Coming to Myself

You Mingxu remained expressionless, not turning her head.

Gu Tiancheng had already withdrawn his gentle smile, his face now icy cold, fully living up to his identity as a serial killer. He said, "I'll count to five. Five, four..."

Only then did You Mingxu smile at the fool and say, "Little brother, shall we play a game together? Look, just like them, tie your hands and line up in a row. Then big sister... will come chase you. Hurry over, go quickly! Don't let big sister catch you."

The fool's eyes were still clear at this moment, unexpectedly even somewhat empty—empty like the sky, like the ocean. Because You Mingxu was blocking the way, Gu Tiancheng couldn't see his face. The fool lowered his head and spoke, his voice extremely soft:

"If you don't care about me, I'll tell lots of people about the peeing incident."

You Mingxu's expression remained extremely calm, and she let out a very, very soft "Mm" in response.

The fool slowly walked toward Zou Furong. It was only about five or six steps in total, but halfway there, he turned back to glance at You Mingxu.

Gu Tiancheng sneered, "Still reluctant to part?"

You Mingxu knew he had always despised the fool and didn't want to provoke his emotions further. She quickly walked over and tied the rope around the fool's wrists in a few swift movements. The fool kept his head down, watching silently. After tying it, she quickly squeezed his wrist. The wrist beneath was slender and firm—the body of a mature man.

The fool just stared blankly at her. Deep within those pitch-black eyes, a trace of foolish laughter seemed to drift by, or perhaps there was nothing at all.

"Raise your hands and let me see," Gu Tiancheng commanded.

The fool didn't move.

You Mingxu stood to the side and said, "Raise them."

He raised his hands. The knot was well tied. Gu Tiancheng knew You Mingxu hadn't tried any tricks in that regard and smiled, saying, "Come here."

You Mingxu walked past the four of them and stopped half a meter away from him.

He quietly looked at her for a while, then put down the dagger in his hand. The next moment, Mingtao half-collapsed to the ground. Gu Tiancheng still held the rope binding the four people with one hand while playing with the dagger in the other. He looked around again and said, "Right here."

You Mingxu's gaze was fixed. She thought to herself that the fool had been right—he really was going to do this.

Gu Tiancheng said, "Sit."

You Mingxu said, "What else do you want to do? It'll be dawn soon. Just leave them here—someone will come to rescue them. Let's go."

Gu Tiancheng said, "No rush. Since you don't want to sit, come here and let me hold you for a while."

You Mingxu looked at him, his eyes deep and unfathomable. After a few seconds, she stepped forward. He raised the hand holding the dagger and embraced her. You Mingxu felt the hard dagger pressed firmly against her back, unmoving.

The other three remained silent, not daring to interrupt. The fool, at the end, kept his head lowered, lost in thought.

Gu Tiancheng leaned his face against her neck, feeling the pulsating vein, which stirred a faint excitement in his heart. He said, "If you want to be my woman, you have to be obedient. Have you ever killed anyone? Even as a police officer, you haven't, right? You haven't even seen me kill. How are we supposed to live together properly in the future?"

After saying this, You Mingxu felt his lips brush against her hair.

Then.Gu Tiancheng didn't even turn his head. Gripping the dagger backward, he raised his arm and slashed fiercely toward Mingtao's neck—Mingtao had just barely managed to stand up. You Mingxu's entire body was already taut as a bowstring, and she moved almost simultaneously with him, grabbing his arm with one hand while the other hand reached for his waist. But she was ultimately on the defensive, unable to fully utilize her skills. Though her hand darted out like a nimble snake, seizing him and redirecting his momentum, causing his dagger to miss its mark and slice through empty air, she ended up completely falling into his embrace. His other hand released the rope and grabbed the long hair at the back of her head. You Mingxu inwardly cursed her misfortune as a sharp pain shot through her scalp. With a grim expression, he abruptly slammed his head against hers.

A headbutt—You Mingxu was much smaller than him, her body far less robust, and even her head wasn't as hard or large as a man's. The impact sent a wave of excruciating pain through her, leaving her dizzy and disoriented. Without an ounce of mercy, he punched her twice in quick succession, knocking her to the ground.

You Mingxu was in so much pain she could barely catch her breath. Struggling to lift her head, she saw the fool with bloodstained hands. The ropes had already been cut—he had cleverly tugged at the ropes of the three others who were still frozen in fear, snapping them out of their daze and prompting them to scramble aside. Stumbling as he ran, he picked up the dagger Gu Tiancheng had dropped earlier, turned around, and swiftly sliced through the ropes binding the three individuals' hands.

Without needing any reminder, the three turned and fled, stumbling as they went. Even Song Lan merely glanced back at You Mingxu lying on the ground, her face contorted with anguish and tears in her eyes, before running off into the distance.

Yet, You Mingxu curled the corner of her lips into a smile.

Gu Tiancheng stomped on her back, the force so brutal it made her want to vomit blood. His icy voice sounded above her: "You still didn't choose me in the end. Then die. Did you really think you could catch me? I've already killed one cop and crippled another with a hit. You're nothing special. Now, I'll give you the most exhilarating and unforgettable experience of your life."

You Mingxu ignored him, lifting her head to see the fool, after freeing the others, still clutching the blade she had secretly slipped to him before she lunged out of the grass. He turned around, his hands and sleeves stained with blood, his eyes red and wide, panting heavily. Like a wounded young beast, he looked ready to charge forward recklessly, disregarding his own life.

"Little brother, don't move," You Mingxu said. "This is between him and me."

Gu Tiancheng didn't even bat an eyelid. "Don't worry about him. You're next. What are they worth? You're the one I want. I'm going to carve you into pieces. I'm going to devour you too. You can't escape me. Don't even think about running away in this lifetime."

You Mingxu retorted, "You're quite the dreamer. I must have been blind to ever consider trusting you before. Did you really think one cheap shot would be enough to take me down? Go to hell! I've never lost a fight to anyone!"

Gu Tiancheng was momentarily taken aback by her sudden profanity and the subtly shifting, ferocious aura emanating from her entire being. He felt as if he no longer recognized this woman.

It was in that very instant.

Gu Tiancheng didn't even see how she moved—only that she pushed against the ground with one hand. Her speed was astonishing; by the time he registered it, she had already slipped sideways out from under his firmly planted foot. It wasn't that he hadn't stomped hard enough—it was simply that she was too fast. With just that one simple motion, Gu Tiancheng's heart jolted. He knew then that he had truly encountered a master—and she had played the weakling so convincingly all this time!Gu Tiancheng raised his leg to kick her in the abdomen again—the very spot he had injured earlier. He had no qualms about completely incapacitating her! But at that moment, You Mingxu looked up, neither dodging nor avoiding, and instead reached out to grab his leg. Gu Tiancheng sneered inwardly; she must have a death wish.

To his astonishment, the next second, he felt a pair of hands deftly clasp his leg. How did this happen? Gu Tiancheng didn’t even understand how she had dissipated the force before his leg ended up in her grasp. Then, he felt an irresistible power transmitted through that leg. It wasn’t the sheer magnitude of the force that was alarming, but the direction of the leverage—it was utterly devastating. He lost his balance and fell backward with a "thud."

Finally, Gu Tiancheng realized he was dealing with a true master.

This woman practiced judo!

Instead of feeling fear, a strange excitement surged within him. He pushed off the ground with his hands, trying to spring up, but heard the woman let out a soft laugh. Surprisingly, she released him, allowing him to rise. She also stood up, and the two simultaneously took a step back. Gu Tiancheng clenched his fists, adopting a combat stance, his expression icy and ruthless. You Mingxu remained poised, her hands hanging loosely at her sides, her phoenix-like eyes gazing at him with a faint, mocking smile.

Gu Tiancheng lunged at her like a wild beast, throwing a fierce punch straight at her face. You Mingxu leaned backward, her body arching into a semicircle while still standing, and in one fluid motion, she wrapped her arms around his chest. Sensing danger, Gu Tiancheng roared and brought his palms down hard toward her back. But it was too late.

The woman’s movements flowed seamlessly like water and clouds. Before his fists could land, he lost his balance once more. She flipped him onto the ground, then agilely scrambled like a monkey to position herself above his head. Just as Gu Tiancheng tried to get up—playing right into her hands—she reversed her grip and locked her elbow around his neck. Mounting him, she pressed him firmly into the ground, rendering him completely immobile.

Gu Tiancheng’s handsome face flushed crimson as he struggled violently several times, but You Mingxu clung to his back like a gecko, unshakable. After repeated attempts, he finally gave up, lying motionless on the ground.

His face buried in the dirt and fallen leaves, he laughed and said, "Mingxu, my feelings for you are real. For the sake of what we once had, don’t take me back. Give me a knife, or just kill me right here. I’m facing the death penalty anyway—I’d rather die here, free and clear."

But from above, the woman replied coolly, "Who do you think you are? Talking to me about feelings? Damn it, you even had the nerve to flirt with me all this time. I’d have to be out of my mind to let you have your way. You’re going back to face the families of your victims and accept the punishment of the law! Now, in that twisted heart of yours, can you muster even a shred of humanity instead of acting like a beast? No one has the right to violate another’s life—not you, not me. But before that…"

Gu Tiancheng continued to chuckle, his handsome face now smeared with mud. Suddenly, excruciating pain shot through his scalp as the woman yanked his head up. He laughed even louder. You Mingxu’s expression was utterly devoid of emotion as she lifted his head and slammed it hard into the ground. He grunted in pain—his nose was likely broken, blood streaming out.

After slamming his head seven or eight times, Gu Tiancheng’s face was covered in blood, his eyes half-open and dazed. Only then did You Mingxu seem satisfied. She leaned down, close to his ear, and whispered softly, "Feel better than before? Hmm?"