Xiao Jianming's consciousness gradually sank into darkness; he lay on the ground, barely alive, with the image of Huo Qiuran haunting his mind.
Even though he was far less significant in Huo Qiuran's heart than the man called Ning Fan, Xiao Jianming did not regret it.
Looking at the pitch-black sky, Xiao Jianming gave a bitter smile and said, "If there is a next life, I will again be Qiuran's person!"
As the words fell, his eyes completely closed, his head twisted, and he lay on the ground, his fate unknown.
Li Kui curled his lip, looking disdainfully at Xiao Jianming on the ground. He truly felt it was not worth it; for a woman, moreover for a woman who did not love him—wasn't this foolish?
Meanwhile, Huo Qiuran desperately fled. Xiao Jianming had bought her some time, but she hadn't gone far when the sound of rapid footsteps followed her.
"Queen Huo, you want to play a game of cat and mouse with us?"
From a distance, Li Kui's voice carried over, and Huo Qiuran gritted her teeth and kept running forward without looking back.
Steps came constantly from all directions. Panicked, Huo Qiuran walked into a dead-end alley.
When she reached the end, Huo Qiuran realized she had walked into a dead end.
Just as Huo Qiuran thought to turn back, she found the entrance of the alley was blocked by Li Kui and a group of men in black.
"Queen Huo, come on, run! Why aren't you running now?"
Li Kui looked at Huo Qiuran, a malicious smile on his face. He dragged the steel knife in his hand against the wall, sparking a long line of sparks, and walked toward Huo Qiuran with a ferocious grin.
"Queen Huo, I gave that man named Xiao an opportunity, and now I am giving you one..."
As Li Kui spoke, his eyes roamed lasciviously over Huo Qiuran's tall frame.
"If you surrender now, and give me a good time, I might leave you in one piece. Otherwise, you might not even have a body left!"
With that, Li Kui burst into laughter. Huo Qiuran was surely trapped, with no possible escape from his grasp.
The scene of being driven away by Huo Qiuran was something Li Kui remembered well; it was an insult to him. From the moment he left Huo Qiuran, Li Kui had vowed to take his revenge.
Today, his wish was finally about to come true. Huo Qiuran had trapped herself in a dead end, and how Li Kui would toy with her depended entirely on his mood.
"Queen Huo, you should really consider this carefully!"
Li Kui wore a lewd smile, standing still and quietly waiting for Huo Qiuran to make her decision.
Huo Qiuran had a cold expression; she glared angrily at Li Kui, but she understood she had nowhere to escape.
Faced with such dire straits, even Huo Qiuran, known as the Queen of Zhonghai, felt desperate.
First, she felt sorry for Xiao Jianming, then her thoughts turned to Ning Fan, causing another pang in her heart.
"Queen Huo, have you made your decision? I have given you plenty of time."
Li Kui spoke coldly, brandishing his knife and approaching Huo Qiuran step by step.
Huo Qiuran did not respond to Li Kui. Her proud demeanor made Li Kui's rage flare.
"I call you 'Queen,' and you really take yourself seriously, don't you, you bitch?"
Li Kui sneered savagely, and at that moment, Huo Qiuran also drew her sword and charged at Li Kui.
By now, Huo Qiuran had resolved to die; escape tonight was impossible. But even in death, she would not go quietly—she would at least take Li Kui with her in revenge for Xiao Jianming!
"Hahaha, your kung fu is half-baked, yet you dare to wield swords and guns. Queen Huo, go be a queen in the Underworld!"
Li Kui looked at Huo Qiuran disdainfully. Her skills were nothing in his eyes.
Li Kui didn't even use the steel knife in his hand; he lifted his leg and kicked Qiuran Huo directly in the stomach.
With a kick to her lower abdomen, the knife in Qiuran Huo's hand flew out, her striking face now contorted in pain.
Qiuran Huo clutched her stomach, powerless, and knelt on one knee on the ground.
Li Kui's kick didn't hold back; unquestionably, Qiuran Huo must have suffered internal injuries.
Now that Qiuran Huo had lost her ability to resist, a smile piled up on Li Kui's face again.
"Queen Huo, do you have any last words?"
Li Kui asked insincerely, his eyes filled with a murderous intent.
Qiuran Huo closed her eyes in despair, ultimately unable to avenge Xiao Jianming.
Qiuran Huo, her eyes closed, thought she was about to die and couldn't help but recall Ning Fan's figure in her mind, her face immediately turned ashen.
Seeing her close her eyes in resignation, Li Kui shook his head in boredom. At that moment, he raised his knife, ready to swing it down on Qiuran Huo's pristine neck.
Just as Li Kui's face turned utterly ruthless and his eyes filled with vengeful satisfaction, and his knife was about to strike Qiuran Huo's neck, suddenly a silver needle whistled through the air, piercing directly through the palm of his hand wielding the knife.
"Ah!" Li Kui screamed in agony, the tremendous force pinning his palm to the wall!
Li Kui's eyes filled with bloodshot, he looked ferociously around.
The men in black also became alert at this time, looking around.
Footsteps echoed from the entrance of the dead-end alley, Qiuran Huo opened her eyes and looked that way.
A solitary figure appeared at the mouth of the alley, Qiuran Huo's eyes widened, tears filling them.
The person at the alley's entrance was the one Qiuran Huo had longed for; he had come to save her!
This figure was none other than Ning Fan!
He stood at the entrance of the alley, his face expressionless as he looked at Li Kui and the others, his aura oppressive, giving a suffocating sensation.
Initially, Ning Fan was merely strolling the streets and happened to hear the commotion from afar and went to check it out, only to see Xiao Jianming struggling on the brink of death.
Xiao Jianming's wound was severe, and with so many bodies on the ground, Qiuran Huo was undoubtedly in danger. Thus, right after Li Kui went after Qiuran Huo, Ning Fan arrived here shortly after.
Li Kui looked at Ning Fan furiously, roaring as a group of men in black surrounded him.
Ning Fan smiled faintly: "Your daddy."
"My daddy?" Li Kui paused, replying subconsciously.
Ning Fan, now thoroughly amused, quipped immediately, "Good son!"
Li Kui finally caught on and shouted in a furious and embarrassed tone, "Kill him! What are you staring at!"
Receiving Li Kui's command, the men in black swiftly surrounded Ning Fan.
The glint of cold blades carried a chilling, bloodthirsty aura; these men, already bloodshot from the fight with Xiao Jianming, had become numb to the killing.