Seeing the two abandon him completely while Chen Ling appeared at the same time, despair flooded Zuo Tong's eyes.
But when he noticed Chen Ling ignoring him and chasing after Jing Ge and the other man instead, a flicker of hope reignited in his heart... As long as Chen Ling didn’t kill him, there was still a chance to survive!
Zhao Yi’s gaze lingered on Chen Ling’s retreating figure for a moment before returning to the man beneath him. Zuo Tong was still gritting his teeth, resisting with all his might, his face twisted with desperation.
"Spare me... I beg you, spare me!" Zuo Tong’s face was deathly pale. "I didn’t mean to kill your father... I, I just... I know I was wrong... Let me go, and I’ll give you my spot to enter Aurora City! I swear!"
The quota to enter Aurora City was Zuo Tong’s most prized possession—his only bargaining chip. Getting into Aurora City was important, but if he died here, what use was the quota?
Entry into Aurora City meant survival, a bright future... He refused to believe a mere civilian like Zhao Yi could resist such temptation.
Zhao Yi narrowed his eyes. "You want to live?"
"Yes!!"
"Fine." Zhao Yi’s voice was icy. "If you can take thirteen stabs from me, I’ll let you go."
"That’s the second stab."
Agony arched Zuo Tong’s body like a shrimp. His grip on Zhao Yi’s hands slackened as he let out a bloodcurdling scream.
Zhao Yi yanked the knife free, crimson droplets splattering onto Zuo Tong’s body. Before he could react, the blade stabbed beneath his ribs again!
"Third stab!"
Warm blood splashed across Zhao Yi’s face. His eyes were bloodshot—no longer the eyes of a street thug from Frost Street, but those of an avenger from hell.
After several more stabs, Zuo Tong had completely lost the strength to resist. Zhao Yi had deliberately avoided vital spots—even after so many wounds, Zuo Tong wasn’t dead yet, just ghastly pale.
Eighth stab. Ninth stab. Tenth stab. Eleventh stab...
Roaring, Zhao Yi plunged the same knife that had stolen his father’s life into his enemy’s flesh, over and over. Zuo Tong wailed in torment, but Zhao Yi didn’t pause. By the time the blade was pulled out for the twelfth time, Zuo Tong’s breathing was barely a whisper.
"One... left..." Zuo Tong’s remaining eye pleaded at Zhao Yi. "Spare... me..."
"Spare you?" Zhao Yi panted heavily, raising the knife high. His words were slow, deliberate.
"Tell me, bastard... did you spare my father?"
The bloodied knife descended without mercy.
The blade plunged straight into Zuo Tong’s neck. A gush of blood surged out as his windpipe was severed. Zuo Tong’s eyes widened abruptly before his breath ceased entirely.
After delivering the final stab, Zhao Yi seemed to lose all strength, collapsing onto the snow beside him. Blood seeped from his wounds, slowly staining the white snow beneath him crimson...
This was Zhao Yi’s first time killing someone. Aside from the nausea, what overwhelmed him was the exhilaration of vengeance fulfilled.
Just then, as if remembering something, he gritted his teeth and forced himself up from the ground, spitting fiercely onto Zuo Tong’s corpse.
"Go to hell!"
As Zhao Yi turned around, he saw a figure in red already standing calmly beside him.
"Chen Ling... I did it!" Zhao Yi said weakly. "I avenged my father... all thirteen stabs—I paid him back in full!"
Chen Ling didn’t respond. He glanced up at the sky, where no stars shone through the hazy night...
"...Mm." After a long pause, Chen Ling finally withdrew his gaze. "You did well."
Zhao Yi felt he should smile at this moment, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t. He stared at the corpse riddled with thirteen stab wounds, lips pressed tightly together, sinking into silence.
All the law enforcers on that train had been hunted down one by one by Chen Ling. Now, walking back along the tracks toward the train, a figure staggered toward him, clutching a steel sword.
"Chen Ling..."
To Chen Ling’s surprise, Xi Renjie had actually freed himself from the sword that had pinned him to the train.
"I told you—you spared me once, so I’ll spare you once." Chen Ling watched the pale-faced figure and spoke calmly. "Everyone else is dead. Coming after me now is pointless."
Xi Renjie’s eyes swept over the scattered corpses nearby, a trace of bitterness surfacing in his gaze. The moment Chen Ling had nailed him to the train, he had already anticipated this outcome.
"Chen Ling... I have one last question for you." Xi Renjie’s voice was hoarse.
"Speak."
"In your eyes... was everything I did a mistake?"
Xi Renjie stared at him, his eyes filled with endless struggle and confusion. Reflected in his pupils were the despairing flames of District Three, the corpses of law enforcers strewn across the ground, and the black railway tracks stretching all the way to Aurora City.
Chen Ling was silent for a long time before finally answering, "It’s not about right or wrong. We simply stand on different sides."
Hearing this, Xi Renjie instinctively countered, "Then what side are you on? Aurora City? Or the people of District Three?"
"Aurora City, the people—none of it matters to me. Who’s right, who’s wrong, how many will die, who deserves to die... It’s all meaningless." Chen Ling paused. "Like a play I have no part in. No matter how fiercely you fight among yourselves, the ending of my script remains the same..."
"To overturn this era and restart the world."
Xi Renjie froze for a moment before letting out a helpless chuckle.
"I almost forgot... you’re from the Twilight Society."
Having gotten the answer he sought, Xi Renjie seemed to relax slightly. He took a deep breath and, without another word, turned and walked alone into the thick fog, the bloodstained steel sword in hand.
This time, there was no train, no accompanying law enforcers... He would have to rely on his own two feet to reach Aurora City.
Just then, Chen Ling’s voice suddenly rang out, "Pass a message to Aurora City for me."
Xi Renjie stopped and turned back in confusion.
Clad in red, Chen Ling stood amidst the mist, the corners of his lips curling faintly.
"They want to keep me out, but I won’t give them the satisfaction... Tell Aurora City that Chen Ling will pay them a personal visit."