Life: A Black and White Film Chapter 5 Part3

What a different atmosphere from the gripping one of last chapter. Come find me if you need a tissue. And info, info, info!

A great booming sound soared up and ruptured the sky.

The tremors of this roar rocked the entire valley. Listening to the sound of her heartbeat as it became slower and slower, she dared not even hazard a guess. Would he be able to come out alive? What if those people wanted to force a fight to the death[1], where everyone, both for and against them, would perish together[2]? …

Slowly, she leaned her back against the rock face and closed her eyes, trying to calm herself.

Tomorrow, or perhaps after the sun came up, she would be walking out of here, walking to a place beneath the sun, where there were no sounds of gunfire and artillery exploding, and continuing with her peaceful life.

Peacefulness. Safety. These seemed to be merely wishful thinking.

To her, as she sat here on these rocks, they were far and unreachable words.

Until someone really did walk close to her. She heard the sound of gravel and loose rocks slipping and moving. Her eyes flew open. She saw an unfamiliar man standing in the shadows behind her.

He handed a piece of cloth to her.

In pa.s.sing, he pressed his index finger against his lips.

In the moonlight, that piece of cloth…

… looked very familiar.<>Please read this at hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com

Wen Han froze for several seconds, her heart palpitating. She recognized it now—it was a piece of cloth from her skirt. Dropping her head down frantically, she pulled up the corner of her skirt to look, searching all over for signs that it had been torn. When had it been torn? When? Was it him? Her head whipped up again.

That young man was a.s.sessing her with an amused gaze. What female creature could manage to cause Cheng Muyun to be in such a state? A mere girl like this?

After seeing that Wen Han had recognized her own garment and guessed whom it was from, he beckoned at her. "Come with me."

Wen Han turned and glanced back at those people, then followed that person away from there. Because of this piece of cloth, she did not even so much as consider whether this might be a ploy.<>Copyright of Fanatical, hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com. If you are not reading this from hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com, the translation has been taken without consent of the translator.

The mountain path was rough and uneven.

She could not discern any directions.

Her instinct was that this person was winding their way around the entire mountain, and he had not even thought about turning around to help her. In the beginning, Wen Han had still tried to prevent any accidental flashes of too much skin or other things that should not be flashed, and would smooth and arrange her ripped skirt. Later, however, she gave up. No one was looking at her in this virgin forest anyway, and the man up ahead evidently did not view her as female either.

They walked until she was at the point of despair. At last, they saw the edge of this forest.

There was light—moonlight.<>This is an UNAUTHORIZED copy, taken from hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com

It shone upon the underbrush in which there was no path.

After enduring the torment of such a night, the muscles in her legs were long since utterly aching and sore. Through the waist-high gra.s.s, she plodded wearily. She watched as the man braced his weight on his one hand that he had placed on a boulder and hopped up onto that huge rock.

Finally, that young man found it in his heart to be kind this once, and turning around, he stretched out a hand to her.

With a tug, he pulled her up onto the boulder.

The view was surprisingly expansive.<>Please read this at hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com

That familiar tall, slender figure was sitting in a spot sheltered from the wind. His upper body was bare, and a white gauze bandage stretched diagonally across his chest and circled to his back. A man sitting beside him and conversing quietly with him, and also several others who were standing not far from him, all simultaneously turned and looked toward this unfamiliar woman who had arrived.

Here, in the silence, in this moment, it was as if she had been left at the end of pitch-black, b.l.o.o.d.y path.

On both sides, people were wordlessly watching her.

Shadow after shadow stretched across the ground and touched the spot by her feet.

……<>This is an UNAUTHORIZED copy, taken from hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com

"Zhou Ke, you sure like to dilly-dally." A bespectacled man grinned and was the first to break the silence.

The young man who had led Wen Han to this place shrugged. "I needed to listen to her while she walked. Afraid she would fall, you know."

Everyone laughed, all of them suddenly relaxing.

And then, they all began to disperse.<>Copyright of Fanatical, hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com. Translated with the express permission of the author for hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com. If you are not reading this from hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com, the translation has been taken without consent of the translator.

Only he remained, still sitting and leaning back against the rock face.

For the first time, he had no strength to say much to her. His lips merely turned up into a faint, weary smile directed to her.

So tired.<>This is an UNAUTHORIZED copy, taken from hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com

He lifted his hand toward Wen Han, indicating that she should come close.

Wen Han did not speak either and was surprisingly compliant, leaning in toward him.

"I am very tired," Cheng Muyun told her in a voice that could not possibly be any lighter. His hand had already pushed away the coat that had been draped on her shoulders and set it on the ground.

"Do not struggle," he said to her.

He slid his hand along her shoulder and to her back, unfastening her undergarments.

Wen Han truly did not dare move, worried that she might accidentally b.u.mp any of the wounds, both visible and not visible, that were on him. She tried as best as she could with her body to accommodate him and laid herself down.

In the stillness, she heard him undo his belt.

It was the sound of metal clinking against his belt buckle. Very light.

"Are you cold?"<>Please read this at hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com

This was the first time his body lay pressed on top of her without any barrier of clothing between them, allowing her icy skin, which was exposed to the air, to clearly feel this man's warmth and skin.

The way they were fit tightly against one another allowed her to feel that, perhaps because he had just escaped death, or perhaps because of pa.s.sion, his body was hotter than hers—this was so for every part.

Her blood was burning and began to boil. She could not restrain herself and s.h.i.+fted her hips. "You're hurt. I can help you."

The desire that spilled out from every crevice of each word startled her.

"No one can help me." In a voice that was a near whisper, he told her, "Apart from your body, nothing can help me."

……<>This is an UNAUTHORIZED copy, taken from hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com

Someone was whistling.<>Please read this at hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com

In all directions around them, there were also sounds of footsteps gradually moving further away.

Those people had obviously not made a sound when they had jumped down, but now, their movements were very loud and obvious. It was as if they were saying, "This is something you deserve to have after surviving that great calamity. We have b.u.g.g.e.red far off already. Enjoy to your heart's content this gift that Life has given you—"

Soon, not even the sound of walking could be heard in this entire forest.<>Copyright of Fanatical, hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com. If you are not reading this from hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com, the translation has been taken without consent of the translator.

She was enveloped in shyness that came from being scared that, at any time, the people with him would hear and see them. She even very softly implored him, "Could you… please be faster?"

From his throat, there came a husky reply: "As you wish."

His searing hot body swallowed away both her voice and lips.

……<>Copyright of Fanatical, hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com. Translated with the express permission of the author for hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com. If you are not reading this from hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com, the translation has been taken without consent of the translator.

"Where is he?!" Meng Liangchuan had gone mad, and relentlessly, he tore at his own hair.

He had used three years before he was finally able to see Cheng Muyun. Three years! And now he had lost him, just like that. He paced in circles on the same spot. After making three rounds, he paused his steps and grabbed a young police officer who had come over. He wanted to say something, but then flung the person aside again and carried on raging away.

He finally knew where the problem lay.<>Please read this at hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com

Each move, each step that Cheng Muyun had planned clearly showed that he had already determined Meng Liangchuan's true ident.i.ty.

From the outset, Cheng Muyun had already known who he was, from where he had come, and what his mission was. Every one of Cheng Muyun's actions ultimately led to one purpose, which also coincided with his own mission: to destroy this smuggling base.

Cheng Muyun had even known that he would not have the heart to let an innocent woman become caught in this fierce battle and would definitely help Cheng Muyun take that woman away from here.

But the question was…<>Please read this at hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com

Meng Liangchuan's instinct that was born from many years of being an undercover agent told him—

"His purpose here in Nepal absolutely is not simply because he wants to reach across national borders and aid the local Nepali special police in demolis.h.i.+ng this smuggling base."

The person beside him gave an "mm-hmm" while eating a bun. "Just arrest him."

"Arrest my foot!" Meng Liangchuan felt uneasy. "As a foreign traveller, he put himself in danger to protect a local police officer and provided information that ended up cracking a huge trafficking case that's been going on for years. What, are we going to arrest him to give him a medal for outstanding contributions?!"

"Isn't there an undercover agent planted in his ranks whose ident.i.ty is still hidden?" That person eating the bun continued nibbling away until, unexpectedly biting his own tongue, he let out a sharp hiss. "Once he's out of Nepal, he's not in our territory anymore. Just don't think about it anymore."<>Copyright of Fanatical, hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com. If you are not reading this from hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com, the translation has been taken without consent of the translator.

Yes, there was still an undercover agent.

One of many years.<>This is an UNAUTHORIZED copy, taken from hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com

Meng Liangchuan crossed his arms in front of his chest. He did not want to admit it, but he was so testy not because he wanted to find any information or evidence that could be used against Cheng Muyun. Rather, his instinct was telling him, Cheng Muyun had suddenly returned to this world of men after disappearing for several years because there must be something very exciting that he needed to do, and these last few days were simply the introduction.

This man and all of his past were enough to cause any other man to admire him, to the extent of wis.h.i.+ng to swear friends.h.i.+p to the death with him.

And he, Meng Liangchuan, genuinely, sincerely wanted to play a part in whatever it was.

"That first pathway, he would not have blown that up himself, right?" Meng Liangchuan suddenly remembered that when they were making their escape from that place, the original planned route had been blown up. He had had no choice then but to take the main pathway out of there, thereby exposing his ident.i.ty.

He sucked in a sharp breath. That man…

So cunning and devious, thinking through every possible scheme.<>Copyright of Fanatical, hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com. Translated with the express permission of the author for hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com. If you are not reading this from hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com, the translation has been taken without consent of the translator.

Faint, white light gradually devoured away the darkness.

As she hazily opened her eyes, she could feel the glow of sunlight.

"It's light already…"<>This is an UNAUTHORIZED copy, taken from hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com

That terrifying night had pa.s.sed. Being captured was in the past now. What would come next?

Cheng Muyun lowered his eyes, taking in her dazed, fatigued expression that was a result of earlier pa.s.sion. "It's light. I will take you back." He thought, perhaps he should quickly finish up this matter, because he suddenly was impatient to return to Moscow, where, on the carpet beside an old-fas.h.i.+oned fireplace, he would make love to this girl or be in love with her.

As for the vow he had taken…<>Please read this at hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com

It had been made to G.o.d anyway. He believed in Buddhism.

In the pale glow of the newly risen sun, Cheng Muyun pulled on his pants and also helped her put on her clothing before standing up from the rock. "Let's go."

Wen Han followed him and looked out around, surprised by the stillness of their surroundings, as if this entire forest held only the two of them. However, two or three seconds later, in all corners, those people who had been soundly asleep against the trees or creeping along silently because they were on night watch now all rose, wobbly and tiredly, to their feet, seeming as if they had appeared noiselessly, one at a time, from thin air.

The expressions they wore were no different from those of tourists who had just come back from strolling through a scenic site. She could even see that there was a person with fine, handsome features and who looked to be no more than a grown boy of university age. Seeing that Cheng Muyun had recovered and looked as he usually did, the several men who had appeared on the rocks the previous night all lifted their brows and smirked suggestively.

A shaft of light pa.s.sed through a gap between the tree branches and dazzled her eyes.<>Copyright of Fanatical, hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com. If you are not reading this from hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com, the translation has been taken without consent of the translator.

This… was his world.

Avici h.e.l.l—an interminable h.e.l.l, where one would continue to suffer in it for innumerable eons, from eon to eon, with no means of escape.[3]<>Copyright of Fanatical, hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com. Translated with the express permission of the author for hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com. If you are not reading this from hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com, the translation has been taken without consent of the translator.

[1] 鱼死网破 "yu si w.a.n.g po." This idiom literally this means "the fish dies and the net is torn." A fish in a fisherman's net will fight to the death as it means either being caught and killed or breaking the night and escaping. The meaning of this idiom is to either fight to the death or at least perish together.

[2] 玉石俱焚 "yu s.h.i.+ ju fen." Literally meaning "both jade and stone would be burned alike and destroyed." This is an a.n.a.logy saying that good and bad will be destroyed alike and can mean that you are willing to destroy both yourself and the enemy.

[3]无间地狱，千万亿劫求出无期。 This line is taken directly from the Chinese translation of the Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva Sutra (Chinese name 《地藏本愿经》), of which an English translation can be found at (pg. 24) or : "Avici h.e.l.l… will continue to suffer from kalpas to kalpas with no means of escape."
Kalpa is a Sanskrit word that translates as "eon" or an "indescribably long time."
In Buddhism, there are many different h.e.l.ls. Avici h.e.l.l, which in Chinese is called无间地狱 or also 阿鼻地狱, is often called "interminable h.e.l.l" or "perpetual h.e.l.l." Though not eternal, the sufferings in it are constant (i.e. there is no rest between) and lasts the longest out of all the h.e.l.ls, for innumerable eons or kalpas. After a birth and death for one kalpa has pa.s.sed, a being is immediately reborn and begins the next kalpa of suffering, and so this goes on, from kalpa to kalpa, with no way of escape until the punishment is complete.
Note: I am not the least bit informed regarding Buddhism, so please do not take this as proper Buddhist doctrine and more as an approximation to help you as an understanding of context and the "living h.e.l.l from which there is no escape" life that Cheng Muyun lives.

<>Copyright of Fanatical, hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com. Translated with the express permission of the author for hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com. If you are not reading this from hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com, the translation has been taken without consent of the translator.

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