188: Blood-stained butterfly, eternal fall

Chen Feng and his group were scared out of their wits. They didn't even dare to look back, only caring about frantically fleeing through the intricate jungle. The thug holding Gu Nianqiu was kicked forward by Chen Feng, forced to lead the way through the most dangerous area with the hostage.

They chased, they fled.

This desperate chase lasted for over ten minutes in the dim jungle.

Until they reached the edge of a cliff.

Chen Feng and his last subordinate, the man holding Gu Nianqiu, were driven to a dead end.

Below the cliff was a bottomless abyss, churning with black mist.

"Don't... don't come any closer!" The man holding Gu Nianqiu pressed a rusty dagger firmly against Gu Nianqiu's snow-white neck. He was trembling like a sieve from fear, and the sharp blade had already drawn a shallow streak of blood on the girl's delicate skin.

"Mmm mmm!" Gu Nianqiu shook her head desperately, tears like broken pearls soaking the dirty cloth stuffed in her mouth, and also soaking the lace on her chest.

"Let her go, and I'll make your deaths quick," Lin Mo's voice was devoid of any warmth, the dark muzzle of his gun steadily pointed at Chen Feng's forehead.

"Let... let her go?" Chen Feng panted, a desperate, insane smile appearing on his face, "Alright! You all throw down your weapons! Then cut off an arm! And I'll let her go!"

Gu Zhixia's heart sank to rock bottom.

She watched her sister, trembling in the enemy's hands, crying helplessly, and saw the glaring streak of blood on her neck; her heart was torn.

"Sister..." Gu Nianqiu mumbled, squeezing out two words from her throat, her desperate eyes fixed on her.

"Don't be afraid, Nianqiu, Sister will save you right away." Gu Zhixia's voice trembled.

"Stop your damn nonsense!" Chen Feng completely lost it, roaring at the subordinate holding the hostage, "Do it! Give them a taste of their own medicine!"

The subordinate was already terrified. Hearing his boss's command, he seemed to find his backbone, a fierce glint flashing in his eyes, and he suddenly tightened his grip on the dagger!

"No—!" Gu Zhixia let out a piercing scream.

"Pfft—!"

Warm blood, like the most cruel red flower in bloom, gushed from Gu Nianqiu's neck.

Time, at this moment, seemed to stand still.

Gu Nianqiu's body stiffened abruptly, her beautiful big eyes wide with disbelief, the light in them rapidly fading.

She wanted to reach out and touch her sister's face.

But her strength was rapidly dissipating with the passing of her Life.

Her small body softly fell down.

Like a beautiful butterfly with broken wings.

"Ah... ah... ah ah ah ah ah—!!!!"

Gu Zhixia's mind went blank. She couldn't feel anything, only letting out a heart-wrenching roar that didn't sound human.

The world before her eyes was enveloped in an boundless crimson hue.

"Bang!"

It was Lin Mo who fired the shot. The bullet accurately pierced Chen Feng's head.

The thug who killed Gu Nianqiu, upon seeing the girl fall, let out a strange cry of extreme fear and shock, turned and jumped off the cliff, disappearing into the black mist.

It was all over.

Too late.

Gu Zhixia dropped the rifle in her hand and stumbled, throwing herself beside Gu Nianqiu.

She trembled, reaching out her hand, wanting to pick up her sister.

But that small body was already cold.

That little face, which always wore an innocent and joyful smile, was now pale, her eyes wide open, as if still questioning this world, why it could be so cruel.

"Nian Nian... Nian Nian... wake up... look at Sister..."

Gu Zhixia held her, calling out to her again and again, in vain.

"It's Sister's fault... Sister is useless... Sister was wrong..."

She pressed her cheek against her sister's already cold face, tears streaming down, mixing with the warm blood flowing from her sister's neck.

"Didn't you say... you'd make Sister the most delicious mushroom soup..."

"Get up... get up and scold me..."

"Please... please... look at me... just once..."

Her cries, from the initial heartbreaking wails, gradually turned into suppressed, desperate sobs, and finally, transformed into silent, violent trembling.

Her spirit, at this moment, completely collapsed.

Her world, with her sister's death, crumbled and was destroyed, turning into endless, cold ruins.

After an unknown amount of time, Lin Mo walked forward and gently placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Zhi Xia... we should go."

Gu Zhixia suddenly looked up, her red and swollen phoenix eyes no longer held any vitality, only a dead, hollow gray.

She looked at Lin Mo, then lowered her head to look at the cold corpse in her arms.

Suddenly, she smiled.

A desolate, yet eerie smile.

"Go?" she murmured, "Where to..."

"Without her, what meaning... does this world have?"

The next second, under Lin Mo's stunned gaze, she held Gu Nianqiu's body, stood up, and without hesitation, took a step back, stepping into the bottomless cliff.

The wind howled in her ears.

Just before her consciousness plunged into endless darkness, she seemed to see her sister's smiling face again.

"Sister, is the food I made delicious?"

...When Gu Zhixia's consciousness became clear again, she was standing at the exit of Gena Ku, feeling the humidity and saltiness of the sea breeze, unique to a tropical island.

"Sister, what are you spacing out for? Hurry up!"

Gu Nianqiu's voice came from behind her, with a cheerful urging.

Gu Zhixia turned around and saw her sister carrying a large picnic basket, her other hand tightly holding Lin Mo's. Lin Mo was as expressionless as ever, but there was a hint of undetectable tenderness in his eyes.

This scene... why... is it so familiar...