Long Tianho lay motionless in the rubble, his chest barely rising. Blood pooled beneath him.
In his fading consciousness, memories began to surface.
---
Twenty Years Ago
Long Tianho was eight years old. Hou Qing was six.
They stood before a house—a real house, not the orphanage. A man in a white coat and a woman in a floral dress smiled down at them.
"Welcome home, boys," the woman said.
Long Tianho held Hou Qing's hand tightly. Hou Qing looked up at him with wide, hopeful eyes.
They had come from the same orphanage and were being adopted together.
The first month was good. Their adoptive father worked long hours at the hospital while their adoptive mother stayed home. She seemed kind and smiled often.
Both boys felt they had finally found a family—a place where they belonged. But soon, things began to go wrong.
One day, their father left for work earlier than usual. Their mother stood in the doorway, watching his car disappear down the street. When it vanished, she turned to look at the boys.
Her smile was gone.
"Come here, Tianho. Hou Qing," she said quietly.
Both boys approached her. By now, any awkwardness had faded. They had truly begun to accept their new life.
Their mother patted their heads and hugged them. Both Hou Qing and Long Tianho felt their shoulders growing wet. Their mother was crying. They didn't understand how to react or console her. But before they could do anything, the hug began to tighten.
"You know, I had a son once. A real son. He died before he was born."
Feeling suffocated, Hou Qing and Long Tianho tried to pull away, but she was too strong.
"You're not my real sons," she whispered. "You'll never be my real sons. Are you trying to replace him?!"
She dragged Long Tianho to the kitchen, her expression twisted, smiling crazily as tears streamed down her face. She turned to Hou Qing. "Don't hide. I'll come for you too."
What happened next was something Long Tianho could never have imagined. She burned his hands on the stove. She beat him with a metal ladle. She locked him in the dark basement for hours. She pulled his hair until clumps came out.
And every time, after she finished, she would cry. She would bandage his wounds carefully. She would apologize. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I don't know what comes over me. Please don't tell your father. It would break his heart."
This became routine. Long Tianho promised to say nothing if she spared Hou Qing. He would take the torture silently. She had made it clear: "If you tell, I'll have no choice but to hurt Hou Qing too. You don't want that, do you?"
When their father came home and saw the bruises, she would say, "He got into a fight with street kids again. I told him not to, but he won't listen."
Their father would get angry. He was always tired and stressed from working double shifts at the hospital. He didn't want to deal with a troublemaker.
He would beat Long Tianho for fighting. "I took you in to give you a better life, and this is how you repay me?!"
So Long Tianho endured it. Day after day. Month after month.
Hou Qing watched it all. Though young, he was smart enough to understand what was happening, even without anyone explaining it.
Hou Qing felt helpless. He couldn't do anything. But he remembered everything.
---
Five Years Later
Long Tianho was thirteen. Hou Qing was eleven.
The abuse had continued. Long Tianho's body was covered in scars—some visible, most hidden beneath his clothes.
He'd learned to accept it. This was his life. As long as Hou Qing was safe, he could endure anything.
But Hou Qing had changed. He'd grown quieter, more withdrawn. He spent hours in his room.
One afternoon, Long Tianho came home from school. The house was silent.
He walked into the kitchen. His father was slumped over the table, his mother on the floor. Neither moved. Blood pooled beneath them.
Hou Qing stood in the corner, holding a knife covered in blood. His hands were shaking.
"Brother," Hou Qing said, his voice small and afraid. "I... I couldn't take it anymore. I couldn't watch them hurt you anymore."
Long Tianho's mind went blank. He looked at his parents' bodies, then at his brother's terrified face.
Hou Qing dropped the knife. "I drugged their food. When they fell asleep, I... I..."
He couldn't finish. Tears ran down his face. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I just wanted to protect you. You always protected me, so I thought..."
Long Tianho walked over and pulled his brother into a hug. Hou Qing buried his face in Long Tianho's chest and sobbed.
"It's okay," Long Tianho said softly. "It's okay."
But it wasn't okay. Hou Qing was only eleven. If the police found out, his life would be destroyed. He'd be sent to juvenile detention, maybe worse. He'd never have a normal life.
Long Tianho made a decision.
"Listen to me," he said, gripping Hou Qing's shoulders. "You didn't do this. I did."
Hou Qing's eyes widened. "No. Brother, no—"
Long Tianho snatched the knife and pressed his fingerprints firmly onto the handle. "Don't worry, Qing. I'll handle this."
"Brother, please—"
"Hou Qing." Long Tianho's voice was steady. "I'm older. I'm thirteen. I can handle it. But you're only eleven. You have your whole life ahead of you. I won't let you throw it away."
Hou Qing shook his head desperately. "No. I won't let you—"
"Qing! Promise me." Long Tianho's eyes were intense. "Promise me you'll say I did it."
Hou Qing couldn't stop crying, but he nodded. "I promise."
Long Tianho called the police himself. When they arrived, he confessed immediately. "I killed them. My brother wasn't here. He's innocent."
The police looked at the small, scarred thirteen-year-old boy and didn't question his confession too deeply. Cases like this happened—abused kids snapping. It was tragic but not uncommon.
Long Tianho was sent to juvenile detention.
Before they took him away, he looked at Hou Qing. "Don't worry. When I come out, I'll change our whole life."
---
Back to the Present
Baki turned back in surprise. What he saw next wasn't something he'd expected to see tonight. Zhang Jian stood protectively in front of Hou Qing. Li Xiu pointed a gun at them.
A bullet had pierced Zhang Jian's abdomen. He pressed on the wound, but blood flowed out profusely. "Tch! I never liked this bitch. Just didn't think I'd go out this way—by her hands."
Hou Qing stood frozen in shock. Li Xiu approached him and pressed the gun to his head. "Tsk! I didn't think the Red Dragon would lose to one man." Then she leaned in and whispered into Hou Qing's ear. "But that's even better. I don't have to waste my time here anymore."
Hou Qing's face twisted with anger. He tried to attack Li Xiu, but she fired into his thigh. "Tch! Tch! You shouldn't be so aggressive toward a lady."
Hou Qing groaned in pain, but his eyes never left Li Xiu. She grabbed his chin and pulled him closer. "You know, you're a useless person." Then she gestured at Zhang Jian. "Even this dumbass is actually better than you. At least he understood the benefit of doubt."
Then she pressed her gun against Hou Qing's forehead. "I never thought the Red Dragon would come to an end this early. But it's a pleasant surprise for me. Soon, Shanghai will be taken over by Him."
Hou Qing narrowed his eyes. "You're a member of one of the Seven Continental Stars?"
Li Xiu smiled. "I guess you're not as dumb as I thought. But it doesn't matter. It's too late now."
She was about to shoot Hou Qing in the head when a small pebble struck her wrist, causing her to miss the shot. Annoyed, she snapped her head toward where the pebble came from. "What are you doing?!"
Baki tossed some pebbles in his left hand. His right arm hung uselessly at his side. "Though I'm not exactly known for my loyalty, even I'm a little annoyed by your actions. He's my prey, you know?"
Li Xiu fired several shots at Baki. "What are you talking about, you half-dead fucker?!" Baki twisted his body and dodged. He smiled. "What I'm saying is, I can't let you kill him. First, he's my prey. Second, because of you all, I've already lost my target. And third, I don't like backstabbing bitches."
Baki dashed at her. She fired multiple shots, but he dodged them all.
Li Xiu kept firing as Baki closed the distance, but his movements were too unpredictable and fast.
When Baki got within ten feet, Li Xiu stopped firing. The gun was empty. She ejected the magazine and reached for a spare.
Baki didn't give her time. He kicked a piece of rubble at her face. Li Xiu raised her arm to block it. The rock struck her forearm hard. She grunted but didn't drop the gun.
Baki reached her just as she slammed the new magazine in. She raised the gun to fire at point-blank range.
Baki grabbed her wrist with his left hand and twisted hard. Li Xiu's finger pulled the trigger, but the gun was pointed away. The bullet went wide.
Li Xiu immediately drove her knee into Baki's stomach—right where Long Tianho's spear had stabbed him earlier. Pain exploded through Baki's body.
Li Xiu used her free hand to strike at Baki's throat. Baki tilted his head. Her fingers missed.
Baki twisted her wrist harder. Li Xiu's grip on the gun loosened. Before she could adjust, Baki yanked her arm down and drove his knee into her elbow. Her arm bent at an awkward angle. She screamed and dropped the gun.
But Li Xiu didn't hesitate. She spun and threw a back elbow at Baki's face. It connected with his cheek. Baki's head snapped to the side. Blood sprayed from his mouth.
Li Xiu followed up with a roundhouse kick aimed at his ribs. It slammed into his side.
Li Xiu advanced immediately, throwing a straight punch at his face. Baki leaned back. Her fist passed just in front of his nose. She threw another punch—this time at his wounded stomach. Baki twisted his body. The punch glanced off his side.
Baki tried to grab her with his left hand, but Li Xiu was fast. She stepped back out of reach, then lunged forward with a front kick aimed at his knee. Baki shifted his leg just in time. The kick hit his shin instead.
Li Xiu pressed the attack, throwing a quick jab at his face. Baki swatted it aside with his left hand. She immediately threw a hook with her other hand. Baki ducked under it. Li Xiu brought her knee up, aiming for his face while he was low.
Baki caught her knee with his left hand. He held it for a split second, then shoved her back. Li Xiu stumbled but stayed on her feet.
She glanced at the gun on the ground about six feet to her left and took a step toward it.
Baki kicked rubble at her legs. Small stones and debris scattered across the ground. Li Xiu had to stop and dodge to avoid tripping.
Baki used that moment to close the distance again. He threw a left hook at her head. Li Xiu blocked with both arms. The impact pushed her back. Baki threw another punch—straight at her stomach. Li Xiu twisted and his fist hit her side instead.
But she countered immediately, grabbing Baki's extended arm with both hands and yanking him forward, then driving her knee into his chest.
Li Xiu didn't let go. She twisted Baki's arm, trying to hyperextend the elbow. His legs buckled slightly.
But then Baki did something unexpected. Instead of pulling away, he stepped into the lock, reducing the pressure on his joint. Then he headbutted Li Xiu.
Their foreheads collided with a loud crack. Li Xiu's grip loosened. Baki pulled his arm free and immediately threw an elbow at her face with his left arm. It struck her face, knocking out several teeth. She staggered back.
Li Xiu touched her face. Blood trickled from a cut above her eye, and several of her teeth were missing. She looked at Baki with pure rage. "You bastard!"
She charged at him, throwing a flurry of punches. Baki blocked most of them.
Li Xiu threw a high kick aimed at his head. Baki saw it coming and ducked under it. As her leg passed over his head, Baki lunged forward and drove his shoulder into her standing leg.
Li Xiu's balance broke. She fell backward and hit the ground hard. She immediately tried to roll away and get up, but Baki was already on her.
He dropped his knee onto her stomach, all his weight coming down. Li Xiu gasped as the air left her lungs.
She tried to push him off, but Baki grabbed her wrist with his left hand and pinned it to the ground. She tried to punch him with her other hand. Baki leaned his head down, and her fist hit his shoulder instead of his face.
Then Baki headbutted her again. Once. Twice. Three times. Each impact made a sickening thud. Blood ran from Li Xiu's nose and mouth.
After the third headbutt, her eyes went unfocused. Her body went limp, a crater forming beneath her head.
Baki slowly pushed himself off Li Xiu and looked down at her unconscious body. "Phew. Chinese women are really troublesome."
Then he turned to look at Hou Qing and Zhang Jian. Zhang Jian was barely conscious, his hand still pressed against the bullet wound in his stomach. Hou Qing stared at Baki with wide eyes.
Baki started walking toward them.
Hou Qing tensed. Was Baki coming to finish them off?
But Baki stopped about ten feet away and looked at Hou Qing. "You guys are strong. I felt every bit of your power. That's why I had to go this far. Get stronger. I'll be waiting for the day you challenge me again."
Hou Qing didn't respond. He just stared.
Baki sighed. "Look, I'm not interested in killing such good opponents. That'd be boring." He gestured vaguely at Zhang Jian and Hou Qing's wounded leg.
Then Baki turned and started walking away, leaving a trail of blood drops behind him.
Hou Qing watched him go. He didn't understand. Why would Baki spare them?
Zhang Jian coughed, blood coming up with it. "He's... a strange one," he muttered weakly.
---
Baki walked outside into the wind. A helicopter flew through the sky—Wang Wei. Baki sighed. "That fat bastard got away, didn't he? Am I still not strong enough?"
He walked toward where Jeff and his guards lay beaten. There, he found Jeff unconscious on the ground. He searched through his pockets and found a phone. He dialed a number.
"He got away."
There was only silence from the other end. Baki continued. "Pick us up. I want to go back to South Korea."
An answer came. "Okay."
Baki ended the call and looked at the moon hanging in the dark sky. As his body bathed in the moonlight, he thought, "I didn't win. I know that. But I... finally feel alive."