Chapter 138: Beg Me

Chapter 138: Begging Me

The next second, flashlight beams swept through, and Tan Shu quickly dodged aside, avoiding both the light and the patrol's line of sight.

"Afraid to die?" Song Yuqing's tone was indifferent.

Tan Shu's lips curved slightly as he spoke with a hint of amusement, "Not afraid, but afraid of not seeing you again."

Song Yuqing: "..."

Tan Yan kicked the Alpha whom Tan Shu had knocked to the ground. "A bunch of useless trash."

These people were temporarily detained here because recently, Song Yuqing's people had been investigating the Tan family.

The one investigating the Tan family was that useless Zhou Yongnian. Just two days ago, Zhou Yongnian suddenly broke with the Tan family, looking for their mistakes.

The Tan family had never been clean, and moreover, the people they had recently acquired hadn't been transported out of New Zhou yet. The Tan family couldn't withstand an investigation.

The North District had always been their transit hub.

With Zhou Yongnian closing in on them step by step, they couldn't afford to release these people. Those who entered this place alive would never leave here alive.

Even if they died, their bodies would be devoured by the guard dogs kept here, destroying all evidence.

Just as they were considering whether to kill these people, Tan Shu appeared, claiming he had a way to transport them out without alerting anyone.

Tan Shu had some influence in a certain area bordering New Zhou and Westlandia.

That place was constantly chaotic, entangled with multiple factions. Despite this, Tan Shu had managed to establish himself there. Given his capabilities, they didn't doubt his ability.

So they gambled and brought Tan Shu to this place.

And the result...

Dammit.

How dare he gamble? In normal gambling, nine out of ten bets are lost. Yet, he and Tan Hongzhen had bet that Tan Shu, this traitor, would actually do the job right.

They actually thought that by holding Tan Shu's people hostage and with Tan Shu injured, he would be in their control.

Now, it was clear: Tan Shu, this backstabbing dog, would make trouble even without his people.

"What are we waiting for? Find him now."

Tan Yan was clearly furious. He pulled the gun from his belt and headed toward where the researchers were held. "Open the door."

Now, the only option was to kill all these researchers and destroy the evidence. Dead men tell no tales.

One of Tan Yan's subordinates trembled as he spoke, "The keys... the keys were stolen."

Tan Yan kicked the man's leg. "Then what are you all waiting for? Go find him now! Release the dogs to search for him—tear him to pieces."

The more Tan Yan spoke, the angrier he became, his killing intent intensifying. He personally led his men to search for Tan Shu.

Meanwhile, Song Yuqing was almost at the location. He called Zhou Yongnian again, "Where are you?"

Zhou Yongnian: "At the Tan residence."

Song Yuqing: "Good. Now, have your people surround the Tan residence. If even a fly escapes, you will die in its place."

Zhou Yongnian stared at the 10% equity transfer agreement in front of him and fell silent.

Tan Hongzhen didn’t believe in putting all his eggs in one basket. He intended to use Tan Shu, but he also wanted to turn Zhou Yongnian. So, reluctantly, he offered Zhou Yongnian 10% of the Tan family's equity.

Tan Hongzhen was waiting for Zhou Yongnian to sign the equity transfer agreement, after which he would pretend to conduct a search and let the Tan family off.

But the next second, he saw Zhou Yongnian push the agreement away as if it weren’t free money but a plague.

Tan Hongzhen gritted his teeth and raised the offer. "Fifteen percent?"

At this point, the Tan family could only cut their losses to survive.

Zhou Yongnian: "I don’t want it. I’m not that kind of corrupt official. If you think you can buy my integrity and honesty, you’re dreaming."

Tan Hongzhen: "..."

Tan Hongzhen was so angry he could vomit blood. Wasn’t Zhou Yongnian exactly that kind of corrupt official? Hadn’t he embezzled plenty over the years?

Zhou Yongnian stood up, straight and firm, his voice booming. "Everyone, surround the Tan residence. Not a single fly gets out. If one does, you will answer for it."

For a moment, he actually seemed righteous.

Tan Hongzhen: "Zhou Yongnian, you’ve gone too far! Even if you suspect the Tan family, you can’t just blockade us arbitrarily. Can you take responsibility for this?"

Zhou Yongnian laughed. "This is Song Yuqing’s order. Even if I can’t take responsibility, can’t Song Yuqing?"

Tan Hongzhen’s face turned even darker. Song Yuqing. He knew it was Song Yuqing behind this move against the Tan family.

Zhou Yongnian: "I’d say you still don’t understand the situation. If you had realized earlier that New Zhou is no longer a place where the parliament and a few major families can do as they please, then you wouldn’t have ended up like this."

Although Zhou Yongnian was firmly in the anti-Song Yuqing camp, he had often been targeted by Song Yuqing as someone from Westlandia.

Now, encountering Tan Hongzhen, whom Song Yuqing was treating as someone from Sri Lanka, Zhou Yongnian suddenly found himself on the moral high ground, criticizing Tan Hongzhen.

Indeed, happiness is relative.

Though Song Yuqing had threatened to kill him multiple times, he hadn’t actually done it yet, had he?

Tan Hongzhen, on the other hand, was different. Song Yuqing didn’t even bother giving him a warning before deciding to take him out.

Tan Hongzhen raged: "You’re treating me like this without any evidence! You—you’re lawless!"

"Do you really think the Tan family is finished?"

"Even criminals require evidence for arrest. Just wait—I’m reporting you right now."

As soon as Tan Hongzhen’s call connected, the person on the other end initially spoke politely, showering Tan Hongzhen with flattery from every angle. But the moment they heard Tan Hongzhen wanted to report Song Yuqing, they hung up immediately.

Trembling, they called Song Yuqing to inform him about the Tan family’s report, but Song Yuqing’s phone was out of service area.

The flashlight beams swept back and forth, and the footsteps drew closer.

Finally, with nowhere left to hide, Tan Shu was spotted by a ferocious dog. The path downstairs was blocked. If he went down, he would be caught by Tan Yan’s men and killed without a trace.

Staring into those eyes, Tan Shu couldn’t help but curse, "Fuck."

Tan Shu sharply turned a corner piled with discarded materials, but his foot suddenly slipped. A loose concrete block was kicked loose, tumbling down the stairs and landing with a heavy thud.

Tan Shu himself lost his balance, stumbling forward. His palms scraped hard against the rough concrete ground, stinging with pain.

Tan Yan also fixed his gaze on Tan Shu, released the leash from the dog's collar. "Go, kill him."

Tan Shu started running again, charging up the stairs—a staircase with no handrails or protection.

The vicious dog and Tan Yan's men gave chase. Just as the dog was about to sink its teeth into Tan Shu's ankle, Tan Shu grabbed a wooden plank.

He swung the heavy plank in a wide arc; it cut through the air with a whistle before smashing violently into the dog's skull.

Tan Shu gave the dog no chance to recover. After landing the blow, he kicked the dog down the stairs.

The struggle caused Tan Shu's previously unhealed wounds to tear open again, now bleeding profusely.

"Serves you right."

A youthful voice came through the earpiece, laced with faint, lingering laughter that was both tantalizing and provocative.

Tan Shu: "..."

Tan Shu didn't engage in banter with Song Yuqing and kept running, though he couldn't help but think how petty Song Yuqing was—still holding a grudge over something that happened three years ago.

Back then, he had coldly stood by, orchestrating a group of Alphas to scheme against Song Yuqing, waiting for Song Yuqing to beg him.

When Song Yuqing said he deserved it, he meant that incident—when Tan Shu had forced him to jump from the second floor, backed into a corner by so many people.

The difference was, back then, Tan Shu hadn’t truly wanted Song Yuqing dead; jumping from the second floor wouldn’t have been fatal.

But today, standing at such a great height, if he were to jump like Song Yuqing did, he would certainly fall to his death.

The higher he climbed, the stronger the wind grew, and Tan Shu's breathing became increasingly ragged. "Song Yuqing, if I really die here today, consider it payment for what I owe you. Don’t always think so poorly of me. I..."

He had feelings for Song Yuqing too—he just hadn't known how to show it properly back then. He didn’t know how to love; he only knew how to toy with emotions and manipulate hearts. It wasn’t until Song Yuqing taught him a lesson, until Song Yuqing thoroughly humiliated him, that he truly understood what it felt like.

At this point, if he had to die, then so be it. As a last resort, he could swallow the key and jump. At the very least, the time he’d gained would surely allow Song Yuqing to arrive.

Song Yuqing cut him off. "Won’t you beg me? If you beg, you might still have a chance to survive."

Tan Shu’s eyes swept urgently across the area—it was sealed tight like a drum. With so many of the Tan family here, everyone knew this was a fight to the death. These people would definitely show no mercy.

If Song Yuqing came, he could die here too.

If they could kill Song Yuqing here, the Tan family would not hesitate to do so.

Tan Shu said with a gentle smile. "Alright, I’ll beg you."

"Remember to recover my body. Don’t forget—I don’t want to become a lonely spirit."

In the midst of the chase, Tan Shu was forced to the top floor. Everyone had heard the news and moved upward, blocking every possible way down.

Tan Shu was completely cornered.

"Brother," Tan Yan took a few steps forward, closing in with a fake smile on his face, his voice even carrying a hint of regret. "Stop running. There’s no way out. Hand it over—it's better for everyone."

Tan Yan extended his hand toward Tan Shu, palm up, his posture elegant yet full of menace. "The key, and all the evidence. Hand them over, and I might consider giving you a clean death."

"You have to believe no one can save you now," he added, his final words heavy with condescension and mockery. "You can only beg me to spare your life."

To be honest, he had to admit Tan Shu was impressive—daring to come here alone and managing to incapacitate nearly a hundred of his men.

But his admiration and regret were conditional on Tan Shu not being the eldest brother who would compete with him for the family inheritance.

Tan Shu stood with his back to the abyss, his body trembling slightly from blood loss and excruciating pain, yet he stood tall.

Ignoring Tan Yan’s outstretched hand and empty offer of surrender, Tan Shu’s gaze seemed to pierce through his enemies before him, reaching into the heavy darkness beyond, or perhaps toward the silent young man on the other end of the communicator.

Tan Shu let out a soft laugh, his voice faint and drifting in the night wind.

"The key?" Tan Shu slowly raised his hand, and under the astonished stares of everyone, his Adam’s apple moved as he swallowed the key. His smile remained deceptively pleasant. "Come and get it yourself."

Tan Shu’s body suddenly leaned backward.

The gentle smile on his face widened, blooming into a brilliant, almost wistful grin.

But perhaps this was the best outcome. He had returned originally to help Song Yuqing, and now he had done all he could for him.

Still, he felt somewhat unwilling—unwilling that even after returning, he still couldn’t stay by Song Yuqing’s side.

When Song Yuqing saw his corpse, he might mourn briefly, or he might not.

After all, no one grieves for a broken tool.

From birth, he had only been a tool—first a tool for his mother to secure her position in the Tan family, later a tool discarded by the entire family.

"Song Yuqing, remember to recover my body."

The Alpha’s body fell like a kite with its string cut, plummeting into the suffocating darkness below.

Boom!

A deafening explosion erupted in his ears. The extreme fall left no time for regret.

The expected weightless sensation of rapid descent didn’t last. Instead, a force grabbed his wrist, abruptly halting his fall.

What met his eyes was Song Yuqing’s face, now dangerously close.

Below was the abyss; only the flames above illuminated the young man’s pale, breathtakingly beautiful features.

Song Yuqing was no longer an unattainable moonlight, but the sole light that had yanked him back from endless descent into the world of the living.

Author's Note:

Little cat Qingqing in the wishing well: Beg me, and I’ll make your wish come true.

Tan Dog: Kiss me.