The final battle (5)
“I don’t want to—” Lin Yan tried to get up but was pushed back down. Song Yuhang leaned in and planted a kiss on her forehead.
“Listen to me.” With that, she grabbed her gun and rushed out.
Just as Song Yuhang peeked out, a spray of bullets came flying towards her. She quickly dodged back, sparking off metal shelves.
During the opponent’s reload, she swiftly flipped forward, keeping her gun steady and firing rapidly.
Lin Ge also rolled to the ground, taking cover in the nearby shelves as the bullets struck the barrels of industrial materials behind him, creating a loud bang.
Perhaps hearing the gunshots from inside, the security personnel outside the door tried to rush in. Lin Yan made a quick stride towards them, kicking the first intruder who entered out of the way.
“Someone’s guarding the door, shoot them!”
This is not good!
Her pupils suddenly contracted, and she hugged her head, crawling on the ground. Bullets flew past her scalp, turning the iron door into a sieve, allowing rays of light to filter in, with dust floating in the air.
“Lin Yan!” Hearing the commotion from the other side, Song Yuhang inevitably became distracted, slowing down while reloading.
Lin Ge leaped from the top of the shelves, a long gun in hand, crossing over to firmly grip her neck, pulling her back and forcing her to suffocate.
Forced to take a few steps with him, Song Yuhang came to her senses and swiftly slammed her right elbow backward, hitting him squarely in the abdomen. Caught off guard, Lin Ge was struck in a vital spot, stumbling back, unable to maintain his grip on her.
Seizing the opportunity, Song Yuhang rose and delivered a punch to his face, shattering his glasses. Lin Ge staggered back, blood pouring from his nose. Filled with hatred and nowhere to vent it, while Lin Yan might show mercy to him, but she wouldn’t. With a swift kick, the force resembling the sound of bones breaking, she sent him flying into the clutter, industrial material barrels scattered across the floor in the corner.
He lay on the ground, his fingers touching something cold and slippery. It was industrial material seeping out of the barrel, a scent of alcohol filling the air.
Song Yuhang clenched her fist and walked up to him.
“You can’t beat me. I will avenge Lin Yan, Chu Nan, Xiaowei, my sister-in-law, and all the innocent people who died unjustly.”
“Revenge.”
“Report, a large number of criminals armed with heavy firepower have been discovered inside an abandoned plastic factory in Zhongjing Industrial Port. Requesting orders for heavy firepower, over.”
The communication device crackled with electric noises.
Zhao Junfeng picked it up swiftly. “Pass on my orders, launch a full-force assault, ensure complete capture!”
Feng Jianguo quickly stood up. “No, the satellite images haven’t returned yet. The enemy is unidentified. We cannot rashly launch a strong attack.”
“So we just watch as the drug traffickers board the ship and escape into international waters?!” Zhao Junfeng retorted loudly.
“I am the commander-in-chief. If anything goes wrong, I take full responsibility! Attack!”
With his command, the special police officers surrounding the plastic factory exchanged glances. The team leader gestured, and two team members rushed forward, tearing off smoke grenades and tear gas canisters from their tactical vests, swiftly pulling the pins and throwing them into the distance.
Smoke billowed out, choking the criminals inside the courtyard, making them cough uncontrollably. The special police team leader kneeled down, and a team member used his shoulder as a stepping stone to leap into the courtyard, using the cover of smoke to open the courtyard gate.
A burst of gunfire rang out, and most of the criminals fell, with sporadic retaliatory shots.
Inside, Lin Ge, who had been incapacitated by Song Yuhang and was spitting blood, knew from the commotion outside that the situation was lost. He raised the corners of his lips, smiled faintly, and looked towards Lin Yan.
“You still haven’t told me, what have you been treating me as all this time?”
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“I…” Lin Yan was about to answer when several desperate thugs rushed in. At first sight of Song Yuhang standing in the middle of the corridor, they didn’t hesitate and grabbed their knives, charging towards her.
“Young master, we’re here to save you!”
“Lookout!”
Song Yuhang hastily turned around, only to see a slender figure blocking her path. Lin Yan’s body swayed slightly as she tightly gripped the blade, blood dripping from her wrist.
“Lin Yan!” Song Yuhang cried out in shock, turning to embrace her. The blade had already pierced three inches into her chest.
She winced in pain, sweating profusely with a pale face.
With tears in her eyes, Song Yuhang clenched her teeth and, catching sight of the two individuals still lunging towards them, grabbed the gun that had fallen from Lin Ge’s grip and pulled the trigger, splattering blood as the criminals fell to the ground.
Song Yuhang held her tightly, cradling her face, her voice trembling as she spoke in a panic.
“I’ll take you away, to the hospital, we’ll go to the hospital, you’ll be fine, you’ll be fine…”
Lin Ge gently closed his eyes, understanding it all now.
There was no need for answers anymore.
Lin Yan could show mercy to him, but she wouldn’t sacrifice herself for him. Her love for Song Yuhang was genuine.
What did that make him after all these years?
After all the scheming and calculations, it ended up being nothing. Not only did he lose her trust, but he also lost himself in the process.
Lin Ge’s lips curved slightly with a hint of irony. Summoning his last ounce of strength, he stood up unsteadily, reached into his pocket, and pulled out a lighter.
“Since you’re here, don’t leave. Let’s die together.”
The smell of alcohol in the warehouse grew stronger, and Lin Yan also sensed that something was amiss. From the corner of her eyes, she caught a glimpse of a barrel labeled “Ethanol” among the industrial materials.
Alarm bells rang in her head. Ignoring her bleeding wound, she pushed Song Yuhang towards the exit.
“Let’s go, hurry!”
“Let’s go together!” Song Yuhang supported Lin Yan’s arm, holding her tightly at the waist, inching towards the door.
“Do you think you can still leave?” Lin Ge dragged his injured leg, advancing step by step like a demon.
A quick glance by Song Yuhang revealed that there was no time to react. If Lin Ge ignited the lighter in his hand, the flickering flame would instantly ignite the air, causing an explosive mixture. It would be impossible for anyone to escape then. She had no certainty, especially with Lin Yan injured and unable to fight back. She swiftly disarmed him of the lighter, which would spark the explosion, even though the gun in his hand was out of bullets.
Throwing the gun to the ground, she crouched down, lifted Lin Yan on her back, and ran outside.
Lin Ge’s speed increased, and just as they were about to burst out of the door, Song Yuhang felt someone grab her leg tightly.
She couldn’t break free, so she turned around and viciously kicked his head. Lin Ge gritted his teeth, his mouth and nose bleeding but refusing to let go. His eyes flickered with an excited and bloodthirsty light as he raised his head to strike her abdomen.
Song Yuhang winced in pain, staggering as her grip slipped and she lost hold of Lin Yan, who fell to the ground. Song Yuhang lunged forward, grabbing Lin Yan tightly in her arms.
“Lin Yan, Yanyan…” she murmured, tears welling up in her eyes.
Lin Yan shook her head, coughed twice, smiled faintly, and grasped Song Yuhang’s hand. “I’m okay… let’s go… go…”
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With the door inches away, both of them were nearing their physical limits.
Song Yuhang gritted her teeth and climbed up, dragging Lin Yan towards the exit, but Lin Ge clung to them like a sticky gum.
Dizzy and disoriented, with numerous broken bones and internal bleeding, he coughed incessantly. Despite his deteriorating state, his mind was consumed by one mad and paranoid thought.
He couldn’t let them leave… Lin Yan was his… they must die together!
In his final moments, he chewed on these words, a profound hatred bursting forth in his eyes. Dragging his maimed leg, he stood up, roaring as he lunged towards them and forcefully pulled them back. With a click, he ignited the lighter.
“Lin Yan, don’t go, accompany me to hell.”
The flames soared into the sky, scorching his hair and turning his whole visage a golden hue.
The fireball in Lin Yan’s pupils grew larger and larger, causing her to cry out in anger and fear, her voice trembling slightly.
“Brother!”
It was an instinctive exclamation, but Lin Ge suddenly froze.
Brother.
The word seemed to drift into his heart like a gentle rain, softly reminding him of childhood memories – the little girl who used to run after him, calling out “Brother, Brother…”.
Although Lin Yan’s mouth moved, he could no longer make out what she was saying.
In that moment, he was taken back to the year when he left home to study abroad.
They had met in the garden under the same starry sky, on the same grassy field. It was midsummer, no longer the season of butterflies, but of fireflies dancing in the night sky.
The young girl handed him a painting she had made with her own hands.
Lin Ge: “You painted really well. What do you want to do in the future?”
Lin Yan shook her head: “I don’t know, I have no goals.”
Another five years passed, she had grown a little older, her slender figure emerging, but she still did not smile.
Lin Ge reached out and caught a firefly, cupping it in his hand as he teased her, “Guess what this is?”
Lin Yan chuckled, “Just another childish trick to fool kids.”
Though she said that, the girl was still slightly moved when she saw the firefly flying out from his fingertips.
Lin Ge smiled, “Take your time to think about what you want to do in this lifetime.”
Following his lead, Lin Yan also caught a firefly and then released it.
“And what about you, what do you want to do?” she asked.
“I…” Lin Ge hesitated for a moment, then smiled, patting her head.
“I don’t have any grand wishes. As long as I can protect the ones I love, that’s enough.”
With the conversation reaching this point, Lin Yan seemed to half-understand. He glanced at his watch, realizing it was time to catch his flight, so he bid her farewell.
“Yanyan, I have to go.”
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Kicking a stone on the ground, Lin Yan replied, “Go on, once you leave, don’t come back.”
The girl’s mischievous nature didn’t bother him. He waved and turned to leave, but heard her softly murmur behind him.
“Brother, you will always be my brother, no matter how far apart we are.”
“Lin Yan!” Seeing the fiery explosion about to engulf her, Song Yuhang pushed her down, holding her tightly.
Have you found someone who can protect you now?
That’s good.
Lin Ge let go, then clenched his fists. Before the flames could consume them, he pushed them out.
Lin Yan’s heart-wrenching cries echoed outside the door.
“Brother!!!”
It’s good to still hear you call me that way.
Lin Ge gently closed his eyes, a faint smile on his lips as he fell backward, engulfed by the flames.