Crimson Instinct

Chapter 148: Bringing in a wanted criminal

*Xin Lei*

We reached just near one abandoned shop that was desolate and shut off. The shutters were down, and there was no sign of any life.

I typed. "We are here. The main shutters are closed. We have to check for any windows."

Bai Li nodded.

We turned around the backside and found a small opening. We cautiously approached it, hiding from the view.

I gently pinned my ear, but I couldn't hear any voices. I peeked from the gap, and I saw no shadows of anybody's presence.

Bai Li softly whispered. "I sense that nobody is here."

I nodded and held his hand to sign in ASL. "It doesn't seem like anybody is here."

"Let's go inside but be on your guard."

My gun was ready in my hands. I pushed the door open and stepped inside. The shop was small and with hardly any places to hide. At just first glance, I saw that nobody was really here.

It was dusty and dirty, with empty boxes lying around the floor. But I could see footprints on the floor. Since it was too dusty, it was natural that there would be prints.

I typed. "There are footprints; I mean shoe prints to be exact."

"Two?"

I typed. "Yes. Two shoe prints. They seem like regular sports shoes, and the prints also seem fresh."

"So they were here. But Zhang Xiulan already changed and quickly escaped with her partner. Look for if there are any black clothes."

I switched on my flashlight and looked around. I checked all the boxes, but I couldn't find black clothes discarded by Zhang Xiulan.

I sighed and typed. "There is nothing here."

"She might have taken the clothes with her and planned to discard it somewhere else. I guess we are a little late."

I thoroughly rechecked the room for any clues, but there were none.

Giving up on our chase, we went outside. Bai Li said, "It's okay. We will find them."

I nodded.

***

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From the terrace of the opposite building, Zhang Xiulan watched Bai Li and Xin Lei leave the shop.

"I underestimated Bai Li. I didn't know he would sniff this place out. Thanks for the heads up."

The shadow looming over her widened, and the man has hidden in the dark came out. "En."

"If he hadn't interfered, then I would have already gotten my hands on my dear sister." She sighed. "I would have to wait for another chance now to see her blood. I was so close."

He nodded.

"Let's go."

---

Dongcheng.

In the dark alley away from plain sight by everybody, Rodey pointed his gun at her Ying Yue's head. "Take me to your home."

Ying Yue didn't move. She looked at his abdomen injury. "You are injured. I will take you to the hospital."

"Heh!" Rodey was panting as he sneered. "Hospital and then jail? Don't you know that I am a criminal? The army is on a lookout for me. Take me to your home and let me lie low for a while."

"But-"

Rodey pressed his gun deeper into her temple. "Do you want to die?"

"I cannot oppose my fate if you really pull the trigger." She was impassive.

Rodey tiredly rested his head on her shoulder. She froze.

He chuckled as he sweated. "Right. I forgot. You don't fear death. I caught the wrong person."

Ying Yue was strangely feeling uncomfortable not because he was leaning on her, but the sight of his blood oozing out was making her oddly nervous.

She didn't have the time to think. "Bury your face on my shoulder."

"What?"

Ying Yue supported him in her arms and made sure that his face was hidden.

"Hide your gun."

Rodey narrowed his eyes and judged her expression for a moment before he pulled it back and kept in his jacket.

Ying Yue walked with him outside the alley and quickly stopped a cab. She said to the driver as he was suspiciously looking at them. "My friend is injured. Please take us to this address."

"Not to the hospital?"

Ying Yue didn't panic. "No. It isn't any heavy injury. I can treat him in my home."

The driver didn't get a good look at Rodey, but he felt weak and pale.

"Okay, Miss. Please take a seat."

She nodded and helped Rodey inside the cab.

During the ride, Ying Yue kept her palm pressed on his wound so that more blood didn't flow out and also made sure that his face wasn't visible to be recognized.

As the cab reached her home, Ying Yue said, "Take a turn at the backside."

Ying Yue stepped down with Rodey.

"Are you sure he doesn't need hospital treatment?"

Ying Yue shook her head. "I can handle it."

The driver shrugged and left.

Ying Yue was a little nervous now. She couldn't take him inside from the front door, so she made the driver stop the car here.

Mom should be taking her nap at this time, and Aunt would be out with her friends.

Ying Yue asked, "Can you walk?"

Rodey nodded.

She opened the back door to the kitchen, and there was nobody inside. She let out a relieved sigh.

"Come inside."

She quickly checked Ying Lan's room and saw that was sleeping indeed. Xue Xiying wasn't at home either.

Her room was upstairs, and she called Rodey. "You can come now."

But she didn't hear his response.

She frowned and looked back and was shocked to see Rodey on the verge of passing out.

Ying Yue quickly supported him. "Are you okay?"

"I am...fine."

"You cannot walk anymore. I will take you."

As she climbed the stairs, she already felt tired at the fourth step. Rodey was tall and quite muscular, so he was heavy to support him and carry him upstairs.

But Ying Yue only hoped that nobody appeared right now.

Somehow, she reached in front of her room and opened the door. She quickly dragged Rodey inside and locked the door behind her.

Ying Yue finally felt relieved. All this while her heart was racing in fear that somebody would see her. This was the first time she was doing things secretly, hiding from everybody.

She immediately put Rodey on the bed. She wanted to check his wound, but that needed to lift his shirt up. She didn't think much about it and shifted his shirt a little upwards.

As expected, it was a stab wound, but she noticed that it was shallow. Thankfully, the cut wasn't deep enough, but he passed out because of the blood loss.

Ying Yue thought for a moment. Turmeric paste was quite effective in stopping the blood flow and heal such shallow wounds to some extent. She quickly stepped out and went into the kitchen to make turmeric paste. She headed back with the medical kit and shut the door again. 

---

A few hours later, Rodey finally woke up as his eyelids fluttered open. He immediately put his guard up as he saw an unfamiliar surrounding but then he slowly remembered how he had threatened Ying Yue to take him home.

Is this her home?

Rodey tried to get up, but a dull pain shot at his side.

He looked down and saw that his wound was disinfected and wrapped in a bandage. He looked around to see a modestly sized bedroom. It wasn't too big or small. All the things were neatly lined on shelves. In short, it was orderly and organized.

"Not bad..." he muttered. "Heh. It completely opposes my chaotic life."

Then he heard the sound of the shower running in the bathroom. It stopped, and the door opened. Ying Yue came out neatly dressed while drying her hair.

Rodey tilted his head, and his gaze squinted as he saw her pale and moist neckline.

I would really like to leave a mark there

Ying Yue blinked her eyes. She didn't expect that he would be awake. "You are awake."

Rodey withdrew his dark gaze from her inviting neck and lazily said, "Nice room you got here."

"How is your injury?" Ying Yue asked.

He shrugged. "Nothing much. I have seen worse."

She pursed her lips.

"This is a nice place to hide. I will stay here for a day and leave." He smiled. "Of course, if you have any problems, then my gun will talk to you."

Ying Yue didn't show much change in her expression.

"Che. It's so boring to threaten you." He sneered. "Why don't you react to how people normally should? Scared and terrified."

Ying Yue was about to say something, but they heard a knock.

"Yue. Yue." Ying Lan's concerned voice came from outside.

Ying Yue froze, and she panicked a bit. She urgently whispered. "It's Mom. Quickly. Hide."

She pushed Rodey into the bathroom. "Don't come out until I say."

"Yue dear, are you alright?"

Ying Yue opened the door. "Mom."

Ying Lan immediately stepped inside. "Yue! Tell me where you are hurt!" She was checking her from head to toe.

She blinked her eyes in confusion. "I am not hurt, Mom."

"Don't lie to me! I saw blood drops on the stairs. Where did you injure yourself? How did you get hurt?"