Life: A Black and White Film - CH 14 part3

Birthday week day 3 of 7.

Happy Valentine’s Day! Unfortunately, I don’t have a lovey-dovey post to provide on this day. Far from it, in fact. But it is an extra long update. Thank goodness it’s birthday week with daily updates, and we can get through this part quickly.

The scene is familiar, but roles have switched.

This story was translated with the expression permission of the author for hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com. All forms of reproduction, redistribution, or reposting are not authorized, except by linking to hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com. If you are not reading this from hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com, the copy is unauthorized and has been taken without consent of the translator.

Wen Han’s mind was utterly blank as she lay on the ground, staring at the collapsed ruins.

All the screams of horror around her and the men who were pinning her down did not exist. It was if a hand had cruelly emptied her body, and her heart, blood, and everything else within it had ceased to exist…

The elephant herd was seemingly startled, as well. Taking advantage of this, the mahouts each captured their own elephants with ropes and, with sharp rebukes and curses, made these enraged Indian elephants calm down. Slowly, the beasts were led away, leaving behind only a wreckage that struck fear into people’s hearts when they beheld it.

Wen Han was long since without any feeling. Anyone who tried to pull her up did so without success. She simply lay facedown on the ground, sobbing softly, suppressing herself. She squeezed her eyes tightly closed, unwilling to believe that all of these disasters were true.

Just earlier, Cheng Muyun had still been flirting with her.

Shamelessly, he had described all the passion that should take place tonight—<>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.

“Wen Han.” Someone wanted to pick her up from the filthy, dirt ground. “Wen Han…”

A shudder racked Wen Han’s body. Her eyes unfocused, she lifted her head.

That sun hat that seemed magnified in size and also that face that, too, was streaked with tears enflamed her immeasurably. Cheng Jiayi. It was Cheng Jiayi—

Amid the continual screams that rose up all around, Wen Han, who only a moment ago had seemed as if her soul had left her, pounced, knocking Cheng Jiayi backwards and pinning her into the dirt.

Yelling and swearing in Russian, she, like a demon, spoke curses on Cheng Jiayi.

The sudden befalling of disaster had already left the guests and servants distraught, and now, everyone was also filled with great shock from this clash between two female guests.

Those few priests barely managed to pull the already completely unhinged Wen Han away.

Her chest heaving violently and her eyes blurred with tears, Wen Han shook her head incessantly. Grabbing the hand of one of the Indian men, she clutched it tightly and cried nonsensically in English, “She’s the one. She’s the one who brought harm on Cheng Muyun. She’s the one, she’s the one…”

Everybody stared bewilderedly at one another.<>Please read this at hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com instead

Cheng Jiayi gathered her shirt, which had been yanked open, back together and smiled awkwardly. “I think she might have some sort of misunderstanding about me. Her brother’s life or death is still uncertain, and I am her brother’s girlfriend. I am willing to take responsibility for her. Please, how about letting me take her?

“… Certainly. We will certainly give Miss Wen Han to the person closest to her to take care of her.” Those several Indian men once more exchanged a look. One of them remarked, “But it appears that Miss Wen Han emotionally is very unstable. Are you certain you can handle her right now?”

“Of course I can. These emotions of hers are only temporary—”

“No!” Wen Han pushed away the Indian man who was supporting her. “I’m not Cheng Muyun’s younger sister. She is! She is Cheng Muyun’s cousin-sister. I am the one who is Cheng Muyun’s girlfriend! Do you not know that my surname is Wen and hers is Cheng?!”

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

Everyone looked pityingly at Wen Han.<>Please support this translation at hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com

Of course they knew this. Wen Han was Cheng Muyun’s half-sister, sharing the same mother but with different fathers. Regarding the difference in their surnames, Cheng Muyun had already explained this to them long ago.<>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.

Wen Han stared helplessly at everyone. There was not a single person here who actually knew the real relationship between her and Cheng Muyun…

She backed away. When she bumped into a table, her steps finally ceased. With eyes clouded with tears, she shook her head. “I’m not going. I need to stay here. I need to wait for you to finish clearing away the wreckage… I’m not going.”

Cheng Jiayi hurriedly stepped forward and supported her with her hands. “Of course. We both won’t go. We’ll both wait here…”

“Don’t touch me!” Wen Han shoved her away once more.<>Please read this at hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com

This truly was a situation that made people feel awkward.<>Please read this at hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com

A man was killed in a mishap, and now, at this time, conflict had arisen between that man’s younger sister and girlfriend… Not having the heart to watch this, those several priests pulled them apart and quietly tried to calm them. They told them that the police were already hurrying over, that everyone was clearing the accident scene, and that they should wait patiently.

Right at this moment, a jubilant roar sounded up near the wreckage.

Wen Han immediately whipped her gaze there. Someone was shouting something in Hindi.

She did not understand what was being said; she did not understand at all.

Wen Han anxiously gripped the Indian man who was trying to pacify and persuade her. “What are they saying? Is it Cheng Muyun? Have they found him?!”

Elation could be seen on the Indian man’s face, but then very shortly, he turned to look regretfully and mournfully at her. “It is my brother. My eldest brother has been rescued out from there.”

“……” Wen Han’s heart dropped to the ground once more.<>Please read this at hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com

“He was very lucky. He escaped from there before it collapsed! Miss Wen Han, do not worry. There is still hope!” Because of his older brother’s rescue, there was an unconcealable expression of joyous surprise on the Indian man’s face.

Her legs went limp. Unable to stand, she sagged into a sun chair.

Before long, several dozen Indian police officers arrived as well as those Interpol agents who had taken Cheng Muyun away from that crude, little building that day. The site was quickly sealed off, and rescue teams that were more professional continued digging at the debris.

Cheng Jiayi tried several times to explain to Wen Han that she had only said those things just now in order to follow through on Cheng Muyun’s instructions. Since Cheng Muyun all along had been trying to cover up Wen Han’s true identity… Wen Han refused to talk to her. She did not want to see Cheng Jiayi. She did not want even one extra glimpse of her.

Her face was completely stained with tears and dirt, which had intermixed together. A kindly servant handed her a warmed towel. When she pressed that warm towel against her whole face, tears once more began streaming out unrelentingly.<>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.

The sky soon darkened.<>Please support the original translation at hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com instead

A filthy pair of boots came to stand in front of Wen Han. “Miss Wen Han.”

In the night wind, she lifted her head to see Meng Liangchuan squatting before her, saying in a low tone to her, “The site is almost cleared. Because Cheng Muyun and Fu Yiming’s identities are rather special, we cannot let you see the scene or the remains of the corpses at the moment.”

“Corpses…” Wen Han’s lips parted. In a raspy voice, she repeated, “Corpses?”

“Yes. There are only corpses down there.”<>Please read this at hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com instead

Her heart was clenching rapidly. Cold sweat began to break out on her back.

The sky and earth spun around her, and she had no choice but to shut her eyes tightly.

No! That was impossible… Her action of clenching her hands forcefully into fists caused her nails to drive deep into her palms.

Cheng Muyun could not be dead.<>This UNAUTHORIZED copy was taken from hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com

She did not believe it, did not believe that he would die. Perhaps the enraged elephant herd had shaken her earlier and she did feel fear, but even now, though there was lingering horror when remembering the situation, she still did not believe that he would die.

That man could not have died here. He wouldn’t die! He wouldn’t die in any place!

Wen Han immediately opened her eyes and seized Meng Liangchuan’s collar. “I don’t believe what you said. You are lying to me, right? Meng Liangchuan, you’re lying to me—”

“Miss Wen Han!” Meng Liangchuan grasped her hands tightly and looked straight into her eyes. “In such a time as now, if you don’t believe me, whom can you believe? Tell me, whom do you dare believe? You have not a penny on you. You don’t even have your passport and luggage. Here, you only had Cheng Muyun. You must believe me. Only I can get you safely back to Moscow!”

Yes, that was right. All of her things had been left in Nepal…<>Please read this at hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com

She had nothing.<>This UNAUTHORIZED copy was taken from hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com

Not even anything that could prove her identity.<>Please read this at hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com instead

Right now, in this time, she was an illegal alien here. Anyone’s words were more credible than hers. Maybe those Interpol agents that were on the scene here knew all of her identity information.

But…<>Please support the original translation of this story at hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com instead

Wen Han remembered that morning when they, armed with loaded weapons, had taken Cheng Muyun away.

It seemed she could believe no one. Somewhat helplessly, she looked at Meng Liangchuan. “He’s not dead, right?”

Meng Liangchuan shook his head. “There’s a body.”

“He’s not dead, right?” Wen Han’s teeth clamped down tightly on her lip.

Meng Liangchuan continued shaking his head. “I can’t make any conclusions.”

“He’s not dead, right?!” Wen Han had somewhat lost control of herself. Her shoulders trembled slightly, an uncontainable tremble. Narrowing his eyes, Meng Liangchuan did not answer.

He had to admit that this was also his speculation. Being the deeply shrewd and cunning man that he was, Cheng Muyun would not die so easily in any place. If any person wanted him dead, then the one trying to kill him needed to be prepared to pay with the lives of hundreds, even thousands of people.

But… a corpse truly did exist.<>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.

Behind them, those servants responsible for cleaning up were all ordered away. This place had been totally sealed off by the police.

The elephants turning violent could have been an accident, but the platform had exploded, and that was what had incited the herd even more. With explosions and what they were, there was a hundred percent chance it was not an accident.

The official who had interrogated Cheng Muyun that day was now crouched down at the scene, frowning at the remaining fragments and scraps of the eighteen thousand bamboo poles that had been trampled and crushed.

Indeed, it was Hell’s Ops Team.<>This UNAUTHORIZED  copy was taken from hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com

For two ops leaders to die on the same day from explosions and the attack of an elephant herd…

The official rose, brushed off his hands, and walked over to the people beneath the nearest white, cloth canopy.

Seeing this superior officer approaching him, Meng Liangchuan rose and gave a salute.

Cheng Jiayi stood. As Cheng Muyun had exposed her identity, she now had nothing to hide, either. She gave a token salute to this senior officer who was not her direct superior.

Only Wen Han remained sitting, curled up on a white sun chair, completely motionless.

Nothing that happened before her eyes registered in her mind at all. There was only one thought in her consciousness: he was not dead.<>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.

“Miss Wen Han.” The official cleared his throat. “We have all of your information. In this place, in India here, you are considered to have entered the country illegally. Of course, considering your special status, we will not be holding you responsible in this matter. I ask that you please cooperate with my subordinates and Mister Chen Yuan to do some necessary checks, and then Mister Chen Yuan will be responsible for sending you back to Moscow.”

Wen Han slowly lifted her eyes.<>Please read this at hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com instead

Shadow after shadow overlapped together. With backs facing the brilliance of the searchlights that were being used in the far-off wreckage to provide illumination, they all appeared trapped within an outline of darkness.

Whether it was this official, or Chen Yuan, or Cheng Jiayi, or even Meng Liangchuan…

Cheng Muyun, tell me, what do you want me to do? What can I do for you?

Her mind was muddledly thinking this as, amid once more the sound of that official’s bureaucratic tone, she was helped up by that female Interpol agent who had been one of the ones responsible for monitoring Cheng Muyun all this time. Wen Han followed everyone and got into a normal-looking, off-road vehicle. After she took her seat, the black curtains over the windows were lowered.

To her left was Meng Liangchuan. In front of her were Chen Yuan and Cheng Jiayi.

The vehicle drove, bumping and jolting, for a long time. Along the way, a corner of the curtain swung up from the rocking. Familiar scenery could be seen underneath the moon’s glow—a sunflower field. That day, it was in this place that Cheng Muyun had told her he loved her. He had said, if he could do everything again, he was willing to live his life for her.

The vehicle soon came to a stop.<>Please support the original translation  at hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com

Wen Han had not come to this rundown, courtyard home before. Last time, Fu Yiming had dropped her off along the way in the sunflower field, and she had spent the entire time in waiting.

She looked at her surroundings. Many armed men were silently watching her.

This reminded her of that time outside that mountain lair, when she saw for the first time those people other than Cheng Muyun. On a boulder, he had sat with white dressing gauze circling his body. On either side of him, they had been standing or sitting, their shadows superimposing one upon the other and stretching over to her feet. At the time, when she stepped up onto that huge rock, she had felt that she was stepping into a world completely unknown to her.

“Miss Wen Han”—Chen Yuan lifted a hand and pointed at the door—”please go in.”

Halting her footsteps, Wen Han wordlessly turned her eyes onto Chen Yuan.

Chen Yuan repeated again, “Please go in.”<>Please read this at hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com instead

“Does it pain you? To do this?” Wen Han asked him in Russian, her voice light.

His face void of expression, Chen Yuan said for the third time, “Please go in.”

Cheng Muyun had once given an order to all the members of the operations team. Chen Yuan knew clearly that the message he received was the same one that had been given to all those ops team members who still remained concealed in the shadows and whose identities were still a secret: this Miss Wen Han was to be treated in the same way as one would treat Cheng Muyun’s wife.

Therefore, even if Wen Han were to pummel Chen Yuan with her fists and feet right now, he still would not dare retaliate.

Even if he did dare, he still needed to take into consideration the reaction of those comrades who cared not about sentiment or giving face and recognized only their leader.

Wen Han stepped inside.<>This UNAUTHORIZED  copy was taken from hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com

Following in after her were also Meng Liangchuan and Cheng Jiayi.

The three chairs in front of them were all empty. Chen Yuan pointed at the one in the middle. “Miss Wen Han, please take a seat. Just some routine questions.” He then looked at the other two people. “You two as well.”

Meng Liangchuan let out a snort through his nose. “It sure is odd. Last time when Cheng Laoban was being interrogated, I had to be interrogated at the same time. This time you’re questioning his woman, and I still need to keep her company.”

The official who had been responsible for leading the interrogation last time was a secondary interrogator this time. Sitting at the furthest corner, he gave a couple of coughs. “Ol’ Meng, be cooperative. This time, it’s not that serious.”

Cheng Jiayi, on the other hand, spoke no needless words and directly took a seat.<>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.

The door was shut. Three interrogation officers, three people to be interrogated, and a transcriber.

This time, the one in charge of giving the questions and making the judgments was Chen Yuan.

Seeming as if he did not know the three of them, Chen Yuan sat down and pushed up his glasses. “Everyone, because the incident that just happened was an intentional, manmade occurrence and two leaders of the Moscow operations team also ended up dying on the scene, we will need to carry out some routine procedures and question those who had the most contact with the two of them.

“This case is very special, and therefore, the responsibility of interrogating all of you could only be given to me and not the local police. I hope you will all be understanding. After this questioning, someone will escort you back to where you need to go. Your identities will not be exposed. Only when this case is solved and the entire truth comes out will you be completely cleared of all suspicions. Of course, you may all continue living your normal lives during this period. No one will disturb you.

“I hope I have been very clear.”<>This UNAUTHORIZED copy was taken from hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com

Cheng Jiayi and Meng Liangchuan both knew that this was normal procedure. Calmly, they nodded in answer.

Only Wen Han was still uneasy and twisted her fingers together tightly.

With his pen, Chen Yuan pointed at Cheng Jiayi. “What is your relationship with Cheng Muyun?”

Cheng Jiayi’s eyes were red, and her voice was hoarse, “I am his cousin through our fathers, his younger cousin-sister. Ten years ago, before a portion of the Moscow ops team was cruelly wiped out, I had just finished an undercover assignment and joined the ops team. At that time, I had only just learned, too, that my cousin-brother was the temporary ops leader.”

Chen Yuan nodded. “A very young undercover agent. Back then, you should have only just passed the age of majority.”

“Yes,” Cheng Jiayi softly agreed. “It was Zhou Ke who convinced me to defect and become an undercover agent.”

Everyone was startled.<>Please support the original translation of this story at hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com

Chen Yuan asked, “What was your relationship with the one who was fatally shot, Zhou Ke?”

“We were dating.”<>This is an UNAUTHORIZED copy, taken from hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com

Chen Yuan nodded. “Why did you come to Nepal?”

“Half a year ago, after Cheng Muyun entered Nepal, he sent word telling me that I should come to the border area between Nepal and India to continue investigating the case. The operations back then had only destroyed the smuggling route along the Russia-Mongolia border. Cheng Muyun said he now had learned the details on the smuggling route along the India-Nepal border.”

Meng Liangchuan could not help whistling at this.<>Please read this at hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com instead

Chen Yuan asked puzzledly, “What was that about?”<>Please read this at hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com instead

With a cough, Meng Liangchuan replied, “I was just sighing over how excellent that small ops team that you all belong to is. There is absolutely no difference between the answer this miss just gave and the one you gave before.”

Chen Yuan frowned displeasedly.<>This UNAUTHORIZED copy was taken from hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com

Meng Liangchuan shrugged. “I did not mean to interrupt. Continue your questioning.”

His brows creasing together tightly, Chen Yuan looked once again at Cheng Jiayi. “Why did you later come to India?”

Cheng Jiayi answered, “Because Cheng Muyun said the leads for the case had dried up and told me to go back to Moscow. But he and I had been close when we were young, and I hadn’t seen him for ten years, so I decided to come with him here. Also… I was grieving over Zhou Ke’s death, so coming to India could be considered a distraction for my mind.”

Wen Han stared in astonishment at Cheng Jiayi. She was lying.

But no one expressed any sort of doubt toward her words.<>Please read this at hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com

Right now in this room, except for the noise of someone typing on a keyboard, there were no other extraneous sounds.

Chen Yuan took a drink of water. “Thank you for your cooperation, Miss Cheng Jiayi.”

He turned his gaze to the one who had made a strange noise just earlier, Meng Liangchuan. “My question for you is very simple—the relationship between you and Miss Wen Han?”

Meng Liangchuan laughed. “She and I have no sort of relationship. We haven’t even exchanged more than a few words. She’s an ordinary person who went to Nepal on vacation, and then Cheng Muyun abducted… hmm, brought her to India. In any case, she and I have nothing to do with each other.”<>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.

Abducted?<>Please support the original translation of this story at hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com instead

Apart from Chen Yuan, everyone else was rather astounded at this. This was different from the information they had received.

According to their sources, this Miss Wen Han and Cheng Muyun had fallen in love with one another at first sight, and she had come of her own accord with him the whole journey from Nepal to India. You could call it… a romantic trip of love?

The person in charge of typing weighed for quite a while the idea of putting down the word “abducted” but, in the end, still recorded the facts as they had been.

Chen Yuan gave a nod.<>This is an UNAUTHORIZED copy, taken from hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com

At last, he turned his eyes to Wen Han, whose hands had been on her lap and fingers had been twisting together the whole time.

In regards to this girl, the information they had was very complete, and there was nothing really worth interrogating.

She was the least likely person to have created that manmade explosion.

“Miss Wen Han, I only need you to answer some questions that will be asked under a polygraph. Once we have confirmed that the information you know is not enough to threaten the Moscow operations team, you will temporarily have your freedom.”

“You can ask whatever you want,” Wen Han stated, “but you must find that mole.”

The room instantaneously fell silent.<>Please read this at hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com instead

It was practically a deathly stillness.<>Please read this at hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com instead

The interrogation officers and the transcriber from last time as well as everyone in the room other than Wen Han all grew quiet.

This girl must not have known that last time, in that exact same seat, Cheng Muyun had, with his own lips, refuted everyone’s words, and the content of what he had argued: there was no mole in the Moscow operations team, and he had never privately doled out punishment on anyone.<>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.

This story was translated with the expression permission of the author for hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com. All forms of reproduction, redistribution, or reposting are not authorized, except by linking to hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com. If you are not reading this from hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com, the copy is unauthorized and has been taken without consent of the translator.

Completed: 1 of 1 Prologue 43 of 50 Chapter segments 0 of 1 Epilogue