Chapter 54 Partners Amidst Turmoil
The two of them made their way through the darkening city while carrying the old aluminum pot.
Qi Xia never imagined that a city without lights could feel more oppressive than the wilderness. After only a few minutes of walking, the sky darkened to the point where it seemed as if it had been soaked in ink, suffocatingly still and eerily quiet.
"Creak creak, chirp chirp—"
The incessant rustling of insects echoed around them, heightening Qi Xia's unease and fraying his nerves.
"Lin Qin, are you still there?" Qi Xia inquired.
"I'm here," Lin Qin replied. "Slow down, and be careful not to trip."
"We can't afford to slow down," Qi Xia said, glancing at the darkening sky. "The path is still somewhat visible, but we need to reach the convenience store as soon as possible. Hold onto my clothes."
Lin Qin nodded, her hand gripping the fabric of Qi Xia's shirt as they pressed forward.
As they crossed the plaza and headed east, a faint light appeared in the distance, glowing from within a building.
That had to be the convenience store.
"A fire..." Lin Qin murmured, puzzled. "How did they manage to find the supplies to start one?"
As she spoke, a thought struck her—she remembered the female shop assistant in the convenience store. When they had first encountered her, she had a fire going for cooking. The fire source must have been borrowed from her.
The two made their way toward the fire's glow in the darkness and finally reached the entrance of the convenience store.
What caught them off guard, however, was the absence of the ox-headed figure that had previously been stationed in the restaurant across from the convenience store.
"Police Officer Li, Lawyer Zhang, are you there?" Lin Qin called out tentatively. "Xiao Ran, Doctor Zhao?"
There was unmistakable movement inside the store, but no one responded.
Lin Qin started to move forward to investigate, but Qi Xia quickly stopped her. "Stay back. I'll go in first," he whispered.
With the persistent creaking and chirping of insects in the background, the two cautiously entered the store.
The moment Qi Xia stepped through the doorway, a wooden board came hurtling toward him. Luckily, he was on guard and swiftly dodged backward, barely evading the potentially lethal impact.
"Ah!" Lin Qin cried out in alarm, rushing to steady Qi Xia. "Are you alright?"
It was then that they noticed the assailant was none other than Doctor Zhao, with Xiao Ran standing directly behind him.
Doctor Zhao’s gaze shifted between Qi Xia and Lin Qin, and he forced a strained smile as he said, "Ah, it’s you two... I thought you were someone else."
Qi Xia scrutinized the pair with a look of bewilderment.
Doctor Zhao stood clad only in his lab coat, which he clutched around himself like a makeshift cloak. His bare feet and distinctly strained demeanor suggested he had been caught unprepared.
Xiao Ran, behind him, appeared equally disheveled. Her hair was in disarray, her clothes were rumpled, and her makeup was smeared.
Together, they resembled a couple who had just been caught in the act.
While Qi Xia grasped the general scenario, the specifics of how it came to be eluded him.
"Qi—Qi Xia, please don't jump to conclusions," Doctor Zhao said with a strained smile. "Xiao Ran mentioned she might be injured; I'm simply examining her body."
"Stop trying to explain!" Xiao Ran interjected, nudging Doctor Zhao with her elbow. "With that stammering, are you even a man?"
Qi Xia shook his head. "I have no interest in your personal affairs. Where are Officer Li and Lawyer Zhang?"
"Ah..." Doctor Zhao's awkward smile reappeared. "They went out to survey the area earlier today and haven't returned yet."
"What?" Qi Xia's brow furrowed. "They haven't come back yet?"
The darkness had fully enveloped the surroundings. Given that Police Officer Li had mentioned he would be investigating the nearby area, it was highly improbable that the two would be staying outside overnight.
Their continued absence raised unsettling possibilities—were they dead?
Or could it be that these two were lying?
Qi Xia cautiously entered the building, his gaze sweeping over the interior.
Despite the generally filthy state of the place, there were no fresh bloodstains or evident signs of a struggle.
A faint bonfire flickered in the room, casting eerie shadows, while the lifeless body of Han Yimo lay nearby, adding to the unsettling and mysterious atmosphere.
Qi Xia turned his gaze back to the two, their uneasy expressions betraying a sense of guilt. He asked, "Aren’t you all part of the same team? It’s dark now, and they still haven’t returned. How can you two remain so indifferent and even indulging in frivolous activities?"
Doctor Zhao shifted uncomfortably. "There’s no point in worrying at this stage. It's already so dark that any search would be futile. We can only wait until morning."
Xiao Ran interjected angrily, "Why is it your concern? Since when did it become your responsibility to worry about our team?"
Ignoring her outburst, Qi Xia proceeded to the staff lounge and carefully opened the door.
Inside, the female shop assistant was huddled in the corner, facing the wall and murmuring incoherent words.
It was evident she had remained in that position, motionless, throughout the entire ordeal.
Qi Xia closed the door and turned his attention back to Doctor Zhao, who was arguably the only one here with whom he could still communicate rationally.
"Is the {Dào} still here?" Qi Xia inquired.
Doctor Zhao's expression shifted to one of defensiveness. "Qi Xia, what are you and Lin Qin doing here?"
"I’m here to request the {Dào} that was stored here earlier today," Qi Xia explained. "I intend to borrow it and will ensure it is returned, along with an additional amount as compensation."
"Borrow?" Doctor Zhao hesitated, then glanced at Qi Xia’s disheveled attire, which bore smudges of dirt and blood. "Where are your own {Dào}? Where is that hoodlum and prostitute?"
"They have names," Lin Qin interjected sharply. "Please refrain from referring to them in such a manner."
"Oh..." Doctor Zhao responded with a dismissive nod.
"Why try to play a saint after sinning..." Xiao Ran adjusted her disheveled attire and stepped forward. "Did they die after participating in a game?"
Qi Xia nodded slightly with a solemn look. "More or less."
"Ha!" Xiao Ran's laughter was tinged with scorn. "Didn’t you swear to collect three thousand six hundred {Dào} and leave this place? Now that you've caused the death of your teammates, you come here wanting to borrow ours?"
Upon hearing this, Qi Xia lifted his eyes to scrutinize the woman. With a veneer of calm, he remarked, "Though the situation may appear as you described, I would advise you to reconsider your stance before things escalate further."
Doctor Zhao quickly intervened to defuse the tension. "Let’s move past this and discuss things rationally..."
Turning to Qi Xia, he continued, "It’s not that we’re unwilling to lend you the {Dào}. The truth is, Police Officer Li took it with him."
"Took it with him?" Qi Xia echoed.
"Yes," Doctor Zhao confirmed, gesturing toward the restaurant across the street. "After you left, Police Officer Li and Lawyer Zhang went there to participate in that game. They appeared to have won and then went elsewhere with the {Dào}."
Qi Xia directed his gaze towards the location indicated by Doctor Zhao and soon detected something amiss. "What do you mean by {appeared to have} won? You were in such close proximity, yet you are unsure of their outcome?"
Doctor Zhao's expression tightened as he offered a strained laugh. "Well... Initially, Xiao Ran was opposed to them taking the {Dào} out. However, Officer Li was adamant about investigating the situation, leading to a disagreement between them. As a result, our communication broke down, and we no longer concerned ourselves with their actions. After all, who would willingly accompany them on such a suicide mission..."
"No longer...concerned with their actions?"
Qi Xia’s eyes widened with shock, and without a moment’s hesitation, he seized Doctor Zhao's collar with fierce intensity.
Xiao Ran, startled by the sudden aggression, lunged towards Qi Xia. With a swift motion, Qi Xia sidestepped and tripped her, causing her to crash to the filthy ground, literally causing her to {eat shit}.
Taking a deep breath, Qi Xia addressed Doctor Zhao with palpable anger. "I extended courtesy to you all out of respect for Police Officer Li, yet you’ve callously abandoned him?!"