New Bridge of Helplessness

Chapter 16

Boss: So, you mean that the deaths of two of our men were in vain?

Xu Fangfang smiled: "I express my sincere condolences and regret for this misfortune; but we believe everyone can calm down and think of other solutions. After all, the dead cannot be brought back to life."

Boss: This is an extremely inauspicious place, where death is most taboo. Yet they died. A life for a life is only right and proper. What do you think?

Xu Fangfang smiled: There are priorities in everything. The deceased is gone, so what's the point of paying with one's life? Why not consider a better solution?

Boss: Tell me about it.

Xu Fangfang smiled: "Let's talk about cooperation first, then we can discuss other things. Paying with one's life doesn't necessarily equate to compassion. Why not wait until we get out and then have our side pay a large sum of money in return? If we can't get out, or if other unforeseen events occur along the way, the person who was supposed to die will inevitably die as well. What difference would that make from the essence of 'a life for a life'?"

"Hmm...we can consider it..." the boss nodded slowly.

"Boss!" Little Shovel suddenly cried out sharply.

The leader stiffened. Then stiffened again. A chill ran through him. "Xu, Fang, Fang!" He seemed to suddenly awaken from a dream, averting his gaze from Xu Fangfang's smiling face. His expression darkened, and he said sternly, "Murderers die! Otherwise, we will not cooperate!"

Only then did he begin to take Xu Fangfang seriously. He vaguely realized how Xu Fangfang could become the leader of this group despite her foolish behavior.

—Because of a smile.

—A smile that demoralizes and makes anyone feel like they are a loved one.

A smile can make people feel close. But Xu Fangfang's smile can remind people of the closest and most respectable woman in their lives.

It was a smile that encompassed warmth, charm, loveliness, respectability, allure, beauty, grace, sweetness, and irresistibility...

A smile. A terrifying smile. (Thank goodness for Little Shovel.) (Thank goodness for his reminder.) (But why wasn't Little Shovel affected? —Is he terrifying too?) Thus, he grew ever more apprehensive, ever more chilled.

At this moment, the Three Musketeers, the Five-Person Group, and Zhou Lingli's group of nine all turned to look at Zhu Qian, who had been unconscious but had now slowly regained consciousness. Wei Yiyi and An Yingying were also watching. All eleven of them shared the same look in their eyes—blame!

(Why did you kill him? Why did you kill the boss's men?) (If not, wouldn't we be able to get out?) Du Liu sneered. "Alright! Stop playing tricks! We'd be stuck here a long time ago!" He suddenly threw down his backpack, concealing the knife in his wrist, and pulled Xu Fangfang back with his left hand. "Otherwise, we wouldn't have forcibly taken our food and water! You have absolutely no interest in cooperating sincerely!" He stared coldly at the boss. "So-called gentlemen are all true villains! They're just scoundrels!" "Unload the fish, stop acting like a gorilla! You're not qualified to be an actor! ...

A bold and inspiring statement, yet no one responded.

Why die of thirst or hunger? Why not live?

—If the only way to survive is for the killer to die, why don't the killers die?

(It wasn't me who killed him.)

Chen Xing grinned maliciously: "If I kill someone and cause the unfortunate situation of everyone dying, I would rather commit suicide so that everyone can live!" He grinned maliciously and looked coldly at Xu Fangfang, Du Liu, and A Ding, "I suppose this is also your opinion, right?"

His expression suddenly turned serious, and he clenched his fist above his head, as if taking an oath: "Fellow countrymen, we are all passionate young people, seasoned members of the Youth League! During the War of Resistance Against Japan, countless Party members and Youth League members stepped forward and resolutely sacrificed themselves because they did not want to be a burden to everyone! Which of us doesn't keep this glorious tradition in our hearts at all times?! Shouldn't each of us learn from this spirit? —Right?!"

Every word he spoke was righteous, but his face was full of sarcasm.

—This is truly a dark joke, a joke on everyone.

No one answered.

Because this is an unanswerable question.

Saying "yes" means—Zhu Qian, please commit suicide, please be glorious.

If we say it's wrong, what does that mean?

—Zhu Qian, we will live and die together.

Therefore, Xu Fangfang could not answer, Du Liu could not answer, and no one else needed to answer. But everyone looked at Zhu Qian.

Zhu Qian had stopped trembling and was slowly standing up. No one seemed to care when she put her lost shoe back on.

Including herself.

—Sometimes, when we are too familiar with something, is it too easy to overlook it?

Zhu Qian was only looking at one person. Then, that person spoke.

*** *** *** ***

---Magpie Bridge Fairy

Reply [47]: "I am not a member of the group."

"I have not yet joined the Youth League."

"Therefore, I am one of the masses. I am one of the people. And my mentality is the same as that of the 'masses.' I will never sit idly by and watch those who fight and sacrifice for our safety perish. I would rather die myself! Otherwise—if everyone dies for me, how can I escape my predicament and move towards happiness?"

"It is precisely because of this glorious tradition that the people were able to be liberated and our country was able to become a country where the people are the masters!"

"I am willing to preserve this fine tradition. I am willing to represent the people and tell everyone: Resist! I will resist!"

—It's A-Ding

Ding Dada.

He was looking at Chen Xing with disdain. He was also glancing at everyone with a disdainful look. If they could still be called human beings.

My contempt has reached its peak.

He no longer needs to compromise or submit.

Because Tong Rong's breathing had stopped. Tong Rong was dead.

Third, A Ding's Fist, Chen Xing's Kick, Xu Fangfang's Smile, and Du Liu's Knife. A Ding walked slowly and cautiously. He stepped onto the crossroads, bypassing Chen Xing. Then, he placed Tong Rong, whose breathing had stopped and whose body was beginning to cool, on the cold stone ground. This was the third path.

The stone ground was cold and chilly, like black ice.

But what about his heart?

Coldness may be synonymous with hell, and with death.

But what about his heart?

Rong is gone. She has left him. Finally. Her little hands are cold. And A Ding's hands are cold too. He has no tears. In this place, in this environment, in front of this group of people, amidst these events that have already made him unable to shed tears, he has no choice but to shed more.

He carefully laid Tong Rong down, his expressionless eyes fixed on the body that had finally left him, the eyes that had finally abandoned him. Then, he actually pulled out two whole pieces of chocolate from his person and tenderly placed them on Tong Rong's already cold lips. Then came a deep, long gaze.

(Rong, you must have struggled with all your might to escape, right? The food you brought back was for everyone's input, a final redistribution, wasn't it? But Rong, have you considered this—the reason everyone chose you as the distributor was simply because there was no one more suitable, no one truly selfless.) (Rong. Selflessness is admirable. But such people often suffer more. Rong, if you knew that when everyone took out the food and put it together, everyone cleverly left a little bit for themselves—even me! If you knew, what would you think?) (Rong. You're the most foolish. You trusted the kindness of the world too much. But kindness is only limited by certain circumstances. Rong.)

In inevitable desperate situations, kindness can only be a synonym for an early departure from this world—did you know that? (Rong. Perhaps, in the future, some people will shed tears when they talk about you. But how many can truly and sincerely remember you? What is the meaning of remembering? What can it bring? What can it bring back? Rong. Leaving sooner might be better for you. Because you can finally believe that the world is still so beautiful, and you can finally avoid discovering the true ugliness and darkness of human nature. Rest in peace, Rong. If there is an afterlife, don't be kind anymore. Don't be naive anymore. Okay?) (Rong. I will be there soon. We will be together. Forever. Really. Let me accompany you. We will hold hands, walk towards the approaching cave entrance, walk out, and face life with a smile. Okay? Is that alright? —Rong, you said you would wait for me. Over there. You will be waiting for me over there. I will come. I will.) (It won't be long. It really won't. We are all walking on the road to the underworld, all heading towards darkness, towards eternity. It's just a matter of sooner or later, just a matter of faster or slower.) A Ding stood up.

Tong Rong died because of her resistance.

Those who dare to fight against evil forces are precious and respectable. But the indifference and ruthlessness of the world are driving another respectable and precious woman, who dared to resist, toward death.

Before the gentlemen could even make a move, the scoundrels had already killed her.

The will of the virtuous and the petty is surprisingly aligned: to send her into the abyss of death.

He could not stand idly by and watch another person who dared to resist die a brutal and heartless death. Since he was A-Ding, he could only be A-Ding. Even if it was futile, he had to do it, he had to—try!

He walked towards the intersection, towards the eldest brother.

But the eldest brother only glanced at Chen Xing.

*** *** ***

Chen Xing smiled.

“A-Ding, you’re not a member of the Youth League, you haven’t joined because you neither copy other people’s applications nor write your own. And no one wrote it for you. Actually, if you wanted to join, you would have already. Leave the joining to me. When you get back, just…” “Get out of the way!”

“We’re discussing how to resolve this. Why do you have to step in?” Chen Xing put his arm around A Ding’s shoulder like an old friend. “You know, by doing this, you’re actually hurting everyone—do you understand?”

Suddenly, his left foot kicked out.

Swift and silent, the kick aimed viciously at A Ding's groin. Insidious and ruthless, just like his usual actions. But A Ding was prepared; he dodged, his right hand flicking and trembling like a snake as he grabbed Chen Xing's wrist, tossing Chen Xing up and striking him squarely in the chest with his left palm.

But Chen Xing also kicked A Ding. At the same time, his right foot flew up and, using the force of being thrown up, kicked A Ding hard in mid-air on the right shoulder.

The exchange happened in an instant; A Ding was kicked twice, and Chen Xing was struck by a palm.

Then A Ding took two steps back before regaining his footing, while Chen Xing was thrown more than two meters away.

The fall was hard. The fall was brutal.

A Ding has already charged forward.

—Charge towards the boss.

The eldest brother squinted, standing with his hands behind his back, seemingly completely unprepared. The youngest brother, as if sensing the cold, stood with his hands clasped behind his back, appearing slightly shivering.

---Magpie Bridge Fairy

Reply [48]: A Ding has already rushed there.

A cold glint suddenly appeared. Er Gou's steel chisel shot out like a sharp sword, stabbing towards A Ding. Xiao Dao leaped into the air, over the heads of the boss and Xiao Chan, and slashed down with his two hands, one on the left and one on the right, with knife-like sharpness.

Chen Xing did a somersault, standing up and rushing forward at the same time.

A Ding braked suddenly, and "Iron Bridge" leaned back to avoid the steel rod. He struck the rod with his palm, and the protruding steel rod suddenly retracted. "Thud!" In the instant it retracted, it was spotted, and the tip of the rod was already crooked.

Two "swords" cleaved through the air like a whirlwind.

A Ding throws a punch.

With a single punch, Xiao Dao was sent flying and sent flying back; Xiao Dao groaned in pain and rolled back to his original spot.

In that instant, Xiao Chan, who was standing with his hands clasped, suddenly appeared in front of A Ding like a ghost. With a "whoosh!" sound, he struck A Ding's chest. At the same time, his feet left the ground, and he flipped over, kicking A Ding's chest with both feet.

No sound was made.

—Adin flew away.

Chen Xing arrived. He leaned back and kicked over his head.

A Ding happened to be "flying" over. This kick accelerated his flight, soaring past Du Liu, Xu Fangfang, and the crowd, before crashing down in front of Zhu Qian with a loud thud.

A Ding struggled twice, coughing up two mouthfuls of blood, and was unable to stand up.

All of this happened incredibly fast. People only saw A Ding rush out and then "fly" back. Apart from Du Liu, no one could see the situation of the fight clearly.

Zhu Qian gasped, trembling. She didn't even glance at the cold stone ground beneath her feet where A Ding had fallen. But her heart was even colder.

The eldest brother nodded calmly. "You're quite skilled. Come here." Chen Xing walked over and stood behind Er Gou and Xiao Dao, in front of Huang Zilan, Wei Yiyi, and An Yingying.

The eldest brother said calmly, "A so-called people who dared to rebel are already useless. Is there any outstanding talent who dares to rebel?"

"I!"

Du Liu roared, shoved Xu Fangfang aside, stepped into the middle of the intersection, assumed a defensive stance, and glared at Chen Xing: "Get out here!"

Chen Xing sneered, "You think you're afraid of me? You're trying to bluff me with my knife? I don't have a knife, but if I did, I'd chop your ass in half!"

"Chen Xing, shut up." The eldest brother remained calm. "Xiao Dao, have a go at him."

"yes."