No. 73 Fate, Destined to be Colorful
Life, like the ebb and flow of tides, the blooming and fading of flowers, was filled with disappointments.
Even knowing that my efforts might be futile, I refused to give up.
For what would we be left with if we abandoned even hope?
“Where did they buy this food? It’s awful.”
Clutching the knife, I pretended to continue my conversation with Hua She, my heart pounding as I reached the door. I took a deep breath.
“What? Why are you staring at me? Is there something on my face?”
The man guarding the living room was bigger, stronger, faster than me. And he had a gun. My only advantage was the element of surprise.
He was probably lounging on the sofa, smoking, his gun out of reach. If I attacked now, I might have a chance to overpower him.
You can do this, Yi Yao. Believe in yourself.
I steeled myself, my movements silent and swift as I slipped out of the room. He was indeed sitting on the sofa, his face illuminated by the faint glow of his cigarette. He was caught off guard, his eyes widening in surprise. “You…”
Sorry.
My knife flashed in the darkness, plunging into his thigh. Blood spurted from the wound.
“Agh!” He gasped, clutching his leg, and rolled off the sofa.
I was upon him in an instant, my other knife raised. I kicked him hard, aiming for his groin.
“Oof!”
He crumpled to the ground, clutching his crotch, his face contorted in pain. He had clearly underestimated me.
“Don’t move!”
I pinned his gun hand to the floor with my foot, my other foot pressing against his chest. I held the knife to his throat.
“The entire country knows you kidnapped me. Even if I kill you right here, it’ll be self-defense.”
I pressed the blade lightly against his skin.
“You…” He gritted his teeth. “What do you want?”
“Tell me what’s happening downstairs.”
“You think… I…” He struggled to speak. “I would betray my brothers?”
He fell silent as the blade pressed closer to his artery.
I retrieved his gun, tossing it aside, then pulled the bloody knife from his leg.
“I’m not asking you to betray anyone. I just want to go home. My mother doesn’t have much time left. And I have no interest in killing anyone.”
“Hah! You burned down Shadow’s warehouse. And you’re telling me you’re not a killer?”
“Yes, I set the fire,” I said coldly. “When they sent that mob to destroy my friend’s home, they should have expected retaliation.”
He stared at me, stunned. “So that’s why…”
I nodded. “They messed with the wrong people.”
He met my gaze, his expression unreadable. “Move the knife, girl.”
I hesitated, my grip tightening.
He chuckled, his voice strained. “You hold a knife just like someone I know.”
“That man…”
His eyes widened slightly, a flicker of fear crossing his face. “Karma… it’s karma. Listen, all those guys from the train station are downstairs. The boss gave strict orders. You’ll never escape alone.”
“How many?”
“Eight.”
“How many guns?”
“Five.”
“What kind?”
“Homemade pistols. But they’ll kill you just as effectively.”
That’s all I needed to know.
With a surge of adrenaline, I rolled away, releasing him. I scrambled to my feet, assuming the defensive stance Pai Ge had taught me, my knives held at the ready.
The man struggled to stand, clutching his wounded leg.
“Why… why didn’t you ask about our plans? Our goals?”
I glanced at him. “Because they’re irrelevant to me.”
Revolutions, betrayals, power struggles—they were all fleeting clouds in the vast expanse of our ordinary lives.
Emperors worried about the rise and fall of empires. Commoners just wanted a decent meal.
We lived in different worlds. Words were meaningless.
And I refused to be drawn further into this darkness.
When you realize you’re on the wrong path, stopping is the greatest form of progress.
“You’re… his disciple, aren’t you?”
He tossed me a deck of playing cards, a wry smile twisting his lips. “Remember, in this world, hesitation is a weakness. If not for the debt I owe that man, I would have shot you already.”
He pulled another pistol from his pocket.
“…”
I watched him warily, my knives still raised.
He looked ordinary, just another family man, except for the menacing glint in his eyes.
I wasn’t a trained soldier. Even with my memories from the future, my past life had never intersected with this world.
I wasn’t some action hero, cool and collected in the face of danger. I was scared.
But he seemed hesitant to harm me.
“Take my advice, girl. Even if you escape, Shadow will catch you. You’re better off staying here.”
I tore open the deck of cards and shuffled them expertly, distributing them among the hidden pockets in my clothing.
“What’s your name?” I asked, ignoring his advice.
“My name doesn’t matter. Call me Ghost. I left it behind when I came here.”
“Then listen to me, Ghost. Whether you believe it or not…”
I turned away, my voice steady. “Ten years from now, Upper Capital City won’t be the wasteland you imagine. Humans are adaptable. We learn, we evolve.”
I pushed open the unlocked door, stepping into the darkness of the stairwell.
I didn’t exhale until I was several floors down.
A debt to that man? He had recognized Pai Ge’s fighting style. And he had mentioned a debt…
Could he be referring to Pai Ge’s elusive uncle?
I had been saved by a complete stranger.
I pushed those thoughts aside. Escaping was my priority.
I descended the stairs cautiously, my knives still in hand.
The first floor would be heavily guarded. I couldn’t risk using the stairs.
The building was like those unfinished apartment complexes favored by wealthy investors, the floors littered with debris and dust. Most of the apartments were empty, their doors missing, their interiors ransacked.
A foul odor lingered in the air, a reminder of the decay hidden beneath the city’s facade of progress.
Was this the true face of prosperity?
I slowed down as I reached the third floor, my footsteps silent as I crept towards the second floor landing.
It was eerily quiet.
People living in darkness usually sought comfort in noise. And with so many men supposedly guarding the building, it shouldn’t be this silent.
“Don’t move!”
A cold, metallic object pressed against the back of my head.
“What do you want?”
I forced my voice to remain calm, raising my hands in surrender.
“Ghost sent me with a message…”
Were these guys ninjas? Where did they even come from?
“Ghost?”
He hesitated, then lowered his gun. “Come inside.”
He opened a nearby door.
“What’s going on?”
Several shadowy figures huddled in a dimly lit room, their faces illuminated by the glow of their phones. They had been playing mobile games, their silence a testament to their discipline.
“Boss, she said Ghost sent her with a message.”
The room was bare, devoid of furniture, the windows stripped of their bars, offering an unobstructed view of the city. Four or five men sat on the floor, smoking cigarettes.
“Ghost? Why didn’t he just call or text? What’s he playing at?”
The leader, a young man with a cigarette dangling from his lips, scowled at his subordinate. “Spit it out. What’s the message?”
“He said…”
I surveyed the room, calculating my next move. I took a step back, my hand darting to my pocket, retrieving Pai Ge’s playing card. I flicked it towards the nearest man, my movements a blur.
“Aah!”
A thin line of blood appeared on his hand, a crimson flower blooming in the darkness.
“You!”
He reached for his gun, but I was faster. I flung the card with deadly accuracy, the sharpened edge slicing through his clothing and embedding itself in his abdomen.
“Lao Liu!”
Chaos erupted. I seized the opportunity, pulling out six more cards, my movements illuminated by the moonlight as I jumped onto the window ledge, assuming a fighting stance.
“Get down!”
They instinctively ducked, fearing the lethal power of my weaponized cards.
Perfect.
Ignoring the scattered cards, I turned and assessed the drop. With a leap of faith, I grabbed the moss-covered drainpipe and slid to the ground.
“Who’s there?”
To my surprise, two more men were stationed at the bottom of the building, their presence a testament to their thoroughness.
They shone their flashlights at me.
I flung the bloody knife from Ghost’s leg, along with two playing cards, watching as the blades found their marks. Then, I ran, my footsteps echoing in the darkness, my heart pounding in my chest.
“Hey! Are you alright? Hey!”
“Target heading towards Xining Road. Requesting backup!”
Unfamiliar with the area, I ran towards the darkest part of the city, hoping to lose them in the shadows.
“Target lost. Repeating, target lost. Awaiting instructions!”
…
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