After saying that, Jiang Cheng voluntarily walked to the stone door. He just took two steps when he turned around to tell Chen Ran, “Isn’t Brother Chen going to come with me?”
Chen Ran licked his lips and smiled, “If Brother Hao removes his hands from his pockets, then I might go with you.”
Jiang Cheng thought about it and grumbled, “Is that so?” He slowly pulled his hand out. A dagger with a wooden hilt was hidden under his wrist. Chen Ran couldn’t help but smile. Jiang Cheng also smiled. The two handsome men looked at each other and smiled in the dim room. The flame reflected their shadows on the wall. As the wind picked up, their shadows flickered. It even felt flirtatious.
“Don’t mind this.” Jiang Cheng worked his shoulders and waved the dagger around, “Su Xiaoxiao gifted me this because she had a crush on me and didn’t hope something bad would happen to me.”
Chen Ran narrowed his eyes. Then, he asked, “Do you two… know each other before this?”
“No.” Jiang Cheng shook his head. His eyes shone, “It was just a quick romance. Brother Chen is not familiar with my personality.” He leaned forward and acted mysteriously, “I don’t like women who are too forward. I prefer them to be more passive.” He swallowed before adding, “It’s the same for men.”
Chen Ran eventually nodded. “Understood.”
Jiang Cheng widened his eyes in shock. “What do you understand? Do you…” His mouth opened, and his eyes wandered over Chen Ran’s body.
After some time, Chen Ran said, “Is Brother Hao not going to consider my suggestion anymore?”
Chen Ran took a deep breath. Then, he slowly pulled his hands out of his pockets, “In that case, I shall not trouble Brother Hao anymore.” He smiled, “Looks like it’s easier for me to deal with both of you at once.”
When Chen Ran opened his hands, Jiang Cheng looked awkward. He saw Chen Ran had daggers hidden in both of his hands. Their quality and craftsmanship were much better than the one he had.
“Wait!” Right before Chen Ran attacked, Jiang Cheng suddenly caved. “I have a suggestion!” He said judiciously, “I think we’re both great men who are rare in this world. Therefore, I suggest we drop our weapons. What do you think of bare-fisted combat?” Jiang Cheng hollered, “Let us solve this issue in the manliest manner.”
Chen Ran ignored him and kept attacking. He had studied under a master who researched the Hashashin thrust technique. Therefore, he had a great mastery of timing and strength. On the day of his graduation duel, he blinded his teacher. He still remembered his teacher lying on the ground in a pool of blood. He said that death was the final refuge of an assassin. He thanked his beloved student for only destroying his eyes.
“Goodbye.” Chen Ran bowed before he left his master’s dojo.
He was very confident in dealing with Jiang Cheng. However, he preferred watching friends and families kill each other. He liked to watch their hesitation after they heard his suggestions. They were like pitiful prey. They needed to learn fear and how to bow to life.
His understanding of correctional was simple and effective. He never tried to convert them with words. He didn’t have the time or the patience. He was more used to using physical methods to crush their bodies, spirits and souls. Rebirth is only possible in destruction.
He never banked on the man before him to betray his teammate. That was merely a test he set up to see how much surprise the man could bring him. Chen Ran sensed something special in the man. Chen Ran grinned wider. It was the taste of Deep Red. He had the potential to be a Disciple.
As they crossed swords, the man who called himself Hao Shuai gave him more surprises. He had great strength, but his mastery of the dagger was clearly not there.
The scale of victory had been decided from the start. It was merely more troublesome for Chen Ran. He very kindly left behind wounds on the latter’s arms and legs. The last cut was on his face. It was not deep, but it was enough for blood to leak out.
His coat fluttered open. Chen Ran handsomely pulled his daggers back. Around his waist were sheaths for daggers.
“Brother Hao,” Chen Ran turned to smile at Jiang Cheng, “You still have the chance to consider my earlier suggestion.” His smile warmed, “Our deal still stands.”
Jiang Cheng leaned against the wall. He was not heavily injured but that was because Chen Ran had been holding back. His right hand that held the dagger trembled. The wound on his right hand accurately sliced through the muscles he used to hold the dagger.
Chen Ran tilted his head at him. His pretty eyes seemed to speak.
“Can you give me a moment?” Jiang Cheng coughed twice as if his throat were caught. “Just ten minutes.”
Chen Ran shook his head lightly, “No.”
“Then… Five minutes?”
“Not even one minute.” Chen Ran regarded him and sighed, “Brother Hao, you need to make a choice now. You have to be the lab rat or the big brother outside.” He smiled, “Stop hoping that the big brother will come to save you. He probably is in more than enough trouble himself.”
“You mean the paintings you left on the ground outside, right?” Jiang Cheng gasped for air. “You can give up on that. I’ve ruined those paintings. Because you used the fuel here to make the paintings, he might be trapped in illusions, but not for long.” Jiang Cheng felt pain trying to straighten his arm, so he tipped his chin at the flame in the centre.
“It’s about time.” The next second, Jiang Cheng suddenly straightened his waist and spoke to Chen Ran confidently, “Are you not satisfied to lose to me, the great Hao Shuai?”