C26 I Am A Worm On My Knees

At least twenty gunmen pulled out advanced weapons, all hidden inside performance props. Ethan was shocked—even under strict gun control, these men had obtained military-grade firearms. They had dared to crash the police chief’s wedding, knowing full well that dozens of officers were present but none were armed. The criminals had planned every detail.

The crowd was quickly herded together. Phones were seized. Everyone was trapped like sheep.

Then the leader stepped out.

Ethan’s blood ran cold.

It was the bomber he’d stopped at the police station—the huge, muscular man he’d knocked unconscious.

“Bring me the bride and groom!” the man shouted. “You enjoyed a city-wide celebration? Now you’ll set another record: the unluckiest newlyweds in X City history!”

His name was Tian Kui.

“Ethan! You said I only hid in the dark! Now I’m here! I promised I’d make you live a fate worse than death—and today I keep my word!”

Ethan stepped forward. His fault, his responsibility.

“If you’re here for me, let these people go. This has nothing to do with them.”

Tian Kui laughed wildly.

“Too late! They’re all connected to you! And these useless cops? I’m taking my revenge!”

He turned and gestured toward the crowd.

“Secretary Ma! Director Ding! Don’t hide! I know you’re here!”

The two officials stumbled out, pale and trembling.

Tian Kui’s eyes glowed with madness.

“Now we play a game. You, Ethan—fight my men. Win, and I spare a cop. Lose, and I kill one. Simple, yes?”

“I’ll fight you!” Dana stepped in front of Ethan, her eyes blazing with grief and rage. “Leave him out of this!”

Tian Kui grinned.

“Brave bride. But if you lose… I ruin that pretty face. Your husband’s already dead. Why keep the looks?”

Before Ethan could react, Tian Kui raised his gun and shot Yu Dong in the head.

Blood and brains splattered over Dana and Ethan.

Dana collapsed, unconscious.

Ethan’s heart shattered.

“Wake her up!” Tian Kui ordered. His men splashed cold water on her.

Dana woke, staring at Yu Dong’s body. Her police training took over. She was no longer a bride—she was a cop again.

“What do you want? Let the innocent go!”

Tian Kui laughed.

“I want to watch Ethan break. I want him to lose everything—especially his pride.”

He turned to his men. “Any cop hiding in the crowd who won’t show himself? Kill them.”

A female gunman named Xiao Juan walked into the crowd and gunned down five men.

Ethan did not flinch. Those men had hidden when they should have stood up. They deserved to die.

“Now the real game,” Tian Kui said. “Thirty-five cops. Your life, Ethan, for theirs.”

“I’ll fight you!” Ethan roared.

“Shut up!” Dana snapped. “This is my fight!”

She charged at Tian Kui, punching and kicking with all her strength. But Tian Kui was too strong. He tossed his coat over her arms, trapping her, then beat her to the ground.

Dana lay motionless.

Tian Kui pulled a dagger and pressed it against her cheek. A thin line of blood appeared.

“NO!” Ethan screamed. “I’ll do anything! Spare her! I beg you!”

Tian Kui smiled.

“Beg? On your knees. Kneel for me. Beg like a worm.”

“Ethan, don’t! Don’t do it! You’re a man!” Dana shouted.

Tian Kui ignored her.

“Kneel. One thousand times. And if you don’t… I break legs first. Secretary Ma? Director Ding?”

His men smashed their legs with gun butts. The two officials fainted from pain.

Ethan cracked.

“I’ll kneel! I’ll kneel! Just stop!”

He dropped to his knees and began banging his head on the floor, over and over.

“Please… spare her… spare them…”

Tian Kui watched, enjoying every second.

“Louder! Beg louder!”

Ethan’s forehead bleeding. He kept kneeling.

Then Tian Kui sliced Dana’s cheek again.

Something inside Ethan snapped completely.

He stopped kneeling.

He stood up… and laughed.

Loud, crazy, empty laughter.

Everyone stared.

“Ethan? You stopping?” Tian Kui frowned.

Ethan tilted his head, eyes blank.

“Kneel for money? You pay?”

Tian Kui was confused. “Yeah! Yeah, you kneel, you get money!”

“Okay! Money!” Ethan cheered.

He began kneeling to every guest, holding out his hand like a beggar.

“Pay me! Pay me!”

When a terrified cop didn’t give him money, Ethan attacked him—punching, biting, scratching like a madman. He robbed the man, then giggled and knelt to the next person.

Tian Kui burst out laughing.

“He’s crazy! The great mayor is insane!”

He’d won. He’d destroyed Ethan completely.

“Sixth Brother! Police are surrounding the building!” a gunman shouted.

“No problem! We leave now!” Tian Kui yelled. “Let the madman live in his hell!”

The gang ran upstairs.

Seconds later, three helicopters appeared on the rooftop.

Dana’s heart sank. They’d prepared everything.

The gunmen fired wildly as they escaped.

Inside the hall, Ethan still knelt, begging for money, bills falling from his bloody hands.

Dana couldn’t watch anymore.

She picked up a wine bottle and smashed it over Ethan’s head.

Everything went black.