Chapter 39 Don’t Look Back Anymore

Chapter 39: Don’t Turn Back

“Understood,” Lin Zhiyu nodded. “We’ll change course through St. Gallen, right? I recall they’re politically neutral, but as long as you believe in the World Guidance Church and promise to do good and not do evil, they’re willing to protect refugees and people who are politically persecuted.”

Mount Kunlora was in the northern part of District 26, the Empire’s northernmost natural defensive line, with complex terrain and winding mountain roads.

Heading north along the Kunlora mountain range would lead to the neutral zone of St. Gallen, a nation perched on the mountain peaks.

Passing through St. Gallen, they could still reach the Resistance Zone.

The complex terrain of Mount Kunlora would give a huge advantage to anyone familiar with the land during a pursuit.

“Hey, Brother Fu...” Luo Minghan’s communicator in the back seat suddenly went off. He answered; it was likely Fu Cheng.

After Fu Cheng said something, Luo Minghan quickly switched to speakerphone. Fu Cheng’s voice came through clearly.

“Brother, those who arrived at the Resistance Zone early said the road is now heavily watched by surveillance personnel. We can’t go that way anymore.”

Helicopters were much faster than trains. Several subordinates who had reached the Resistance Zone ahead of time, after notifying the Resistance forces, had scouted the area on Zhu Shinian’s behalf.

Gu Zhen’s people had moved fast.

If he hadn’t noticed, or if his subordinates hadn’t scouted ahead, by the time he got there, he would have been caught like a rat in a trap.

“We’re heading to Mount Kunlora now. Arm yourselves and prepare for a pursuit,” Zhu Shinian said calmly.

“Roger,” Li Qianxu responded immediately, without asking unnecessary questions.

Before they had forged a bond of shared hardship, these people were already Zhu Shinian’s most coordinated subordinates—true elite troops who had fought alongside him in battle.

The pursuers had blocked one route. Pursuers could be anywhere in District 26. Li Qianxu was a local, driving with ease, and he sped up.

Lin Zhiyu usually drove steadily, but this time she stuck close to Li Qianxu’s car without falling behind.

The three in the back seat hadn’t buckled their seatbelts at first; the sharp turns and lane changes threw them around, forcing them to fumble to buckle their seatbelts.

They reached the foot of Mount Kunlora in just half an hour, a drive that normally took fifty minutes. Just as they were about to enter the mountain road, Li Qianxu’s car ahead suddenly slowed, forcing Lin Zhiyu to brake as well.

If a pursuit ensued, the car behind would inevitably be in more danger than the one in front.

Li Qianxu and his team wanted to stay behind to cover their retreat.

“Honk at him to speed up,” Zhu Shinian said decisively to Lin Zhiyu.

Lin Zhiyu honked twice. Li Qianxu had no choice but to accelerate forward, and Lin Zhiyu swiftly followed.

District 26 was poor, with no investment or factories, so the sky was an unblemished blue, clouds torn into wisps by the wind, sunlight streaming straight down through the gaps, illuminating the exposed rocks and winding mountain road.

Only the roar of the two engines echoed through the silent mountain path.

For a moment, Zhu Shinian thought maybe they wouldn’t come after them. After extremes come reversal—luck had finally favored him once.

To be fair, his misfortunes had always seemed caused by people; his luck had never been too bad.

He had a loving family, a sharp mind that got him out of District 26 to see a wider world, a fortunate early presentation as an S-class alpha, and comrades willing to share his burdens and face death together.

And he had Gu Zhen. As long as he was willing to sacrifice a bit of his worthless pride, Gu Zhen solved so many problems for him that had seemed insurmountable.

But relying on luck was always precarious. Suddenly, the roar of a third engine sounded.

Then a fourth, a fifth...

It was a convoy. Zhu Shinian assessed the situation silently.

“60 kilometers per hour,” Zhu Shinian commanded calmly.

Lin Zhiyu lightly tapped the brakes. A black military SUV appeared in the rearview mirror.

Zhu Shinian recognized that model—it was the standard model for the Gu family’s personal guard military convoy.

What was coming was likely a full convoy.

A gunshot rang out. Without hesitation, Zhu Shinian shot the left front tire of the lead vehicle.

Then another shot. A subordinate in the back seat hit the right front tire.

That vehicle came to a complete stop.

“Speed up and lose them.”

The mountain road was narrow, only allowing one vehicle to pass. The driver would have to abandon the car with the blown tires, while the following car would push it off the cliff.

Zhu Shinian could use this gap to widen the distance.

But the military vehicles performed better than expected. On this gentle stretch of road, a second military vehicle, nearly identical except for the license plate, soon reappeared in their sight.

The returning pursuers quickly copied their tactic and raised their guns.

Moving cars were hard targets, and their own car was moving too, making aiming difficult.

Gu Zhen likely gave them a strict order not to kill, so they hesitated, probably aiming for tires or fuel tanks.

But not everyone was Zhu Shinian. Seven or eight shots were fired, but all missed, hitting the trunk or the cliffs beside the road.

Before they could breathe a sigh of relief, they heard the spare tire on the SUV’s roof get hit.

Almost simultaneously, a second gunshot struck home.

The right rear tire was hit. The car lurched violently, as if shoved hard.

Lin Zhiyu grunted, both hands gripping the steering wheel, her foot pressing the accelerator even harder. The wheels screeched against the road.

Zhu Shinian had already leaned out the window. The biting mountain wind stung his eyes as the car sped along.

Two consecutive shots—he hit the tires of the pursuing military SUV without missing a beat.

“Colonel, Fu Cheng says there’s a fork ahead. Which way?”

“Left,” Zhu Shinian said without hesitation.

The straight road was flatter but would take longer to reach St. Gallen. The left turn was steeper but faster.

For the civilian car Lin Zhiyu was driving, if the tires were completely destroyed here, or if the fuel tank was punctured again, they’d have no chance to bail out. The car could easily lose traction and careen off the cliff.

Catastrophe awaited them.

No one questioned Zhu Shinian’s decision. Li Qianxu and Lin Zhiyu both turned left without hesitation.

“I won’t let anything happen to any of you. I’ll get us out of here alive.” Somewhat unnecessarily, Zhu Shinian spoke softly in reassurance.

"I never doubted that," Li Qianxu said over the communicator.

If there were a handful of people in this empire who didn't treat lives as disposable, who saw others as equals—people with parents, wives, and children who also wanted to live—then Zhu Shinian was definitely one of them.

The car continued climbing, the slope growing steeper.

In the rearview mirror, the black off-road vehicle was still closing in, but the gunfire had stopped.

Just as Zhu Shinian breathed a sigh of relief, the car's radio suddenly lit up, emitting a burst of static.

Two or three seconds later, the crackling was forcibly silenced.

A familiar voice that suddenly made his heart tighten came through the speaker.

"Zhu Shinian."

"Come back with me. I won't let anything happen to you."

Gu Zhen's voice sounded hoarse and exhausted—a state he had never seen Gu Zhen in before.

Ever since meeting up with Lin Zhiyu and the others, Zhu Shinian had been aware of a question he was deliberately ignoring.

After his defection, his subordinates in Squad A2 would be suppressed and ostracized, never able to hold their heads high again.

And what about Gu Zhen—the man who had personally promoted him, who had practically announced to the world that "Zhu Shinian is my trusted confidant, my right hand, my most important subordinate"?

What about Gu Zhen, who had personally led him into the Gu estate, enabling him to successfully assassinate Ning Ye?

How much would Gu Zhen be affected? How much scrutiny and criticism would he face?

Accusations of having personally promoted a traitor who has now betrayed the empire. Accusations of ulterior motives. Accusations of colluding with foreign powers.

Over the past six years, Gu Zhen had treated him poorly at times, and countless moments when he had wanted to escape.

But when he had nowhere else to turn, it was Gu Zhen who gave him a place to belong. When his grandmother was critically ill, it was Gu Zhen who saved her life.

And just now, when Zhu Shinian had chosen a steeper, more dangerous road, it was also because he knew Gu Zhen would order the pursuers to cease fire.

Gu Zhen wouldn't let him die.

Zhu Shinian never regretted a single decision he made. If he had to make the choice ten thousand times over, he would still choose to finish off Ning Ye in the Gu estate.

But if there was one person he felt indebted to, it was indeed...

Gu Zhen.

At that moment, Lin Zhiyu reached out and swiftly cut off the radio.

The static came to an abrupt halt.

The cabin fell silent again.

Zhu Shinian turned to look at Lin Zhiyu. Her eyes were calm and steady.

Lin Zhiyu was a rather introverted beta. Even though she had been in Squad A2 for a long time, she hadn't interacted much with Zhu Shinian.

She rarely spoke. Occasionally, when she initiated a conversation with Zhu Shinian, it was only in the break room, asking if he wanted her to brew him a coffee too. Sometimes, when missions required disguises and costumes, she could play any role perfectly, often a stark contrast to her usual self.

"Colonel," Lin Zhiyu called out softly.

"Don't look back."

Author's note: