Rebirth: Looking Back in a Sudden Realization - Chapter 3
From the cemetery back to the city, the road was initially quite desolate, with few cars in sight. The man had to floor the accelerator to 140 km/h before he could barely catch a glimpse of the black Mercedes ahead. Shao Chuyan was obviously driving fast. The man’s face was tense as he thought, As long as she’s heading back toward the city, I won’t need to worry too much.
But unexpectedly, just as they were about to enter the ring highway, Shao Chuyan suddenly swerved right and sped off toward the outskirts. The man’s heart sank. Where is she going? He quickly turned on his signal and followed.
After another twenty minutes or so, the road grew increasingly rugged, and his unease deepened. He had already realized that Shao Chuyan’s sudden turns and constant acceleration weren’t normal at all. There was only one possibility—she was chasing someone! He scanned the left side of the road and noticed that the guardrails were giving way to steep slopes and thick forest. Driving so fast on this kind of road was far too dangerous! He had to think of a way to stop her. Quickly pulling out his phone, he flipped through his contacts only to realize that he had never managed to save Shao Chuyan’s number! Suppressing the urge to smash his phone, he located Zhao Pingzhang’s contact and was about to call—
Suddenly, two black Chevrolet Captivas without license plates cut in from both sides, forcing their way past his car. His heart jolted. This is bad! The two cars sped up, chasing after the Mercedes weaving up ahead. Anxious, he no longer had time to call for help. Slamming down on the accelerator, he raced after them!
Up ahead, Shao Chuyan’s bloodshot eyes were locked onto a red Porsche sports car flickering in and out of sight on the mountain road. The Porsche sped recklessly, cutting sharp corners in a futile attempt to shake her off. Chuyan refused to yield. Her mind burned with the image of the woman behind the sunglasses—yes, it was her! She would recognize that face even if it turned to ashes!
That photo—found among Zhao Zhongyuan’s belongings—was the only suspicious clue. Her father stood beside a young woman with a sultry, bewitching beauty. Those lips—thick on the bottom, thin on top—were far too distinctive to forget.
The woman must have realized she was being followed, deliberately luring her into this remote mountain road! For the first time in her life, Shao Chuyan pushed her speed to nearly 160 km/h, but she felt no fear. Her instincts screamed—catch this woman, and she’d learn the truth. Today, she absolutely could not let her go!
Suddenly, one of the black Captivas scraped violently against her side mirror, shattering the right one instantly. It then swerved wildly ahead of her, weaving in an “S” pattern, fishtailing to force her to slow down! She gritted her teeth—she couldn’t lose the Porsche! Refusing to back down, she floored the gas, attempting to overtake from the right.
Finally spotting a gap, she was just about to push through when her car jolted violently from a rear-end collision. She glanced at the rearview mirror. Damn it! Another Captiva had appeared behind her—she was being boxed in!
Panic chilled her. They were clearly working together! If she backed off, maybe they would let her go. If she kept chasing… what then? But one question burned in her mind—how had they managed to find her so quickly and intercept her here?
Up ahead, the road was completely blocked. Short of flying, there was no way through. Shao Chuyan had no choice but to decelerate, watching helplessly as the red Porsche vanished from sight. Bitter frustration gnawed at her.
Suddenly, another bone-jarring crash came from behind! Her steering wheel spun out of control as the attackers rammed her rear again, this time from the right side, pushing her car outward. Her heart dropped—on her left was a cliff! They’re trying to kill me!!!
No! She refused to die here! With desperate resolve, she slammed the steering wheel left, clutch disengaged, brakes pressed, and yanked up the handbrake. The car smashed into a safety island, the front wheels jutting off the cliff into empty air. The vehicle trembled on the edge, the rear wheels jammed in a broken guardrail—precariously balanced, not yet plunging down.
Behind her, one Captiva revved aggressively, preparing for a third strike.
Then—Bang! A blue sedan crashed into the Captiva from behind. In the mirror, Shao Chuyan saw the black-clad driver caught off guard. The airbag burst open, slamming into him as the Captiva crumpled into the cliffside wall, pinned.
But the blue sedan fared no better—its front was mangled badly. The man inside quickly unfastened his seatbelt, his head pounding. Wiping away bl00d from his temple, he stumbled out and ran toward her. Please, please let her be okay…
Inside the Mercedes, Shao Chuyan was battered, her pale face streaked with bl00d where shattered glass had cut her. Luckily, she had worn her seatbelt. But she dared not move a muscle. The car swayed ominously on the edge, and for the first time—after speeding at 170 km/h without fear—terror seized her. Her teeth chattered uncontrollably, her limbs trembling, breath shallow. Each tiny sway felt like the final push before she plunged into the abyss.
The man climbed carefully around the guardrail to the shattered windshield. She was alive! “Shao Chuyan! Don’t move,” he shouted. Thank God the glass was broken—if he had tools, he could pull her out.
She lifted her gaze to him—his handsome face marred with streaks of bl00d. Yet to her, he was a savior, a bodhisattva descending in her darkest hour. Her eyes lit with desperate hope, tears welling instantly. She fought to hold back sobs, nodded faintly to show she wouldn’t move, and mouthed silently, Save me.
The man nearly lost his mind. He had to save her. Glancing around, he found nothing useful. Then it hit him—his trunk! Because he loved rock climbing, he always kept a length of climbing rope there. A lifeline! But cruelly, it was in the very car dangling over the cliff.
He rushed to the back of the Mercedes. Fortune favored them—the trunk had been crumpled open from the crash. Sprinting back to his still-running sedan, he maneuvered it beside the Mercedes, climbed atop it, and stretched his long arms into the gap. Sweat mixed with bl00d as he strained against the pain, until finally—he seized the rope!
He tied one end securely to a sturdy guardrail post, looped the other around his waist, then clambered over the cliff’s edge. Finding a stable rock below the car, he wedged his boots against it and tossed the rope through the broken windshield. “Shao Chuyan! Be strong! Grab the rope, I’ll pull you out!”
Her eyes lit up, trembling hands seizing the lifeline.
Relief flickered across his face, though he stayed tense. Demonstrating with gestures, he said, “Wrap it around your waist—like this—tie a knot.”
She understood, but hesitated, glancing down at her seatbelt. Then back at him. His heart pounded. “Hold tight to the rope, then slowly unbuckle,” he urged.
Her grip tightened. Wrapping the rope twice around her hand, she pressed her lips together, reached carefully for the buckle under her arm, and clicked it free. The belt retracted with a snap, and the car jolted slightly. She froze in terror, staring wide-eyed at him.
His own heart lodged in his throat. But the car held, merely trembling. He exhaled deeply. “Good. Now wrap the rope around your waist, then try opening the door.”
Following his instructions, Shao Chuyan steadied her trembling hands, beginning to loop the rope around her body. She was seconds from securing it when—
The distant roar of engines broke the night. Growing louder.
Her eyes widened in panic, darting to the man clinging to the cliffside. His face mirrored her fear. Their gazes locked.
Before either could react—Boom! A thunderous impact jolted the car. In an instant, the Mercedes slipped off the edge.
The rope whipped from her grasp as she plunged into the abyss.
As the darkness swallowed her, she shut her eyes, one final regret flashing through her mind—
Why didn’t I remember to thank him?