The Apology

The chatter of the other patients in the exercise yard couldn't reach Li Huowang. He pulled his gaze back from the cell block in front of him, lifted his head, and scanned his surroundings.

“I crawled out of its belly, but I’m still in the water. If I don’t get back to the boat soon, I’m going to drown!”

His searching eyes suddenly fixed on a distant steel watchtower.

It looked like the outer perimeter of this White Tower prison. A soldier holding a rifle was craning his neck, staring over in confusion.

The watchtower was very tall—head and shoulders above the surrounding buildings. The highest point around.

“That’s it. That’s the boat I was on!” Li Huowang raised both arms and started swinging them as if he were swimming, running toward the steel tower while churning the air.

His whole body ached. He could barely lift his arms. It felt like he was falling apart.

He knew he’d been badly hurt inside that monster—bitten by teeth or burned by stomach acid, he couldn’t tell which. But he couldn’t give up now.

Li Huowang swam with all his remaining strength, muttering under his breath, “Li Sui, help your dad. Help me swim faster. I can’t see what’s going on over there. I’m counting on you!”

Just after he said it, he felt a surge of strength well up inside him. “Thanks, Li Sui!”

At that moment, a large group of prison guards burst out of the cell block, carrying nets, iron forks, and other restraints, chasing after him in a panic.

On the oval exercise yard of the White Tower prison, one man ran while a crowd chased. Li Huowang wasn’t as fast as them, and the distance was closing rapidly.

He finally reached the edge of the yard. A dense chain-link fence stood between him and the watchtower. Without hesitation, he hooked his fingers into the gaps and started climbing.

Seeing the situation spiral out of control, the soldier on the tower quickly shouldered his rifle, squinted one eye, and began to aim.

“Don’t shoot! For god’s sake, don’t shoot!” A panicked voice came from the chasing crowd. “This guy’s high-profile right now! If he dies in our zone, we’re in deep trouble!”

By then, Li Huowang had reached the top. A coil of razor wire studded with dense spikes lay before him.

The moment his hand touched the razor wire to pull himself over, blue electric arcs crackled between them. It was clearly live high-voltage wire.

Seeing this, the various forks and nets below quickly retracted, afraid of getting electrocuted.

“You think a little pain like that can stop me? Not enough!” Li Huowang’s face twisted as he grabbed the razor wire and heaved himself over it with a single-arm burst of strength. His skin began to char, and his hospital gown started smoking.

“Kill the power! Hit the breaker, now!”

Watching his body nearly catch fire, everyone below stood frozen, staring at the smoking figure still struggling to move. “God... is that even human?”

With his last ounce of willpower, Li Huowang leaped onto the iron steps at the corner of the tower.

“Ha... ha...” He gasped for air. His whole body was numb, his consciousness fading.

He was so tired. Like every last shred of strength had been wrung out of him. But he was almost back to the boat. He couldn’t fail now.

Taking a deep breath, he lurched to his feet. Using his hand—torn bloody by the razor wire—he grabbed the railing and staggered toward the tower platform.

Seeing the terrifying madman actually climbing the steps toward them, the two soldiers on duty didn’t know whether to raise their guns or not.

In the end, they simply reversed their rifles and raised the heavy butts.

But to their astonishment, the madman just stood there once he reached the platform. He didn’t attack them.

Li Huowang didn’t need to move anymore. He knew he was back on the deck. He was safe for now.

Catching his breath, he forced himself to focus and said to the two men in front of him, “Captain... don’t stop. Keep heading for Apricot Island.”

“Thump thump thump.”

The sound of boots hammering the iron stairs sent alarm bells screaming in Li Huowang’s dazed mind.

He pressed himself against the wall, retreating quickly until he formed a triangular position with the people charging in and the two in front of him.

Staring at the gleaming silver forks in their hands, he screamed hysterically, “Water monkeys, are you? You think you’re dragging me back into the water?!”

Just as they were about to pounce, Li Huowang decisively raised his right hand and aimed it at his own left eye.

“Huowang!”

The anguished, almost keening cry made him stop. He stared in confusion at the water monkey in front of him, and from within it stepped a figure in white.

It was Yang Na.

She stood there, her face haggard, so heartbreakingly fragile. “Huowang... you’re lucid now, aren’t you? You recognize me?”

Li Huowang instinctively lowered his head, avoiding her gaze. Dazed, he suddenly raised his hands, his mouth opening wider and wider. “I am Sun Wukong, the Great Sage Equal to Heaven! Today I will trample the Heavenly Palace and raise hell in the Jade Emperor’s hall!”

He laughed through his tears, flailing and dancing like a true madman in front of everyone.

Seeing this, Yang Na’s heart felt like it was being stabbed. She cried out, nearly breaking, “Huowang! What do you want me to do?! I can’t forget you!”

Hearing this, Li Huowang slowly stopped.

His expression shifted. He stumbled toward her, raising his right hand. In his bloody palm lay a tiny white wildflower, no bigger than a fingernail.

While he was distracted, a rifle butt swung out from the side and smashed hard into his forearm, snapping it at a ninety-degree angle.

A massive force slammed into him from behind. The two soldiers lunged forward and pinned him to the ground. The others, afraid the madman might still fight back, piled on. Layer after layer of bodies, nearly burying him.

Through the shifting crowd, Li Huowang’s gaze found Yang Na—helpless, desperate.

His lips moved slightly.

“Nana... I’m sorry... for everything before...”