Chapter 30: I Want to Save Him

Cheng Xiangru pulled his body back, leaning against the wall with his chest heaving violently, his mind in a state of utter chaos.

Leng Ying had not expected Cheng Xiangru to react so strongly just from a single glance downward. Concerned, she looked at him, then leaned out to sneak a peek below.

Of the four people down there, two had already climbed the gentle slope toward the tunnel, while the other two stood with their backs turned, squatting under the strange dragon statue and smoking, their faces obscured from her view.

It was not the right time for Leng Ying to ask questions, but she had already guessed a possible truth. She slowly reached out, placed her hand on Cheng Xiangru’s shoulder, and patted it gently. It was the only way she could offer him comfort with such a soft gesture.

Feeling Leng Ying’s kindness, Cheng Xiangru’s emotions calmed slightly, though he remained deeply distressed. How could he have imagined that Gao Zhuang, that quiet and seemingly honest, sturdy man, would turn out to be a villain? Now that Gao Zhuang was with this group, there was no doubt that Boss Zhou and the others were in grave danger.

Based on what Gao Zhuang had just said, it was clear he held a certain status among these people, and the man named Chen he mentioned was most likely Chen Shangke. But he hadn't seen Chen Shangke before entering this place! What on earth was going on?

Cheng Xiangru felt as if his head were about to explode. He could not make sense of it; he couldn't imagine what had happened to Boss Zhou and the others during his absence, and he dared not think about whether Boss Zhou was still alive. He spent a long time lost in dark, frantic thoughts. Leng Ying’s hand remained on his shoulder, yet it could no longer provide him much solace.

Perhaps the thing he feared most had already come to pass. If Boss Zhou had been harmed, then he and his sister were once again helpless, drifting leaves in this world. What would become of them? Could Momo still live under the sun as he had hoped?

Cheng Xiangru felt a pressure building in his chest, a desperate urge to scream to vent his anguish, but he could not make a sound, which only drove him closer to madness.

After an unknown amount of time, there was movement below. Cheng Xiangru slowly rose and peered down from behind the wall once more. The two men who had left earlier had returned, pushing a man with his hands cuffed toward the tomb gate. The man in cuffs was indeed Chen Shangke.

Chen Shangke looked wretched; his face was marked with distinct bloody lacerations, his hair and clothes were disheveled and torn, as if he had just been dug out of the earth.

"You bastard surnamed Gao, I—"

Before Chen Shangke could finish his curse, a big-headed man beside him kicked him, sending him sprawling face-first into the dirt. Because his hands were cuffed, he couldn't break his fall; he slammed into the ground, likely chipping a tooth, and his mouth filled with blood.

Gao Zhuang stood up, flicked his cigarette butt away, crushed it with his heel, and walked over. Squatting in front of Chen Shangke, he grabbed him by the hair and yanked his head upward.

"I always thought you were a coward, but it turns out you’ve got some backbone. I had you hanging from that tree for so long, and you still have the energy to curse. How about this? Beg me. If you beg me, I’ll spare your life." Gao Zhuang grinned hideously, like an evil deity, wantonly and arrogantly deciding the fate of others.

Chen Shangke’s face and mouth were covered in blood. He took a deep breath, wanting to spit the broken tooth and foul blood into Gao Zhuang’s face, but because his hair was being yanked, he could only spit weakly at Gao Zhuang’s feet.

"Interesting!" Gao Zhuang laughed, let go, and stood up, clapping his hands. He said to the others, "Unlock him and let him lead the way inside."

The big-headed man pulled out a key, removed the handcuffs, and roughly hauled Chen Shangke to his feet. Another man quickly followed, pulled out a handgun, pressed the cold, dark muzzle against the back of Chen Shangke’s head, and shoved him in the back. "Move!"

Chen Shangke glared viciously at Gao Zhuang, but, unable to resist, he stumbled forward, stepping over the rubble and entering the tomb gate. Gao Zhuang gestured to the others, and they quickly followed inside. Soon, the space outside the tomb gate returned to pitch-black darkness.

"Did you notice if there was anyone else left outside when you came down?" Leng Ying asked in a low voice.

Cheng Xiangru slowly raised his head. "What are you going to do?"

"I don't know what's inside, and those people are armed with guns. I can't beat them. So, we need to leave while we can."

"But I want to save Brother Chen."

"Brother Chen? You mean that pervert who called you and laughed like a freak?"

"Yes."

"You aren't related to him; why save him?"

"Only by saving him can I find Uncle Zhou. He must know where Uncle Zhou is."

The surroundings went silent. Leng Ying didn't speak again, lost in thought. Cheng Xiangru knew well that with his own limited abilities, he could never save Chen Shangke. If Leng Ying didn't help him, Chen Shangke would surely die. Yet, he didn't want to drag Leng Ying into danger just to save him.

Cheng Xiangru was caught in a dilemma, his heart in turmoil, completely unsure of what to do. After a long while, he heard the sound of a zipper opening in the darkness, followed by the faint rustling of someone searching through a bag. Just as he was wondering what was happening, something was pressed into his hand.

Leng Ying whispered, "When we go in, we can't use flashlights. Use this instead. Hurry, put it on your head."

Cheng Xiangru felt the object; it felt like a monocular, but it had a strap attached. He had no idea what it was or how to wear it.

"Forget it, I'll help you." Leng Ying took the object from him and strapped it onto his head. "This is a head-mounted infrared night-vision device. It uses infrared reflection to create an image. Although the night-vision effect isn't as ideal as a flashlight, it’s better for concealment. We'll go in and see if we can find an opportunity. If there is one, I'll help you save that freak, but if there's no chance, there's nothing I can do."

"Why are you helping me like this?"

"Repaying a debt."

"What do you mean?"

"We'll talk after we get out. Let's go, down we go."

Leng Ying zipped up her backpack, grabbed the rope, and swung down gracefully. Cheng Xiangru pulled down the monocular night-vision device and closed one eye, looking at his surroundings. He could indeed discern the environment, though everything appeared in blurry, greyish outlines. The effect was inferior to a flashlight, but it was better than being blind in the dark.

He reached the wall, gripped the rope, and carefully swung down. Leng Ying stood by the tomb gate, holding a short-shafted red-tasseled spear. She beckoned to him, then stepped over the debris and disappeared into the dark, eerie tomb gate. Cheng Xiangru hurried to catch up and entered as well.

Behind the gate lay a spacious tunnel that seemed to stretch on forever, its destination unknown. They moved forward cautiously. They hadn't gone far before a series of startled cries erupted from the end of the tunnel, followed by the thunderous sound of gunfire that made their ears ring.

Oh no! Chen Shangke and the others had run into danger!

Cheng Xiangru’s expression changed in alarm. He was about to quicken his pace when Leng Ying grabbed his arm. She seemed nervous as well, whispering, "Don't move yet. It seems like something is coming."

As she spoke, Cheng Xiangru saw a massive black shadow rushing toward them through the tunnel!