Area: Mesny
Two cars—a white Volkswagen Tiguan followed closely by a Toyota Corolla—sped along the long-abandoned road skirting the outskirts of Oakton City. The narrow streets twisted through the slums, with crossroads appearing every two kilometers. Up ahead loomed the main junction, an eight-crossroad intersection with traffic lights, as it was one of the major connections between Ironshade City and Glen City.
First crossroad, passed by.
Second crossroad, passed by.
Third crossroad, passed by.
Each crossroad she passed brought her closer to the unknown, her anxiety climbing. Han Xue's mind raced as she neared the more desolate parts of the road, where cars became sparse. Still, there was no sign of Haoran's ghostly figure on the car or any contact with Shen Mu. Her heart sank further with every second. This could only mean one of two things—either she was too late, or worse, she was being deceived. The idea that Zi Haoran might still be safe seemed like an impossible fantasy.
Fourth crossroad, passed by.
Finally, on the third attempt, the call connected.
"Ma'am, are you—"
Her breath grew shallow and frantic. She interrupted, her voice breaking under the strain of fear. "Shen Mu, stop the car! Now!" The desperation in her voice was palpable.
Zi Haoran, sitting beside Shen Mu, narrowed his eyes, uncertain of what was happening but aware that something had shifted. Han Xue wasn't just acting out of duty—there was something else at play, something urgent.
"Shen Mu!" her voice cracked, louder this time. "Get to the extreme left side of the road and stop the car now!"
Her panic echoed through the phone. "Don't move an inch! Keep Haoran safe, I'm coming!"
Both Shen Mu and Haoran were stunned by her frantic screams, fear creeping into their bones.
When no response came within seconds, Han Xue lost her patience. "Shen Mu, are you listening?! Stop the car, goddammit!"
"Yes, ma'am, I'm stopping!" Shen Mu replied quickly, his eyes darting to Haoran before reaching over to grasp the chauffeur's arm. The driver had already begun braking, sensing the urgency. Once the signal was clear, he slammed the brake with full force.
Fifth crossroad, passed by.
The tires screamed against the asphalt as the car screeched to a halt, coming to a stop halfway between the seventh and eighth crossroads.
Han Xue's instincts took over, and with adrenaline surging through her veins, she floored the gas pedal. The Volkswagen, already speeding, surged forward like a sports car. Her speed climbed—150 km/hr, then 170, 180, 200, 210...
220 km/hr—the maximum the car could go.
Seeing her acceleration, the Corolla trailing behind her pushed its own limits, racing at a max speed of 190 km/hr. The high-pitched screeching of tires filled the air, both on the road and over the phone.
"Shen Mu, save him! Kang Manchu wants to kill him!" she yelled into the phone.
"Okay, okay, ma'am," Shen Mu stammered, clearly rattled. But before he could say more, the call cut off.
Sixth crossroad, passed by.
The men in the car behind her called out over the radio. "What's going on, ma'am? What do we do?"
"Will you sacrifice yourself to save him?" Han Xueanother voice asked, filled with doubt.
"Obviously, ma'am," they responded immediately.
Seventh crossroad, passed by.
At last, the ghost car stopped 400 meters from the eighth crossroad. It was clear to everyone that something dangerous was happening. Just as the car came to a standstill, the sound of roaring engines echoed through the empty road. Two cars speeding towards them were visible in the distance. At that moment, a poorly-driven truck suddenly appeared, barreling through the intersection, having blown past the red light. Its erratic driving left no doubt—the ghost car was its target. The truck lurched forward as it spotted them, its engine revving with deadly intent.
"Cover the car! Protect him from the truck!" Han Xue shouted.
The men understood the command without hesitation. The two cars surged forward, overtaking the ghost vehicle and positioning themselves as shields.
Before they could fully stop, the truck collided with a thunderous crash.
CRUUUUNCH!
SCREEEEESH!
CRACK!
The first collision sent both cars reeling. The truck reversed slightly before ramming into them again. The Volkswagen was knocked into the ghost car, its tires skidding as it struggled to remain in place. The Corolla wasn't as fortunate—its body flipped over, crashing onto its roof.
BOOM!
FOOM!
CRACKLE, CRACKLE... FSSSSHHH!
Flames erupted from the Corolla's wreckage, the sound of fire hissing through the air as the car became engulfed in flames.
While Haoran's Rolls Royce absorbed only minor shocks from the crash, his eyes widened in horror as he saw her—this delicate, fragile woman—thrown forward, wounded severely by the impact. The woman he had only ever insulted, the one he had coldly handed divorce papers to...
She lay motionless in the driver's seat of the shattered Volkswagen, the windows broken, her body bleeding and still.
She had done it for him.
She had sacrificed herself.
Just to save him.
The weight of it all crashed down on him. His heart stopped. His body went numb. The world around him blurred as if time itself had frozen. Without a second thought, Haoran bolted out of his car, panic coursing through his veins. What if her car caught fire next?
Shen Mu and the chauffeur were right behind him, but Shen Mu nearly broke down at the sight of her. "Ma'am…" he whispered, his voice trembling.
Haoran tried to open the driver's door of the Volkswagen, but it wouldn't budge. He turned frantic, pounding on the door like a madman. Shen Mu rushed to help, managing to finally pry the other door open after what felt like an eternity.
"Sir! Sir!" Shen Mu screamed as he pulled the door wide.
Haoran darted to the other side, gently lifting her out of the wreckage. She was barely conscious, her body covered in blood, with deep gashes from her head to her hands.
Han Xue's eyes fluttered open as her feet touched the ground. Dizzy, weak, she still managed to regain a sliver of consciousness, instinctively trying to push him away.
"Hao...ran…" she whispered in a broken voice, her head lolling as she struggled to look at him.
"Don't say anything!" he interrupted, his voice cracking. He pressed his handkerchief against the gash on her head, desperate to stop the bleeding. He held her close, trembling, trying to assess her injuries, trying to do anything to keep her alive.
"Come… let's go to the hospital," his voice wavered, on the verge of breaking.
But she shook her head weakly. Summoning the last of her strength, she mustered the energy to speak, though every word seemed to cost her dearly. "Go away…" she rasped, pushing against him with what little strength remained.
"Go away… he wants to kill you… run… run…"
[===o===o===]
WDD Mini Series: "Help, I'm in a Novel!"
( A hilariously chaotic series of banter where the characters double as their own story's spectators, breaking the fourth wall with mischievous humor, exaggerated emotions, and side-splitting commentary about their tangled, dramatic lives. )
Title: "Wifey, Why Would You Do That?! (⊙_☉)"
ZH (Zi Haoran):
"Wifey, you drove into a TRUCK for me?! Why would you do that?! (╯°□°）╯"
HX (Han Xue):
"Is that your way of saying thanks? Hmph. (¬_¬)"
ZH:
"Thanks?! You're BLEEDING! How is this something to be proud of?! (ಥ﹏ಥ)"
HX:
"Proud? Look who's better now. I saved you, so start worshipping me for your next seven lifetimes. (¬‿¬)"
ZH:
"You're not going anywhere, Wifey. Not in this life or the next. Couldn't you think of a safer plan?! (╥_╥)"
HX:
"Safer plan? Like trusting you to save yourself? Sure. That's foolproof. (¬‿¬)"
ZH:
"..." (╥_╥)
[===o===o===]