Don't You like Little Dogs? Now that I'm Taking Liberties, You're Suddenly Reluctant? - Chapter 33

The interior of the warehouse was much larger and emptier than it appeared from the outside, filled with the stifling scents of dust and mold. Under the high vaulted ceiling, only a few broken emergency lights emitted a dim, yellowish glow, barely outlining the mountainous piles of discarded shipping containers and rusted machinery.

Pei Ye kept his muscles tight and his senses magnified to the limit. He took every step with extreme caution, shielding Jiang Si behind him in a relatively safe position. Suddenly, a sharp click echoed in the silence. Pei Ye’s pupils contracted. Relying on the instincts honed from years on the edge of life and death, he lunged backward.

“Get back!”

The sudden impact caused Jiang Si to stumble a step.

Bang! Bang!

At that exact moment, a dense volley of gunfire erupted across the area where they had just been standing. The bullets hissed as they struck the rusted steel, creating blinding sparks and shrill clangs. The enemy had clearly installed motion sensors. The initial shots acted as a signal, and more fire points opened up from all directions, spitting tongues of flame from the gaps between containers and high platforms to weave a lethal web.

“Find cover!” Jiang Si shouted, his voice terrifyingly calm as he drew his weapon to return fire. His marksmanship was flawless. With a few precise shots, a firing position on the upper level went silent.

Pei Ye had already ducked behind a massive container. Bullets thudded against the metal wall shielding him, producing a jarring screech. He quickly assessed the situation. The firepower was heavy, but it lacked organization. It felt more like the frantic, desperate discharge of a cornered beast.

“Master, two at ten o’clock, three at two o’clock, and one more on the upper platform,” Pei Ye said rapidly, his voice cutting through the gunfire. “They are trying to drive us deeper inside.”

“I see them.” Jiang Si swapped his magazine, his eyes cold. “It seems the real surprise is still ahead.”

The two moved in tandem, using cover to advance and return fire. Pei Ye remained positioned slightly ahead of Jiang Si, using his own body and suppressive fire to block as much danger as possible. A bullet grazed his arm, leaving a bloody trail, but he seemed entirely unaware of it. His focus was entirely on protecting Jiang Si and neutralizing threats.

Under their precise counterattack, the enemy fire gradually weakened. Suddenly, a sharp whistle echoed from deep within the warehouse, and the remaining gunfire ceased abruptly. An ominous silence settled over the area, leaving only the smell of gunpowder and dust dancing in the dim light. Pei Ye did not lower his guard. He remained highly alert in front of Jiang Si as they pushed toward the back of the warehouse.

Passing through the wreckage of the combat zone, the view ahead opened up. In the center of a relatively clear area sat a solitary chair. A man was tied to it, his head lolling and his body covered in blood. Judging by his clothes, he appeared to be a low level member of Skeleton. Hearing footsteps, the man struggled to lift his head, revealing a mangled face and vacant eyes. His lips moved weakly as he let out a faint sound.

“Fourth Brother, save me. They have the data.”

Jiang Si stopped in his tracks, his eyes narrowing as he looked at the man. Pei Ye’s heart sank. This was a trap within a trap. The man could be a traitor or a discarded pawn used as bait. Regardless, he was a carefully placed lure.

“Master, it is dangerous. There might be a bomb,” Pei Ye urged, attempting to stop Jiang Si from approaching.

Jiang Si raised a hand to signal him to wait. He stared at the dying man, appearing to weigh his options. The information the traitor might possess was important to him.

The moment Jiang Si took his first step forward, the situation took a sudden turn. In the shadows at the highest point of the warehouse, a hidden sniper nest caught a faint glint of light from a lens. Pei Ye had been scanning the high points of the environment. The moment that reflection appeared, he caught the subtle, lethal threat. There was no time for thought or even a verbal warning.

Bang!

A heavy, distinct crack of a sniper rifle rang out. Simultaneously, Pei Ye used all his strength to lunge toward Jiang Si. A massive impact slammed into Pei Ye’s back. He clearly heard the faint sound of his own bones fracturing as agonizing pain surged through his body. The powerful kinetic energy of the bullet sent him and Jiang Si tumbling forward.

An oppressed groan of pain escaped Pei Ye’s throat. They hit the ground hard. Pei Ye pressed himself firmly against Jiang Si, using his body as a final shield. Warm blood quickly gushed from the wound in his back, soaking through his clothes and dripping onto Jiang Si’s overcoat.

Time seemed to freeze. Covered entirely by Pei Ye’s body, Jiang Si’s nose was instantly filled with the heavy scent of blood. He could feel the sudden stiffness and loss of strength in the body pressing against him, and he heard the suppressed, pained gasps near his ear.

A short scream followed by the sound of a heavy object falling came from above. Clearly, Cang Jun or someone from the First Squad had dealt with the sniper. However, Jiang Si had no time to care about that. The warehouse went completely silent, save for the distant, sporadic gunshots of the First Squad clearing the remaining enemies and the increasingly weak, labored breathing of the man on top of him.

Jiang Si moved his hand, touching Pei Ye’s cold cheek and the thick, warm liquid flowing down his neck. His movements halted for a moment.

“Pei Ye?”

For the first time, his voice sounded different. It was no longer absolutely calm; instead, it held a minute, almost imperceptible tension. Pei Ye’s body trembled as if he were trying to struggle off Jiang Si, but he was unable to do so due to the pain and rapidly fading strength. He struggled to lift his head, his lips moving as he spoke in a voice so faint it was nearly inaudible.

“Master, are you alright?”

Even at a time like this, the first thing he asked was about his Master’s safety.

Jiang Si did not answer. He used his arms to carefully lift the weight of Pei Ye off him and set him to one side before quickly sitting up. Under the moonlight and dim lamps, he could clearly see the wound on Pei Ye’s back. The damage from the sniper bullet was massive. Blood poured steadily from the horrific hole, quickly forming a dark pool beneath him.

Within seconds, Pei Ye’s face turned as pale as paper. His breathing was rapid and shallow, and his eyes began to lose focus. Yet, he still stubbornly tried to fix his gaze on Jiang Si’s face to confirm he was safe.

Jiang Si looked at the blood and the life draining from Pei Ye’s face. He looked into those eyes that were always calm and obedient, but were now filled with pure worry and an emotion he had never clearly deciphered.

An icy voice echoed in his mind, reminding him of his own command.

Your life is mine. I do not allow any harm to come to you. This is an order.

And yet, Pei Ye had disobeyed it in the most tragic way possible.

An unprecedented fury, like a volcano beneath the ice, erupted from the depths of Jiang Si’s heart. It was not directed at the enemy, but at this possession before him who had defied orders and allowed himself to be damaged to such an extent. However, his expression became extremely calm, even colder than usual. It was a suffocating silence that preceded a storm. He removed his blood soaked overcoat with steady hands and pressed it firmly against the terrible wound on Pei Ye’s back, attempting to slow the bleeding.

“Ugh!” The pressure caused Pei Ye’s body to twitch violently, and he let out a broken whimper.

“Who gave you permission?” Jiang Si spoke. His voice was low and steady, yet it carried a chill that seemed to freeze the air. Each word felt as if it had been pulled from a cellar of ice. “Who gave you permission to damage my property to this degree?”

Pei Ye’s consciousness was fading fast due to blood loss and pain. He heard the anger in his Master’s voice, which terrified him more than any physical agony. He wanted to apologize, to beg for forgiveness, and to explain that he simply could not watch his Master get hurt. But when he opened his mouth, all that emerged was blood with the taste of rust.

Jiang Si leaned down, his cold gaze locked onto Pei Ye’s wandering eyes. The distance between them was so close he could almost count Pei Ye’s eyelashes as they trembled from the pain.

“Pei Ye,” he called his name in a very low voice, his tone like a cruel interrogation. “Answer me. To whom does your life belong?”

Pei Ye’s body shuddered once more. He used his last shred of strength to focus a sliver of light onto the face he had carved into his very soul. His voice was as thin as silk, yet exceptionally clear.

“It belongs to Master.”

“Since you know that,” Jiang Si said, his fingers digging into the uninjured skin of Pei Ye’s shoulder, his tone piercingly cold, “where did you get the nerve to turn it into this? Do you think you have the right to die?”

“I was wrong,” Pei Ye whispered. Tears finally escaped his eyes, mixing with the blood on his face. This was not because of the physical pain, but because of the coldness and rejection in Jiang Si’s words. “Master, punish me. Do not leave me.”

His voice grew weaker until the last few words were almost inaudible. The light in his eyes vanished rapidly, replaced by a deep seated fear. It was not a fear of death, but the fear of being abandoned.

Jiang Si’s heart felt as though it were being squeezed by an invisible hand. Looking at the blatant, twisted attachment and fear in Pei Ye’s eyes, and hearing that plea not to be left behind, his cold anger was instantly overwhelmed by a more complex and violent emotion.

At that moment, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed outside the warehouse. The adjutant and the First Squad rushed in with a medical team. Seeing the scene before them, everyone gasped.

“Fourth Brother! Are you alright?” The adjutant stepped forward quickly, his face pale as he saw Jiang Si covered in blood and Pei Ye dying on the ground.

“Medical team! Now!” Cang Jun barked.

The medical staff rushed forward, intending to take over the treatment of Pei Ye’s wound. However, Jiang Si abruptly raised his hand to stop them. His gaze remained fixed on Pei Ye’s eyes, which were nearly closed. Everyone froze in place, not daring to move.

Jiang Si leaned down until his lips were almost touching Pei Ye’s ear. In a cold and absolute voice that only the two of them could hear, he said, “Pei Ye, listen. You are not allowed to die without my permission. Remember, that is an order. If you dare to die, I will show you that the price for defying me is far more terrifying than death itself.”

These words acted like a final shot of adrenaline. Pei Ye’s eyelashes trembled violently as if he were fighting to maintain the last thread of consciousness. Only then did Jiang Si stand up and bark at the medical team.

“Save him. No matter the cost.”

His overcoat remained pressed against Pei Ye’s wound, now completely saturated with blood. The medical staff immediately began emergency treatment before loading Pei Ye onto a stretcher and rushing him to the ambulance outside.

Jiang Si stood where he was, staring at the pool of bright blood on the ground with an expressionless face. The sleeves and chest of his white shirt were also stained with large patches of Pei Ye’s blood, creating a shocking sight.

“Fourth Brother, your injury,” the adjutant said, stepping forward with concern.

“It is not mine,” Jiang Si interrupted. His voice had returned to its usual coldness, though it sounded lower and raspier than usual. He raised his hand and slowly wiped a drop of blood from his jaw, the movement unnervingly slow. “Clear the scene and find every valuable lead. That traitor,” he looked at the man who had been used as bait and subsequently killed by stray bullets, “take him back and investigate thoroughly.”

“Yes,” the adjutant replied, looking at the blood on Jiang Si and the floor with a complex expression before quickly directing his subordinates.

Feng Sun leaned toward Cang Jun and lowered his voice. “Damn. Little Six is truly ruthless.” The usual playful smirk was gone from his face, replaced by a rare hint of awe.

Cang Jun did not speak. He simply looked at the blood, lowered his gaze, and turned back to the cleanup operation.

Jiang Si did not leave immediately. He walked to the spot where Pei Ye had fallen, leaned over, and picked up an object from the edge of the blood pool. It was the custom dagger that Pei Ye never let leave his side. It had been dropped in the chaos. The hilt of the dagger was covered in sticky blood.

He gripped the cold dagger tightly, his knuckles turning white from the force. His little dog was exactly the same as he had been seven years ago, having fallen into a near death state once again. This time, it was not because of some other fool, but because of him. Because of Jiang Si.

He was the biggest fool of all.