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Duan Zi Ang stood darkly among the remains of his slaughtered enemies. Everything around him was covered in blood, fallen bodies and certain pieces. The sight resembled a twisted demon-summoning ritual after the human sacrifices had been offered.
Only this was not that. This was the power of love.
The emperor stood focused on a certain point, waiting for his men. He didn’t bother to clean his face, even though it felt sticky. Instead, in the distance, he saw a single figure dressed in white disappearing from his sight over and over again, leaning on a traitor for support. The memory kept repeating itself before him – Xiao Shu He fleeing from him again and again.
He felt his hands tremble, his jaw clenched tight. His breathing was fast and furious. One of the attackers’ swords felt unnervingly heavy in his grip. It had been ridiculously easy to take it from the man and finish him with it. Zi Ang threw the weapon aside. It landed atop one of the corpses.
He heard the pounding of footsteps, the sound of several approaching horses, then his didi’s calling. Turning toward the arrivals he gave the order as soon as they were within earshot.
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The emperor saw the silhouette of the three retreating men and their horses in the darkness. He even heard them. Who else would go there, on this particular night? During a festival? It was not difficult to figure out the traitors’ plan.
Zi Ang and his men stopped on a higher hill to survey the terrain from above. He and Huai Yi were both well aware that they were at a slight disadvantage against the fugitives. They could not go down the slope on horseback. And they needed horses to chase them, they couldn’t go on foot after the three men. There were good roads in the forest, if Huo Ying chose one of those, then the infantry would not be fast enough.
But this small disadvantage meant nothing. The imperial cavalry would catch them easily.
The three riders had seen them, that was obvious. Without thinking, they exploited the advantages nature had given them and began to flee, no longer caring about staying unnoticed and unsuspected.
Zi Ang raised his hand and waited.
He saw one of the horseman look back. He knew – he felt – that it was Shu He. He must have sensed his presence, too, because why would he not? They belonged to each other, after all.
He smiled then and gave the signal while shouting.
„Catch them!”
If it was what it took, then so be it.
Let the hunt begin.
He thought about the situation. Maybe he would even give them a little head start once they reach the forest, just to make the fun last longer.
He turned to Huai Yi.
„Keep things under control until I return.”
Huai Yi nodded. He didn’t dare to say a word.
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Huo Ying hurriedly gathered their belongings from the ground. Half a day passed with them constantly on the move. During the first hour, it had seemed that they were finished. They had moved at full speed as far away from the capital as possible, but their pursuers were just as persistent in their following. They had come terrifyingly close. Driven by a sudden impulse, Huo Ying led his companions – his friends – toward a more open area. They reached a more dangerous terrain where they could use their smaller numbers smartly to be faster. Then came the tactic of disruption. It seemed it would work.
It hadn’t.
They should have had at least another three more hours, and Huo Ying never made a positive bet.
While resting, they had heard the sounds nearby. The enemy didn’t know their exact location, but they were close. They had to get out of there.
They mounted their increasingly exhausted horses at the same time and set off quickly.
Huo Ying was worried. Xiao Shu He and Shen Song both were getting tired.
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As the night fell, they managed to find a secluded cave where they could rest. They had found it by accident. Working together, they hid their tracks as best as they could, and coaxed the horses inside as well.
Shen Song looked up at the sky. They had stepped out to catch the last rays of light before settling down. He hoped it wasn’t their last. According to Huo Ying, they had gained the advantage again. Shen Song and Shu He trusted him. They only had to get to their own people. If everything went well, they would already be waiting for them. They were also supposed to meet some of them on their way, but Shu He was worried about them. By now, even Shen Song and Huo Ying were no longer certain of anything.
Back in the palace, Shu He had gathered all the information he could about what the conditions were in this region, what to expect. They had calculated how long the journey would take. At this moment, they still had at least four days left, depending on the weather.
Speaking of it, Shen Song expected a big storm. The sky in the distance was overcast, dark clouds were coming straight towards them.
„Maybe it will help us.”
Shen Song looked at Shu He and smiled. They were thinking the same thing.
„You might be right” he wrapped an arm around Shu He’s shoulder. „If we are lucky, it’ll wash away his army. And our tracks. Come on, let’s go inside.”
If the storm helped them or not, Shen Song would do anything for his friends.
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Duan Zi Ang woke up early. He wasn’t even sure if he had slept at all. Everything in his world revolved around the same single person, his thoughts, his dreams, his musings. Being awake or asleep made no difference.
Frustrated, he started patrolling. There were a few fools who tried to convince him to go back and rest, but Zi Ang quickly silenced them. He had to take a walk.
He hadn’t expected Shu He to vanish from him for the night. He had given them a little advantage, maybe his ego was laughing a bit too loudly in his head. But the three of them were better prepared than he had thought.
Hell.
During the day, they found countless false trails throughout the forest. After a while it became noticeable, and he consulted with his commanders, reasoning that they couldn’t have left all of those trails behind while fleeing. Paranoia took hold of Zi Ang and he began sending out scouts farther and for longer periods. They found what they were looking for – the enemy’s people, hiding in the forest. They were the ones who had left false trails, that were enough to fool Zi Ang and his men for many hours.
It slowed them down.
They had managed to make Zi Ang lose track of Shu He. He had vowed never to allow that again.
Zi Ang had a plan, of course. But he was worried. He hoped Shu He could sleep. He hoped that he secretly longed for Zi Ang to save him from the madness those two damned fools had dragged him into.
Everything was fine in the area, as expected. The sun was rising slowly, as far as the storm clouds would allow. Perhaps the gods were angry, too. Zi Ang could understand, he was furious, too.
He returned to his quarters and unfolded the map. He cleaned his sword.
Just a little more time, then he with his rested men would begin to surround the enemy. Then he would reclaim what was his.
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Xiao Shu He found the silence suspicious. Panic filled his heart, even though he fought it. He could not allow it. A chill ran through him. It felt like something – someone – was watching him constantly from afar. One specific someone, with pitch-black, furious, terrifying eyes.
He flinched when Huo Ying stepped beside him. They were only waiting for Shen Song now, and then they would leave. Huo Ying must have sensed his fear, because he wrapped an arm around Shu He.
„We will be fine. All of us. You are not alone.”
Shu He leaned into him for a brief moment, grateful for his friends, and took a deep breath.
„Don’t leave me behind either!”
Shen Song hurried over to them, smiling as he hugged them both.
„Let’s go.”
Shu He loved his friends so much. He was deeply afraid. They crossed a line that they could not undo. Not that they wanted to.
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„We found them, Bixia!”
His scout bowed as he delivered his report respectfully.
Zi Ang smiled. Not triumphantly, as he felt, but faintly. But inside he was exulting.
Finally! After a whole night and half a day had passed, it was time to regain control.
„Excellent. Now, inform the archers to prepare. Bring the torches as well.”
„Yes, Bixia!”
Love is such a flammable substance, isn’t it?
Sometimes it can set the world on fire.
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„Don’t give up! Keep moving! GO!”
The forest burned around them. Everything was in flames.
Huo Ying felt the heat searing his skin, his breathing growing more and more difficult. He stubbornly pressed on, with one arm covering his mouth, and one arm gripping Shen Song tightly. Shu He did the same on Shen Song’s other side.
When fiery arrows had began raining down around them from the sky, they thought they had been cast into hell. And maybe they had. What else could this cursed world be?
Shen Song was thrown from his horse just minutes after the first wave of fiery arrows had arrived. He had hit his head badly. When Huo Ying and Shu He panicked and got down to help him, another volley arrived. They weren’t aimed at them, just around them. They did it perfectly, so they must have known where were they. It terrified Huo Ying.
He thought they weren’t directly behind them, which was a good sign. The horses couldn’t understand this, they went wild and, following their instincts, escaped. The reins were torn from his hand with such a force that he feared it would catch fire. It was possible it would, still, on that hellish day.
And then while supporting Shen Song, they heard the voices. The voices of an army. Shouts were drawing closer. Like a hand tightening around their throats. Like the suffocating smoke.
Huo Ying knew he had failed. He only wanted one thing.
„Whatever happens, you know where to go, right?”
The other two turned to him with panic in their eyes. Shen Song squeezed his hand desperately, and Shu He began to protest.
„Hey. Hey.” He wanted to cry. „If we get separated, then you both know where we meet, right?” He asked again, trying to be positive. „Just if that happens. The cave, after the the rocks, hidden by the hill. Remember, go south. We meet inside.”
„And wait for two hours, yes.” Said Shu He. „We can do it, right?”
All three of them nodded.
„Keep moving. First, we have to leave this hellfire.”
There was no longer a path, just the flames and the enemy behind them.
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Zi Ang turned his face toward the rain and enjoyed the way the raindrops cooled his skin. He felt refreshed. The air cleared. The terrain revealed.
It was a terribly exciting experience to play with fire. His heart was beating wildly the whole time. The plan had worked beautifully, better than he would have dared to bet on. He had ordered his finest archers to shoot their arrows, perfectly according to the plan. As the fire formed a patter in front of him, it felt as if the divine power of destruction was his. He alone could decide who would be reached by it.
He rarely had felt so powerful as he did in the forest, watching everything turning out according to his will.
It was uplifting.
But he didn’t mind the rain stopping the further destruction. After all, his goal wasn’t to burn everything down, only to a certain point. He knew when to stop.
For Shu He, however, he would set the world on fire. Naturally. But for now, that wasn’t needed.
And to Duan Zi Ang’s greatest joy, what he had been waiting for since he lost the track of Shu He, had happened. The trio had to split up. With Zi Ang’s help, of course. Report wasn’t even needed.
One of the results was right in front of him.
Zi Ang felt an inexplicable satisfaction from this.
When he saw Huo Ying’s figure, sword in his hand, he had to laugh.
Wasn’t it wonderful?
He drew out his own sword, then approached the already surrounded man. There was a lot of blood on him. He was coughing from the smoke and shaking from the cold rain. He was exhausted and angry. Oh, and he had been hit with an arrow. Zi Ang had a very good teacher, after all. He motioned for his men to step back.
„Huo Ying. Can you tell me exactly where the rest of your group are going?”
The question was simple. He didn’t threaten, didn’t shout.
„I won’t tell. Never.”
Zi Ang nodded in satisfaction.
„Thank the heaven. I wanted to catch them by myself, but I was just so curious.”
He smiled. What a boring hunt it would be if he knew the final destination! Huo Ying didn’t ruin the fun. Zi Ang could have thanked him for that, but he didn’t have time. Huo Ying lost his mind and attacked.
The fight didn’t last long between them.
After he finished, he carelessly wiped his sword and then turned to his men.
„We do not rest now, we will finish this today. We continue the encirclement, but a few things need to be changed about the plan.”
He motioned for his generals to step forward and gave orders.
Thunder roared. Let the Heavens rage as much as it wished. Duan Zi Ang felt like an immortal. He didn’t care about anyone else’s will but his own. Who would stop him?
May the Gods strike me down if they dare!
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Shen Song screamed. He was completely alone. The storm raged, and no one heard his cries, only the sky itself.
He felt dizzy from the fall again. Not long ago, when they had reached the end of the cliff, all three of them had still been together. Shen Song felt as if a year had passed since the fiery arrows. So much had happened. Everything had turned into chaos.
He broke down as he remembered. Fire had surrounded them. Ahead, the ground had vanished. The flames allowed only one direction. Downward to the enemies.
So they had found another option.
Huo Ying had instructed them to carefully descend along the cliffside. It was steep, but there was no abyss below. He helped them down and ordered them not to let go of the rock until they reached the bottom. Only one person could pass at a time where descent was possible.
Without a question, Shu He had sent Shen Song first. He had to get down quickly so the others could follow. When Shu He had descended far enough after him, it was Huo Ying’s turn.
But he had heard something and stayed still.
„Huo Ying! Hurry!”
At Shu He’s voice, Shen Song looked up. Huo Ying stared down at them with worry. He had known something they had not.
Suddenly, an arrow shot through his shoulder. He staggered and Shen Song feared he was about to fall.
„NO!”
„HUO YING!”
They saw him draw out his sword and heard his agonizing scream.
„GO!”
Shen Song realized he would never see him alive again.
After that, he had to focus. He shouted at Shu He to hurry, and they descended. There wasn’t time to think then.
Later, alone in the storm, he was finally able to think about what had happened.
Not long after the cliff was out of sight, with Huo Ying’s disappearance, the last member of his family was separated from him by the force of nature. On a slope, the ground moved at a blood-curdling speed beneath their feet, and rocks flew from above. Shen Song attempted to grab Shu He’s hand, but it didn’t matter. Both of them slipped and Shen Song lost consciousness right away.
After they lost Huo Ying, less than an hour later, they lost each other too.
When he woke up, he sensed he wasn’t dead. Death wouldn’t hurt this much. At least he hoped so. His whole body was aching, his heart and mind were frozen from the loss. So he tried to pull himself together and set off to find Shu He. He had no idea where he was, but it looked like the falling debris wave took him down to a riverside. The storm was still raging.
He had to keep moving. That crazy man had completely lost his mind. He prayed Huo Ying hadn’t faced him. If Shu He was alive, if Huo Ying was somehow free, they all knew where to go.
He walked around the riverbank, hoping to find Shu He there alive. If Shen Song survived, then Shu He did, too!
He couldn’t find him.
He needed to go now, maybe the others were at the place already, waiting for him. He wanted to hug them.
He tried to stumble in the right direction, but after he left the river he got completely lost. He didn’t see the place Huo Ying was talking about anywhere. He couldn’t even remember how far the river was from the cave. How could he not get lost?! The whole world was against them, he was certain of that now. He could barely see a few steps ahead, and his vision was already blurred. His head was killing him. His leg was likely injured as well.
So, yes, he screamed. The storm did, too, so he wasn’t an absolute idiot.
Shu He always said that he, Shen Song was such a calm person. Huo Ying had laughed at him when he finally heard him curse, many years ago. Shen Song swore like an old man, he had to admit it. Shu He smiled at that, too.
Now, no one smiled at him.
When he collapsed again, who knows how many hours later, it wasn’t from exhaustion. It was because he realised he had no chance left.
He was in an open field, in the distance, he saw the silhouette of some larger hills. The thunder made enough light to see it. And he saw several human figures, surrounding him slowly. He couldn’t even hear them. Were they following him? Since when?
He looked around defeated.
That damn Duan Zi Ang was walking close, like a predator.
„You don’t look too well, Shen Song.”
Shen Song spat at him scornfully.
„Shu He will miss you. He loves you. He loves both of you. And you two fucked up what could have been. A life back in my empire.”
Shen Song tried to ignore the guilt he felt about dragging Shu He into this. He fumbled and found a larger stone, perfectly shaped for his hand. He snarled at Zi Ang who just raised an eyebrow in annoyance.
„Do you think this will help? Huo Ying’s sword didn’t help him, either. Although you couldn’t see it. It was rather pathetic.”
Shen Song lunged at him, but Zi Ang sidestepped effortlessly. Shen Song fell, breathing heavily.
„If you hadn’t taken him from me, this wouldn’t have ended like this.” He kicked the stone out of his hand, then used his sword to stop Shen Song. „This is your fault. Huo Ying has already paid for it.”
Shen Song screamed at him the best curses he knew. His friends would be proud of him.
The blade cut him in the stomach, but it didn’t matter anymore.
„You ruined our lives. You ruined Shu He’s life. You caused his end.”
Zi Ang’s gaze darkened.
„Shu He’s life is mine.” He emphasized the word. „I will take care of him. Now, will you tell me where he might be? It’s dangerous to be alone in this area for him.”
„He is dead.”
Zi Ang just stared at him, then lifted the sword.
Shen Song squeezed his eyes shut. He tried to imagine his happy moments in his life, and his friends’ faces looked back at him. He was so alone without them, the world wasn’t right this way.
„That’s impossible.” Zi Ang’s voice was shaking. „You wouldn’t come this far in that case. Don’t worry, I will find him. This little adventure has been a pleasure, thank you.”
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Shu He arrived at the huge rocky place he had talked about with his friends. It was their refuge, in case they didn’t reach their destination. And they didn’t. None of them.
Shrivering from the cold, he stepped through the cracks. The place itself was eerie. All he could hear was the echo of his own careful footsteps as the rocks formed passages, hiding Shu He from the world. Perhaps forever. There was no sign of life anywhere inside.
The place wasn’t completely covered. As Shu He moved deeper, he examined what he could. There were countless passages leading every direction, wider and narrower ones. He kept his palm against the left wall, following wherever it led. Above him the cave was often opened to the sky. Water fell in, which was absorbed by the cracks in the ground. All flash of lightning illuminated everything for a brief moment.
Shu He didn’t know if it was the cold that was making him shiver. It probably wasn’t the only reason. But he would not leave this place for anything in the world. This place was the only thing that still connected him to Huo Ying and Shen Song. Even though he had never been here before. They didn’t have anything else, only each other.
He felt his face was wet, again and again. Blood, rain and tears mixed together unpleasantly, and he wiped his face in irritation. It didn’t help. He moved on.
He truly believed Shen Song would be waiting inside. He had always been good at navigating, he might have managed to find his way before Shu He. Surely he had only searched for a safe place and was waiting for them to arrive. After they had lost each other, Shu He became unconscious. He had lost a great deal of time waking up and regaining his bearings once the world stopped spinning around him. During that time, Shen Song could have arrived.
Thunder rumbled. Shu He stiffened. He remembered seeing Zi Ang’s figure in the smoke, back in the forest. The fear had been so overwhelming that Huo Ying had needed to shake him to make him move. He had frozen despite the blazing heat. He had never been afraid of Duan Zi Ang before—but that day, the man had crossed a line. He had sent them into the flames of the underworld.
He stopped to rest his legs. But the echo of the footsteps didn’t.
Footsteps!
Shen Song!
Shu He ran with renewed strength, not even sure if it was in the right direction. He must have taken the wrong turn at a fork, because the sounds faded. He turned back in despair, but he heard nothing. They had been human footsteps. He was certain of it.
Lightning flashed.
„SHEN SONG! HUO YING!” He cried.
Thunder.
No reply. But Shu He kept going. He would find them.
He turned right. Then again. A dead end. Back, then left.
He wasn’t imagining it.
„Are you there? Please!”
Straight ahead, then right. The path was lightly sloping downward for a while.
Only minutes had passed, yet the silence weighed on him like hours of hopeless wandering.
Then he entered a wider space. Stepping inside, he immediately noticed the dark figure.
„Heavens, you are really alive!” Relief flooded him as he hurried toward his friend. He felt his eyes tearing up from joy. „When we lost each other…”
Lightning.
It wasn’t Shen Song’s gentle features that looked back at him.
The blood froze in Shu He’s veins. Even the shaking stopped from the shock. The sound of the rain turned into a distant ringing.
No. Nonono. NO!
„Xiao Shu He. Airen.”
Thunder.
It jolted life back into him. He flinched, which had nothing to do with the storm.
„Shen Song and Huo Ying…” He could barely breathe out the two names.
Duan Zi Ang was standing in front of him in his full presence. Just him, alone with Shu He. No one else was there.
Zi Ang clicked his tongue irritably, then shook his head as he began to walk slowly.
„And you are not even happy to see me. Or did I shock you so badly, that all you can say is this two fools’ name? It wasn’t that difficult to figure out where you were heading.”
Shu He stood there, frozen in place, while Zi Ang looked at him up and down with his head tilted to the side.
His eyes flashed.
„And you are even injured. Frankly, your plan was incredibly foolish plan. But it’s over.”
Shu He swallowed.
„Huo Ying? Is he… here too?”
„FOR FUCK’S SAKE, WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM THEM SO BADLY?”
Shu He stumbled backward. Zi Ang had completely gone crazy.
„They brainwashed you that effectively?! Tell me, Shu He!” His hand was gripping his sword now.
Shu He kept retreating until there was no space left between him and the cave’s rough surface. Zi Ang followed without blinking, step by step. Shu He’s eyed the sword which the other noticed.
He let go of it and tried to soften his voice.
„Hey, hey, where are you going? You don’t even know where your companions are yet, do you? This is what you wanted so bad since you saw me.” He smiled faintly. „Or do you not care that much?”
He suddenly closed the distance between them. Shu He stared with wide eyes as the man he once believed he had known – once had loved deeply – no longer exist.
„Duan Zi Ang… You captured them, didn’t you? That’s why they aren’t here?”
„Oh?” Zi Ang leaned against the wall, trapping Shu He with his arms. „So there is room for other names in your vocabulary. It’s good to hear. But you know, this two names, Shu He…” He leaned close to Shu He’s ear. „You wish they were here with you, don’t you?” Zi Ang swallowed. „Just the three of you. All happy and free.”
He slammed his left fist into the wall, then laughed, and rested his head against Shu He’s chest.
„And, you would have disappeared from my sight forever. Because they asked you to. That was your plan.” His voice darkened. „How cruel of you.”
Shu He didn’t say a word. Didn’t protect himself, and that made Zi Ang so angry!
He looked up at Shu He’s face. The younger man’s eyes were closed, his head turned aside, as if he couldn’t bear to look at Zi Ang. But Zi Ang wanted to see his eyes.
„Yes.” Zi Ang turned Shu He’s face back at his way. „We caught them.” He caressed his cheek. „Do you want to see them?” He asked in a deathly calm voice. „They are waiting outside.”
Shu He didn’t nod, just opened his eyes. He couldn’t breathe. Zi Ang was terribly close to him, almost trapping him with his whole body. A suffocating feeling came over him from the way the other looked at him.
„Are they really alive?”
Zi Ang smiled.
„Of course. I know how important they are to you.”
And Shu He knew. Duan Zi Ang was lying to him. He knew it immediately.
His heart shattered.
„You are lying.” He whispered.
Zi Ang rolled his eyes.
„Me? No. They are waiting outside.”
Just their bodies, Shu He thought. He felt something inside him irreversibly broke.
His two friends. His family. The last two people he loved in this world.
They were dead.
He couldn’t cry. No. Not now. They wouldn’t want this!
FIGHT!
He gathered all his remaining strength and pushed the other man away harshly. Then struck him hard, like he had never done before.
Escape.
This was the only goal left in his mind.
Get away from this man.
He ran, back the way he had entered, trying desperately to remember the turns. He heard Zi Ang’s shout.
Left or right? Left or right? LEFT.
„SHU HE! GET BACK HERE RIGHT FUCKING NOW!”
No. Nonono. Just go!
He didn’t hesitate to turn right. Only the distance mattered. Farther. Faster.
He slammed his shoulder into a jagged rock. A sharp, painful sound tore from his throat, but he kept moving. After three steps, he stumbled and fell to all fours. He had to put himself together. He looked around and spotted a hidden hollow a few meters away. It was only visible if you looked at if from a certain angle.
„Xiao Shu He. Airen.” The voice came from where Shu He ran. „You truly have no idea who you are dealing with.”
He hurried to the hollow and climbed in hastily. He attempted to steady his breathing. He carefully flattened every edge of his robe so that not even an inch would be seen from outside. It was pitch black inside. Blindly, he tried to find anything heavy on the ground. Nothing.
„Airen.”
Shu He didn’t even hear him coming. He clamped a hand over his mouth to stop himself from screaming.
„Come here.”
Shu He shut his eyes.
He did hear the footsteps now. They were coming his way. He wrapped his arm around himself, imagining his family beside him. But that was a lie. Everyone was dead. Any moment now, he would be dragged out.
The footsteps continued. Nervously, quickly, without stopping. Shu He didn’t take a breath until he could hear Zi Ang.
He did it. If Zi Ang believed he had reached the exit and followed him, Shu He could find another way out. There had to be one. Then…, no, he just had to get out first. He was trapped with a madman. And he was terrified. He didn’t know if it was worth escaping at all.
Not now. Later.
After long minutes of waiting and listening, Shu He carefully climbed out of his hiding place. If he stayed, Zi Ang’s men would arrive inside sooner and later, with torches, and search the place inch by inch. He had to disappear before that.
He went in the opposite direction from Zi Ang, this time choosing unfamiliar passages without knowing where they lead. When he was walking toward the trap, he had felt fresh air coming his way. From outside.
It was a maze.
He tried to move silently but quickly. Right. Middle. And right. Yes, the wind…
„I love playing hide-and-seek with you.”
Two hands grabbed him roughly and slammed him against the wall. His head and back hit the surface with a sickening sound, and a cry escaped him.
„But that’s enough for today.”
Zi Ang would have looked disturbingly composed, if Shu He hadn’t seen his bloody face and nervously clenched jaw. He looked like he would kill him or worse.
He took a vial from his robe.
Shu He barely regained consciousness but he knew he had to start fight back. He tried to pry the hands off of himself and push Zi Ang away.
„Enough now. Just don’t struggle. I don’t want to…” Shu He tried to kick, but Zi Ang just pressed him closer to the wall. It was painful. „You’ll only get hurt more. See? You are bloodied again, here…”
Shu He bite him, and Zi Ang took a step back, just enough for Shu He to kick him hard between his legs. Zi Ang crouched down and dropped the vial, while Shu He broke free. Zi Ang attempted to grab his arm but Shu He moved away.
He ran straight ahead but Zi Ang was behind. He recovered as if he was no longer human. He closed the distance quickly and grabbed Shu He from behind. He locked his arms around Shu He’s waist, pinning his arms, began to drag him back.
„It would be easier if you just calm down. I swear you don’t have to drink all of it. It just help clean your mind.”
He hadn’t expected Shu He to throw both of them off balance with a sudden shove, using the wall of the passage. Only Shu He’s right hand was freed, but it was enough. He scooped up sand from the gound and flinged it at Zi Ang. It didn’t really work. Zi Ang pushed him with his whole body so Shu He fell.
Zi Ang lost his temper. He was faster than Shu He, grabbed his neck but didn’t squeeze.
„You really don’t…”
Shu He spat in his face.
When Shen Song had done it, it had been pathetic. Who was he, after all? A nobody. And he paid for it.
But Xiao Shu He, his own partner, acted like that nobody. Like Duan Zi Ang wasn’t the biggest emperor, who did everything for him? After everything? He crossed the line.
Zi Ang slapped Shu He roughly, without thinking. He had never laid a hand on his Airen before. But they poisoned Shu He’s mind so much…
Shu He collapsed to the ground.
Blood dripped from his mouth, his strength was gone. He tried to crawl away, but each movement was agonizingly slow.
„You forced me to do this. Again.”
Zi Ang knelt beside him coldly.
„Show me.”
Shu He ignored him – ignored his order – so Zi Ang roughly grabbed him by the hair, yanking his head up to pull him close. Slowly, he turned his head to the right, then a little left, while Shu He was hissing in pain.
„You will survive.” He said calmly. Then continued dangerously „Look at me. I want you to look at me.”
Shu He looked up at him with hate.
Zi Ang gave in to the temptation and kissed him. All the resistance was useless, he held Shu He in an iron grip. Zi Ang felt like it was the best decision, worth every struggle. He deepened the kiss as much as he could, giving in all his love. Shu He needed help, and it was Duan Zi Ang’s job to help him come back to his senses.
Zi Ang shifted over him, positioning himself so Shu He couldn’t move beneath him. He broke the kiss. Shu He tried to struggle, uselessly.
„Let me go. Please.” He cried. „I can’t do this anymore.”
„Never, Airen.”
Quiet. Then Zi Ang smiled.
„If it’s any consolation, you hid well. But my men had already surrounded the area a long time ago, you wouldn’t have escaped. But, it was really a nice try.”
Without taking his eyes off Shu He, he started to wipe the blood and the fresh tears off his face. Not that it looked bad on him, not at all.
„There is only me left for you.” He confessed softly. „And you were always the only one for me.”
He leaned down, brushing his lips gently against Shu He’s neck.
„I’ve finally got you, Xiao Shu He.”