636 Savior

 

The night was dark, and there was no one on the road. The flickering neon lights gave off a chilly glow. It was not yet midnight, but most of the shops were closed. ‘This city is completely different in the day and at night. I’ve been to such a place before.’ Han Fei stood in the shadows of the alley, carrying his backpack.

The end of the darkness was a theme park. The tall Ferris Wheel looked over everything. The individual booths strung with lights were like eyes in the dark. Compared to the cold city, the theme park appeared to have gathered all the light and joy. ‘The theme park is operational at night?’

Han Fei remembered he found a doll costume in the basement. According to the note, the victim was once the theme park mascot actor. ‘It feels like the theme park is the center of the city. All the other buildings exist because of it.’

The anxiety grew. Han Fei knew he couldn’t stay at a place for too long. He left the alley and moved along the street. There was no pedestrian or vehicle on the road. The siren moved down the distance before disappearing completely. ‘This city is too strange. I wonder if it’s only in my eyes or everyone sees it like this.’

Han Fei walked for some time before he saw another person. She sat on the bench at the bus stop. She wore a pair of spectacles, carried a handbag, and was in a quintessential OL outfit. The woman didn’t have too much makeup. She worked overtime, which was why she was out so late. She removed her high heels and massaged her calves. She looked down the dark streets like she had something on her mind.

Staring at the woman, Han Fei felt she looked familiar, but he couldn’t place her. Han Fei didn’t dare to take any risk. He prepared to leave when his heart jumped. He noticed there was another person hiding in the other alley not far away. Half of the man’s face was hidden in the darkness. He was in a black suit and holding something. ‘Is his target the woman waiting for the bus?’

Han Fei was reminded of what Doctor Fu said. There were many new nameless bodies popping up around the city. ‘Should I go warn the girl?’ Han Fei had no idea why his first thought was to help the woman. If he was a crazed murderer, why would his first thought be to help others when he saw someone in danger?

This confused Han Fei. ‘Perhaps there’s something wrong with my earlier assessment. The woman at the theme park might be telling the truth.’ The more Han Fei thought about it, the more convinced he was that he didn’t have a murderous streak. ‘Is there a possibility that I’m not the killer but a scriptwriter writing about the killer? I was dragged into the crime and assumed my research target’s identity after losing my memory?’

While Han Fei was thinking, the woman at the bus stop put her shoes back on. She knew that she had missed the last bus, so she planned to walk home. Once she moved, the man hidden in the shadow moved too. The woman didn’t know that danger was approaching. However, she felt something was wrong because she suddenly picked up speed. At first, she walked along the larger streets. However, to reach home, she had to pass by a very narrow and deserted alley. She looked around for some time. She entered the alley after she ensured there was no danger. Her house was at the apartment situated at the end of the alley.

The alley was dim and creepy. No lights came from the buildings that lined the alley. All the windows were shut. The cameras were broken. Anything that happened here would be swallowed by the night.

Breathing out a cold breath, the woman tightened her grip on her bag and moved faster. The high heels clicked on the ground. She kept turning back, afraid that another person would suddenly appear. The night deepened. The woman could hear her heartbeat. When she turned back for the fourth time, the eyes behind her glasses trembled with fear!

Not far away from her, there was a man in a black suit, a mask and carrying a black suitcase who suddenly charged at her. The man was like a crocodile waiting underwater. When the prey was close, the disguise was shed to reveal the giant mouth. The woman’s face was pale. She hurried and ran away. However, in her panic, she tripped and fell. It was too late to stand up. She saw the masked man rapidly approach. However, at that moment, a stone accurately shot the masked man on the back of his head. Blood poured immediately. The masked man stopped. He turned to look behind him. Han Fei stood at the mouth of the alley. He was commonly dressed. A cat poked its head out of his backpack. No one spoke. The situation was tense.

After a temporary pause, the masked man charged at Han Fei. Compared to the woman, Han Fei posed a bigger threat. The man was very fast. He had received special training. When he was close enough, he swung the black box at Han Fei!

The suitcase was like a magician’s box. The lid opened, but there was nothing instead. Han Fei’s nose twitched. He smelled something pungent, and then his eyes pained. ‘What is inside the box?’

Before his eyes were forced to close, Han Fei saw the man take out a dagger from his suit. Han Fei knew this was dangerous, but it felt like needles had pricked his eyes. He couldn’t open them at all. A weak cat’s meow entered his ears. It was too late for Han Fei to escape now. He couldn’t even see anything. If he fled without a plan, he would only expose his back to the murderer.

Han Fei held his breath and raised his arms. In the blink of an eye, the masked man was already before him. The sharp dagger plunged downward. Han Fei could hear it cut through the air. He resisted the pain and opened his eyes a slit. The knife was coming at his neck. At this moment, Han Fei’s body reacted. He moved his head to the side and the dagger sliced by his cheek. The steel of the knife reflected Han Fei’s face. He saw himself in it. His instinct awakened. Before the man could swing the knife again, Han Fei’s arms bound around the man’s arms like pythons. Since Han Fei couldn’t see anything, he would rely on hand-to-hand combat.

Han Fei had no idea if he had any training, but every move that he employed was fatal. His goal was to kill the other in the shortest amount of time. This kind of technique required plenty of training and actual experience, but Han Fei had already mastered it.

The masked man didn’t expect this to happen. The man, who was dressed so normally, managed to avoid his attack when he was blinded and launched the counter so effortlessly.

The situation had turned. The masked man had the first strike, but now the upper hand was with Han Fei.

Different from the masked man, Han Fei knew one thing. To escape from despair, one had to appreciate every single chance!

The fist fired off like a cannon and landed on the mask. Han Fei’s punches were heavy, and he didn’t stop. He would beat the man until he was unable to fight back. If he showed sympathy, the man would attack Han Fei again. The masked man was punched until he probably suffered from a concussion. He couldn’t hold the knife anymore and collapsed to the ground.

Han Fei didn’t dare to be too careless because he still couldn’t open his eyes. He expertly snapped the man’s wrist. Hearing the bones snap, Han Fei’s heart moved. This sound awakened beautiful memories in his mind. ‘I’ve done this before?’

Han Fei had to be efficient and quick because he still couldn’t see. The masked man didn’t even get a chance to say anything before he fainted. The white mask was shattered. Blood flowed through the gap. “What was inside your suitcase? Do you have the antidote?” Han Fei slapped the man’s cheeks, but he got no response.

Resisting the pain from the eyes, Han Fei planned to leave. He didn’t want to stop here.

“Hey! Wait!” The woman removed her heels and slowly moved towards Han Fei. “Thank you for saving me.” The woman looked cute and sweet.

“You should go home now.” Han Fei’s eyes were in great pain. He wouldn’t be able to survive the night like this.

“How about you come with me? I’ll help you deal with the eye injury. The poison might cause you to go blind.” The woman was worried about Han Fei. When Han Fei had to close his eyes again, she lifted her arm.

Then, a surge of current ran through Han Fei. He collapsed to the ground. The last thing he saw was the woman pulling out the cart she had hidden among the trash. “It looks like I’ll have to make two trips.”

Han Fei opened his eyes blurrily. He noticed his eyes weren’t so painful anymore. He wanted to get up, but he noticed he was shackled to the wall, and he was naked.

“You’re awake?” The woman sat beside him, holding her chin. Behind her was a mountain of man’s clothes.

Han Fei stared at the woman’s face. He felt like the woman was someone from his memory, but he couldn’t recall her name. It was this sense of familiarity that told him she wouldn’t hurt him.

“Tell me, where is the thing?” The woman removed her glasses to wipe the lens. “Most of the time, I don’t want to kill. I only want the theme park points.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, but I feel you’re very familiar to me. We should know each other…” Han Fei stared at the woman. “Did you once love me?”

The woman paused. Her expression was interesting. “It looks like you really have a death wish.”

“I have amnesia. I can’t remember many things. However, I felt like we’d met the moment I laid eyes on you. It was why I chose to save you.” Han Fei was telling the truth. “I knew that you were only acting from the start. The way you tripped and fell was so unnatural. It could only trick an amateur actor.”

“Why did you come to save me then? You’re funny.” The woman put her glasses back on. She placed a few pills inside the glass.

“The doctor said I have paranoia, but I believe I could predict death. When you approached me, I didn’t feel fear. That is the second reason why I was willing to help you.” Han Fei’s hands were shackled, but strangely enough, he didn’t feel fear. If anything, he felt like he had unlocked some kind of strange achievement.

“Paranoia? Ability to tell death? Amnesia? Are you high?” The woman held the drugged water. She stared at Han Fei’s face. “Stop wasting time. If you refuse to tell me where the points are, then tell me what’s your last words.”

Han Fei still couldn’t remember anything. He shook his head and pleaded, “Don’t kill my cat, okay?”

“That’s all?”

“I really don’t remember anything. I only saved that cat today.”

“You do know that you almost beat a man to death, right? Compared to that, you care more about a cat?” The woman didn’t believe Han Fei. She placed the cup against his mouth. “Do you think I won’t kill you? Come on. Drink the drug. Let me see…”

Before she finished, Han Fei gulped down the water. He was thirsty. “Do you have more?”

The woman looked at Han Fei and the empty glass. “Interesting. I suspect you were just joking with me. But then again, why do I feel like I should keep you alive? I want to trap you and torture you every day.” The woman stood up to pour another glass of water. “Do you really not know about the theme park’s point? If you didn’t receive the invitation from the theme park, why would you have the clown mask in your backpack?”

“I can’t remember…” Han Fei finished the second cup. He looked at the woman’s face. “Can you tell me your name? Perhaps I can remember you then.”

“The name’s Lee Guo Er. I’m a fugitive.” The woman smiled. “Are you scared?”

 

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