Peace Through Gentle Words

The off-road vehicle skidded out of control and plunged into the remote mountains. Her boyfriend, a police officer, held her tight in his arms to shield her.

A sharp weapon plunged into his right side with a "thud," spraying warm blood.

...The words "No Service" on her phone screen filled her with despair.

A tall, slender figure in black slowly emerged from the fog. When the person lifted his hat brim, she saw Lu Yansui, the very man who had blocked her.

She scrambled over to him on her hands and knees. "Mr. Lu, please save him! I'll pay you back!"

"Why should I save him?" Lu Yansui's coldness was chillier than the damp mountain air. He suddenly gripped her chin. "You went back on your word. You agreed to sleep with me, then changed your mind. When Alice called to say I was injured, you turned off your phone and ran away in the middle of the night."

Desperate, she knelt and clung to his leg. "I was wrong! I'll honor the promise I made, the three days!"

Lu Yansui suddenly burst out laughing, his eyes wild. "Three days? I'm raising the stakes. I want six months!

Sparks flew from the off-road vehicle in the distance. His smile twisted. "It's about to explode. He'll be free of it, but you..."