DASFAM_96

Footsteps sounded on the stairs again.

Shang Yanxiao ignored the cold blade at his neck and calmly turned to look. The next second, tension surged back.

Old San came up the stairs, and following behind him was a returning Bai Xu.

When Shang Qishun saw this, a trace of surprise flickered in his deep pupils.

Shang Yanxiao was genuinely anxious now, "A' Xu, what are you coming back for?"

Bai Xu met Shang Yanxiao's tense and helpless gaze and quickly approached, "It's not only you who has ideas. I have my own thoughts too."

"If you're here, I'm not going anywhere."

He caught sight of the long blade pressed against his lover's neck and still managed to glare at Shang Qishun.

Shang Qishun wasn't worried about the two of them escaping and signaled his men to back away slightly, "I really did underestimate the depth of your feelings for each other."

Shang Yanxiao was willing to stay behind and wait for death just to ensure Bai Xu's safe escape. And Bai Xu, despite having a chance to leave alive, deliberately ran back to meet his doom.

Shang Qishun watched it all, and the hatred in his heart grew even darker: Why? Why did Shang Yanxiao possess everything from childhood while he had nothing?

Parents who loved each other and never forced him to be perfect and excellent in everything.

Brothers who trusted each other, able to support one another even when the family faced hardship.

Loyal subordinates, unlike his assistant who had secretly betrayed him.

And now, even Shang Yanxiao's lover was like this!

Ever since Bai Xu entered the third branch, how many things had he done openly and covertly on Shang Yanxiao's behalf? Even when facing danger, he never thought of abandoning Shang Yanxiao alone!

The more he compared, the more intense Shang Qishun's jealousy and unwillingness became. He gritted his teeth and signaled Old San, "Take the box from his hand!"

Old San stepped forward directly.

Bai Xu looked at him deeply and proactively handed over the suitcase filled with cash.

Old San took it but didn't rush toward Shang Qishun.

Shang Qishun's expression shifted slightly, "Come here."

Old San remained unmoved, instead looking toward the three men beside Shang Yanxiao, "Put down the knives."

"......"

Everyone present except Bai Xu was momentarily stunned.

The thug closest asked, "Old San, what do you mean?"

"Boss Bai said that as long as we deal with Shang Qishun, the money gets multiplied by five," Old San's voice was hoarse, "What I'm holding is the deposit Boss Bai gave us."

"Five, five times?"

After all, Shang Qishun had hired four of them, paying each twenty thousand. Five times that would be one million!

As long as they finished this job, they could live comfortably for quite a while!

Shang Qishun hadn't expected Bai Xu to think of bribing Old San with money in just a few minutes. His face darkened, "Old San, don't forget who asked me to find you!"

"If you betray me now, you're betraying Old Yue!"

Old Yue was their acknowledged leader in the underworld. Though he had blood debts on his shoulders, in their eyes he was righteous and loyal, their true boss.

One of the thugs wavered, "Yeah, Old San. Boss Shang at least knows Old Brother Yue. This, is this Bai Xu reliable?"

They had rules in the underworld. Money was one thing, but order of operations was another.

Shang Qishun immediately helped them see reality, "You beat Shang Queyan that badly. Do you think they won't rush to call the police and have you all arrested? They'd actually let you leave happily with the money? That's a joke!"

Shang Qishun pointed at Bai Xu with his gauze-wrapped hand, exposing the truth, "He's just trying to use you to deal with me, then drag it out until the police arrive!"

Bai Xu was caught out by Shang Qishun's guess and didn't rush to deny it.

He surveyed the group, guessing at the relationships between the kidnappers, "Did Old Yue recommend you to Shang Qishun? Do you know where Old Yue is now?"

"......"

"Old Yue worked for Shang Qishun, gave everything for him, and what did he do? He had his assistant leak Old Yue's whereabouts to the police! Old Yue was arrested three days ago!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, Old San's gaze fixed on Shang Qishun like a nail, "You told us Old Yue had already escaped abroad! How could he be taken by the police!"

Shang Qishun's face twisted almost grotesquely as he vehemently denied it, "Don't believe his bullshit! I'm ordering you to kill him right now! Three million! For both their lives!"

"......"

Shang Yanxiao sensed something was wrong and silently grasped Bai Xu's wrist.

He carefully watched for any thug who might charge at them with a knife, and made a decisive judgment, "Take the money in the box and leave now. You have enough to live comfortably for a while. The rest is between us and Shang Qishun. Whether we live or die has nothing to do with you!"

Shang Qishun lost control and roared, "Five million! Two lives! Right now! After this moment, you won't get another chance at this money!"

While Old San was still hesitant, a crew-cut thug's eyes lit up at the mention of money, and he viciously raised his knife to slash down.

Shang Yanxiao had practiced taekwondo before. Quick-eyed and quick-handed, he pulled Bai Xu behind him, sidestepped the falling blade, and kicked at the thug's stomach.

This kick was delivered with full force. The crew-cut thug crashed into the abandoned machinery behind him, and with a sickening crack from his lower back, severe pain instantly flooded his entire body.

"Ah—"

This cry of agony was like a bugle call, immediately striking a nerve in those around them.

Bai Xu seized the moment and picked up the fallen knife, using it for self-defense.

He thought for a moment, then decided to cut right through it with Old San, "I've already called the police! Either you take the money and leave right now, or you stay here with us and lose your lives!"

"......"

Old San's expression changed repeatedly. Finally, he picked up the suitcase and walked toward Shang Qishun.

Shang Yanxiao and Bai Xu, seeing this situation, tensed. They thought the bribery attempt had failed.

Shang Qishun thought Old San had come to his senses and smiled with satisfaction, "Old San, I'm glad you figured it out. I—"

Before he could finish speaking, Old San viciously kicked at his knee.

Shang Qishun, completely unprepared, took the heavy blow. His right leg gave way and he fell to his knees on the cement floor, his already pallid face rapidly flushing red from the intense pain.

"......"

"Old San?"

The other two thugs were startled, completely unable to discern what the situation was anymore.

Old San felt it wasn't enough. Taking advantage of Shang Qishun's pain-induced daze, he hefted the heavy suitcase and smashed it down toward his head.

Shang Qishun instinctively raised his hands to block, but forgot the fact that both his hands were already maimed. The hard suitcase crashed down on his still-unhealed wounds!

The next second, Shang Qishun let out agonized wails unlike anything before. The gauze on his hands was instantly soaked through with fresh blood.

Old San stared steadily at Shang Yanxiao and Bai Xu. Years of experience accumulated from living on the run told him one thing—

These two people weren't good people. If he didn't leave now, he and his brothers would likely end up like Old Yue!

Old San had already grasped the value in the suitcase, and combined with the deposit Shang Qishun had given before, his mind was crystal clear.

Even having accomplished this much was already worth it. Why throw their lives away?

He decided to go all the way and instructed his brothers, "You two take the crew-cut. We're leaving now."

The other two thugs exchanged glances and immediately sheathed their knives and complied.

They carried the incapacitated crew-cut thug and quickly left the abandoned factory with Old San.

"......"

Bai Xu hadn't expected the situation to turn around so dramatically. His tense thoughts suddenly relaxed.

Immediately after, he saw Shang Yanxiao beside him drop the knife in his hand and charge toward Shang Qishun!

Shang Yanxiao completely ignored the accumulated dust on the ground, dropped to his knees, and viciously pounded Shang Qishun, who was too weak to resist.

One punch after another! Without the restraint he'd shown at the hospital before, each punch was aimed to kill!

Bai Xu didn't step forward to stop him, coldly permitting his lover to vent the emotions he'd been suppressing for so long—

On the rough cement floor beneath their feet was a large patch of dried blood stains, along with circles and circles of dragging marks left behind from Shang Queyan's torture.

Shang Yanxiao had no intention of sparing the one responsible. He thought of his own younger brother's legs, now bloody and mangled again, and his eyes filled with hatred like never before.

Of all things, Shang Queyan's legs!

How dare he hurt Shang Queyan's legs!

Shang Yanxiao swung his fists without a word, his blood-stained eyes catching sight of Shang Qishun's hands. He directly turned the tables on him—

He seized Shang Qishun's wrists and brutally scraped the wounds against the cement floor.

"Ah!"

Shang Qishun let out death-defying screams, veins bulging across his forehead and neck, "Don't... let... let me go... ah... I was wrong, ah..."

This was the first time in his life he begged Shang Yanxiao for mercy and admitted his wrongs, but it was far too late.

"Yanxiao!"

Seeing Shang Yanxiao's methods grow increasingly brutal, Bai Xu rushed forward, "Yanxiao! Look at me. Calm down!"

"......"

A simple phrase pulled Shang Yanxiao back from the rage that had consumed his reason. His back stiffened for a moment, and he released the helpless Shang Qishun.

Shang Yanxiao stood up, struggling to calm himself, "A' Xu, he deserves to die."

"I know. Of course he deserves to die."

Bai Xu didn't spare a single glance toward Shang Qishun. Instead, he reached out and gently grasped Shang Yanxiao's reddened knuckles, coaxing him back to calmness.

"The police have arrived. He can't escape."

"Not only can't he escape, but Old San and the others can't either."

Bai Xu touched Shang Yanxiao's temple, helping him smooth out the veins that had bulged from his anger, bit by bit.

"I'm not telling you to spare Shang Qishun's life. It's just that dirtying your hands for someone like this isn't worth it."

"Mm."

Shang Yanxiao choked out a sound, and turned to comfort his lover instead, "What you were worried about never happened after all."

Shang Qishun was half-dead already. There was no way he could escape. All that awaited him was the dual punishment of the police and the law.

Bai Xu let out a long breath of relief as well. A close call turned out well in the end, "Mm, shall we go? By my calculation, the police should have arrived by now."

"Alright."

"......"

Shang Qishun had lost all sensation from the pain. The smell of blood filled his nostrils and mouth, and blood from his forehead flowed into his eyes, blurring everything.

In the fading light, Shang Qishun stared fixedly at the figures of Bai Xu and Shang Yanxiao as sunlight filtered through the skylight. But it couldn't dispel his darkness—

No!

He couldn't just die like this!

Even in death, he wanted someone to be buried with him!

The instant this thought took shape, Shang Qishun couldn't explain where the strength came from to stand up. Using his last ounce of energy, he charged toward the two people about to descend the stairs.

Bai Xu sensed the frantic footsteps behind him, and caught sight of Shang Qishun in his peripheral vision. In the split second before impact, he had no time for deliberation or thought—

His body reacted before anything else. He forcefully pushed Shang Yanxiao to the side.

"Yanxiao! Be careful!"

"Go to hell!"

The next second, Shang Qishun crashed down on Bai Xu like a madman, "All of you die!"

The handrail at the edge of the stairs had already rusted to nothing but a thin layer of iron sheet.

Bai Xu had no foothold. Even though he had used all his strength to shift both his and Shang Qishun's body positions, in an instant he was dragged down by him, plummeting directly from the second floor.

—Bang!

A sound louder than anything before crashed into Shang Yanxiao's ears. His fingertips had just barely brushed the corner of his lover's clothing, but he couldn't grasp it in time!

He felt his mind explode like a thunderclap, "A' Xu!"

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