Crimson Instinct

Chapter 134: The victim's fate (1)

*Xin Lei*

Bro and Shi Ruiling completely took me aback by this news. I stared at them, dumbfounded.

That was... awesome.

Bai Li laughed. "I seeThat's why you said that you know how it works. First, hugging and then rolling in the sheets together? You have that experience, oh great Xin Zhen."

"Hahaha! Bai Li. You hit the nail on the head!" Shi Ruiling threw back her head and laughed loudly.

I coughed and glanced at bro. Sure enough, he seemed ugly. He gave a threatening glance to her, but she seemed unaffected.

"What? Didn't he tell the truth?" She tiptoed and kissed his cheek. "... Darling~~."

"You! That is our personal affairs!" Bro pushed her away.

"But, we are all family!" She pouted.

Bro sneered. "Bai Li is yet to be. Don't test my patience."

I was still in a daze. 

Seriously...my bro has a girlfriend. He is in a relationship.

Aaaahh, that is so cool!!

My gaze brightened, and I looked at Shi Ruiling. I rapidly typed. "So, you are my sister-in-law!"

"Isshhh"

She grinned and looked embarrassed. She hooked her arm around bro's and said, "Right, Zhen?"

Bro looked indifferent and snorted.

I typed. "Oof bro! Why are you still so cold? Shouldn't you be excited to introduce us? When did this happen? Where did you meet? How? Who confessed first? Tell me everything!"

Bro coldly said, "This is not the place for that chat, idiot. There are places where-"

Shi Ruiling shook her head. "Yes, yes, Mr. school principal, we get it. Tsk. So boring."

Bro's eyebrow twitched.

I pouted.

I typed. "Does Dad know about it?"

Shi Ruiling scratched her head. "Well, I met him once through the video call. I said I was his colleague and we didn't behave suspiciously or said anything about our relationship, but I think...he has caught onto us. He didn't say it, but I think he doubts that we are together."

Bai, Li nodded. "Just like Xin Lei and me. When we talked, I kind of sensed that he knows. Well, congratulations to you two. I think you are a perfect match."

I furiously nodded.

Bro sneered. "Heh! This buttering is not going to help you impress me, soldier."

Bai Li chuckled.

"I genuinely mean it. You are so cold like ice, while Shi Ruiling is like a gentle spring in your life. Like I said, a perfect match. She would compensate for your gloomy nature with her cheerful smiles."

I burst into laughter.

"Exactly!" Shi Ruiling clapped her hands once. "Ah, Bai Li. Dad is so right about you. You are awesome."

"There are already way too many carefree people here. We don't need more."

I noticed bro shooting deathly glares at Bai Li. It seemed more hostile than before.

I wonder what is going on. I will ask Shi Ruiling later. Hmph. Bro, is no fun.

Bro cleared his throat. "And this is not the time for any love talk. I came here to tell you stupid souls that we have restored the data from the video. Let's go."

The atmosphere turned serious, and Bai Li and I nodded. 

We assembled in the main room again, where Luo Zhiqiang and Liao Huifang set up the monitor.

Luo Zhiqiang said, "The quality is a little hazy and distorted, but we can still roughly see the recording."

He switched on the recording, and the picture materialized on the screen.

It was the same base as Natural Park. It was quite dark, and we saw a woman in the center. As I kept on watching, I relayed the happenings to Bai Li too.

There were people around her, murmuring and chuckling. There were the same chairs we saw in the base, and in that video, everybody had taken their seats.

We could only see the backs of all those people present. It was dark, so their faces weren't clearly visible.

Then suddenly, a source of bright light shone on the woman.

"Aaah" she faintly whispered.

"Ooooohhhh, she is waking up."

The woman slowly raised her head and looked around. It wasn't Liao Chuntao. Perhaps, it was some other innocent victim.

She blinked her eyes as she seemed to try to adjust to the light.

"What is happening? Where am I?"

"A place where we have lots of fun, darling."

I shuddered with the way that man talked. I felt an ominous feeling rising in my chest.

The woman now seemed to be completely awake, and she frantically looked around again.

"This where am I?"

Then I suddenly heard a robotic voice. It didn't come from any of the men sitting there.

Bai Li murmured. "That voice...it sounds like somebody else is behind those men who is talking."

I nodded.

Liao Huifang said, "Didn't we see a king-like chair on the base above all? Steps were leading to the upper floor, and there was a lone chair there."

I typed. "That must be the boss's seat."

The person who spoke in a robotic voice said, "Welcome to our world. I hope we all have a great time here."

The woman panicked. "What is going on? Where am I?"

She tried to moves and struggle, but her hands and feet were tied with ropes. She widened her eyes and looked terrified. Tears pooled in her eyes, and she cried. "I don't understand. Where is Li Wei? Where is my boyfriend?"

"Oh, are you talking about me?"

One of the men came in view, but he wasn't fully recognizable in the dark. He didn't go into the light, but that woman seemed to recognize him.

But I knew that voice.

"Duan Deming." Bai Li said. "He faked a name and fooled another woman just like Liao Chuntao."

I slowly nodded. My heart ached for that woman who seemed so desperate and hopeful as she saw him.

"Li Wei! Thank God you are here! W-what is going on? Please tell me. Untie me. Who are these people?"

Everybody laughed.

She trembled, and she looked at Duan Deming, but he stood on his spot. 

"Li Wei! Please! I am getting scared. Is this a prank?"

"Oh, if you are talking about our relationship, then it surely was a prank. But what will happen to you here...that is a reality."

"W-what? Prank? No" the woman seemed shocked, and tears rolled down her cheeks, "It is not possibleDon't we love each other"

"Love? Just like how I love 70 other women? Aww, you look so cute. I had my fun chatting with you. But the farce is over now."

"Lie? Why? Why did you do this to me! W-why did you pretend?" She sobbed. "I-I ran away from my home for you. I lied to my parents to you. Why did you do this? And why did you bring me here?"

"She asks too many questions." The boss spoke.

I felt my heart racing faster. 

What were they going to do with her?

Then one of the men stood up from his seat and went to her side. "Why did we bring you here? To have fun," he laughed with a sinister ring in his voice, "To see your blood."

"Wohooooo!!"

"That was a cool pose, man."

"'To see your blood'...that was fucking awesome!"

The man bowed. "Thank you."

The woman was more terrified. "Who are you, crazy people! What the hell are you talking?"

Silence. There was complete silence in the room.

Then we suddenly a crisp sound.

*SLAP*

Out of nowhere, the man harshly slapped the woman on the cheek.

The woman's head tilted to the right, and she seemed shocked.

"You bitch! You are the same! You are the same as everyone else! How dare you call us crazy?" He pulled her hair and slapped her again.

"Aaahh"

"Crazy? Insane? Mad? Are you insulting us, you bitch! I had enough. Every single time, every single person call us weird. It is you! Not us!"

That man seemed to lose it. He kicked her again and again.

"No, pleaselet me go. Li Wei. Please help me"

She raised her head towards Duan Deming, but he didn't move from his position.

"Li Wei, please...I am sorry...I-I am so sorry please forgive me...I will not call you crazy again. But let me go...Mom and Dad...they are worried about me"

She cried harder and harder.

"Heh! You didn't think about your parents when you decided to run away from home."

"Now, let's start with the fun."

One of them brought a plier with him and grabbed that woman's hand after untying it.

She violently tried to resist but to no avail.

"Ah, how beautiful nails are yours. So clean and bright. Hm.. " he tilted his head. "What if I make it more beautiful? I think the shade of red nail paint will suit you the most. But oops, we don't have any nail polish. Oh, I have an idea."

"N-no... please stay away from me"

The man hoped the plier in her nail and, in a snap, pulled her nail out.

"AAAHHHHH!!!!"

Her nail detached and fell, and her index finger was covered with blood as it rapidly dripped down.

"Ah, so beautiful! This is what I meant by red nail paint. Look. It suits your nails so much. This is the best shade!"

"Hey, why is she crying?"

"Yeah. The blood looks so pretty on her fingers!"

"Che! She doesn't appreciate our art at all!"

One by one, the man started to pluck her nails out and her screams only grew louder and louder.

I shut my eyes and lowered my head, covering my ears with my hands while tears trickled down my cheeks.

No, I cannot see it. I cannot watch it anymore!

"Aaaahhh" It was Liao Huifang who screamed. "Stop it. Stop the video. It's horrible... please stop" she sobbed.

There was silence as the screams and laughs stopped resounding in the room.