Not a detective

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"It should be done."

I felt a little embarrassed by being treated so seriously.

So he started talking about the serious matter he had just thought of: "Uncle Xu, I'm worried that this time we've made enemies with those thugs, which might provoke their retaliation. Although they've been locked up, they're still gangsters, and they might still have brothers outside. I'm worried about Xiaoshi's safety, especially during this crucial time of preparing for the college entrance exam. Could you send some people to protect her?"

This incident triggered a strong sense of urgency in me. I might not be able to protect her on my own, and that's when I needed to rely on the help of adults.

"Yes, you've thought this through very well."

Uncle Xu and I glanced at Xu Qishi, who was being comforted and cared for by two mothers on the other side, almost at the same time.

Then he patted my shoulder and said, "I knew I hadn't misjudged you. I can entrust Xiaoshi to you with peace of mind."

"...It's too early."

"Not too early, not too early. My wife and I got married at the same age."

"Times have changed!"

Uncle Xu smiled at my embarrassed expression, then dialed the phone again.

"...Yes, just like I said, torture them to death, don't let me see them walk out of the detention center unharmed."

I smiled too. It's great that this matter has passed peacefully. The follow-up arrangements have been made, and I can finally relax.

At the time, I really thought I had considered everything thoroughly and that everything was foolproof.

Winter of Man: Chapter Ten - The Day of the College Entrance Examination

Half a month passed quickly after that, and the countdown on the blackboard soon turned to the last page.

There is only 1 day left until the National College Entrance Examination (Gaokao)

This seems to herald the end of youth.

The books on the desks had all been cleared away. Almost all the students had gone to check out the exam venue. I stayed in the classroom, feeling a little reluctant to leave.

Actually, I was quite lucky to be able to stay at my own school to take the exam. Although it wasn't in the same classroom, it saved me a lot of trouble. At least it was close by, and I didn't have to worry about traffic jams.

You don't need to worry about getting lost.

Xu Qishi was not so lucky. Her exam venue was another school, which was not far away, but it still took some effort.

During this period, she had a private car to pick us up and drop us off. Although this indirectly delayed our time together to and from school, to be honest, we weren't in a hurry.

Once the college entrance exam is over, everything will be over, and we'll be free. We even planned a trip to celebrate, something we'd discussed repeatedly on the phone and in text messages.

"A-Qian".

"We'll always be together."

Holding the keypad phone, the words "Go for it!" on the screen were still slightly warm.

I've made up my mind. When we get to the tourist attractions, I'll confess my feelings to Xu Qishi.

Let me add that missed line.

...

The next day, I got up very early because I had gone to bed early the night before, so I was in good spirits and in great condition.

I checked my stationery, exam admission ticket, and ID card in my backpack. I didn't want to make such a silly mistake and end up in the news; that would be so embarrassing.

"I'm going."

After saying goodbye to my parents, I left home.

"Do you want me to give you a ride?" Dad was still eating breakfast, so this question didn't really carry much weight, but it seemed like they had both taken the day off.

"No need, it's just a few steps."

I waved goodbye. I knew the way to school like the back of my hand. If I took his motorcycle, it would be easier to get stuck in traffic and waste time.

After stepping outside, I immediately felt refreshed. Although the weather was a bit hot, today must be a very important day for every test taker.

The tension, the knowledge being reviewed, and the daydreams about the future all converge at this turning point in life, making one's heart surge with excitement.

There were still quite a few people on the road, especially near the school. Although there were traffic police maintaining order, there were still many cars dropping off passengers on the side of the road, making it somewhat crowded.

As usual, I took the small path known only to students of this school to get to school, as it would be faster this way.

It saved my dog's life several times when I was almost late.

Sure enough, there were few people on the path. I walked quickly so that I could get to the exam hall sooner and calm down to get into the right mindset.

But just then, a sharp voice interrupted my path—

"Help me!!"

A woman's screaming voice, filled with terror.

I stopped in my tracks.

The sound was coming from a distance behind the corner. I couldn't see anything from there; it seemed to be in a small alley in a residential area, not on the same road as the school I was going to.

What's going on...? But I can't pretend I didn't hear it and just walk past. Although I'm not a busybody, I can't just stand by and do nothing when someone is in danger.

Okay, I'm just a busybody.

I lowered my voice, but apart from a few cries of "Help...!" and "Don't come any closer!", I couldn't hear anything else. It seemed like the situation was very urgent.

The source of the voice seemed to be quite young; could it be a student, or even a test taker...?

This made my heart race and made me even more nervous.

Indeed, many people, like me, know this path, and many of them are students from this school. If they were to encounter danger on their way to the exam today, they would be doomed.

Leaving aside whether or not you miss an important exam, that's secondary. The most basic threat to your personal safety is intolerable.

...We can't just leave it unattended.

As a test taker myself, this resonated strongly with me.

I wonder, if Xu Qishi were in a similar danger on the other side, wouldn't she hope that she could be saved too? Once I put myself in her shoes, I made up my mind.

Call the police first.

I instinctively thought of this premise, but when I touched my backpack, I realized that I hadn't brought my phone today.

That's understandable, given it's an important exam. Even if I turned off my phone, it wouldn't be safe. What if a call came in or the alarm went off? It would be too late. So today I simply didn't bring my phone with me, just to be on the safe side. I never expected something like this to happen. Now I'm really worried…

Looking back, I realized I was still some distance from the alley entrance. I could certainly run to the street and ask the traffic police for help, but I decided I couldn't rush things.

What if the so-called cries of "help" and "don't come any closer" are just playful banter between young lovers? What if I've just misunderstood?

What if she's just being bothered by stray dogs or something? I can help her all by myself.

It would be quite awkward to have to call the police and bother others in this situation.

...Go and check the situation yourself first.

I glanced at the mechanical watch my dad lent me on my wrist; I still had time. Luckily, I usually allow enough time beforehand, enough for me to meddle in other people's business.

First, sneak over there quietly, assess the situation, and then decide how to proceed.

If I can handle it by myself, then I'll finish it quickly and go straight to the exam hall without wasting any time.

If it's a life-threatening situation, then I'll run out and ask for help. That's the safest approach.

Very good. So I held my breath, lowered my feet, and quietly crept towards the direction from which the cries for help were coming—

"Help... help!"

The woman's shrill cries continued, sending chills down my spine. Even if I'm not a hero, I can't bear to see anyone suffer.

Fortunately, I was familiar with the alleyway, and after walking into a more secluded residential area, I finally saw the source.

—But in that instant, I sensed that something was wrong.

In a desolate open space, seemingly an abandoned garbage dump, unwanted furniture was piled up haphazardly. Besides the graffiti on the walls, there were also scattered syringes, plastic sleeves, a stench of rotting alcohol, and a strong fishy smell of cosmetics on the ground. All sorts of disgusting things made me very alert, especially since there was a group of people gathered there.

There were about twenty people, all dressed and styled like thugs, with tattoos and dyed hair, and some women dressed provocatively and wearing heavy makeup.

The man sitting in the middle had dyed yellow mohawk hair and was wearing a leather jacket.

He had his arm around a young woman, his mouth open in a smile, feigning panic, but he didn't move away.

"Help!!"

"Help me!"

wrong--

I instantly realized the problem and, without hesitation, immediately turned to leave.

But it's too late.

Clearly, some of them noticed my arrival, and those who had been lying in ambush behind me had been preparing for a long time. The moment I turned my head, I saw a dark shadow rushing straight at my head.

The intense pain and impact caused me to fall backward and lose consciousness uncontrollably.

Winter of Man: Chapter Eleven - Darkness

I woke up in a daze, or rather, I was woken up by a foul-smelling, unknown liquid.

My whole body ached, I didn't know how many bruises and wounds there were, my vision was very blurry, and all I could hear were auditory hallucinations. Only the pain reminded me that I was still alive.

The smell of blood filled my mouth and nose, and all sorts of dizziness and nausea overwhelmed my senses. I suddenly didn't know what to do.

But it was worse than death.

"He's awake!" someone shouted with a grin.

"Drag him here."

My body was pressed to the ground and dragged along, the floor scraping my skin so hard I could barely feel anything.

"You little brat, you've really put my brother and the others in a terrible situation."

A foot stepped on my head, hitting my chin and teeth, causing blood to seep out: "Didn't you ever think that this day of retribution would come?"

I immediately understood everything.

It seems that these people are the same group of thugs from back then, and whether they are brothers or elder brothers is irrelevant.

The important thing is that I was tricked and fell into their trap. I was lured by their fake cries for help and came to this deserted corner of the alley, where I fell into their ambush.

"say something!"

He was kicked hard.

I've read in some works that if you're facing a group fight, you should attack one person relentlessly and fearlessly. This kind of momentum might scare the others and be the only way to break the deadlock. But after experiencing it firsthand, I realized how absurd that is. I can't even get up now. I think I was hit hard on the back of the head with a stick, and the concussion is still lingering.

They had no ability to fight back, and escaping was impossible.

I regret it. I regret coming so rashly, I regret trying to be a hero. If I had called the police beforehand, or gone outside to find a traffic officer for help...

But there's no going back in this world.

"...They started it, they deserve it."

I sneered in an extremely weak voice.

Since things have come to this, I might as well stand up for myself. Even if I know it's best to compromise now, I just can't bring myself to kneel down and apologize to them.

Of course, this remark provoked even more furious punches and kicks:

"You fucking bastard!"

"Serves you right for being so stubborn!"

"What my brother suffered, I will make you suffer twice as much!"

"Cripple him!"

A group of people swarmed me, punching and kicking me. I could only try my best to protect my head and curl up my body to minimize the area I was hit.

But it was all in vain. I could clearly hear my bones breaking, and what I vomited was indistinguishable between blood and stomach acid.

He probably won't last long under such a large-scale attack.

I could vaguely hear the leader questioning his men: "Where's the woman? I'm asking you, where's the woman? Why wasn't she brought along!"

The younger brother replied, "No...I don't know, they don't seem to be together today..."