Chapter 120 22

Chapter 120 22

Seeing the blade's shadow approach, Cheng Xiaoyi swiftly dodged backward. The Butterfly Knife, agile and graceful, spun in Gu Chuxi’s slender fingers, emitting a soft whistle as it cut through the air.

Against such a weapon, the greatest challenge was predicting the direction of attack. It would appear to aim left, only to suddenly veer right.

Unarmed, Cheng Xiaoyi could only rely on her legwork to create distance, kicking and stepping back to keep Gu Chuxi at bay. However, Gu Chuxi pressed on relentlessly, and soon Cheng Xiaoyi had two more cuts on her arm and chest, blood trickling down her clothes.

While dodging, Cheng Xiaoyi called out, "Gu Chuxi, if you don’t run now, you won’t escape. More police support is almost here!"

"Shut up!" Gu Chuxi shouted, slashing downward from above, but this time her move missed.

Cheng Xiaoyi’s words didn’t stop her, but they clearly distracted her.

After such a prolonged fight, Gu Chuxi was already panting, and the policewoman facing her looked equally disheveled.

Seeing this, Cheng Xiaoyi continued, "I don’t know who you’ve been listening to, but those people are using you! This is your last chance!"

Gu Chuxi snarled, "You scarred my face; I’m going to die anyway! I’ll kill you before I leave!"

Cheng Xiaoyi kept dodging, but with her injuries and the extended struggle, her strength was visibly waning.

After a few more exchanges, Cheng Xiaoyi stepped back, and a few pebbles rolled down the slope. Unbeknownst to her, she had retreated to the edge of a steep hill, with no way to go further.

Cheng Xiaoyi broke out in a cold sweat.

Gu Chuxi gritted her teeth and thrust the knife at her again.

Cheng Xiaoyi instinctively raised her hand to block the attack...

Just then, a gunshot rang out. BANG.

A bullet struck the crazed woman in front of her.

Gu Chuxi’s lunging body suddenly convulsed, and blood bloomed from her shoulder, splattering across Cheng Xiaoyi’s face.

A look of disbelief appeared on the woman’s beautiful face, like a butterfly whose wings had been abruptly broken, and she slammed into the ground.

Gu Chuxi’s eyes were wide with defiance, her hair disheveled as she collapsed onto the ground. Her body struggled but could no longer move an inch.

Cheng Xiaoyi froze for a moment but recovered quickly. She crouched down, snatched the butterfly knife from Gu Chuxi’s hand, then pinned Gu Chuxi’s body with her knee and frisked her, searching for any other weapons.

Gu Chuxi coughed up a mouthful of blood. Her eyelids trembled, her body twitched a few times, and she passed out.

Cheng Xiaoyi turned her head and saw that the shooter had already approached her.

In the dark night and dense forest, accurately hitting a moving suspect was a feat of true marksmanship.

Cheng Xiaoyi looked up and saw a tall figure clad in black SWAT gear, almost blending into the night. With a narrow waist, long legs, and crisp tactical gear, he wore night-vision goggles paired with a black mask and tactical gloves that left his fingertips exposed. His stance alone commanded respect.

Seeing that Gu Chuxi was unconscious but still breathing, the man pulled down his black mask, revealing a pale, strikingly handsome face. Cheng Xiaoyi stared at that familiar face, its handsome, refined features, and was completely stunned.

This was Li Shang, yet a completely different Li Shang from the usual...

Just looking at him gave a sense of overwhelming security, as if all problems could be effortlessly resolved in his presence.

"Are you badly hurt?" Li Shang asked, turning to Cheng Xiaoyi.

"No... I'm alright..." Cheng Xiaoyi snapped out of it. "Just some superficial wounds."

As she spoke, she winced—it actually hurt quite a bit. Seeing Li Shang now felt like seeing family. After such a heart-pounding and terrifying night, she wanted to cry but was afraid her colleagues would laugh at her for crying.

The female cop sniffled and held it in.

Li Shang asked again, "What about Jiang Mei?"

"She sprained her ankle, but she should be safe," Cheng Xiaoyi replied.

After quickly confirming their safety, Li Shang issued quick instructions: "You wait for backup. Once the support team arrives, take Jiang Mei and the suspect down the mountain. I'm going to find Xie Nian."

"Okay." Cheng Xiaoyi then calmed down and remembered what mattered. She grabbed Li Shang and added, "Lin Hui is fighting Xie Nian, but there are two other accomplices—I don’t know where they are right now. They’re armed..."

"Accomplices?" Li Shang frowned slightly. "Do you know who they are?"

"One tall guy named Hong Mian, and a shorter one named Ananta. They seem to be some boss's men, but I’m not sure of the details."

Li Shang’s eyes narrowed sharply—those people might be after He Lin. He could be in danger.

At the same moment, another gunshot rang out through the mountain woods. Li Shang turned and took off toward the direction of the sound.

Faster, even faster.

Li Shang's agile figure moved swiftly through the pitch-black dense forest; he had to reach He Lin before those people could strike.

.

Minutes earlier, while Cheng Xiaoyi was fighting fiercely with Gu Chuxi, Lin Hui was also struggling with Xie Nian.

In the darkness of night, Lin Hui tightly gripped his baton—a weapon that was lightweight, nimble, and versatile under normal circumstances, effective for injuring foes, yet in this life-or-death struggle, it struggled to deliver a fatal blow.

By now, Xie Nian had completely lost his mind, descending into madness. He wasn't paying any attention to his own safety, blocking the baton with one hand while slashing wildly with the knife in his other, driving forward relentlessly.

The man's face was streaked with blood, his hair disheveled, panting heavily. His ferocious expression grew even more terrifying under the moonlight.

Whoosh—Lin Hui suddenly swung the baton with a whistling sound, aiming at Xie Nian. The baton struck hard against Xie Nian's blocking wrist.

After enduring several heavy blows, his wrist bone was likely shattered. Yet Xie Nian seemed not to feel any pain, not even flinching. He continued pressing forward step by step, his knife dancing, its cold gleam flashing in the night.

"I know you..." A sinister smile spread across Xie Nian's face. "I remember seeing you in the crowd. My bride died in your arms..."

Hearing his words, Lin Hui's pupils contracted sharply. The image of his younger sister fading away in his arms suddenly flashed into his mind without warning.

His hand trembled slightly, and in that moment, he fell into a brief daze.

Xie Nian keenly seized this opening in Lin Hui's defense. A cold glint flashed in his eyes as the blade, charged with killing intent, sliced through Lin Hui's shoulder.

Crimson blood spread across Lin Hui's light-colored jacket, the scent of blood permeating the air.

Xie Nian grinned ferociously, using Lin Hui's moment of distraction to surge forward.

Pushing off with his foot, he closed the distance between them rapidly, driving the blade straight toward Lin Hui's chest.

In this life-or-death moment, Lin Hui's rationality returned. At such close range, there was no time to block with the baton.

Lin Hui reacted instantly, swiftly spinning away to dodge as the blade sliced through his jacket. With a quick flick of his wrist, he retracted his baton and struck backhanded with the end cap, aiming for Xie Nian's eye.

A dull thud echoed, followed by Xie Nian's agonized scream. He instinctively covered his eye, stumbling backward uncontrollably.

Lin Hui's baton snapped open again. He swung it with force, delivering a sharp blow to Xie Nian's waist.

Xie Nian's pupils contracted sharply as he staggered back.

Seizing the advantage, Lin Hui pressed on relentlessly, his eyes bloodshot and movements fierce. He struck, thrust, and swept without pause, each blow landing on Xie Nian's flesh.

Finally, Xie Nian tripped over a tree root, lost his balance, and collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath but still wild-eyed.

Looking up at Lin Hui, Xie Nian grinned viciously. "Come on, kill me! What? Scared? Don’t you want to avenge your sister?"

His voice was like a devil’s whisper.

Lin Hui stared down at the man on the ground, his face pale, lips pressed tightly together. Blood stained his glasses, his chest rose and fell rapidly, and sweat dripped from his forehead.

Seeing him hesitate, Xie Nian continued to taunt, "Kill me. If you have the guts, kill me. Then I can be with her."

He hoped to cloud the officer’s judgment with hatred.

Lin Hui watched him intently, his gaze fixed on the battered but frenzied man.

Now, with Xie Nian disarmed and helpless, he could easily pick up the fallen knife and end him.

Before coming here, Lin Hui thought he had made up his mind, but faced with this moment, he hesitated.

His vision burned red with rage; hatred churned in his mind.

Xie Nian’s hands were stained with blood, his crimes unforgivable, deserving of death. No one else was around; no one would know what happened in this fight...

A single slash across the neck, and blood would spill. He would die.

Then Lin Hui could personally end this man’s life—end this nightmare.

But in that instant, his rationality returned.

He couldn’t do it.

If he did, he would fall into the abyss and become a monster himself.

It would betray the trust of his colleagues and superiors at the bureau, betray Jin Tingrui, and it was certainly not what Lin Wei would have wanted.

He was a brother, but he was also a police officer.

Lin Hui’s eyes cleared. He took a deep breath, quelling the storm of hatred inside. He took handcuffs from his belt and secured them around Xie Nian’s wrists.

"You don’t deserve it," Lin Hui said, his voice steady and firm. "She could never belong to you."

For a moment, Xie Nian froze, a flicker of disappointment in his eyes.

Just then, a gunshot echoed through the forest, some distance away.

Lin Hui straightened up and pulled Xie Nian to his feet.

Thinking backup might have arrived, Lin Hui reached for his phone to call He Lin.

Before the call could connect, Xie Nian’s limp body suddenly twisted violently. He shouted into the dark woods, "What are you waiting for? If you don’t act now, I’ll tell the police everything!"

Lin Hui was momentarily stunned, unable to process Xie Nian’s words.

A shadow flickered among the trees, followed by the rustle of leaves and another gunshot—"Bang!"

Lin Hui felt a powerful force shove him in the lower back, making him stagger forward half a step.

Had he been shot? The thought flashed through his mind.

A second later, searing pain erupted within him.

Lin Hui looked down in shock and disbelief. No blood was visible on the front, but the piercing pain in his back and abdomen intensified, like a dagger twisting his insides.

He realized the bullet had entered from his right side, lodged inside his body without exiting.

In that moment of distraction, Xie Nian broke free and fled into the dense forest.

Lin Hui lacked the strength to stop him.

Overwhelmed, he closed his eyes. Blood soaked through the back of his clothes, the wound causing agony in both his back and abdomen. He couldn’t even reach back to press on it.

A faint sound reached his ears, like someone calling his name, but he couldn’t make it out.

As blood continued to flow, dizziness washed over him, and the strength drained from his limbs.

Lin Hui’s legs gave way, and he dropped to one knee.

Just as he teetered on the edge of consciousness, a familiar voice rang in his ears: "Lin Hui! You’re hurt?" A strong hand steadied his arm. Lin Hui forced his eyes open and saw it was He Lin.

Clutching He Lin’s hand, Lin Hui gritted his teeth against the pain, cold sweat pouring down his face. "Don’t worry about me. Go after Xie Nian. He has accomplices—armed. Be careful..."

He Lin had followed the tracking signal to this spot.

With Cheng Xiaoyi still missing, He Lin couldn’t afford to delay. He quickly instructed Fang Jue to stay and tend to Lin Hui, then turned and raced into the mountains.

.

A minute earlier, hidden deep in the forest, Ananta lowered his gun and blew a thin wisp of smoke from the barrel.

A smirk played on his lips as he watched the man’s agony from afar.

Hong Mian glanced at the young man beside him, frowning. Finally, he spoke, his voice muffled and indistinct, uttering just two words: "Shouldn’t have."

If Hong Mian opened his mouth, one would see he had only half a tongue.

Born in a war-torn country, his tongue had been severed in his teens, earning him the nickname "Mute Hong Mian."

But it didn’t matter much. He didn’t need his tongue to taste food—filling his stomach was enough. He didn’t need to speak often; as long as he could hear orders and his fists could inflict harm, his strength did the talking.

Ananta scratched his chin. "You mean I shouldn’t have shot?"

Hong Mian nodded.

That wasn’t their target, and he disliked unnecessary complications.

"He said he’d tell the police about us," Ananta said with a light laugh. "Besides, it’s done now."

His gaze fell on He Lin, who was chasing after Xie Nian, and he patted Hong Mian: "Let's go, catch up with him, it's time to work..." Ananta said, "Wait till I fill him full of holes..."

After speaking, Ananta gripped his gun tightly and let out a sinister laugh. His face still carried the innocence of a youth, as if everything before him was just a battle royale game, where victory meant taking down everyone.

Hong Mian moved, sprinting in the direction the two had run.

Hong Mian disliked his partner, even though they had worked together for years. Ananta always liked to cause unnecessary complications, like a monkey that was still half-ape or a gun that could misfire at any moment.

Unlike Hong Mian, who did this job only for the money, Ananta seemed to do it just for fun. In his eyes, human life was worthless, and everyone deserved to die.

.

At this moment, on the mountainside, He Lin was gradually moving farther away.

In the darkness of the night, Fang Jue couldn't make out where Lin Hui was hurt, only catching the smell of blood. He said urgently, "Captain Lin, where are you hurt? Do you need to stop the bleeding? Should I carry you?"

Lin Hui, pale-faced, shook his head gently: "You couldn't carry me."

After the initial pain passed, Lin Hui quickly assessed the situation. They were halfway up the mountain, where no car could reach, and a stretcher was out of the question for now.

The wound on his waist was in a difficult spot to stop the bleeding, and with the amount of blood loss, he didn't have long.

The bullet hadn't hit his spine—otherwise, he wouldn't be able to move at all. Judging by the bleeding, it probably hadn't hit his kidneys either.

Lin Hui gasped, low and pained, a few times and said in a low voice, "Help me up."

Then, gripping Fang Jue's arm tightly with one hand and supporting himself on a nearby tree with the other, Lin Hui took a deep breath and forced himself to his feet, trying to take a step forward.

Just that slight movement jolted the wound inside him, and he let out a low groan of pain.

The bullet was still inside his body, causing an unbearable feeling of something alien inside him, as if it were shifting with his movement. There was a distinct, heavy, swollen feeling, as though the flesh around the wound had already congealed, sending tremors of pain through his body.

Lin Hui was torn. He knew he had to get down the mountain as soon as possible to receive treatment, or he was a dead man.

But he also knew that if he tried to move now, his injury would worsen, and he might not make it down the mountain at all.

Fang Jue could see Lin Hui's hesitation: "Captain Lin... maybe you should lie down first. Let's wait a bit longer; help should be here soon..."

Just then, the bushes in the forest rustled, and a tall man pushed through the bushes ahead, shaking leaves off his body.

Fang Jue recognized Jin Tingrui by the moonlight, and Jin Tingrui also spotted Lin Hui and Fang Jue ahead.

Fang Jue felt a surge of relief and was about to call Jin Tingrui over to help carry Lin Hui when Jin Tingrui roared, "Lin Hui!"

Then he strode over, firing off a rapid series of words: "Lin Hui, do you have any discipline left? Was it fun leaving me alone at the station? And you actually dared to block me! What gives you the right to play the hero in a Missing Persons Investigation Unit case? Now I have to clean up your mess! When we get back, you’re writing me a report, and if I don’t dock your pay, you’ll never learn! Looks like I really should reassign you to a local precinct!"

Lin Hui was trembling from the pain. In the past, when Jin Tingrui lost his temper, he would just silently handle the matter.

But now, he had had enough.

Fang Jue was about to step in and explain, but before he could speak, Lin Hui said coldly, "Jin Tingrui, I’ve put up with you for long enough. Stop pulling rank on me. You never try to understand what others are thinking. Why didn’t I tell you? Why didn’t I explain? Because you never listen, and you never ask. Do you think you’re the only one who’s always right? You’re so stubborn, not even eight oxen could pull you back! Haven’t I cleaned up enough of your messes in the past?"

Jin Tingrui was completely stunned by Lin Hui’s outburst. Was this the same Lin Hui he knew—the one who was always gentle, smiling, and good-natured?

He knew Lin Hui had a sharp tongue and occasionally talked back, but aside from that one time he insisted on leaving, the usual Lin Hui would just coldly ignore him when he was angry, at most being sarcastic or grudgingly handling things behind his back. He still showed respect for his superior. But now, he was openly cursing him to his face.

Jin Tingrui’s mind went blank. Staring at Lin Hui’s pale face, he couldn’t think of a single word to retort.

Lin Hui was already at his limit. After forcing himself to say so much, his vision began to darken, and his body felt as if it were slowly sinking into icy water. He had never felt death so close.

Having finally spoken the words he had been holding back, Lin Hui felt a pang of sadness. He knew Jin Tingrui had come because he was worried about him. Leaving his superior alone at the train station probably wasn’t the right thing to do, and now he had chewed him out like this...

Another desperate thought crossed Lin Hui’s mind: he was done for. He was going to die.

Once he was gone, what would happen to Jin Tingrui and his stubborn, impulsive nature? Wouldn’t he end up alienating the entire city bureau? Where would the junior officers he reduced to tears go to complain?

Thinking that his last words were going to be a fight also felt somewhat unsatisfying.

Lin Hui’s lips trembled as he added, "From now on... think twice before you act..." He took a few labored breaths before finishing, "After all, I won’t be by your side anymore."

Jin Tingrui was baffled by this: "Wait, Lin Hui, what do you mean? Are you really going back to the precinct?"

Fang Jue, supporting Lin Hui’s body and holding him from behind, felt something wet on his hand. He pulled it back and looked, letting out a startled cry: "Blood! Captain Lin! Captain Lin, where are you hurt? Why is there so much blood?"

Lin Hui could no longer hold on. He had lost all balance and began to collapse forward.

Fang Jue couldn’t support him alone, but Jin Tingrui stepped forward quickly, catching Lin Hui just before his face hit the ground.

Detachment Commander Jin turned Lin Hui over and saw that half his body was covered in blood. Jin Tingrui's panic spiked instantly: "Damn it! A gunshot wound! Who did this?"

He slapped Lin Hui’s face repeatedly: "Lin Hui, don’t fall asleep! Whatever you do, don’t fall asleep! Pull yourself together, kid!"

Detachment Commander Jin had some experience with gunshot wounds and knew that stopping the bleeding was the first priority.

Jin Tingrui was wearing very little himself—if he took off any more, he’d be shirtless or pantless. He reached out to Fang Jue beside him: "Your clothes!"

Fang Jue quickly took off his outer jacket. Underneath, he was only wearing a short-sleeved shirt and was shivering from the cold. Jin Tingrui didn’t care about that. He folded the jacket and used it as a makeshift bandage, tying it tightly around Lin Hui’s waist.

By now, Lin Hui’s consciousness was fading. He couldn’t feel any pain except from the wound, but Jin Tingrui’s slapping woke him up abruptly.

Breathing weakly and barely conscious, he still managed to say, "Jin Tingrui... I thank you. The bullet didn’t kill me, but your slapping might..."

Before he could finish, the pressure of the jacket tightening around his waist sent a sharp pain through him, making his eyes, which had been struggling to stay open, snap wide open.

It took Lin Hui a moment to catch his breath. Pale and trembling, he asked, "Are you here to save me, or to make sure I die and finish the job?"

Jin Tingrui showed no remorse. Seeing that Lin Hui still had the energy to argue with him, he knew he would be fine for the moment. But if the bleeding didn’t stop, things could take a turn for the worse.

So he kept working on the bandage: "Of course I’m here to save you. Even though you broke the rules sneaking here and left me alone at the station, out of our years of camaraderie, I’ll let it slide."

Lin Hui was so angry he felt wronged: "The sniper is inhuman, and you’re a real dog. And what right did you have to yell at me earlier..."

Jin Tingrui didn’t bother arguing further: "Thanks for the compliment. Keep breathing. Of course, it’s because I’m brilliant and heroic. Without me, you’d have kicked the bucket sooner! If you’re still unhappy, get better and curse me back then. If you die now, you lose. Think about the plants in your office—if you’re not around, I’ll pour leftover tea and ash cigarettes into them!"

Lin Hui was so furious that the veins on his forehead throbbed. He forgot all about fainting or the pain, his mind racing to find words to curse back.

Jin Tingrui didn’t dare delay any longer. While Lin Hui was still conscious, he had Fang Jue support him, hoisted Lin Hui onto his back, and hurried down the mountain.

.

Meanwhile, He Lin was sprinting through the mountain forest, the wind whistling past his ears. Following the GPS on his phone, he ran another hundred meters and saw a figure stumbling ahead.

Xie Nian was injured, his hands cuffed, relying solely on his will to survive to keep moving. Finally, he stumbled, lost his balance, and accidentally tumbled down the slope.

The mountain forest was covered in a thick carpet of leaves, so he didn’t fall too hard. Gasping for breath, he tried to get up.

He Lin slid down the slope after him, quickly steadying himself.

Just as Xie Nian was trying to stand, before he could steady himself, He Lin kicked him to the ground. Then he took out another pair of handcuffs and fastened them around Xie Nian’s ankles, ensuring he couldn’t escape again.

At that moment, a rustling sound emerged from the surrounding woods.

He Lin turned on alert—it was the shooter!

He tumbled agilely, dodging a whizzing bullet that struck Xie Nian in the back instead.

Xie Nian let out a piercing scream, his face contorted in agony for an instant before his body shuddered and went still—he had already fallen unconscious.

He Lin sprang up. The shot had simultaneously revealed the shooter’s position, so he sought cover behind trees.

Before he could fully conceal himself, a tall man appeared right in front of him.

He Lin’s face hardened.

The man wasn’t alone—there were two of them.

The other man threw a heavy punch at him. He Lin instinctively raised his arm to block, parrying the incoming fist.

He Lin glanced down and saw the blade-modified brass knuckles glinting under the moonlight—clearly modified with added edges.

Almost at the same time, from deep within the dense woods, the dark muzzle of a gun was once again trained on He Lin’s back…

Ananta lifted the corner of his mouth in a faint smile.

The young man’s thin lips curved faintly: "Happy Death Day…"