Crimson Instinct

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Chu Jie was nervously shifting and trembling in his seat. He was holding onto Cocoa, who was unconscious in his arms.

The woman, Sufy, was muttering curses as she kept on driving in the new car. Her left wrist was bleeding, and she could hardly handle the steering wheel with it. So she was forced to use her right hand more.

There was a fresh scar on her left cheek too. It were the marks of claws that tore apart her skin.

"Fucking dog!" She spat furiously.

Chu Jie jolted. His body was shaking, and his chest constricted as he recalled what happened.

When Cocoa jumped in, he immediately pounced on Sufy, biting her wrist hard. She gasped in pain, and the gun she held got jerked and thrown away at the back.

The car started to spiral out of control, and it was difficult for both Cocoa and Sufy to keep their balance.

"Grrr Arf! Arf!"

Cocoa raised his right hind leg and attacked her cheek. His claws dug in her skin, and she screamed in pain.

"Damn you!"

She felt a burning pain as blood trickled out.

She wanted to push Cocoa away, but Chu Jie caught him. He shielded him and shouted. "No! Please don't hurt him," He cried.

"Shut up!"

But then at the base of the car, she found the handkerchief lying on it, which was imbued with chloroform. Sufy had no choice. She had no gun, either.

Sufy quickly bent and grabbed the cloth. Cocoa was about to land another strike, but she put the handkerchief on his nose and forced him to smell it.

She knew the effect wouldn't be strong because it had been quite a while, and the dosage would have already evaporated.

Nevertheless, it could still make Cocoa stagger and dizzy. The remnant effect would still cause him to go weak. And that's what happened.

Cocoa stumbled. Chu Jie gasped in horror. He held his face and rubbed his head.

"W-what did you do to him!?"

Cocoa vigorously shook his head to snap out from the dizziness, but his eyelids slowly started to droop.

"Grrr..."

Sufy sneered. "Hah! Take that, you bastard!"

Her wrist and cheek were hurting like hell, but she had to keep on driving.

"Just you wait. Once I stop and get the gun, you are so dead, you fucking dog!"

"No...No…please…" Tears rolled down Chu Jie's cheeks. He stared at Cocoa, who collapsed unconscious on his lap.

He was so touched with what Cocoa did for him. He leaped in to save him and fought with her fearlessly even though she had a gun.

And now Cocoa was knocked out.

Chu Jie liked Cocoa from the moment he saw him, but now he held pure respect for him.

He suddenly recalled how he could never fight back with the bullies in the school. He backed away because they were stronger than him.

Sufy with that gun was also way stronger and threatening than Cocoa. One shot and Cocoa could have been dead.

But he fought her. To save him. And got hurt in that process. Chu Jie began to sob.

He tremblingly hugged him and buried his face on his head.

"W-wake up, please…"

Sufy sneered. "He won't because I am going to stop the car at a point. And once I get my gun back, he will be off to hell."

"No!"

Chu Jie was now more terrified of her. He felt so helpless.

"Don't! Please! Don't hurt him, please. He is an animal. H-he-"

"Who bit my wrist and clawed my cheek! I wanted just to dump him on the next stop but no. Now I will not do that. After ruining my face, I will end his life!"

Chu Jie protectively hugged Cocoa. "Please...I beg you... d-don't do it…"

When she stopped the car, she came out and dragged Chu Jie, clutching his arm hard.

He winced in pain.

Sufy searched at the back and found the gun. She aimed the gun at Cocoa.

"NO!!" Chu Jie screamed. "Please help somebody!"

Even if he was outside, there was no hope of escaping.

She laughed. "There is nobody here to help you. Not even a single soul. Otherwise, why would I stop here?"

She glared at Cocoa with hatred and revenge.

Chu Jie hugged him hard and ducked down. He shook him and rubbed his back, but Cocoa didn't respond.

Just as Sufy was going to press the trigger, her phone buzzed.

She frowned and looked at the incoming number. She widened her eyes.

Boss…

The boss had never called her. It was always Rodey.

She quickly picked it up. "Boss!"

The boss at the other end said something, and Sufy replied. "Yes, boss. I managed to escape with the boy. But that soldier's dog came in between and messed things up. But everything is in control."

There was a pause.

The boss relayed one order, and Sufy was shocked.

"Yes, boss! I will do as you say!"

The line went dead. Chu Jie slowly raised his head, sniffling and crying, but he was still holding onto Cocoa.

Sufy glared at him. "Such lucky bastard this dog is! Fuck!"

Chu Jie didn't understand. He saw her clenching her jaw in rage. He didn't know what happened, but from her tone, it sounded like she wouldn't hurt Cocoa now.

"Get in!"

"Please let us go…what do you want? I don't even know you…Why are you doing this…"

Chu Jie begged and pleaded.

Sufy paid no heed and dragged them in another car.

There was a small shed, and she took out two cans of gasoline from inside. She quickly poured it all over the first car and also inside on the seats. She lit a match stick and threw it over the car.

The car instantly burst into long and powerful flames. Chu Jie widened his eyes.

Sufy sat on the driver's seat.

"No...let us go…" He cried and cried but to no avail.

Sufy sneered, "Now let us go to a nice place. I am sure you both will really enjoy your time there."