Chapter 53: A Close Call
The drug quickly took effect. Tang Yu’an watched as one after another, the strong, imposing figures collapsed like dominoes, sprawled across the floor like discarded firecrackers.
Iron Hand was no exception. Already drunk, the drug made him lose his balance, his fall like a toppling mountain, shattering the chair beneath him.
Drunken stupors were common in the fortress. Even those who hadn’t ingested enough of the drug were slow to react, easily knocked unconscious by One-Eye’s men.
Tang Yu’an, seizing the opportunity, also pretended to collapse, choosing a dimly lit spot with a clean floor, secretly observing through narrowed eyes.
After confirming everyone was down, One-Eye and his men started killing the unconscious figures, one by one.
Tang Yu’an’s heart pounded. Even on the Junkyard Planet, this seemed excessive.
Even if Iron Hand had wronged him, he had still promoted him, invested in him. Why go this far?
And besides Iron Hand, many others were being killed for their loyalty. What had they done wrong?
They weren’t dying in battle, but at the hands of their own people.
He soon understood why.
He heard One-Eye’s voice: “Boss, I remember when I first arrived here, I had nothing, beaten half to death. You gave me a chance, brought me into the fortress.”
He ground his heel into Iron Hand’s head: “I was grateful, but I also remember you throwing me into the arena, watching me bleed, and when I lost my eye, you just said, ‘How weak.'”
“But I’m not weak now. Look at me, stepping on your head, and you can’t even resist… Don’t blame me, in this place, only the strong survive. Any means necessary, as long as you win.”
He said viciously: “You taught me that.”
These are just excuses, Tang Yu’an thought, a justification for his greed.
He had seen the look in One-Eye’s eyes, the insatiable hunger. He had climbed the ranks, his ambition growing with each step.
He wanted Iron Hand’s position, his desire mirroring Six’s subordinate.
He wondered if Iron Hand had left any “parting gifts.”
One-Eye leaned closer to Iron Hand: “Although you’re unconscious and can’t hear me, I still want to tell you, this is your fault. If you hadn’t trained me so harshly, yet ignored me, I wouldn’t have decided to eliminate you old geezers so quickly… But don’t worry, I’ll give you a proper burial, for old times’ sake.”
He gestured to his men: “Make it quick.”
To expedite the process, they dragged the bodies to a wall and opened fire.
The pile of corpses grew, like a decaying wall.
Pity, hatred, and fear filled Tang Yu’an’s heart. He debated crawling to the door and escaping while they were distracted.
He had already contacted Jinshan, who had a vehicle that wouldn’t be affected by the jammer, ready to leave at any moment.
But fate had other plans. Footsteps approached; One-Eye was coming his way.
He knew he had no chance in a fight, he could only take a few of them with him using the grenades and guns in his storage space.
He couldn’t die here, not before completing his mission.
He felt One-Eye grab his collar, lifting him up. He closed his eyes, continuing to feign unconsciousness.
One-Eye held him, his limp body like a rag doll.
“And this weakling is called ‘Boss’? Since Iron Hand liked you so much, you can join him on his journey to the afterlife.”
Unlike the others, whom he killed outright, One-Eye tied them up and threw them into the energy chamber on the lower level.
The temperature inside was scorching, like a sauna. Tang Yu’an struggled to breathe.
Once the fortress started moving, the temperature would rise further, and they would be cooked alive.
Before closing the door, One-Eye said: “You locked me in here to test my endurance. Now I’m returning the favor.”
As the door slammed shut, Tang Yu’an opened his eyes.
His hands were tied behind his back, but it didn’t matter. He had his storage space.
Perhaps overly confident in the drug, One-Eye hadn’t left any guards, giving him an opportunity.
He retrieved the switchblade, carefully cutting the ropes, then, wiping the sweat from his brow, looked for an exit.
The door was locked, and there was no other way out. This wasn’t a place meant for human access!
Suddenly, he noticed Iron Hand move slightly.
He walked over to him, watching as the “boss,” a shoe print still visible on his face, slowly regained consciousness.
He couldn’t escape on his own; another person meant another chance.
He called Iron Hand’s name, and the man opened his eyes, a flash of hatred surprising him.
Iron Hand said in a low voice: “Untie me.”
Tang Yu’an cut the ropes. Iron Hand’s mechanical arms were gone, but at least his legs were free.
He stood up with Tang Yu’an’s help, his jaw clenched with rage.
What One-Eye didn’t know was that Iron Hand had been regularly ingesting a special concoction to build up his resistance to toxins, just in case.
It had paid off.
His enhanced constitution allowed him to recover quickly, his mind remaining clear even while his body was unresponsive.
He had heard every word One-Eye said while he was being trampled on.
He couldn’t believe that One-Eye, always cheerful and seemingly loyal, had betrayed him, stabbing him in the back the moment he showed weakness.
His arms severed, along with any remaining camaraderie, the betrayal fueling a burning rage within him.
If he still had his mechanical arms, he would rip the door open and crush One-Eye’s skull.
His vision blurred with rage, everything transforming into One-Eye’s mocking face, laughing at him for working so hard, only to have it all taken away.
Tang Yu’an’s voice gradually brought him back to reality. He took a deep breath, shaking his head, trying to clear his mind.
Without his arms, revenge would have to wait. He had to escape first.
But he would be back, and One-Eye would regret this.
Seeing his rage subside, Tang Yu’an asked cautiously: “Boss, do you know how to get out of here?”
He used the respectful title, hoping it would evoke a sense of responsibility, preventing him from being used as a shield.
Iron Hand examined the door: “Only one exit, and it’s locked.”
Just as Tang Yu’an was losing hope, he continued: “But there’s another way.”
Unable to climb with his missing arms, he instructed Tang Yu’an to climb onto a nearby device and remove a ceiling panel with the switchblade.
“This is the weakest point, connected to a maintenance shaft leading to the outer perimeter.”
He chuckled: “One-Eye forgot, I designed this fortress.”
He knew every inch of his creation.
Tang Yu’an, using the ropes that had bound them, struggled to pull him up.
He was surprisingly heavy, even without his arms. He suspected his internal organs were also mechanical.
The temperature inside the shaft was even higher, the energy source below radiating heat, burning through his clothes.
They couldn’t stay here long. He crawled forward quickly. After the last turn, Iron Hand stopped him.
“We’re at the outer wall. It’s sealed. Use one of your micro-bombs.”
Hearing his words, Tang Yu’an felt a chill run down his spine.
Iron Hand, surprisingly calm, said: “You think I didn’t notice the missing bombs? I just didn’t bother mentioning it… And those little errands you sent Jinshan on, you were building a weapon, weren’t you?”
Sensing his stiffness, he softened his tone: “Don’t worry, I won’t cause you any trouble after you get me out of here. And thank you for saving me. I’m not like that dog Jinshan, I keep my word.”
Tang Yu’an knew this wasn’t the time for arguments. He quickly planted a bomb, creating an opening. It was dark outside, the cool night air rushing in, a welcome relief.
He finally felt like he could breathe again, but before he could, Iron Hand urged him: “They’ll be alerted to the breach, we have to jump, now.”
Tang Yu’an looked at the rapidly moving ground below, hesitant.
He wouldn’t die from the fall, right?
Just as he was about to count to three, Iron Hand kicked him from behind, his yelp swallowed by the night.
Iron Hand jumped after him, quickly recovering from the impact, looking at the retreating fortress, his expression grim.
He then looked at Tang Yu’an—
Clearly lacking his enhanced physique, he was unconscious.
He checked his pulse; he was alive, just a head injury.
Simple. Although he had no hands, like everyone on the Junkyard Planet, he carried drugs with him, a daily dose to survive another day.
He rolled on the ground, a syringe falling out of his pocket.
He picked it up with his teeth, injecting it into Tang Yu’an’s neck.
The effect was immediate. Tang Yu’an’s eyes opened.
He was getting used to this, not even bothering with a surprised “again?”
Iron Hand didn’t give him time to react: “They’ll be back soon, we can’t stay here.”
Tang Yu’an felt a pang of guilt towards his temporary companion. He had known One-Eye was untrustworthy but hadn’t said anything.
He suggested they leave together.
Iron Hand: “You’re going to Future City, right? It’s at least seventy kilometers from here. You can’t walk there, they’ll catch you.”
He knew a lot about Tang Yu’an, but apparently not about the jammer.
Tang Yu’an didn’t reveal his hand, simply saying he had arranged for Jinshan to meet him with a vehicle.
“Do you… want to come with us?”
He couldn’t just abandon the person who had just saved him.
But Iron Hand shook his head: “I have allies nearby. Go on your own.”
Since he refused, Tang Yu’an didn’t press further, telling him to be careful.
Iron Hand, however, said: “You’re the one who should be careful.”
Tang Yu’an: “What?”
“You’re smart, but you’re too trusting.” Iron Hand said frankly: “If you go with Jinshan, he’ll betray you the moment things get difficult. He only cares about himself.”
The thought of Jinshan squandering all the money he had scammed made him furious. A bullet to the chest was too good for him.
And after One-Eye’s betrayal, he had an even stronger aversion to two-faced people.
Tang Yu’an explained: “I don’t trust him, we’re just using each other.”
Iron Hand didn’t argue, simply advising him to be wary.
Tang Yu’an chuckled: “I’m not One-Eye.”
Iron Hand paused, then said: “You’re right, but you’re similar in some ways.”
One hid cowardice behind cruelty and deceit, the other hid obsession behind gentleness and kindness.
Someone who could swallow poison without flinching, even using it against others, wasn’t simple.
Iron Hand said, going to Future City must be important to you.
“Of course,” Tang Yu’an replied, his tone as calm as if stating a universal truth: “It’s my path.”
Assisting the protagonists was his mission, until he could go no further.
He contacted Jinshan, who said he was waiting nearby. He bid Iron Hand farewell: “I’m leaving. You should hide too.”
He hadn’t taken two steps when Iron Hand called out, using his real name.
“Tang Yu’an!”
He turned stiffly, realizing Iron Hand knew more than he let on, but he hadn’t expected him to know his name.
What had he done? Did he have connections with the higher-ups, access to the Bureau’s personnel files?
Was he that powerful?
Iron Hand’s expression was calm: “Don’t be so surprised. You told me yourself when you were drunk. You said, ‘I, Tang Yu’an, will tear down this establishment today,’ and even threatened to fine me.”
Tang Yu’an: “…”
He had mocked One-Eye for being a blabbermouth, but it seemed he was just as bad.
Iron Hand added: “Your real name sounds much better than ‘Little Knife.’ After all, your knife skills are terrible, a seven-year-old could do better.”
He stepped closer: “I know you didn’t kill Six and his men, but using the situation to your advantage is a skill, and I value results.”
The mention of Six made him chuckle wryly. He had thought Six was betrayed because he had oppressed his subordinates for too long, but it seemed karma had come for him too.
He had been blinded by emotions. He wouldn’t make excuses, he would simply repay the favor, with interest.
Looking at the young man who had escaped death with him, he gave a final warning: “Remember my lesson, don’t be too kind, you never know if you’re dealing with a human or a demon.”
On the Junkyard Planet, if you offered food, the hungry fish would devour both the food and the feeder.
Tang Yu’an nodded silently, disappearing into the night.
Having witnessed so much, his heart was strangely calm.
Loyalty or betrayal, ambition or resignation, it was all a matter of choice.
Perhaps sometimes, you simply wanted to see the scenery on a different path, only to realize you had wandered too far.
He adjusted his direction. At least I’m on the right path now, he thought.
Ten minutes later, his hard-won peace shattered upon seeing Jinshan.
He stared at the two dilapidated bicycles, his blood pressure rising: “This is the vehicle you found?”
Jinshan said proudly: “It took a lot of effort!”
“…Did you pick them up from a junkyard?”
Jinshan corrected him: “We prefer the term ‘scavenging’… I scavenged you too!”
Glaring at him, Tang Yu’an made him change his words: “Just kidding, you’re not trash, you’re a star fallen from the sky…”
If I were a star, I’d crush you first, Tang Yu’an thought.
He said, exasperated: “Future City is seventy kilometers away. You want me to ride this?”
Jinshan calculated: “We’ll be there by morning! Don’t worry, if you get tired, I can sing to encourage you!”
“Aren’t you afraid of being caught? If One-Eye finds out you helped me, he won’t let you off easily.”
Jinshan’s eyes darted around: “Of course not! Since you asked for a non-powered vehicle, you must have a way to stop them.”
Not bad, resourceful, he thought. Perhaps he truly couldn’t find anything better.
Tang Yu’an sighed, resigned to his fate, checking the bicycle, then his eyes widened.
“Why does this have training wheels?!”
Not only was it a bicycle, it was a child’s bicycle!
Jinshan, already happily mounted on his own bicycle, said: “Don’t like the color? Mine has red training wheels, want to switch?”
Tang Yu’an didn’t bother arguing, simply saying “Let’s go.” They rode forward, the creaking sound making him feel like the ancient contraption would fall apart at any moment.
But after an hour, he realized the rickety bicycle was surprisingly sturdy.
He had activated the jammer earlier. No sign of pursuit, it must be working.
Once they reached Future City, he would find a way back to the sky city. Closer to his destination, he could use the system to locate Wei Langxing.
But a strange sound interrupted his thoughts. He initially thought it was some dying beast, then realized it was Jinshan singing.
“Can you be quiet?”
Not only was he singing, but he was also terrible, a sound that could make a person weep.
Jinshan sounded aggrieved: “But… but I’m so sleepy, I have to sing to stay awake.”
Tang Yu’an said, don’t you have a bunch of drugs? Just take some.
Jinshan also found it strange: “I don’t know what’s going on today, they’re not working… I’m so sleepy I’m hallucinating, I think the ground is moving.”
Tang Yu’an slammed on the brakes, his face serious.
Jinshan, riding beside him, also stopped, almost falling on the uneven road: “Why are we stopping? Taking a break? This place is hidden, we should be safe, I can keep watch…”
Tang Yu’an interrupted him: “I think the ground really is moving.”
He had sensed it earlier, dismissing it as the bumpy road, but Jinshan’s words made him pay attention.
As if to confirm his words, the ground began to tremble noticeably, debris shifting, a bundle of circuit boards falling near his feet.
Jinshan exclaimed: “Holy shit, an earthquake?!”
“No, look.”
He followed Tang Yu’an’s gaze, realizing only the ground beneath them was moving.
Such a localized earthquake?
The next second, the solid ground beneath them rose, throwing them off their bicycles, unable to stand on the shifting surface.
Tang Yu’an, seeing himself lifted into the air, finally realized what was happening.
The slope they had been on wasn’t a hill, but the body of a giant robot.
Dust and debris fell away, revealing metal beneath.
As the robot stood up, the increasing incline, with nothing to hold onto, sent them sliding down.
Falling, his only thought was that this was a rather absurd way to die.
But just as he was about to hit the ground, a giant mechanical hand caught him.
Still in shock, he felt himself being lifted upwards.
He opened his eyes, meeting the robot’s pentagonal, yellow-glowing eyes.
Before this behemoth, he was a tiny doll.
