Volume One: First Scroll
Injured
Even the faint floral scent from her neck was completely masked by the smell of blood.
“Plumber, 20 yuan1 an hour.”
“Experienced housekeeper/nanny, only 80 yuan2 a day.”
“Construction site needs workers, must be under forty, healthy, able to endure hardship3, men only.”
…
Calling it a talent market was generous; it was just a few ramshackle awnings set up. Employers and job seekers all gathered together. Many people held signs with their age and skills scrawled in crooked chalk. Bosses and middlemen needing workers held loudspeakers, hawking loudly, picking and haggling as if buying vegetables at the market.
The moment Song Yuhang stepped in, several middlemen surrounded her. “Miss, looking to hire or looking for work?”
Before coming, she had specifically bought another pack of cigarettes from the corner store. She took them out and handed one to each of them.
“Hiring. The boss’s home is being renovated, needs top-quality solid wood furniture, preferably custom-made by a craftsman.”
The middlemen saw the soft pack Zhonghua—a lavish gesture4. The boss behind her must be rich. Their faces immediately beamed with joy.
“Easy, easy! We’ve got plenty of carpenters here, guaranteed to satisfy you!”
Song Yuhang cupped her hand around the flame and lit one for herself, squinting at them sideways. “Middlemen, right? Expensive and no good. I’d rather look myself.”
Saying this, she started to walk past them. A short, stout man leading the group reached out to block her, eyes crinkled in a smile, speaking in authentic northern dialect.
“Now hold on5, miss! We6 may be middlemen, but we have professional ethics. Since the boss has needs, we’ll definitely provide the best people, right? Don’t be fooled by all the people in this market; there aren’t many good carpenters, and they’re all in our book here.”
He patted the thick, green-covered notebook in his hand. “I’ve been a middleman in this area for over twenty years. Who does good work, who doesn’t—I know better than the King of Hell7 himself. You can look yourself, sure, but it’s troublesome. It wouldn’t be good to delay the boss’s business.”
Song Yuhang considered it, stopped, her expression slightly wary. “Then you guys…”
The stout man waggled his fingers. “Not much, not much. If it works out, we only charge a 3% agent fee. No deal, no charge.”
Song Yuhang smiled, offering him another cigarette. “That price seems fair enough. Alright then, let’s take a look.”
The man took out his treasured notebook for her, licking his fingertip to turn the pages one by one, giving detailed introductions. “Zhang San, 46 years old, carpenter for twenty years…”
Song Yuhang shook her head. “Too old. Need someone younger, whose designs have more vitality.”
“Okay, then look at this one.” The man turned another page, pointing to a name. “Li Si, twenty-something, young, strong, can do other work too…”
Song Yuhang shook her head. “Too young, no experience.”
The man’s mouth twitched. You’re quite picky, aren’t you? Are we selecting for a beauty pageant or a carpenter?
“What about this one, then? Xu Bing8, 35 years old. Started learning the trade at fifteen. He’s quite well-known9 around the provincial capital. A while back, a rich guy hired him to build furniture for his renovation…”
Song Yuhang frowned slightly. “So famous? Must be expensive. Let’s keep looking.”
Only after the man had flipped several more pages, nearly wearing his lips out10, did she reluctantly settle on this Xu Bing.
The short, stout man wiped the nervous sweat from his forehead. He maintained a flattering expression, but inwardly, he’d already cursed her a thousand times.
Wants someone good without wanting to pay much. Dream on!
After some haggling, Song Yuhang obtained another phone number for Xu Bing—also known as He Miao’s little uncle-in-law—completely different from the one he had reported to the police.
As she walked out of the labor market, she sent the phone number to Zheng Chengrui: Locate this number.
He quickly replied: Roger that, Captain Song. Tracking now.
Lin Yan followed Xu Bing for two streets. She had changed her appearance: added a baseball cap, thrown on a sun shirt11, put on sunglasses, and carried a parasol. She looked no different from an ordinary tourist.
Not far ahead, Xu Bing walked into the wet market. Lin Yan folded her umbrella and followed, maintaining constant contact with Song Yuhang.
“He entered the wet market. Probably buying groceries to cook at home. I’ll follow him to his place.”
“Okay.” Song Yuhang thought for a moment, then added, “Be careful. If things look wrong, pull out.”
Lin Yan snorted. “Someone like Xu Bing? Ten of him wouldn’t be a problem12.”
Just then, a message from Zheng Chengrui arrived. She temporarily cut off communication with Lin Yan.
“Captain Song, this number doesn’t have real-name registration13. Can’t trace the owner.”
Song Yuhang’s heart skipped a beat. “Continue tracking. Where’s the target’s current location?”
Zheng Chengrui’s fingers tapped on the keyboard. “Inside the wet market at the intersection of Haixi Road and Jiefang Road in the provincial capital.”
Song Yuhang pulled out her phone and compared the location with the coordinates Lin Yan had sent. She subtly let out a breath of relief.
“Good. Track Forensic Doctor Lin’s phone too. I’m heading over now.”
“Boss, is this fish fresh?” Xu Bing walked up to a familiar stall to buy fish, pointing at the lively river fish jumping in the tank.
“Fresh! Just caught this morning. Our old rule: we don’t sell overnight fish14.”
“Alright, one then.”
“Okay, comin’ right up.”
The boss scooped a jumping fish from the tank, placed it on the cutting board, and began gutting and scaling it on the spot.
While Xu Bing waited for the fish to be prepared, Lin Yan, carrying a basket she’d acquired from somewhere, was buying vegetables, seriously haggling with a vendor.
“What?” Her voice rose slightly. “Broccoli is ten yuan15 per jin16? Are you trying to rob people?”
“Aiya, young lady, this is organic vegetables! All grown with farm manure17, completely natural, pollution-free, harmless! Look, just picked this morning, the dew is still on them!”
The fishmonger handed the prepared fish to Xu Bing. While making change, he whispered, “You’re being followed.”
Xu Bing instantly turned to look back. The boss grabbed his hand holding the money. “Don’t turn around. That person’s an old hand18. Keep walking straight along this road. Old Ba19 will meet you at the alley exit.”
Xu Bing took the money, smiling. “Thanks, Boss. Saved me another fifty cents20, ha.”
But underneath, he was grinding his teeth. “Didn’t you say it would have nothing to do with me once I brought the person? How did things get so messed up21? Now the cops22 are onto me, what am I supposed to do?”
“Aiya, you’re a regular customer, coming three times a day. I’ll throw in some fish maw23 for you.” The scar-faced boss scooped some fish maw from the cutting board into the bag while speaking in a low voice.
“Don’t worry. Since they came, the boss definitely intends to teach them a lesson24. Just a few small fry25. Go on, be bold. The cops won’t bother you again.”
Hearing this, Xu Bing felt reassured26. He took the bag and turned to leave. “Oh, thank you very much! Crab season is coming up soon, don’t forget to save some good ones for me.”
“Definitely, definitely. Take care27.”
The boss saw him off with a simple, honest smile. When he saw Lin Yan humming and swinging her basket as she walked past, his gaze hardened. He pressed the tiny microphone on his collar.
“Old Ba, fish, hooked.”
“Driver, Haixi Road wet market.”
Song Yuhang flagged down a taxi and got in.
Lin Yan followed Xu Bing out of the wet market, winding through several turns28. She memorized the route back as she walked. To avoid detection, she kept her distance, about fifty meters29 away. Xu Bing turned into a side alley.
She quickened her pace to follow, but he had vanished. Not good, Lin Yan thought, instantly spinning around. Two burly men were approaching from behind. She nonchalantly30 continued walking forward.
“Target lost. I’m being tailed.”
Song Yuhang’s heart tightened. “How many? Give me your exact location.”
“Two.” Lin Yan let out a cold laugh. “They really underestimate me31.”
As soon as she finished speaking, a shadow fell before her. Two young men wearing face masks and carrying baseball bats blocked her path. The two burly men from behind also quietly closed in.
Lin Yan was trapped in the middle of the alley, unable to advance or retreat.
“Lin Yan?!” Song Yuhang shouted, her voice raised. The taxi driver in front immediately turned back to look at her in surprise.
Song Yuhang composed herself. “Driver, please hurry.”
Then, lowering her voice, she contacted Zheng Chengrui. “Send me Forensic Doctor Lin’s precise coordinates.”
The two small red dots pulsating on the map instantly vanished. Zheng Chengrui broke out in a cold sweat. “Report! Xu Bing and Forensic Doctor Lin’s coordinates have disappeared. Last known location near Number 351 in the alley next to the Haixi Road wet market.”
Lin Yan collapsed to the ground, clutching her abdomen, beads of sweat32 forming on her forehead. She watched as the scar-faced man crushed her phone under his foot, then walked towards her, holding the baseball bat inverted.
She swallowed hard, her hand quietly reaching for her lower back. Tasting the metallic tang of blood in her mouth, she paradoxically felt a surge of excitement.
For a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner, being knocked down is never the end—it’s the beginning.
As he approached and entered her optimal attack range, Lin Yan moved!
The man probably hadn’t expected her to still have the strength to fight back after being surrounded by four people. That moment of stunned hesitation cost him the initiative. Lin Yan supported herself with one hand; her legwork was superb. She executed a sweeping leg kick33 from the ground, not only tripping him but also using the momentum to stand up, her right leg whipping towards his face in a high kick with thunderous force.
The wider the arc of a roundhouse kick, the greater the power; the afterimage practically drew a semicircle in the air. If that had hit his neck, his cervical vertebrae would have fractured instantly. Extensive combat experience made the man instinctively block with the baseball bat. Wood splinters flew; the bat shattered on impact, flying away with its owner, who crashed heavily onto the pavement.
Scarface spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva on the spot.
Lin Yan turned, and with a shink, drew her tactical baton. She faced the three remaining men, who were staring at each other, and beckoned with her finger. “Come on, all at once. That’ll make it more interesting.”
Her tone was nonchalant teasing, but the three men exchanged glances and killing intent rose in them simultaneously. Gripping their weapons, they lunged forward.
Fists and feet flew, bats and batons clashed. One man swung his baseball bat directly at the back of her head—clearly intending to kill her on the spot!
Lin Yan ducked, her eyes hardening. She grabbed his wrist with her left hand, forcing it down, while her right hand raised the baton and struck viciously at his abdomen’s vital point. “F%ck! Who sent you?”
Her tactical baton had been with her for ten years. German-made, named Sentinel. The shaft was entirely made of aerospace aluminum—its advantages were being lightweight, durable, and impact-resistant.
This strike left no visible mark on the surface, yet the man gasped “Wah!” and vomited blood, his knees buckling as he knelt straight down.
The baseball bat fell from his limp grasp.
Lin Yan reached to pull off his mask. Out of the corner of her eye, she glimpsed someone rushing her from behind, a cold smile touching her lips. Faster than words could describe, the powerful gust from the incoming weapon already lifted the hair on her forehead. Relying on her body’s excellent flexibility, Lin Yan executed a backbend, right hand supporting her on the ground, left hand grabbing the attacker’s arm. Using his momentum, she flung him, and the two tumbled together, crashing into bicycles parked by the roadside.
Wiping the sweat from her face, she stood up, sneering. “If you want to live, tell me who sent you. Otherwise…”
Before she could finish, the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end; alarm bells screamed in her head. She instinctively raised her tactical baton to block, but she was half a second too slow.
The gleaming knife edge grazed past the inside of her baton, slicing open her shoulder.
Blood trickled down her clothes. Lin Yan clutched her shoulder, staggering back several steps, panting heavily.
Scarface flicked the dagger in his hand, flexing his shoulder. “Didn’t anyone ever teach you never to turn your back on your opponent?”
Lin Yan gasped for breath, but her eyes burned hot. “Just a few pieces of trash like you? You think you’re worthy of being my opponents? Ptooey!” She spat.
One of the masked men glanced at Scarface. “Don’t waste time talking. She can’t last much longer. Get her together!”
Although these four weren’t individually as skilled as Lin Yan, they were above average, especially the leader, Scarface, who had clearly received professional combat training; his moves were fast, precise, and ruthless. They had numbers and coordinated well. Engaging in a war of attrition34, she ultimately couldn’t fend off four pairs of hands with two fists. In an instant, several more cuts appeared on Lin Yan. She leaned on her tactical baton, retreating, leaving scattered bloodstains on the ground before her.
She couldn’t help but look up at the empty alley entrance, grinding her teeth so hard they could shatter35.
Damn it, Song Yuhang! If you don’t show up soon, I’ll36 remember this for the rest of my life!
Perhaps Heaven heard her plea. Just as another masked man lunged, and Lin Yan was preparing to brace herself and fight back, a dark figure leaped down from the balcony of a second-floor apartment. A flying knee shot out, smashing directly into the head of the man in front of her. The brutal force sent him flying backward into a wall. Flowerpots arranged on the wall tumbled down with a crash.
Blood seeped from under the man’s mask; his baseball bat rolled to the side. He was out of the fight.
Song Yuhang’s appearance greatly relieved the pressure on Lin Yan. She leaned on her baton and stood up.
The two stood back-to-back, assuming defensive stances. Song Yuhang glanced back at Lin Yan, saw her covered in wounds, her eyes darkening, her lips pressed tightly together.
“Are you okay?”
Lin Yan wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth, stood up straight, and declared loudly, “I’m fine! This is nothing. I can still fight!”
Song Yuhang shook her head, grabbed Lin Yan’s wrist, and said in a low voice, “You go first. I’ll cover the rear.”
“Ha! Just these small fry? What rear guard? Let’s just take them!” Before she finished speaking, she charged forward, but not using her full strength, instead fighting while retreating towards the alley entrance.
Song Yuhang understood and followed, absorbing most of the pressure for her. In the chaos, she took several punches, but still managed to tie down the remaining three men completely.
Her fighting style differed from Lin Yan’s. Lin Yan had agility but lacked power; she was fine for self-defense, but in terms of offensive strength, Song Yuhang was clearly superior.
Her punches were fierce and powerful, landing solidly. Her combination punches were unpredictable37, impossible to defend against.
Even with a weapon, Scarface couldn’t touch her. Instead, he himself was hit several times on the temple, causing him to vomit filth, dizzy and disoriented.
Her left side was tied up by one opponent; another attacked from diagonally behind. Lin Yan blocked for her with the tactical baton, staggering back herself. Blood had already soaked her entire arm, dripping down from her fingertips.
Song Yuhang shouted sharply, “Still not leaving?!”
“If I leave, what about you?!” Each of these men was tough to handle one-on-one, let alone three.
Song Yuhang delivered an elbow strike to an opponent’s face, simultaneously pulling him back, grabbing the hand holding the bat, and wrenching it down hard. The masked man let out a howl but tried to get up. Song Yuhang reversed her grip, brought him towards her, grabbed his arm, executed an arm hook neck break38, and slammed his head forcefully onto the ground.
Fighting one against three, she carved out an escape route for Lin Yan. Holding the man down, Song Yuhang looked back at her. “Go!”
Lin Yan gritted her teeth, raising her baton to charge out. Just then, Scarface scrambled up from the ground, the dagger in his hand aimed at her head. He flung his arm back and threw it hard.
Song Yuhang’s pupils contracted. The two men restraining her gripped her arms tightly, holding her body so she couldn’t move.
She sucked in a breath and roared, driving power from her heels. Relying on sheer, brute muscle strength, she actually pushed the two young men forward.
Two white lines scraped across the paving stones under her feet. Finally, using inertia, she violently flung them off and shouted, “Lin Yan, get down!”
The moment she heard the voice—perhaps it was tacit understanding—Lin Yan didn’t overthink. Rarely was she so obedient. She covered her head and rolled on the ground, dodging the deadly weapon.
However—
Drip.
Drip.
Droplets of blood rolled down the knife hilt and splattered on the ground.
Song Yuhang looked down at the knife embedded in her chest. She gave two low coughs, blood foaming at the corners of her lips.
Scarface grinned menacingly. “Didn’t expect that, huh? Who only carries one knife when they’re out doing this work? I’m not like you cops, I cherish my life.”
He gripped the knife hilt with both hands, abruptly twisted it forcefully, driving it deeper, until the entire blade was buried in her muscle and bone.
Song Yuhang clenched her teeth; the seeping blood instantly stained her clothes red. Eyes red, she stared deathly at Scarface, her hands clamping onto his wrists, forcing him backward step by step. With every step, more blood foamed at her lips, and the knife burrowed deeper. She glanced back at Lin Yan, her vision already blurring.
A faint, gratified smile touched Song Yuhang’s lips. Can’t see clearly… that means she’s safe now, right?
Scarface felt his wrists clamped in a death grip, forced to retreat step by step with her. Seeing even the knife hilt disappear into her body, a look of horror appeared on his face. “Maniac!”
He didn’t dare delay further; he could already hear sirens wailing in the distance. He simply raised his leg and delivered a knee strike, sending her flying. Song Yuhang fell heavily to the ground like a kite with a broken string.
Lin Yan was still lost in that final glance, unable to snap back to reality for a long moment. What kind of look was that?
Her impoverished vocabulary made it impossible for her to fully express it.
She only knew that glance contained a thousand words and feelings: relief, reluctance to part, lingering affection… and a trace of regret.
Until Song Yuhang crashed heavily beside her, blood soaking the entire front of her shirt, a gleaming steel knife embedded in a vital area. Lin Yan’s eyes instantly turned crimson. Snatching up her tactical baton, she lunged forward. “F%ck your mother!!!”
The end of her cry surprisingly held a trace of a sob.
She didn’t know where the strength came from. She wildly swung the tactical baton, her moves losing all form, her mind consumed by a single thought: Kill him! Kill him! Kill him!
Blood dripped down with every swing of the baton. Her hand became so slippery with blood she could barely grip it, until her blood mixed with her enemy’s, and the tip of the baton was stained with something whitish39.
Scarface slid from her grasp to the ground, motionless, like a dead dog.
She had actually beaten him to death with the tactical baton.
Lin Yan stopped, breathing heavily, her eyes bloodshot. She cast an icy glance around, covered in blood, like an Asura demon40.
The two remaining men looked at her as if she were a god of slaughter. One scrambled up and ran; the other froze in place, holding his baseball bat, trembling so hard he wet his pants.
Lin Yan tossed aside the tactical baton, turned back, and helped Song Yuhang up, supporting her weight on her own shoulder. “Let’s go.”
Song Yuhang clutched her wound, the knife hilt still embedded in her flesh. Every step was agony41. Sweat drenched her forehead, her face pale, but she knew Lin Yan was also injured and tried to push her away to walk on her own.
“I… I can walk myself…”
Lin Yan didn’t let go. One arm around her waist, the other gripping her wrist, her eyes resolute. “Shut up.”
“…”
Song Yuhang looked at Lin Yan’s profile. Close up now, she could see her clearly. Her face was smeared with blood and grime, but her eyes were so bright. It wasn’t even evening yet, but she saw stars in them.
Even the faint floral scent from her neck was completely masked by the smell of blood.
Song Yuhang, for some reason, felt a pang of regret. “The baton… you’re leaving it?”
Lin Yan glanced at her, replying softly, “Leaving it.”
LP: Re-translated on April 04, 2025
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quickly save your damsel in distress Song Yuhang !!!
quickly save your damsel in distress Song Yuhang !!!
these criminals are everywhere
these criminals are everywhere
😦