Chapter 42: Confidante (2 of 3)

People are squirming on the ground everywhere, yet T places the gun behind his back and walks through them like there’s nobody there.

He goes back to the fallen log that he was at before and sits down.

“Han Chen, please give them your verdict,” he says.

Han Chen glances at the farmers and doesn’t say anything.

T lifts his head again and looks towards Bai Jin Xi, “You sit down as well,” he pauses before continuing, “Ke Fan has already received his punishment.”

Jin Xi takes a quick look at the body on the ground and suddenly understands why T had to cut through Ke Fan’s back and kill him by using such a cruel method.

It’s because Ke Fan swung a bat at her back and T saw it.  An eye for an eye; a taste of his own medicine. Read more

Chapter 42: Confidante (1 of 3)

To Fang Xu, what happened at the time was like a bizarre dream; exciting, despicable, horrifying, disgusting, and a tremendous sense of ecstasy.

The hazy night, the fragrance of the beautiful woman and her wailing and resistance were like stimulants, awakening the beast-like nature of every man.  Pure pleasure.  The greatest pleasure.  Even Ke Fan said that it was the most thrilling experience out of all the times that he had done it.

“We’ll look for you again in a few days,” Yan Er said.  Just before leaving, he caressed Gu Ran’s face and then threw the clothes back to her.  When the three of them walked out of the forest, Fang Xu turned around and saw that Gu Ran had slid down from the tree and was sitting on the ground.  The sound of whimpering could be heard coming from the forest while she picked up the clothes and started putting them back on.

“Big Ke, she won’t report it to the police, would she?” Fang Xu asked. Read more

Chapter 41: T’s Torture Chamber

From the little memory that Jin Xi has, she does not recall any imagery similar to this——

She stays where she is, while he turns around and heads towards danger.

But at this moment, as she’s watching his back view, she feels as if there was another Bai Jin Xi on some day of a certain month and year in the past who was full of tears but could only stand quietly from where she was.

Han Chen.  Han Chen.

This clear and simple name that she has called out a thousand times.  Now that she repeats it in her heart, why does it feel deeply imprinted in her with a sense of yearning?

For a split second, a strange but blurry thought floats across her mind.  But she doesn’t manage to grasp onto it and lets it get away in a flash.

She also doesn’t have time to think about it.  It’s because Han Chen is already approaching the empty space beside the bonfire near T, drawing one long and one short shadow on the two of them.  T acts right away.  At the speed of lightning, he pulls the rifle from his back, holds it up and aims!  Its mouth is pointing directly at Han Chen’s forehead. Read more

Chapter 40: Him Alone

In Xia Zi’s view, what happened last year October is a small little prick buried inside her heart.  She doesn’t think about it often, but whenever the name “Gu Ran” comes across her mind occasionally, she feels guilty and afraid.  Of course, she also feels a certain kind of excitement and thrill from hiding a big secret.

She remembers clearly that it was on October 11 of last year, the third day of the second annual ultimate CS wild combat and survival game in Province K.  She and Zhang Mu Han, Gu Ran, and Professor Sun were members of the fourth team.  Ke Fan, Fang Xu, Yan Er and Li Ming Yue were main players of another team.

Despite every team had a different route and mission, there were many participants at the time.  But Gu Ran, this beautiful girl, had attracted many gazes of the male players on the first day of the competition.  Xia Zi remembers that in the first two nights, every time they completed their missions, there would be male players coming and trying to converse with Gu Ran.  But Gu Ran was…how should she say it?  She always had a sweet smile on her face as if she was a bit shy, but the way she talked and moved made her seem easy going as if she could have a chat with anyone. Read more

Chapter 39: A Bunch of Idiots

The noise comes and goes.  It seems to be coming from Li Ming Yue’s direction.  All of a sudden, that weak shrieking cry disappears.  Instead, it’s been replaced with the sound of quick breathing; as if something terrifying has appeared, making one become dumbstruck and unable to break free.

There’s no time for Jin Xi to hesitate.  She grabs onto the flashlight and just when she is about to shine it in that direction, she senses a strong force amid the darkness, striking towards her and Han Chen’s head!

It’s as if the time has stopped; Li Ming Yue’s breathing, faint footsteps, and the attack from above their heads all seem to be still beside her ear.  Before Jin Xi’s mind decides on what to do, her body has already acted on its own——she pounces forward and uses her back to cover Han Chen’s head and body. Read more

Chapter 38: My Gentleness (2 of 2)

Jin Xi has taken off his shoes and is wiping the bottom of his feet to help him cool down when she suddenly hears him murmurs, “Bai Jin Xi.”

“Hm?” she raises her head.

But his eyes are closed, and there are no further movements.

Jin Xi ignores him and continues to wipe his arms.  But she hears him call out again, “Bai Jin Xi.”

She tosses away the wet towel, squats and looks down at his face.

He’s usually cold and unruly, but his cheeks are currently red from the fever.  He looks calm while sleeping, but he’s murmuring her name.

She can’t believe that a manly man like him could be like a child at times.

Jin Xi says in a very soft voice that only she could hear, “What are you calling me for?  Since you don’t care about me anyway.” Read more

Chapter 38: My Gentleness (1 of 2)

The old man asks in surprise, “How did you guys end up here?”

Ke Fan answers with a smile, “Uncle (a polite way to address an older man), we got lost.  Can we stay here for one night?  And is there a telephone here?  We want to contact someone from the outside.”

The old man shakes his head, “Where would we have a telephone on a mountain like this?  There are so many of you.  I can’t fit you all in here.”

Ke Fan puts his hands together, “Uncle, please, we are tired and thirsty, and it’s cold outside.  We can sleep on the floor.”

The old man is still hesitating.  Ke Fan gives You Chuan an eye contact, “Xiao You.”

You Chuan nods, reaches into his chest pocket and pulls out a wallet. Read more

Chapter 37: Admiring Heart + mini side story

Han Chen’s voice is very attractive.

Deep, mellow, and pure.  But it’s not strong and rough at all.  The end of his sentences always carries a carefree tone, making you take in his words easily.

He lowers his head to Bai Jin Xi’s cheek level and says slowly, breathing into her ear.  Jin Xi can’t help but to feel her ears go numb and subconsciously move sideways to avoid him as she nods, “Mm.”

When she looks over, she sees that he has one of his hands on his knee and is not looking at her, but is looking straight.  His side profile is blurry under the darkening sky.

No matter where or when, this man’s every move seems to captivate everyone’s gaze.

Or more precisely, her gaze. Read more

Chapter 36: Possible Light

5 in the afternoon, Black Shield Team’s office.

Zhou Xiao Zhuan is sitting in front of a computer, immersed in searching for all information related to the case.  Cold Face has gone to the Branch Bureau Chief’s office for a meeting, representing the Black Shield Team.  Apparently, the Chief is having a fierce discussion on whether or not to continue waiting or to take action immediately.

Chatterbox is sitting across from Xiao Zhuan and is also working anxiously.

All of a sudden, Chatterbox slaps the table and stands up, “All 8 profiles are complete!” he retrieves a stack of paper from the printer.  Xiao Zhuan rushes over to take them and starts reading them in detail.

T organized this competition anonymously, but he did not reveal the list of participants on the forum.  Therefore, they’ve spent a lot of effort in confirming the participants’ names and identities: tracking their IP addresses, decoding mailbox passwords, and probing other netizens and insiders…… Read more

Chapter 35: The Beginning of Death

It’s beginning to shower.

Mist is hovering above the surface of the river, and the bridge above it seems to be swaying even more in the rain.

Han Chen and Bai Jin Xi cross it.

A dense forest is up ahead.  The sound of rain drowns out all other noises.  Not a single person can be seen in their view.

Jin Xi can feel the forest’s dampness through her clothes.  The mud beneath her feet is also moist, making it hard to walk on.

Han Chen is walking beside her.  The blood stains have been wiped away from his face, but a long and thin cut can be seen.  It’s as if it’s a declaration to them: they have been under T’s control all along.  They must continue playing the game according to his rules, or else he can kill a person at any time.

Read more