Old Ge was the person who had helped me the most since I joined the Cold Case Investigation Unit. He was known as the "idle man" of our team, and I was also considered one, so I often followed him around, seeking his guidance on various matters. He was practically half a mentor to me. Seeing him in such a condition now, how could I possibly feel at ease?
After a moment of stunned silence, I shouted and rushed towards Old Ge, "Old Ge…"
"Wait a minute…" Zhang Yihan grabbed me by the arm.
"What is it?" I asked, confused.
"I think Old Ge's eyes look a bit off. Let's observe first," Zhang Yihan said cautiously.
"Sister Yihan, there's no time for that! Can't you see Old Ge's condition? If we wait any longer, he'll die," I said anxiously.
Indeed, Old Ge was barely conscious, but his eyes did seem a bit strange. Despite my sense of urgency, I approached him hastily.
"Old Ge, Old Ge, are you alright?" I asked, bending down to help him up.
Suddenly, without any warning, Old Ge lunged at me.
His strength was overwhelming, and I was knocked to the ground. Before I could react, he opened his bloodstained mouth and aimed for my neck.
I'm not exaggerating when I say his mouth was a gaping maw of blood, as his mouth was already full of it.
Had he bitten into my neck, I would have been dead. Instinctively, I raised my left arm to block him, but he swiftly shifted and sank his teeth into my forearm.
"Ah…" I screamed in agony, using my right hand to grasp his throat.
I had hoped to make him release his grip by causing pain, but it seemed to have the opposite effect. His bite only grew stronger.
At that moment, I felt like my arm was about to be severed. I desperately squeezed his throat, but to my horror, his neck was rock hard. Despite my efforts, he showed no signs of pain.
"Bang…" Zhang Yihan struck Old Ge's head with her flashlight.
I felt the pressure on my arm lessen gradually as Old Ge fell unconscious beside me.
Turning around, I saw Zhang Yihan breathing heavily, staring at Old Ge with fear.
The entire episode had lasted less than ten seconds from Old Ge's attack to Zhang Yihan knocking him out.
"Phew… phew…" I panted heavily, half lying on the ground, overwhelmed by the encounter.
Once I regained my composure, I spoke my first words: "You hit him too hard. What if he's brain-damaged?"
I hadn't meant to criticize, but Zhang Yihan exploded, "Ungrateful! I saved your life and you're complaining?"
"Sister Yihan, that's not what I meant…"
"Then what did you mean?" she snapped.
Damn, this woman was like a powder keg, always on the verge of exploding.
Suddenly, Zhang Yihan began to cry.
"Old Ge, how did you end up like this?" she sobbed.
I never thought I'd see the day when this fierce woman cried. It was a surprising sight.
I remembered her hitting Old Ge so hard moments ago; she didn't seem like someone with much compassion.
"Alright, Sister Yihan, stop crying. We need to get Old Ge out of here!" I urged.
"I'm not crying! Who said I'm crying?" Zhang Yihan shouted, turning back to sob over Old Ge.
I was dumbfounded. She was clearly crying yet denying it. I decided not to push her further and started examining Old Ge's injuries.
The more I checked, the more terrified I became. Old Ge's wounds were all bite marks—clean, human bite marks.
His body was covered in blood, but his wounds, all on his arms and legs, were not bleeding anymore. This indicated that Old Ge had been feeding on his own blood, gnawing on his limbs.
At that moment, I remembered Jin Zhijian, who had been caught biting a pig in a pigsty. He had been so strong that it took several armed police officers and a tranquilizer to subdue him.
Recalling Old Ge's incredible strength during his attack, I feared we were dealing with something beyond normal.
Acting quickly, I tore a strip of fabric from my pants to bind Old Ge's hands. I secured his feet with another strip, and then gagged him with a piece of cloth.
"Sister Yihan, let's go. We need to get out of here," I said.
"I need to avenge Old Ge," Zhang Yihan stubbornly declared.
"Big Sister, we can't think about revenge right now. Let's get Old Ge to safety first!" I said, exasperated.
Fortunately, Zhang Yihan didn't argue this time.
We carried Old Ge out of the tunnel, me taking his legs with my injured arm, and Zhang Yihan taking the heavier end. Despite her tough exterior, she had considerable strength.
Reaching the exit, we called for Captain Zhao, but there was no response.
A sense of foreboding gripped me. Climbing out, I found Zhao Mingzhu lying motionless in the courtyard, as if he were dead.
I checked his vitals; he was breathing but unresponsive.
There was no time to waste. I rushed back to help Zhang Yihan with Old Ge. To my horror, I found Old Ge attacking Zhang Yihan, biting her shoulder.
"Ah…" I screamed, grabbing a nearby stick and hitting Old Ge on the head. He fell unconscious again.
Gasping for breath, Zhang Yihan was safe for now.
Using belts and vines, I bound Old Ge tightly before we carried him out.
However, with Zhao Mingzhu still unconscious and both of us injured, getting everyone back to safety seemed impossible.