Crimson Instinct

*Xin Lei*

Everything was too much to take. We finally found Fu Meili but as dead and buried. I vowed to myself that I would support Bai Li's oath until the end.

Those perpetrators whose hands were stained with so many innocent victim's blood...we won't let them roam freely anymore.

That was it, and that was enough.

From my front, Liao Huifang seemed horrified. "So do you mean that there are all the other victims buried here too?"

Bai Li said, "Yes. With Fu Meili here, there is no doubt anymore."

I typed. "It is like we are sitting on top of a cemetery."

"What should we do about Fu Meili? I mean... her body...It seems rude to let her be there."

Bai Li said, "This is a crime scene now. And we have already barged in enough. In fact, we will get into trouble for even digging this place. It's the cops' job. We cannot touch her. The cops and forensic experts will have to investigate."

I nodded.

"Hey! What are you doing here?"

We suddenly heard the voice of a man and the footsteps of two people coming towards us. Then I saw the men lighting their way with the flashlights.

Bai Li immediately looked alert. "The guards."

Yes, they were the same guards we met an hour ago.

They shone their flashlights on our faces and looked shocked.

"You three. Didn't you say you were heading east? What are you doing here? And-"

His flashlight shone on the ground that we just dug, and I could literally feel as if their eyeballs came out of their sockets.

"W-what is this? A dead body!"

The guards shared a glance at each other, stunned.

The second guard stuttered. "Y-you, what are you doing!? Were you burying a dead body?"

Did they see us carrying any body with us?

I shook my head.

They instantly took out their guns and aimed at us.

"Stay right there."

Bai Li said, "Yes, there is a body here. And for your information, not just one. There are bodies buried everywhere under the very ground you are standing on. Care to explain?"

"What? Bodies?"

"Yes. Bodies. As in plural. As in more than one."

I typed. "Yes. There is somebody here who kidnaps innocent people, brings them here, and viciously kills them. Everything happens right under your nose."

I glared at them.

The guards were quiet for a moment. They looked skeptical. "So, you lied about the lost bracelet."

Liao Huifang sneered. "Yes. We came here to find the girl who was kidnapped in your park."

The first guard alternated his gaze between Fu Meili and us. He pointed his finger at her. "Is she that girl?"

I mockingly snorted at them and nodded. My eyes teared up once again.

The guards looked grim.

Bai Li snorted. "And now you will say that you know nothing about this."

The guards truly looked confused. "We know nothing. Really."

I typed. "Why is it that there are no CCTV around here? I didn't see any."

The second guard said, "The cameras aren't working for a long time. And it's not like we didn't want to rectify that. But somehow, the work in this area always got canceled for some or the other reason. Then just recently, we got a call that this area was too old and was about to get demolished once we get the go-ahead from cops."

Isn't it very convenient to demolish the area now of all times?

Bai Li laughed. "Obviously they would want to. Who gave the order to demolish this area?"

It seemed as if something struck the guards, and they hesitated for some reason.

Bai Li just read my mind. "The silence seems suspicious."

I saw him narrow his gaze, and he stepped forward towards them. I stepped a bit to help him, but he shook his head.

"I can do this."

Even in the dark surroundings, I sensed a threatening aura around him. I saw his eyes shining in rage.

His presence commanded as if he wanted answers.

Bai Li slowly but calmly walked towards the guards and roughly stood in front of them.

"Hey stay where-"

But Bai Li raised his hands and caught both of the guard's hands that were carrying the guns at the same time.

I could see the guards frown, and then their expression turned as if they were in pain. And I knew why because Bai Li was applying pressure on their wrists and I could already vouch that it must be hurting like hell. Their wrist bone might already be crying by now. The guns were on the verge of falling.

"Listen, you two."

Bai Li's voice clearly felt like he was in no joke to waste any more time. The feeling was mutual.

"If you know anything about the person or persons who are a part of what and why happened here, then it's in your good health that you tell me everything you know. People have died, and out of them, one was just a little girl. An only eight-year-old girl. Nobody deserved what happened to them. So I don't want any shitty silence from you two."

Even if they were two carrying weapons, clearly at an advantage here and even if Bai Li couldn't see, they seemed dead afraid.

"If you lie to me or hide anything, I will bury you two right here, right now. Trust me. I am going to spare no one."

The first guard said, "W-we are hesitating because it's not so simple."

"I don't give a fuck about if it's simple or the most difficult thing on this planet. I want answers."

The guns finally fell.

The second guard gasped. "Okay! Just leave us. We are not your enemies."

"No. Tell me like this."

"Alright." The second one continued. "I am saying this for your own good, but if this is what we think is, then we should stay away from this mess."

Liao Huifang and I exchanged puzzled glances.

"Natural Park is government property, and right now, the government here is ruled by Yi Xiaosi's party."

Yi Xiaosi?

I think I have heard that name before.

I think he was the opposition to Zhang Chao's party. There were eight parties plus the CPC between whom the current elections were running. Out of the eight, there were three prominent parties.

Zhang Chao.

Yi Xiaosi.

And opposed to these stood a woman, Yao Shuang.

Actually, the Communist Party of China (CPC) is the ruling political and sole governing party of mainland China. And below it, they allow eight subordinated parties to co-exist.

Zhang Chao, Yi Xiaosi, and Yao Shuang were considered the most influential and strongest parties out of these eight. The other five were at equal standing but not so prominent as them. CPC is always in power, but the parties led by these three always dominate the National People's Congress (NPC) elections after CPC.

Liao Huifang said, "Wait. So Yi Xiaosi gave you the order to demolish this place?"

"Not exactly him. But one of his supporters, Zhao Wenyan who works for him and leads all his rallies arrangements. He is Yi Xiaosi's assistant."

The first guard was sweating. "Now, you see? An order from Zhao Wenyan is as good as an order coming from the leader, Yi Xiaosi himself. If we tell them that we found dead bodies here, then they wouldn't let us live! Maybe that's why everything was smoothly happening here because the main party in charge is behind it."

The second guard frantically nodded. "Yes. It's best if we don't say anything to the cops."

I gritted my teeth.

Don't say anything and let the murderers be loose?

Never!

I furiously typed. "You want these people just to be buried like that forever? Their families have lost them. They deserve justice, and you are thinking of letting this just go?"

"Well…"

Bai Li said, "Zhao Wenyan and Yi Xiaosi...I don't care how scared shitless you are. But call the cops right now. Seal this place."

---

Just fifteen minutes later, we already heard the sounds of sirens ringing. The cops had arrived.

Bai Li, Liao Huifang, and I stood at the same place, refusing to move an inch.

Officers came one after the other and started securing the place with yellow tapes.

From a distance, I saw two familiar figures coming, and I froze.

One was Duan Deming, who was supported by another cop to walk.

Wasn't he in the hospital?

And the other was Tian Song.

So he came here after all. The mere sight of him made my blood boil in anger.

But among them, there came another person whom I never saw before. He looked a little older than Bai Li, maybe late thirties. He wore a loose white shirt coupled with dark brown trousers. There was a thin layer of beard on his jaw. There was a polite smile on his face as he greeted the officers.

Liao Huifang mumbled. "Who is he? Is he Yi Xiaosi? He doesn't look that vicious."

I typed. "People know how to hide themselves well behind the blanket of innocence."

They stood in front of us. Duan Deming was leaning on his good leg. He looked at us three one by one. Then his gaze settled on Bai Li.

"I think I made it clear that we don't want civilian interference anymore."