Los Angeles defector

Dialogue

With a new mission in his heart, Jason refocused, swiftly rushing down the railway embankment like the wind, crashing into the fleeing crowd, heading towards the woman on the verge of death. Whoever stood in his way, regardless of their stature, size, or condition, in Jason's eyes, they were merely obstacles unrelated to him, ruthlessly torn aside, forcefully pushed down, trampled upon as he ran past, creating a wailing chasm in the chaotic crowd.

Isabella felt herself suddenly lifted by a strong pair of arms. Before she could grasp the situation, she was heavily tossed up, her waist and abdomen leaning against a broad shoulder, her upper body hanging down, pressed against a sturdy back, jostling as they surged towards the outer edge of the crowd.

Isabella panicked and involuntarily reached out to grab the other person's clothes to maintain balance. When her hand touched the hem of the other person's shirt pocket, she felt the outline of a handgun and instinctively pulled it out—a Browning 1900.

In an instant, the still unhealed wound in her heart was violently torn open once again. This was the scoundrel, the shameless villain, the despicable deserter.

The trajectory of the first plane's consecutive shots was passing through the spot they had just left, creating a series of splattering mud clouds, intermingled with cries of being hit and patches of splintering crimson. Yet, at this moment, Isabella paid no attention to these, unhesitatingly pressing the handgun against his trembling back and pulling the trigger.

Click— Her magazine had long been emptied, so Isabella clenched the handgun, using it as a hammer, fiercely pounding the back she could only see, exerting all her strength to smash, again and again. The blows numbed her gripping hand, causing pain, making it impossible to hold on any longer, and the g*n fell from her grasp. She then twisted her body with all her might, pressing her face against his lower back, biting down hard, sinking her teeth in viciously, through the military uniform, a ring of crimson seeping out...

Jason wrapped one arm around Isabella's thighs, hoisting her over his shoulder and sprinting with all his might. They had to get away from the railway, break through the dense crowd. Jason knew where the planes would strike, having experienced too much. Suddenly, he felt something pressing against his back, and in an instant, a urgent warning of death flashed in his mind—it was the barrel of a g*n!

But Jason made no move to evade or break free, continuing to run. It seemed like, ever since becoming a soldier, this was the first time he was following an order for himself, one that had to be carried out to the end. Even though the cost seemed high, it was something owed to her, well...

Click—It was her Browning after all. Jason couldn't help but feel relieved. This foolish woman had forgotten that she had already run out of bullets.

Immediately, a sharp pain shot through his back, the distinct metallic sensation of a g*n handle. Then, a series of intense pains followed, causing Jason, who was carrying Isabella and running, to stagger, but he gritted his teeth and kept running. If he hadn't known that the woman was hitting him from behind, Jason would have almost thought he had been shot. This crazy woman, even if he had committed unforgivable sins, did she not want to live either?

Finally, a piercing and unforgettable pain shot through his waist, relentless and continuous, the sensation spreading ominously from that single point. This vicious woman! Eventually, Jason fell heavily to the ground...

Night fell, bringing with it a sense of exhaustion. Even in the darkness, the bustling crowd never ceased. However, Jason stopped, for he knew that pushing through the night wouldn't get him any further. It was only through proper rest that he could persevere until the end.

Near the bustling railway in the shadows, Jason chose a small patch of dry ground and lit a bonfire. He took off his shirt and offered it to the woman, but his gesture was met with cold silence. He then took out two sweet potatoes from his provisions bag and handed them to her. She accepted them expressionlessly and devoured them hungrily. It wasn't that Jason was being stingy; there were only a few sweet potatoes, originally meant for one person each. Now with two people, careful planning was necessary if they were to continue their journey. Dinner should have been one sweet potato per person, but Jason gave her his own as well.

From the first meeting until now, she has never uttered a word. Of course, during their first encounter, her mouth was gagged, rendering her unable to speak. Now, she sat by the bonfire with her knees drawn close to her chest, gazing fixedly at the flickering flames. It seemed as though the bonfire was also gazing back at her, like a delicate statue. Throughout their journey, Jason had attempted to engage her in conversation, but received no response. In her eyes, Jason was not even worth the air he breathed.

Jason used a stick to stir the bonfire, causing the flames to diminish and burn more slowly. He added a few collected thick branches to the fire and then sat down across from her, on the other side of the bonfire.

"I am Jason, a deserter from the 107th Division. Who are you?"

"..."

"How did you get your g*n?"

"..."

"You are not a rich young lady, because a rich young lady cannot endure this hardship. You are not a military officer's wife, because you are... a virgin. You are also not a spy, as if you were, you could seek help from the military at any time. So who are you really? Why are you carrying a g*n?"

"..."

"I know you hate me, but when it comes to killing, don't you have something to say?"

Upon hearing Jason's words, Isabella finally lifted her head and looked at Jason disdainfully across the flickering fire. "I owe that child, but I don't owe you!"

"..."

"Using that as an excuse to ruin a woman's innocence, is it loyalty or despicableness?"

"..."

"Do you think that by saving me during the day, I would be eternally grateful? Do you think a woman's innocence is as cheap as roadside weeds?"

"..."

"Compared to the blood-sucking aggressors who are currently ravaging the innocent, how much stronger are you?"

"..."

"You, a cowardly deserter, a despicable bastard, are you even worthy of being called a human?"

"..."

"Speak!"

The bonfire reflected in a pair of beautiful yet icy black pupils, blazing fiercely and staring at Jason, making him unable to meet the gaze, sending shivers down his spine, wishing he could find a hole to crawl into. What was wrong with him? He had never felt like this before, except perhaps when facing the military instructors back at the military academy. Jason had never felt so uneasy.

People always say women are made of water, damn nonsense. The woman across from him was clearly like a burning stone, where was the water? Jason hung his head in frustration, absolutely refusing to believe the women stories soldiers made up about each other.

"You coward! Say something!"

"What do I need to do for you to forgive me?"

"You want me to forgive you? How did you act when I was crying and begging you to spare me!"

"So what, I've already done it, no regrets!"

"You—"

"You were going to kill me, right? Now I give you back your life. Is that enough?" After saying this, Jason grabbed the rifle beside him, loaded a bullet with a clatter, and handed the g*n to Isabella across the bonfire.

The scene fell silent, with the two of them facing each other across the g*n, across the bonfire, silently locking eyes. The two figures, illuminated by the firelight, stretched thin and long in opposite directions, growing farther and farther, seemingly endless, disappearing into the night...