Chapter 23 Part 2

Most of the children were dark and thin, their clothes barely covering their bodies.

Song Ran got out of the car and took a few pictures.

Seeing someone arrive, a group of grimy children all drew near, but they were a bit shy and didn't get too boisterous. They gathered together, whispering amongst themselves while smiling bashfully at Song Ran.

Finally, a little boy with curly hair and big eyes slowly approached. From a few meters away, he asked timidly, “Madam, do you have candy?”

Song Ran knew then that she wasn't the first group of reporters to come here.

However, both she and Sasin were prepared, having brought a lot of milk candies and chocolates. The children immediately crowded around, their shining eyes looking at her expectantly.

Every child got some candy. They took it and ran off happily.

Sasin chatted with the children for a while before leading Song Ran into a residential building to meet the children's “mother.”

They were two kind-faced Dongguo women in their thirties or forties, both of whom had lost their relatives in the war. The two women were taking care of the seventy to eighty unsupervised children on this street. However, the other refugees on the street would also help.

The “mother” said the children were all very obedient and sensible and never caused them any trouble. She also mentioned that some children who had been separated from their parents had been picked up one after another before, but not recently.

Everyone understood in their hearts that those who hadn't come yet would never come.

Halfway through the interview, the two “mothers” had to go cook porridge for the children, and Sasin went to help. Song Ran was left alone in the room.

It was a few minutes before eight in the morning, but the sun outside was already strong, and the temperature was rising.

The house was a typical Dongguo residence with thick walls and small windows, making it cool and shady inside.

Song Ran heard the children's laughter and shouts outside and went to the window to look.

It turned out someone had found a half-deflated leather ball. The children, having no toys, were happily kicking it around in the street. A group of little girls sat by the roadside, clapping their hands and singing a song.

The singing was childish yet melodious, and it sounded familiar. It was the same song the little boy had sung on the day Li Zan defused the bomb.

Song Ran was moved. She set up her video camera on a tripod to film and also picked up her still camera to take pictures.

Through the lens, the children playing with the ball suddenly all ran in one direction—a local man had arrived. It was unclear if he was a local reporter or a neighbor.

The man was holding a large bag and handing out candy. The small children all crowded around him, tilting their little heads up, eagerly waiting for the candy.

Song Ran smiled and raised her camera, but in the instant she pressed the shutter, the nightmare began—

“BANG!”

An explosion that shook the heavens! Song Ran was so startled she flinched back, jumping to her feet.

In that moment, she wished she were blind. Because—

She watched with her own eyes as the man detonated himself, his flesh and blood exploding like fireworks. And the children surrounding him, their small bodies were sent flying like pieces of paper, blood splattering everywhere.

Song Ran froze instantly, her wide-open eyes filled with unprecedented terror and shock. She stared at the cloud of greyish smoke, her mouth agape, her hands still in the position of holding the camera. For a full ten seconds, she was as motionless as a rigid ice sculpture.

Then suddenly, an intense pain ripped through her from the depths of her heart. Song Ran turned and ran for the door, while the two “mothers”, who had heard the sound, were already rushing out, crying and screaming.

“Bang!” “Bang!” A few gunshots rang out, and the mothers' calls were instantly erased from the world.

Song Ran, who had reached the door, suddenly felt her legs go weak and she fell to her knees, scrambling back to the window.

The quiet street suddenly erupted.

Terrifying slogans, wild shouts,

The sounds of doors opening and closing in nearby houses, cries, screams, and gunshots, echoed throughout the world.

And outside the window, the children's broken bodies lay quietly. Some were still moving, but they fell completely still amidst the flying bullets.

Song Ran lowered her head, covered her ears, and tears streamed down her face uncontrollably. It was as if a lifetime of fear and grief had exploded in this one moment.

‘They're insane! The Government Army base is less than a kilometer from here!’

‘A soldier, please! A soldier, come! Save the children!’

Through her tear-blurred vision, she saw Sasin, his eyes bloodshot, gripping a gun and charging outside.

Song Ran threw herself at him, clinging tightly to his leg, and wailed in a low voice, “Please!”

Tears streamed down her face, and she was on the verge of collapsing from fear. “Please! You'll die! Please!”

Outside, children wailed and women cried for help, but several gunshots extinguished everything. Sasin's face was contorted from crying; he broke free from Song Ran's grip and rushed out.

After an exchange of gunfire, Sasin's side suddenly went silent.

Song Ran clamped her hand over her mouth, sobbing as she choked back the scream rising in her throat.

She crawled to the window and saw clearly the clothes of the people outside—it was a terrorist organization.

They were too arrogant, completely disregarding the nearby Government Army base!

They carried guns, their faces covered, and walked down the street, kicking the bodies on the ground one by one, finishing off any who were still alive with another shot. Some even stormed directly into houses to raid them, and screams were incessant.

Song Ran was overcome with terror. She crawled back to the door and, through the crack, saw Sasin slumped against a wall, shot in the stomach. But he was still alive.

She gently opened the door and pulled his hand. Sasin slowly opened his eyes and shook his head in pain, signaling her to leave him.

Song Ran wiped away her tears and ran to the window to look. The terrorists on the street had all entered the houses.

She immediately rushed back, grabbed Sasin by the shoulders, dragged him inside the house, and quickly shut the door.

The area was filled with cries, gunshots, and screams.

Song Ran held Sasin, huddled in a dark corner, her hands pressed tightly against the wound in his stomach. His blood kept welling up—warm, sticky, carrying a residual strength, like every struggling life in this land.

He was only twenty, just a sophomore in college.

He pushed her hands away, his face pale. “Run...”

Song Ran wept silently, tears streaming down like mad as she just shook her head.

Where could she go? There was nowhere left to run.

The gunshots outside grew closer and closer.

Song Ran raised her head in despair, her mouth open in a silent wail, her face covered in tears.

‘A soldier, please! I'm begging you, a soldier, please come!’

The main door was suddenly kicked open. Sunlight poured in, and the tall, terrifying shadows of those men stretched into the room. Song Ran was so frightened she stopped breathing, shrinking into the corner behind the sofa.

She held Sasin tightly, staring at the shadows on the floor, watching as they were about to cross the threshold—

Suddenly, intense gunfire erupted nearby, and someone outside shouted urgently. The shadows immediately turned back to join the fight.

In an instant, there was the unending sound of gunfire, thunder, and cannons.

The Government Army had arrived.

This area was too close to the base. The terrorists feared later reinforcements and dared not fight for long, so they quickly retreated.

Song Ran finally burst out crying, “Help! Help!”

Soon, Government Army soldiers ran in. Seeing the situation, they immediately called for medics to carry the person away. After handing Sasin over to them, Song Ran felt all her strength drain away, and she collapsed to the floor.

The outside was filled with all kinds of shouts and calls for help. She leaned against the wall, motionless.

After an unknown amount of time, a shadow appeared in the sunlight at the doorway, and someone walked in.

Familiar boots came into view. Song Ran slowly raised her eyes. It was Li Zan.

His brows were deeply furrowed. He didn't speak, nor did he ask if she was okay. He knew exactly what she had been through.

Li Zan walked over slowly and squatted down in front of her.

The light from the window made her skin look pale and her eyes dull.

He knelt on one knee before her, raised a hand to touch her head, and said softly, “It'll be okay.”

Her eyes were empty yet stubborn. She stared at him, her lips turning down like a child who had suffered a great injustice, and tears fell like rain.

His eyes reddened. He took a deep breath to control his emotions and gently wiped the tears from her face with his fingers. Just as he was about to say something,

“Ah Zan!” Shen Bei jumped in from outside, holding her camera.

Song Ran quickly lowered her head, turned away, and wiped her own tears.

“Ran Ran, you're here too? Are you okay?” Shen Bei ran over and pulled at her. “Why do you have so much blood on you?”

“It's not mine. It's someone else's.”

“Oh, that's good then. You scared me to death,” Shen Bei said, then looked at Li Zan. “Benjamin is looking for you. It's urgent.”

“Okay.” Li Zan looked at Song Ran, still worried, but he had a mission to attend to and could only say, “I'm leaving.”

Song Ran didn't look at him and just nodded.

Li Zan quickly went out.

Shen Bei glanced between the two, somewhat silent. Just now, outside, Li Zan had seen the heavily injured Dongguo reporter Sasin on a stretcher and had immediately rushed forward to ask which house he was carried out of.

She had seen Li Zan dash into this house and thought it was something urgent, but it turned out...

Song Ran quietly packed up the tripod, video camera, and still camera by the window.