WAITING FOR THE BEGINNING

43. Revenge is Best Served with Bloodshed II

Wei Xin / Han Jin notices that he is not as brave as he used to be. When he delivered those intimidating words, he sounds convincing but he is bluffing. He is imitating his old self - when at every moment, he expects to die and hopes to die so he can be done with this life. There is a sense of finality, a brutality and a resolve that makes him an invincible fighter.

Today, he notices that he wants to hold back and win this so he can get back to pursuing that girl whose image fades day by day like an old nostalgic photograph. As he takes those deliberate steps circling Wu Zhao, his mind shoves Ping Ping into a dark corner until she no longer exists. 

By the time he releases Wu Zhao and pushes him out a few feet awy, he has shed Wei Xin and become the emotionally empty Han Jin.

Wu Zhao turns, barely containing his rage.  "I'm going to tear you limb to limb and watch you slowly die. I'm going to make Hong Ge watch you. And then you'll realize who is her real master."

Wu Zhao charges at Han Jin.

If this are about taking down Wu Zhao, Han Jin would have waited out until Wu Zhao has weakened.  But this is not about that.  This is about revenge.

So he meets Wu Zhao with his own pent up rage. This man who killed his friend and colleague Detective Li. This man who has abused and raped Hong Ge, with whom he has an ill defined relationship. Informant. A Means to an End. And sometimes bed partner.

After a several minutes of the two landing solid punches and kicks, both men sport blood spots on their expensive shirts and their face contorted from the pain. It looks as if Wu Zhao's nose might be broken and one of Wei Xin's eyes is bleeding.

Some fights are about technique.  Some are about showing off.  Some are just about hate and brutality.  The fight that ensues falls into the third category.

In his vision, Wei Xin no longer sees a man; he only sees an enemy, an animal. Worst of all, he sees a model of himself - the worst parts of his alter ego, the parts he hates the most - his double life. And with a shout, he rushes towards Wu Zhao, wanting to end it all. By taking out Wu Zhao.

Both of them so engrossed with killing each other, neither one notices the chaos outside the door.  Their audience disperses as uniformed agents charge onto the boat; a gun fight muffled by the bullet proof glass is evidenced with blood splatters smearing onto the pristine panes.  

The hand to hand devolves into a knife fight when Wu Zhao, clearly wrestled to the ground by Wei Xin and being pounded, pulls out the blade hidden in his shoe. He slashes Wei Xin a few times before Wei Xin puts his one hand on the knife and another on Wu Zho's wrist to regain control. Even with his hands bleeding profusely, Wei Xin takes the knife and makes his own mark on Wu Zhao's thighs, arms and finally the left cheek.

Just as he as poised to plunge the knife into Wu Zhao's heart, the door breaks down with Mo Ah and the reinforcement.

"Agent Zhang!" Mo Ah calls out.  

"Agent?" Wu Zhao considers for a minute and squeezes theses words thru his teeth, between him struggling for breath.  "She set me up?'

Wei Xin throws down the knife and gets off Wu Zhao.  "Why are you surprise.  You are nothing but a beast.  Even a dog wouldn't want to be with you."

Wei Xin struggles to stand straight. The injury he sustains are worse now that the adrenaline has worn off.   He staggers towards the door, where Mo Ah leads a group of agents towards him.

His vision blurs and swirls.  He sees Mo Ah gesturing at him urgently and shouts. But he can't hear the sound.  He hears a gun firing and then his body thrusts forward.

He closes his eyes.  Remembering the good moments in his life.  His childhood sweetheart Xiang Ling.  His yehyeh. His village.  And his last memory of kissing the girl whose lips tasted like plum wine while the lanterns sway gently in the night breeze and the nightingale sang in the ancient red wood cage.