deadly grace, each strike accompanied by a sharp whistling sound.

Cheng Xiaoyi knew her stamina was waning and she couldn’t hold out for long. If Xie Nian recovered, she would be caught between two enemies and have no chance of defeating them.

At that moment, Cheng Xiaoyi suddenly remembered He Lin’s advice during training: "Fighting isn’t just about strength; you have to use your brain too..."

Fang Jue, who was standing nearby at the time, added, "If you can’t win a fight, just run..."

Seeing that Jiang Mei had already disappeared from sight, Cheng Xiaoyi used a feint. Gu Chuxi was momentarily fooled by her move. Cheng Xiaoyi then made a feinting slash and turned to run toward the woods in another direction.

Xie Nian staggered to his feet, his legs still weak. He wanted to chase after Jiang Mei.

But Gu Chuxi shouted, "Forget that woman for now! Kill this police officer! She’s yours!"

Cheng Xiaoyi had run about ten meters when she keenly sensed movement behind her. The two were chasing after her, one after the other.

Xie Nian was faster, quickly catching up and blocking her path.

Cheng Xiaoyi was like a cornered animal. She had no choice but to turn and fight again.

Gu Chuxi had already reached her, her butterfly knife fueled by rage, stabbing fiercely toward Cheng Xiaoyi’s side. The blade pierced through the clothing, and though Cheng Xiaoyi tried to dodge backward, she still felt the cold steel slice through her skin. A sharp pain shot through her.

With a cut on her side and cold sweat instantly breaking out on her back, Cheng Xiaoyi gritted her teeth. At this critical moment, she endured the pain and slashed her knife toward Gu Chuxi’s face.

Gu Chuxi couldn’t dodge in time. She turned her head slightly, and the sharp blade left a bloody gash on her pale cheek. Blood trickled down her jaw.

At that moment, Gu Chuxi froze in shock, lifting her hand disbelievingly to touch her cheek, feeling the sticky blood.

The next second, she let out a piercing scream.

Cheng Xiaoyi seized the opportunity, slipped past her, and continued to run in another direction.

But just then, Xie Nian rushed out from her side like a crazed beast, grabbed her around the waist.

After all, he was a man, far stronger than her. The knife in Cheng Xiaoyi's hand dropped as she struggled desperately, using both hands to pry his arms away and kicking frantically with her feet. Yet she was quickly restrained, immobilized.

The injury to her face fueled Gu Chuxi's rage. Standing before Cheng Xiaoyi, she slapped her fiercely across the face. The forceful blow left raised red welts swelling on Cheng Xiaoyi's cheek, and a streak of blood seeped from the corner of her mouth.

Still unsatisfied, Gu Chuxi kicked her repeatedly.

Cheng Xiaoyi could only feel the searing pain on her face, her strength gradually fading under the relentless assault. She let her head droop, tangled hair hiding her face, as if she had given up struggling.

Seeing this, a cold, murderous glint flashed in Gu Chuxi's eyes. She raised her knife, ready to stab.

Just then, Xie Nian pulled Cheng Xiaoyi aside: "Let me..." He tightened his grip on the woman in his arms, a lecherous grin on his face. "You said it—she's mine now."

Before he finished speaking, Cheng Xiaoyi suddenly lowered her head, then jerked it back, headbutting him hard in the nose and chin.

After a dull thud, Xie Nian cried out in pain and instinctively loosened his grip.

Seizing the moment, Cheng Xiaoyi wrenched free once again.

Gu Chuxi snapped, "Why didn't you act sooner? Delaying my business—I'll cut your balls off someday!"

Xie Nian held his nose for a moment, wiped away the blood, and guffawed: "Spicy! I like that..."

Cheng Xiaoyi ran into the woods, but without her weapon and already injured, her pace slowed. She hadn't gone far before Xie Nian caught her again. The two crashed to the ground, rolling several times before coming to a stop.

"If you'd just behaved, none of this would've happened," Xie Nian panted, reaching out to clamp his hands around her throat.

Cheng Xiaoyi's fingers scrabbled desperately at Xie Nian's arms, her nails digging into his flesh, but he seemed oblivious, only squeezing tighter.

Pressed against her throat, Cheng Xiaoyi struggled to breathe, her vision speckling with stars as his crazed laughter rang in her ears.

Xie Nian's hands tightened relentlessly, feeling the feeble struggles of the policewoman beneath him, the throbbing of her veins, the convulsions in her trachea.

Watching this, he was thrilled.

Xie Nian greedily admired the woman's despairing expression, his face contorted with madness. She was about to be completely his!

Just then, a figure rushed out swiftly, a collapsible baton in hand cutting through the air. A vicious swing landed squarely on Xie Nian's shoulder.

With a crack, Xie Nian felt a sharp pain as if hit by a heavy hammer, his arm momentarily useless. He released Cheng Xiaoyi and turned to look.

A young man with glasses stood behind him.

Suddenly able to breathe again, Cheng Xiaoyi gasped for air, looking up. Overwhelmed with relief, tears welled in her eyes. By the moonlight, she recognized her savior: Lin Hui.

Lin Hui shouted to Cheng Xiaoyi, "Run!"

Cheng Xiaoyi lurched to her feet and staggered into the woods.

Gu Chuxi paused briefly, a murderous glint in her eyes, then gave chase.

Lin Hui stepped forward, grabbing Gu Chuxi's arm. His baton snapped into position, jabbing like a blade aimed at her shoulder.

Gu Chuxi grunted in pain, clutching her shoulder to keep from falling.

In that brief moment, Cheng Xiaoyi had disappeared into the forest.

Xie Nian shook it off and charged at Lin Hui.

Gu Chuxi yelled to Xie Nian, "You kill this guy! I'll go after the woman!"

With that, she turned and took off running on long legs into the depths of the dense forest.

.

Using the time Lin Hui had bought her, Cheng Xiaoyi ran through the woods, putting some distance between them before finding Jiang Mei kneeling by the path.

Her stomach dropped: "Why didn't you run?!"

Jiang Mei held her ankle, tears tracing down her cheeks: "I twisted my foot..."

The mountain was in utter darkness, and she was terrified and disoriented. After giving birth, she hadn't exercised much and hadn't gone far before tripping.

Her hands were scraped, her foot twisted, and she realized she was lost in the mountains, unable to find her way out.

Cheng Xiaoyi helped her up, urging her forward, but Jiang Mei's ankle was badly sprained, swollen and almost unusable, forcing her to hop on one foot.

Jiang Mei sobbed, pushing Cheng Xiaoyi away: "Go, leave me. I wanted to die anyway. I trusted the wrong people, those villains."

Frustrated and anxious, Cheng Xiaoyi asked, "Do you still want to die now?"

Jiang Mei shook her head tearfully. After such a day, she no longer wanted to die. She missed her child and her warm home.

At this time every day, she would be preparing to bathe and go to bed.

She realized: if her mother-in-law and husband were bad, she could divorce. No one would grieve for her except those who loved her. Life was hard, but even hardship was better than death.

Why punish herself with death?

Cheng Xiaoyi said, "Then get it together! Try to move faster! Otherwise, my injuries were for nothing, and all our efforts wasted!"

Staggering forward another ten meters, they suddenly found the path ended.

Hearing footsteps approaching from behind, Cheng Xiaoyi pushed Jiang Mei behind a tree, gestured for her to be quiet: "Hide, don't come out."

Then she herself crouched behind another tree.

By the moonlight, Cheng Xiaoyi saw a tall figure approaching—it was Gu Chuxi, who had broken free.

She reached the spot, glanced at the steep cliff ahead, and concluded the two women couldn't possibly climb it.

Gu Chuxi wiped the blood from her face, her expression twisted. She pulled out the butterfly knife from her pocket, gripping it in her hand, and with a flick of her wrist, snapped the blade open.

Panting, she spoke: "I know you're here..."

Then she began circling through the trees, searching one by one.

Gu Chuxi's voice was gentle, but paired with the cold glint of the blade in her hand, it sent chills down the spine.

Her slender wrist deftly twirled the knife, producing soft metallic clicks: "Two little rabbits, come out. Don't play hide and seek with me... You're just wasting time..."

Cheng Xiaoyi glanced at Jiang Mei, who was covering her mouth in terror, trembling uncontrollably.

Gu Chuxi drew closer to the tree where she was hiding.

"Do you know how I found you? Because there was blood on the ground... But now, the blood is gone..."

Cheng Xiaoyi's heart tightened—it was the blood from her wound that had given away their position.

"My precious little ones, where are you hiding?" The woman's voice hummed softly, like a gentle lullaby, yet it was spine-chillingly captivating. She intended to kill them.

Gu Chuxi's footsteps drew closer, and Jiang Mei was trembling, on the verge of collapse.

Just as the woman was about to reach the tree where Jiang Mei was hiding, Cheng Xiaoyi mustered her courage and rushed out, shouting, "Gu Chuxi!"

Clutching the wound at her side, she bravely faced the woman.

"Oh?" Gu Chuxi turned her head. Under the moonlight, her long hair fluttered in the wind, and the bloodstains on her face tainted her once-beautiful features with an aura of bloodlust.

"Quite brave, aren't you? You cut my face—this is a debt I must repay. No one will disturb us anymore." The woman executed a flashy twirl with the butterfly knife in her hand, its blade pointing directly at the female officer before her. A captivating smile spread across her face. "Now, I will end you gently..."

A second later, she tightened her grip on the knife and lunged at Cheng Xiaoyi...