The darkness of the Xiangyi mountains was draped in beautiful, drifting veils of white mist. We had left the main convoy of our friends behind, pushing forward toward Guizhou Province. The taillights of the trailer truck ahead vanished around three consecutive hairpin turns. Beside the road was a deep abyss, and the dense forest outside was so thick that even the moonlight could not pierce through.
The frequent hissing of the air brakes caused the two girls, who were sitting in silence, to flinch in alarm. The scent of burnt brake pads drifted into the cabin, mingling with the damp smell of the primeval forest—it felt like a scene straight out of a horror movie.
The radio signal crackled…
“Tan! Be careful, there are rocks falling from the mountain.”
I tapped the brakes to slow down, avoiding boulders that had crumbled from the cliff and tumbled down to block the path. Outside the window, there were only the looming shadows of pine trees swaying in the mountain wind. This road was becoming narrower and rougher, causing the truck to vibrate incessantly.
“Understood... We’re cutting straight through to Guiyang, right?” I pressed the radio switch to reply while stealing a glance at the rearview mirror. The two mysterious girls remained silent amidst an atmosphere in the cabin that was even more stifling than the mist outside.
“Yes! Guiyang is a forest city, that's why the route is so overgrown like this. I expect we should be out of Hunan Province by tomorrow morning,” Sawn replied. I couldn't visualize the route at all; I have no expertise regarding this country.
Bro, who was sitting beside me, was so quiet that it felt stifling. Usually, he would strike up a conversation, but now he was so still I thought I was sitting next to a statue.
He ran his hand through his hair forcefully, letting out a frustrated sigh…
“Jetdoe... There are smooth roads, but we can't take them. We have to ride this mountain rollercoaster, swaying back and forth in the middle of the night, all because of these two troublemakers.” He snapped his head around to look at the back with a demanding gaze.
The light from the dashboard illuminated his sharp, tense features… “Alright! Stop playing mute. You’d better confess right now.”
“..................” Silence was the only answer.
I stole a glance through the rearview mirror. The bob-haired girl kept her head down, while the other sat hugging her backpack, knees tucked in, leaning against the window and staring out like someone who had lost all hope. I thought it best to give them a chance to speak properly first…
“How about we introduce ourselves first? My name is Tan. This is my brother, his name is Jetdoe. We’re from Thailand.” I tried to break down the wall of fear for them by introducing ourselves.
“My name is Pai Pai, I’m from Wuhan. This is my sister, her name is Natalie,” she answered, her voice slightly brighter. Even though there was still fear in her eyes, her face was striking, with chic, clear, round eyes in the style of a modern Chinese girl.
“Lying like a red-rumped monkey, aren't you? One minute you're Chinese, the next you're Korean. Spill it... what did Middle-Finger Girl steal?” He stared at the backpack in Natalie's hands.
“My name is Pai Pai, not Middle-Finger Girl,” she pouted, huffing with irritation.
“I’m going to call you Middle-Finger Girl. Got a problem with that?”
“So self-centered,” she muttered, looking away with a grumpy face.
“Jetdoe... Speak up.”
Pai Pai lowered her head, her lips moving in a mumble… “I didn't steal anything.”
Bro raised his voice, pointing his finger and barking an order… “If you don’t tell me, then get out! Get off this truck right now!”
“You dictator uncle! When I asked to get off back there, you wouldn't let me. Now it's nothing but forest, I'm not getting off here,” she shot back instantly.
“If you aren't getting off, then tell me. Don't make me use force. Those bald guys are definitely hunting you two.”
“Maybe it's that woman over there,” she said, jutting her chin toward Sawn's truck, whose taillights were visible in the distance.
I was fairly certain that the two of them weren't bad people, but I didn't know the real reason behind it all. I still believed it had to be related to this backpack. But when I thought about the arrogant gaze Middle-Finger Girl had given me, I was still bothered by what had happened… “You two are the cause. If you weren't, you wouldn't have run. Don't you think so, Bro?”
But as soon as I spoke, Pai Pai’s arrogant gaze and attitude returned, looking at me as if I were worthless—staring at me like a legal intern who couldn't corner a key witness into answering a question.
She waved her hand in dismissal… “Hold on! Accusing a woman isn't very gentlemanly, is it? You guys were shooting at each other like that; why would I stay around to get shot? I just asked for a ride. When things got like that, I had to run to survive first. And I stand by my word: that woman over there is definitely the thief. Believe me!”
I was incredibly annoyed by that cutting gaze… “You're quite the talker! That woman came with Loweis and arrived long before you. As soon as the two of you showed up, misfortune followed in waves.”
She pointed at the radio… “Ask her then! Interrogate her first. Once we’re out of this forest, drop me off somewhere with lights, anywhere. This has nothing to do with me at all.”
The more she spoke like this, the more certain I became… “You are a thief.”
“I am a victim.”
Bro turned around and barked… “I've been way too kind to you.”
“..................” She lowered her head, becoming dead silent.
I knew that if I kept talking, she would fight to the death. It was better to let my big brother handle it.
“Jetdoe!… Last chance. Tell me!”
“I didn't do anything! I’m still a kid; I don’t know anything at all. Uncle, look at my face—I’m still just a kid.” She switched to a sweet, pleading voice, sending him an imploring look.
“I told you, don’t call me Uncle!” He glared at her.
Natalie shifted her position… “It’s true, Uncle!”
Natalie’s first words finally slipped out of her mouth. She reached out and gently stroked her younger sister’s arm… “Pai Pai, let me talk to them myself.”
Bro turned and stared with a menacing look… “Jetdoe!... I thought your tongue was cut off. So you can speak now? And also, don’t call me Uncle!”
“I don’t know those bald guys,” she said, her eyes filled with anxiety, like a defendant desperately trying to find a way out.
“Jetdoe! If you don't know them, why were they chasing you?”
“They might know me.”
“Whoa!” I immediately turned to lock eyes with Bro. This pair of sisters was just as infuriating as each other.
Pai Pai looked down at the floor and grumbled under her breath… “Every other word is Jetdoe, Jetdoe. It’s not cute at all. Uncle, you have a good face, so you should have a good heart too.”
“Ugh, ugh!” Natalie stroked Pai Pai’s arm even faster.
Bro slammed his hand onto the console loudly.
“Eeek!!” Both of them jumped at the same time.
“What are you muttering about?”
Pai Pai looked up with wide, innocent eyes… “I’m just asking for a ride to get out of this forest. This time I’ll sit quietly, won’t say a word, and won’t annoy you at all, Uncle. I’m locking my lips right now. Zip!” Her eyes were pleading as she pressed her lips into a straight line.
“We really won’t speak anymore, Uncle!” Natalie said, her hand stroking Pai Pai’s arm more gently.
“I’m giving you one more chance—tell me the truth! Don’t lie! And… stop calling me Uncle.” Bro shifted his position, bringing his knees up onto the seat to sit cross-legged, turning around to face the two girls in the back.
I decided to be a good spectator. If I spoke, I’d probably just get provoked by Middle-Finger Girl again. Normally, I never win an argument with a woman anyway.
Pai Pai lifted her chin and grumbled, crossing her arms and staring straight through the windshield… “Don’t you think you’re asking too many questions, Uncle? You’re asking like a doctor during a checkup. Believe me! The culprit is in that other truck, not us. An event like this—it could just be a coincidence that things happened at the same time. We really don’t know those bald guys.” Even though she seemed dissatisfied, the way she spoke while moving her hands to explain was quite charming and pleasant to watch.
Bro ran his hand through his hair, narrowing his eyes as he spoke in a stern voice… “I’m asking you nicely! So answer me nicely!”
Natalie continued stroking Pai Pai's arm without stopping… “I already told you, we don’t know those bald guys.”
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
“But you said they might know you!” he barked. I lowered my head, hiding a smile as I realized he couldn't corner them either.
“I’ll be getting off soon anyway. Please! Don’t ask personal questions. You need to keep your distance, Uncle; we’ve never met before. If you’re a fair person, you should call that other woman over for an interrogation as well,” Pai Pai said, as slippery as water on a lotus leaf, flowing on without end.
“Let me see that backpack,” I said, pointing at the bag in Natalie’s arms, which she was cradling as tenderly as a small child.
“It’s for personal use. It’s full of used sanitary pads, nothing but blood and a foul smell.”
“I don’t mind. Open it right now.”
“Just focus on your driving, or you’ll fall off a cliff and die,” she snapped, giving me a sharp, sidelong glance.
I looked at Bro, like a client locking eyes with his lawyer.
“Open it!” he barked.
“Ugh… Uncle, the smell is strong. No, I won’t open it.” She turned away, shaking her head.
Natalie shifted, stroking Pai Pai’s arm, and spoke with a stiff neck and a stutter… “How about this? I’m embarrassed to show things like this to strangers, and it’s too cramped in this truck. Find somewhere bright and park. I’ll open it for you then. Is that a deal, Uncle?”
“Jetdoe!... So many excuses. I’ve told you many times—don’t call me Uncle!” Bro glared, pointing his finger at her in a threatening manner.
Pai Pai frowned, looking at Natalie’s face before speaking up… “If you weren't so emotional, Uncle, you’d be suspicious just like I am. Why is that woman even in that truck?”
“If I want to know, I have to know. This is my truck, and I have every right to do whatever I want with intruders.”
“But this is my country. You have no right to come here and threaten the homeowner, Uncle.”
***************************************
POV: Natalie Park***********************************
We’ve truly jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire. All paths to escape are sealed shut; this long-haired man is like a dog that won't let go of a bone, and from what I’ve seen, I can conclude for certain that he is no "good guy." No ordinary person would keep a cache of war-grade weapons hidden under their seat like this, and no one else could react to an emergency with such instantaneous precision.
Choosing to stay silent so the soldiers wouldn't discover my hiding spot was a gamble, like betting everything on a single number in roulette. I know that the Minister of Security and high-ranking military officials are involved with Isiah Biotech. Between this group of men and that military officer, I’ve chosen to risk continuing the journey with him, as nerve-wracking as it is. A 0.01% chance of survival is still better than entering a military camp where there’s no chance of survival at all.
I squeezed Pai Pai’s hand to get her to stop provoking him… “I think you should just give in to him a little.”
The entire way, my heart has been in my throat listening to Pai Pai’s negotiations. She’s quite skilled at stalling for time, never letting a single word slip and managing to get us many kilometers away. But it seems luck is not on our side; both sides of the road are flanked by nothing but deep ravines.
“We’re being framed. Are you going to just give in, Unnie? They aren’t the police; going around making accusations like this isn't right,” Pai Pai argued.
“We’ve been speaking to you politely this entire time, but you’re the ones who refuse to cooperate,” the young-faced driver added, trying to persuade us.
I didn't bother to remember his name, nor did I want to know it. As for the long-haired uncle, he did nothing but use his power to bark at us as if we were his subordinates…
“Jetdoe!... Clutching that bag so tightly—you stole their gold, didn't you? If it were just sanitary pads, you wouldn't be holding on that hard.” He huffed, slamming the glove box open with a loud thud and rummaging through it. I knew right then he was looking for something to force our mouths open.
“Bro!...” Suddenly, the radio crackled to life, sounding like a shot of Penicillin injected just in time to stop a deadly infection.
“Phew!” At least I could breathe for a second.
He grabbed the radio… “Yeah? Did you find out anything?”
“This woman is from the Chenpibao brothel. Loweis is taking her to live in Switzerland.”
The moment I heard the word "brothel," my heart trembled and my hands tensed, hugging the backpack even tighter. I am trying to save humanity, yet I’m being held back by these wicked thugs. This world is coming to an end all because of these two evil men.
“Jetdoe!… What the hell is going on? Was every single one of them sent straight from hell?” His face stiffened instantly.
But…
“Hahaha!” The young driver burst into laughter. He was different from the long-haired uncle in every possible way—his manners, his gestures, and his speech. I knew right then that misfortune was about to coil back and strike us once again.
“What the hell is Loweis doing? Why didn't he tell me first?” The long-haired uncle slammed his hand on the console and barked into the radio.
“He’ll talk to you himself. Just stay calm for now.”
“Jetdoe!... Every single one of them brings nothing but a headache! Loweis is going to get it from me. ” He slammed the radio down and turned to glare at me just as I expected. His gaze was like an X-ray, probably trying to see all the way through to my appendix.
“Uncle, calm down first.” Pai Pai squeezed my hand as a signal, then leaned forward toward the long-haired uncle… “Okay! I’ll tell you the truth.”
“Huh!” I quickly tapped her arm to stop her.
“We were going to visit Chongqing, but now that you've changed routes, our timing will be way off. My boyfriend is a policeman in the Snow Leopard Unit, and he’s waiting for me. If he finds out I’m in trouble, you won’t stand a chance, Uncle. It would be better if we made a pact not to interfere with each other, don't you think?”
The lobes of my brain flipped like turning pages… What the hell is Pai Pai talking about? If she keeps provoking him like this, we’re definitely in for it. I moved from my corner to stroke her arm, signaling her to stay calm.
The long-haired uncle shifted his gaze from me to her. His eyes narrowed, staring as if there were a laser beam from a pen marking the strongest pathogen. His face, which had previously only shown irritation, transformed into a scowl of pure rage…
“I’m so scared, my ass hairs are standing up! You think you can threaten me?” He glared with eyes full of menace. “I’m giving you one last chance to answer. If you keep playing games, I’ll break your middle finger and send it to that Snow Cat of yours.”
I saw the look in the long-haired uncle’s eyes and felt like I couldn't breathe. I wanted to help, but I didn't know where to start. I wanted to stop her, but I had no idea what plan Pai Pai had in mind. All I could do was stroke her arm repeatedly to give her support.
Pai Pai puffed out her chest and looked away, behaving exactly as she did when she tricked me into a mess last time… “Unnie’s boyfriend is also a soldier in the Soaring Dragon Unit. Right, Unnie? If you promise not to interfere with us, Uncle, I’ll let this matter slide quietly.”
I nodded along for now, though my heart was boiling like scalding water. Where on earth did she get all this from? I don’t know a single soul in the Snow Leopard Unit or the Soaring Dragon Unit.
I knew how dangerous it was to threaten a wolf with a switch. The more she complicated the story and dragged powerful characters into it, the more he would have to decide whether to squeeze us for information or simply eliminate us.
“Jetdoe!... We can’t talk like civilized people, can we?” He pulled a roll of duct tape, as wide as a palm, out of the glove box and slammed it onto the console…
“Ah!!” The sound was so loud my lips almost started reciting my incantation. Pai Pai recoiled and threw her arms around me. The strike was so violent that even the young driver startled and turned to look.
“Tan! Pull over at the village ahead. Right there!!” He pointed toward the cluster of village lights shimmering in the distance on the right.
“Huh!” I turned to lock eyes with Pai Pai, searching for an answer. If he suddenly pointed out toward the side of the road like that, it certainly wasn't a good sign.
The long-haired uncle rolled up his sleeves, shifted to a kneeling position on his seat, and leaned over to glare at us. My heart hammered against my ribs as I stole a terrified glance at him.
“The door to your final opportunity has slammed shut. I don’t care anymore what’s in that backpack. Whatever happens from here on out, just consider it compensation—for my lost time, the truck repairs, and the cost of the ammunition.”
“What!” Pai Pai retreated backward. I pulled both of my legs up and hugged them tight.
“Are you going to sell them to a brothel, Bro?” The driver’s words made me lose my mind.
The self-preservation instinct born from extreme human fear is to struggle. I spun around, looking for a weapon, and remembered that beneath our feet was their armory. I reached down to pull at the floor mat, hoping to find something—anything.
“Uncle, don't forget that this is China, and it’s my home,” Pai Pai threatened again. She’d said it so many times already, but did he look even slightly afraid?
“Hnngh! Hnngh!” I pulled at the fabric on the floor until my lips trembled, but it wouldn't budge. I had to say something to find a way out. The only solution I could think of was money…
“How much money do you want? I’ll pay you whatever makes you satisfied!” Now, both of my hands were shaking uncontrollably.
“It’s too late. I’ve given you more than enough chances. Come here!” Suddenly, he lunged forward and snatched Pai Pai’s arm.
“Middle-Finger Girl!... You’re quite the talker, aren't you?”
“Unnie!... Help me!”
“Ah!...” Blood surged violently to my brain… “1. Animal cell structures and components... Cell membrane... characterized as a thin membrane...”
“Aiya! I’m not going! I’m really going to cry!...”
My ears heard nothing but Pai Pai’s cries for help. I had to fight the fear within, forcing my eyes open to see her struggling and pulling against his grip.
In the midst of the frantic scuffle, she clamped her teeth down hard on the long-haired uncle’s arm…
“Aaagh....!” He let out a loud cry. She must have bitten a sensitive spot; his eyes flew wide open.
“Middle-Finger Girl! Let go right now! ” The sound of him slamming the seat echoed.
“Hnngh!” I seized the opportunity, reaching out to grab his long hair and pulling it until his face was slammed flat against the backrest.
“Jetdoe!... Let goooo!” He screamed at the top of his lungs, struggling and trying to heave himself backward.
“Hnngh! Hnngh!” I braced both legs against the backrest and put all my weight into pulling his hair with everything I had.
“Tan! Aren't you going to help me at all?” he shouted. Pai Pai continued to bite and thrash her head back and forth.
The trailer truck braked so hard the cabin lurched forward.
The driver grabbed her wrist.
“Aaagh!!! Don't touch me!”
I had no other choice. I released my right hand to help Pai Pai ward off the driver’s hands, leaving only my mouth free… “3. Nucleus, consisting of two major components: — Nucleolus, containing genetic material DNA and RNA, responsible for protein synthesis for the cell?”
I reached out to brush him off and help Pai Pai, but it was useless. I tried to grab his head, but I couldn't reach it.
“You brought this on yourselves!” He lunged in, capturing both of us in a single sweep.
Finally, we were taped together as a pair.
Once the war ended… I wanted to hurl my incantation at them, but why wouldn't it come out now? Tears began to well up as I thought about being sold to a brothel. I looked at Pai Pai and felt a deep, heartbreaking pity that she had to become a harlot too. I shouldn't have chosen her as the person to help me escape.
The long-haired uncle seemed to be targeting Pai Pai especially. He jabbed his finger into her forehead with such force that her head snapped back… “Don’t you dare push the blame onto anyone else.”
“I didn't! I didn't steal anything! Look!... I have nothing on me!” Pai Pai cried, her eyes filling with tears as she raised her arms high, jerking my body along with hers.
“Still being stubborn even after all this! Tan!... Hurry up and sell them. Take them to Sister Fong’s brothel just like the ones before. She gives a high price.”
“No! I won't go! I’ll bite myself right now!” Pai Pai thrashed about like a pig struggling to escape the slaughter.
I jolted upright, causing the duct tape wrapped around us to tighten and bite into my skin. But that pain was nothing compared to the feeling that my 0.01% chance of survival was about to vanish into thin air...
“Long-haired uncle! I’ll talk! I’ll tell you everything you want to know!”
My voice trembled, and traitorous tears streamed down my cheeks. They weren't just tears of fear; they were the tears of a defeated person forced to make a trade—exchanging a secret that held the fate of the entire world for the chance to avoid ending my life in that hellish brothel. The feeling was so pathetic that I just wanted to disappear from this place entirely.
But then...
The sound of the radio unlocking broke the suffocating silence.
“Tan... there’s a checkpoint ahead.” The voice came through the speaker faintly, yet it roared in everyone’s ears.
“Huh!”
Both the young driver and the long-haired uncle snapped their heads to look at each other automatically. Then, the long-haired uncle’s gaze shifted back to me, his eyes changing from rage to visible anxiety. Sweat began to bead along the hairline of his sharp features.
I took a deep breath. The sorrow from moments ago was replaced by a hope that flared up frantically. I tried to lift my chin, sending a small twitch of a smile to Pai Pai, whose eyes were still brimming with tears.
“Serves you right…” I thought to myself while staring back at the long-haired uncle without a hint of fear.
“Good people always find a way! Now it’s time for you to face the consequences of your actions. Don’t you dare ask for mercy!”
*************************************************
- Character Dynamics: I’ve kept Pai Pai’s mischievous and slippery nature intact—she’s truly like "water on a lotus leaf." Meanwhile, Natalie shows her unique side. Her defense mechanism—reciting biological facts about cells to stay sane—is something I find very defining for her character.
- The Atmosphere: The suffocating feeling of being trapped in a moving vehicle while surrounded by mist and danger is what I really wanted to convey. It’s not just about the threat outside, but the raw distrust within.
- Cultural Nuance: I’ve retained some authentic Thai metaphors, like "lying like a red-rumped monkey," to keep Bro’s gritty and blunt personality alive in the translation.