Crimson Instinct

*Xin Lei*

Bai Li asked, "Did you see his face?"

Chu Jie nervously shook his head. "No. There was a strange partition in between the front and back seat."

"Then?"

"I asked who he was, and OFluffy told me that he was her friend who will take us to a nice place for our date. But then suddenly, after a while, when I was looking outside, I felt a handkerchief on my mouth."

She smelled him the chloroform.

"I got scared. I moved my arms and legs, but it was pressed hard, and then suddenly, everything started to blur, and I got dizzy. It got black, and then I don't know. I woke up seeing you all."

Liao Huifang was angry. "That man...he must be the same man who took my sister!"

Chu Jie was shocked. "Your sister?"

"Yes…" Her eyes teared up.

I understood her pain. 

I patted her shoulder and shook my head. I typed. "I know how you feel. Trust me. I have a brother too. And he is also nowhere to be found. I am also worried about sick him."

Liao Huifang was surprised. "I see…"

Chu Jie trembled. "W-where is your sister?"

Liao Huifang smiled, but I clearly felt the grief and sorrow from it. "She is no more. These bastards killed her."

Chu Jie trembled in place and looked even more horrified. Tears gushed out. "W-what do these people want? What are they going to do with me? Do they want money?"

I shook my head.

Bai Li said, "No. Ransom isn't what they are looking for. That's what we are trying to find out too. I know it's hard, but stay strong. We will take you out of here."

Chu Jie hugged me even harder. "Sister... Please take me home… I-I liked her, but she…"

I patted his head and nodded.

I typed. "Chu Jie. You shouldn't trust people on the internet so easily. Didn't you hear of so many frauds going around online where they fool and cheat people?"

Chu Jie cried harder. "I...I am sorry. But she was going through the same things as I was... "

Bai Li said, "That was the method to gain your trust. They attacked your weakness and slowly brainwashed you so that you think negatively about your parents and do whatever they want."

He said nothing.

Bai Li asked, "You said you first talked to her on the app?"

He sniffled. "Yes…"

"But how did you come to know about this app? We didn't find FriendsChat on any app store."

Liao Huifang interrupted. "Now that you say that my sister also-"

The door suddenly opened with a bang, and the men barged inside.

"Hey, get up and come out!"

Chu Jie backed away in fear. His eyes looked petrified, and he hid behind me.

Bai Li said, "Has your boss finally decided to greet us?"

"Shut up and come with us!" The leader yelled.

The men surrounded us again with their guns.

Something was wrong.

Chu Jie tugged my shirt, and I saw him hunching his shoulders. He was sweating too.

I blinked my eyes and nodded. I pressed his hand.

Everything will be fine.

As we came out, the same woman had changed into another dress now.

But she seemed too furious as she was glaring at us.

"You did something to our boss!" She roared. "He is caught by the army!"

Huh? Army?

Wait, are they talking about Rodey?

I glanced at Bai Li, but he seemed expressionless.

I narrowed my eyes. Did he plan something?

Chu Jie looked at her, shocked. "You...you…OFluffy..."

"Oh shut up, kid! I don't have time for you!

Chu Jie jolted. He tried hard not to cry. I gritted my teeth and glared at her.

You have already hurt him enough!

The woman took her gun and started walking towards Bai Li, aiming it at him.

Cocoa was alert, and I felt his hostility towards her as he barked.

"Grr…"

The woman sneered. She touched the tip of the gun at Bai Li's forehead.

My heart was drumming with nervousness. I clenched my fingers into a fist and suddenly I felt short of breath.

If she presses the trigger…

"You bastard! You planned behind the back to trap Rodey! That was why the army raided the place. You set him up!"

We said nothing.

Liao Huifang was doubtfully looking at me. I sensed she might have many questions to ask, which I had them too in my mind.

"You kept Rodey busy with catching Xin Nianzu and secretly called the army!"

I couldn't contain my shock.

Dad…

I gazed at Bai Li, dumbfounded.

When I came down all ready, Bai Li was talking to Uncle Rong. So were they discussing their plan?

Bai Li didn't respond to any of her accusations.

The woman glared at us. "That Xin Nianzu is safe, and Rodey is caught! And now you lied. There was no deal in the first place! You just want to come here and save this kid! You know nothing!"

Is Dad safe? They found Dad!

"Well, glad that you know now," Bai Li smiled.

This was really not the time to provoke her, Bai Li! Can you not feel that she can shoot you at any moment!?

"Heh! Well, then this is your end. If you think that Rodey is done with, then you are so wrong. He will be free once again. But you all. You are dead!"

The woman glanced at the leader. "Take the boy away!"

"No!" Chu Jie protested as the leader was dragging him away. 

No!

I tried to hold onto him.

*Click*

"Ah!"

"Stop, or I shoot her!"

When I turned, I saw Bai Li had grabbed the woman's wrist, knocked out the gun, and took the weapon for himself.

He twisted her arms and made her turn her back at him. The lines on the woman's forehead creased in pain. Bai Li pointed the gun at her temple.

"All of you. Drop your weapons right this instant."