Thanks for Azure Dominion and my deares readers for supporting me so far. Job's been tough lately and I have found solace in Darkest Dungeon 2. But at the same time dragged this chapter for months. So without further ado, let's begin.
Yong Ling's first thought was to gain his footings back.
He pressed both palms against the rough surface. Slowly but surely, he had his upper half raised. His left leg followed in a bend. Then naturally, as Yong Ling attempted to straighten himself against the gravity, his right leg followed.
Yong Ling's jaw dropped and raised sucking air for his lungs. His feat to stand up on his own proved nothing wrong with all four of his cuts appeared though, from the friction during his roll. Could have been worse had not Yong Ling's long sleeved leather jacket took most of the damage. He slowly placed his left hand on his chest, then combed down to waist. He breathed a relief knowing no life threatening elements struck his front body. Albeit he couldn't get his own back, he sensed nothing other than a moderate migraine.
The next sight Yong Ling had was Jet Crow laid on its side.
The front end completely smashed in. Its headlight was shattered, and the metal frame was bent and twisted. The handlebars were mangled, and the brake and clutch levers were broken off. The loud engine was still running, but coughing horribly in a clattering noise until it stopped hacking like someone was having a lung failure. The fuel tank had ruptured on impact, spilling gasoline onto the pavement. The seat was torn, exposing the foam padding beneath. The contents stored underneath were scattered out of its storage onto the ground. One of the side mirrors went missing from the crash, the other one had cracks appeared and could shatter from the slightest touch. Jet Crow's painted surface also marred with white scratches and chipped, revealing the bare metal beneath.
It was a completely heartbreaking sight. Yong Ling's once-fierce iron steed, chick magnet, and above all an unparalleled street racing engine was reduced into a twisted wreck and nothingness.
Despite the extensive damage, Yong Ling couldn't help but feel grateful that Jet Crow had done its job in protecting them. It had taken the most of the impact, leaving them with tolerable injuries rather than something worse.
"A…A Xiang…"
Yong Ling's determined to check his best friend's condition. While Yong Ling escaped the crash intact, the same luck didn't appear to grace Wei Xiang.
Yong Ling went hastily toward Wei Xiang and something came flying from the corner of his eyes. Whatever it was, Yong Ling's reflex pulled him backward. Yong Ling never doubted his own body reflex. After all, it had saved him countless times from hazards in racing and brawling.
In this case, it was the latter.
The hazard came in a justly missed metallic baseball bat. The owner, an obese guy, bulging flabby belly, thick roundy arms and legs, seemed to be slow on moving, yet at the same time managed to make such a lethal swing at Yong Ling.
Looks could be deceiving indeed.
One thing true about the pudgy guy was he's indeed slow moving. Better yet, he exposed an opening where Yong Ling could exploit for a one punch knockout. But Da Feng's other counterpart went in swinging his weapon, forcing Yong Ling back behind.
The other guy was the polar opposite of Da Feng's obese henchman. He was thinner, smaller, sunken cheek, and swifter. The way he swung his weapon, Yong Ling knew he could take one hit from him and went for a counter attack.
Yong Ling instantly threw that thought away.
That thin goon's reset was almost instantaneous. As soon as he missed his swing, stepped forward and sealed the lethal range of Yong Ling's kick. Da Feng's thin henchman also made the reset during the motion, and the baseball bat flew once again.
It almost hit Yong Ling by his upper waist and Yong Ling was backed further. The next attack came swooping down waist in a crescent motion, and Yong Ling didn't plan to spend his youth being crippled in a wheelchair. He leapt backward. Once again, the attacker missed his mark yet no sign of frustration displayed on his face. His pace was steady. Steady pace meant optimized, swift, and effortless movement.
The opposite of a steady pace was simply unsteady pace. Such a simple word reflecting a complex display from Yong Ling. Flowing sweats, ragged breathing, and dulled movement. Each evasive maneuver Yong Ling pulled from his assailant chipped his stamina away. The safe distance Yong Ling drew from his attacker was almost none. Yong Ling's field of vision narrowed down to only the weapon in his assailant's hand.
That momentary lapse of concentration would soon turn to be fatal. The assailant made another swing. Yong Ling immediately responded to the direction the bat would fly, and the baseball bat stopped mid swing.
A feint.
That trickery took a second of Yong Ling's thought processing speed. Combined with his exhaustion, Yong Ling was left stupefied for around three seconds. Enough time for Da Feng's pudgy henchman to position himself. The moment Yong Ling came to, the moment he met his doom.
Yong Ling raised his hand in direction of the coming attack.
Crunch!
Yong Ling was too familiar with that sound. After all, he caused that noise on other people often as a result of having unfair advantage in his hand. This time however, Yong Ling was the one whom the sound directed to.
The sound of a broken bone.
From where the iron baseball bat made its impact, a sudden burst of agony radiated through Yong Ling's arm. Accompanying the pain, Yong Ling felt his bones shifting or grinding against each other. Maybe both of them since it became deformed to the point protruding through his skin. But that's not all of the damage Da Feng's pudgy henchman inflicted to Yong Ling in a single swing. The excessive brute force pushed Yong Ling down and back to the ground he struggled to raise before.
The beatdown continued.
Da Feng's other henchman didn't give Yong Ling any quarter. While the bigger guy exhausted himself, the smaller guy substituted immediately. He rained blows on Yong Ling's body. The randomized brutalizing quickly narrowed into specific targettings yielding great agony upon being landed upon. Yong Ling desperately twisted and turned around, trying to mitigate the damage he received while protecting his major injury.
The blow finally struck on Yong Ling's broken arm, right on the exposed bone.
Clenching his jaw and gritting his teeth, Yong Ling tried to numb the pain. The bravado was no more. Only blistering agony, exploding pain, excruciating suffering,...
"AAAARGGHH!"
…and throat inflaming screaming coming out from Yong Ling.
Right after landing the fatal blow, Da Feng's thin henchman stepped aside for his fatter, uglier companion to finish their dirty job. His slow walk sent a vibration in the ground spelling Yong Ling's doom each step. Once he arrived at the reach of his baseball bat, the iron armament was slowly raised up higher than the owner's belly. It kept leveled up, now higher than his chest level but didn't stop. Da Feng's fat henchman brought his weapon above his head. The round arms were bent beneath the back of his head accumulating full strength to bring down the baseball bat with wicked intention.
Like a medieval executioner preparing to decapitate the guilty.
Yong Ling foresaw his own end. Splatty tomato.
"但幾類 (Wait)!"
Da Feng's order stopped the fat guy from executing Yong Ling. The thin guy made way for his boss to pass through as well as his fat companion. At last, towering front above Yong Ling was Jin Da Feng. The young heir of Jin Enterprise appeared to be a charming individual with a golden ratio face. Da Feng's pompadour hair was his trademark amongst Yong Ling and Wei Xiang. But the most distinct was Da Feng's mogul fashion: a pair of golden rings on his hand, a golden chain connecting big shiny karat 'Gold' character on Da Feng's neck, tailored shirt in bright yellow, branded sporting shoes, and high quality leather pants that totally outshone Yong Ling and Wei Xiang's fashion for highschool delinquents.
Da Feng's face had lost its charm since the day Yong Ling thwarted Da Feng's drug operation in the trio's gang. Like a living relic, Yong Ling and Wei Xiang's roughing up on Da Feng remained . Especially the appearance of dental implants replacing Da Feng's original teeth. Da Feng's hair had lost its strength. Even the hair gel couldn't hold his hair properly and fell messily greasy sideways, making Da Feng to seem like a street bum. Green snots ran from Da Feng's nose, down his neck, leaving a disgusting trail ending to his germ corrupted gold chain glistened disgustingly and seemed more like an ordinary metal, if not a gold imitation of weight loss also showed in his physique. Sunken cheeks, pale and yellowish skin. Yong Ling could also make out a pungent odor coming from Da Feng amidst the injuries.
Only the watermelon knife on Da Feng's hand was clean.
"Hssshh…shhhh…Y…Yong…Hrrrkkk…Liiinkkhhh!"
Fury radiated from the slurry speech.
"Da…Feng…you half man…pussy!" Yong Ling snarled and kicked by Da Feng's thin henchman.
"You bastard!" Da Feng swung his knife at his underling. "I told you to save his face for me! Didn't I?"
The thin henchman barely avoided an open vein. "S…sorry boss."
Both of them quickly made room for Da Feng. Da Feng hung his head down, his bloodshot eyes nailed onto his target of wrath. He took a deep breath through his nose, eyes bulging and trembling as if they were about to jump out of their socket. Silence followed.
"WHO'S THE WEAKLING NOW, ZHANG YONG LING?"
The sudden goading came like a raging tempest. Even the henchmen took further steps back as a precaution against their employer's ill temper. Wrestling with the pain, struggling to return from his weakness on the floor while facing the pathetic Tempest who required others to do his dirty job, Yong Ling showed no fear from where he laid while shielding his exposed bone sideway.
"Still…rrrhgk! Cannot do your…own fighting…as always…you arrogant prick!"
"This is where you and your dog, and ME are different! You two who lack vision for the gang only rush to your demise while me, ME, who has a big plan for the gang naturally has to stay behind the safety and use my resources to uphold the gang from behind!"
"Vision and upholding…my…ass! Our gang…is built on…principle…of…fearlessness, brotherhood for the broken…and wandering souls. You are corrupting…our gang…into a den of…scoundrels…cheats…and junkies!"
The statement tickled Da Feng. What started as a giggle erupted into mockery laughter. Da Feng's henchmen included. Rather than a boot licking service resembling a comical scene where minions laughed with their master, their laughs were a natural reaction of something foolishly funny uttered by the Speed Devil without his wings in front of them.
"You believe what he said? That's what came out from the King of Street Racing despite sleeping with girls everytime he races?"
"Who does he think he is? Chan Ho Nam from Young and Dangerous?"
"No one's gonna recognize that movie anymore. I bet he thinks of himself as Sano Manjiro from Tokyo Revengers! Must because of his look!"
"Zhang Yong Ling…It…never occurred to me, that you are…naive…no. 北七喔 (Idiot)!
Yong Ling appeared to have no idea what was inside these wickeds' minds. His principles for the gang were very simple: Honor and chivalry hunger.
"HAAAHGK! Ptoey!"
A thick fatty green mucus flew out and stuck right on Yong Ling's cheek. Shivers ran on Yong Ling's as he flinched in disgust. As if Yong Ling would contract whatever infection Da Feng harbored from drugs.
"Since your don't get it, I'll tell you. 暴少组 (motorcycle gang）like us are the lowest level of underworld society due to our organization structure and forever will remain outside of the big league. Think of it! Where do brawling around and street racing will take you without proper 'sponsors', huh?"
"What…big league? Are you seriously thinking that we…are going to grow into…a criminal group?"
"What else for us to become? A volunteer group? Luckily for the three of us, I know some guys who are willing to become our 'sponsors' and bring the three of us into their group."
"That's…why you are circulating…those damned drugs around the streets? Starting…from our gang members? All for…an underworld society's membership?!"
"It's not like we are going to rob the banks or put bullets into someone else's like in Central Taiwan! Where do you think our income came from? Trees?"
Yong Ling wanted to scream. To give into his rage. To rise from the ground, seizing the devil in front of him one handedly, and did whatever beatings he could muster upon Jin Da Feng.
Nothing Yong Ling could do right now but to swallow his rage.
Da Feng took a package from his pocket. It gave Yong Ling an impression of a snacking noodle's seasoning sachet. But soon poofed when Da Feng tore the pack with his mouth, brought it close to his nose, and finally craned his neck and vacuumed its content through his nose.
"Absurd!" Yong Ling thought to himself.
Da Feng remained still. It would take some time for the drug to bring him to the seventh heaven. While at it, Yong LIng concentrated behind. His iron will numbed the inflicted pain while his other still functioning hand felt around the ground. Anything could be used to harm the junkie in front of Yong Ling as long as it could fit his palm.
It appeared that Lady Luck still favored her dashing-bashed-and bloodied daredevil. From anything Yong Ling could find within hand reach, he felt something familiarly metallic on the ground and instantly recognized it as his retractable iron baton which he kept inside the storage of his motorcycle.
Yong Ling quickly studied the situation and formulated a tactic. Da Feng and his goons had a starting advantage with their surprise crash attack. The roughing Yong Ling endured didn't end up killing him in the process thanks to Da Feng's goading his ego. Luck still remained within Yong Ling's grasp in the form of his baton. Yong Ling doubted that he could spring back to his feet. Injuries aside, Da Feng's knife had a reach advantage, not accounting for the other two armed henchmen on Da Feng's payroll, especially the thin one.
But hope's not lost. Yong Ling remained where he was albeit appeared powerless, exhausted, and in pain. But behind, he was resting and gathering enough strength for the moment when he would turn the table on Da Feng with a singular strike. The waiting game. That's Yong Ling's plan. All's left was to bring Da Feng closer.
"If only A Xiang had already been on his feet…"
Wishing wouldn't do Yong Ling good in this situation. He needed a pride wounding insult to lure Da Feng into his baton's fatal range.
"But what do I get in return, huh?" Da Feng's emotion erupted. "Not even a single thanks, nothing! NOTHING! Other than what you two did…to my CHARMING FACE!"
"Pffffttt!"
"What are you snickering at?"
"That ugly face really…suit a coward like you…who can't fight without numbers…and…selling his own ass for an empty promise. You really…make me laugh, Jin Da Feng."
"Heh! Is that all you can do? Throwing an empty insult on the floor?"
"Cowardice is one thing…but being someone's bottom bitch, just showed that…how far you've fallen Da Feng."
"I am not their bottom bitch! It's called currying a favor in business!"
That's it. The reaction Yong Ling was looking for.
"Hardly! You are…doing someone else's leg work…over an intangible…reward, while the person behind…stretched his leg out with a cold can."
"I am not doing someone else's leg work and the membership IS legitimately real!"
"Oh yeah? Like you sign a house lease? Who's this guy anyway? He got tats all over his body? Sleeveless tank-tops? Wearing blings to assert himself…like you are? That's the description of a low grunts just like the weaklings..you hired to rough…me and A Xiang!"
It was a random nonsense Yong Ling spouted at the spur of moment. Either by stroke of luck it was true or sniffing those white powders dulled Da Feng' memory. Nevertheless, Da Feng's face contorted into an expression of denial.
"He's not! I told you, he's not a grunt and holds a position in the group! I know people!"
"You don't." Yong Ling "You don't even know…the name of these two goons on your payroll."
"Of course I do! They are…they are…"
The fat and thin henchmen exchanged look with each other.
"...they…they…Grrrh! Hey fatty! What's your name?"
"Kong Shen He, boss."
"And you?"
"Liu Wei Shan, boss."
"See? I know! They are Dong Sheng Che and Lou Wei Shang! I know people up and down unlike you nor Wei Xiang!"
"See?" Yong Ling addressed Da Feng's henchmen. "You twoorrghhk….are seriously working…for this idiot junkie?"
Questionable decisions appeared in their eyes. Still, they maintained an air of stoic professionalism and unwavered from Yong Ling's suggestion. Their boss however, couldn't stop fuming.
"Hah!" Yong Ling continued. "For a small leg work, you think you are…doing a major work for the gang? You can't even…go out without someone holding your hands!"
"Grrrh! I am not!" Furrowed brows, gnashing teeth, and blood began to gather in Da Feng's face.
"Finally hhhhh-hitting your growth spurt huh, big boy? Or do you still need me and A Xiang to feed and change your diaper?"
"Shut up! Shut up! SHUT UP!"
If there's any insult Yong Ling could think of that would spring Da Feng into action, then there's one on the tip of Yong Ling's sharp tongue.
"Currying favor my ass! You are not a business…man, just a bootlicker, a cocksucker waiting to be tossed like a spent condom once they are done with you!"
Da Feng pounced on Yong Ling. This is the moment Yong Ling been waiting for. The hand which held the hidden weapon in anticipation finally flew from its dormant place. The baton extended during the motion and connected with Da Feng.
The watermelon knife slipped from Da Feng during the impact.
Da Feng possessed a sculpted body from gym workouts. But it offered little resistance to the blow he just received and recoiled from Yong Ling and was further weakened by the narcotics. Yong Ling didn't let go of Da Feng easily. He also rolled to Da Feng's direction and got on top of him.
Their position was now reversed.
Yong Ling raised his baton once more, determined to end the evil underneath him.
"It's over, Jin Da Feng!"
"Zhang Yong Ling, NOOOOOO!"
Terrified scream escaped from Da Feng's toothless putrid mouth as Yong Ling brought down his weapon on Da Feng's face.
BAM!
The baton didn't connect.
Rather, an impact at the back of Yong Ling's head steered the direction of his baton off course. Da Feng's thin henchman came to the rescue of their employer in the nick of time.
"S…shit…he's too…soon.."
Yong Ling's regret stuck on his throat. Ringing ears, spinning vision, warm mild sensation from head behind, Yong Ling fell flat on the ground and into the end's cold embrace.
Da Feng skittered on his four, away from Yong Ling, onto where his dropped weapon was located. Da Feng savored the relief when he retrieved the wicked blade triumphantly, and made his way back to Yong Ling. The thin henchman understood what his boss' evil intention was and made way once again. No gratitude was exchanged between them.
"You are a crafty son of a bitch, Zhang Yong Ling." Da Feng mounted Yong Ling from behind "You and I, and your Mad Dog, the three of us can climb the underground ranks in no time! Too bad that the two of you get on my nerves!"
Da Feng grabbed Yong Ling's hair, the serrated edge of Da Feng's knife pressed against Yong Ling's cheek.
"Time for your makeup, Yong Ling!"
Da Feng made a slow pulling motion. A deep red streak added on Yong Ling's facial feature as the knife cut through his cheek, sending a slow excruciating torturous sensation. Yong Ling instinctively resisted by turning away from the someone as weak as Da Feng managed to hold Yong Ling's head and pressed him firmly against Da Feng's knife. The struggle only worsened the cutting. Meanwhile, Da Feng's laughing maniacally while carrying out the brutal act.
"Smile, Pretty Boy! Be thankful because from now onward…"
A twist, and the knife arced upward.
"...you can smile FOREVER!"
The sadistic deed finished with a clean splitting slice through the outer of Yong Ling's ear canal. Da Feng's maniacal laugh triumphant over Yong Ling's agonizing scream.
"That's one hell of a cutting, boss."
"He looks like DC comic's Joker."
"Who knows he'll be reincarnated as a vengeful ghost after we are done with him."
"The Slit-Mouthed Boy."
"A modern urban legend in which once a pretty faced daredevil street racer delinquent, popular with ladies, got into an 'accident', and had his mouth slit by street ruffians who hate his guts.
"Wooooo~ scary"
Apparently, the pudgy henchman managed to come out with a pun after resting.
"Sui!" Da Fen pointed his knife on him. "I like that! You hear that, Zhang Yong Ling? You are not going to die a dog's death, per se. You are going to become famous, a legend! An urban legend!"
"Run…A Xiang…" Yong Ling's voice was drowned in the bloody pain.
"Oh, we are not done yet! I am still going to carve your other cheek but before that, hey Fatty!"
"Yes, Boss?'
"Do you think the urban legend will become bigger if we add this: 'the Slit-Mouthed Pretty Boy's appears together with his loyal dog, whose head was bashed from a baseball bat when it was still living because it barked to an agitated baseball team after losing an important match'"
A sinister grin appeared on the pudgy henchman's face.
"I get it, boss!"
The pudgy henchman turned away, making a practice swing on his way. Ringing ear and a newly opened wound on the side of his head muffled half of Yong Ling's senses, but Yong Ling shuddered knowing that his own end now became Wei Xiang's.
The pudgy guy began to assume the same medieval executioner stance for Wei Xiang.
It was painful just by closing his mouth tightly, gritting his teeth and numbing the pain from his one sided torn mouth.
To see his friend killed, that was agonizing.
"RUN, A XIANG!"
A loud impact was heard.
Echo of that impact slowly dissipated into breath stopping silence.
Da Feng was grinning triumphantly, along with his thin henchman for another hit well done.
Yong Ling couldn't bear witnessing the gruesome sight and winced from it. Then, an invincible knife found its way straight into his heart, deeper into the very end of his soul, twisting and severing his spirit.
All the pain Yong Ling suffered, the beating he took, the helplessness laying in front of death's door, the hopeful victory soon turned into a despair of his foiled plan at the critical moment, they were all for nothing,
They didn't even give any time for Wei Xiang to save his own life, least to recover for a fighting chance. A total opposite of the principle Yong Ling upheld in his gang. It had become clear now, how Da Feng's wicked influence spreaded in their gang. Dirty money and drugs were the magnet for these wicked minded people to infiltrate their gang, but the true malign cancers were these people's depth of ruthlessness to enforce Da Feng's evil. On the wet rough floor, pinned down next to a watermelon knife on neck in a helpless position by the weakest person Yong Ling ever known in his troupe, Yong Ling finally had a painful revelation of their gang's hopeless future in Jin Da Feng's hands. A new black era of drug addicts and murderers would stem out of Zhang Yong Ling and Qin Wei Xiang's street heroism.
Zhang Yong Ling had failed his best friend.
A loud thud of a falling object.
Da Feng's triumphant expression was instantaneously drained.
"This…this can't be happening!" The thin henchman even voiced his disbelief.
"How…HOW? IMPOSSIBLE!"
It was strange why the bloody deed took so long to be carried. Yong Ling dared to open his eyes and shocked upon the bizarre sight. It must be the pain Yong Ling had sustained that his brain played an illusion trick for another false hope.
Albeit it's a false hope, let it might. After all, it was the image of him that would grace Yong Ling in their final moment together.
"A…A Xiang?"
In place of Da Feng's fallen henchman on his knees holding his crotch, it was Qin Wei Xiang who stood above the prostrating pudgy giant. Signs of injuries from the crash were obvious, especially at Wei Xiang's face where a pair of bloodstream flowed from his nostrils. A nasty crunch came as Wei Xiang fixed his broken nose and a pair of red streams burst out through his nose. Wei Xiang felt lightheaded, but he endured it. Wei Xiang inhaled a stream of air, then immediately converted that into a devastating energy to his knee and smashed the opposition right at the center of face.
Da Feng's pudgy henchman snapped backward, eyes rolled upward, mouth foaming and blood spurting from the damage both on his nether and facial region.
"Jin Da Feng! You and your goons are going to pay!"
That fierce voice of Yong Ling's most ferocious fighter in their gang wasn't an illusion Yong Ling's brain tricked its owner. It was real. Yong Ling's suffering wasn't all for nothing. Better yet, Wei Xiang felled Da Feng's hammer unit in their group meaning all hope's not lost after all. Wei Xiang's voice reconnected and mended Yong Ling's spirit into its mortal vessel resulting in a hopeful light shone in Yong Ling's eyes.
The scale began tipping with Wei Xiang's presence.
"You! Kill him!"
Da Feng's last henchman immediately dashed into action. Wei Xiang was aware of his opponent's advantage. Both from the physical build and the metallic baseball bat on his opponent. Wei Xiang glanced onto a masterless baseball bat lying on the ground.
By the time Wei Xiang picked that up, Da Feng's henchman would bash Wei Xiang's center skull opened.
Instead, Wei Xiang breathed in and shifted and positioned himself where the baseball bat was lying. He once again directed his strength to his leg, channeling the energy onto the tip of his finger toes while assuming a stance. Without picking the weapon on the floor, Da Feng's henchman couldn't go in for his kill and went for a safe approach with a mid swing.
That safe approach was the trap Wei Xiang set and made a kicking motion. The baseball bat went flying from the ground right between Da Feng's henchman legs and tripping him forward.
Da Fen's henchman was off balanced and missed his swing.
Wei Xiang's other leg moved and connected with Da Feng's last henchman's jaw and sent him to join his partner in their painful sleep.
"No! NO! NO! IMPOSSIBLE! THOSE TWO ARE THE GANG'S PROBLEM SOLVER! YOU SHOULD BE DEAD RIGHT NOW, QIN WEI XIANG!"
"Me, dying, from the kind of you?" Wei Xiang helped himself with the weapon from his enemy's loose hand. "Not in a million years, Da Feng! You will pay for what you did to us!"
"Fat chance, fool!"
Da Feng grabbed Yong Ling by his hair and brought his knife an inch from Yong Ling's neck.
"One more step and he'll have another mouth to talk!"
"Grh!"
Da Feng's serious threat was as desperate in his eyes. Wei Xiang stopped on his track. The baseball bat was now on Wei Xiang's waist level yet he refused to let it go.
"It's you…always you two who ruined me! Why won't you two see the bigger picture I am seeing? It's always me who do the thinking and elevating our gang! Be real you idiots! We are a growing criminal group! But what do I get in return from ungrateful fuck and meathead of you two? You two ruined my face!"
"The rules are clear, Da Feng! No drugs, no forcing yourself onto the others, no cheating nor stealing, stop when your opponent begs for mercy, and keep your brothers tight!" Wei Xiang shot his finger at Da Feng.
Da Feng spat. "You two should become a pair of preachers going Hallelujah in Kao Xiong instead had it not for Yong Ling's speeding addict and your thirst for fight! You want a confession? Have at you two! I desire power! And what is power without money huh? Don't you give me those eyes because the power of a meathead like you can be bought, Qin Wei Xiang! If a single person like you can't be bought, then I have to throw more money and buy more people until they overpower you!"
Wei Xiang gritted his teeth. While he himself hated to admit it, Da Feng made his point today.
"You, Yong Ling, and I," Da Feng continued "We are not so different! The three of us are hungry for a big acknowledgement! But only the two of you can't think further in the path you are walking! Just what did you two actually have in mind when forming this gang huh? Just to show off, wasting your life away in same minded numbers licking each other off, or looking cool like those pretend street gangsters in Hong Kong movies?"
"Whatever it is to each our own, Da Feng. You violated the rules we agreed upon!"
"This is why amongst the three of us, you are the narrow minded most Qin Wei Xiang! If Zhang Yong Ling told you to eat shit, then you'd be eating shit without doubt! That is who you are!"
"Yeah, you're right! I am and I will!"
A shocking, foolish confession. Even Yong Ling was left breathless upon hearing Wei Xiang's stupidity.
"But he won't! Zhang Yong Ling will never debasing his 兄弟 like you said, Jin Da Feng! Never have and never will!"
Wei Xiang sharp eyes burned with an intense resolution. His proof of unwavering trust touched Yong LIng's heart.
"Here I thought that you are stupid, but it turns out you are dumb! You forget whom Zhang Yong Ling is? He's a fuck boy who has slept with hundreds of woman as well as cucking other men's woman behind! This is the true face of someone you are loyal to, Mad Dog! Forget about him! He won't be able to sate your thirst for fighting! In fact, once I got instated into the organization, you won't be out of people to fight in and out of the ring! Join me, Qin Wei Xiang! I, Jin Da Feng open my door for you to be my lackey!"
"Keep your brothers tight," Wei Xiang repeated himself. "I won't turn my back on my 兄弟 and neither Yong Ling will, so quit weaseling your way out, Da Feng!"
"Fool! Don't you see who's in control right now? I have the power! I hold your not so pretty boy by his right now! You should be on your knees kowtowing and say "Please, Jin Da Feng 佬大" and do my bidding! So start by throwing that bat away or I'll kill him right now!"
Wei Xiang held the bat tighter. The thought of flinging the bat from where Wei Xiang aimed at Da Feng's head and hoping the impact dazed the maniac and let go of the knife in his hand went up in smoke. Not like Wei Xiang couldn't do it. He could make it from that distance and with his herculean innate ability before proceeding to unleash his rage onto Da Feng.
But eventually, Wei Xiang was the one who let go of the bat reluctantly.
Da Feng was pleased by such an obedient sight.
"Go on!"
Never once was Wei Xiang on his knees for other people. Even in fighting, the only defeat he had was when he's fully flat on the ground on either side. Every muscular expression in Wei Xiang's face revolted against each other resulting in a grimace of anger and humiliation. His knee went stiff and shaking, preventing the approximately eighty kilogram weight from touching the ground.
"Krrrrghhh!"
"No…don't…do it…A Xiang…"
Wei Xiang's knee finally gave up.
Da Feng's triumphant laugh rained upon Yong Ling and Wei Xiang.
"See that, Zhang Yong Ling? Your undefeated champion tis but a mere loser after all! Look at you, Wei Xiang! This is the price of your loyalty to Zhang Yong Ling! HAHAHAHA!"
Here, Wei Xiang made a fool of himself in front of Da Feng's raging tempest while Yong Ling helplessly held captive on the ground with Da Feng's knife on Yong Ling's neck. Zhang Yong Ling felt pathetic.
"The son of Infinite Stratos' Third Mondo Grosso Champion kneeling to nobody but me, Jin Da Feng! Hell, your mother must be rolling in her grave now!"
Da Feng hurled his abuse like a serrated harpoon straight into Wei Xiang's heart. Just as Wei Xiang tried to brush it off with a deep breath, the invincible pain spreaded throughout entire body, and Wei Xiang's strength was nowhere. Wei Xiang's mouth sucked in and vented out air in rapid succession but it's no use. He felt like he could collapse at any moment.
"You think the Uncrowned Champion for your mother is something to look up upon? IT'S THE TITLE FOR LOSER! Like mother, like son! Both of you are losers!"
Zhang Yong Ling failed as a gang leader and his friend's dignity
"You are…the vilest coward I ever met in my life Da Feng." Yong Ling said
"Coward this, coward there, but who's holding the power right now, huh? Not any one of you two!"
"Yeah, you are right…I created this gang for us to indulge in our childish fantasy…to bleed in ways we think glorious, to brawl and shake hands with new bonds formed between us and the other gangs, to look cool like in Young And Dangerous, and to lick each others wounds because we lost someone important in our life or we are angry at how the world looked and misinterpreted us."
"Ooooh? So you agree with me now? Too late for that!"
This impasse between the three of them had gone long enough and benefitted Da Feng from his hurled abuse toward Wei Xiang. Worse, any longer meant reinforcement for Da Feng. Yong Ling took a deep breath. Wei Xiang's presence had lit Yong Ling's losing spirit. It's time to relit Wei Xiang's dimmed soul.
"Keep your brothers tight…You better had your fun Da Feng. Because it will be your last!"
"Oh yeah? What can you do, huh? Spouting empty threats again? Smarting your way out?"
"No more playing smart. On your feet, A Xiang!"
Yong Ling's voice became a light that once again chased the darkness clouding Wei Xiang's mind.
"Fuck him up, for both of us."
"Wh-what are you doing? H-HEY!"
Yong Ling had his other functioning hand reached for Da Feng's knife on the other side. It was small, but the applied force working against Da Feng's will had sent a confusing alarm to Da Feng.
"ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND, ZHANG YONG LING?"
The knife's serrated edges were pressing through Yong Ling's skin, entering his flesh. Blood o exiting from the newly punctured holes.
"I…won't let you…debasing my 兄弟...anymore, Da Feng!"
"S-STOP IT! DO YOU WANT TO DIE?"
Da Feng fought for the knife's control to return it back to its state where Da Feng would reign control over the two of them through cowardly means. He tried to pull the knife back, but Yong Ling's hand placement on the back of the knife had more control over Da Feng.
"Grrrh! Hrrrrg! You wanna…see…" Yong Ling fought through the self inflicted pain. "...something childishly…cool? I'll show you…The Daredevil…Speed Demon's guts!"
Da Feng pulled Yong Ling's hair and his knife away. His strength was split between and failed matching Yong Ling's control over the knife.
"Yong Ling…Stop!"
Not even Wei Xiang's plead able to waver his friend's steely resolve. The knife now made its way halfway into Yong Ling's neck. More blood coming out from Yong Ling's neck as he pressed the blade deeper. It became torturing to swallow, least to breath. But the pain was not even close to his dearest friend's humiliation.
Da Feng's panicking and screaming.
He knew that if his hostage died, he didn't have any slightest leverage against Wei Xiang. At this point, Yong Ling's power left his body from the self-inflicted pain and the Daredevil Speed Demon felt that his control on the knife was slipping away.
The narcotic Da Feng inhaled earlier finally collected its due at the wrong moment. Da Feng's neuron delayed, giving Yong Ling a breathing respite.
A final push into his own carotid artery, a gurgle, and Zhang Yong Ling went limp. .
Yong Ling's reckless bravery left Da Feng entirely stupified and finally let go of Yong Ling from his grasp. Wei Xiang was screaming for Yong Ling's name and displaying a man's weakest side.
When the screaming stopped, Da Feng was stabbed by something unseen. It was a ghastly sensation that immediately sobered him up to the gravity Da Feng brought upon himself.
"Ha…ha…c-calm d-d-own Wei Xiang. L-let's cool d-down a second."
Wei Xiang said nothing. He raised up from the ground. The sobbing stopped, but the tears remained flowing. Though Wei Xiang inhaled air, he breathed out painfully like a bag leaking water.
"It…it's a joke…alright? I-I just wanted to scare you t-two. Gotta keep the face for the new members to l-look up to!"
Perhaps it was another withdrawal of narcotic symptoms messing up Da Feng's perception. The ground quaked from Wei Xiang planting his heel as he strode toward Da Feng. The vengeful cracks of Wei Xiang's fists made the exact noise of Da Feng's soon to be broken bones and ribs.
"I-if w-we are hurry now w-we can still r-rush Yong Ling to the ICU w-with my v-van!"
Da Feng couldn't drive a car. Neither did Wei Xiang. Nor Da Feng's two paid henchmen.
Fear once again sank its icicle claw onto Da Feng and reminded him of the clarified mortality. Da Feng's pleas were unable to reach Wei Xiang. So Da Feng reached for his pockets desperately for another packet filled with his white powder narcotic. He tore the packet and sucked clean its content.
Da Feng was desperate for an escape from his inevitable fate. At least for his mind. Instead, the narcotic reversed Da Feng's survival instinct. A rush of energy and rising confidence triumphed over the call for a cowardly exit, the narcotic emboldened Da Feng's psyche and empowered Da Feng with anger to fight.
"RRRRRRAAAGGHH!"
Da Feng pulled out his watermelon knife, drawing more blood and opening a gaping wound on Yong Ling's neck.
"I MADE YOU KNELT TO ME AND I CAN KILL YOU AS WELL!"
Da Feng charged into Wei Xiang. Hand raised, and the watermelon knife fell upon Wei Xiang. Wei Xian responded with a quick sidestep out of the danger, followed with a blow to Da Feng's exposed side. Words circulating on the streets amongst their peers that Wei Xiang's punch hit as hard as a baseball bat while his kicks could slice woods into two. Those who took the punches brushed the exaggeration, confirmed it with a more relatable sensation of being hit with an iron.
"THAT'S IT? YOU HIT ME WITH SUCH A WEAK, BABY PUNCH?"
Da Feng didn't recognize the pain at all. Only the impact that managed to draw a slight distance between them. Da Feng recovered and came swinging once again. Wei Xiang pulled back and the serrated edge tore Wei Xiang's shirt and splatted Yong Ling's blood on Wei Xiang's exposed skin.
Wei Xiang returned the close shave with a front kick. Now, very few who took Wei Xiang's kick and shared the sensation of being speared through. Da Feng stopped moving as the impact bloomed throughout his body. His eyes bulged, mouth puffed…
"Gahk!"
…and Da Feng threw up a bile. Wei Xiang pulled his leg back. He turned around creating momentum for a roundhouse kick to Da Feng's side. Da Feng fell to the direction of Wei Xiang's kick. However, the kick failed to disarm Da Feng painfully, contrary to what Wei Xiang expected.
"Must be because of the drug's influence."
Wei Xiang was astonished watching the drug's numbing effect. With Da Feng's pain receptors shutting down gave Wei Xiang as if he's fighting a walking killing machine.
"Doesn't matter. That means I can hurt him more than usual."
Wei Xiang liked that idea. The burning vengeful thought drove him to be on the offense. It was Wei Xiang's turn to be on the attack. Wei Xiang ran to Da Feg, decided to mount and raining blows on the addict wherever he could see. But when it came between those two in terms of reach, Da Feng without doubt came out as the winner. Even from the ground, Da Feng immediately swung his watermelon knife and kept Wei Xiang at the reach of his weapon at the same time working his leg back on the ground.
"MAD DOG MY ASS! YOU ARE JUST A BARKING DOG AND NO BITE!"
Wei Xiang suddenly felt something pushing his lower waist behind with an intent to drop him forward. His honed sturdy reflex instantly strengthening his thigh and legs, anchoring them into the ground.
"I got him, boss! I GOT HIM!"
It was Da Feng's thin henchman.
"HOLD HIM!"
Da Feng barked another order. Then, he put every single of his strength into his grip and raised his weapon up high above. A barbaric cry and Da Feng set to Wei Xiang once again.
"Kill him, boss! kill…AAAIIEEEEE!"
Just by a glance, Wei Xiang immediately had his eyes onto the exposed ear of Da Feng's henchman. He swiftly reached for it, firmly grasped it, and ripped it off effortlessly. The searing pain was too much for the scrawny henchman to handle that he let go of his grasp from Wei Xiang and held his injury. Da Feng's knife was already in motion by the time Wei Xiang broke free. Sidestepping wasn't an option. Wei Xiang threw himself sideway from the danger.
THUNK!
There's additional sound Wei Xiang couldn't make of. Wei Xiang didn't allow himself to get caught in the gory moment. He crawled away from Da Feng and his henchman though Wei Xiang had the idea of what's going on between those two.
"Ghhk…B…boss…w…why?"
"FOOL!"
Da Feng was struggling pulling his jammed knife from his henchman's skull. But the more Da Feng tried to pull the knife, the serrated edge scrambling the inside of Liu Wei Shan's head.
"I TOLD YOU TO HOLD HIM DOWN! IT'S YOUR FAULT HE ESCAPED!"
Liu Wei Shan, Da Feng's thin henchman, swift and agile as he was, couldn't avoid his end at Jin Da Feng's hand.
Wei Xiang scanned his surroundings looking for something. As long as the watermelon knife in Da Feng's possession, Wei Xiang was almost at a total disadvantage against Da Feng in terms of lethality. Not to mention the pain nullifying effect the drug bestowed upon Da Feng rendered any damage Wei Xiang took non existent.
Wei Xiang snapped himself. Da Feng bled like Wei Xiang too. Both were humans by nature. It was like an adrenaline rush or pain numbing chemicals the body released. The pain would take effect at later time, not now.
The logical reasoning was enough to keep Wei Xiang's head cleared in this onslaught.
"YOU ARE USELESS!" Liu Wei Shan dropped lifelessly to the ground with a red valley on his face. "INCOMPETENT!"
Da Feng searched around bloodthirsty for Wei Xiang.
"THAT'S RIGHT, WEI XIANG! RUN! CRAWL ON THE GROUND LIKE A DYING DOG WITHOUT HIS TAIL YOU ARE!"
A glint of clear light took Wei Xiang's attention by an arm reach in front of him. It was Yong Ling's rear mirror that scattered along with its other motorcycle parts. An idea flashed in Wei Xiang's mind. Crunch! The pain best described as a small sting pressing into Wei Xiang's fist muscle. The bleeding was no concern compared to being slashed by Da Feng's knife. Wei Xiang scooped the shattered glasses into his fist.
"DIIIIIIIIIEEEE!"
"You first!"
Wei Xiang spreaded the the glass shards onto Da Feng. With Wei Xiang's strenght, those shards flew like rain in a storm. Bits and pieces of the sharp objects buried themselves right into Da Feng's face.
"AIIIIEEEEEE!"
Apparently, some pieces even went into Da Feng's eyes obstructing his view with a searing pain and a bloody vision. Nevertheless, the killing motion was already committed. Even with rolling away, Wei Xiang still able to feel the cold air made by the cutting motion from where he was last at.
Da Feng flaying blindly in red.
"COWARD! FOR SOMEONE LIKE YOU WHO ALWAYS BRAGGED ABOUT MANO A MANO, YOU ARE A COWARD! QIN WEI XIANG, YOU ARE A HYPOCRITE!"
"Grrrrh!"
That's rich, coming from someone who sent eight armed goons to off Yong Ling and himself today. Yet the insult rubbed on Wei Xiang's pride. Nevertheless, didn't make him to fall into a stupid mistake such as challenging Da Feng head on.
Not without a weapon in hand.
The baseball bats were out of his reach. One of them that Wei Xiang threw away was next to Da Feng' feet. There's no way he could retrieve any of them. If only there's something he could hold onto…
What would Yong Ling do in this situation?
That thought led to the answer of Wei Xiang's prayer. A black object near Yong Ling's body was gleaming as if telling Wei Xiang its presence. Either by the blow of a strong wind, or Wei Xiang's optical illusion that Yong Ling just pushed the object and rolled it passed onto Wei Xiang's reach.
Yong Ling's retractable baton. His signature bad boy armament in his dirty fighting style.
Wei Xiang held the weapon tightly into his hands. He could feel Yong Ling's fighting spirit still lingered inside and went inside Wei Xiang. Wei Xiang was back on his feet. Armed and emboldened.
"I AM RIGHT HERE, JIN DA FENG!"
Wei Xiang announced his presence boldly.
"AND I AM SICK OF PLAYING GAMES WITH YOU!"
An imitative provocation. Albeit not as nerve touching as Yong Ling's, Wei Xiang did his best with a pointing finger.
"THAT SHOULD BE MY LINE, FOOL! AAAAAAAARRRGGHH!"
Both combatants let out a war cry as they ran onto each other. Da Feng had his knife raised highly above his head. Wei Xiang kept his baton at a moderate height.
It would be Da Feng's last war cry.
"DIE, QIN WEI XI…"
CLANG!
The baton came from below and clashed at each other. Sparks of chipped iron bits between two lethal objects flew sideways. If any passerby was present, it was very clear who'd win this clash of weapons. Qin Wei Xiang, for securing a reliable extension of his own hand, combined with his overwhelming strength, threw off Da Feng easily without any scratches. Wei Xiang used this momentum to close in. A straight punch to the face broke Da Feng's nose, splattering blood and messing up his respiratory system. Da Feng tightened his right arm muscle. He drove the knife straight forward to Wei Xiang's chest, only to be misdirected and passing Wei Xiang's side by Yong Ling's baton. A twist of wrist, and Wei Xiang bludgeoned Da Feng's side of his head with the butt of his baton.
"(useless useless USELESS!)"
Those words failed to come out of Da Feng's mouth. It appeared that the shock managed to stop Da Feng from moving one way or another. Wei Xiang eyed Da Feng's shoulder where the knife at. He brought the baton up and hammered down that specific area.
Crunch!
Such familiar noise to Wei Xiang's ears.
A second passed since Wei Xiang did the necessary deed and Da Feng finally back on the move. He raised his knife and fell it down to Wei Xiang wickedly. A strange realization dawned upon Da Feng that he lost control of his arm. It gradually built into a curiosity for Da Feng to stop awhile, turning his head, and realized that his arm was dangling. Oddly enough, the knife was still on his grip.
"Huh? Huh? Wh-what did you do? WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME, QIN WEI XI-AAARGGHH!"
Wei Xiang whipped Da Feng's waist. Not on the flesh, but right exactly on his waist bone. Another cracking sound was heard and Da Feng fell to the ground.
Da Feng let out a throat searing scream. The drug had finally taken off its effect. Rolling in the ground, all the pain Da Feng received from Wei Xiang exploding all over his body resulting in a maddening agony in between being pulled apart and exploded into pieces while suffocating in his own blood.
"IT HURTS! IT HURTSSSS!"
Wei Xiang didn't stop. He stomped on Da Feng sending a jolt for another repugnant bile pumped from Da Feng's system out of his mouth.
For the first time ever, Wei Xiang made his opponent vomitted blood.
It didn't give Wei Xiang the slightest pleasure. But necessary to avenge Yong Ling.
The thought of Yong Ling met his end by a scum called Jin Da Feng fueled Wei Xiang's rage. Wei Xiang mounted Da Feng. A sudden dreadful sense of de ja vu jogged Da Feng's memory. It was the exact redo of how Yong Ling got on top of Da Feng. Only this time, nobody came to Da Feng's rescue. Yong Ling's baton gleaming overhead Wei Xiang as it was intended to pick up where it failed to land by its previous owner.
"SH-SHTOP IT! I AM WRONG! I AM WRONG! MERCY! PLEASE SPARE ME!"
"It's over, Jin Da Feng!"
Same words, different voice.
"Y-YOU ARE BREAKING THE GANG RULE YOU SWORE UPON? TH-THAT'S NOT SO HONORABLE OF YOU, WEI XIANG! W-WAIT! NO! NONONONONONO!"
BAM!
The baton fell an inch next to Da Feng.
While the shock of almost leaving his mortal coil lingered, Wei Xiang quickly recalled where Da Feng procured his narcotic. Sure enough, Wei Xiang produced two packs of exact white powders Da Feng inhaled.
"A…Aaaaahhh…"
Da Feng's other hand weakly reached for the package Wei Xiang took from him.
"You berated me and Yong Ling as if we are losers. But above all, you spat on my mother's honor. That makes you the winner and what would winners do?"
"Aaahh…AAAAHH…"
"Winners don't do drugs."
Wei Xiang got off Da Feng. Da Feng was powerless to stop him. The biting pain combined with the withdrawal symptoms began worming into Da Feng all over his body causing Da Feng to lose his bladder amidst the torturous pain.
Wei Xiang tore Da Feng's narcotic packages. Then wasting their contents to the ground as he went to Yong Ling. Wei Xiang finished by discarding the source of Yong Ling and his problem to a ditch. Meanwhile, Da Feng's sad painful wailing could be heard behind. The voice gradually became weaker until a complete silence returned.
Wei Xiang stopped on his track. Da Feng's pudgy henchman appeared to be sitting on the ground, seemingly just came back to the living world. Upon seeing armed Wei Xiang, with no of his weapon around, his dead counterpart, and his employer being incapacitated, the fat henchman quickly turned around and tumbled as he fled the scene.
Like a pig running away from an angry tiger.
Nevertheless, no one was threatening Wei Xiang and Yong Ling anymore. But Wei Xiang was far from relieved.
Yong Ling.
Wei xiang couldn't stop thinking about Yong Ling.
Wei Xiang could see the bluish skins and protruding bone on Yong Ling's arm. But Yong Ling's self inflicted pain on his neck was more concerning. Was he too late?
"Heavens…please…"
But first and foremost, the bleeding. What should he do?
"Gahk…A…A Xiang?" Yong Ling's voice was weak.
"Yeah. It's me."
"D…Da Feng…and his…men?"
"Dealt with. Each one of them, just like you asked."
"Did you…kill him?"
"There are fates worse than dead awaiting him. Just like the pain I left and the withdrawal. Plus, I wasted his drug on the road. It will be hell on earth for him."
"Heh…That's my…A Xiang."
"Don't talk! I'll get you to the hospital right now!"
The nearby hospital was miles away. But for his friend, nothing seemed to be impossible. At least what Wei Xiang thought.
"No…not the hospital…trust me…anywhere…but the hospital."
"That can't do. You are…grrrhkkk!" The word was at the tip of Wei Xiang's tongue.
"...Dying…I know…and I…have no regret since…I laid my life for you."
"You are not dying here! Not on my watch!" Wei Xiang scooped Yong Ling from the ground and brought him close to his body in a princess carry. "Keep holding your wound with your other hand!"
"Eheh…you know…sometimes…I dream of being held…by you like this..if…I am dreaming…then don't wake me up…if I am awake…don't let me…sleep."
"You are awake! And I won't let you sleep! So Hang on!"
From the distance, Wei Xiang heard multiple police sirens. The sounds quickly became louder along with eye blinding red and blues. Two cars stopped in front of them and four uniformed police officers announced their presence authoritatively.
"Police! Don't move!"
"Those voices…police?"
"Yeah." Wei Xiang never felt happier in meeting the figures attempting to arrest him in a fight. "Hang in there, Yong Ling. You are safe now! They can help you to the hospital!"
"You…don't get it…A Xiang…"
"Get what? Look! You are bleeding here! If handing my ass and serving the time meant you can be saved in ICU, then so be it!" Wei Xiang determined for the fate awaited him. "HEY! OFFICERS! OVER HERE! I NEED HELP!"
"Don't move! Put that guy down!"
"His neck is bleeding and we need to get to the hospital!"
"A…Xiang…hold me…tighter…and closer, please..."
Wei Xiang did as Yong Ling told.
"It's okay…It's okay…They are here. You will be saved."
"If…I 是(was) a boy…then you shall be my 兄弟 for…life."
"Yeah! Aren't we already? Always! Forever!"
"If…I 是 (Am) a girl…then…then…"
"Don't talk anymore, damnit! Just breathe and stay awake! Don't you dare to close your eyes!"
Yong Ling moved his lips, as if trying to convey something weakly. Wei Xiang moved his face closer to Yong Ling trying to get what he's saying.
Instead, Yong Ling pressed his lips weakly onto Wei Xiang's.
Yong Ling's lips were icy cold and Wei Xiang could taste Yong Ling's blood at the edge of his own lips.
"...no homo though…I am sorry…for lying to you. Forgive…me…"
"Wh…what lying? Yong Ling? Hey! Yong Ling! YONG LING!"
The police officers on scene separating Yong Ling and Wei Xiang. To Wei Xiang's protest, he was eventually brought down and cuffed. Even so, he didn't stop screaming Yong Ling's name. Two officers had to pull Wei Xiang into the car and drove away.
"Dispatch 1 to CP, come in CP. We secured one juvenile delinquent and confirmed his identity as Qin Wei Xiang, main fighter and vice leader of 三小 gang. We also confirmed the other founding members of 三小 gang as well. Jin Da Feng and Zhang Yong Ling. Both of them are in critical conditions and require emergency medical treatment and…heavens, there's a dead body here. Looks like there is a scuffle between four of them where Jin Da Feng ended up killing him judging from the matching wound on the watermelon knife in Da Feng's hand. Securing evidence now. Over and out."
Well that's the wrap for Qin Wei Xiang's second chapter. I hope you found enjoyment just as much as I wrote this chapter. I have been taking liking to classic Hong Kong gangster movies since I was small. Young And Dangerous series used to air in TV but I missed its final series known as Born To Be King until I was 19 where the show was aired in Netflix thanks to my friend's shared account.
Qin Wei Xiang's background was heavily inspired by the glorified delinquent lifestyle in early 90s comic books. Great Teacher Onizuka is one of my primary source of inspiration until Tokyo Revengers rivalled GTO in character development. Which, I think the latter is superior than the first one. Though in Yong Ling's case, Draken was my source of inspiration instead of Mikey. Never like Mikey in the first place. I don't know why. I just don't like Mikey.
There were so much I still wanted to explore in this chapter such as the exposition of Wei Xiang's mother's identity to the universe I am creating, or Da Feng's relation to Wei Xiang and Yong Ling. But as I get to the end of this chapter, I think I have written enough for Yong Ling and Da Feng.
It took me four times to revise my initial draft where I had Wei Xiang possessed by the memory of his younger days of learning martial arts in all of my revised drafts. But only in the beginning of July I realized that those are not going to work with the actions I envisioned in this chapter.
I'll be busy for the next few weeks working on a battle system in a RP server I am at. But I'll be looking forward to Callum Sekai's next chapter where we will follow Callum getting to University of Luxemburg and yes. I think we are slowly getting to the IS part.
In the meantime, stay awesome people. Enjoy every moment.