Gu Qianxue didn't look any better, her fair skin and pretty face were almost black, smeared with dirty smudges of ash and soot. Her clothes fared no better and were badly singed and burnt in places. Her eyes were tearing from the thick smoke, her eyes all red and smarting.

"Brother!"

Xiao Ruyi had just arrived at the scene and ran to Xiao Luo, calling out to him. She was deeply shocked by the condition he was in, covered in ash and soot. She gasped when she saw the severe burns on the back of his hands.

"Ruyi..."

Xiao Luo finally managed a smile as he felt an incredible relief from seeing his sister alive.

Xiao Ruyi cried, and tears were streaming down from her cheek, "Why are you so silly? There's a big fire in there! Why'd you rush in like that?"

Of course, she had known that Xiao Luo had rushed in to look for her. But it only took a moment for anyone to be roasted alive in there. She didn't know how else to react, and she was so overwhelmed that he made it out.

"Ruyi, I'm glad you are safe and sound."

Xiao Luo reached out and gently wiped the tears from the corner of her eyes with his thumb., But he quickly realized that his thumb had left black soot marks on her face, and he stopped immediately and smiled at her instead.

"Idiot, you're a big idiot!"

Xiao Ruyi cried out aloud and hugged Xiao Luo tightly. Of late, she had her brother had become somewhat distant, and Xiao Luo had become a different man. But after seeing what he had gone through today, she knew that he would always be there for her. He was indeed her dear brother.

Xiao Luo hugged her tight, patting her back to comfort her, and finding comfort for himself after the recent trauma of thinking he had lost her forever.

Feng Wuhen and w.a.n.g Lihu lead their compatriots running toward Xiao Luo. They were terrified when they saw him running off to the burning floor, and were now relieved to see him alive. Xiao Luo was glad to see them all and smiled at them.

The ambulances and fire trucks had just arrived with their sirens wailing. Three of the fire trucks doused the level where the explosion occurred with their hoses, and the fire was soon under control.

...

...

It was a humid afternoon, and the sky was overcast with dark clouds. The temperature was rising, and it made everyone feel unusually uneasy.

"sixty-nine dead and eleven grievously injured."

Gu Qianxue reported the on the morning explosion to Xiao Luo in the ward. She didn't seem distressed with the incident, but if she was, she hid it well.

The burns Xiao Luo suffered were severe and required him to be wholly wrapped in white bandages to prevent infection. He looked like a mummy once again. Had Zhang Dashan been there to see it, he would undoubtedly have commented that a quack had done it, and what an awful job it was.

His eyes had sustained even worse damage due to the smoke and heat of the fires, and they were swollen and tearing uncontrollably. He had gauze patches placed over his eyes under the bandages. Gu Qianxue had removed them for a while and was now applying chewed Tianshan Snow Lotus on his eyes with care.

Xiao Luo sat on his bed and remained silent. While she was treating his eye, Gu Qianxue couldn't help las.h.i.+ng out at him, "You're one big idiot!"

"Aww, don't use my sister's words on me," Xiao Luo joked.

"well, I wasn't. I was just stating a fact."

Gu Qianxue pouted, "If I hadn't pulled you out, you'd surely be burned alive in there."

Xiao Luo smiled, "Alright, I owe you a lifetime, thanks!"

At that moment, all wanted was just to find Xiao Ruyi. If he had stayed there just a little longer, then his fate would have inevitably been sealed, and he'd have been another smoldering corpse. So, the truth was Gu Qianxue did save his life.

His phone on the bedside table vibrated as someone called in.

Gu Qianxue glanced and said, "It's an unknown number."

"Pick the call for me and pa.s.s over the phone." Xiao Luo smiled.

Gu Qianxue did so as was told.

"You little *sshole, have you received my gift? Was your sister blown up? Hahaha!" Long Sankui's cruel voice came through the phone.

"Are you testing my limits?" Xiao Luo's voice was cold, with no trace of emotion.

"So what if I'm testing your limits? Are you dissatisfied? Come and f*cking kill me, how about that?"

Long Sankui roared, "I'm telling you that if you dare not come tonight, I'll keep planting the bombs. Next time, maybe it'll be your friends, your parents or your useless colleagues. You could save them this time, but can you save them every single time? I won't f*ck with you, I'll just keep f*cking your friends and families up, I'll blow them up and give you a taste of losing what is dear to you."

"You wanna die?" Xiao Luo said coldly, as rage began to take hold of him.

"Hahaha! Are you finally getting mad? You little pr*ck, I'm waiting for you, and I'll chop your head and kick it around like a soccer ball!" Long Sankui hung up with the lingering sound of his evil laughter.

Even beneath all those bandages, Gu Qianxue could still feel Xiao Luo's rage emanating from within.

Crack~

The phone was crushed in Xiao Luo's hand, shattering its internal parts and screen. They fell in little pieces to the floor.

Gu Qianxue was stunned, and for the first time, she feared for him. Immediately she asked in an urgent tone, "Xiao Luo, what's going on with you?"

"It's nothing." Xiao Luo forced out a smile.

...

...

BOOOM!

A crack of thunder rumbled as a flash of lightning lit the sky up; a colossal storm formed over Jiangcheng bringing heavy rains and strong gusts of winds.

Gale force winds were driving the rain through the streets, forming a turbulent haze, and blew the trees on both sides with such force that they looked like toppling over. Weaker limbs and branches were torn off and were carried away with the wind.

A distance away from the hospital, a vehicle parked under a tree. In the fierce storm, a thick branch had fallen on it and damaged the front of the car. Its alarm triggered and blared incessantly, breaking the monotony of the tras.h.i.+ng rain and thunderclaps.

It was a rare storm, a tempest that only hits Jiangcheng every once in a long while.

Xiao Luo was sitting on the sofa in the ward with his legs were crossed. His right hand was on the armrest, which he was tapping on rhythmically, while his left elbow was resting on the left armrest with his hand on his chin.

He was in his hospital gown, and his eyes were still covered up. But a strange warm glow was surging within his body, revealing his silhouette under the garment when it pa.s.sed.

In the dim light of the ward, the whole scene seemed nothing short of eerie.

"Why are you forcing me?"

Xiao Luo had spent a hundred thousand points to activate the healing ability. Waves of warm light now ran through his body, steadily healing the burns and damage done to his body and eyes. As his body healed, his face took on an expression of rage and murderous intent.

He would not have chosen this path, but Long Sankui had painted him into this desperate corner.

He was well aware that Long Sankui had nothing to lose, and he would put all the resources he had to get back at Xiao Luo. What game did he have in mind this time?

For the sake of his family and friends, he would play Long Sankui's game. He had chosen this path, and he intended to finish it.

...

...

A flash of lightning awakened Liu Tieguo. He glanced at w.a.n.g Lihu and Ye Qiu, and they were dead asleep. He decided to get up and check on Xiao Luo. He peeked through the little window and found no one in the dim-lit room.

"Boss, I hope you're not up to something silly again!"

Liu Tieguo mumbled to himself and quickly took out his phone, dialing a number urgently.

Fan Changlong, the chief of headquarter, turned his head when he heard his phone ring.