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Ye Xiao had said that he would be back soon, but it’s already been quite a while, and she still hadn’t seen hide nor hair of him.
The midday sun rose to its peak, and the climate outside was like an inferno. A steady blast of hot air streamed into the infirmary through the open window.
Li Xiao screwed her on top of the hospital bed for quite some time. It was only because of the heavy injuries that he finally settled down to rest.
After Bai Zhi put on her clothes, she turned her attention back on the man lying flat on his back on the hospital bed. The bluish-black bruises stained with brownish-yellow medicine looked especially gruesome. On top of that, a thin layer of sweat covered his translucent skin outlining each sinew, tendon, and muscle in a ghastly sheen. The laceration on his shoulder was packed with fine white powder. It had stemmed the bleeding.
Although the wound looked horrific, his face looked almost peaceful. His usual fierce expression was nowhere to be seen. His eyes followed her as she moved around the room. The moment she turned to look at him, their eyes met, and his dark pupils glinted with a strange light.
Bai Zhi blushed a bright red. She walked to the hospital bed and brushed away his wayward hair. Gently, she laid her hand on his slightly warm-to-the-touch forehead. “Rest up and take good care of yourself. Tonight… we’re going to go check out the other hidden gates.”
Li Xiao pressed a hand over hers and nuzzled into her tender caress. “Who will be going with you?”
“Zhao Zixun… and Xiang Chen.” She tried to wrestle her arm away from him, but his grip was tight.
She didn’t plan on going at first. She was worried that she would only be a burden to the other two. But after reflecting on the situation inside West Gate 1, she had a hunch that most of the other gates did not have armed forces either. Therefore, she changed her mind to go along with them.
She wanted to confirm the information with her own eyes.
“Stay with Zhao Zixun, Xiang Chen can’t protect you.” Li Xiao licked his dry lips and said in a raspy voice. “Especially after midnight. Beware of the ‘things’ that come out.”
“Wh-what ‘things’?” She asked, alarmed. Despite the hot temperature of the room, Bai Zhi suddenly felt a chill run down her back.
Looking at her scared expression, Li Xiao’s mouth curved up into a strange grin. He rubbed her hand and said, “Just some annoying ‘things’.”
After a day lying in restless wait, the last ray of light finally disappeared beyond the horizon.
Using the cover of the night, she quietly walked down the corridor towards the agreed meeting spot.
She felt her way through the darkness. She had a flashlight, but she didn’t dare turn it on. She feared that it would expose her and make her a target of a hostile prisoner.
Tonight was the perfect night for committing atrocities. The moon and the stars were hidden away behind dark, moody clouds. A few streetlights flickered on and off, throwing long shadows off of the walls and buildings.
Out of the corner of her eye, Bai Zhi saw a small figure scurrying in the same direction she was headed in. She thought it might have been Zhao Zixun or Xiang Chen. But at closer inspection, she realized that it was actually Xiao Yang.
He cautiously looked right then left before walking off in a hurry as if rushing to make an appointment.
Bai Zhi arrested her footsteps and kept her distance. The last thing she needed was for Xiao Yang to notice her.
Suddenly, a hand reached out and touched her shoulder. She broke into a cold sweat, nearly jumping out of her skin. Turning around, she saw Xiang Chen behind her. His curly mop fell loosely by his ears. The shadows concealed his expression, but the bright glint in his eyes was clear to see.
The youth put an index finger up to his lips. He pointed in the opposite direction and motioned for her to follow.
Bai Zhi nodded.
After walking for some time, he explained, “The two people who just walked by… One was definitely Xiao Yang, the other… He was too far away, I didn’t get a good look at him. They’re headed for West Gate 1, so we should start on the other side to avoid running into them.”
“So East Gate 1? … Does Zhao Zixun know?”
“He’s already waiting for us there.”
They arrived on the other side of the prison.
The prison was laid out symmetrically: the perimeter on the east side looked nearly identical to the perimeter on the west side. A dark, wrought iron fence ran alongside a rugged dirt wall. Together they provided the first line of defense of the prison. Behind the gates hidden along this first-line was an internal labyrinth of deadly traps.
As they got closer to the wall, they saw Zhao Zixun leaning against the iron fence with a cigarette dangling from his lips. The tip of the cigarette was like a small beacon in the darkness. A cloud of smoke surrounded him, hiding his expression. He seemed relaxed, but his vigilance never wavered. When Bai Zhi and Xiang Chen appeared, he locked in on them at once.
Zhao Zixun stubbed out the cigarette. Smiling, he took Bai Zhi into his arms, lifted her chin, and kissed her deeply on the lips.
He tasted of smoke. It made her uncomfortable, but he kept deepening the kiss. He left no room for retreat. Eventually, Bai Zhi’s legs gave in, and she softened into his embrace.
Xiang Chen was currently standing off to the side, watching the two lovers kissing. Gritting his teeth, he reminded them, “Hey, we’re running out of time.”
Bai Zhi blushed. She pushed at Zhao Zixun’s chest and panted out, “… Li Xiao said that there are ‘things’ that come out at night, so we have to move fast…”
“Trash,” Zhao Zixun snorted at the mention of Li Xiao’s name.
“Is the door open?” Xiang Chen asked.
Zhao Zixun nodded and opened the hidden iron gate. Sliding his hand along the wall, he found a slight depression. “It has been opened. There is an air-tight room inside.”
A small portion of the dirt wall slid back silently to reveal a pitch-black, enclosed space.
“Stay close to me.”
TL Woes:
Sorry, this is so late. This is the extra chapter from January (I know…😮). Thanks for staying patient ♥️
XX Umi Yuki
Other resources: Character List
Love Me 'Til Ice Cream 