How Deep the Crimson Leaves Run: Chapter Thirty-One: The Encirclement

Gu Yu was about to follow when he suddenly stopped, looking behind Qian Gui. "General Qian, are you wounded?!" He saw that the fabric on the back of Qian Gui's shoulder was soaked with blood. Mao Huaishan darted forward and tore open his garment. "Is it serious?"

Qian Gui’s lips were pale, but he forced a smile. "It's nothing, just a flesh wound. Go catch the thief!"

Gu Yu looked around and spotted a tawny coat on the arhat bed. He grabbed it, gave a sharp tug, and tore off a corner to bandage Qian Gui's wound. "General Qian, I shall never forget this life-saving favor. I will come to thank you properly another day." With that, he sprinted toward the door.

"Hey," Qian Gui called out. Gu Yu turned back. Qian Gui said, "Forget calling you a meddlesome brat; may I call you brother instead?"

Gu Yu waved his hand. "Done!" Anxious that Tang Haiqiu might escape, he felt as restless as if his heart were overgrown with weeds. With no constables left in the courtyard, he rushed toward the gate in a panic. Just then, someone else darted in from the outside. They collided head-on, and Gu Yu cried out, unable to dodge. To his surprise, the stranger slid three feet across the ground and caught his arm. Gu Yu felt as if he were riding the clouds; by the time he regained his senses, he was already standing at the foot of the stone steps.

This maneuver was as swift and fluid as a shooting star. Gu Yu had never encountered anyone with such profound martial arts. He looked up at the person on the steps—a youth of about sixteen or seventeen, tall and broad-shouldered, with a straight nose, wide mouth, and bright, piercing eyes, though his skin was somewhat dark. Seeing Gu Yu staring, he grinned, revealing a set of white teeth. "Apologies, apologies! I was too reckless."

Footsteps sounded in the courtyard. Mao Huaishan hurried out, startled by the sight of the young man, then beamed. "Dou Dou! You damn brat, you haven't come to see me for so many days. I thought you’d forgotten all about me!" Though his words were rough, his tone was far more affectionate than when he dealt with Fang Wei.

The young man called Dou Dou laughed heartily and hugged Mao Huaishan. "Brother, I’ve missed you to death!"

Gu Yu did not linger. He glanced at the two of them and turned to run toward the ward gate. The main street was already bustling with pedestrians. Gu Yu kept a sharp eye on his surroundings as he ran. When he reached the gate, he found it wide open, with people passing through in twos and threes. Wu Haichao was standing guard with two other constables. Gu Yu rushed up and asked, "Any sign of Tang Haiqiu?"

Before Wu Haichao could shake his head or speak, a commotion erupted in the alley behind them, followed by screams and shouts. Gu Yu turned to see a group of people racing toward the gate like the wind. Leading them was Tang Haiqiu, pursued closely by Fang Wei and the other constables.

In the previous chaos, Gu Yu had only caught a glimpse of Tang Haiqiu’s back, but now he saw him clearly. The man’s once-handsome face was bloodless, his clothes in disarray, and his abdomen was wrapped in a makeshift bandage that had already been soaked through. Pedestrians along the road recoiled in fear, scrambling to the sides. Seeing his enemy, Gu Yu’s eyes turned red with rage. He brandished his iron ruler and shouted, "Haichao, close the gate!"

"Get out of the way!" Wu Haichao bellowed, waving the onlookers aside and signaling the other constables to push the heavy gates. Tang Haiqiu’s already grim expression darkened. He no longer had the strength to leap over the gate; if it were sealed, he would have no escape. Seeing the young constable charging toward him with murderous intent, Tang Haiqiu gritted his teeth, suddenly lunging forward directly at Gu Yu!

With a crisp metallic clang, Gu Yu parried Tang Haiqiu’s short blade with his ruler, twisting his wrist to disarm him. Tang Haiqiu quickly retracted his blade. Gu Yu unleashed a whip-kick at Tang Haiqiu’s abdomen, but Tang Haiqiu, not daring to take the blow, sidestepped and lunged toward a mother and child who were trying to flee!

Gu Yu was shocked and furious. "You bastard!" He gave chase with all his might. The mother, seeing the ferocious man charging at them, looked on in despair; she stopped running and shielded her child in her arms. Tang Haiqiu kicked the woman away and grabbed the child, holding him as a shield. "Let's see who dares to come closer!"

The woman fell heavily to the ground, writhing in pain. The child wailed in terror. Finding the crying grating, Tang Haiqiu struck the child’s head hard with the hilt of his blade, making the child scream even louder. Gu Yu rushed forward. "Release the child!"

Tang Haiqiu sneered, pressing the tip of his blade against the child’s neck. "Don't move! If you come any closer, the child dies!"

By then, Fang Wei had also arrived. "Tang Haiqiu, stop this futile resistance! You are surrounded by officers; do you think you can escape?"

Tang Haiqiu laughed coldly. "Constable Fang, five years ago I escaped from the clutches of curs like you, and I am quite confident I can do it again." He held the child close, hiding his head behind the boy’s body, and began to edge toward the gate. "Open the gate!"

Wu Haichao, hand on the door panel, looked at Fang Wei in distress. Fang Wei gritted his teeth, glaring viciously at Tang Haiqiu. Tang Haiqiu met his gaze without fear, pressing the blade tip an inch further. Blood trickled down the child’s neck, and the boy shrieked. The woman on the ground twitched more violently. Fang Wei raised his hand. "Open the gate!"

Wu Haichao hurriedly opened the door. Tang Haiqiu backed out and commanded, "Close it."

"What?" Wu Haichao was stunned.

"Close it from the inside!" Tang Haiqiu ordered again. Wu Haichao slowly pulled the gates shut. On the main street outside, onlookers had gathered in a semi-circle, but they backed away in terror at Tang Haiqiu’s fierce demeanor. Taking advantage of the chaos, Tang Haiqiu melted into the crowd and escaped. Two streets later, someone called out to him, "Tang Haiqiu!"

Tang Haiqiu turned to see Li Fu peeking out from an alleyway. "What took you so long?" Tang Haiqiu asked with a smirk. Looking at the child still wailing in his arms, a cruel smile played on his lips. Sensing something wrong, Li Fu was about to speak, but Tang Haiqiu suddenly slammed the child onto the ground! The boy lay motionless. Li Fu’s cheek muscles twitched spasmodically, but he said nothing. Tang Haiqiu followed him, and the two vanished into the alley.

When Fang Wei and Gu Yu finally burst through the gate, there was no trace of Tang Haiqiu, save for a few onlookers. The constables chased down the alley and found the child; blood was flowing from his nose and mouth, and his breathing was faint and shallow. "Beast!" Fang Wei cursed, picking up the boy and rushing him to the physician for treatment.