Blades of Secrets: The Endless Night

CHAPTER 46

Cheng Xing sat in the lounge and watched as the news sent out a warrant for his arrest. Cheng Xing turned the tv off and closed his eyes. A knock was heard on the door.

Cheng Xing grabs a knife from the kitchen. Cheng Xing peeks through the peep hole to see Da Qiang standing at the front. Da Qiang knocks again. Cheng Xing cautiously opens the door a sliver, gripping the hidden knife in his hand.

"I want to speak with you."

Cheng Xing glares at him.

Da Qiang sits across from Cheng Xing. Cheng Xing was playing with the knife in his hands. "Why are you here?"

"I don't want to cause trouble."

"Don't you still blame me for your brother's death?"

Da Qiang sits back in the seat and said nothing.

"Well, now's a good time to explain what you're doing here."

Da Qiang sits still.

"Where did all the assassins go? Why is the academy so empty?" Cheng Xing asked.

"They knew that you were coming."

"How? I hadn't told anyone."

"You should ask Fen Yuhang then."

Cheng Xing had a face of utter confusion for quickly turning into fear. What did Fen Yuhang do?

"How is-"

"Fen Yuhang's fine," he said, sounding slightly annoyed.

"If you and Fen Yuhang were such good friends then what happened?"

Cheng Xing couldn't see into Da Qiang's cold eyes, but something about him just showed that he was upset.

"Fen Yuhang, Da An and I were best friends. We were inseparable."

"So why did you join and decide to be friends with Ping Heng?"

"We used to play near the lake. It was just Fen Yuhang and I. We were having fun until I accidently fell in. I yelled for help at Fen Yuhang, but instead he decided to run off."

"Fen Yuhang's not that kind of-"

"Well, that's what happened. Luckily, Ping Heng saved me before I drowned."

Cheng Xing stares sadly at Da Qiang. Da Qiang shook off the look.

"I haven't come to talk to you about past. I'm here because I need to know which side, you're on?"

Cheng Xing stops. "I'm with you. Assassins."

Da Qiang just stares at him like he was trying to read him.

"But don't you ever feel used by master? Or unhappy, and want a life of your own?" Cheng Xing asked.

Da Qiang was silent. He sighed, got up and headed towards the door. Da Qiang turned and gave a last glance towards Cheng Xing before closing the door.

Cheng Xing walked to the kitchen to grab a snack when his phone started ringing. Cheng Xing takes the bite of the snack and asks, with a mouth full. "Li Ming what is it?"

"Cheng Xing! Get out of the house! Leave your phone, they're tracking it!"

There was a sudden loud thud on the door.

Li Ming shouted through the phone, "CHENG XING!"

Cheng Xing hangs up. Li Ming looks at the phone and puts it in his pocket as he runs to the car.

"Why is he always getting into trouble?"

Cheng Xing drops the phone on the couch slowly moves around the house avoiding the windows. He crawls silently towards the back window.

The door swung open and a couple of policeman lock eyes. Cheng Xing ran out the door towards the pool and climbed off the balcony. He pulled himself down and skidded on the muddy ground before running to the trees.

"Cheng Xing is at Li Ming's house!" he could hear them shout from the house.

Cheng Xing ran around the perimeter of the house, back towards the front door only to see multiple policemen waiting there. Cheng Xing carefully walked over to them. One spotted him and he immediately acted. He punched one in the face and then flipped him to the floor. He grabbed another and kicked his stomach making him collapse to the floor.

Cheng Xing runs towards a car that was already on and hopped in. A police officer was sitting next to him. Cheng Xing grabbed and smacked his head on the steering wheel just as the officer was reaching for his taser and pushed him out the door. Cheng Xing started the car and drove off.

"Sorry," Cheng Xing apologized, glancing back at the policeman on the ground in the rear-view mirror. Police cars came around the corner turning their siren on and following him.

"SH*T. Never Mind."

Cheng Xing turns a corner skidding. The police give chase. He takes another sharp turn which ends up tipping the car and making it roll. The glass cracked and the ugly sound of the metal scraping on the pavement screeched in his ears.

Cheng Xing crawled out as he heard the sirens close in. He picked himself up and ran towards the trees into the woods. The trees gave more shade, places to hide. A combination of fear and adrenaline pushed him on, sprinting through the forest. He could hear the car doors slam shut and shouting in the distance.

Li Ming pulled his car next to the policeman's and rushed out as they chase. 'Cheng Xing, how do you always seem to get into trouble,' he thought.

Cheng Xing kept tripping, adrenaline keeping in pain in his feet to a dull ache. He dashed through the trees until his feet slammed on rock. It was a cliff.

He looked around for possible ways and exits but it was already too late. The police have cornered him in all angles and were closing in now. He's cornered.

Although the cliff probably wasn't very high, any thought of jumping down it was out.

"Turn yourself in, Cheng Xing," one of them yelled. Cheng Xing saw Li Ming looking back at him, worried.

He looked around but couldn't seem to find Xiao Mei. Li Ming takes out his gun and points it at Cheng Xing.

"Cheng Xing, give up," Li Ming said. Cheng Xing and Li Ming locked eyes. There was hesitation. Cheng Xing tried to find something, anything, a sign, a signal. But there was nothing. He just looked at him, gaze cool and calm.

Li Ming fires his gun hitting Cheng Xing in the chest.

The impact hit him first. Then, sharp, spiking pain blossomed. He watched as Li Ming lowered his gun, as he felt his body become heavy, and succumb to gravity. Cheng Xing felt the wind as he fell off the cliff.

Li Ming put his gun away.

"Li Ming, what have you done?" Wen Zhang whispered, eyes wide in fear and shock.

Li Ming looks back at the cliff and tries not to cry.