Chapter 57

Chapter 57

◎Can He Escape by the Skin of His Teeth?◎

"Is that Qi Yun? Who's he scuffling with?"

On their way to school, Kuang Hui suddenly pointed at a corner near the school gate and asked Meng Qi and Dong Jiaming. It sounded like a question, but his tone was sure.

Meng Qi followed his gaze and spotted Qi Yun getting tangled up with some tall guy whose back was to them. Since they were far off, he couldn't make out the details, nor could he hear what they were arguing about. He could only guess from how they were moving that Qi Yun wanted to leave, but the tall guy was gripping his wrist tight, not letting him leave.

We live in a society with laws, man—this was crazy! That's straight-up holding someone against their will!

Meng Qi freaked out. Without even bothering to say a word to Kuang Hui and Dong Jiaming, he shot forward like an arrow, ran straight up to Qi Yun, reached out and yanked the tall guy's collar, then gathered his guts and yelled, "Who are—"

He'd never been this bold before, whether in the past or now. It was like some weird energy was pumping in his chest, kinda like in a wuxia novel when the loser main character is about to level up.

Bottom line: it felt awesome.

He Cong and Wang Boyuan were both braver than him. He was the one they protected, never got a chance like this. And with his habit of dodging trouble whenever he could, it was even less likely.

This moment was worth remembering.

But before he could finish that "you," that burst of courage fizzled out the second Ren Suiwu whipped around and looked at him.

Damn—

Had he messed with the wrong guy? Poked a tiger in its lair? Plucked a whisker from a lion's mouth?

Meng Qi stood there frozen. The second those hawk-like eyes locked on him, he felt a chill go down the back of his head, like cold wind was blowing right into his skull.

No wonder—a guy from the field forces could kill someone with just a stare.

Meng Qi gulped a couple of times.

When Ren Suiwu saw it was Meng Qi who'd grabbed his collar, he instantly dropped that sharp vibe, softened his look, and even curled his lips into a smile for Meng Qi.

Meng Qi didn't feel that much better, but he took the chance to let go and stepped back a big step, then acted all surprised and asked Ren Suiwu, "Brother Wu?! That you? Weren't you supposed to be back at the army already?"

He should've thought of Ren Suiwu when he saw that build—I mean, not everyone's built like that... Meng Qi thought, way too late, the tips of his fingers behind his back were still tingling.

Ren Suiwu raised an eyebrow and casually fixed his collar that Meng Qi had yanked crooked.

That whole move and look was just like Ren Suiyi's, making Meng Qi zone out for a second. He couldn't help but sneak another half-step back.

Then Ren Suiwu spoke to Meng Qi, still spaced out, "I came to talk to your buddy about something. I'm heading out in a couple of days."

Oh, so that's what it was.

Meng Qi glanced at Qi Yun, wondering in his heart what could be between these two that had dragged on from that day until now? One was a student, the other a soldier; one was the son of a wealthy family, the other the son of a gambler. At first glance, they seemed completely unrelated.

Could it be...

Related to Qi Yun's work?

Or related to Qian De'an, the boss of Golden Sorghum?

The more Meng Qi thought, the more uneasy he felt. If it really had to do with Qian De'an, given his current situation, he might not be able to help Qi Yun.

Maybe he should try asking Ren Suiyi for help?

He couldn't keep thinking about it—maybe it wasn't that bad yet...

As if reading Meng Qi's thoughts, Qi Yun timely spoke up to clear his confusion, "It's about my dad, but the specifics involve confidential matters, as your Brother Wu said, so I can't tell you yet."

Related to Qi Yun's father?

Meng Qi slowly turned his gaze to Ren Suiwu, thinking to himself, Could this guy be trying to get Qi Yun to turn in his own father...

If that were the case, should he help Ren Suiwu persuade Qi Yun, or help Qi Yun refuse Ren Suiwu?

In theory, rejecting gambling, drugs, and prostitution was everyone's duty. Even he should actively assist Ren Suiwu in his work. But Qi Yun was his only link to the real world. Privately, he was naturally on Qi Yun's side and didn't want him to take such risks.

He was torn.

For a moment, Meng Qi's brows were so furrowed they could crush a mosquito.

Ren Suiwu patted Meng Qi on the head, as if to comfort him, but then turned back to speak to Qi Yun, "Go back and rest first. I'll come find you in two days. Use that time to think carefully about what I said."

After speaking to Qi Yun, he turned back to Meng Qi and said, "My mom's been saying lately how you never come to see her. If you have time, drop by our place and keep her company, cheer her up a bit."

Old lady? Meng Qi tilted his head and looked at Ren Suiwu, a row of question marks forming above his head. He thought to himself, You sure have some nerve saying that! Your words are enough to scare me to death! If Auntie Ding counts as an old lady, then what would my grandma be? An immortal?

Meng Qi pressed his lips into a thin line, clearly not agreeing with Ren Suiwu's statement at all.

But Ren Suiwu had already turned back to talk to Qi Yun, so he didn't see this expression.

What a busy Brother Wu, spinning like a top...

This time, Qi Yun answered Ren Suiwu first. He frowned and said, "Don't bother coming to find me. It'll be a waste of time. I've already said I don't agree. No means no, and it won't change."

"As I said before, one decision from you could really save countless families that should have been happy. Even so, you still won't agree? You have two days. I hope you'll think it over carefully and not rush to refuse me," Ren Suiwu said calmly.

Meng Qi was far from calm. A storm was raging in his heart. What kind of plot twist was this? A business drama turning into a police thriller?

While Meng Qi was stunned, Qi Yun sneered at Ren Suiwu, "What, am I some kind of savior? Everyone's waiting with their necks stretched out for me to save them? Oh, and one more question, Comrade Ren. After all this time, why hasn't anyone come to save me? Am I not worth saving?"

Meng Qi followed Qi Yun's question and looked at Ren Suiwu. He was also curious about the answer, and even wanted to ask, What about me? Am I not worth saving either? After all this time, why hasn't anyone come to save me?

See, it seemed like in this whole book, he and Qi Yun were the biggest suckers and pitiful souls. No wonder Qi Yun looked so much like Wang Boyuan...

Ren Suiwu instantly turned serious, looking intently into Qi Yun's eyes, and answered him word by word, "Of course you're worth saving, so I've come to save you."

If Ren Suiwu could really save Qi Yun, Meng Qi thought, then he could help persuade Qi Yun.

Qi Yun was stunned for a moment, then snorted coldly under Meng Qi's watchful eye, "But the process you call saving me involves me possibly dying at any moment. Is that really saving me? Fine, even if I'm lucky enough to survive and successfully complete the mission you've given me, then what? You all pat your butts and leave, getting your promotions and honors, while I'm left to face the lingering consequences of a centipede that won't die even when dead. Comrade Ren, do you think I should agree to your proposal, knowing that's the outcome?"

Meng Qi shook his head vigorously. If that was the case, of course he couldn't agree! In this novel world, staying alive was the most basic bottom line, right? If even that couldn't be guaranteed, what was there to agree to...

Ren Suiwu stared at Qi Yun for a long moment, then suddenly asked him, "Are you afraid of death?"

Qi Yun laughed as if he'd heard a joke, shaking his head, "There was a time when I imagined at least a hundred ways to die every day. Do you think I'm afraid of death? I'm afraid of nothing! But the ones who deserve to die aren't me, so why should I risk dying? I want to live, live well, and watch those scumbags die one by one before my eyes!"

Beneath his seemingly sunny and cheerful exterior, Qi Yun harbored such dark thoughts. Meng Qi couldn't fully empathize with him, but at that moment, he truly felt for Qi Yun, as if through him, he saw his own isolated and helpless self from long ago.

But luckily, he had met He Cong and Wang Boyuan. They were like saviors, pulling him from the abyss into the sunlight.

If he couldn't do it, he hoped Ren Suiwu could—to be Qi Yun's savior and pull him out of the abyss.

Ren Suiwu said, "Help me. With your help, those people can get the punishment they deserve sooner."

Qi Yun asked, "Then can they die early?"

Ren Suiwu shook his head. "No. Most of them don't deserve death. The law can't kill them."

"Then I won't help." This time, Qi Yun's answer was still firm. "I might die, but they get to keep living. That doesn't seem like a good deal to me."

Ren Suiwu suddenly stepped closer to Qi Yun, almost face-to-face, and asked him, "What if I promise you won't die? Would you help then?"

Qi Yun craned his neck stubbornly and pressed his lips tight, saying nothing.

Ren Suiwu continued, "As long as I, Ren Suiwu, am alive, you, Qi Yun, will be alive too. During the mission, I'll stick by your side the whole time. After the mission, I'll protect you and never leave your side until you feel completely safe. Does that sound like a good deal to you?"

Qi Yun still didn't answer. Instead, he turned to look at Meng Qi and asked him, "Are we going back to school?"

Meng Qi had wanted to drag Qi Yun away from the start the moment he heard that Qi Yun might die. Now that Qi Yun asked him, he grabbed Qi Yun's hand and turned around without a second thought. "Of course."

He didn't even say goodbye to Ren Suiwu, scared that any delay would let him talk Qi Yun into it.

Because he himself had already been convinced by Ren Suiwu.

If this was the real world, regardless of whether Qi Yun agreed, as long as Ren Suiwu needed him, Meng Qi would have volunteered to help Ren Suiwu complete this mission that could cost his life at any moment.

But the problem now was that this wasn't the real world—it was a fictional novel. Should he really give up his own life for made-up characters?

Meng Qi didn't know the answer. He just wanted to pull Qi Yun away from here as fast as possible.

"Author's Note"

The earlier parts have been laying the groundwork for Meng Qi's "escape route." Along the way, he needs many people's help. But why are they willing to help him? The ongoing plot explains the reasons.

(I'm temporarily playing a babysitter role, continuously unlocking hidden tasks. Arm pain and back pain seem to be the easiest to unlock... Update progress is unstable, got it...)