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Kapitel 20

He now understood why the executioner had given him the choice. While the fairness of the choice was questionable, at least one thing was certain: the man under the guillotine died because of his choice.

He didn't want to kill, and the executioner promised not to force him to do anything he didn't want to do. The executioner kept his promise, but he couldn't assume the killing was unrelated to him just because his hands weren't stained with blood, even though it was all arranged by the executioner—no matter what his choice was, that man was bound to die by the butcher's knife.

What terrified Yang Zheng even more was the exhilarating pleasure he felt as the guillotine fell. It was as if what he had been searching for had finally appeared before his eyes. He closed his eyes, the bloody light still swirling before them. He truly felt fear, and vaguely sensed an evil force lurking in the room. These were his enemies, slowly taking over his body.

He let out a low scream, staggered to his feet, and rushed to the door. Just then, Luo Bin came out of the bathroom, covering his mouth. Yang Zheng saw the same fear in his eyes.

Neither of them spoke, but when Yang Zheng opened the door, they seemed to understand each other perfectly, quickly leaving and heading towards the elevator. At that moment, they both began to regret their actions and vowed that after leaving this place, they would never have anything to do with this executioner again.

The corridor was quiet; there wasn't even a waiter in sight. The two reached the elevator, which was stopped on the first floor. While waiting for it to arrive, music suddenly started playing from Yang Zheng's phone again.

It turned out that Yang Zheng was so nervous that he kept holding the phone tightly in his hand.

The two exchanged a glance. Luo Bin frantically pounded on the elevator buttons, as if that would help him avoid the ringing. Yang Zheng stiffened, hesitated for a moment, and then slowly raised his phone to his ear.

"It seems a bit of a waste for you to leave now." This time it was a woman's voice on the phone again.

"Us?" Yang Zheng glanced at Luo Bin over there and asked hesitantly.

"Of course it's you. Do you think I don't know you brought your friends today?" The voice on the other end became stern. "I promised you I wouldn't force you to do anything, but you secretly told others about our relationship. Do you think you can just leave now and pretend nothing happened?"

"So what exactly do you want?" Yang Zheng asked in a low, panting voice.

"You have to do one more thing for me tonight," the voice on the phone said.

"No way!" Yang Zheng refused without hesitation. "I will no longer help you kill people."

"You're helping me kill someone?" The voice on the phone carried a hint of mockery. "Do you really think you're helping me? Didn't you feel a sense of pleasure when the guillotine fell? Isn't killing something you've been dreaming of doing for so long?"

“Even if I’ve thought about it, I would never actually kill someone,” Yang Zheng growled.

Laughter rang out again: "Have you really forgotten the past? Do you think that coming to this city will erase your history? If you believe you are innocent, then I have nothing to say."

The elevator arrived, and Luo Bin hurriedly went inside, but Yang Zheng remained by the door.

Yang Zheng remained silent. He wanted to ask who the other person was, but asking would be tantamount to admitting his words.

"No one can change their past, and neither can you. The darkest past isn't necessarily the darkest; what do you have to worry about? Besides, I know what you've been hoping for all this time. I can give you anything you want, so what are you hesitating for?"

Yang Zheng still couldn't speak. Luo Bin, who was in the elevator, was getting very anxious and kept gesturing for Yang Zheng to come in quickly. But then Yang Zheng suddenly turned his back, lowered his voice and said something to his phone. When he turned back, Luo Bin was surprised to find that his expression had calmed down.

"You go, I'll stay," Yang Zheng said.

"You're insane!" Luo Bin whispered.

Yang Zheng smiled sadly: "This matter has nothing to do with you in the first place. If I stay, the judge will let you go."

Luo Bin paused, seemingly realizing something. Yang Zheng stared at him coldly, expressionless. For some reason, Yang Zheng now made him feel a little afraid. He only wanted to leave this place as soon as possible, to leave this place of trouble, and then completely forget what had happened tonight.

The elevator doors slowly closed, blocking Yang Zheng from entering.

Luo Bin had just breathed a sigh of relief when suddenly, a hand swiftly reached through the closing elevator doors. The doors then parted, revealing Yang Zheng's face. He had initially said he would stay, but now it seemed he had changed his mind. Luo Bin naturally wouldn't object to him leaving, but just as he was about to say something, he suddenly saw Yang Zheng holding a stainless steel trash can. Before he could react, the trash can slammed heavily onto his head.

Luo Bin fell to the ground, and the last thing he saw was Yang Zheng's face suddenly turning ferocious.

Yang Zheng stepped forward, picked up Luo Bin, and slowly turned back to the room they had just been in.

Just two minutes earlier, he hadn't even considered harming Luo Bin. But the detective said something to him at the end, something that would change Yang Zheng's entire life.

"If you still want to see Yangmei, then defeat your friend and leave him alone."

Yang Zheng immediately heard a loud bang, and the knot in his heart was instantly untied.

In this world, the only person who knows his secret is Yang Mei. And now, the executioner knows so much about him, so there is only one possibility: Yang Mei has already fallen into the executioner's hands.

Thinking that he hadn't seen Yang Mei for many days and couldn't contact her, Yang Zheng became even more convinced of his judgment.

Therefore, Yang Zheng did not hesitate at all and knocked down Luo Bin just as the elevator doors were about to close.

He couldn't let Yang Mei get hurt, and for that reason, he was willing to hurt anyone, including Luo Bin.

Now, he only hopes that the executioner will keep his promise and allow him to see Yangmei again.

Chapter 14

Where in this city is it safe?

The more Ma Nan thought about it, the more frustrated he became. He had almost no friends in this city, and even if he did, he couldn't send Hongmian and Xiaotong there; that would only implicate others. If he told Qin Ge what was going to happen, Qin Ge might use the police to protect the mother and daughter, but that would put Chu Yan in a very dangerous situation.

“Then let’s build a shelter in our home,” Hongmian said.

Manan knew that a shelter was a common refuge for wealthy Western families. They would build an impregnable small room in their homes so that when danger approached, family members could hide there, buying time to notify the police. There was a movie from the last century called *Panic Room*, which told the story of a mother and daughter who hid in a shelter.

But right now, Manan's house is just an ordinary residential building, so building a refuge room is no easy task.

“The house is unsafe because there are too many doors and windows. If we choose a room and install a security door, then even if someone forces their way in, because that room only has one entrance, we can hide inside and buy time to notify the police,” Hongmian said.

Ma Nan was silent for a while, then made a phone call to order a security door and requested that someone come and install it that day.

Perhaps the security door couldn't really stop the Ba people, but at least at this moment, he had to do something for his wife and daughter.

As darkness fell, the security door was installed. Ma Nan carefully checked all the doors and windows in the house before saying goodbye to his wife and daughter. Although Xiaotong still didn't understand what had happened, she sensed something from her parents' solemn expressions, and as she watched her father's departing figure, her eyes also revealed some worry.

Tieyi Lane got its name from a Ming Dynasty general who was born here. However, the older something is, the more it decays in modern cities. As a result, Tieyi Lane has lost its former glory and, along with Guyi Lane and the refugee street, has become a synonym for the old city and backwardness.

Ma Nan slowly walked down the alley, looking for No. 189. Like the backstreets, Tieyi Alley is actually a small street. Many of the houses along the street have opened their doors and become storefronts, mostly operating businesses related to residents' daily lives, as well as some small hair salons and restaurants. At first glance, it looks messy and disorganized, but it has a strong sense of life.

It's already 9:30 pm, and most of the shops on both sides are closed. Only the hair salons and restaurants are still lit up. The vulgar signs and simple neon lights, along with the barking of dogs from somewhere, make it seem like you've stepped into a small town from another era.