The house in Bukit Timah

[ilikeoldchangke]

Yiling walked out and looked towards the abandoned restaurant located on top of the hill.

4 Malus came out with machetes in their hand.

I removed the axe from my makeshift carrier, while Kamal pulled a metal rod out from a cue carrier.

Aaron remained in the car and Yiling shouted to Seven and Hong to deal with the 4 Malus while the rest of us go get Russell.


Seven was unarmed because his body is his weapon of choice.
He streaked across the carpark like a wolf zeroing down his prey, leaving the beefier Hong trying to catch up.
Leveraging off a parked Toyota, Seven practically propelled himself off the ground and ejected a Malu from the ground with a spinning hook kick.

Like a tightly coiled spring releasing it’s pent up energy, Seven sprung forward and got the next guy on his chest with his knee.

That was all he could manage before a shove and kick from the 3rd and 4th Malu sent him off balance and scraping his elbow against the hard ground.

Hong had arrived by then and the 2 of them were more than enough to handle the Malus.


I saw Seven swept a Malu off his feet with a powerful swipe of his legs and Hong finishing the Malu off with a heavy punch to his face.

Yiling : hurry…. Before Russell get away… !

We quickened our pace and a lone Malu ran out with a long wooden pole, it’s as if he stripped a broom of it’s handle.

Malu : ARHGHHH!!!


I rotated the axe in my grip and parried off the wooden pole with the blunt end while Kamal formed a protective line in front of Yiling as he guided her away from me and the Malu.

The Malu tried striking me again but I blocked him easily, before he could use the length of his weapon to his advantage, I went in close and I gripped the axe with both hands before thrusting it upwards under his chin like a devotee holding up a bunch of lit incense.

He staggered backwards as blood poured from his mouth, he must have bit off a chunk of his own tongue. I swung the blunt end of the axe against the back of his right knee, reducing his height by half as he fell on one knee.
Before he could cup his hands over his bleeding mouth, I shoved the handle end of my axe against his temple and he fell over in an awkward angle.

I ran to catch up with Kamal and Yiling as they searched the compound for signs of Russell.


I turned behind me and I could see Hong and Seven catching up as well.

Ok, so far so good.

I heard some shouts behind me and I turned around.

Another 2 Malu and 1 crazed and laughing foreigner came rushing out, cutting Seven and Hong off from me.

I was about to head back to help then Hong shouted for me to go.

Hong : JACKSON!!!.. GO!!!.... Go to boss!...

Seven’s kick was block by the CF who was a lot bigger in bulk. He literally carried Seven off the ground before throwing him against a fire hydrant.
Hong shouted for me to go again as he used the Malu he just punched as a human shield from the rest while Seven picked himself off the ground.


I ran towards Yiling and Kamal and I saw 2 CFs running towards them.

Kamal swung his metal rod in an arc and the 2 CFs jumped back laughing and taunting him. Both of them jumped him at the same time a Malu appeared out of nowhere for Yiling.

Kamal grabbed the hair of a CF, yanking his head back like an angry chef opening the cover of a wok to reveal overcooked food by his staff, his rod was kicked off and he used the guy he grabbed as a barrier between him and the other CF.
I got into range by then I immediately sent the CF into the abyss as I swung my axe into his face.

Kamal cursed loudly in hokkien and throat punch the CF he was holding into the ground.

Yiling handled the Malu on her own, looking impeccably good as she sent her knee against the cheekbone of the dazed Malu.


2 more guys approached us.

I narrowed my eyes and tightened the grip on my axe.

These are not your usual foot soldiers.

They are Russell’s godson.

Elmo and Ernie, or rather, Edwin & Eng.

Russell must be running out of men.


They held a large modified blade which reminded me of old Hong Kong triad shows. A modified cutting blade from an industrial print shop, one that is capable of slicing through hundreds of pieces of cardboards at one go.

Hong and Seven arrived just about then, both of them suffered light injuries but other than that, they are fine.

I thought we had the upper hand in terms of numbers but my heart skipped several beats when I heard screams and cries.

Cries and screams of kids running out of the abandoned restaurant.

Their clothes looked stained and dirty, some of them looked like they haven showered in weeks. I reckon they are all between 4-7 years old.

More than a dozen of them ran out in different directions catching us off guard.

Jackson : NO!!!!!!


I watched in horror as Edwin lifted his blade and he swung it at a little boy running past him.

The blade lodged itself into her boy’s face and his little body went into spasm as his fingers and limbs twitched uncontrollably.

Eng started swinging his blade as well, and he caught a lost little girl on her chest. It may not have severed her in half but the force of the swing looked like it caused massive internal bleeding and injuries.

I literally watch the girls’ eyes turn bloodshot before blood started spurting out of her mouth as she fell forward.

Kamal : you BASTARDS !!!!!!

Several CFs came out of the same room the kids ran out of, laughing and chasing the kids. One of them caught one and he bit onto his ear with his mouth before chewing and ripping it off.

Hong : aRGHHH!!!!!


I ran over to the CF and tried to pull the boy away from him, once there was enough room for me to use my axe, I slid the cutting end in between the CF and the boy.

Jackson : aRGHH!!!

I pulled the boy away from the CF the saw time I drew the axe across his neck.
He let go but the boy was no longer breathing.

It was then I realised the CF had bitten him on the neck for no apparent reason at all.


Hong, Seven and Kamal all charged at Edwin and Eng who were felling kids like lumberjacks falling trees for timber. I saw Yiling carrying a little girl after she kicked a CF down a slope. The little girl was bleeding on her head while another younger boy clung onto Yiling’s pants for help.

Some of the kids just cried and ran aimlessly. It was utter chaos as I swung my axe at a CF who grabbed the hair of a girl suffering from a bruised eye.

Jackson : RAGHHH!!!!!


I sent my axe several times into his face, spilling blood and bits of mangled flesh all over the ground.

Aaron shouted from behind us and he was carrying 2 kids.

Aaron : follow me !!! CHILDREN !!! KIDS!!! HERE!!! HERE!!! Follow me !!!

Aaron put one of the kid over his shoulder and grabbed onto his legs and he pulled one more by her dress as he struggled with a screaming boy in his other hand.


Several older ones followed him as he led them back to the cars.

I shouted at Yiling to get the kids away and I felt a heavy blow to the side of my head.
I was disorientated for a moment and the next thing I knew, Seven was kicking a CF away from me.

A flurry of kicks bought me precious seconds to recover my bearings and I felt sick when I watch a little girl no more than the age of 5 run and fell off the side of a steep drop.


The sickening thud caused me to jump in my skin.

I grabbed 2 screaming kid and started to run towards the carpark.

I barely got a few steps when I saw Aaron sprinting back towards us. I put the kids down immediately, knowing full well that Aaron will handle the rest.

Yiling too dropped off 2 crying girls.


We ran back and gathered the remaining kids, sending them all towards Aaron.

Yiling : KAMAL!!!!

Several kids laid bleeding and injured on the floor.


I don’t know if we should move them or not. Some of them were no longer moving.
I ran over to the guys who were engaged with Edwin and Eng.

Kamal was striking repeatly at Edwin with his metal rod and I could see sparks when the metal greeted each other.

I went perpendicularly at Edwin, my eyes were on his wrist as I raised my axe.

Jackson : arGHHH!!!


Edwin saw me but he could not avoid the strike in time.
I lobbed his wrist partially off his hand and he backed away screaming and waving his wrist that was hanging off fleshing and tendons in the air.

Kamal wanted to finish him off but I told him the kids need him. Some of them can still be saved.


Kamal shouted in frustration as he picked himself up and started running back towards Yiling.
I wanted to end Edwin right there and then but Yiling asked me to keep him alive.
He could also be a valuable source of information.


Edwin tripped over a tree root and fell, screaming and moaning in pain from his nearly severed wrist.
Edwin writhed on the grass turfing, grabbing his dangling wrist as blood pained the green grass a deep shade of red.

The approaching storm gathered speed and the wind swept the crown of the matured trees on the hill. Branches fell and leaves whipped the walls and windows of the abandoned restaurant as if they too were enraged by the atrocities they witness.

Eng was disarmed by Hong and he suffered a bout of relentless kicks and punches back to back by Seven.

Eng staggered and fell backwards onto a lone crying boy.
He pulled a knife and tried to stab the little boy but Seven managed to kick him away in time.

Seven : aRGHHHH!!! aRGHH!!!

I’ve never seen Seven so enraged as he grabbed onto Eng and he kept shouting and punching him.


Yiling came running over and that’s when we saw Russell and Brad.
Russell saw us and I could see him smirk from a distance away.

It’s as if he thinks this is a joke.


Brad escorted Russell back into the abandoned restaurant and I picked up my axe and went after them.

[ilikeoldchangke]

Yiling shouted to Hong and Seven to grab Edwin and Eng as well after they’re done.
My eyes scanned the surroundings for signs of more men but there are none.

If it’s just Russell and Brad, I’m sure Yiling and I can handle them on our own.

I kicked open the door and revealed a long service corridor.

I could see Russell and Brad turning the corner.

Yiling : RUSSELL!!!!! you COWARD !!!....

We took off running towards them.

Yiling was barely 2 steps behind me.



My eyes caught a flash and I was bulldozed against a notice board on my left from what felt like a uncontrolled freight train from the right.

My arms were immediately up as I blocked a series of hits from a laughing CF.

I manage to shove him back into the room he came from. I looked inside the room and I froze.

It’s not an empty room.

Shelves that would have been filled with food supplies were empty but the room smelled like shit as I watched the group of 5 CFs sniffing on some powdery substance slowly got up on their feet.

At the end of the corridor we just entered, 4 Malus entered, shouting for Brad and Russell.

I grabbed Yiling and we moved further down the corridor, deeper into the abandoned restaurant.

I could see another door to my right and I was cautious this time in case someone came rushing out.

Jackson : oh my god…


I saw 2 little girls in dirty clothes eating biscuits off the floor.

Yiling : come here girl…come here…. I’ll take you home…. Follow zeh zeh… ( elder sister )

Both girls picked up what they could from the dirty floor and went over to what I assume was the first women they have seen in weeks.

The CFs laughed, they mumbled something in their native tongue.

We came to a large open area, what would have been the main seating hall of the abandoned restaurant.

Russell : you overestimate yourself Yiling …..

Looking up we saw Russell and Brad standing on level 2 of the hall looking down at us.

Yiling : Karma …. Is coming for you Russell…. Mark my words… Karma will get you….


Russell : hahahaha….. you want me ?? you want to kill me ?? come !! come ahead… !!! hahaha!!! Hhahah !!! come…!

Russell’s taunt was accompanied by some movements behind him.

Another 6 Malus flanked his rear and I could hear more weird laughter coming from level 2. 3 CF ran into view and as the 1st one tripped and fall, the other 2 behind fell as well, laughing at their own stupidity.


4 more malus appeared from around the corridor and a lone half asleep CF shuffled into view.

There’s more than 20 of them in the large dining hall with Yiling and me.

The 2 little girls were done with their biscuit crumbs and they were clinging onto Yiling’s pants while she had her hands around their head.

Russell : You think today is about getting me…. ? ….. I’ll tell you the truth……


Russell gestured to his men on the ground floor, asking them to make sure the rest of Yiling’s men are kept busy.

Russell : Today is not about getting me Yiling…. today is about getting you….

The main door is behind us and I could see it was padlocked.


Brad and the rest of Russell’s men started to come down the steps and I grabbed Yiling’s hand and we started running towards the half asleep CF.

I shoved him aside easily and after a short sprint down a dark corridor, entered a disused commercial kitchen.

With the kids in tow, we could not move fast and even if we did, there was no place for us to go. I tried the exit door and it was locked.


We had gone the length of the restaurant on the outside when we came, and now in it’s interior, Yiling and I backtracked the distance travelled. I could see through the louvred glass windows by the door.

I could see Aaron by the carpark. He was kicking a Malu that was trying to get up while carrying a bag of sweets in his hand.
After kicking the guy down, he rushed back to the SUV where waving hands of kids gestured and asked for the candy he was giving to keep them calm.


Turning my attention back to the kitchen we were in, 6 men filed into the room and they spread out.

Brad was among them.

Brad : Take the girl…. Kill the rest….

I dragged Yiling behind me and I relaxed the grip on my axe. My eyes saw a rusty saucepan I could use that is within reach slightly behind me.

We backed slowly towards the closed door and we hear Aaron called out in pain.


Aaron : arghhhhhhhhhhhhh!!! Fuck you !!!! argnhhh!!!

A quick glance saw Aaron bleeding across his back as he tussled with a CF.

A Malu ran at him with a dagger in his hand and Aaron barely managed to shift his body away before that dagger slammed against the body of the car.

The men in the kitchen got nearer as they closed the loop around their trapped prey.

Jackson : Yiling…. I’ll distract them…. Get the kids out….

Honestly I have no idea how the fuck am I going to distract the 6 men in front of me. One Malu tried to advance and I swung my axe in a wide arc, sending all of them back one step.

I must break this line somehow.

Just enough for Yiling to bring the kids out at least.

Right about then, a CF flew into the kitchen.


He landed on a countertop before bouncing off and landing on the floor like a sack of rice being thrown.

The commotion drew the attention of the men surrounding us.

CF 2 : arGHHHH!!!

Another cry of pain reached our ears from outside the kitchen.

The sound of loud slamming, bodies being reminded that gravity exists barely moments after being lifted off the floor.

The cries got louder and nearer.


A Malu that was just standing beside Russell a few minutes ago fell into the kitchen head first, he knocked his already bleeding face against the edge of the stainless steel counter before joining the earlier CF on the floor.
4 of the 6 men surrounding us turned and face the entrance of the kitchen, equally puzzled as to what is happening.


There were shouts coming from the carpark outside as well.

I turned to see Aaron getting into the car.

Somehow he manage to get rid of the 2 men that were trying to kill him.

I jumped and the kids screamed as I pulled them away from the window. The Malu that tried to stab Aaron earlier slammed against the old glass louvres, dislodging several of the panels from it’s rusty C-channel.

His head looked like he whiplashed himself onto the remaining glass panels before his entire body felt as if he was sucked into the kitchen by vacuum, only there was no magical force pulling him in.


Only a powerful and rib fracturing kick from the outside.

The kids screamed as the blood spilled from the side of the Malu that landed beside our feet.

I felt the hair on the back of my neck stand as I looked at the person left standing outside the window.

It’s a woman. You could fell from her figure. Slim, toned and well built. She would have looked stunning in a dress but she is not.

She’s unarmed and dressed entirely in black like those I’ve seen before.

Her full-face mask looked different from the rest.


It’s old, rugged and if death has a smell, that was exactly what is going through my nostril. That mask has seen some mileage in life. The scratches, the peeling paint and the damage to the mask projected an image similar to you seeing a heavily scarred face of a human.

A Malu appeared with a machete to her rear, she ducked his strike effortlessly before grabbing to his wrist first with one hand. Rearing back, she angled the Malu’s wrist back and he screamed in pain but the scream is premature.

Pulling his arm low, the woman straddled his arm and turned her body around, twisting and dislocated his arm before side punching the Malu in his face.


Everything happened in such a blur, she’s fast. She’s fucking fast, even faster than what I’ve seen Candy and Xiaoyu pull off.
Another man dressed in black appeared at the entrance of the kitchen.

His mask looked different too.

Also unarmed, he looked relaxed as he strolled into the kitchen like a boss.

Brad : Get him !!!

2 men charged him at the same time I heard Yiling say the same thing I just said earlier to her.

Yiling : Jackson ….. we’ll distract them…… get the kids out….


I turned and watched in disbelief as Yiling reached for her heels and detached the heel part from her footwear. She snapped both outwards at the same time extending a small telescopic baton with a pointed tip on each hand. It’s less than 30cm long by my estimate but I have no doubt the amount of damage it will inflict if used properly.

The woman on the outside started pulling out the remaining louvred glass panels to create an opening wide enough.



Yiling charged past me to help the masked men who just slammed the head of a Malu into a disused oven.

I carried one of the girl up and handed her to the lady outside the window.

Her gloved hands stained the girl’s already dirty top with fresh blood as she took over her from me.

I quickly sent the other one out the window before diving in to help Yiling and the mysterious masked man.
It was too chaotic to see what is happening.

Things were being thrown about.

I felt soup pot hit me on my head as I blocked a left hook by Brad with my right arm.

I swung my axe upwards, putting a metre of space in between Brad and me. I kept my movements small, striking multiple times at Brad with my weapon as he kept avoiding my attack.

I saw an opening and I swung my axe for his head. I would have hit him if not for the frayed wires that were hanging over my head from the ceiling. I yanked and pulled ceiling boards and metal grid frames onto the floor.

I felt the casing of a downlight hit me as well as I backed up.

[ilikeoldchangke]

Brad took the opportunity to strike and he open up a 10cm slash on my forearm, causing me to drop my axe.

A punch came out of nowhere and my head struck a sharp handle of a commercial freezer.
I could feel the warmth of blood sliding down my face.

Another hit came at my face and I literally felt my skull tremble as my mouth filled with blood. I didn’t know what hit me but I knew it loosened a tooth.

I was lying down on my back by then from the hit when I saw the women outside the kitchen swinging herself into the party.

I got out of her way as she engaged Brad the moment she entered.
Yiling and her mysterious guest barely took care of the men in the kitchen when Yiling shouted a warning to the man by the door.

Yiling : Hibiki !! duck !!

The man dropped to the floor, avoiding a metal stake that would have struck him on his temple without the warning, at the same time the lady who was tangled with Brad kicked him back as he swung 2 knives wildly in front of him. Crisscrossing the blades in front of him, he pushed the unarmed women back closer to me.

Hibiki bounced off the floor his elbow connecting with the throat of the man that tried to get him from behind.
Yiling whipped one of the Malu across the face with her weapon before stabbing him at the waist.

She disarmed the Malu of his knife and threw it over to the woman in front of me.

Yiling : Jane !

Jane caught onto knife effortlessly and I saw her twirl 720 degree it in her fingers like a student who is apt at playing with a pen in lecture.
No amount of crisscrossing helped Brad as Jane parried his random strike like a boxer dancing around a weaker opponent.

Brad : ARGHHH!!!


A cry of pain from a slash across the wrist is immediately followed by a louder shriek of pure agony as Jane drone the blade into Brad’s palm against a sack of concrete mix that had no business of any kind being in the kitchen.
She kicked his other knife off his grip, slid under his armpit and struck him so hard in his temple that Brad vomitted and slid to the floor while his bloodied hand remained nailed above his head.

Brad, disorientated and screaming, pulled another knife from his belt and tried to slash Jane.

She twisted his wrist inwards and directed the pointed tip at his eye.

Brad : aRGHHHHH

Jane balled up a fist and hammered it home, lodging into Brad’s eye socket and he stopped moving.

It’s like watching craftsmen at work doing what they do best watching the scene unfolding in front of me.

A Malu can punch Hibiki and you can’t help but felt that the hit is too light compared to the returning blow he suffered.
Wall tiles cracked as Hibiki smashed the head of a CF against it, the spiderweb crack lines spread to the surrounding tiles as he followed up with a harder blow with his knee.

Not missing a beat, Hibiki grabbed another Malu and sent him into an opened combi oven. He slammed the door against the body twice and the Malu stopped moving.


Ripping a Salamander grill off the wall, Hibiki threw it at a CF that was trying to get back on his feet.

That’s it, everyone on the kitchen is done for except us.

We barely had 3 seconds of breathing time when we heard more men arriving.

Rapid running footsteps and shouts approached the kitchen and Jane slid through the door under Hibiki and shortly after that, he followed as well.

I could not see what is happening beyond the kitchen but the cries and shouts of Russell’s man gave a pretty good idea.

Aaron : Jackson !!! come out… BOSS!! Boss…. Come on out !!!

Yiling : Jackson…. You’re hurt…!

Jackson : I’m ok… go…



We helped Yiling through the broken window to see Seven by the SUVs.

He had dragged Edwin and Eng over. Kamal was tending to a little girl by one of the vehicle.

Hong : I got him…. I got him !!!... go ! go ! go!!

I jumped out the window and fell on my side.

I was surprised to see Hong with a badly beaten Russell under his arm.

I was about to ask when did they get him when Hong said some lady and guy in black appeared just when Russell was about to escaped.

Hong : They fucking dropped the men he is with like flies !!....who are they… ??

Jackson : Friends of Yiling I think….

There was no time to waste and Yiling shouted for everyone to load up the vehicle. Hong literally threw Russell into the backseat. The moment the car is loaded, Aaron started the engine with Seven in the passenger seat and started racing down the hill.


Yiling : Kamal !!... take the car with the kids and go !!

Kamal will be driving the vehicle with the injured kids straight to the medical centre at the castle.

Yiling shouted into the walkie talkie to Declan to get ready the bus and load the men.

We will be delivering Edwin, Eng and Russell to the bus. There’s no way they can get away with 40 pairs of eyes on them.


I got into the car and there were 4 kids in the backseat with Yiling while Hong and I sat up front. Hong wiped sweat from his brows and started the engine.

We raced downhill and the skies opened up.

It started to rain.

Jackson : What about your friends Yiling ?!

Yiling : They’ll clean up… they can take care of themselves….

We arrived at the foot of the hill and I could see Aaron and Seven dragging our prisoners up the bus.

Kamal has driven on ahead.


Yiling spoke into the walkie talkie, she gave the address of a residential bungalow a short distance away from the castle.

That’s where we will deliver the prisoners.
Yiling : Hong….!.... get the kids back to the castle…. I’ll have Cindy and Candy standby to take care of them….Jackson !... we’ll take the other car and follow the bus….

Hong : Ok…. I’ll go look for you guys after I’m done… !

Yiling and I ran in the rain over to Aaron’s vehicle and 5 minutes later, we were on the expressway.

No one say a word for the first few minutes until I broke the silence.

Jackson : We got those fuckers ….hahaha… we fucking got those fuckers…. !

Aaron : WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!


Seven tapped the dashboard several times in agreement and I noticed Yiling finally smiled. There was a visible look of relief on her face as well as we looked at the taillights of the bus in front of us.

Jackson : What now… ?

Yiling : We deliver them to the holding facility…. And others will come and pick them up from us….

Jackson : others as in who… ?

Yiling : There’s no need to know that….

The rain got heavier as we pulled out of the expressway.

Jackson : Hibiki and Jane….. who are they… ?

Yiling : friends…. From what feels like a lifetime ago….


Jackson : I’m heard that name before…. Hibiki…. The men at the Rajah rooftop…they mentioned that name…

Yiling smiled but she said nothing.

Her eyes closed and I could see her relaxed significantly now that we have Russell.

We arrived at the 4 storey residential house shortly. It had a compound large enough to fit the whole bus with plenty of room to spare. Built in the 1950s, it resembled the old black and white colonial bungalows. Plenty of concrete with large openings
I could see Xiaoyu standing by the sheltered porch tall enough to fit the bus.

Declan’s bus took up all the sheltered area and the rest of us had to wait a little.

It’s literally pouring cats and dogs out there.

About a dozen of La Bella Vita’s men unloaded Russell and his godsons and Xiaoyu was gesturing to the insides of the house.


After our prisoners were unloaded, Declan pulled the bus out of the sheltered porch to make way for the rest of the vehicles.

Yiling looked at her watch and commented that we’re ahead of schedule.

Yiling : They will be picked up in less than an hour from now…. we just need to wait a bit till then…..

All of us exited the vehicle and I saw Declan running towards us as well.

The place is clean but just empty. Devoid of any furniture, the echoes of our footsteps rang loud and clear throughout the structure.

Xiaoyu is dressing up the wounds of our prisoners while they were surrounded by 10 of our men. Almost all of their tops had stains of blood from handling the prisoners.
Edwin’s severed wrist is still bleeding and he looked pale, Russell looked unkempt and he kept his eyes down. He suffered cuts and bruises but otherwise unharmed. I would have loved to see his earlier arrogance again.

I looked up the large hall and I could see where they prisoners will be kept.
Vertical bars rising high above the parapet walls indicated that there’s a makeshift cage on level 3.
What would have been a mix of bedrooms and perhaps a family hall is now converted into a makeshift prison.


In the centre of level 3 stood a cage about half the size of a badminton court.

It’s huge, taking up the width of the floorplate leaving only narrow walkway on both sides.
I saw Seven up on level 3 checking out the cage, he gave Yiling a thumbs up as he leaned over the concrete railing, that structure is the only thing stopping you from plunging 3 storey down to the living room below.

After Xiaoyu is done dressing the wounds, our captives were dragged up on their feet.


Yiling sent a few messages on her phone before telling me to go to the bus and get the rest of the men out.

Yiling : we’ll have to wait a bit…

Jackson : ok…

As the rest started to make their way up to the cage, I left the house and scouted for the shortest route to the bus.
I ran in the rain over to the bus. I rapped on the door and waited for it to open.

There was no response. Maybe the rain was too heavy.

I knocked harder and I even rapped my knuckles on the windows but no one responded.

I went over to the driver side and the door is locked too.

The small window is slightly opened and I forced it apart.

[ilikeoldchangke]

Jackson : Hey guys….Boss wants you guys to unload…and….

I was getting drenched and I paused in the middle of my shout.
I felt my heart sink as I wiped my eyes to make sure I was not seeing things.

They were dead.
The men in the bus were all dead.


I felt my legs go weak as I looked at the large mirror above the driver seat. It gave a clear view of the rest of the men slumped in their seats, many with visible slits on their throat.

Jackson : aRGHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

I left the bus and I sprinted for the house.

I pushed the door open and I could hear the echoes of shouts and fights breaking out on the 3rd floor. Every single hair on my pore stood on it’s send as I felt the burn in my calves as I ran up the stairs.

Jackson : NO!!!!!


Inside the cage with the prisoners were 8 of our men together with Xiaoyu and Seven.

I screamed in anguished as I bulldozed and charge one of our men who was trying to stab Aaron over the parapet.

I heard a shriek of horror before the slam of body against concrete floor echoed loudly in the house.


Yiling and Aaron were tussling with another while I ran over to the cage.

Xiaoyu and Seven are inside trying to fend off the men who betrayed us.

I wanted to open the door but I can’t.

It was padlocked from the outside.

I rattled the chain and shouted as Xiaoyu was stabbed in her shoulder. She disarmed him the moment he pulled it out but was immediately punched in the face by another.

Seven shoved the betrayers back before kicking one in the face.


Jackson : aRGHHH!!!!!!! NO!!!! NO!!!! aRHGH!!!

Russell : aHHWHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! WHWHHWHAHAHAHAH!!!


Russell, sitting on the far end of the cage was laughing with his eyes bulging wide as I watched our own men that betrayed us brandished knives from their pocket.

The close range attacked left Xiaoyu and Seven with no room to maneuver at all.
There was no time even for Seven and Xiaoyu to scream as the men stabbed them.

They stabbed them over and over again in their body, their stomach, their faces, their hands.
I kicked the gate and rattled the iron bars that formed the makeshift prison.

It would not budge and all I could see in my eyes were the repetitive stabbing motion. Hands coming in, rearing back, coming in, rearing back, each time drawing more blood from the bodies of my friends and spilling them onto the concrete floor.


Yiling screamed when she saw what was happening as Aaron, bleeding from his eye shove the man they were fighting with down the flight of stairs.

I grabbed a nearby fire extinguisher and tried to break the padlock. I hammered it several times and it punctured the body of the extinguisher, causing the compressed gas to whistle as it escaped from the cylinder.

Yiling broke down and she could hardly stand as the bodies of Xiaoyu and Seven laid lifeless in front of her eyes.

Right about then Declan appeared out of nowhere. He had a gun in his hand and he went straight for Yiling.

Aaron : NO!!!..


I had no time to react.

The hammer slammed into the firing pin and I watched helplessly as Yiling who was on her knees slammed back onto the floor.
Jackson : ARGHHH!!!!!

I lifted and I wanted to throw the extinguisher at Declan but his weapon was already pointed at me.

Aaron charged him at the same time, the gun missed it’s shot but it still hit me.


The projectile sliced opened my left cheek, shooting upwards and removing the top half of my left earlobe.

I staggered sideways and leaned on the cage. Immediately I was stabbed by the men inside. Once on my right arm and once on my right thigh.

The pain shot through my body as I instinctively propelled myself away from the cage and landed beside Yiling.

I could not believe what was happening.

This is a nightmare.
This must be a bad dream.

It must be.


Aaron : aRGHH!!! WHY!!! WHY!!!!

The weapon fired again, the bullet went cleanly through Aaron’s and lodged itself in the concrete wall beside my face barely inches away.

Aaron fell and Declan pushed him away and stepped back.

I crawled over to Yiling and it took everything I had to hold her up.

Blood poured from her stomach and her delicate fingers could not stop the bleeding no matter how hard she tried.


I applied pressure on her wound and I was on the verge of breaking down.

Jackson : NO… no… no… !!! NO!!!.... not like this…. NOT like this !!!

I glared at Declan who looked unstable and on the verge of a mental breakdown as well.

Jackson : WHY!!!!! WHY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I shouted at Declan who looked like he was on the verge of tears as well.

Declan : I’m sorry….. I’m sorry…. I wish it didn’t have to come to this….

Yiling looked at Declan I could see how disappointed she was as she looked at him.


Declan apologised again and said we all serve different masters.

Declan : We don’t serve the same master….. I’m sorry…. Owen will come for the castle….the vault is his…. It has always been his since the day he handed over to you for safekeeping Yiling….. it’s his…….


I could hear the door to the large empty house open.

I could hear Hong’s voice.

The men in the cage are searching Seven and Xiaoyu’s body for the key to open the padlock.

Hong : Boss!!! Jackson !!!...

He ran up the stairs shouting to us that the men in the bus are dead.

Jackson : HONG!!!! RUNN!!

I barely shouted my warning when Declan pointed his gun down towards the stairs and he started shooting.

Hong : FUCK!!!

The loud report of gunfire was amplified several times in the empty house and I could hear Russell’s eerie low laugh as he looked at the state of his captors.



Hong must have manage to find cover because I could hear him shout.

Hong : WHAT THE FUCK!!!! DECLAN!!!! WHAT THE FUCK!!!!

Declan turned towards us and he was trembling as he orientated his attention between Hong at the bottom of the stairs and us on level 3.

Declan : I’m sorry Yiling…. I’m sorry… I can’t let you take the prisoners….

He closed his eyes for barely half a second before pointing his weapon back at us, but before he could shoot again, Aaron, clutching onto the wound on his stomach shot towards Declan.

He grabbed the gun with his left hand and Declan squeeze the trigger, the bullet ripped Aaron’s hands to shreds and several of his fingers fell onto the floor but that did not stop him.

It did not stop him.

Aaron charged and using his body weight, shove Declan and himself over the ledge at the same time.

Aaron : aRGHHH!!! FUCK YOU!!!..

Declan : ARGHHHHHHHH!!

The loud slam caused me to tremble as tears streak down my cheeks.

Hong’s anguish shout echoed throughout the house as I held onto Yiling.

I could see it in her face.

Life is slipping away from her. She looked so pale.

Jackson : Hong… !! HONG!!!....I’m sorry Yiling… I’m sorry….. arghhh!!

Hong ran up the stairs with Declan’s gun and a leather holster with spare magazines.

He saw Yiling in my arms before his eyes settled on the bodies of Xiaoyu and Seven in the cage.

Russell : Hurry !!! get out and kill Hong !!! ahahhahaha….. kill them all!!!

The padlock came undone and the men were removing the chain around the iron bars.

Hong : ERGHHH!!a rarggghhhhhhh!!!!!


He pointed the gun at the men who betrayed us and he emptied the clip.

Empty gun shells flew, clattering onto the floor in front of me and Yiling.


Hong emptied the clip, reloaded with the spare magazine and he kept shooting.

He screamed and the emptied the weapon, scattering bodies around Seven and Xiaoyu.

[ilikeoldchangke]

Edwin was hit by a stray bullet and he collapsed in front of Russell.

By the time Hong was done, he collapsed on his knees and wept.

I looked at Yiling and I didn’t know what to do.


I don’t know what to do.

Yiling smiled and shook her head at me, it’s as if she knew her time is up.

Jackson : I’ll kill him…. I’ll fucking kill Owen if it’s the last thing I do…. I’ll fucking kill him…… I swear to you I’ll kill him !!!

Yiling : i….. I wish I could ……. watch you do it…..


I cradled Yiling in my arms as Hong crawled over to us. He could not even manage to get up on his feet.

Hong : Boss…. Boss… no… no…. No please… no…. !! no!!!

Yiling : take…. Take care of yourselves…. Take care of each other…..


Yiling’s blood stained hands wiped tears from my face as Hong fumbled for his phone with his trembling hands to call for help,

Hong : Boss…. Don’t… don’t…..
Hong cursed loudly for the lack of a phone signal as the storm outside got heavier.

Yiling held Hong’s hand for barely 2 seconds before it gave way and her who body went limp.

Hong : aRGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

Hong shouted and slammed the floor with his fist so hard that I could feel the floor plate vibrate.


I closed my eyes and I hugged Yiling’s body against mine and I exhaled as tears fell onto her lifeless face.

I didn’t know how much time past but the next thing we know, armed men with full tactical gear burst into the house.

I could see the red dots of the laser pointers as they cleared the house and came up the stairs.


I saw James with his weapon raised and he froze at the sight that greeted him.

He looked at the dead on the floor.

He looked at prisoners in the cage.

And he looked at Yiling in my arms.


His men proceeded to clear the rest of the house before taking over the prisoners.


James knelt down on one knee and he holstered his weapon. Removing his gloves, he reached for Yiling’s face and he wiped dried blood off her cheek.


James : Goodbye Bella…


………………………………………………………

[bored788]

is it based on a true story?😱

[HiddenJ]

Whyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy T_T

[Tai_zi21]

Omg yiling died?

[skyline2000]

How can this happen?!?!?!?!!

[foreskinzzz]

Omg shivering with sadness arghhhhh why must all this happen!!

[husky1shepherd4]

whyyyyy...why must be yiling...

the saddest things happen during CB: yiling

[ShiningHappyPpl]

Sad to hear that.
RIP

[unlove]

Yiling!!! 😭😭😭
Noooooo! Fucking Declan! I hope they give Declan to hibiki for punishment!!

[xtrax]

I kinda expected 2 or 3 character to die however Yiling's death surprised me. Great story as usual.

[water_boi]

First of all the fav, hibiki n Jane are back, but another unexpected twist from bro ilock.. Yiling is gone..

Hopefully this is not the end of the story..

Great job bro ilock!!!!!