Chapter 39 Cutting off the antlers
The car kept driving on the road, and Ruan Xingfeng hadn't decided where to go. The sense of pleasure and excitement he had just felt disappeared, and now there were two figures arguing in his head.
One side felt that it was a bit too much and would hurt Liao Feng's feelings, while the other side felt that it was no big deal and that what he had done could not compare to what Liao Feng had done.
Ruan Xingfeng, who was sitting in the back seat, rubbed his hair irritably. Zhu Zhe, who was driving, glanced at him through the rearview mirror and wanted to speak, but he didn't know what to say in this situation. Although Ruan Xingfeng said that he was not sad, his face showed how uncomfortable he felt.
His goal was real. He wanted to gain freedom and take them to do big things together, but what he said about not caring about Liao Feng's life or death couldn't be true.
The hatred is real, the fear is real, and the determination to escape is real.
But the traces left by living together, those warm moments that once existed, perhaps contaminated but did exist, are also real.
They were not completely consumed by hatred. Instead, after this extreme revenge, they surfaced and tortured his heart.
This is an extremely complex emotion, hatred and residual emotions intertwined, the pleasure of revenge and guilt coexisting, which makes him even more painful.
He suddenly opened his eyes, took a deep breath, and tried to suppress the inappropriate feeling of weakness. Now was not the time to doubt himself.
"Zhu Zhe," his voice was a little hoarse, but he had regained a bit of composure, "Go... go to the place we have prepared. Safety first."
He couldn't turn back. This was the path he had chosen, and whether the path ahead led to freedom or a deeper hell, he had no choice but to keep going.
He must cut off the complicated feelings he has towards Liao Feng with his own hands, or bury them deep in his heart.
At the wedding scene on the other side, everyone dispersed. Liao Feng, Xu Nuoyan, and Song Xuexi stood together. Liao Feng's eyes were red. He held the phone tightly in both hands and tapped on the screen with his fingers, sending messages to the chat box over and over again, even though all that popped up were red exclamation marks.
Song Xuexi was also not idle. She called Ruan Yuexin to ask about her brother's situation, but the other party did not answer the phone. Xu Nuoyan watched the two of them busy on the side, thinking of countermeasures in his mind. He had already asked someone to investigate, and he would not let him go easily if he was caught.
"I shouldn't have removed the surveillance camera from him." This sentence seemed to open a floodgate, and the moment he finished speaking, tears could no longer be suppressed and rolled down.
It wasn't wailing, but silent, dense tears, like transparent beads with broken strings, hitting his cold mobile phone screen one after another, blurring out the messages that no one received.
He raised his head and looked in the direction where Ruan Xingfeng disappeared. His eyes were filled with unprecedented panic, despair and a guilt that almost drowned a person.
He lost his fawn. At the moment when he thought happiness was within his reach, he lost it completely in a way that he could least bear.
In his opinion, all this was due to his damn negligence. He removed the surveillance camera that could keep track of the other person's safety at all times, giving the "bad guys" an opportunity to take advantage of, and ultimately deeply hurting the person he loved the most.
This self-condemnation and the feeling of powerlessness in not being able to find anyone are rapidly dragging him into the abyss of collapse.
On the third day of resting at home, Ruan Xingfeng forced himself to get back to work.
In the studio, he was discussing the structural sketch of the "Herbvores Federation" with Fu Hangxing and Zhou Yi, while Zhu Zhe was screening the available safe house information.
Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.
When Zhu Zhe opened the door and saw the person standing at the door, he froze instantly and didn't dare to breathe.
Ruan Xingfeng looked up, his heart skipping a beat—the head of the empire?! How had he found this place?
Countless alarms were going off in his head, but he tried his best to remain calm. He winked at his bewildered roommates and said, "You three, get out first."
The studio was quickly cleared, leaving only two people. Ruan Xingfeng did not stand up to pour tea, but just stood there, his eyes filled with vigilance and inquiry: "Your Excellency, I didn't expect you to visit us." His tone was neither humble nor arrogant, and there was even a hint of imperceptible coldness.
The leader didn't care about his attitude. His sharp eyes swept across the slightly messy but lively studio, and finally fell back on Ruan Xingfeng.
"Ruan Xingfeng," he said, his voice steady yet commanding. "That scene at the wedding was brilliant. Decisive, ruthless, and remarkably effective."
Ruan Xingfeng's pupils shrank slightly. He neither admitted nor denied, but just listened quietly.
The commander seemed to smile, but the smile didn't reach his eyes. "No need to guess how I know. I'm not here to comment on your acting, but to affirm your... abilities and our shared goals."
He took a step forward, his aura overwhelming. "Liao Feng. He's your nightmare, and a thorn in my side. His wealth and connections have swelled to a disturbing degree."
Ruan Xingfeng immediately grasped the key: "Our common goal?" He deliberately repeated these words.
"That's right." The chief looked at him straight in the eye. "You hate him and want to overthrow him completely to gain your freedom. Maybe you even want to build your ideal 'safe tent'?" He obviously knew Ruan Xingfeng's plan in detail.
"And I need those things he shouldn't be in control of to disappear. I need his business empire to be replaced with a more... obedient owner. We need him to fall."
"So," Ruan Xingfeng continued calmly, fully understanding the other party's intention, "you're not here to find a chess piece, but a... partner?"
"A very clever statement." The commander nodded approvingly. "What you have in hand: your knowledge of Liao Feng's inner workings, the advantage you've just gained that makes him feel deeply guilty, the nascent potential of your small team, plus the evidence I possess regarding his past and current shady dealings, and the convenience and protection my 'official' status can provide. Let's unite, share resources, and each get what we need. Together," he paused, using a word familiar to Ruan Xingfeng, "we can 'make a fortune' and bring down Liao Feng."
This proposal was far more direct than Ruan Xingfeng had expected, and was more in line with his bottom line. He didn't need to go back to that golden cage.
"What do I get?" Ruan Xingfeng asked bluntly. "Besides the freedom afforded by Liao Feng's downfall, here's what I have to say: First, afterward, your 'Union's' legal status and security will be under my control. Second, I can allocate some of the market and resources vacated by Liao Feng's downfall to you, providing you with the capital to start your own business. Third, and most importantly, my information and power will clear many obstacles on your path to revenge that you would otherwise be unable to overcome on your own." The leader's offer was extremely tempting, demonstrating his sincerity.
Ruan Xingfeng was silent for a moment. This was a dangerous cooperation. Walking side by side with the person with the highest power was like walking on the edge of a cliff, but this was indeed a shortcut to achieve all his goals the fastest.
"We can cooperate," Ruan Xingfeng finally said, his eyes sharp. "But I have three principles: First, my team and I have the autonomy to act independently. We are not your subordinates. Second, all actions must be notified in advance. I need to be informed. Third, the target is Liao Feng and his core forces. No innocent people, especially herbivores, must be implicated."
The commander looked at him with a flicker of genuine admiration in his eyes. This young man was more courageous and principled than he had imagined.
"Okay." He agreed straightforwardly, "Someone will contact you about the specific details of the cooperation. Ruan Xingfeng, don't let me down." After he said that, he turned around and left the studio without staying any longer.
The moment the door closed, Ruan Xingfeng slowly exhaled, and a thin layer of sweat broke out on his back.
Fu Hangxing and the other two rushed in immediately, their faces filled with worry and questions: "Xingfeng! Are you okay? Why did he come to see you?"
Ruan Xingfeng looked at them with complicated eyes, which eventually turned into a determined light.
He paused, and explained it to them simply in a steady and powerful voice. After listening to it, the three of them frowned, not knowing whether they felt happy or sad about this matter, but they always had a bad premonition.
Ruan Xingfeng saw through it, he smiled and said: "Do you really think I'm so stupid? How could he really cooperate with us? He is also a carnivore, and everything I do affects him." After hearing his words, they suddenly realized.
The complex feelings in their hearts also had a name, that is, uneasiness. They were also worried that the leader, the superior, would use them and then get rid of them. After all, they would be really finished by then. In the face of absolute strength, all conversations were nonsense.
Just like the herbivore protection law, they can comply if they want to. If they don’t want to comply, these herbivores or these vulnerable groups have no way to resist them, so they must be in a dominant position.
"Xingfeng, you are really brave. You are taking advantage of Liao Feng while playing tricks on the leader." Fu Hangxing put his hand on his shoulder with a smile. Ruan Xingfeng smiled without saying anything. Although they were both smiling, they both understood how dangerous this was.
If it was just Liao Feng, he might show mercy to Ruan Xingfeng out of guilt and love, but the leader would not do that. Once discovered, he would put Ruan Xingfeng to death.
The phone rang. Ruan Xingfeng opened the screen and saw the note "sister". The tense and calculating aura around him instantly dissipated and his eyes softened involuntarily, as if brushed by a spring breeze.
He answered the phone, his tone more gentle than ever before: "Yue Xin?"
"Brother..." Ruan Yuexin's voice came from the other end of the phone, with a barely perceptible sob and cautiousness, "How are you doing over there? These past few days... I didn't dare to call you for fear of disturbing you. Mom and Dad are very worried about you. They can't eat or sleep well."
Hearing his family's worried words, Ruan Xingfeng's heart seemed to be gently squeezed, and a slight pain arose. He took a deep breath.
He suppressed the dryness in his throat caused by the stress and tension of the past few days, and tried to make his voice sound relaxed and hopeful.
"Silly girl, I'm fine." He even chuckled deliberately. "Tell mom and dad not to worry. Just wait a few more years, just a few years, and everything will be fine. I promise that by then, I will take you to live a good life, a peaceful and safe life, a life without fear."
He painted a picture of a beautiful future, which was his greatest motivation to persevere and his deepest desire.
Ruan Yuexin was silent for a few seconds on the other end of the phone, as if she was judging the truthfulness of her brother's words.
After a while, she said with a bit of complaint and a bit of distress in her tone, "Brother...you don't have to be like this. If you didn't do those dangerous things, our family would still be living a good life now, instead of being in such a state of panic and chaos all day long."
Her complaints were genuine. She felt bad for the burden her brother had to bear and was afraid something might happen to him. But Ruan Xingfeng knew that deep down, his sister understood and supported him. She was just too afraid of losing him.
Ruan Xingfeng looked out the window, his eyes becoming deep and firm: "Yuexin, it's different. The 'good life' obtained by relying on others is like a castle built on sand, which will be gone when the tide comes. Especially... relying on them." He paused and did not say who "they" were, but the brother and sister both knew that he was referring to carnivores.
"What I want to give you is a truly stable future that we can stand on our own. A peaceful life that truly belongs to us without having to look at anyone's face or rely on anyone." His voice was soft, but full of unquestionable determination.
There was silence on the other end of the line for a while, and then Ruan Yuexin's voice, sniffing softly, could be heard: "...Got it. Anyway...Anyway, you must be careful! Every day...Every day, you must send me a message to let me know you're safe, otherwise I'll tell Mom and Dad!"
Listening to his sister's "threat" in a tearful but pretendedly fierce voice, Ruan Xingfeng felt so soft in his heart that he showed the first genuine smile without any impurities in the past few days on his face.
"Okay, I promise, I'll send it every day." He agreed softly, "Take good care of my parents for me, and take good care of yourself and your 'Zu Manli'. Wait for me to come back."
After hanging up, Ruan Xingfeng stood there for a long time, holding the phone. His family was his softest spot, but it was also his strongest motivation to don his armor, grasp his weapon, and charge toward the windmill.
The sun was shining outside the window, and the belief in his heart became clearer. No matter how dangerous the road ahead was, he had to keep going and win for the people he wanted to protect behind him.
This conversation is like a warm breeze that temporarily blows away the fog of conspiracy, allowing readers to see the true and warm concern beneath Ruan Xingfeng's cold calculations.
Time slipped by quietly, two months whizzing by amidst intense, secret preparations and cautious dealings with the Führer. Ruan Xingfeng grew even more withdrawn, juggling the demands for limited resources from the Führer, secretly developing his own power, and responding to Liao Feng's increasingly surging demands for "compensation" fueled by his deep guilt. His spirit was like a taut string.
Fu Hangxing and the other two could sense the immense pressure on him, but they didn't know how to relieve it. They completed some marginal tasks assigned by the leader and, using the information and resources they gained, quietly laid a more solid foundation for the Herbivore Federation. But the determination in Ruan Xingfeng's eyes grew stronger day by day.
Until one day, he announced a decision without any warning.
"I'm going to saw off the antlers."
The studio fell silent. Fu Hangxing's hand, which was still typing code, stopped mid-air. Zhou Yi suddenly looked up from his pile of documents. Zhu Zhe even knocked over his water glass.
"What did you say?! Ruan Xingfeng, are you crazy?!" Fu Hangxing was the first to jump up, his voice changing tone, "That's the dignity of the deer tribe! It's part of their power! If you chop it off, how can you still be your sacred deer..."
"Xingfeng, what happened? Did the leader force you?" Zhou Yi was relatively calm, but his face was pale as he tried to find out the reason.
Zhu Zhe frantically wiped the water stains, babbling incoherently, "No, no! Absolutely not! It will hurt! And... and it's not necessary!"
Ruan Xingfeng's expression was unusually calm, almost cruelly so, as if he were discussing something that had nothing to do with him. "You'll understand this later. I need to add fuel to the fire."
His tone was understated, but it made the three of them feel terrified. They took turns trying to persuade him, talking about the physical pain, the symbolic meaning, the future plans and physical health.
But Ruan Xingfeng seemed to be determined. No matter what they said, he just shook his head silently. His once clear eyes were now a bottomless pool, and no one could peek into his true thoughts.
At the end of his persuasion, Fu Hangxing almost started a quarrel with him, but was held back by Zhou Yi. They had never seen Ruan Xingfeng so stubborn.
That night, Ruan Xingfeng didn't even stay in the studio, but said abnormally: "I'm going home to stay one night."
The three of them had an extremely ominous premonition in their hearts, but they were unable to stop him forcibly. They could only watch him leave anxiously, praying that he would calm down and change his mind.
However, the next morning, just after dawn, Fu Hangxing's cell phone rang frantically, and the caller ID showed that it was Ruan Xingfeng's home phone.
His heart sank as he answered the phone. Ruan's mother's almost collapsed cry came from the other end: "Hangxing! Come and see Xingfeng! He... he's covered in blood! What should I do!"
The three of them were terrified and rushed to the Ruan family as fast as they could.
Rushing into Ruan Xingfeng's room, the scene before them was like being struck by lightning, and they froze in place instantly.
Ruan Xingfeng's face was as pale as paper, and he lay unconscious on the bed, with cold sweat on his forehead. The most shocking thing was that his light-colored sheets and quilts were stained with large patches of glaring blood!
One of the antlers, once tall and beautiful, had been severed in half at the root by a sharp blade! The broken part was hideous and horrific, and despite a simple bandage, blood was still seeping out.
The air was filled with a strong smell of blood.
Ruan's mother cried so hard that she almost fainted, and Ruan's father was pale and his hands were shaking.
Fu Hangxing felt a chill running from the soles of his feet to the top of his head, and all the blood in his body ran cold. This was not a momentary impulse, but a carefully planned sacrificial destruction of his own body.
But why would he do this? !
No one could understand. The huge mystery and heartache, accompanied by the strong smell of blood, weighed heavily on everyone's heart.
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