Chapter 384: Kill!
Shortly after, the private room was drenched in blood. Several men had been beaten, their heads split open and bleeding, their legs shattered, and their hands crushed into a gory, indistinguishable pulp.
Zhao Dong slowly rose to his feet, radiating a murderous aura. His piercing gaze landed on Chen Quan, who was already scared stiff. "I told you," Zhao Dong's voice was cold. "If I saw you again, you would die."
Chen Quan wanted to beg for mercy, but intense fear had robbed him of his voice. Zhao Dong strode over to him.
CRACK!
His foot stomped down. Chen Quan's already broken legs were instantly crushed into paste.
A bloodcurdling scream shot toward the ceiling, but Zhao Dong had no intention of stopping. He pinned Chen Quan down and methodically, thoroughly, crushed his legs. During the process, Chen Quan fainted several times from the excruciating pain, but each time Zhao Dong revived him with a jolt of Spiritual Energy.
On the bed, He Xiao, now fully dressed, watched Zhao Dong as if he were a god of death. She was terrified, yet her heart was filled with a profound sense of gratitude.
But just then, after crushing Chen Quan's legs, Zhao Dong grabbed Chen Quan's head and forced it against the floor, preparing to stomp down on it. Seeing this, He Xiao was horrified. She scrambled off the bed and rushed to Zhao Dong, throwing her arms around him and crying, "Zhao Dong, no! You can't kill him! Taking a life is a capital crime! You mustn't kill anyone!"
In He Xiao's mind, taking a life meant forfeiting your own; that was the law! Zhao Dong had already done so much for her, and she was deeply moved. How could she let him get charged with murder on her behalf? Besides, Chen Quan had a powerful background. If Zhao Dong killed him, not only would the authorities come after him, but the Chen Family would never let him go either.
Zhao Dong wanted to explain that he wasn't afraid of legal repercussions, but seeing He Xiao's wretched state, he didn't have the heart to make her worry any further. So, he instead stomped on and crushed both of Chen Quan's hands before taking He Xiao and leaving the room.
He didn't gouge out Chen Quan's eyes.
In Zhao Dong's eyes, both Chen Quan and the rich young men lying on the floor were already dead men for daring to touch his woman. That being the case, Zhao Dong wanted Chen Quan to personally witness his own head being twisted off. Sparing his eyes still had its use.
「Back at the hotel.」
He Xiao hugged Zhao Dong, tears streaming down her face. "Brother Dong... thank goodness you were here today. If it weren't for you, I really don't know what I would have done..." she sobbed. "I'm sorry... I didn't listen to your advice. I'm so sorry..."
She was consumed by guilt. As a woman, after experiencing such an ordeal, she felt utterly filthy. With that, she immediately rushed into the bathroom. The sound of the running shower couldn't muffle her wretched, heartbroken sobs.
Listening to her cries, Zhao Dong felt as if a knife were twisting in his heart. He threw open the bathroom door, went inside, and pulled her directly into his embrace. Before He Xiao could react, Zhao Dong's actions told her more clearly than words ever could that he didn't feel she was tainted in the slightest.
「Several hours later.」
When all was quiet, He Xiao nestled happily in Zhao Dong's arms. Explanations always feel hollow. Zhao Dong's forceful actions, however, had shown He Xiao that he didn't look down on her at all.
"Let's take a shower and then go out to eat," Zhao Dong said, getting up and leading He Xiao back into the bathroom.
In the bathroom, He Xiao wiped the water droplets from Zhao Dong's body. She felt blissful, but a lingering fear still haunted her.
She couldn't bear to imagine it. If she had really been defiled by Chen Quan and his men, how could she have possibly gone on living? Her values were very traditional. Now that she was Zhao Dong's woman, she could only ever be his woman. Any defilement by another would leave her too ashamed to face the world.
At this thought, her beautiful eyes filled with love. She gazed at Zhao Dong with deep affection and whispered, "Brother Dong, I want to..."
Zhao Dong paused. "What?"
He Xiao didn't say another word, letting her actions speak for her...
After their intimate moment, the two sat on the sofa in the living room, fully dressed. Once her emotions had settled, a worried expression appeared on He Xiao's face. "Brother Dong, I'm afraid I won't be able to stay in the entertainment industry after this..."
"It's fine," Zhao Dong said, pulling her into his embrace. "The entertainment industry is full of garbage anyway. If you can't stay in it, then so be it. You're my woman. Even if I, Zhao Dong, couldn't afford to eat, I would never let you go hungry!"
There were no grand promises or vows, but these simple words touched her heart more than anything. He Xiao was deeply moved, her eyes welling with tears. Not only did Zhao Dong not blame her for what had happened, but he comforted her with such words. How could she not be moved?
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK...
At that moment, a series of urgent knocks came from the door.
Before Zhao Dong could get up to open it—
BANG!
The door was slammed open with violent force. A large group of heavily armed men burst in and surrounded Zhao Dong. The leader strode up to Zhao Dong, holding out a document. "Zhao Dong, we are from the Provincial City Inspection Bureau. You are suspected of attempted murder. Please come with us for questioning!"
The sudden turn of events made He Xiao's face go pale with fright. Hearing that the men from the Inspection Bureau were taking Zhao Dong away, she immediately rushed forward to block them. "No! This has nothing to do with Brother Dong! They tried to rape me! Brother Dong was acting in self-defense!"
"Hmph! We'll find out if it was self-defense after our investigation," the leader said, his expression icy. As he spoke, he drew the pistol from his hip. "We have received a report and have a witness who confirms that Zhao Dong injured someone. Therefore, he must come with us!"
Seeing the gun, Zhao Dong immediately pulled He Xiao back behind him. "Don't be afraid," he said softly. "The truth is on our side. It will be alright. You wait for me here. I'll be back tonight to take you out for a feast."
With that, Zhao Dong ignored He Xiao's tearful protests and turned to the men. "Let's go. I'll go with you."
Zhao Dong was confident he could get himself out of this, but he couldn't just abandon He Xiao. Faced with over a dozen guns, he didn't dare let her get caught in the crossfire, so he had no choice but to agree to go with them for now.
He Xiao cried and tried to stop them, but several of the Inspection Bureau officers held her back firmly. In the end, she could only watch helplessly as Zhao Dong was led away.
「In the deputy director's office at the Inspection Bureau.」
Chen Quan, wrapped in bandages and sitting in a wheelchair, glared with venomous eyes at the middle-aged man in a police uniform before him. The man's name was Ma Wanli, the deputy director of the Provincial City Inspection Bureau and an old acquaintance of Chen Quan.
「A few hours earlier.」
After being rushed to the hospital for emergency treatment, Chen Quan had ignored his injuries and gone straight to find Ma Wanli. Zhao Dong had nearly killed him. A thirst for revenge this great couldn't wait until tomorrow.
Chen Quan's voice was vicious. "Director Ma, find some men to 'take good care of' that bastard for me!"