Yin Feng dozed off in the car.

He had no idea how much time had passed.

Yin Chen had been driving for most of the night. He hadn’t slept properly for days. Though visibly exhausted, his eyes still gleamed with an unusual, dark light.

The sky hadn’t brightened yet.

But dawn was approaching.

After six hours of running, they were finally surrounded by police forces in a mountainous region of Jiangxi Province.

Originally, Yin Chen had planned to circle through Jiangxi to return to Jiang City.

The car was nearly out of fuel.

The inconspicuous black sedan sat motionless in the middle of a remote provincial road. On both sides stretched verdant southern rice paddies, emanating an infinite serenity in the dark blue light of approaching dawn. Police vehicles filled the road for hundreds of meters both front and back, with over fifty armed officers maintaining a vigilant formation.

Yin Chen turned off the engine and sat in silence for a while.

Yin Feng had awakened, immediately grasping the situation. Yin Chen had given him another injection during their journey, leaving his body still numb. He remained silent. Among the mass of officers in the dim morning light, he wondered if You Mingxu had arrived, if she was among them. A contradictory thought suddenly struck him: did he want to see her now, or did he want to avoid being seen by her?

No—he wanted to see her more than anything.

Because he was just that selfish of a man.

“We can’t go back anymore,” Yin Chen suddenly spoke.

Yin Feng unexpectedly replied, “Do you want to see Fan Shuhua? One last time.”

After a moment of silence, Yin Chen laughed: “I have to admit, you’re worse than me, more cunning. No wonder we… ultimately fell into your hands. Even at this point, when I could snap your neck with one hand, you’re still trying to negotiate? Still trying to tempt me with conditions?”

Seeming to ignore the sarcasm in his words, Yin Feng replied calmly, “I can arrange for you to have one final meeting, including with those captured Punishers.”

Yin Chen’s hands gripped the steering wheel tightly before releasing it, drawing his gun while retrieving something from the glove compartment. “No, I don’t want to see them again. Little brother, we truly can’t turn back now.”

Yin Feng remained silent.

At the front of the blockade.

Ding Xiongwei stepped out of his vehicle, his expression dark as he observed the distant car.

“How long until the snipers arrive?” he asked.

Someone answered, “Another twenty minutes.”

Ding Xiongwei looked up. Due to the dim light, he could only make out the silhouette of the driver, while the cabin remained completely dark, offering no indication of Yin Feng’s condition. In this situation, any aggressive action or shooting could not guarantee Yin Feng’s safety. They feared Yin Chen might make a desperate move and take someone with him to death. If Yin Feng died here, they could never face themselves as police officers again.

Especially considering You Mingxu, Xu Mengshan, and all those talented officers who had helped solve major cases under his command.

However, Ding Xiongwei hadn’t reached his current position without exceptional composure and vigilance. His mind raced as he took the megaphone from his subordinate, using a police car as cover: “Yin Chen, you’re surrounded. Put down your weapons and surrender to avoid making any more mistakes.”

There was no response from the car.

Ding Xiongwei’s expression hardened as he continued, “Yin Chen, before coming here, I met with your mentor. She said she has some words for you. Continued resistance is meaningless. Put down your weapon and release Yin Feng. I can consider arranging a meeting.”

Though Ding Xiongwei couldn’t hear it, Yin Chen let out a scoffing “Ha” in the car, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

Yin Chen said, “Little brother, do they think my weaknesses are so easily exploited?”

Yin Feng replied quietly, “It’s not about weakness—it’s about being human. In our eyes, no matter what crimes you’ve committed, you’re still human.”

After a moment of silence, Yin Chen said, “Don’t waste your breath. Keep your promise. Since you’ve already traded your life for You Mingxu’s life. Wherever Big Brother goes, you’ll follow. Do you believe that even with a hundred police officers out there, a hundred guns, heh, I still have the chance to kill you right under their noses, to accompany me on my final journey?”

Yin Feng softly asked, “Is this really how it has to end? Our deaths will mean nothing.”

Yin Chen replied, “Who says they’ll mean nothing? Death itself represents eternal peace to me. Thinking about what’s about to happen, I’m quite looking forward to it, quite happy. Finally, it can end—I can’t go on anymore. In this life, I’ve never truly possessed anything. Are you still reluctant to let go? You still have You Mingxu. Thinking about how you’ll end up with nothing just like me, I’ll die and be done with it all, but you’ll die with regrets—that makes me happy. This time, little brother, I haven’t lost. Are you ready to embrace death? I’ll count to ten, say goodbye in your heart to your life and your loved ones, then we’ll go. No one can save you now, no one.”

Yin Feng froze.

He knew Yin Chen was telling the truth—what he’d taken from the glove compartment was a bomb detonator.

So even if the police attempted a raid or sniper shot, Yin Chen could still press the detonator before his last breath, sending them both to heaven. No one could save him, even if You Mingxu were among these officers, she would be powerless to help.

This was the first time in Yin Feng’s life that he had come so clearly face to face with death. His mind went blank for a moment.

Then he thought of You Mingxu.

He thought of her face, her eyes, her hands, her voice, the feeling of her leaning against his chest. When someone knows they will die in seconds, it’s impossible not to feel afraid. Yin Feng could feel that buried fear rising again slowly, like the night outside surrounding him from all directions.

That feeling was identical to when he had searched his heart and struggled in pain. It was exactly like when he had hidden in You Mingxu’s home, wrapping himself tightly in blankets, terrified of the unknown darkness outside the window.

He bit his lower lip lightly, closed his eyes, kept them closed for a while, then opened them again.

He murmured, “She’ll come save me… Xu… will come to save me…”

As he repeated these words like a mantra, suddenly, the beast-like fear and cowardice in his heart collapsed and dispersed like the tide, leaving only clear tranquility.

A slight smile crept onto his lips as he closed his eyes again.

“Xu, don’t come.”

Don’t come.

Let me fall into the darkness alone.

—

You Mingxu had joined Xu Mengshan and the others half an hour ago. They had cut off Yin Chen’s escape route.

The dark blue sky seemed to have lightened slightly.

You Mingxu stood behind a car, while Tu Ya, Chen Feng, Xu Mengshan, and others had already drawn their weapons and taken position. Everyone’s faces were stretched taut with tension.

The morning breeze blew gently as You Mingxu gazed at that car. The back window was dark, showing only the seat backrest and Yin Chen’s vague profile—she couldn’t see Yin Feng.