But that was not the end.

Li Shaoling plunged the entire blade into his shoulder, and twisted.

And twisted again.

"It hurts!"

Mo Nanfeng's eyes were bulging in the agony. Not daring to even breathe, his face went pale-white, while all his tears and snot flowed freely and pathetically.

Still holding the hilt, Li Shaoling twisted it in the other direction again before viciously sticking it deeper, spluttering blood everywhere.

His smile was cruel and frightening. "How is it? This amount of strength?"

Mo Nanfeng was beside himself with fear. He surrendered, even as his entire body convulsed in pain and he felt as if he was nearing death.

"Spare… spare me…"

"Spare you?" Li Shaoling's lips curled into a ruthless angle. "You touched my woman. I would have you begging for death!"

Li Shaoling started turning the knife again, stirring blood and flesh as the blade sc.r.a.ped bone with an unsettling song.

Be that as it may, he looked even more bloodthirsty, his smile withholding excitement like a cold-blooded tyrant.

No longer able to stand it, Mo Nanfeng's eyes rolled into his head and he fainted.

Only then did Li Shaoling shove him off in disgust and walked to Ji Weixi.

She had seen how he punished Mo Nanfeng from start to finish, and felt for the first time that Li Shaoling was absolutely frightening.

How could he smile while torturing someone?

In fact, as Li Shaoling held the knife dripping with blood and came ever closer, he looked no different from a vampire.

Ji Weixi's eyes tightened and her entire body turned cold. She shrank in fear, but couldn't move since she was still bound.

Li Shaoling then stopped in front of her, and when he lifted the knife, she shrank her shoulders and closed her eyes in fright.

There was no pain, however—only the ropes tying her hands were cut off, and both her sore arms dropped.

Li Shaoling then undid her other shackles before stretching out his arms, wanting to hug her. 

"Don't… don't come…"

Ji Weixi backed away in fear with an alarmed look and bristling.

She was s.h.i.+vering a litter, while her face and forehead were bruised.

Even so, she looked at him as if she did not know him, and like she was looking at a serial killer.

"Phew."

Still, Li Shaoling freed his fingers then, dropping the knife as his gaze turned sympathetic. "Good girl. Come here."

Ji Weixi was still curling up into a ball, afraid of him.

Still, he knew that she was in shock, like a hurt little rabbit that wanted nothing more than hiding in a corner and lick its wounds. He hence walked up to her and dropped to a crouch, taking her firmly into his arms even as she kept pulling back.

She was shaking badly and her body was very cold.

His embraced hence tightened, covering her with whatever warmth he had left in him.

d.a.m.n it.

He had told her that he would protect her, that she would never be hurt.

But she was.

He really wanted to commit double suicide with her and die together right then—that way, no one could bother them anymore.

Meanwhile, Ji Weixi had stopped shaking when she felt his warmth. He might smell of blood, but she was familiar with that scent.

She slowly reached out and held his waist, before putting his face on his chest while her tears poured like the rain.

The tight feeling in her chest finally came loose, and all her staunchness came undone immediately.

"Li Shaoling…" She quietly stifled her sobbing. "Li Shaoling…"

She could no longer resist him.

Li Shaoling held her tightly, rubbing his chin over her hair and tenderly coaxed her. "Good girl. I'm here."

Ji Weixi let him go even as she cried. Gulping and rubbing her own tears away, she did not want him to see her shameless state.

Suddenly, she felt a hand on her cheek and a coolness on her lips.

She froze.

Li Shaoling had carefully kissed her like she was a precious treasure.

His tenderness was unrestrained; his sentiment was overflowing.

She could not help putting her hands over his neck and kiss back.

Li Shaoling stiffened too, before his tenderness soon grew violent as he wanted nothing more than to bestow his love upon her.

A rare ray of sun shone inside the dark, abandoned factory too.

It quietly showered over them, beautifully outlining the side of their faces like a piece of art.

"Hey now, please notice my existence, you two!"

An impatient voice called out, interrupting their loving.

Ji Weixi shoved Li Shaoling then, her cheeks going red in embarra.s.sment.

He, however, kept her in his arms and shot a cold look towards the voice.

A man had gotten out of the white racing car.

Dressed in full racing gear, he then took off his helmet, letting lose his short blonde hair. He also wore a black punk nail on his right ear and had a tattoo of the sun behind his neck—even his facial features looked wild and self-indulgent.

Lian Yuming, twenty-five.

Elite racer, Dakar Rally champion for three consecutive years.

The Dakar Rally was a race like no other—the most dangerous compet.i.tion there is, billions would watch it annually because of the danger and challenge it poses.

Each circuit stretched over hundreds of miles and lasted three days.

And Lian Yuming hence became a genius young racer famed both inside and outside the racing world.

Shaking his hair for a bit, he then lifted a bow. "How are things? Did I get here in time?"

Li Shaoling sneered. "They would all be dead if I waited for you."

"…Bro, come on. You got the lady, why even ask for me? Really…"

"You're half an hour late. I wouldn't have been hurt if you came on time." Li Shaoling coldly said while helping Ji Weixi up.

Lian Yuming looked just a little guilty then. "Oh, but… some dude cut in front of me on the highway! My professionalism kicked in so I raced him. Still, I won!

"Sister-in-law!" He exclaimed in excitement when he saw Ji Weixi, and walked up to shake her hand.

Still, he stopped immediately after a frightening look from Li Shaoling, and could only watch her hopefully.

"h.e.l.lo, I'm Lian Yuming!"

Ji Weixi found him familiar, but it still took her some time to remember. "You're that rally racer?"

"That's me!" Lian Yuming laughed wildly.

Li Shaoling's face darkened and he asked her. "You two know each other?"

Ji Weixi shook her head. "I've only seen him on television."

***

"Urgh…"

Mo Nanfeng woke up.

He s.h.i.+fted his body but immediately gritted his teeth in pain. Still, he tried to sit up even though he saw that his shoulder was still bleeding.

That said, he recovered quite timely.

Ji Weixi let go of Li Shaoling's hand and strode up to him.

Mo Nanfeng stared blankly at the long legs in front of him for a while before slowly looking up.

Ji Weixi was looking coldly down upon him with a cold face just like an empress.

"Weixi…"

"Don't even mention my name. Disgusting!"

All her sympathy towards him having vanished, Ji Weixi put her high heel sharply down his wound.