Chapter 127: Escaping Death

The esper extended his palm, and points of light slowly coalesced within it. A whirlwind began to spiral in his hand, which he then thrust toward Du Bin. Du Bin was instantly enveloped by a miniature tornado, within which countless hidden wind blades shredded every inch of his skin.

"Although I’m reluctant, perhaps ending it this way isn't so bad." Gazing at the scene of his own bloody demise, Du Bin managed a strained smile. He was in such agony that even moving a finger felt impossible, let alone evading the esper's assault. His eyelids grew heavy and began to close. Just then, a flash of fire shot toward him. Flames suddenly materialized before Du Bin, and a figure gradually emerged from the glow. She unleashed her ability, and the whirlwind’s relentless attacks collided with the flames, creating a thunderous explosion. With a loud boom, the girl struggled under the full impact, coughing up blood, yet she held firm against the powerful force. Blurred by excessive blood loss, Du Bin could not clearly see his savior, only discerning a small figure wielding fire. Was it Ye Tang? He couldn't be sure; he no longer had the strength to distinguish anything.

As the smoke cleared, Zeng Yilong stared at the dissipating haze with a grave expression. Seeing a girl in red had intervened, he asked in a low voice, "Who are you?"

The newcomer was Tong Xiaoguo. She crouched beside Du Bin, looking at his battered body in disbelief. "Wow, what kind of grudge is this? You’re barely alive and completely broken."

"Little girl, don't meddle in other people's business." The esper gathered another whirlwind and attacked with a flurry of strikes.

Purple flames erupted from Tong Xiaoguo. She spun and flew toward the whirlwind at high speed. When the flames touched the wind, a loud roar echoed, creating a turbulent vortex that spread outward. Seizing the moment, she used her speed to dodge the wind blades time and again.

Tong Xiaoguo waved her hand, launching dozens of fireballs. Before they could reach him, the esper unleashed several more wind blades. The two forces collided, creating a thick shroud of smoke. Under the cover of the haze, Tong Xiaoguo helped the dazed Du Bin away. Every step he took jarred his wounds, making it impossible to walk, but he forced himself to endure the pain to escape.

"What’s wrong? Are you still mad at me?" Tong Xiaoguo asked, noticing his focus on fleeing rather than thanking her.

Although she was grateful, the fact remained that Qin Ling’s baby was gone, and nothing could change that. "How could I not be angry? Lingling’s baby..."

"I didn't know she was pregnant at the time," Tong Xiaoguo pouted unhappily. Seeing her pitiful expression, Du Bin said nothing more.

"After them!" As the smoke cleared and they vanished, Zeng Yilong shouted. He had expected everything to go smoothly, only for a girl to suddenly appear and ruin his plans.

As Tong Xiaoguo carried Du Bin, she glanced back periodically. To her surprise, besides the esper, several armed police were in pursuit. They showed no signs of supernatural power, yet their speed was far beyond that of an ordinary person.

"Still trying to run?" The esper finally caught up to the two figures in the distance. He quickened his pace, determined not to let them escape.

They had reached the edge of a river, and there was no bridge to the other side. Just as they thought they had reached a dead end, Tong Xiaoguo realized the crisis. "No choice. We have to jump into the river."

Seeing Du Bin’s hesitation, Tong Xiaoguo understood that his injuries prevented him from swimming. "Just hold your breath."

"Even heaven doesn't favor you. With so many paths, you chose the one to your own death. Nowhere left to run now, are there? Surrender obediently." The esper caught up, closing in step by step. The others arrived one after another, forming a fan-shaped encirclement.

"Surrender? Don't make me laugh. If I’m going to die anyway, I might as well drown." Du Bin smiled bitterly. He had hoped for rescue, but now he had implicated a girl he had only met once. If it weren't for her guilt over Qin Ling, she might not have come to save him.

The esper leaped into the air, one hand raised to the sky. A powerful whirlwind expanded from his center, instantly forming a tornado. Seeing the gale fly toward them, Tong Xiaoguo plunged into the water with Du Bin. The powerful airflow rushed toward the spot where they had dived. Though they were already ten meters deep, they felt a terrifying suction pulling them upward. Tong Xiaoguo channeled her energy into her limbs, increasing her weight to resist.

Accompanied by thunder, the whirlwind exploded in the water, causing the river to churn violently. After thirty minutes, when everything finally calmed, they concluded that Du Bin must have perished in the depths.

On the other side of the cliff, Zeng Yilong clenched his fists in celebration upon hearing the news of Du Bin's death. As the rain gradually ceased, he saw that it was over: the mission was finally complete. "Because of you, a rift grew between Lingling and me. As long as you don't exist..."

Lightning continued to flash, illuminating the sky. At the hospital, Qin Ling was haggard, her spirit shattered by the miscarriage. She had fallen into a fitful sleep after the doctor administered a sedative, but the flashes of lightning jolted her awake. Staring at the unfamiliar private room, she stood up slowly and gazed blankly at the wall, tears falling involuntarily as she remembered the child.

The next day, news of the incident was everywhere. Two criminals who stole the R-vaccine were successfully cornered in Union Village under the command of the police and a special task force. The prime suspect, Du Bin, was shot dead for refusing to surrender, and the others were taken into custody. The incident left over thirty officers injured. While the blame originally fell on Li Ning, the influence behind Li Ping shifted all responsibility onto the deceased Du Bin.

Li Ning, having been taken back to the military base by Li Ping, locked herself in her room and refused to see anyone. Li Ping watched her from the window as she curled up in the corner of her bed, saying nothing.

"Little sister, can't you stop being so stubborn? Is he worth it?" Li Ping left the meal by the bed and sighed as he walked away.

As for Hu Guozheng, he was meant to be handed over to Dr. She as a test subject, but for some reason, he suddenly became a fool, biting anyone he encountered. After a medical evaluation confirmed he had developed a mental illness, the police had no choice but to send him to a psychiatric hospital, where they stationed several officers to guard him 24/7.

The man held a radio like a microphone, playing the theme song of Crayon Shin-chan, dancing on a table with passionate fervor while singing along, "Lulala, lulala, lu-la-lu-la-lu... lu-la-lu-lei-lu-la-lu... protect humanity, save the Earth, guard this universe... kick to the east, kick to the west... oh yeah."

Outside the door, two officers shook their heads. "Listening to him sing these brain-dead songs every day makes me wonder if I’m going to develop schizophrenia. I can't take it; I need to go get checked out."

Meanwhile, Zhao Weiqing and Huang Ye had been secretly plotting against Zhong Zhiying. To her, these minor disturbances were insignificant. Zhong Zhiying ordered her female ninja to capture them and bring them to the top floor of the Huafa Mall. The inner circle of the building was made of transparent glass, and the two were tied in the center with explosives placed beneath their feet, set to collapse if detonated. Zhong Zhiying sat in a swivel chair, a small table in front of her with a chessboard, playing a game against herself.

They had thought she was just a crafty little girl, never expecting her to be so ruthless. "You bitch, you’ll die a horrible death!"

The female ninja slapped her across the face. With a crisp sound, Zhao Weiqing felt as if she had been struck by an iron hand, her head spinning. Faced with such a scene, Huang Ye collapsed in terror; he didn't want to die—he hadn't lived enough.

"Who on earth are you?"

Zhong Zhiying ignored her, enjoying her game of chess. Just as she reached a stalemate, Zeng Jia finally arrived, looking at the scene before him with a bewildered expression.

"Big brother, you’re finally here. Yingying has been waiting for you for a long time."