Crimson Instinct

Time: 11.51 AM. Twelve hours and thirty-nine minutes left.

Ying Yue was pushed inside the room once again by the guard.

"Arf! Arf!"

"Sis!"

Chu Jie and Cocoa immediately surrounded her. Long Hu asked, "Ying Yue... what happened?"

Ying Yue seemed pale, and she collapsed on the ground. They saw that her dress was a bit torn apart like irregular stripes on her back, and there were bloody marks on it.

"Did they hit you with a belt or a hunter?"

Ying Yue was sweating, and she finally let out her whimpers and soft cries that she was controlling from letting out in front of those men. She was kicked in her stomach, too. She was clutching her abdomen, and it felt like she would burst from the pain.

"Ah…"

Chu Jie's eyes watered. "Sis… they hurt you so much…"

"Grrrr…" Cocoa was standing behind her, gently sniffing her wound and licking on her injuries. He was rubbing his head on her arm as well to comfort her.

Long Hu worriedly said, "Chu Jie. Bring her here slowly and make her lie on the floor."

Chu Jie supported her and helped her lie down. He burst out, "Why are we here!? A-are we going to die here?" 

Tears streamed down his eyes, and he shuddered. Out of the seven days, hardly almost two days were remaining, but that was for Long Hu and himself. For Ying Yue, it seemed like they would kill her before that, and it meant that there was even lesser time left.

"I-I am…fine…I will be...okay...Don't worry…"

"How can we not worry! You look so much in pain. They have hit you so much. How can you be alright?"

He felt extremely guilty. "Sis...sis, it's all my fault. If I hadn't asked them for seven days, then they wouldn't have kidnapped you. I-I am sorry...I didn't know that they could think of bringing another person because the boss promised me seven days...Sis…"

Ying shook her head. "Don't be sorry, Chu Jie. It's not," she coughed, "your fault. T-they would have caught me one or the other day if not now...don't blame yourself, please. It was my fault for not being cautious and falling into their trap."

"Sis…"

Chu Jie's gaze then fell on Cocoa, who seemed to fidget around the door. He was sniffing it and shifting back and forth.

"Cocoa."

"Grrr…"

Long Hu frowned. "He is doing that for quite a while now."

"Grrr…"

Chu Jie said, "I don't know. Is there something outside?"

Cocoa didn't budge from his place. 

"Arf!"

Suddenly, the door opened, and Cocoa straightened up. "Grrr…" He took his position.

Long Hu and Chu Jie for alert as well.

But, instead of a guard, they saw a different man who they never met before. His aura exuded danger and darkness. His gaze was threatening and alarming, but as soon as it fell on a certain woman, that storm seemed to wash away.

Cocoa instantly recognized Rodey. He fiercely hopped in front of Ying Yue, Chu Jie, and Long Hu in a protective stance. His eyes glowered in a challenge.

"Grrr…Grrr…" His low growls were so menacing that it could make anybody wet their pants, but Rodey was only watching in amusement.

"Hey~~~ the soldier's dog, aren't you? Long time no see."

"Arf!"

"So, where is your buddy? I don't see him anywhere. Shouldn't he come to save you all like a hero?" He chuckled. "Are you missing him?"

Chu Jie exclaimed. "Big bro Bai Li would definitely come for us!"

Rodey didn't respond. His sight went onto Long Hu, and he said, "You are still alive with that hand?" he looked surprised.

Long Hu's expression darkened. He gritted his teeth but said nothing because he didn't want to make trouble for anyone here.

Only he knew just how much his right arm was hurting and burning like hell!

Rodey took a step forward, but Cocoa didn't let him. "Arf!"

He was almost ready to attack him. Rodey narrowed his eyes.

Ying Yue gasped from her side in pain. Rodey stiffened a bit, and he took another step, but Cocoa wasn't letting him. He was keeping his guard like an immovable wall.

And now Rodey was getting pissed off. 

"Get him off my way. He is pissing me off."

Chu Jie trembled. He felt something different about this man that made him more scared than those guards before.

"C-cocoa…"

"Arf! Arf!"

Ying Yue weakly raised her hand and patted his fur. Cocoa withdrew his threatening stance, but his hawk-like sight didn't leave Rodey. It was as if he was warning him, 'One wrong step and ima claw your throat.'

Rodey sneered.

He bent over Ying Yue's side and saw her pale condition. It was as if all the color faded away from her. His gaze dimmed, and once again, that strange fury erupted in this chest.

Why! Why can I not see her like that!? It's so annoying.

He took a deep breath. "You knew I was there, right? Watching everything."

Ying Yue quietly stared at him. "Yes."

"Why didn't you call me?"

"I…" her brows furrowed in pain, "didn't want to get you in trouble…"

Rodey tilted his head and didn't know what to think about this species. Yes, species. She almost felt like an alien to him.

"And you are still thinking about me when you are in this pathetic state? Should I say that you are a fool?"

"You already k-killed one of your men to protect me. T-that is…*cough* enough. I understood that you... didn't want to let them know that we already know each other…"

Rodey narrowed his eyes. "And that doesn't affect you? Do you hate me now?" He sneered. "I didn't do anything but let them do as they please."

Ying Yue faintly smiled. "I don't expect you to...betray them for me. I don't mean anything to you. I know that."

He froze. For a moment, he was almost going to say something. He didn't know what. But, he felt a strong resistance in his chest.

His fingers curled into a tight fist, and if there had been a punching bag, he would have already shredded and broken it into pieces. Such was the frustration he was going through.

Rodey combed his hair through his fingers once, feeling irritated.

Chu Jie and Long Hu had no idea what was going on. They were still shocked to see Ying Yue calmly talking to such a scary man as if he was her friend. 

"Okay, now listen, babe. I will get you out of here."

"But I told you-"

"Yeah yeah, shut up already." Rodey glared at the rest of them in disdain.

Chu Jie and Long Hu shifted a little back in fear, but Cocoa fearlessly matched him with his equally dangerous glare.

"Grrr…" 

"I will take them out too."

Everybody widened their eyes.

"W-what?"

His jaw tightened. "What what? You won't fucking leave without them, right?"

Rodey was annoyed and angry as hell.

Ying Yue said, "Y-yes but…"

"So. I. Will. Take. Them. Out. Too." He said while grinding his teeth hard. If he had to help them escape just to take Ying Yue out, then so be it.

Chu Jie whispered in disbelief. "Y-you will help us out? Really?"

His heart was bursting with excitement.

"Shut it, kid. I am not talking to you." Rodey growled.

Chu Jie froze and quietly withdrew with a sulky face.

"Arf." Cocoa barked.

Rodey said, "I will do something. Just stay put until then and keep your mouths shut."

Ying Yue was still in a daze.

Was he really accomodating her request?

"Why…?"

"I don't have to answer you anything. Just don't mess up anything when I let you out of here."

She pursed her lips. She really wanted to know his answer. She wanted to know what he was thinking about her. 

Was he ready to betray his gang because of her?

That made her nervous for him but also excited at the prospect that perhaps...he saw her differently. Maybe she really had a tiny place in his life.

Long Hu asked, "But, how will you do it? There are guards…"

"That is my problem, bastard. Don't make me waste my breath on you." He sneered. "You look after your messy arm."

His eyebrow twitched in displeasure, but he couldn't retort.

Rodey got up but slightly frowned.

Ying Yue asked, "Is it your injury? Is it still hurting?"

Well, what would he say that he got a new one by Luo Zhiqiang when he killed Duan Deming?

"None of your business," he coldly said, "Look after your own and then talk."

He stepped out and lit a cigarette. He puffed a long drag and was just silently watching the e.pty space ahead.

He didn't know what he was going to do to let them out. But, he knew one thing for sure that he would definitely take Ying Yue out of here.

He chuckled to himself.

Going against the Boss?

It was akin to suicide. That was a death wish. There were chances that he could die if he got exposed.

But, he didn't feel scared of it. He just wanted to see Ying Yue free.

'There is still 1% goodness in you.'

He could die. And he was ready to take that chance.

Just for that woman who made him believe that there was still a semblance of something left inside him that made him human.

He wasn't a monster.