I finally figured out where this place was.

A coal mine that Chi Na’s father had operated, where an accident had once killed people. Considering the soil characteristics of semi-arid desert regions, this could only be Nari Coal Mine.

It was said that this place had once been glorious because of mining, but the backfilling was poorly done, resulting in large-scale collapses and severe desertification. The nearby villages had all relocated.

This was a no-man’s-land spanning hundreds of miles.

And that Cullinan of Chi Na’s was almost out of gas.

Because his wounds were infected, he had a high fever for three or four days, constantly talking nonsense about how he often played in this area as a child, how there were many people here back then, how he had his own little horse, and how later his father insisted he go to school in the city where the classmates all laughed at him…

There were no medicines here. I could only give him water to drink every so often.

It wasn’t that I was kind-hearted. Only he knew how to get out of here. I had to keep him alive.

I probably had a severe concussion—groggy and constantly wanting to vomit—but I forced myself to keep eating. I had to recover quickly to have any hope of escaping.

On the fourth day, Chi Na finally became slightly more lucid.

I asked him, “What are you planning to do? The police will find this place sooner or later.”

He laughed softly. “What is there to plan? Wouldn’t it be nice to just die here?”

My heart tightened. His face was ashen, his eyes lifeless—he seemed to have lost all will to live.

But I had to survive!

After thinking for a while, I said, “Don’t you want to see Yu Shixuan?”

He looked up at me. His dead eyes finally showed a spark of life, then he lowered his head again. “Looking like this, how can I see her?”

“She’s doing well. Over these two years, she completed the renovation of that villa complex on the hillside. It’s very beautiful.”

“She’s the one who renovated it… I thought it was some creditor’s doing.” He actually managed to pull his lips into a smile.

“Of course she renovated it,” I said. “She sold it for money and kept it all for you. She loves you very much.”

Chi Na’s eyes finally showed some vitality. I seized the opportunity to continue, “Actually, you could find a way to contact Yu Shixuan and have her bring a car and passport. Then we can figure something out.”

He fell silent for a long time, leaning against the wall without speaking.

Chi Na was a very selfish person. Selfish people generally cherish their lives. Until the very last moment, they won’t give up hope of survival.

And Yu Shixuan, knowing I was missing, would definitely find a way to stall him and then call the police—though she was a romantic, she was absolutely clear-headed and wise.

I suppressed all my anxiety, like smoothing the fur of an injured tiger, slowly guiding him. Let’s go out, to a place where you can contact Yu Shixuan.

That’s when I can finish you off.

On the fifth day, Chi Na finally staggered to open the car door. I forcefully suppressed my inner joy and wanted to follow, but unexpectedly he said, “You stay here.”

My heart suddenly tightened. I forced a smile. “Aren’t you afraid I’ll run away?”

“Go ahead and run. But I’ll remind you—this is a no-man’s-land. There are wolves.”

He sneered and drove off with a press of the gas pedal.

I was left alone in that unmanned mining area.

Sand and stones piled up, desolate earth stretched everywhere. Wind blew through the iron gate, making sharp whistling sounds.

I checked the supplies. There were five bottles of water and some high-calorie puffed snacks. Chi Na must have used this place as a vacation villa to reminisce about his childhood, so he’d only casually brought some snacks. I couldn’t judge how long they’d last.

If I took these things and ran, I’d have to get out within three days…

But how would I find my way? This mining area looked endless, not to mention the desert beyond.

That was the moment I came closest to Stockholm syndrome.

I began frantically fearing that Chi Na wouldn’t come back. I was going to be driven mad by this boundless loneliness and omnipresent death.

In the yellow sand, the sun was like a pattern on a fabric collage, gradually sinking westward.

At that moment, I heard police sirens, coming from far to near. Police cars were approaching!

I almost jumped up, shouting “I’m here! Help!” while running out frantically.

But outside the iron bars, there was no one—only the vast wilderness.

I stood there stunned. It took me a long time to realize it was a hallucination.

I was already having hallucinations.

I returned to the mine tunnel and curled up in the corner, wrapping myself tightly in a tattered carpet.

After countless hallucinations, I suddenly heard footsteps again, real or illusory.

Chi Na appeared at the doorway. The expression on his face was strange—like happiness mixed with pain.

But I was already ecstatic with joy. So many times I had thought he wouldn’t come back.

“You’re back!”

“Yeah.”

He bought a bottle of cola and tossed it to me. I looked at him hesitantly.

He didn’t look at me but heavily placed a roasted lamb leg on the table. “Eat.”

“How did it go? Did you contact Yu Shixuan?”

“Yeah, she’ll come tomorrow.”

I felt the blockage in my chest finally ease a little.

Over these two years, I had come to understand Yu Shixuan so well. She couldn’t possibly wander the world with a fugitive. There was only one reason she agreed to come—she was cooperating with the police.

“Eat up. When you’re done, clean up the place. She’s particular about things.”

“Good, good, that’s great.”

He bought a case of beer and a very large lamb leg, roasted crispy to the bone. Combined with the scene of yellow sand flying outside, it had a peculiar kind of magnificence.

“How much do you make a month?” he suddenly asked.

I didn’t know why he was asking this, but I could only answer honestly. “Not counting project bonuses, less than twenty thousand.”

He scoffed. “Just that? When I hang out with friends, one meal costs that much.”

“There’s no comparison.” I forced an ingratiating smile.

“So is all your hard work worth it?”

“It’s worth it. Since childhood, I lived in a room less than eight square meters, piled with garbage, cockroaches crawling everywhere,” I said. “But later I bought a really spacious house. After the mortgage, I can still afford two good meals a month. My grandmother doesn’t have to look at my father’s face anymore. The old lady…”

By this time I should have been home already. She should have prepared a whole table of food, waiting for me early.

Thinking of her lonely figure in the courtyard, my nose stung. No matter what, I had to get back alive.

Chi Na listened with fascination, constantly asking questions—how I got my first raise, whether I’d ever schemed with colleagues, how many vacation days I had, what I liked to do in my free time.

I assumed he was reminiscing about his father and answered each question.

He drank a lot of alcohol and ate a lot of meat, finally lying on the ground. “Sounds pretty interesting… In the next life, living like that would be okay too.”

I said, “We dream of living the life of a rich second generation.”

“Tch.” He said, “You’d quickly feel especially empty. For example, if you work hard to go from earning three thousand to ten thousand, step by step it feels quite fulfilling. But no matter how hard I try, it’s not worth one bottle of my dad’s wine money. Boring…”

I thought to myself, this isn’t a reason for you to go crazy.

The atmosphere was so good that for a moment, there was an illusion that we were depending on each other to survive.

So in the end, I still asked that question: “Did you kill Qinglong?”

“Yeah.”

He added, “But it wasn’t just to disgust you all. It was also because I found that kid annoying.”

“…Was killing me for the same reason?”

He scoffed. “Didn’t really plan to kill you. Knowing you were some minor leader, I just wanted to scare Old Feng. Used too much force.”

The atmosphere fell silent. We probably both thought of Old Feng’s corpse at the same time.

“He killed my dog, drove down my prices, and stole my workers. He deserved to die long ago.” He sneered. “Before dying, he was grabbing at my leg like a madman. Hey, do you think he was trying to save you?”

…

“Too bad I smashed his head in.” He said, “But you’re a good person.”

“Why are you so lawless? Just because you have money?”

“It has nothing to do with money. It’s just boredom.” He stretched lazily. “You don’t understand.”

What didn’t I understand? He just had an innate antisocial personality.

A strong wave of drowsiness hit me. I leaned against the stone wall and slowly fell asleep.

I don’t know how long passed before flames shot up in the mine tunnel.

When I opened my eyes, I saw Chi Na holding gasoline, laughing while continuing to pour.

“Oh, you’re awake? I thought you wouldn’t wake up!”

“What are you doing?”

“Dying,” he said. “I can’t live anyway. Might as well die here.”

“Why? Aren’t you waiting for Yu Shixuan?”

“Her? She didn’t answer my call.” He said it lightly. “Just as well. I don’t want her to see me looking like a ghost anyway.”

I was almost crushed by overwhelming despair, unable to stand steady.

He looked at me and continued, “You’re actually quite interesting. Perfect to keep me company on the road to the underworld.”

I shook my head. “If you want to die, go die. I won’t die.”

“That’s not up to you.” He laughed maniacally, like a true demon. “I put pesticide in the cola. Even if you don’t want to die, you’ll die.”

I looked up at him, my lips trembling.