With a “boom,” Lao Dao’s car was shoved into the reedy pond. Fortunately, the ponds in the countryside are generally very shallow, and the location where the car fell into the water was close to the shore, making it more than a meter deep at most. Before the car fully submerged, Lao Dao and Xing Shen managed to open the door on the other side. Using the momentum of the overturning car, they were both flung into the water with a loud splash.
As they hit the water, Xing Shen quietly nudged the back of the grasshopper. The small creature silently dove into the nearby reeds, hidden by the cover of the water’s surface and the sounds of splashing. It left only a shallow mark on the black, reflective water.
Xiong Hei, sitting in his car, watched as the opposite car tilted in the water. Two figures emerged, both looking disheveled and using their bodies as shields, cautiously crouching. Xiong Hei didn’t bother retrieving the gun from the glove box. His nature made him prefer using his physical strength over firearms. With his burly build, iron-like teeth, and superior strength, he felt he could handle situations by tearing and smashing without needing a gun.
He opened the car door and stepped out, shouting into the pond, “Come out, isn’t it cold in the water?”
Lao Dao, who was preparing to make a move, was stopped by Xing Shen. “Let me handle it. You act when the opportunity arises.”
Xing Shen stood up, using the car window for support, and took cautious steps forward. Xiong Hei noticed his awkward, groping movements and, though he had doubts, was initially unsure if this was an act or if the man was genuinely blind. He approached closer and asked, “Brother, what kind of sunglasses are you wearing?”
Xing Shen removed his sunglasses. The car’s interior was bright, but since they were underwater, visibility was poor. Xiong Hei’s suspicions grew when he saw the blind, expressionless eyes with a layer of translucent brown covering the pupils.
“He’s really blind,” Xiong Hei thought. It seemed impossible for a blind man to pursue him with a car.
Xiong Hei was cautious but impatient. He yelled to Lao Dao, who was still hidden behind the car, “What are you planning to do with a blind man? Are you waiting for me to entertain you in the water?”
Without further delay, he waded into the water. Xing Shen attempted to block him, but Xiong Hei pushed him aside with a flick of his hand and seized Lao Dao instead. Xing Shen shouted, “Grasshopper! Bite him!”
Xiong Hei was startled and looked around, but the reeds remained still, offering no sign of an attack. Xing Shen and Lao Dao had expected the grasshopper to rush out, causing distractions and injuries, but it was nowhere to be seen.
Seeing the opportunity slipping away, Lao Dao charged out with a shout, grabbing Xiong Hei’s legs and using all his strength to shove him forward. Xiong Hei’s large frame and the unstable footing in the water made him vulnerable.
Xing Shen, who could see better at night, noticed the grasshopper moving restlessly among the reeds, hesitant but ready. Despite this, he had to focus on the immediate fight. He leaped onto Xiong Hei and pressed his head underwater, shouting, “Grasshopper!”
Xiong Hei roared and thrashed violently, akin to a frenzied crocodile. Lao Dao, though heavy, was pinned by Xiong Hei’s legs, and Xing Shen, not as strong, struggled to maintain control. Xiong Hei’s fists pummeled upward, and Xing Shen took a hard hit, feeling a surge of pain and dizziness.
Xiong Hei managed to lift his head, but Lao Dao was losing his grip. In desperation, Lao Dao pulled out his military thorn and stabbed it into Xiong Hei’s back.
At that moment, Xing Shen, recovering from the blow, pressed Xiong Hei’s head back underwater. The water bubbled violently, and Xing Shen gasped for breath, not daring to let go. Lao Dao, overwhelmed, noticed the water growing darker with a thick, bloody hue.
Xing Shen, seeing the darkening water, released his grip. The body, heavy and lifeless, slowly sank and was submerged.
The once turbulent water calmed as Xiong Heiâs body drifted down, disappearing beneath the surface.
The old knife shuddered, staggering back two steps before collapsing onto the ground. “Deep… Brother Shen, did I kill someone?” he asked, his voice trembling.
Xing Shen, drenched and weighed down by the soaked clothes, trudged back to the shore with heavy steps. His original plan had been to incapacitate and restrain Xiong Hei, but the situation had escalated so quickly that Xiong Hei had been left lifeless in the water.
The grasshopper finally arrived, looking guilty and retreating timidly before edging back towards the water. Xing Shen’s frustration flared, and he roared, “Whatâs wrong with you!” The grasshopper, frightened, hopped back again but eventually approached hesitantly.
Xing Shen suddenly remembered Yan Tuo. “What about Yan Tuo?”
The old knife was startled, having been so caught up in the fight that he had forgotten about Yan Tuo. He stepped forward, scanning the area. “He got out of the car earlier, and then the lights came on… He must not have gone far.”
Xing Shen said, “Iâll check around here. You contact Uncle Jiang. This area needs to be cleaned up quickly, or someone might stumble upon it, and then…”
He trailed off as he noticed something behind the old knife. A dark shadow, larger than the old knifeâs form and resembling his outline, seemed to loom against the backdrop of the pond. The shadow looked as though it was cast by a wall, but this was a pond, not a place where a wall would suddenly appear.
The old knife sensed something amiss when he heard a faint, consistent dripping sound behind him. It wasn’t the typical splashing of water but rather a quiet, persistent dripping, almost imperceptible but with a subtle, dripping noise on his body. He turned his head suddenly.
It was too late.
Xing Shen saw the shadow’s fists, massive and coming down from either side, aiming for the old knife’s head. A muffled, sickening thud resonated as the fists made contact. The old knifeâs head was crushed, his original shape barely recognizable.
Stunned, Xing Shen felt as though the blow had struck him directly. He bolted, running away swiftly, with the agile grasshopper following close behind. The old knife’s body, now lifeless, fell into the water with a large splash.
Xiong Hei, recovering from the wound, reached for his military thorn with one hand while holding the old knifeâs body with the other. He bared his teeth and yanked the thorn out, enraged. However, the injury was minor to him, and he was far from defeated. It was all just a ruse to feign death.
Rising, Xiong Hei began striding ashore.
After running a safe distance of over ten meters, Xing Shen felt a surge of light behind him and heard the sound of a car engine revving. He looked back urgently and saw two glaring headlights, like a pair of predatory eyes, heading straight towards him.
Yan Tuo had not actually left. He had feigned compliance with the plan, walking away before quietly circling back. This was typical of his method: outwardly conforming while secretly observing and gathering details. He collected the hidden pieces of information, analyzing them in the shadows as he and Lin Ling meticulously pieced together the secrets and clues dropped inadvertently by Lin Xirou and his colleagues.
When Yan Tuo returned, he had already missed the first part of the journey. Far from the scene, he could see only reeds and, in the distance, Xing Shen frantically running along the riverbank. In the water, Xiong Hei’s massive fists pummeled the old knife’s head, striking with such force that Yan Tuo felt a jarring sensation as if his head had been hit.
Yan Tuoâs stomach churned at the sight. The human skull, while the hardest part of the body, has the weakest points at the temples where the skull bones meet. Given Xiong Hei’s strength, a blow to the temple would likely be fatal, and even if not fatal, the injuries would leave the person severely debilitated.
Xiong Hei had undergone modern education and was not accustomed to disregarding human life. Despite this, Yan Tuo suspected a vague sense of camaraderie with Lin Xirouâs enemiesâperhaps because “the enemy of my enemy is my friend.” This might explain why Yan Tuo had not been more hostile after being mistreated by Banya’s group.
As Yan Tuo pondered, he heard the restless sound of Xiong Hei’s car. It was speeding in the direction of the escaping person. Lin Ling had described Xiong Hei as “irritable and poisonous,” and it was clear that Xiong Heiâs animalistic instincts often overwhelmed his reason. He was prone to making mistakes in his rage, but despite that, he remained dangerous.
Seizing the opportunity while Xiong Heiâs car was moving away, Yan Tuo stepped out from the reeds and quietly waded into the water. Through the dim light reflected from the car’s dashboard, he saw the old knife’s face submerged, with only the back of his head visible. The body was sinking slightly, and his arms occasionally twitched.
Yan Tuo carefully maneuvered the old knife to ensure his face remained up and then carried him to a soft patch of ground on the shore. After attempting to revive him with no success and realizing his limitations as an amateur rather than a medical professional, Yan Tuo refrained from further attempts.
Nearby, the sound of the car continued, buzzing incessantly like an aggressive insect. Yan Tuoâs attention was caught by two childrenâs shoes lying nearby. His heart sank. The shoes were new and slightly warm, indicating they had been recently dropped.
Yan Tuoâs heart raced. The presence of children in such a chaotic situation was alarming. He quickly ducked into the reeds for cover and moved stealthily.
***
A short distance away, Yan Tuo saw Xing Shen narrowly avoiding the car’s wheels, then sprinting toward an abandoned earthen house. The car was bulky and less agile than a human, yet still posed a threat.
Xiong Hei, furious and laughing maniacally, aggressively maneuvered his car to chase Xing Shen. Whether capturing him alive was crucial or not, Xiong Hei was determined to continue the pursuit.
As the car barreled past, Yan Tuo spotted a child in a bright blue and yellow sweatshirt. Panic surged through him. He was sweaty and uneasy, unable to act decisively with Xiong Hei so close. Yan Tuo was no match for Xiong Hei, a formidable underling of Lin Xirou.
Determined to avoid confrontation, Yan Tuo quickly moved away, keeping low, and called Xiong Hei on his phone.
***
In the cab, Xiong Hei saw Xing Shen disappear into the earthen house and was about to speed up to demolish it when his phone rang. It was Yan Tuo.
“That kid shouldnât be this unreliable,” Xiong Hei thought, annoyed.
He answered the call. The signal was poor, and Yan Tuoâs voice came through erratically, sounding urgent and breathless. “Xiong… Brother Xiong, Iâm out… Something went wrong…”
Xiong Hei slammed on the brakes, his initial thought being that Yan Tuo was a disappointment for not handling the situation. Then he realized this might be part of a larger scheme to distract him and target Yan Tuo instead.
“Think clearly when dealing with people!” Xiong Hei instructed. “Which direction are you heading?”
“East… Eastward…” Yan Tuo replied hastily before abruptly hanging up and turning off his phone to create the illusion of urgency.
As expected, within moments, Xiong Heiâs car reversed with a screech and sped off towards the east. Yan Tuo sighed with relief, hiding back in the reeds. He planned to later claim that he had been attacked but managed to escape on his own.
***
Xing Shen, initially baffled by the carâs erratic behavior and sudden departure, vaguely recalled hearing a brief phone ring. Emerging from behind the earthen house, he was still catching his breath, his heart racing. The grasshoppers, also drenched, hopped about in agitation.
With his unique vision, Xing Shen could see clearly in the darkness where most would struggle. As he scanned his surroundings, he noted the faint shadows of reeds swaying in the dark. He noticed a large pond with a cold, reflective glow and a white silhouette of a man standing in the distance among sparse reeds.
Realizing that the figure might not be a mere passerby, Xing Shen recalled his earlier question to the old knife: “What about that Yan Tuo?” The presence of someone amidst such chaos indicated that this person was not an ordinary bystander but rather someone who might have been involved in the ongoing situation.
He whispered to the grasshopper, “Someone is coming.” The grasshopper, well-trained, responded promptly. It pulled its hood over its head, tucking its claws away, and became inconspicuous, hiding carefully in the shadows.
***
Yan Tuo had no intention of lingering. He had to move on to catch up with his earlier fieldwork, leaving the current mess for the person who had fled. He continued eastward, picking up mud and smearing it on his coat, breaking reeds, and rubbing them on his face to blend in with his surroundings.
As he walked, he heard a rustling noise behind him, which ceased whenever he turned around. The darkness of the countryside made it harder to see, and not wanting to attract attention, Yan Tuo kept his phone off. He relied on the faint light of the night to navigate.
Suddenly, the rustling noise returned, accompanied by a sense of unease. Yan Tuo gripped his gun and called out, “Whoâs there?”
From a distance, Xing Shen identified the voice as Yan Tuoâs. Despite not having seen his face, Xing Shen was familiar with Yan Tuoâs voice from the videos Jiang Baichuan had recorded during his torture. Being blind, Xing Shen relied heavily on auditory cues, and he was confident he had identified the right person.
He signaled with a low, skillful whistle. The sound, almost indistinguishable from the wind, was intended to alert his companion without attracting unwanted attention.
Yan Tuo, unable to hold back his curiosity, turned on his phone to adjust the flashlight. Just as the screen lit up, he heard a child’s soft voice from the reeds: “Uncle?”