Crimson Instinct

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*Xin Lei*

Even I didn't see when everything happened in a flash.

Zhang Ning, who was bent near Ying Yue, hadn't even turned her head when her wrist was suddenly caught and the knife knocked out of her hand.

She seemed frozen and startled. She slowly raised her head and looked up.

Rodey's ferocious and dangerous gaze was glowering at her, and his tall body was looming over her as if a Death God had descended. He was bleeding from his abdomen, but it didn't look like he felt any pain at all.

It was truly unbelievable. Just a few moments ago, I was desperately wishing to somehow help the woman, and at that moment, my wish was actually answered.

I traced my sight back to the pillar where the chains were fixed in a round hook that had bound Rodey. But now the hook was gone, and there was a huge hole in that pillar where it once was.

The chains were still attached to his wrist, but he somehow pulled the hook apart from the pillar with such great force that it broke apart from it.

I stared at him in shock. Even in that injured state, he freaking detached a hook drilled into the pillar! Just how much strength did he have?

I kept staring at him.

It wasn't just physical force. His scary expression said it all.

The emotions he had for the woman propelled him to do that. The threat of seeing her in danger gave him that boost to save her.

Zhang Ning seemed to snap back. "You…"

She also looked at the chains hanging from his wrist and dangling behind him on the floor.

"Unbelievable…" she murmured.

The bastards surrounding us were just as stunned. Nobody could say anything for a while.

"R-Rodey broke free?"

"He is a monster...he broke the hook…"

I scoffed.

Monsters themselves were saying that Rodey is a monster?

"Did you all see that? Just look at his bloody state. He seemed like he would collapse at any moment, but he... j-just how freakishly strong he is?"

"How can anybody pull that off in that state!"

I looked back at Rodey, and he didn't seem to be affected. His gaze was only locked onto Zhang Ning.

"I told you, didn't I?" His voice was low and threatening, "Don't touch her."

He grabbed her neck and squeezed it. She gasped, and her eyes widened.

Rodey dragged her up while strangling her neck and then harshly threw her aside on the floor.

"Ah…"

Chu Jie tugged me, "R-Rodey is amazing...Sis, is he even human?"

I had similar doubts now.

But suddenly, two men aimed their guns at him. "How dare you do that to our boss!?"

Fuck! It was inevitable. Even if Rodey was free, there were just too many men to fight them all. Plus, he was injured too. There was no way he could beat everybody.

Zhang Ning coughed and slowly stood as her minions immediately came to her help.

"Rodey...you strangled me...you laid your filthy hands on me. No, I won't let you go for this...you will have to pay…You hurt Zhang Ning. YOU STRANGLED ZHANG NING!" She screamed at the top of her voice. "For years, I kept you by my side, and you do this! You try to kill me for a bitch!?"

I gritted my teeth. She looked even crazier and more dangerous than before.

"Grrr…"

I felt Cocoa softly nudging his head on my arm. I peeked behind and narrowed my eyes.

Suddenly, one of the men roared. "How dare you, Rodey! You dare throw our boss! Kill him!"

"Yes, kill him!" Everybody joined in.

"Not only he betrayed us, but he had the audacity to kill the boss!"

"He deserves to die!"

"Rodey…" the woman softly uttered his name. Rodey looked down at her. "Stay back, babe."

Rodey sneered at Zhang Ning. "The one who could kill her own mother is talking this shit now?"

"Don't act so innocent, Rodey. Didn't you kill your father too?"

I widened my eyes. Rodey killed his father?

He said, "And you know why. But your mother wasn't a bastard like that so-called man."

"Shut up! Who are you to tell me what I should do and what not?" She looked at the guards behind him. "KILL HIM! I HATE HIM! I DON'T WANT HIM TO LIVE ANYMORE! HE HAS BETRAYED ME! HE WILL PAY THE PRICE!"

The guards moved, but just then, Rodey suddenly moved his hands back and grabbed the guard's wrists. He pulled them forward and smashed their heads against each other. They turned limp and fell.

"Kill me?" Rodey chuckled. "Alright. Give me the best challenge you can."

Zhang Ning yelled. "What the hell are you all doing!? Get him and kill him!"

A hoard of men jumped upon Rodey. The woman panicked and shuffled.

But Rodey dodged every single attack and struck deadly blows, making them topple in a pile of heap like trash. He didn't seem to be fazed by his injuries at all.

From the corner of my eye, I saw a guard stealthily approaching with a metal pole from behind him.

But this time, I was ready, and so was Cocoa.

"Arf!"

Cocoa leaped in the air and jumped on the guard with the metal pole. 

"Ahh!" 

In an instant, Cocoa ripped off his throat, and he collapsed. Everybody stopped for a moment and seemed stunned again.

That was my cue. After Cocoa undid his ropes, I signaled him to cut mine.

I smiled. I was free.

I swung my leg parallel to the ground and tripped a man ahead of me as I hit his feet with my ankle.

Zhang Ning pointed her finger at me. "You...when did you two get free?" She seemed to be in shock as she staggered back.

"Grrrr…." Cocoa was glaring at her.

I smiled at her while kicking the guard in his gut.

Rodey chuckled.

"Impossible…" one man mumbled to my left, "How did you two…"

"Don't waste time! They are just three! How far can they go with so many of us?"

"Heh! You are right. Let's finish these ants off."

I got into my stance, and so did Rodey, but suddenly the door barged open, and one guard came rushing in, panting hard. At first, he seemed shocked by the situation here.

"Boss…what…"

"Oh, shut up. Why did you come running here?"

The guard seemed to snap out. "Y-yes! 18 reporting! Our base has been breached! We are under attack by people unknown!"