A flurry of stabbing pain erupted in his chest, becoming unbearable in an instant. Jiang Silin froze, then slammed his palm into the little boy's abdomen!
Guan Zhili's stifled cry of pain mingled with the sound of his body crashing to the ground, both drowned out by Jiang Silin's furious roar.
"What did you do to me?!"
"What the hell did you do to me, you little bastard?!"
Blood stained the fabric over Jiang Silin's chest an even deeper black, leaving it sticky and sodden as blood continued to drip from it.
Guan Zhili was hardly any better off.
Jiang Silin had put almost all his strength into that blow. The moment the boy's frail body hit the ground, he rolled over and spat out a great mouthful of blood.
Zhu Qian, who knew full well how much the little girl adored this newly met older brother, caught his breath. Abandoning his pursuit of the rebel officials he so deeply loathed, he immediately rushed toward where Guan Zhili had fallen.
He reached out and cautiously pressed twice on the spot where Guan Zhili had been struck. Once he had assessed the boy's injuries, his eyes darkened.
"How is he?"
A low voice, edged with anxiety, came from above him.
Zhu Qian looked up at the sound, met Jiang Yanchuan's concerned gaze, then slowly, heavily shook his head.
Several of Guan Zhili's ribs were shattered. Zhu Qian could not yet determine the condition of his internal organs, but the boy was already struggling to breathe and looked as though he had just been dragged out of the water. That alone made it clear... this little boy was probably beyond saving, beyond the reach of medicine.
Jiang Yanchuan's brow twitched at the response. "Move aside."
Zhu Qian hurriedly stood, making room for