Part 5
The two hours that had passed so slowly suddenly felt like a floodgate opening. He couldn’t hold them back.
A chaotic roar of human voices surged into his eardrums.
A pain he had forgotten for a long time came rushing back.
A searing, tearing painâas if a piece of skin were being ripped from the back of his neckâmade his face turn instantly pale. Cold sweat broke out, wetting his hair so it clung to his face.
The world spun. He slowly lifted his head and opened his misty eyes, only to find that the entire world had frozen.
Su Zhuoâs hand was still on his shoulder, his eyes full of worry. Even Si Jinyan remained fixed in place, looking at him with concern.
The pain seeped into his bones. As the countdown hit zero, Lu Xunye clearly heard an unfamiliar male voice.
[Extraction failed. Resetting.]
Immediately, the vibrant, colorful world before him lost its color, like a television being turned off. At the same time, he lost consciousness.
“No!”
A familiar, clear voice poured into his ears. Lu Xunyeâs breath hitched as he looked toward the sound.
His eyes met Shen Yunqianâs terrified, heterochromatic gaze.
Bang! Bang!
Two short gunshots followed in quick succession.
Lu Xunye felt a dull pain in his chest. The sound of someone wailing in pain nearby brought him back to reality.
His memory was stuck on the scene in the alley where he was cornered by the three men.
Fck!* he cursed in his mind. They actually succeeded.
Lu Xunye felt enraged, his vision spinning uncontrollably.
Before he could react, a fresh scent hit his nose. The next second, he was pulled into Shen Yunqianâs embrace, and the two of them fell to the ground together.
Lu Xunyeâs eyelashes trembled. His blurred vision traced the otherâs profile, which looked even thinner than before.
Warm droplets fell onto his face. The itching sensation as they slid down was like a feather tickling his heart.
“Take them away… take them away!” Shen Yunqian could no longer suppress his voice. The subordinates who had arrived a step late all heard his roar.
“President Shen, Shen Qizhao isâ” A man started to say that Shen Qizhao was dead, but was pulled back by his companion.
The companion stopped him with a look, put down his phone, and said to Shen Yunqian.
“The ambulance and your private doctor have been notified. In the meantime, try to keep Mr. Lu in one position to prevent secondary injuries.”
Shen Yunqianâs tight grip immediately loosened.
It seemed he had listened. The two men didn’t say another word, walking over to roughly drag up the person who was lying on the ground clutching a bloody leg and wailing.
Lu Xunye completely forgot that someone had shot at him.
Once his dizziness passed, he still hadn’t figured out the situation. He grabbed Shen Yunqianâs arm, about to explain.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the person who was being restrained ten meters away suddenly break free. He used a knife to stab one of the two men in the stomach.
The man snatched a gun, his hands shaking. Lu Xunye followed the barrel of the gun and saw that the man was aiming at the back of Shen Yunqianâs head right next to him.
!!!
Lu Xunyeâs heart jumped into his throat. He pushed Shen Yunqian away with force. His hand grabbed somethingâhe wasn’t sure whatâand his brain commanded him to seize it.
The sound of two gunshots overlapped.
At the same instant the opposite bullet tore through the sandbag behind Lu Xunye…
The gun in the other manâs hand flew out and landed far away, his hand gushing blood.
Everything happened in a heartbeat. Before anyone could react, a wave of overwhelming fear squeezed Lu Xunyeâs heart.
The recoil from the shot made his palm go numb. Once the danger was gone, he lost his strength and fell backward.
Lu Xunye lay flat on his back, letting out a breath and letting his body go limp on the ground.
He swallowed hard, staring at the grey concrete ceiling, stunned.
It was gone… The countdown was gone?!
He lifted his hands, turning them over and over, staring at them.
His heart, which had finally calmed down, started pounding again. His head was ringing. He didn’t even notice someone leaving.
He turned his head to see Shen Yunqian crouching beside him, looking at him in a daze. His eyes were still red from crying.
“Shen… Yunqian?” he called out tentatively.
He had been too frantic, and only now did he realize his voice had gone hoarse.
His throat was terribly dry. He coughed a few times, struggling to sit up.
Just as he got halfway up, he was steadily supported. He could feel the slight trembling in the other man’s arms.
Shen Yunqian: “You…”
Lu Xunye spoke first: “I don’t have a bullet wound.”
Shen Yunqian was stunned. “Whaâ”
Before he could finish, his expression froze as he saw what Lu Xunye pulled from his collar.
Lu Xunye pulled out the protective amulet that had been digging into him.
The front of the bullet was embedded in the wooden plaque. The metal backing had almost been pierced through.
With lingering fear, he rubbed his chest where the pain had gone numb. He pulled at his collar to make sure there was no hole in his chest, only a small patch of bruising.
As the adrenaline faded, Lu Xunye realized he was drenched in cold sweat.
Even so, he managed to find some dark humor in the situation: At least it wasn’t a final burst of energy before death.
Only…
He silently gripped the ruined amulet in his palm, used his teeth to pull the bullet out, and tucked the plaque back into his clothes.
Noticing the shadow on the ground, he turned his head slowly. First, his ears turned red with embarrassment, then he had the strange feeling that the other person really needed a hug.
He lowered his gaze, silently looking toward where the countdown had been. His heart beat like a drum.
Nothing.
If possible…
He looked back at Shen Yunqian. His pale ears started to burn again. He hesitated, then lifted his hand.
Shen Yunqian didn’t give him a chance to speak, nor time to refuse. He hugged him tightly.
Lu Xunyeâs half-raised arm naturally wrapped around the thin back of the person in his embrace.
the lingering question in his heart settled into the depths, melted by their shared body heat.
As if no rift had ever existed, his words turned into a murmur of concern.
“Not eating properly again.”
Shen Yunqianâs arms stiffened for a moment before he gave a muffled response.
Lu Xunye lowered his eyes to study the otherâs pale, delicate neck.
He felt the slight trembling of the otherâs body and let out a sigh, gently patting the manâs back to soothe him. “Itâs alright now. See? I’m perfectly fine.”
Shen Yunqian said nothing, gripping Lu Xunyeâs clothes tightly.
They hugged for a while before Lu Xunye remembered to ask. He pushed the man back. “Aren’t you in the hospital? Why are you here?”
“Also, why were you in the trunk?”
Then he thought about itâwhat logic did that crazy woman ever follow?
Perhaps Shen Yunqian had offended her at some point, so sheâd had him kidnapped as well.
The fact that he had stolen that car was a stroke of luck.
Now, the most important thing was something else. He didn’t know where they were, nor if gun control in this world was strict.
If it was, those gunshots weren’t quiet; the police might surround them soon.
Lu Xunyeâs first instinct was to pick up the gun. He bent down, but Shen Yunqian reached it first.
He missed it but said nothing. He rubbed the back of his neck, which felt strangely sore. He figured heâd bumped it and didn’t pay it much mind.
Then, he pulled Shen Yunqian to leave. “Come with me first.”
Shen Yunqian didn’t move. Lu Xunye was full of questions as he looked back. “What is it?”
“We can’t leave.” Shen Yunqian stared at the corner of the stairs in the abandoned building, the coldness in his eyes seemingly turning into something solid.
Just as he spoke, Lu Xunye saw a figure slowly walking out of the shadows in the corner of the stairs.
That crazy woman.
When he saw who it was, Shen Yunqianâs calm shattered, his pupils shrinking. “It’s you.”
Aunt Fuâs contemptuous gaze flickered between the two of them. After a long while, she let out a chilling laugh. “Don’t leave yet. Everyone isn’t here yet.”
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