Yuming's POV

The night offered no peace.

I tossed and turned in the unfamiliar bed, haunted by the day's horrors. The images of gaunt, lifeless bodies scattered across the streets refused to leave my mind. Every time I closed my eyes, their hollow gazes bore into me—empty, accusing, and unrelenting. The smell of decay seemed to cling to my clothes, no matter how hard I tried to convince myself it was gone.

I pulled the thin blanket tighter around myself, trying to find warmth, but the cold wasn't just in the air. It was inside me, creeping into my chest, wrapping itself around my heart until I could barely breathe.

The walls of the small inn room felt oppressive, the silence only amplifying the racing of my thoughts. My breathing quickened as I stared at the cracked ceiling, willing my mind to quiet. It didn't.

Images of the city returned in sharp detail: skeletal figures shuffling in the streets, their hollowed faces, and the distant, guttural groans that seemed too human yet not human at all. It was a nightmare I couldn't wake from.

I sat up, clutching the edge of the blanket, my hands trembling. My gaze drifted to the other side of the room, where Jun lay sprawled out on the floor, a thin blanket draped over him.

Jun.

The pirate who had saved me more times than I could count in the past few days. The man who wielded his sword with ruthless precision, cutting down anyone—or anything—that stood in his way. He was danger personified, and yet... I felt safer with him than anywhere else.

He didn't stir, his chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm.

I slid out of bed, the floorboards creaking softly under my weight. The cold air nipped at my skin, but I ignored it as I padded toward his side. The moonlight cast his face in soft shadows, and for the first time, I allowed myself to really look at him.

In sleep, he looked different. The tension that usually hardened his features had melted away, leaving him almost...peaceful. The faint scars on his skin told stories I couldn't begin to understand, but they didn't make him look cruel or dangerous.

What was I thinking?

I shouldn't have come closer. I shouldn't have even trusted him. But the thought of being alone in the darkness, surrounded by the echoes of the day's horrors, was unbearable.

Before I could overthink it, I lay down on the floor beside him, curling up with my back against the wall. The wood was hard and cold beneath me, but I didn't care.

For the first time that night, the fear began to ebb away, replaced by the steady rhythm of his breathing. It wasn't much, but it was enough to lull me into an uneasy sleep.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

~~~

The first thing I felt when I woke was the ache in my shoulders and the cold seeping into my back. Groaning softly, I blinked against the dim morning light spilling into the room.

Then I remembered where I was.

I turned my head and found Jun sitting up, his dark eyes fixed on me with an unreadable expression. For a moment, we simply stared at each other, the air between us thick with unspoken questions.

"What are you doing on the floor?" His voice was low, rough with sleep, but there was an edge of irritation in it.

My face burned with embarrassment as I scrambled to sit up. "I...couldn't sleep," I mumbled, avoiding his gaze.

Jun exhaled sharply, rubbing a hand over his face. His expression was hard to read, but I noticed something odd—the tips of his ears had turned a faint shade of red.

"Get ready," he said, his tone gruff. "We're leaving."

I nodded quickly, eager to escape the awkwardness.

~~~

The city was no less horrifying in the morning light.

We moved quickly through the streets, the stench of decay even more unbearable than the day before. I stayed close to Jun, my eyes darting to every shadow, every alleyway. The streets were eerily quiet, but the weight of unseen eyes pressed down on me.

"Don't fall behind," Jun said, his voice sharp.

"I'm not," I muttered, but I quickened my pace anyway.

The city felt alive in the worst way. The air was heavy, oppressive, and the silence was broken only by the occasional creak of wood or the distant sound of something shuffling.

At first, I thought I was imagining it. But then I saw them.

Figures emerged from the shadows, their movements slow and unnatural. Their skin was pale, stretched tight over their bones, and their hollow eyes seemed to glow faintly in the dim light.

"Jun," I whispered, my voice trembling.

"I see them," he replied, his tone calm but laced with tension. He unsheathed his sword, the metallic hiss sending a shiver down my spine. "Stay behind me."

The first figure lurched forward, its movements jerky and uncoordinated. Jun didn't hesitate. His sword flashed, slicing cleanly through the air. The figure crumpled to the ground, lifeless once more.

"Keep moving," he barked, pushing me forward.

The narrow streets seemed to close in around us as more figures emerged, their numbers growing with every step. My heart pounded, my breaths coming in ragged gasps.

One of them lunged at me, its claw-like hands outstretched.

I froze, paralyzed by fear.

Jun was there in an instant, his blade cleaving through the creature before it could reach me. His other hand grabbed my arm, yanking me forward with a force that left no room for hesitation.

"Move!" he snapped, his voice sharp.

The docks were in sight now, the ship looming like a beacon of hope. But the figures were closing in, their groans growing louder.

Jun fought them off with brutal efficiency, his movements precise and unrelenting. The ground was littered with the remains of the creatures, but they kept coming, relentless and unending.

As we neared the ship, one of the creatures lunged from the shadows, grabbing my wrist with an iron grip. I cried out, struggling to break free, but its strength was inhuman.

"Jun!"

He didn't hesitate. His sword arced through the air, severing the creature's arm in one clean stroke. He pulled me up the gangplank, not stopping until we were safely aboard.

"Cut the ropes! Set sail!" he bellowed, his voice carrying over the chaos.

The crew sprang into action, the ship lurching forward as the sails caught the wind.

I collapsed against the railing, my chest heaving as I tried to catch my breath. The city grew smaller behind us, the figures on the dock receding into the distance.

Jun stood nearby, his sword still in hand, his chest rising and falling heavily. He glanced at me, his expression unreadable.

"Next time," he said, his tone flat, "don't freeze."

I didn't respond, my throat too tight to form words.

The city was behind us now, but the horrors I had witnessed—and the man who had saved me—were impossible to forget.