Chapter 9 (1/2)

Chapter 9

That day, Jake was busier than a bee taking care of the matter regarding the three soldiers when Li Yuanyu urgently called him to the villa.

He had no clue of what had happened, but Tang Shan had lost his memories again.

Jake was extremely discontent that Li Yuanyu had tossed him this extra baggage.

Li Yuanyu had said something about being afraid that Tang Shan would break down if he saw him, and that he had to temporarily avoid Tang Shan. With just a sentence, he'd left Tang Shan in Jake's care. Jake was hopping mad at this but had nowhere to vent his anger, and it wasn't as if Tang Shan was someone he could complain to.

This was just hard to bear!!!

At the sight of Jake, Tang Shan was silent for a long while, not saying a word. From the looks of it, it didn't seem like Tang Shan could accept the truth, nor did he have any plans to rebel. He couldn't tell what Tang Shan was thinking.

Tang Shan's lifeless eyes scanned the area and then fixed on Jake.

”Morning.”

Jake greeted but was met with no response. He took it upon himself to continue speaking.

”Are you hungry? Have you had breakfast? Li Yuanyu should have prepared something in the kitchen. Shall I bring it to you?”

Tang Shan's reaction was very slow as he shook his head, rejecting his suggestion.

Jake hummed for a moment, unsure of what he should do and how to take care of Tang Shan. He really did not want to face Tang Shan, who had regained all his memories. That d.a.m.ned Li Yuanyu!

”Did he send you to keep an eye on me?”

Tang Shan finally spoke, but the first thing he brought up was this sensitive topic. Jake had no idea if he should agree or disagree. After pondering over it for some time, he spoke, ”I'm not keeping an eye on you. He's just worried about you and got me to come and accompany you. Hm... I know this might be a bit difficult, but if you don't mind, we can have a chat.”

”What about?”

”Anything.”

Jake immediately regretted his words. How much more stupid could he get? There were a whole bunch of topics that he could not touch on!

”Well then, Jake, please tell me. Why am I still alive?” Tang Shan enquired.

As expected, the very first question was difficult to answer. It was too blunt and straightforward and definitely something to which he could not respond.

”Can we not talk about this?” Jake forced a laugh, ”Let's talk about the weather. It's great today, uh, alright, so there's a slight drizzle.”

”Why does it rain when Li Yuanyu's in a bad mood? Why do all those families have ceramic dolls that can move?”

”That- That I can't answer.”

”Does Li Yuanyu have some super powers? Why can he control the weather?”  Tang Shan asked once more.

”I really can't say anything about this.”

Tang Shan finally stopped with his questions. Just when Jake thought he had given up, Tang Shan spoke again.

”I have something I want to ask you.”

”I can't answer any questions you have regarding Li Yuanyu.” Jake raised his hands and surrendered. He really couldn't reveal anything.

”It's a question directed at you, so you should be able to answer.”

”Alright, ask away.”

”Jake, after you all killed so many people, do you feel grief? Do you feel guilt?” Tang Shan did not have any intentions of making things difficult for Jake. He was asking this very seriously.

However, it was a very straightforward question.

”Are you questioning my humaneness?”

Tang Shan answered, a little humour in his tone, ”Do you still have it? 'Humaneness'.”

Jake took in a deep breath, yelling in frustration as he clutched his head. Tang Shan merely stood and watched as he broke down, looking on coldly from the sidelines. After venting, Jake spoke calmly, ”I can't take this anymore. I'm going to get some breakfast downstairs. You- You just do as you like.”

Jake went downstairs, the stairs creaking from his heavy footsteps. While getting plates from the kitchen, he was still fuming mad, his movements so large that it seemed he was on the verge of breaking them at any moment.

Jake angrily chewed at what was supposed to be Tang Shan's sandwich. The fury was making his mouth itch to do something, but he didn’t have anyone to scream at, so he had no choice but to target the blameless tableware. He poured a gla.s.s of milk and gulped it down in one go. After taking ten deep breaths, he calmed down and braced himself to face the huge demon upstairs who was exceedingly difficult to deal with.

Jake was standing before the door, struggling with the decision to enter, when he heard faint sobs coming from within. He paused, hesitating for a moment deliberating his choices, and at last pushed open the door.

After he opened the door, the sobs became even clearer. Tang Shan was suppressing his cries, but what was the most surprising was once Jake completely opened the door, he was met with the sight of Tang Shan b.l.o.o.d.y from head to toe!

He had taken a pen from the study table at the bedroom and hurt himself. The wounds were quite deep, and his arms and legs were all b.l.o.o.d.y, dripping all over the floor. Jake couldn't tell for how long this torture had been going on.

”Gosh, Tang Shan! What are you doing?!” Jake could not believe what he was seeing. He had hemophobia, and had to expend a lot of effort not to just faint right there and then.

Tang Shan cried in m.u.f.fled sobs, apparently in a terrible state, his hand tight around his weapon.

”Calm down, Tang Shan! Pa.s.s- Pa.s.s me the pen-” Jake tentatively reached out towards Tang Shan while on the verge of vomiting.

Tang Shan howled, backing up to avoid Jake who was drawing near.

”Tang Shan!”

”Don't come over!”

Sickly pale, Jake really stopped and made no move to get closer to him.

”Why can't I die?”

Tang Shan lifted the pen, stabbed it into his neck and dragged it downwards, creating a gaping wound. Blood gushed out, and Jake could not bear to watch.

Jake couldn't take it any longer. His eyes rolled back, and he fainted. Before losing consciousness, the image of Tang Shan stained with blood seemed to be embedded in his mind, unable to disappear.

Suffocating, Tang Shan collapsed to the floor on his knees, but the wound was slowly healing. Soon, there wasn't even any pain at all. The mark on his wrist where he had severed his arteries had also disappeared. He was like a demon that couldn’t die.

Why was he still alive? Tang Shan stared at his unwounded yet b.l.o.o.d.y hand.

In the end, he lost consciousness from the excessive blood loss.

Li Yuanyu returned home, but no matter how much he called, n.o.body appeared. He went upstairs and entered the bedroom, only to this scene.

Jake was lying on the ground, while Tang Shan had collapsed in a pool of blood. The blood that had not been soaked up by the carpet was a rather chilling sight under the light.

Upon seeing this, Li Yuanyu didn't even bat an eye and stepped over Jake's body to squat beside Tang Shan's body. After checking his condition, he picked him up and carried him to the bed.

Though the movements were gentle, Tang Shan still woke from it.

Li Yuanyu was expressionless and seemed to lack emotions from the moment he entered till he picked up Tang Shan, and even when Tang Shan opened his eyes.

Tang Shan was just as numb to everything.

They gazed at each other as though engaged in a soundless match between them. In the silent, tense atmosphere, n.o.body wanted to let the other have his way.

”You tried to commit suicide.”

Li Yuanyu spoke first, interrogating from the start. The simple sentence was a sharp rebuke.

”Why can't I die?” Tang Shan asked him, voice hoa.r.s.e as he choked out the words. Out of fear, he could not help but constantly tremble in tears.

Li Yuanyu used the fleshy part of his thumb to wipe away his tears while planting light kisses on his cheek, forehead, eyes, nose, and lips.

”Darling, I can tolerate all your selfish and reckless actions, but you dare seek death... This is my limit,” he spoke.

The gentle Li Yuanyu vanished. He grabbed Tang Shan and tied his hands together with a garment. With a hand he held Tang Shan's head down and render him immobile. Tang Shan did not know what kind of expression the person behind him had, and he did all he could to cry, begging for help or threatening Li Yuanyu to halt his actions.

However, Li Yuanyu seemed to have lost his senses, or perhaps, he was actually very much in control. He tore off Tang Shan's pyjama pants, spread his legs and entered his body. No matter how Tang Shan begged to be let off, he still mercilessly continued to rape him.

”-hurts, Li Yuanyu- No-”

The pleas turned into whimpers, and the fear and humiliation caused him to gasp for breath.

Li Yuanyu turned Tang Shan over to face him and lunged at Tang Shan's throat, gradually tightening his grip.

”Do you like it? Erotic asphyxiation. Didn't you want to die?”

Tang Shan was in incredible pain and was terrified of Li Yuanyu's lunatic tendencies.

He really might just die like this.

All of a sudden, Tang Shan realised that this could be a way for him to be find release from all of this.

He smiled appearing as deranged as Li Yuanyu was.

Seeing the grin, Li Yuanyu's movements halted and loosening his grip, he slid out of Tang Shan's body.

”I'm sorry.”

Extremely remorseful for his actions, he apologised while sitting in front of Tang Shan with arms around his own head. He had personally harmed his most beloved, most precious Tang Shan whom he had always treated as a delicate treasure.

Tang Shan found his breath again and began to gasp for air. His vision had become blurry from tears, and the injuries in his behind had begun to heal. The pain on his body vanished, but on the other hand, his heart was bare – dead.

”I'm sorry, Tang Shan.” Li Yuanyu hugged him while repeating apologies and words of love. ”I'm sorry, Tang Shan. I'm sorry. I love you. I really love you.”

”Just kill me.” Tang Shan was still frozen in the same position. He was extremely disappointed in Li Yuanyu for letting go and giving him the misconception that he would finally be free from this.

Li Yuanyu hugged him so tightly Tang Shan felt as though the air in his lungs were being squeezed out.

”I won't kill you. I couldn't bear to.”  Li Yuanyu let him go and began to caress Tang Shan's face and rearrange his messy hair, returning to his previous state as a caring lover. All the craziness and anger from before disappeared.

”Hang in there for a while longer, my love. Once I settle the matter regarding the intruders, we'll continue. This time, you'll forget about absolutely everything and then wholly belong to me.” Li Yuanyu left a gentle kiss on his cheek, though it was rejected with a turn of Tang Shan's head.

Li Yuanyu laughed it off.

”Wait for me at home like a good boy.” Having said this, he made to leave.

”You're not going to untie me?” Tang Shan's hands were still tied together, and within his body, there remained Li Yuanyu's bodily fluids.

”No. This way, you'll be more obedient. When Jake wakes up, he'll untie you.” Li Yuanyu went to the door, paused and continued, ”Don't worry, Jake's used to this. Good night, my love.” With that, he gave a sarcastic laugh and left.

As Li Yuanyu closed the door, Tang Shan felt frustration and anger gus.h.i.+ng out. He could not move his hands and instead repeatedly knocked his head on the bed, burying his head in the pillows and screaming.

When Jake woke up, he was once again in a state of confusion, unsure of where exactly he was. He was only able to react to the situation after a long while.

”Ow.” He crawled up with some difficulty. The blood clots on the carpet were quite scary, and he quickly diverted his gaze so that he would not faint a second time.

”What time is it now? Morning? Or night? How long was I out for?”

Jake supported his forehead and asked Tang Shan but did not get an answer.

”Tang Shan?”

He stepped towards the bed, uncertain, and found Tang Shan's naked body on the bed, his hands tied up with clothing. There were no signs of a struggle, and he merely lay there without any movement. This was probably why he had not discovered Tang Shan's situation at the very beginning.