Chapter 143: Thirteen Stabs

Seeing the two abandon him completely, and with Chen Ling appearing at the same time, a look of despair appeared in Zuo Tong’s eyes.

But when he saw Chen Ling ignore him and chase after Brother Jing and the other, a spark of hope for survival rose in his heart... As long as Chen Ling didn’t kill him, he still had a chance to live!

Zhao Yi withdrew his gaze from Chen Ling’s back and looked down at his feet. Zuo Tong was still gritting his teeth and struggling with him, his face full of the desire to survive.

“Let me go... I beg you, let me go!” Zuo Tong’s face was pale, without a trace of blood. “I didn’t mean to kill your dad... I, I just... I know I was wrong... Let me go, and I’ll give you my spot to enter Aurora City! Really!”

The spot to enter Aurora City was Zuo Tong’s most important possession and the only bargaining chip he had. Entering Aurora City was certainly important, but if he died here now, what was the point of having the spot?

The spot to enter Aurora City meant a way to survive and a bright future. He didn’t believe that Zhao Yi, a commoner, could resist such a temptation.

Zhao Yi narrowed his eyes. “You want to live?”

“Yes!!”

“Alright then.” Zhao Yi said chillingly. “If you can take thirteen stabs from me, I’ll let you go.”

As the words fell, Zhao Yi broke free from Zuo Tong’s hands, and the blade stabbed down violently into Zuo Tong’s lower abdomen!

“That’s the second stab.”

The sharp pain made Zuo Tong’s body curl up like a shrimp. He released Zhao Yi’s hands weakly and screamed in agony.

Zhao Yi pulled the blade out, and crimson blood dripped onto Zuo Tong’s body along the blade. Before he could react, it plunged into his ribs again!

“Third stab!”

Warm blood splattered onto Zhao Yi’s face. His eyes were bloodshot. He was no longer the street thug from Frost Street, but an avenger from hell.

After Zhao Yi stabbed him several times, Zuo Tong had completely lost the ability to resist. Zhao Yi’s stabs weren’t aimed at vital points, so even after taking so many, Zuo Tong didn’t die, just turned deathly pale.

Eight, nine, ten, eleven...

Zhao Yi roared, plunging the blade that had taken his father’s life into his enemy’s body, one stab after another. Zuo Tong screamed in pain, and his movements didn’t stop for a second. When the blade was pulled out for the twelfth time, Zuo Tong was already gasping for his last breath.

“One... left.” Zuo Tong looked at Zhao Yi with his only remaining eye, begging. “Let... me... go...”

“Let you go?” Zhao Yi panted heavily. He raised the short blade high and said, word by word,

“You dog, did you... let my dad go back then?”

The blood-colored short blade fell mercilessly.

The blade pierced directly into Zuo Tong’s throat, and blood gushed out. His windpipe was severed, and Zuo Tong widened his eyes, stopping breathing a moment later.

After the last stab, Zhao Yi seemed to have lost all his strength, lying on the snow to the side. Blood also flowed from his wounds, staining the white snow below bit by bit...

This was the first time Zhao Yi had killed someone. Aside from feeling a bit nauseous, he felt more of the pleasure of having his revenge.

Just then, as if remembering something, he gritted his teeth and climbed up from the ground, spitting a large mouthful of saliva onto Zuo Tong’s corpse!

“Go to hell!”

Zhao Yi had just turned around when he saw a red-clad figure standing calmly beside him.

“Chen Ling... I did it!” Zhao Yi said weakly. “I avenged my dad... thirteen stabs, I returned them all!”

Chen Ling didn’t answer. He looked at the sky above. In the dim night, there was no trace of any stars shining...

“...Yeah.” After a long time, Chen Ling withdrew his gaze. “You did well.”

Zhao Yi felt he should smile, but he couldn’t. He looked at the corpse on the ground with thirteen stabs, pressed his lips together, and fell silent.

All the enforcers on the train had been hunted down one by one by Chen Ling. He walked back along the tracks toward the train.

A figure was holding a steel sword, stumbling toward him.

“Chen Ling...”

Xi Renjie had actually broken free from the steel sword pinned to the carriage, which was something Chen Ling hadn’t expected.

"I said it before: you spared me once, and I will spare you once." Chen Ling looked at the pale figure and spoke calmly. "I've killed everyone else. There's no point in you coming after me now."

Xi Renjie looked at the corpses strewn about, a trace of bitterness appearing in his eyes. Ever since Chen Ling had nailed him to the train, he had already foreseen this outcome.

"Chen Ling... I have one last question." Xi Renjie said hoarsely.

"Speak."

"In your eyes, was everything I did... completely wrong?"

Xi Renjie stared at him, his eyes filled with endless struggle and confusion. Reflected in his pupils were the desperate flames of the Third District, the ground littered with the bodies of Enforcers, and the black railway line that stretched all the way to Aurora City.

Chen Ling was silent for a long time before speaking slowly:

"It’s not a matter of right or wrong, just a difference in stance."

Hearing this answer, Xi Renjie instinctively retorted: "Then what is your stance? Is it Aurora City? Or the people of the Third District?"

"Whether it's Aurora City or the common people, who is right or wrong, how many will die, or who deserves to die—none of that has any meaning to me..." Chen Ling paused for a moment. "It’s like a play that has nothing to do with me. No matter how you struggle or slaughter each other, there is only one ending to my script..."

"Reverse the era, restart the world."

Xi Renjie was slightly stunned, then smiled helplessly.

"I almost forgot... you're with the Twilight Society."

Having received the answer he wanted, Xi Renjie seemed to feel much lighter. He took a deep breath and, without lingering, picked up his blood-stained steel sword and walked alone into the thick fog.

This time, he had no train, and no accompanying Enforcers... He would have to rely on his own two feet to walk to Aurora City.

Just then, Chen Ling's voice suddenly rang out:

"Pass a message to Aurora City for me."

Xi Renjie stopped and looked back in confusion.

Chen Ling, dressed in red, stood in the thin mist, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly.

"They want to keep me out, but I won't have it their way... Tell Aurora City that I, Chen Ling, will definitely pay them a personal visit."