"Brother Jie, what do we do with this woman?" Tiger asked, his voice rough.

Shen Zhijie, still focused on wrapping the bloody gash on his palm with a strip of cloth, gave a brief glance at the woman trembling beside the car wheel. Her body shook violently, and she looked as if she could collapse at any moment. His voice was cold and emotionless. “Keep it clean. No loose ends.”

His words were clear, yet the tone in his voice was filled with a chilling undercurrent.

“You got it!” Tiger answered enthusiastically, lifting a steel rod nearly a foot long as he took heavy steps towards the woman.

It was a thick, ribbed piece of rebar, about the size of a thumb. He Yan had picked it up from a construction site earlier and stashed it in the passenger seat’s toolbox for self-defense. She never imagined that it would end up in the hands of these men, becoming the weapon that might end her life.

She had to survive—no matter what, she needed to live!

Despite her body trembling uncontrollably, a voice inside her screamed with desperate clarity. Her parents were still alive—kind-hearted souls who could never bear the thought of losing their daughter to violence. And there was also Liang Yuanze—waiting for her, hopeful and full of love.

She cursed herself for driving alone down this desolate road, for thinking the car could keep her safe. She shouldn’t have hit the brakes when she saw someone sprawled in the road—she should’ve slammed the gas and run right over them.

But now, there was no time for regrets. She was on the edge of death.

“Please, don’t kill me! Take the car, the money, everything! I swear I won’t tell the police, I won’t say a word! Just please, please don’t kill me!” she pleaded, her voice breaking as she crawled on her knees towards the man sitting by the roadside, his face stone-cold and stern. “Big brother, please… please spare me. I thought you were hurt. I was trying to help. I didn’t see anything, I didn’t hear anything, I swear!”

Her cleverness didn’t go unnoticed. Shen Zhijie looked up again, scanning her face. Her cheeks were streaked with tears, her delicate features twisted in fear, her eyes filled with desperation. But that did nothing to soften his heart. He lowered his gaze again, returning to the task of bandaging his palm. The cut had happened when he jumped off the truck and landed on a sharp-edged rock, nearly slicing his hand open.

The woman continued to crawl towards him, her sobs rising as she bowed her head. Shen Zhijie grew impatient. He thrust his hand toward Skinny Monkey to finish the bandaging, his voice snapping coldly at Tiger, “What’s taking so long?”

Tiger moved forward, grabbing her like a rag doll and dragging her to the roadside brush.

He Yan struggled with every ounce of strength she had left but didn’t dare scream. In this forsaken place, no one would hear her. Screaming would only bring her death faster. So, she kept crying, kept pleading.

“Hold on, Tiger!” Skinny Monkey’s voice was softer than before as he finished wrapping Shen Zhijie’s hand. “Brother Jie, why don’t we keep her for now? What harm could she do to us?”

Shen Zhijie’s brow twitched, but he said nothing. Tiger sneered. “You just want a piece of her, don’t you?”

Skinny Monkey grinned, his eyes wandering over her body. “And if I do? It’s been over a month since I’ve touched a woman. Don’t tell me you’re not interested.”

Under the moonlight, Tiger looked down at the woman he held. Young, beautiful, delicate features, a shapely body—it was hard not to feel the pull of temptation.

The two men turned their eyes to Shen Zhijie, awaiting his decision.

His cold, calculating gaze swept over He Yan’s face, now frozen in fear. His voice was sharp and unforgiving. “We’re on the run. If you want to mess around, wait until it’s safe.”

He Yan shuddered involuntarily, but she forced herself to stay conscious. Her eyes darted to Skinny Monkey, clinging to the last thread of hope. “Please… don’t kill me. I’ll do anything you want. I have parents… they only have me.”

Skinny Monkey hesitated, his resolve weakening. “Brother Jie, it won’t take long—just a quick go.”

Before Shen Zhijie could respond, Tiger burst out laughing. “Shameless bastard!”

Despite the insult, Tiger didn’t pull her away. The two men waited for their boss’s verdict.

These men had followed Shen Zhijie through thick and thin, and he studied them carefully. With a bored look, he picked a stalk of grass from the roadside and stuck it between his lips. “Fine. Just be quick.”

Skinny Monkey laughed excitedly, jumping to his feet and heading straight for He Yan. Tiger let go of her, smiling slyly. “All yours.”

He Yan didn’t resist. She let Skinny Monkey drag her toward the car, whispering as she clung to his arm, “Please don’t kill me. I’ll cooperate. Just… don’t kill me.”

“I won’t kill you,” he muttered impatiently. “Just be good and do what I say.”

His hand darted toward her chest, squeezing roughly. Driven by desire, he glanced around, then dragged her toward the bushes.

“No—let’s go in the car,” He Yan whispered, her voice barely audible.

Her words caught Shen Zhijie’s attention. He turned to look at her. Quickly, she added, “The backseat is more comfortable. Won’t get scratched.”

Skinny Monkey, already intoxicated by lust, didn’t hesitate. He pulled her into the backseat of the white SUV.

Outside, Tiger leaned against the door, peering through the half-open window. “You holding up in there?”

“Shut up!” Skinny Monkey growled. Inside, the sound of rustling fabric and muffled sobs grew louder. The car rocked rhythmically.

Tiger cursed under his breath and stepped away, trying to distract himself.

“She’s a virgin!” Skinny Monkey gasped. “Jackpot!”

Tiger spat on the ground, stunned. Then he turned to Shen Zhijie. “Boss, you hear that? Don’t let the kid shake the car apart!”

A virgin? Shen Zhijie raised an eyebrow, sneering faintly before turning his gaze away.

The car’s movements grew more frantic, intensifying the madness inside.

He Yan endured it all—the grunts, the sickening thrusts, the feeling of his tongue on her skin—as she quietly reached for the small fruit knife hidden behind the passenger seat.

She had to survive. For her parents. For Liang Yuanze.

She found the knife. As the man quickened his pace, she lifted her head, pulled him down for a kiss, then—without hesitation—drove the blade into the base of his neck.

He stiffened. His eyes bulged in shock.

She tightened her grip on the knife and slashed downwards. Spine, artery, windpipe—none of them could withstand the blade.

Blood gushed everywhere. She covered the wound, half-drenched in red.

Outside, the others hadn’t noticed. The engine was still running.

She had one chance. Climb into the front. Lock the doors. Drive.

She shoved the man off. Shen Zhijie sat ahead, eyes closed, lost in thought. They had fled over a thousand kilometers. Nanzhao City lay ahead. He had allowed this brief moment of indulgence, but perhaps it was a mistake.

Lost in thought, he didn’t notice the soft click of the doors locking.

The headlights flared to life.

Too late.

He opened his eyes, startled. The SUV sped toward him. The woman’s face—half-covered in blood, the other half pale as death—appeared behind the wheel. Her eyes were filled with fierce hatred.

“Boss!” Tiger yelled, diving at Shen Zhijie, pushing him aside.

The vehicle missed Shen Zhijie by mere inches but crashed into Tiger, sending him flying ten meters before slamming into the ground.

The SUV never stopped. It rolled over Tiger’s legs and sped into the night.

He Yan gripped the wheel, slamming her foot on the accelerator. She didn’t stop until the rural road opened into the city streets. There, she screeched to a halt. Her body trembled, too weak to hold her phone, let alone dial.

“Ahhh—” she cried out, like a wounded animal, biting her wrist until the pain steadied her hand.

Then she managed to press the call button.

“Call the police, Yuanze… call the police. Something happened to me…”

She had come to his city that night, hoping only to surprise him.