Ten Day Ultimatum

Had their roles been reversed, Zhang Chenze knew with certainty — she would never have sacrificed her hand to save another’s life.

But Officer Li did.
His initial plan was simple: dislocate his hand, slip free from the cuffs, and save her. Painful, but straightforward.
Yet when the moment came, he faltered.

Qi Xia recalled how, when Officer Li had saved Han Yimo from the harpoon, he had been calm, precise — no mistakes.
But this time, panic must have set in.
When Officer Li struck his palm, he mistakenly hit the handcuffs with the club instead.

The mechanism of the cuffs was unforgiving — any force applied externally only tightened them further. Officer Li understood that even if he shattered every bone in his palm, escape would be impossible.
With the water now resting at Lawyer Zhang’s neck, Officer Li made a split-second decision. Abandoning the futile attempt to crush his palm, he shifted his focus to his forearm.
This time, the force he exerted was immense — so intense that he teetered on the brink of unconsciousness more than once.

Meanwhile, Lawyer Zhang, her face half-submerged, tilted her head back, desperately snatching what little air she could from the water’s surface.
Just as her consciousness began to wane, he arrived.
Officer Li swiftly shut off the water valve, then smashed the fish tank with the club, shattering the glass with a determined strike. Urgently, he used his remaining intact left hand to untie the wires binding Lawyer Zhang.

Within minutes, the severed stump where Officer Li’s right hand once was began bleeding profusely.
Without hesitation, Zhang Chenze tore a strip of wire and bound it tightly around his arm, staunching the flow of blood.
At last, they escaped the clutches of that merciless game.

As she gazed at Officer Li’s lifeless form, a profound sadness washed over her. “As he said… He was a policeman. He couldn’t simply turn his back on someone in peril.”
“No…” Qi Xia shook his head slowly. “Perhaps he was merely trying to atone for a past transgression.”
“A past transgression?” Everyone turned to Qi Xia, confusion etched on their faces. “What do you mean?”

He opened his mouth to explain but hesitated. Officer Li likely wouldn’t have wanted too many people to know the story he had shared. With him gone, it felt right to let that secret rest with him.
Lin Qin, sensing the somber atmosphere, removed her jacket and draped it over Lawyer Zhang.
“Lawyer Zhang, you’re soaked. Be careful not to catch a cold.”
Standing off to the side, Ole Lu felt a pang of guilt for his lack of tact toward the gravity of the situation. After lingering in awkward silence for a moment, he approached with an aluminum pot in hand and addressed Lawyer Zhang. “Hey, little girl, my condolences. Try to hold it together, alright? You want something to eat?”

Lawyer Zhang blinked in surprise and asked, “May I know who you are?”
“My name’s Lu… You can just call me Ole Lu.” He flashed a goofy grin. “People are iron, rice makes steel — you’ll feel like crap without a meal.[1]”
“He’s someone we met during one of the games,” Lin Qin added. “Lawyer Zhang, you must be starving. Qi Xia brought this pot of meat especially for you both.”

“Meat…”
Only then did Lawyer Zhang realize how hungry she truly was. She hadn’t eaten in two full days since arriving here. Quickly, she took the pot, grasping the gamey, cooled ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ meat with bare hands, devouring it in large mouthfuls.
In that moment, her disheveled appearance and frantic eating belied her former image as a proud, polished lawyer.

After wolfing down several pieces, she turned to Qi Xia, her words slurred with gratitude. “Thank you, Qi Xia…”
Qi Xia remained silent.
This pot of meat had been intended for Officer Li. With his passing, there was no harm in offering it to Lawyer Zhang instead. At least she seemed far more dependable than Xiao Ran and Doctor Zhao.

“Qi Xia, I had my reservations about you,” Lawyer Zhang continued. “But you’ve proven to be thoughtful. You brought us food, and even provided cigarettes for Officer Li. That was considerate.”
She gestured toward the cigarette still resting in Officer Li’s mouth. “It took him quite a while to find those two moldy cigarettes…”
Qi Xia hesitated for a moment before stepping forward to retrieve the cigarette from Officer Li’s mouth.

He had never seen this brand before. The cigarette butt bore the characters {冬虫夏草}. Bringing it to his nose, an intense aroma of milk and Chinese herbal medicine filled the air.
“Indeed, this is the cigarette I brought,” Qi Xia muttered, his expression tinged with complexity. “It’s unfortunate Officer Li never got to enjoy it.”
Lin Qin regarded Qi Xia with faint confusion. She had rarely left his side, yet couldn’t recall when he had acquired these cigarettes.

Qi Xia retrieved the metal lighter from Officer Li’s body. “I intended to gift this lighter to Officer Li… but it seems I’ll be keeping it for myself.”
No one objected to his decision, though Lin Qin’s expression reflected lingering uncertainty.
He stepped aside, examining the lighter and cigarettes with keen scrutiny. A nagging sense of unease lingered in his mind. Could this all be connected to the bell’s toll?

With that thought, he bent down to pick up the worn cigarette pack from the ground, inspecting it thoroughly — yet finding no hidden mechanisms.
“What’s troubling you?” Lin Qin approached, her voice soft with concern. “Is something wrong?”
Qi Xia furrowed his brows, struggling to articulate his thoughts.

What could he tell Lin Qin? That Officer Li pulled the cigarette from the pack? That the lighter came from his pocket?
These were ordinary, mundane actions — yet Qi Xia couldn’t shake the strangeness of it all.
Perhaps he was overthinking. He placed the cigarettes and lighter back into the pack, turning to ask, “How’s Lawyer Zhang holding up?”

“Her emotions have stabilized. What should we do next?”
Qi Xia nodded. “We’ve always had just one objective, haven’t we?”
With that, he approached Lawyer Zhang, his expression serious. “Lawyer Zhang, I’ll be direct… May I borrow a {Dào} from you?”

“Borrow… a {Dào}?” Lawyer Zhang repeated, raising an eyebrow with faint amusement.
“Yes,” Qi Xia affirmed. “All of our {Dào} was forcibly taken from us and burned to ashes. We’re left with none.”
Hearing this, Lawyer Zhang lowered her gaze, falling into thought.

“Qi Xia… I can offer you all of my {Dào}.” She lifted her eyes, speaking with unwavering resolve. “Let’s form an alliance.”
Qi Xia pressed his lips together. “It’s not that I refuse… It’s just, remaining with me may prove dangerous.”
He then recounted the grim fates of Qiao Jiaqing and Tian Tian, adding, “I’m currently being targeted. Everyone around me is at risk.”

“Are you affected by the deaths of Qiao Jiaqing and Tian Tian?” Lawyer Zhang asked.
“This…”
“You’re not affected at all,” she concluded firmly. “Which means threatening those around you is pointless.”

“That’s the theory.”
“Then I’ll be fine,” Lawyer Zhang declared, rising to her feet. “Let’s strike a bargain. I’ll provide you with all my {Dào} and assist you — but in return, you must help me escape this place.”