Chapter 89: Speculation

A wry smile tugged at my lips, but I said nothing more—after all, I had run out of ideas. So, Black Sunglasses and I slowly slipped down the side steps, edging away from the platform. Meanwhile, Old Ghost and his crew seemed to have finished off the monkeys and were preparing to ascend the steps. Sensing an opportunity, Black Sunglasses and I began inching closer to the suspension bridge. But just then, without a sound or any warning, the bridge suddenly snapped and fell away.

At the sight of the broken bridge, both Black Sunglasses and I were stunned. Even he, usually so composed, seemed at a loss. I asked him what we should do. He hesitated, shook his head, and answered softly, “It looks like... there really isn’t a way out now. The gap is too wide to cross without the bridge, and there’s no other exit—this was the only path. Now that it’s gone, we’re truly finished.”

I pressed him further, “You mean this time we really are done for?”

“Unless something unexpected happens, yes.”

This meant we would have to face Old Ghost and his group again. Very soon, they’d discover that we’d opened the coffin on the upper platform, and taken the precious contents for ourselves. What would follow was all too obvious.

Still, I didn’t feel like just sitting around waiting for the end. Since there was no escape, it hardly mattered anymore; the urge to survive had faded, replaced by a reckless resignation. As for the burdens I bore, it seemed I would never see them through—there was nothing left to do now.

I drew my pistol, loaded the magazine to full, tucked the black-gold dagger at my back, and slung two grenades at my belt. Thus armed, I marched straight back up to the platform. Black Sunglasses stared at me, asking what I was doing. I replied, “What do you think? Would you rather sit here and wait to be gunned down?”

He sighed, shook his head, and followed, though I could tell he was dispirited. Unlike me, who had only a few months left to live, he had his whole life ahead of him—things he still hoped to do. He couldn’t take death so lightly.

By the time we set foot on the platform again, Old Ghost’s group had already arrived. Though victorious, they’d paid a steep price—everyone bore wounds, and even Lady Gu’s women had blood staining their clothes.

“You two are something else,” Old Ghost sneered. “You actually came back for me. What, gave up on running and decided to beg for a quick death?”

He didn’t seem to know the bridge was gone. Smirking, I retorted, “Why don’t you check the bridge behind you?”

Almost everyone turned instinctively. As they saw the empty chasm, their faces changed. Old Ghost’s anger was instant. “Was this your doing?!”

Before I could answer, Lady Gu spoke up. “Come now, Ghost, how could it be him? Unless he has a death wish?”

Old Ghost, realizing something was off, asked, “What’s going on here?”

I ignored him and glanced at Lady Gu and the girl behind her. That girl was holding a long sniper rifle with an advanced scope—impressive kit. Suddenly, I recalled the gunshot that had saved me before. Had it been her?

“Ghost, let’s be honest,” I said. “I have the valuables from the coffin. But as you can see, the bridge is gone. Why, I don’t know; but we’re trapped just like you. I don’t want trouble, but... forgive me.”

With that, Black Sunglasses undid his shirt buttons, revealing six grenades hanging from his chest.

“These are my insurance,” he continued. “Just showing you. I’ve got a few kilos of explosives in my pack, too—your own stuff. You know exactly what it’s capable of.”

It struck me then that Black Sunglasses was even more ruthless than I was. If he let loose with all that, the platform would collapse and take everyone with it.

The first to speak was Old Han, his arm wounded, face earnest. “Let’s not do anything hasty, Black. Those are your precious toys—why not put them away before they get broken? Listen, we’re all trapped here now. We need to work together and find a way out. Whatever else, we can settle later, right, Ghost? Lady Gu?”

Sure enough, as soon as Old Han finished, Old Ghost lowered his gun. He knew Black Sunglasses wasn’t bluffing. In a predicament like this, anyone would do the same—nobody wants to die for nothing, and if you must go, you’d want to take your enemies with you.

Lady Gu spoke as well. “Old Ghost, Han’s right. Let’s not quibble now—getting out is what matters. As for the loot, you can’t spend it if you’re dead. Whatever else, we’ll sort it out later, since it’s already out of the coffin.”

She was shrewd, her words suggesting that once we escaped, they could reclaim the goods from us—one way or another. Everyone understood her meaning.

For now, a fragile peace was established. Still, Black Sunglasses and I kept our hands ready, especially him, one hand always in his pocket, prepared to pull the pin at the slightest provocation. I believed, as did everyone else, that he would not hesitate.

We soon withdrew to one side, while Old Ghost’s group clustered near the black stone coffin, dismantling it piece by piece to study its contents—no doubt hoping to take everything with them, if they ever got out.

Sitting on the steps, Black Sunglasses and I watched them fuss over the coffin and smoked in silence. I nudged him and said, “Now, why don’t you finish what you started earlier? We have time, after all.”