Chapter 255: It’s You

Chapter 255: It's You

Lei Biao trudged into Zhang Heita's attic, carrying the unconscious Cheng Ge over his shoulder.

Zhang Heita was already waiting at the door, his impatience unmistakable as he saw him arrive, rubbing his hands together as he stepped forward.

"Haha, excellent! Brother Lei keeps his word, just as I thought!"

Zhang Heita didn't spare Lei Biao a glance; his eyes were glued to the limp figure on his shoulder. He reached out to touch Cheng Ge's face.

Lei Biao instinctively sidestepped to avoid him. This subtle move darkened Zhang Heita's expression, and he asked coldly,

"Oh? Brother Lei, what are you doing…?"

Lei Biao's throat tightened. He glanced at Cheng Ge and forced out the words, "Chief Zhang, I've delivered the man you asked for. What about what you promised me?"

Zhang Heita's hypocritical smile returned instantly, and he gave Lei Biao a heavy clap on the shoulder that made him stagger.

"Don't worry, your big brother keeps his promises! Tomorrow? Hell, I'll have someone get what you need ready in just a bit! From now on, we're true brothers!"

Lei Biao's anxiety eased slightly, and this time he didn't pull away.

Zhang Heita gave a low chuckle, wiped his hands, and eagerly took the limp Cheng Ge from Lei Biao, practically dragging him into the room.

The door slammed shut in Lei Biao's face. He stood frozen, listening to Zhang Heita's smug laughter from within.

He stood there a long while, until the sounds inside died out, then slowly turned and made his way down the attic steps one by one.

He looked up at the dark stronghold in the distance, where scattered torchlight flickered in the wind.

He told himself it was all worth it—for revenge, for a chance to rebuild…

But then—

"Enemy attack! Troops! The imperial troops are here!!"

A bloodcurdling scream suddenly erupted from the watchtower, slicing through the quiet night like a thunderbolt.

Almost immediately, shouts and screams erupted from every corner of the stronghold like a tidal wave.

Flames shot into the sky, turning half the stronghold bright as day.

"What the hell is going on?!"

"How did the imperial troops get in?!"

"Quick! Grab your damn weapons!"

Blackcloud Stockade plunged into chaos. Bandits who'd been drinking and feasting stumbled out in panic.

Unprepared, they ran straight into the soldiers, turning the scene into a total mess.

Lei Biao was also taken aback by the sudden turn of events.

Snapping out of it, he quickly drew his knife and tried to rally a defense, but no one listened.

The Blackcloud men fought individually, and the leaders and followers from the other stockades were in even worse chaos.

The soldiers were clearly prepared—numerous and ferocious.

They also seemed to know the stockade inside out, precisely cutting through the bandits' ranks.

Lei Biao fought like a cornered beast, slashing wildly with his knife. Strong as he was, he managed to take down several soldiers.

But he was outnumbered, and more soldiers closed in.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Zhao Mang struggling in the crowd, only for a soldier officer to slash his arm clean off.

Zhao Mang let out a scream like a stuck pig, clutching his severed arm as he fell. He lay writhing in pain not far from Lei Biao.

Lei Biao's pupils shrank. There was no joy in him, only crushing fear and despair.

He was completely surrounded, with no way out. The number of resisters around him was shrinking fast.

In the end, several gleaming blades pressed against his neck, and someone kicked out the back of his knee.

With a thud, he was forced to his knees, pinned down, unable to move.

It's over... all of it...

The stronghold's resistance was crumbling fast, the air thick with cries and pleas for mercy.

Soldiers herded the bandits to the center of the compound, forcing them to kneel in a group and barking at them to shut up.

Just then—

A soft sound came from above. Lei Biao looked up instinctively.

He saw the door—the one that had been shut—slowly open from within.

A figure appeared in the doorway's shadow, backlit by the fire below, nothing but a vague silhouette.

It stood there for a moment, then unhurriedly stepped out.

His hand swung lightly, his steps casual, as he stopped at the second-floor railing.

The firelight gradually revealed his outline. Cheng Ge was still in that plain white inner garment.

The front was splattered with bright red blood, vivid and ominous. His hair was loose, falling carelessly over his shoulders.

A few strands, still wet with blood, stuck to his cheeks.

His face was expressionless as he looked down, an air of disdain about him.

At the sight of that familiar figure, Lei Biao's pupils constricted. He could hardly believe his eyes!

He started trembling uncontrollably, a deep fear threatening to consume him.

How is this possible?! How could he... wasn't he supposed to be...

Cheng Ge's gaze slowly swept across and settled on Lei Biao, who was filled with shock and confusion. A smirk curled at the corner of his mouth.

Cheng Ge slowly raised his hand and casually tossed the object in his hand toward Lei Biao.

It arced through the air, then rolled across the ground, picking up dirt.

Blood splattered on the ground as it rolled several times, finally stopping right in front of Lei Biao.

Lei Biao looked up and found himself staring into Zhang Heita's eyes, still wide with terror!

In an instant, Lei Biao's mind roared, as all the past events flooded back.

The bitter and resentful look in White Brow's eyes before his death, Cheng Ge's perfectly timed injuries and selfless rescues time and again.

And then there was tonight's eerily precise soldiers' siege—betrayal, a mole, brothers dying tragically, the stronghold's destruction!

So all of this... every single bit of it, from beginning to end, was a carefully laid trap!

And he, Lei Biao, was like a blindfolded donkey, step by step falling into an abyss of utter ruin.

"It's you—!" Lei Biao's eyes instantly turned bloodshot, like a dying beast's.

He struggled to lunge toward Cheng Ge upstairs, but was pinned down tight by the soldiers behind him, his desperate roar echoing in vain.

Cheng Ge lazily rested his hands on the railing, leaning forward slightly, looking down at the frenzied Lei Biao below.

The flickering firelight reflected on his face, where a few drops of crimson blood clung to his cheek.

In the interplay of light and shadow, he resembled a spider lily emerging from the abyss, demonic and bewitching.

He gazed at Lei Biao and finally spoke slowly: "Brother, I told you... to watch yourself."

The clouds parted, revealing a sliver of the moon tinged with blood.