Chapter 895: I’ll Kill You

Seeing a “corpse” suddenly smile, the three men let out high-pitched screams. Old Xie fell back on the ground, scrambling away on all fours, while Bajie and Xiaojun clung to each other, sharing their shock.

Tao Yueyue quickly got up, ran to the door, and slammed it shut, locking it with the bolt.

Gu You had told her that when people are frightened, they instinctively defend themselves because the amygdala, the brain’s alarm system, activates faster than any other part.

Old Xie was the first to realize they had been tricked. “Damn it, we’ve been played. It’s a person!”

“What do we do? She locked us in here, and… there’s a dead body on the floor.”

“Forget the dead guy, break down the door!”

Under Old Xie’s lead, the three men repeatedly slammed their shoulders against the door, emitting shrill cries like primates during mating season.

Tao Yueyue, who had just felt triumphant for a moment, realized the danger and sprinted away. She had to escape before they broke down the door.

When she reached the “entrance,” despair hit her. The window they had climbed through was too high; she couldn’t reach it. The sound of the door being battered echoed through the building. Gritting her teeth, she pushed a nearby table under the window.

Standing on the table, she could barely touch the window with her fingertips, but it wasn’t enough to climb out. For the first time, she cursed her height—fifteen years old but still as short as a grade-schooler.

A loud crash behind her made her shiver; the three men had broken out. Old Xie walked over, giving her a thumbs up. “Little girl, you’re something. Uncle’s impressed!”

“Haha, such a cute little girl!” Bajie said excitedly, rubbing his nose.

“Don’t let her get away.”

The three men closed in. Tao Yueyue darted around, using furniture and the room’s layout to evade them. But as their circle tightened, her space to maneuver shrank.

They enjoyed this game of cat and mouse, shouting and laughing. It was a power trip for them.

Only one option left!

As Bajie lunged at her with open arms, Tao Yueyue pulled out the dagger from behind her and stabbed his thigh. Bajie’s scream was deafening.

Taking advantage of his momentary pain, she rushed into Zhou Xiao’s room. Behind her, Bajie complained, “I didn’t even get to touch her, and she already got me!”

“Haha, idiot!” Xiaojun laughed, then asked, “Are you badly hurt?”

“It’s nothing. Her little hands don’t have much strength, didn’t go deep… damn, it hurts.”

“Hurry, after her!” Old Xie ordered.

Tao Yueyue reached Zhou Xiao’s door, unlocked it, and opened it. Zhou Xiao stood there, silent and menacing.

“Move aside!”

He stepped out, and Tao Yueyue leaned against the wall, panting heavily from exertion. She imagined seeing demonic wings spread behind Zhou Xiao.

The three men arrived. Old Xie was slightly surprised, took the knife from Bajie, and said, “A murderer, huh? You think you’re tough? You gonna take all three of us on?”

Despite their fear, Bajie and Xiaojun laughed along.

“Get your weapons, kill this guy!” Old Xie commanded.

Bajie and Xiaojun picked up a chair leg and a brick, respectively, standing at Old Xie’s sides like bodyguards, their eyes fixed on Zhou Xiao.

Zhou Xiao roared and lunged at Old Xie, who swung his knife. Zhou Xiao grabbed his wrist, moved to his side, and pulled out his own knife, stabbing Old Xie repeatedly in the waist.

Old Xie collapsed in pain.

Xiaojun attacked from behind with a club. His scream gave away his position. Zhou Xiao turned and slashed his throat. Blood spurted out in rhythm with his heartbeat as he fell.

Zhou Xiao turned to Bajie with a twisted smile. Bajie dropped his brick and trembled, a warm stream spreading down his legs.

“Aah!” Bajie screamed and tried to run but tripped. Zhou Xiao grabbed his hair and stabbed his back repeatedly. Tao Yueyue watched in horror, trembling as Bajie’s hand opened and closed before going limp.

Zhou Xiao pulled the knife from Bajie’s body, his face smeared with blood and sweat. He glanced at Yueyue, tossed the knife at her feet, then picked up the still-breathing Old Xie.

Old Xie, blood dribbling from his mouth, croaked, “Do you know who I am?”

“I don’t know, and I don’t care!” Zhou Xiao replied lazily. To him, they were just prey.

Zhou Xiao twisted Old Xie’s neck from behind, rendering him speechless. His legs kicked out desperately. Zhou Xiao turned to Tao Yueyue, “You did well. Now pick up the knife and finish him off. This should be easier, right?”

Tao Yueyue hesitated, frowning. Zhou Xiao barked, “Hurry up!”

Although she had escaped the three men, her situation was back to square one. Reluctantly, she picked up the knife. The blood on it had started to congeal, reminding her absurdly of tempura.

“Stab him in the heart or cut him slowly. It’s quite satisfying either way,” Zhou Xiao said with a grin, like recommending a local delicacy.

Tao Yueyue approached Old Xie, whose eyes were now full of tears and pleas for mercy.

“Do I really have to kill?” she asked. “I can do other bad things, be your spy, give you police information.”

“Enough! I want your awakening!” Zhou Xiao roared.

She knew that stabbing him would earn his trust and maybe her freedom, but an invisible force held her back. It was the image of Chen Shi.

“I can’t do it!” she cried.

“Argh!!” Zhou Xiao screamed in frustration, shoving Old Xie away and advancing on her. “Are you trying to drive me mad? You know what happens if you disobey? I cut out that psychologist’s liver and let her die slowly in a hotel. Do you want that?”

“Who?!” Tao Yueyue froze, looking up.

“Your neighbor Gu You. She was one of us. And she… ” Zhou Xiao stopped, pain spreading from his hand. Tao Yueyue had stabbed it.

“I’ll kill you!!” she screamed, tears streaming down her face.

Zhou Xiao’s eyes widened with excitement, “Ha, good job! Well done!”