Chapter 20: Cheng Yun’s Ruthless Choice

 

“Anan…”

Cheng Yun’s breathing was uneven. In the cramped car, she struggled to lift her arm and gently shook the man beside her.

“Anan… wake up.”

Silence.

She had no idea how Director Zhang was doing in the back seat. Her limbs were still trembling from the violent collision. Slowly, she clenched her fist and forced herself to calm down.

Taking a deep breath, Cheng Yun tried to gather what little strength she had left. About half a minute later, her mind finally cleared.

She placed both hands on Anan’s shoulders and pushed him again.

“Anan? Anan?”

No response.

Carefully, Cheng Yun pulled herself out of his arms. She slid off the seat and bent toward the gap below it. Supporting herself against the ground, she suddenly felt something cold stab into her palm.

She raised her hand.

A sharp shard of glass had pierced her skin.

The windshield was almost completely shattered.

Blood slowly ran down her palm.

Cheng Yun’s expression darkened. Her heart was still pounding violently after the accident. Ignoring the injury, she grabbed the car frame and crawled out through the front.

A freezing mountain wind rushed toward her face.

The cold air gradually helped her regain her composure.

The crash didn’t seem catastrophic. Apart from some cuts and bruises, she appeared mostly unharmed.

She turned and glanced at the other vehicle involved in the accident.

It was a small cargo van. Its front end had slammed into the mountainside. The driver’s arm hung limply out of the window, completely still.

His condition was unclear.

Cheng Yun walked around the car and pressed her face against the window to look inside.

Director Zhang lay unconscious on her side in the back seat.

“Xiao Zhang… Xiao Zhang!”

No response.

Cheng Yun looked around. The car door had been jammed against the ground, and the window opening was too small to pull anyone out.

She climbed down from the car and pulled out her phone.

She pressed the power button repeatedly.

Nothing happened.

Only then did she realize her phone was completely dead.

Cheng Yun wiped her face and looked up at the dark mountain road.

It was silent.

Not a single car passed by.

For a moment, anger surged through her chest. She felt like throwing herself off the mountain.

But she couldn’t.

Standing in the empty darkness, Cheng Yun suddenly screamed at the road, her voice echoing through the mountains.

Then she forced herself to take another deep breath.

Calm down.

She returned to the car and climbed into the driver’s seat again. Reaching back, she pulled the trunk release lever.

But when she got out, she discovered the trunk was stuck.

Cheng Yun grabbed the trunk lid with both hands, planted her feet against the car’s frame, and pulled with all her strength.

“Damn it…”

The wound in her palm tore open further. Blood smeared across the metal.

Through clenched teeth, she muttered fiercely.

“Open… open right now!”

After several attempts, the trunk finally gave way.

Cheng Yun pushed the rear seat down and crawled into the back.

She softly called Director Zhang’s name several times.

Still nothing.

Only then did she notice blood on Director Zhang’s forehead.

Frowning, Cheng Yun carefully lifted her body and slowly dragged her out of the car.

It took a long time.

Finally, she laid Director Zhang flat on the roadside.

Then she returned to the front to check on Anan.

He hadn’t moved at all.

Cheng Yun’s heart sank.

She tried to turn on the phone flashlight, but the battery had completely died.

The windshield wasn’t entirely broken, and she didn’t have enough strength to pull Anan out.

After thinking for a moment, she walked to the roadside, picked up a large stone, and smashed the remaining shards of glass.

By the time she dragged Anan out of the car, Cheng Yun was completely exhausted.

She searched Director Zhang’s pockets and found her phone.

The signal in the mountains was extremely weak.

She dialed several times before the call finally connected to the police.

A young woman answered.

The voice sounded inexperienced.

She struggled to understand Cheng Yun’s location and repeatedly asked how serious the accident was. She even suggested that if it wasn’t serious, Cheng Yun should move the car to avoid blocking traffic.

Cheng Yun’s temper snapped.

“Is this your first day on the job?” she shouted. “Didn’t you receive any training?”

The operator remained calm.

“It took us a while to locate your signal. If the injuries are serious, please call an ambulance first—”

“You idiot!” Cheng Yun exploded. “Just wait until I file a complaint about you!”

The operator remained completely unmoved.

Furious, Cheng Yun hung up and dialed another number.

After five rings, a cold voice answered.

“Hello. Who is this?”

Cheng Yun glanced at the two unconscious people lying by the roadside and spoke quietly.

“Brother Chong.”

There was silence.

On the other end of the line, Li Yunchong immediately stiffened.

It wasn’t only because he recognized Cheng Yun’s voice.

It was because she had called him Brother Chong.

She hadn’t used that name in a very long time.

Li Yunchong slowly asked, “What happened?”

“Our car crashed in the mountains,” Cheng Yun replied calmly. “It’s too remote here. The police will take too long to arrive. Can you confirm my location?”

“Crashed?” His voice turned serious. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine.”

“Are you injured?”

“No.” She paused briefly. “But the people with me are unconscious. I don’t know how badly they’re hurt. Hurry.”

Hearing that she was safe, Li Yunchong visibly relaxed.

“Keep this phone on,” he said. “Stay where you are and block the road if possible. I’ll arrange help immediately.”

“Hurry.”

Just before she hung up, he called out again.

“Xiao Yun.”

“What?”

“Is the other driver conscious?”

Cheng Yun let out a cold laugh but didn’t answer.

Li Yunchong said slowly,

“Your safety is the most important thing right now. No matter what happens, don’t get into a conflict with him.”

Cheng Yun looked toward the cargo van that had crashed into the mountain.

Without replying, she ended the call.

The mountain wind howled around her.

Expressionless, Cheng Yun walked toward the van.

The young driver was slumped over the steering wheel.

She grabbed his hair and pulled his head up.

His mouth hung open slightly.

He was unconscious.

She released him, and his head dropped heavily against the steering wheel again.

Cheng Yun opened the door, dragged him out by the collar, and pulled him to the roadside.

Then she climbed into the cargo area.

Inside the van were stacks of goods—beer crates, bags of rice, and several containers of cooking oil. Some beer bottles had shattered during the crash, and the entire vehicle reeked of alcohol.

In the darkness, Cheng Yun took two intact bottles of beer and a container of cooking oil.

She bit off the bottle cap with her teeth and spat it aside.

Then she forced the unconscious driver’s head back and poured the beer down his throat.

Most of it spilled out.

She didn’t care.

After finishing the first bottle, she opened the second and did the same.

When both bottles were empty, the man smelled strongly of alcohol.

Next, Cheng Yun poured cooking oil into the bottles and stuffed tissues into their necks.

She flicked her lighter.

The oil-soaked paper ignited instantly.

Cheng Yun hurled the burning bottle at the van.

Glass shattered.

Flames spread rapidly across the vehicle.

She threw the second bottle at the other side and poured the remaining oil across the body of the van.

Within seconds, the fire roared to life.

The entire van was engulfed in flames.

Red firelight illuminated the mountain road.

The driver woke up.

Seeing his van burning, he scrambled to his feet.

“Put it out!” he shouted desperately. “Put out the fire!”

Cheng Yun stood calmly before the flames, lighting a cigarette.

The driver staggered toward her.

“Put it out!”

Before he could finish, Cheng Yun stepped forward and stomped on his face.

He fell to the ground.

When he rose again and saw his van completely ablaze, rage overtook him. He lunged toward Cheng Yun with his fist raised.

She dodged and slapped him.

But he caught her wrist.

Although injured, he was still stronger than her.

“Let go!” Cheng Yun cursed.

She kicked him repeatedly with her pointed leather boots.

The man roared and raised his hand to strike her—

But suddenly everything stopped.

Cheng Yun noticed someone standing beside them.

It was Anan.

Blood covered his face.

He looked down at the unconscious driver without saying a word.

Cheng Yun glared at him.

“What are you staring at?” she snapped. “Trying to defend him?”

Anan shook his head.

“I wanted to help you.”

Just then, Cheng Yun’s phone rang again.

It was the police and paramedics.

They had reached the mountain road and needed to confirm her exact location.

As Cheng Yun struggled to explain, a hand suddenly took the phone from her.

Anan spoke calmly into it.

After giving a few short directions, he hung up.

The mountain road fell silent again.