Dangerous Liaisons - Chapter-1-An Unusual Begining

Saturday. After working a continuous 48-hour shift, Deng Chuyu finally had some free time to herself. Since working in the emergency room of the First Municipal Hospital in Chiang Rai, Chuyu had almost forgotten what it felt like to leisurely go shopping.

Her phone was always on, 24 hours a day. Even if she had just finished her shift and spent over half an hour on the bus to get home, as soon as her phone rang with a notification about a patient, she was responsible for, she would have to rush back immediately. It could mean another all-night emergency rescue.

There was hardly any personal time. The emergency rooms abroad are different from those in China. It’s like a battlefield that never stops. The responsibilities and mental pressure involved in this job are unimaginable to the doctors in other departments within the same hospital. Sometimes, Chuyu truly felt like she could no longer hold on. Even going to work in the notoriously most tiring obstetrics and gynaecology department would be easier than working in the emergency room.

She was 28 years old and still single. Living abroad with a heavy workload left her with little energy to think about personal matters, though her family kept pressuring her. The biggest benefit of being single was freedom. She didn’t have to worry about coming home to take care of a perfectly healthy man who did nothing, nor did she have to think about when to clean the house, wash clothes, or do the dishes. If she didn’t feel like cooking, she could just go out for a good meal. When lonely, she had an entire room full of books to keep her company, and it would probably take years to finish them all. All of these books were her father’s collection over many years.

This Saturday, if it weren’t for the fact that some essential household items had run out, and if it weren’t for the fact that this supermarket was only a five-minute walk from her home, Chuyu would have stayed at home to sleep instead of coming here to shop. She had little desire to browse around. Her tired body longed for the comfort of her soft bed. Chuyu wished she had sharp claws to swipe away the people in line ahead of her, and then wings to quickly fly home with her things as soon as she was done paying.

After waiting in line for ten minutes, she finally reached the checkout counter. Chuyu lifted her shopping basket with effort and placed it on the counter. Suddenly, a dull, massive noise erupted throughout the store. The long row of large floor-to-ceiling windows directly in front of the checkout counter exploded like a special effect from a movie. Countless shards of glass fell like a sudden ice storm, instantly sweeping through the entire third floor of the store.

Chuyu stood frozen in place, the first to be hit. She felt a strong wind hit her face, and then the glass shards, like ice, slowly came toward her. In her moment of panic, a great force suddenly came from the side. Someone protected her head, quickly pushed her to the ground. All of this happened in a split second. After the loud noise faded, it felt as though her eardrums were still vibrating, and the sound of glass falling sporadically continued in the background.

“Go!”

A deep male voice came from beside her, and someone pushed her forward. Chuyu looked up and met a pair of eyes as deep as a leopard’s gaze. In that fleeting glance, the man seemed like some wild, untamed beast suddenly appearing in the peaceful world of humans, an undeniably dangerous presence. His image was branded into her mind.

The explosion was over. The store was silent. After a brief period of deathly stillness, sudden gasps and cries erupted. Those who had been startled by the explosion scrambled to their feet and rushed toward the emergency exits. Chuyu staggered to her feet, and at that moment, the man’s swift figure had already navigated through the panicked crowd, vanishing in the blink of an eye.

Chuyu didn’t have time to think about anything else; she followed the crowd toward the safety exits. She never imagined that after only a few steps, her wrist was suddenly gripped tightly. A huge force spun her around and made her fall to the ground. A cold object pressed against her temple, and a grim voice came from above her: “If you don’t want to die, don’t move!”

Beside her, there were bursts of gasps. Chuyu looked up; the store was in chaos. Many armed men had taken numerous hostages, forcing them to crouch on the ground like she was. Soon, the store was filled only with these armed men and the hostages. Outside, the sound of police sirens grew closer. The officers had arrived.

“Second brother, the police have arrived. What should we do?”

Chuyu felt a sharp pain in her scalp as the man tugged at her long hair, pulling her up. A grim voice came from behind, “Where’s the route arranged by Lao San? Damn it, is it still not ready?!”

“Second brother, it’s done!”

A man ran out from inside the store, panting: “Third Brother and the others are over there, hurry up!”

The man known as Second Brother scanned the store with a hawk-like gaze: “Leave these hostages behind and take this one!”

As he spoke, a sharp pain shot through Chuyu’s shoulder; Er Ge hit her hard with the gun’s butt, pushing her forward. Immediately, two men came up from the side, grabbed Chuyu, and quickly dragged her into the store, leaving her unable to resist.

She never expected that she would become a hostage. She didn’t know whether it was because things had been going wrong lately, or if it was the result of some past misdeeds finally catching up with her. She had been studying and working in Thailand for over ten years. Although she had occasionally seen similar news on television, she never imagined that something like this would happen to her in real life.

Chuyu’s arms were being forcefully pulled, and the pain was searing. The force of the muscle tearing was immense. What followed was a chaotic and swift series of events. She was taken into the store, then dragged into another hidden passage. They descended several flights of stairs and the exit turned out to be in a narrow alley just over two meters wide. Several vans were already parked there. Chuyu was pushed into one of the vans, and almost the instant she got in, the vehicle shot forward like an arrow from a bow.

The car didn’t drive for more than ten minutes before they arrived at the Mekong River. The group forced her onto a speedboat. Chuyu’s heart sank. She had originally thought that it would play out like the American movies—where a group of criminals on the run would be cornered on a highway, and then, using her as a hostage, they would negotiate for their release, only for the criminals to be captured and for her to be rescued.

But these people didn’t seem like ordinary criminals. They were highly skilled, quick to act, and their plans were well-coordinated. After quickly exiting the store using the shortest route, the speedboat churned up white foamy waves on the river’s surface, swiftly leaving Chiang Rai City and heading north.

The river breeze brushed against their faces. The motor of the speedboat hummed loudly in the tranquil river. The boat soon docked, and Chuyu was escorted ashore at a place that didn’t even look like a dock, held by someone. The speedboat turned around and headed back. Once again, her shoulder was forcefully pushed with a rifle butt, and a man beside her spoke with ill intent: “What are you looking at? Do you still think you can escape now that we’re here? Be good and follow us up the mountain. Listen carefully, and you’ll suffer less pain!”

A group of men, perhaps relieved from danger, seemed much more relaxed, and when they heard the man’s words, they laughed loudly. Er Ge (Second Brother) pushed through the crowd and walked to Chuyu’s side. His dark eyes swept around, and the men, laughing just moments ago, suddenly stopped. They lowered their heads, too afraid to make eye contact with him.

Only at this point did Chuyu have the chance to clearly see the man known as Er Ge. He was very tall, dressed in a leather jacket, military shorts, and combat boots. His exposed skin was bronze-colored, his muscles firm and strong. His eyes were always dark and cold, and his gaze sent a chill to the bone. This man radiated an aura of cruelty and bloodshed, like a savage from some barbaric era, someone who would tear you apart if you defied him. Chuyu didn’t dare to look at this terrifying man for too long and also lowered her head.

“Second Brother.”

The crowd parted to let the man, who had come ashore with the speedboat behind them, step forward. Chuyu looked up in surprise. She had only heard that voice once, yet it left a deep impression on her. It was rare to hear a man’s voice so deep, and what made it even more memorable was that the owner of that voice had saved her life earlier in the marketplace.

It was indeed that man. Now she could see him clearly. His presence was striking, and everything around seemed to pale in comparison the moment he appeared. His features had a slight Eurasian mix to them, and his movements were natural and effortless, carrying a kind of masculine allure. Yet, despite such looks, this man exuded a dangerous aura completely different from Second Brother’s—one that pressed on the heart.

His gaze landed on Chuyu, and there was no surprise or shock in his expression. Calmly, he glanced at her for a second before turning to Second Brother: “Master Jin has already received the news. He’s waiting for us back at the village to report.”

“Thank you for your hard work, Zimo.”

Second Brother spoke indifferently. Though it was a thank-you, there was no warmth in his tone, only coldness. After speaking, Second Brother turned and walked away. The group of men around them stood still, waiting for Zimo to move before they dared follow. Just a few steps into his walk, Second Brother suddenly turned back and called out to the men behind him: “Send this girl directly to my room at the village. Tonight, I’m going to have some fun.”

There was a unified response from the group. Chuyu’s heart grew colder and colder. She stared at the man named Zimo, as if trying to hold onto her last hope for survival. She didn’t know if it was because he had saved her life in the marketplace, but she desperately wished that he would save her again. However, the man didn’t respond to her silent plea for help. He acted as though she didn’t exist and followed Second Brother up the mountain.

Chuyu tightly pinched her palm. Fear rendered her unable to move. A man leaned closer, whispering in her ear, “Don’t worry, sweetheart, Er Ge always rewards us brothers after he’s done. We’ll make sure you’re satisfied tonight!”