Crimson Instinct

*Xin Lei*

Zhang Ning got out of her seat and slowly walked towards Rodey. Her expression was so odd as she approached him.

"S-sis...she looks scary…" Chu Jie trembled.

"Arf! Arf!" Cocoa was getting restless too. He was glaring at Zhang Ning and howling at her.

She clutched his hair and pulled his head. The woman shrieked in fear.

"Do you mean to say that Bai Li will never be mine?"

Rodey smiled. "Why don't...you try asking him yourself, boss? You have kidnapped his woman...and...I know that bastard," he chuckled, "he will come here sooner or later...to-to save her...ask him at that time…"

Zhang Ning giggled. "Bai Li will never reach me. He doesn't know anything."

I only rolled my eyes at her idiocy.

Rodey laughed. "For…*cough* how long? He figured out about that useless cop Neal who...I had to shoot to keep his mouth shut. He almost got his hands on that General for whom you had to send another minion to finish him off...that *cough* means he realized that he didn't shoot the civilian that night. Just how long do you think he will be fooled into thinking that Zhang Xiulan is the culprit just because you said so? He is not an idiot."

Zhang Ning seemed slightly shaken up. I sensed it in her expression though she seemed to try hard not to show it.

Rodey shook his head. "Bai Li... that bastard...he reached me two times...Once at the container terminal, and then when he tricked me into catching Xin Nianzu and his army buddies caught me. Nobody could do that, but he did. You say you like him, but you are underestimating him by miles. You are taking him too lightly. He is blind, but his brain works just perfectly fine. Otherwise, why would I deem him as my worthy opponent?" He sneered.

Rodey said, "You asked me if Bai Li could reach you or not."

She said nothing.

"He can, and he will. And that's when you surely ask him if he will ever love you or not," he mocked.

Zhang Ning said, "Hand me the wires."

What? What is she doing now?

One of the guards immediately came and gave her thin wires. The other end of them was connected to a switch that was turned on.

I froze. The woman trembled too.

"W-what are you doing?"

Zhang Ning smiled. "You must know, right, Rodey? What do we do with this to our toys…"

Rodey seemed unaffected.

"I am in the mood to see you all shaken up with the shock now," she pouted, "Bai Li is mine, and I don't like it when people say otherwise. So, I have to punish you now~~~."

"No!" The woman shrieked.

Fuck she has completely gone crazy! Electric shock when he is that wounded? 

I struggled against my ropes, but it was useless. They were tied too tight!

Zhang Ning pierced the copper end of the wires on his skin, and he shuddered in his place. His brows tightened, but he didn't scream.

"Rodey!!!"

The woman burst into tears and struggled in her place. Chu Jie jumped back. "Sis!"

He shut his eyes, tears trickling down.

Zhang Ning gave him shocks over and over again, but he didn't even whimper.

Just what is Rodey made up of? How can he tolerate that?

I was utterly speechless at him and furious at Zhang Ning.

"Yeah, that's what we are talking about! Haha!"

"More! Shock him more until he begs you, boss!"

The men were laughing like crazy. I gritted my teeth and could only feel helpless.

But then my sight fell on Cocoa, who was sitting calmly at his place for a while. He was growling towards Zhang Ning, but he wasn't moving.

Then I saw that he was actually moving, precisely his free hind leg that was scratching the rope with its claws tied to his other leg to the pillar.

It was damn hard, but I tried my best not to show my disbelief on my face.

He was trying to cut through the ropes!

I quickly snapped out.

No, no. I cannot let him be discovered.

I glared at Zhang Ning and pretended to resist and move in my place as if I was protesting, but was actually covering him behind me.

Cocoa. I hope you could pull this off. Please…

I glanced at Rodey, who was looking paler than before, but he was simply laughing.

I felt my eyebrow twitch.

Good thing he is not screaming, but how can he laugh either?

Rodey said, "Boss...is this the only thing you can do? Come on. You know my history."

I frowned.

"My mom had been even worse than this when I was a kid. I survived that. Do you think I cannot survive your measly methods?"

Huh? His mom? His mom used to beat him?

It seems like his past…isn't that simple.

Zhang Ning stopped. "You are right. Even if I cut your body or throw you into boiling water, it won't matter to you."

She turned and looked towards the woman who was crying for Rodey.

I froze. 

Why am I getting a bad feeling?

"But I think your woman won't be able to survive it, right?" She eerily laughed.

No...No! 

Suddenly, Rodey shook hard against the chains that bound him. He snarled. "This has got nothing to do with her."

"Oh, I finally see you getting angry! This is so interesting! You were all cocky until now but just look at your face now! Just like how I wanted to see."

"Don't fucking think of touching her, you bitch!"

I shivered a bit as his voice roared. His gaze was vicious as if he would eat her alive.

Zhang Ning pulled his hair. "Such disrespect to your boss. Hmmm...I think I know how to punish you now."

She stared at the woman and giggled. "So Rodey's woman."

Her expression didn't change even though Zhang Ning was looking at her akin to a monster.

"Let's play, shall we?"