Chapter 126: Escape 2

Not long after leaving Union Village and nearing the highway, the blocked road seemed to have been coated with a layer of lubricant, made even slicker by the pouring rain. As the car reached a certain point, snipers hidden in the hills fired at their tires. The vehicle lost stability and began to swerve. Seeing a large semi-truck blocking the path ahead, Hu Guozheng slammed on the brakes while cranking the steering wheel, but a searing, heart-wrenching pain shot through his lumbar spine. The car skidded, vaulted over the guardrail, and tumbled down the embankment.

Du Bin immediately shielded Li Ning beside him. The Honda rolled several times down the slope before coming to a halt in the grass, emitting wisps of smoke that were quickly extinguished by the rain. A bodyguard signaled with a flashlight toward Zeng Yilong, who stood in a sports car nearby. Holding an umbrella, Zeng Yilong gestured to the bodyguards: "Do it."

The two bodyguards nodded, their physical strength surging as their expressions shifted; they sprinted forward with a ferocity they hadn't shown before. Du Bin crawled out of the wreckage in a daze, while Li Ning shook her throbbing head, muttering, "Who the hell is so sinister, putting lubricant on the road?"

"Fatty, are you okay?" Du Bin saw Hu Guozheng still inside the vehicle, coughing up blood, and his heart sank.

"Of course I'm not okay! I might be crippled now. Ouch, go easy, my back!"

Du Bin struggled to open the door and slowly dragged him out. After rolling up Hu's shirt and pressing along his spine to ensure nothing was displaced, he let out a sigh of relief.

"Go to hell."

Using the trees as leverage, the bodyguards leaped into the air. Just then, a roll of thunder echoed, and as they descended through the rain, they unleashed two wind blades. The air currents sliced through the dense downpour, hurtling toward Du Bin.

"Damn it, they're ability users."

With a thunderous boom, the car was shredded by four deep gashes and exploded. Shrapnel from the vehicle was blasted in every direction, but the three of them flattened themselves against the grass, narrowly avoiding the blast.

"Don't worry about me, go!" Hu Guozheng shoved him hard. He knew he was a burden and refused to let Du Bin get trapped because of him. Besides, since the bodyguards were using abilities, he could retaliate with his own without reservation. Either way, it was better for one to escape than none.

Du Bin immediately refused, insisting he would not leave him behind.

"It's obvious he wants to kill you—perhaps because you caused his wife to miscarry. Even if I get arrested, the police won't be able to do anything to me."

"Is that so?" Zeng Yilong had already reached them. Li Ning drew a dagger and charged at him. "Du Bin, he's right. Run as far as you can. Remember our promise."

Du Bin clenched his fists so tightly his fingernails dug into his skin, droplets of blood mixing with the rain. Tears fell—the first time he had wept for a brother, having only shed tears for two women before. Without looking back, he bolted into the forest.

"Mr. Zeng, I'll handle things here. Take your bodyguards and pursue him; he must not escape." Li Ping descended from the air to stand before Zeng Yilong. After parrying his sister's attack, he spoke to Zeng, who nodded and led the bodyguards along the path Du Bin had taken.

Hu Guozheng was entangled by the two bodyguards and lacked the strength to obstruct Zeng Yilong. Li Ning possessed god-like marksmanship but was helpless in close-quarters combat, a fact Li Ping knew well. He dodged her every strike with ease. "Little sister, your shooting is impressive, but your hand-to-hand combat is full of holes. I don't know how you were trained."

"Don't think just because you're my brother you can look down on me!" Li Ning grew furious, attacking wildly.

Taking advantage of her openings, Li Ping grabbed her arm and pinned her to the ground, pulling out handcuffs to lock her wrists. Li Ning struggled against the grass, cursing her brother continuously. Unable to bear it any longer, Li Ping slapped her across the face. "Stop it! Don't forget you're a police officer."

The slap left her stunned. A stinging heat spread across her cheek. Never in her life had her parents laid a hand on her. Tears streamed down her face, and seeing her weeping, Li Ping felt a heavy knot in his heart. He understood that she had been spoiled since childhood. If not for their parents' sudden disappearance, she never would have followed him into the military. He had found their parents; they were sponsors and researchers for the R-Vaccine. He didn't know how to tell her. As for Du Bin, he was conflicted. He knew Ningning loved him and he didn't oppose it, but due to their parents and the safety of Yanyan, he had to compromise. He could only let Du Bin down.

Seeing Li Ning subdued, Hu Guozheng faced the incoming armed police alone. As the saying goes, two fists cannot fight four hands; he was soon defeated and arrested. Li Ping gave orders and led several officers into the forest.

Passing through the woods, an endless field stretched out before them. A lone figure ran aimlessly through the rain-drenched farmland, unable to see the path ahead. Without warning, he tripped over a rock and face-planted into the mud. Du Bin lay in the field, covered in muck, gasping for air in a wretched state.

He couldn't go on. He was truly exhausted... Was he going to die here?

"Heh... Hahaha..." He suddenly burst into laughter, a sound filled with helplessness and sorrow. He reached a hand into the empty air, as if trying to grasp someone. "Xiaotang."

No, he hadn't found Ye Tang yet. He couldn't die like a coward. The obsession in his heart took hold of everything.

Zeng Yilong and the two ability users stepped into the field and saw Du Bin lying there. The ability users stared at him, and an invisible force slowly lifted Du Bin into the air. Wind blades sliced toward him, each one leaving new wounds over the old. Du Bin let out a cry of agony as blood mixed with the rain, dripping onto the field below.

He dropped from the air, and soon, a large patch of the field was stained red. Due to massive blood loss, his vision blurred, and his mind went blank. "Zeng Yilong, are you killing me because of Lingling? I’m sorry about the child. Although I wasn't the direct cause of her miscarriage, it happened because of me."

"You're overthinking it. I don't deny the miscarriage, but in truth, I've wanted to kill you for a long time."

"What do you mean?" Du Bin asked weakly.

"Since you're dying, I'll tell you a secret. The one who wants you dead isn't me, but the person pulling the strings behind all of this. I'm just following orders. Do you remember why you were forced to participate in the Death Games? It was so you would be killed in the ring. I was quite surprised you survived." Zeng Yilong stood over Du Bin, looking down with utter contempt; to him, Du Bin was already a corpse.

"Heh, my life is cheap. To think someone would meticulously plan my death. But I don't recall ever having contact with any factions, let alone offending one."

Zeng Yilong leaned down and whispered in a voice only they could hear: "He is not from this world."

Du Bin was jolted with shock, looking at him with disbelief: *Not from this world?*

Seeing his reaction, Zeng Yilong said nothing more. He stood up and stepped back. "That is all. If you have any other questions, save them for the King of Hell on the road to the afterlife!"