Blood Neon-Chapter 15

Chapter 15
Breakthrough
Lin Ying now felt as if she were a Venus flytrap.
Luring flies into her belly, then digesting them completely in utter despair.
Although Lin Ying had initially just intended to save someone and nothing more, since the other party had offered such a warm invitation, how could she possibly decline this banquet?
“…As the saying goes, ‘No fight, no friendship.’ We were planning to take your brother with us for a meal later, but since he’s like this now and can’t come, why don’t you do us the honor and come in his place?”
“A meal?”
The girl blinked her big, innocent eyes.
“That’s right, we’re going to have barbecue together. It’s just nearby, not far.”
Brother Liu, who had followed from behind, immediately joined in, starting to coax the girl as well.
“We had already agreed on this earlier. Since your brother can’t make it, you’ll have to take his place.”
The gangsters seemed to be afraid of scaring the girl off before the plan succeeded, so they still kept a bit of distance while speaking. As a result, the path to leave hadn’t truly been blocked off. However, the atmosphere now made it clear—if she didn’t cooperate, leaving wouldn’t be so simple.
The girl seemed a little frightened, shrinking back slightly, and asked timidly:
“Is it really just a meal? Can I leave after we eat?”
Seeing a chance, the thugs immediately plastered disgusting smiles on their faces and nodded eagerly.
“Yeah, of course. What else would we do? Just some food and drinks, that’s all.”
After hearing that, the girl seemed to hesitate for a moment before slowly speaking.
“Then… if it’s really just that, I guess… I could take my brother’s place…”
Ah… this was getting a little boring.
Even though, on the outside, she still looked like a pitiful, timid, helpless girl—her expressions and body language flawless (after all, appearance mattered more than acting)—Lin Ying’s heart had already gone completely cold and still, without a single ripple.
What would a normal person do here? Probably something like this? Then the tone should be a bit softer…
Lower her head slightly, and then…
Her lips, and also…
Like a cold, unfeeling machine, she precisely controlled her body to carry out one action after another.
What Lin Ying felt now was like watching a character in a film or TV show. No, it was even worse—this felt more like being forced to play a game she didn’t even like. She moved the character inside with no emotion, mechanically completing reasonable actions, grinding and leveling up without any care for the character or the plot.
“You take him to the eating spot first and lay him down nearby. After we’re done, you can take him back.”
“Mm, let’s do that.”
The girl nodded slightly, as if she had agreed.
Although it had been a spur-of-the-moment decision, judging by how things were going, it looked like she was about to earn herself another free meal.
Let’s just hope this group of youngsters wouldn’t lose their nerve when the moment came...
Lost in her thoughts, Lin Ying was helping support the injured boy as they walked together toward the mouth of the alley, surrounded by the group of thugs, when suddenly a powerful force broke free right beside her.
Before she had time to react, Lin Ying felt her hand suddenly being grabbed.
The boy, gathering all his strength, crashed into the two thugs blocking the way, pushing them aside, and pulled her along as he bolted forward.
For the moment, Lin Ying had no way to resist. This frail human body could only follow as he took off running.
The gangsters behind them didn’t react in time either. By the time two of them on the side reached out, Lin Ying and the boy had already dashed out of the pitch-black alley and into a larger street with more foot traffic.
……
...
“Huff… huff…”
The sound of two people gasping alternated in rhythm as they panted beside a small park along the road.
It wasn’t some exciting, suggestive scene—just two exhausted young people who had run themselves breathless. One of them was even visibly injured.
Lin Ying’s face was now dark with annoyance.
This body really did only have physical strength on the surface—it looked strong, but it definitely wasn’t. Since arriving in this world, she had hardly done any strenuous movement, and now it felt like her lungs were going to explode.
Well, even if they did explode, it wasn’t like anything would actually happen to her… but this burning sensation hurt, damn it!
I, Lin Ying, hate pain the most.
Wearing a face full of resentment, Lin Ying looked toward the boy who was half-collapsed on the bench beside her.
Kid, I really thought you’d passed out back there… turns out you were just playing dead this whole time, huh?
Who would've thought that a thick-browed, big-eyed oaf like you would fake unconsciousness, bide your time, and wait for an opportunity. I'd assumed you were just a muscle-brained idiot who only knew how to charge in headfirst. Never expected you to be such a truly despicable outsider.
Lin Ying silently adjusted her evaluation of this boy.
……
“We made it… they probably… won’t follow us… anymore,”
Zhang Qiming panted as he slumped over the bench, feeling like his entire body was about to give out.
Now that he’d finally caught his breath a bit, he had enough strength to lift his head and look at the girl he had dragged along while escaping.
Back when he fell to the ground a second time, he had actually blacked out for a bit. But after someone lifted him up, he started to regain consciousness.
Though he had no idea where this so-called little sister of his had suddenly come from—especially since he was an only child—he had the sense to stay quiet and go along with it, acting like someone who’d been beaten half-senseless.
But when the girl agreed so quickly to their invitation, his anxiety only grew stronger.
(Can’t let such an innocent girl go with them!)
With that conviction in mind, at the very moment they reached the edge of the alley, Zhang Qiming had made a snap decision—grabbing the girl and bolting.
Though it had been a bit rough, he hadn’t had any better options. All he could do was silently apologize to the girl in his heart.
Lifting his head, he found the girl calmly watching him. Zhang Qiming felt like he ought to say something.
“Ah, um…” “Uh…”
As a result, both of them spoke at the same time, then stopped at the same time, making the atmosphere a little awkward.
The girl frowned slightly and didn’t give him any chance to follow through with some clichéd “You go first”—no courtesy, no hesitation. She simply pressed forward and continued speaking.
“Are you okay?”
There wasn’t a trace of that pitiful, delicate demeanor from earlier—just a straightforward and sincere expression of concern.
Zhang Qiming was momentarily stunned. Why did it feel like her reaction was totally different from what he expected?
Wasn’t this supposed to be a kindhearted girl who had passed by, mustering up her courage to help him? Right now, shouldn’t she be feeling shaken, like someone who just narrowly escaped danger?
Why was she this calm?
“Basically fine, I guess.”
The boy answered reflexively.
Lin Ying glanced at the boy in front of her and gave a teasing smile.
This kid had clearly misunderstood something. After seeing her completely unfiltered expression, he was stunned.
And he said he was fine? His body was bruised black and blue—it was visible to the naked eye. How could that count as fine? Sigh, it was kind of his fault anyway; the duck that was already halfway in her mouth had flown away. But honestly, she had only intended to help him out because she felt sorry for him. The main goal had been achieved, more or less, so she wasn’t really at a loss here.
With that, Lin Ying silently took a step forward, squatted down, and poked him right on one of his bruises.
“Ahhh! Ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch!!”
The boy jerked like he’d been electrocuted, twitching hard on the bench. That sudden movement made him hit another injured spot, and he let out an even more miserable cry.
Lin Ying gave a satisfied smile—the smile of someone who had just pulled off a successful prank.
“And you call that fine? Yeah, right.”
“Hey! Hey, cut it out, stop poking!”
Zhang Qiming crossed his arms to shield both sides of his waist. His face twisted in pain as he gritted his teeth, letting out sharp hisses through his breath.
Just a moment ago he’d said he didn’t feel much. Turned out it was all adrenaline keeping the pain at bay while they were running. Now that they’d stopped, every injury on his body was protesting his miserable fate.