The Abyss

Back at home, Dong Qin felt something wet on her neck. When she touched it, her hand came away covered in blood. The dagger had indeed cut her. Lu Tuo quickly fetched the first-aid kit, bandaged the wound on her neck, and then took her hand. The injury on her fingers was severe, bleeding profusely. Lu Tuo frowned, “It was cut by a military dagger, bear with it.” He applied some white powder, quickly wrapped it with gauze, and instructed, “Stay put, don’t move. Go drink some water, but be careful not to spill it on your hand.” He then turned to disassemble the rocket launcher, packing it into a box, and grabbed another box. In the organization, those who still used military daggers were usually new members, not yet assigned weapons. Who was in charge of chasing them? They seemed quite inexperienced. He put on his coat and rushed out with Dong Qin. “Get in the back, lie down, and don’t lift your head!” He shoved Dong Qin into the back seat and started the jeep. The vehicle had been repainted and given a fake license plate. He wasn’t sure how much information the other side had, but they should be able to hold out a bit longer. As they exited the residential area, they were caught in traffic. It was 5 PM, the peak of rush hour. Lu Tuo pounded the steering wheel, “Shit! Of all times to get stuck!” He floored the accelerator, sharply turned the wheel, and drove onto the sidewalk. After navigating through several narrow alleys, he hit the main road, flooring the accelerator as the car shot forward. A road sign indicated they were on a one-way street leading to the seaside. Lu Tuo overtook three cars, shouting, “Dong Qin! Sit up a bit, check if there’s a black Mercedes or Jeep following us. Let me know if you see one!” Dong Qin, unaccustomed to such high speeds, struggled to sit up. “Where are we going now?” she asked. “There’s a property by the sea. We’ll have more resources there, I can prepare better!” Lu Tuo overtook two more cars, causing Dong Qin to sway, nearly falling. “Hold on tight, don’t get hurt.” “Tuo, it seems like they only want to kill me,” Dong Qin whispered, lying on the seat. “If it were just you, maybe nothing would happen.” Lu Tuo coldly replied, “It’s not about you; their ultimate goal is me. I injured three people that day, and Mr. Cao has always had a short temper. Even if he regretted it later, he wouldn’t retract what he said. We have two choices: escape or go back and get killed. And, the organization is extremely harsh on traitors; they torture them before death. Dong Qin, I’d rather end my own life than die at the hands of an assassin!” Dong Qin didn’t look back, and after a while, she said, “Yes, me too. If we can’t escape, you should kill me first. It might be less scary to walk the underworld together.” Lu Tuo gripped the steering wheel, wishing he could drive into the sky, to the horizon where the sky was ablaze with fiery clouds, like blood and mist, something within him yearning to roar out, his eyes hot as if caught between ice and fire. He forced a grim smile, “Hell must be more fun than here, Dong Qin!” Dong Qin didn’t know how long they drove; the fiery sky had darkened, a faint blue appearing at the horizon. “Tuo, today seems to be a full moon,” she murmured, looking at the emerging full moon. Under extreme frustration, Lu Tuo found himself in the mood for a jest. He laughed, “The full moon means the werewolves will show their true form. Be careful tonight, I might bite your neck. You might find yourself missing some flesh in the morning.” Dong Qin stared blankly at the sky, “Tomorrow morning… will we even make it to tomorrow morning?” Lu Tuo didn’t respond. As they neared the sea, he opened the window, softly saying, “Have you seen the sea? It’s very frightening at night.” Dong Qin took a deep breath, “I can smell it. I’ve been here when I was very young, but I’ve forgotten the way.” Just as Lu Tuo was about to lighten the mood, Dong Qin gripped the seat, whispering, “Be careful, I think I see cars following us!” The one-way street was almost deserted at night, but now, lights appeared behind them. They must have been caught up with! Lu Tuo handed her a pair of binoculars, “Keep low, take a good look at what kind of cars they are.” After a long look, Dong Qin said, “There are three cars, some black, some white. The front one is a Jeep, the middle one looks like a regular sedan. But the one at the back is also a Jeep!” Lu Tuo’s face turned pale, cursing, “It’s him for sure! Lie down, don’t lift your head! I’m going to speed up!” Dong Qin lay back down, asking, “Do you know who it is?” Lu Tuo shifted to the highest gear, racing along the seaside highway. “It’s Cui Yun! He’s still on our tail! He uses white cars on missions because he says hearses are white, he’s here to send us to our funeral!” Dong Qin bit her finger, unsure of her feelings, as if she had forgotten to be afraid. She couldn’t feel the terror others spoke of with Cui Yun, except for the initial hypnosis which had startled her; he was just someone with a bit of cunning. Even now, with him chasing them, driving a white car as if to send them to their graves, she couldn’t muster the fear she should feel. She had a bad premonition, almost instinctively sensing that this person was planning something. Suddenly, the three cars behind accelerated and surged forward; two jeeps, one in front and one behind, seemed intent on overtaking and blocking him. Just ahead was a bend, and Lu Tuo sharply turned the steering wheel, the car screeching as it shot through like an arrow. “It’s the sea! The sea is ahead!” Dong Qin’s eyes widened, watching the dark line of the sea approaching, and she couldn’t help but cry out. Suddenly, Lu Tuo leaped into the back of the car, pulling her into his embrace, and they both rolled out as he opened the door. Dong Qin felt her entire body shaking, tumbling, upside down; then a sharp whistling sound came from above, and the jeep exploded like fireworks, with red flames and black smoke almost reaching the sky. Lu Tuo pulled her to her feet, and they ran towards the sea. Dong Qin was somewhat dazed, but only when the cold seawater reached her calves did she suddenly realize what Lu Tuo intended to do. She gasped, and Lu Tuo’s gaze was calm yet fervent. Her lips moved, a bittersweet feeling suddenly welling up inside her, mixed with a sense of joy. For the first time in her life, she felt a strong sense of being alive, and for the first time, she truly faced death. She quietly gripped his hand. They ran, straight into the dark, deep sea. The icy sea opened its arms to embrace them, destined to sink into its endless black dreamland. “I’ll count to three! Stop right now!” A woman’s voice came from behind. Dong Qin didn’t look back; she knew the woman must be from the organization. It was she who had carried a rocket launcher on her shoulder and blown up their jeep. “Stop!” The woman’s voice was fierce, with a hint of cruel laughter. Dong Qin could no longer discern her emotions; in the sea’s currents, her hand was tightly held by Lu Tuo, drawing her deeper into the water. “One, two, three! Fire!” Dong Qin felt something cover her ears, the sound of bullets and the noise of the rocket launcher seemed distant, as if separated by mountains and rivers. Suddenly, Lu Tuo’s hand shook, almost letting go of her. The seawater suddenly turned boiling hot and began to churn violently. Dong Qin opened her eyes to see a flower of flame lifting the water into the sky before it fell. She was almost mesmerized; such a sight might only be seen once in a lifetime. So, this is what happens when a rocket hits the sea. Lu Tuo’s hand suddenly loosened, and Dong Qin’s heart jolted. Looking back, she saw him being swept away by the undercurrent into the deep sea. Red streaks spread from his body, like mist, like blood. She opened her mouth but couldn’t make a sound, her outstretched hand only grasping at empty seawater. She couldn’t reach him! At the very end, she couldn’t even see his expression, only the blood spraying from him, like a mist, obscuring her view. All she could see was vast swathes of red. Dong Qin wanted to scream, to roar; her body trembled from the inside out, yet she couldn’t make a sound. She felt she was about to die, and if she could die right then, it would be for the best. Suddenly, a hand grabbed her back tightly, and all sounds returned to her ears; she seemed to be transported to an unfamiliar world. She heard her own violent coughing, the sound of someone behind her slapping her back, and countless other strange voices chattering. “Only one was fished out?! Where’s Lu Tuo?” someone asked. The woman with the rocket launcher snorted, “Dead, I guess? It’s January; even if the bullets don’t kill him, he’ll freeze to death in the sea. He got off easy!” Dong Qin was gasping for breath, her mind filled with incessant noise, completely out of control. The woman approached her, lifting her chin and pinching her face with a frivolous touch. “A little beauty, no wonder. I’ll take good care of you.” With a sharp snap, something in Dong Qin’s head seemed to break. She opened her mouth, letting out a piercing scream, as if expelling her very soul. People were pushing, grabbing, and scratching at her. This was a world teeming with demons; if you couldn’t become one, you awaited slaughter. Her sun had fallen into the abyss of the sea. Her wings, indeed made of wax, melted in the final moment of close contact, falling from thirty thousand feet. Shattered to pieces. Someone gripped her tightly, shouting fiercely in her ear. Dong Qin heard nothing. All she could hear was her own heartbeat, growing fainter, and her own scream, like a wounded wolf, long and mournful, as if it would never end.