Crimson Instinct

*Xin Lei*

I opened the app in the background and typed. "So, we should quickly leave for Tianjin as soon as possible."

"Yes. There might be a chance that Chu Jie could still be there."

Liao Huifang exclaimed. "Wait. Tianjin Port? Do you know how big Tianjin Port is? It is a tourist attraction too. It is one of the largest ports in the world. How will we find where the deal would take place? It could be anywhere!"

I wondered the same. Tianjin Port covered 121 kilometers of land. It is situated on the western shore of the Bohai Bay.

Tianjin port itself is subdivided into East, North, South, and Haihe river ports. And to find where the deal would take place and in which area was a difficult task if we had no leads.

I heard Lin Zihao speaking. "Don't worry. We have narrowed down the places. There are three places - Canggu, Nangang and Gaoshaling that are under construction. It is highly possible that the deal would be there."

Bai Li said, "That is possible. The rest of the port is quite filled with tourists. It doesn't seem logical that they would do that out in the open."

I typed. "But won't the officials still inspect what cargo would come there? Will they not check? Even if it is under construction, there must be some patrolling going on, right?"

"Some officials must be bribed who don't interfere themselves and don't let others interfere either."

I sighed.

I wondered how much more powerful connections this gang had.

Bai Li said, "Also, we have found Fu Meili buried here."

Silence.

Bai Li explained to them how and what we found out here in Natural Park.

Su Weiyuan slowly said, "We have to tell this to Fu Ting and his wife."

"Damn. I always hate this part." Lin Zihao sounded frustrated.

I understood it too.

As a doctor, I have seen patients pass away. Sometimes we cannot save them because, after all, we are humans too. Some things are not in our control, no matter how much we try our best. And to break the news out to their families is always the most difficult thing to do.

When they would collapse with tears in their eyes, I always feel that someone was tearing a part of my heart.

I couldn't imagine how the parents would take this news. There they are desperately waiting for any news about her, and now they would come to know that she is dead…Just how would they feel?

Losing their daughter so young…

I sniffled and typed. "Yes. We need to tell them but don't tell them how she died. They don't need to know that. Save that pain for them."

Bai Li quietly said, "Yes. They would not be able to take her brutal passing."

Lin Zihao said, "I agree. We would not tell them."

I typed. "Lin Zihao. How is Dad doing?"

"Ah, he is preparing for the case tomorrow. He is confident because the evidence is quite circumstantial but if we get one witness, then it would make things a hell lot easier."

Bai Li said, "We have got one. The worker who saw Fu Ting at three in the afternoon. She confessed."

"What? That's great! Can you bring her to Dongcheng?"

"Duan Deming is on it."

"We would tell this good news to Xin Nianzu."

As we hung the call, Liao Huifang asked, "Do you think Tian Song could be the man who pretended to be sister Chuntao's boyfriend?"

I sensed the anger in her voice.

I typed. "He could be."

She clenched her fingers in a fist. "I will kill that bastard! He...He played with my sister's feelings. He killed her…"

I patted her shoulders and hugged her. It was hard for her, and I understood that.

---

***

Xin Lei and Bai Li were discussing the case in the inn while Liao Huifang thought that she needed some fresh air, so she went out for a short walk.

The breeze was colder than usual because Natural Park was densely filled with trees. As it gently brushed past her cheeks, she bit her lip, and tears gushed out.

She clutched the pendant she wore around her neck. It was a birthday gift from Liao Chuntao when Huifang had turned eighteen. Since then, she always wore the pendant like her lucky charm.

Sister... how are you in heaven?

Her shoulders were trembling, and she didn't know if it was because she felt cold or because she was crying.

Liao Huifang recalled all the memories she spent with her sister. Huifang was ten years old when they lost their parents, and Liao Chuntao, who just turned eighteen, took the full responsibility of her younger sister. They had no relatives.

Liao Chuntao didn't talk much, but she always silently supported and cared for her Liao Huifang. She had to drop out of her University education halfway to get a job because she badly needed money for Huifang's education.

That is why Liao Huifang greatly respected her. It pained her every day to see that her sister had to be just a high school pass out so that she could study more.

They had an eight-year age gap between them, nevertheless, Liao Huifang always tried to help Liao Chuntao in making friends or how to talk confidently with people because she knew she was socially awkward and would stiffen and tense whenever she had to talk to people. She was lonely, but Liao Huifang couldn't help her much beyond an extent.

Why did you leave me, sister? Huifang gasped and sniffled. Didn't I tell you to stay away from that man?

"Why...why didn't you listen to me? You...you left me all alone now...I am all alone. You were my only family, sister. What will I do without you? I still need you... please…" she sobbed hard, "please come back, sister…"

She hugged herself and burst into tears.

Liao Huifang didn't know how long time passed. She wiped her tears and thought it was time to go back.

But she suddenly heard a gasp from a distance followed by a loud thud.

Liao Huifang was startled.

There was a small building where she saw the lights were off. It was dark.

She quietly walked towards it without making any noise.

Isn't this the building where Duan Deming took Ming in custody until they left for Dongcheng?

But she was surprised to see that there were no cops stationed outside. There were supposed to be officers who would look after Ming's safety, especially from Tian Song.

She felt a bad feeling arise in her chest.

When she reached the place and opened the door to peek inside, her jaw dropped wide open.

Through the moonlight, she saw Ming, who was on the verge of collapsing on the ground because a knife was stabbed in her abdomen.

"Ah…"

And then she saw Tian Song, whose right hand was on the handle of the knife that was inside Ming's stomach. He snapped his head at the right, and his gaze sharpened when he saw Liao Huifang.

"Tian Song! What did you do!?"

She saw Duan Deming lying on the floor, clutching his thigh in pain, which was shot when they were in Andingzhen. Blood oozed out of his dressed wound.

He was glaring at him and was trying to get up even when a sharp pain shot through his thigh.

"W-what is…" She covered her mouth.

"This bastard did something to force the officers stationed outside to do his work, and then he came to kill Ming. When...ughh…"

His brows knitted in pain. "When I came here to take her, I saw the lights off. The officers weren't here. When I came inside, he was going to attack Ming."

Liao Huifang saw the bruises on Duan Deming and knew that a terrible fight must have ensued between them.

"I fought, but he kicked on my wound…"

He was already unable to walk properly with the wound on his thigh, so Tian Song quickly overpowered him.

Ming's state reminded her of Liao Chuntao, and her blood boiled.

Liao Huifang rushed towards him in rage. "Tian Song, you bastard! You killed my sister, and now you are trying to kill Ming too!"

Ming was already unconscious, and her state was weakening.

"No! Don't come near him, Liao Huifang! He is dangerous."

"I don't care! Ming is in danger."

Duan Deming gritted his teeth. "Tian Song! Raise your hands and surrender yourself!"

She pushed Tian Song and quickly took Ming, who was breathing raggedly. The knife was still stuck in her abdomen.

Oh no! I-I need Xin Lei...

Tian Song narrowed his eyes. He was going to approach Ming again, but Duan Deming yelled. "Stop! I have already paged the cops to come here."

Tian Song stopped. He heard the footsteps of the officers closing in. Duan Deming was going to grab his gun but Tian Song suddenly bent and took it, and aimed it at him.

"Drop the gun, Song."

Liao Huifang cried out. "I saw you threatening Bai Li and Xin Lei in Andingzhen. You came here so that you could manipulate the evidence and now you tried to kill Ming when she wanted to confess even though you sent her threatening note not to do that. You…" her eyes teared up, "you are the one who killed my sister, right?"