"Dad, there’s a parent-teacher meeting next Friday afternoon. Will you be able to come then?"
I jolted back to reality, my eyes snapping open as the sharp pain in my neck pierced through the haze; I couldn’t afford to surrender to despair.
Though the seat reclined slowly, I was now fully supine, rendering Zhang Huanan’s grip less effective. From this angle, he struggled to maintain his hold, forced to shift back.
As the seat settled, I felt around with my left hand until I found another button. Pressing this button would gradually cause the entire seat to slide backward.
"You motherf—" Zhang Huanan grunted, his words cut off as the seat pushed him further back, stripping him of any room to maneuver.
I finally broke free from the wire’s grip, a dull ache radiating from my throat. But this was a matter of life and death; anything less than fatal was merely a superficial wound. In a flash, I raised my handgun and turned around, but the darkness enveloped me, my mind still struggling to regain clarity after the suffocation.
Relying on sound and instinct, I aimed the gun straight ahead, prepared to confront Zhang Huanan.
Suddenly, the entire car began to shake violently.
I had never encountered such an event after living in Inner Mongolia for over thirty years. This tremor was so intense that it left me even more disoriented, making it increasingly difficult to regain my balance.
After firing two shots that rang out into the darkness but found no mark, Zhang Huanan suddenly sprang to life, seizing my hand with an iron grip.
Having sparred with him in the past, I knew he wasn’t particularly strong, but each of his movements was insidious and calculated. With one hand, he pressed down on my handgun while his other hand reached for my left pinky finger, viciously twisting it once he gained a hold.
Caught off guard by this maneuver, I instinctively recoiled my left hand. In that split second, my vision finally returned, revealing Zhang Huanan pulling a hammer from seemingly nowhere.
Before I could react, the hammer soared toward my head with terrifying speed.
In an instant, the world spun around me, as if my very soul were about to detach from my body. I recognized this disorientation as the precursor to fainting; these seconds would be my last chance.
The car began to slide erratically due to the violent tremors of the earthquake. Through the window, I glimpsed buildings on either side of the alley collapsing, cracks spreading across their facades, and even the distant sky seeming to fissure…
Wait… was the sky splitting open?
Before I could fully process this surreal image, Zhang Huanan swung the hammer down again, and I barely managed to dodge the blow.
Regaining my focus, I realized that if I didn’t eliminate Zhang Huanan here and now, he would undoubtedly take Xuanxuan's life. Countless others would fall victim to his schemes. Even if it meant my own demise, I had to drag Zhang Huanan down to hell with me.
I thrust my finger fiercely into Zhang Huanan's eye, feeling a surge of warmth as it penetrated his eyeball.
He let out a piercing howl of agony, instinctively releasing his grip on the gun. Without hesitation, I aimed squarely at his chest and pulled the trigger.
The bullet ripped through his lung with a sickening precision, but before I could revel in that fleeting triumph, the hammer swung back with vicious intent—this time, at my temple.
In the ensuing chaos, I lost all sense of direction. Whether it was the violent tremors of the earthquake or the blinding impact to my head, I couldn’t discern. I desperately wanted to fire again, but my balance was utterly compromised.
Darkness engulfed me, and I had no idea where my body would collapse.
The hammer continued its merciless assault against my skull, but strangely, I felt nothing beyond a distant numbness. Warm liquid soaked my eyes, blurring my vision, and I could hear the dull {thudding} echoing within my skull, a morbid drumbeat of impending doom.
Everything was shaking; everything was breaking.
A deafening cacophony surged from the distance, reminiscent of crashing waves—screams, cries, the sounds of colliding vehicles, and the thunderous collapse of buildings erupted all at once.
No—I couldn’t afford to die yet. I had to settle the score with Zhang Huanan and then break free to save others.
I needed to call the team for backup. Lives depended on immediate action; every second wasted amidst the chaos of an earthquake was a second that jeopardized precious rescue efforts.
It was my duty; I couldn't just stand by and do nothing…
But would I even survive this?
Am I even alive right now?
When I opened my eyes again, I found myself facing nine strangers.
The room resembled an interrogation chamber, but we never prepared a round table for such settings. A circular table doesn't evoke a sense of pressure; instead, it fosters a feeling of togetherness and comfort. That’s why interrogation rooms typically feature square tables, while dining tables are round.
At first, I thought this was yet another one of Zhang Huanan's twisted tricks… But upon reflection, it struck me: both of us should have been dead.
I reached up to touch my head; the skull felt slightly indented, but there was no sign of bleeding. My fingers then glided along my neck, discovering a sharp pain. It seemed the injuries I sustained were still present, yet I hadn’t succumbed to death.
What exactly is happening?
Trauma to the neck and skull are typically fatal, yet here I sat, remarkably intact. I could see, hear, and even feel the wounds on my body.
A veteran from the precinct had once told me that when a person dies, they experience a swift recollection of their life—like an old film reel flashing through. But I didn’t recognize any of the nine strangers before me. Each face was unfamiliar, their expressions mirroring my own confusion as they scanned the room.
So this wasn’t a rapid recollection; perhaps I was trapped in some bizarre dream?
A minute later, a figure clad in a goat mask ruthlessly executed someone, and in that harrowing moment, I understood my duty. Even if this was a strange dream, or if I had somehow descended into hell, my purpose remained unfulfilled.
I can continue repaying my debts here; I needed to eradicate those evildoers and rescue all the innocent souls. This time, I would not hesitate, nor would I allow myself to regret my choices. I am a police officer, and even in this surreal landscape, I would honor my obligations.
To my surprise, the identity I drew was that of a {Liar}, plunging me into a moral dilemma. Should I prioritize the lives of the innocent or focus on surviving long enough to personally eliminate that masked psychopath?
After a few seconds of internal struggle, clarity washed over me—never succumb to the suspect’s manipulation. He wanted us to turn on one another, but I was determined to save everyone.
As long as we all survived, there remained a flicker of hope.
Regrettably, even if I were to emerge victorious in this game, there would be no path back to the life I once knew.
I could no longer face Xuanxuan; all that awaited me was the unyielding judgment of the law.
Thus, my journey must end here.
Life offers no second chances, and I cannot alter my past.
Regrettably, I don’t even have a cigarette in my pocket, nor did I bring the lighter that Xuanxuan bought with her pocket money. The days ahead promise to be incredibly tough— If only I could indulge in just one more DCXC.
So let me complete what I must do, then depart quietly.
My name is Li Shangwu.
I shall now distort the truth.