"Caoyang, something huge happened last night! The Henan gang and the Hunan gang started a war!"
Early in the morning, Leidian shook Caoyang awake, telling him the news he had just heard.
"I heard the Henan gang killed the Hunan gang's Tiexiong. The two sides fought like crazy, smashed each other's places, hacked each other, tons of people injured, tons arrested."
After speaking, he looked at Caoyang strangely.Yesterday Tiexiong had shot Caoyang, and that same night he was killed by the Henan gang. Did Caoyang have some connection with the Henan gang?
Caoyang was confused too. He clearly killed Tiexiong himself—how did it get pinned on the Henan gang?
He thought of the man he beat to death—Liu Yilong. People said he was the younger brother of the Henan gang boss. Even though the octagon was a "life or death" arena, there were always people who couldn't accept the outcome.
Maybe because Liu Yilong died, the Henan gang wanted revenge on Tiexiong and him.
But judging from Tiexiong's attitude yesterday, he didn't seem worried. He even said he wanted to introduce Caoyang to "some friends."
So those "friends" must have been the Henan gang. Even if Caoyang didn't kill him yesterday, Tiexiong would've sold him out sooner or later. So dying wasn't unjust.
Caoyang forced his not-so-smart brain to analyze:Why would the Henan gang and Hunan gang suddenly go to war?
He remembered the footsteps he heard when escaping. He originally thought they were from the Hunan gang, but now it seemed they were probably from the Henan gang.
They rushed into Tiexiong's office to capture him. But instead they only saw two corpses inside.The Hunan gang must have misunderstood and thought the Henan gang killed Tiexiong, so a huge fight broke out.
Actually… his wild guesses were almost exactly right.
"I've got to go." Caoyang suddenly stood up. He put on Leidian's clothes and headed toward the door.
"Where are you going? You're still injured!" Leidian tried to stop him.
"If I don't leave, I'll drag you down too."
"What's there to be afraid of? Tiexiong's dead already, how can he cause you trouble?"
"Sigh…" Caoyang sighed and told Leidian the truth."I'm the one who killed Tiexiong."
"What?!" Leidian was stunned. He never expected Caoyang had killed someone.
"So I have to leave now. If the Hunan gang comes looking, both of you siblings will be dragged into it."
Leidian grabbed him again."But everyone thinks the Henan gang killed him! They're fighting like crazy—nobody would suspect you."
Caoyang shook his head. Leidian was too naïve.Even though this unexpected misunderstanding wasn't something Caoyang planned, he knew the truth would be discovered soon.
The reason the two gangs fought was because they were blinded by anger—none of them thought deeply. Once they calmed down, they would definitely suspect Caoyang.
After all, many people besides Ying the Hawk knew Caoyang went into Tiexiong's office. Now both Ying and Tiexiong were dead… and Caoyang disappeared.
The Henan gang didn't admit killing Tiexiong. Thinking it through carefully, the killer could only be Caoyang.
By then, he wouldn't be facing one gang—but two gangs joining forces.
Caoyang's reasoning was right, but he was already too late.He should have escaped last night—now both sides had already realized what happened.
He said goodbye to Leidian. Going downstairs, he ran into Leiyu, who was coming back with groceries.
"Where are you going?" She looked flustered when she saw him leaving.
"I don't know. But I have to leave Dongguan."
"Will you come back?"
"I don't know."
"You slept with me—you have to take responsibility."
Caoyang scratched his head. He only cared about the fun part and never thought about "taking responsibility."
"I'll go with you!" Leiyu suddenly made a bold decision. Caoyang was her first man—she couldn't let him go.
Of course she never acted clingy. Usually she kept a cold facade.
But Caoyang shook his head. "It's dangerous."
"I'm not afraid!" Leiyu raised her chin.
"But I am! Bringing you will only drag me down."
Hearing that, Leiyu fell silent.
Seeing her hurt expression, Caoyang hugged her."Don't worry. I'll come back after everything's handled. I haven't had enough of you yet."
That one sentence completely ruined the sad atmosphere.
Leiyu blushed, punched him hard."Get lost! I won't let you touch me again!"
…
Caoyang rushed to the train station first, but found today's security unusually tight.He prayed they were doing routine checks, not looking for him.
"You. Show me your ID."A uniformed staff member walked up.
Caoyang handed over his ID.
The staff member's face changed instantly.Then he tried to act normal. "Come with me. We need to check your luggage."
He turned and walked toward the office.
Caoyang took one look at his back—and ran.
The staff member panicked and called for backup on his radio.
Caoyang quickly shook off the pursuers and ducked into a narrow alley, panting heavily.
He knew now—He had been officially listed as wanted.
The staff member saw his face on the wanted list, panicked, and slipped up.
Caoyang then went to the bus station—same situation.Security checking every single ID.
Finally, he went to the highway exit, planning to steal a car and drive away.But the entire area was full of armed SWAT officers.
Normally, to catch a suspect—even a murderer—they wouldn't deploy this many people.
Clearly, the Hunan gang, the Henan gang, and certain "higher-ups" had all put pressure on the authorities.
His phone rang. It was Liyan.
"Caoyang… what happened to you?"Her voice was trembling, almost crying.
"I'm fine. What about you? Are you home yet?" Caoyang tried to sound calm.
"I just got to Changsha. Haven't gone home yet."
"Go home quickly."
"My mom just called me. She said county police went to your house. They said you're suspected of murder!"
Caoyang froze.He didn't expect them to move this fast.His mom must already know everything…
He suddenly felt miserable.
Not because he regretted killing Tiexiong,but because he regretted being impulsive.He should've planned it, made Tiexiong die quietly.
He imagined how his mother must feel after hearing the news—and his heart twisted.
"I'm fine. Go home. Take care of my mom for me."He hung up, removed his phone card. If there was tracking, he'd be done.
He wandered aimlessly.He didn't know where to go.
His only acquaintances were Leidian and Leiyu, but he didn't want to drag them in.
If he continued hiding with them and the police found him, they'd be charged with harboring a fugitive.If the gangs found them, things would be even worse—they'd likely be maimed.
If they got kidnapped like last time to lure him out—would he go?
This wasn't the same as last time with the Yi He Society.That conflict was about profit.This one was pure hatred.
He probably wouldn't go.Walking into certain death wasn't loyalty—it was stupidity.
And if he didn't go, those siblings would be doomed.
This regret would follow him for the rest of his life.