novelraw Chapter 147 Rebirth
Chapter 147 Rebirth
“Old Tian————”
Jiang Ran felt as if the rainwater pooled on the rooftop had turned into glue-like mud, sticking to his feet so heavily that he could barely lift them, unable to move an inch.
As he had sprinted up the stairs just now, a stubborn hope had clung to him the entire way—that the so-called “second killer,” the successor who had replaced Fang Yang and infiltrated Donghai University, would not be Old Tian.
Back in 2045, the Killer had said that on July 21, he had switched assignments to kill Zhou Xiong; and Old Tian had coincidentally started working as a cleaner at Donghai University right after the new semester began.
The doctrine of the Mutual Aid Society of Regrets was to compensate each believer who completed a task for the regrets of their life. And Old Tian’s life could only be described as filled with regrets—he had lost his father in childhood, his wife after marriage, and his only daughter had fallen into a vegetative state.
It was now 11 p.m. What normal person would contact a cleaner at this hour to discuss something? But Old Tian had exactly one reason that no cleaner could refuse—only he could, at this time, guarantee that the cleaner would take the bait.
When Jiang Ran had just called the cleaner, the man had clearly said he was with Old Tian. And just as Jiang Ran shouted for him to get away from Old Tian, the call had suddenly been cut off—and could no longer be reached.
Countless direct and indirect clues—at this moment, all twisted together into a rope, winding and converging, pointing straight at Old Tian!
He had never imagined it.
The second killer sent by the Mutual Aid Society of Regrets… was actually Old Tian—the same honest, simple man who cleaned alongside him every day—At this moment, in the torrential rain.
Jiang Ran looked at Old Tian, only a short distance away, yet it felt as if they were separated by the ends of the earth.
On Old Tian’s side, his clothes were completely soaked, his hair plastered tightly to his scalp by the pouring rain. He gritted his teeth, breathing heavily, holding a gun steady, aiming at Qingjie Han, who had already retreated to the edge of the rooftop.
At this moment, Old Tian had completely lost his usual warmth and cheerfulness. His eyes were vicious and resolute, his expression both terrified and frenzied!
His face was smeared with mud—no longer distinguishable whether it was rainwater or tears!
“Old Tian!!”
Thunder roared down from ten thousand meters above, the torrential rain crashing relentlessly, drowning the world in sound.
Visibility here was extremely low. The rain mixed with dust, smearing over his eyelids—Jiang Ran could barely keep his eyes open: “Old Tian!!!”
Forcing himself against the storm, Jiang Ran shouted at the armed Old Tian: “What are you doing, Old Tian?! Put the gun down!”
“Don’t come any closer!”
Old Tian clenched his teeth. “One more step—and I’ll shoot!!”
Hearing this, Jiang Ran froze in place, not daring to advance.
“Qingjie Han!”
Jiang Ran looked toward the edge of the rooftop.
The man stood there with both hands raised, his face pale. His signature gold-rimmed glasses had long since been knocked off by the rushing rain, and his usually neat parted hair now hung messily at his ears.
Another flash of lightning tore through the sky, followed by a deep rumble like a giant drum.
“Old Tian! Calm down!”
Jiang Ran raised both hands like Qingjie Han, afraid of provoking him, inching forward step by step. “That’s Qingjie Han! Qingjie Han! He’s our friend! He’s trying to use the latest technology to save Lili! Put the gun down first—he’s not a bad person!”
Qingjie Han also steadied himself and spoke: “Old Tian, don’t do anything foolish. Whatever it is, we can talk it through.”
“As for the consciousness upload experiment—whether you participate or not is entirely your own choice. We fully respect your decision. Don’t act on impulse!”
“I don’t know why you want to kill me, but everything I told you was out of goodwill. I have no ill intentions. Please—you have to believe me!”
However.
Faced with their desperate attempts to persuade him—
Old Tian trembled all over, teeth clenched, face twisted. “It’s useless—sorry—not that I want to kill you.”
“But for Lili… for Lili, I have to—”
Lili.
Yes—Lili.
The only thing Old Tian had left in this world.
Jiang Ran wiped the rain from his face and shouted, “Old Tian! Think about Lili! She’s still waiting for you in the hospital! Waiting for you to stay with her as she grows up! Don’t do something stupid here!”
“I know you joined the Mutual Aid Society of Regrets! I know you’re carrying out an assassination on someone else’s behalf! But—there’s no escaping the law! If you get caught, if you’re sentenced, what will happen to Lili?!”
Qingjie Han glanced between the two of them, unable to understand what they were talking about.
But he knew this much—silence was safest. He must not provoke Old Tian, who had clearly lost control.
“Old Tian, listen to me!”
In the heavy rain, Jiang Ran swept his hair back with one hand, squinting as he moved forward in small steps. “I don’t know what regret they promised to fix for you—but if it’s money, I can help! If it’s medical resources, Qingjie Han can help too!”
“We’re all doing this for you and Lili! Don’t act on impulse and go down a path of crime—you won’t be able to turn back!”
“Most importantly—if you commit a crime, what happens to Lili? Think about it! If you go to prison, who will take care of her? Calm down, Old Tian!”
“No————”
Old Tian shook his head wildly, completely deaf to reason. “It’s for Lili!!”
His voice broke into a hysterical scream, full of helplessness and struggle: “The Priest promised me! As long as I complete the task, he’ll immediately fix my regret! Immediately make Lili wake up!”
“Let her live like a normal girl again! Give her a new life!”
Boom—boom—boom—boom—boom—boom—
The storm reached its peak.
Countless thunderclaps and lightning bolts roared overhead, blue veins of electricity spreading across the night sky like shattered glass.
One branch of lightning struck the rooftop itself—exploding beside the three of them!
Jiang Ran stood in the flooded rooftop, Old Tian’s scream hitting harder than the thunder.
What?
Make Tian Xiaoli—a vegetative patient—wake up?
After completing the task… immediately fix the regret, immediately make Tian Xiaoli wake after ten years of coma?
How was that possible?!
Absurd!
Jiang Ran had never imagined that the Priest of the Mutual Aid Society of Regrets would dare to make such an unrealistic promise!
He had thought Old Tian was helping them for the same reason as Fang Yang—the Killer—simply for money, to get enough to treat his daughter.
Fang Yang had killed so his younger brother could—
live a happy life.
At least that logic made sense.
But Old Tian—
What he wanted to fix—
was so direct, so impossible—he wanted his vegetative daughter to wake up!
Experts everywhere had already declared Tian Xiaoli had no chance of waking. Worse, her brain had severely atrophied; even her brainstem functions were unstable, at risk of respiratory failure at any moment.
With such severe brain damage—how could she just wake up?!
“Old Tian! That’s impossible!”
Jiang Ran pleaded desperately. “You’ve been deceived! So many experts have said Lili won’t wake up anytime soon—I understand how you feel as a father, but you can’t fall for nonsense like this!”
“Put the gun down, please! I’m begging you! This is for your own good—and for Lili!”
“Medical science is advancing fast! Give it a few more years—just hold on a little longer—I believe there will be a way! Don’t trust those frauds!”
Qingjie Han, under the trembling gun barrel, finally understood.
So that was it.
Someone had hired Old Tian to kill.
And the payment—
was not money.
Not profit.
But the promise that his vegetative daughter would wake up immediately.
Such a ridiculous promise… only desperate parents, with no hope left, would believe.
“Old Tian, listen to me. Put the gun down first.”
Qingjie Han raised his hands gently. “I believe Lili will wake up someday—she will. But if anyone can achieve that, it must be doctors and scientists—not empty-talking frauds!”
“I’ve seen too many families in the hospital grasp at anything in desperation. I understand your feelings—but please, trust science. Trust doctors.”
“Saving lives is a doctor’s responsibility—and something only doctors can do. Believe me—even if you kill me here, it won’t change anything! Lili won’t wake up because of my death!”
“Stop talking!!!”
Thunder crashed together with Old Tian’s roar. “The Priest is omnipotent! You haven’t seen his power! He can do anything! Only he can save Lili!”
“Sorry—Qingjie Han, hate me if you must. I don’t want to kill you. You’re a good person—but for Lili—I have no choice!”
With that—
he stepped forward again, both hands gripping the gun, aiming at Qingjie Han’s chest, trembling uncontrollably!
“I’m sorry————”
Old Tian sucked in a breath.
“Don’t!!”
Jiang Ran shouted, “Old Tian, believe me! Those Priests—they’re all lying to you!”
“I’m sorry!”
Old Tian had made up his mind. He looked at Qingjie Han’s terrified face—and suddenly broke down, tears bursting forth!
“Old Tian!!!”
Seeing his body tense, tears streaming, Jiang Ran felt a surge of dread. He didn’t care anymore—he lunged forward from five steps away—
“I’m sorry, waaah!!”
Old Tian could no longer contain it—regret, fear, guilt, terror, struggle—all exploded out in a torrent of sobbing!!!
A gunshot.
Even amid the roaring rain, it pierced the eardrums, shaking the soul.
Jiang Ran froze instantly.
His eyes widened—
toward Qingjie Han at the rooftop edge.
He saw—
Qingjie Han standing there, stunned, hands trembling, face drained of color. Slowly, stiffly, he lowered his gaze—
to his chest.
Blood.
A blooming red.
A horrifying wound exploded open, blood gushing out like a broken faucet, spilling onto the ground, mixing into the rainwater.
“Qingjie Han—” Bang—
Before Jiang Ran could finish shouting, Old Tian fired again.
This shot struck the head.
The right side of Qingjie Han’s skull burst apart. His body lost all balance, tipping backward—
and he fell.
Disappearing from sight.
Jiang Ran rushed toward the edge—but before he reached it, a dull impact sounded below. The torrential rain swallowed all visibility. He clutched the ledge and looked down—
Nothing.
He could see nothing.
“Waaahhhhhhhhhh!!”
Behind him, Old Tian’s collapse echoed.
This pitiful father—whose life had already been stripped of everything—had now stained his own hands with blood, extinguishing the last shred of mercy in the world.
Crying, face smeared with mud, he looked at Jiang Ran:
“Xiao Jiang… please… take care of Lili…”
Click.
He raised the gun to his temple.
“Old Tian!!!”
“I’m sorry—”
Old Tian gagged, vision darkening. “I had no choice.”
Bang—
Donghai University First Affiliated Hospital. Inpatient Department.
Beep.
Beep.
Beep.
Beep beep.
The heart monitor emitted rapid signals, the waveform fluctuating wildly like a frantic dance.
Beep beep beep!
Beep beep beep!
Beep beep beep!
Beep beep beep!
The heart rate spiked, then dropped, alarms blaring.
At the same time, the nurses’ station received the alert.
“Rehabilitation ward! Room 42!”
“It’s Tian Xiaoli!”
“Another respiratory arrest?!”
“Quick! Move!”
Medical staff rushed from all directions, bursting through the door like a flood.
Inside—
the monitor flickered wildly—
then gradually—
became steady.
Strong.
What… was this?
This girl—who had lain unconscious for ten years—
had never shown such powerful cardiac activity!
Not only that—
the other monitors—
all vital signs—
began rising.
Like revival.
“Ah!!!”
A nurse by the bed suddenly screamed.
Everyone turned—
toward the bed.
There—
the frail, emaciated girl—
who had lain isolated from the world for ten years—
slowly—
opened her eyes.