“Wha-wha-what is this?!” Yu Lin voice shook. Her hand trembled.
“Do not act like you don’t know you monster!” Lu Tou Ling yelled. Yu Lin looked back up and had no time to react as his sword came swinging down. She felt a sharp pain at her shoulder that traveled down her chest. She grunted before moving back, and kicking the sword up. She pushed her hand onto the cut, trying to stop the bleeding. “You beast… how dare you try to avoid divine punishment?!” Lu Tou Ling swung his sword down. Yu Lin closed her eyes, ready for the pain as she was too weak to escape. Instead, no pain came, just a large noise of blades hitting each other. She looked up to see Sen Feng standing in front of her.
“Stop this instant elder Lu.” Sen Feng ordered.
“Don’t tell me you are defend her.” Lu Tou Ling hissed.
“We don’t know if she really did this.”
“What are you saying?! Evidence is right in front of your eyes!”
“She could have been set up! The killings happened way before she even came back to the village.”
“How do we even know she went out of the village or returned on that exact day?” Lu Tou Ling said with a low voice. Yu Lin saw Sen Feng tense up as the air around him turned cold.
“Are you perhaps… doubting my father, elder Lu?” his voice was ice cold.
“I am only pointing out what I have witnessed.” Lu Tou Ling said. The air around Sen Feng suddenly grew hot. In just a second his falchion rested against Lu Tou Ling’s neck. Lu Tou Ling swallowed hard as Sen Feng glared at him.
“This is the order from me and you shall follow it elder Lu. You do not want to disobey the Chief of our village do you?” his voice was as sharp as the sword he held. Lu Tou Ling clenched his teeth before sheathing his sword. After Sen Feng saw this he sheathed his sword too. Yu Lin heard footsteps and she turned to see a group of men there.
“Chief Chu! Elder Lu!” they yelled. When their eyes landed on her, their eyes grew with hatred.
“It wa…” before Yu Lin could say any further, she felt a force hit her cheek. She rolled over, facing the ground. She felt someone hold her arms behind her back.
“Pretend to be asleep. If you speak now, you will only induce suspicions onto yourself.” Sen Feng whispered. Yu Lin swallowed hard before closing her eyes and doing what he said. “Throw me the ropes.” Sen Feng yelled. She heard cloth being ripped as she felt her body being lifted into someone’s arms. She felt a piece of cloth wrap tightly on the wound that Lu Tou Ling had given her. Afterwards she felt her wrists being tightened together behind her back. Her ankles were also tied together. She then felt Sen Feng throw her over his shoulder.
“What are we going to do with her?” one of the men asked.
“Lock her up until things are clear.” Sen Feng responded as he started to move towards the village.
“What do you mean Chief? Isn’t the evidence right there?”
“No. Many strange things have been happening this past month and a half. Until things are clear, we cannot make any rash decisions.” Yu Lin stopped breathing for a second when she heard this. ‘What? A month and a half? I was just Hong Hu last night… what is going on?’ she thought.
“Chief Chu!” the men started to protest.
“I will hear no more from you!” Sen Feng roared. The men immediately shut their mouths.
-
Yu Lin felt herself being laid down on cold, hard ground. After a few murmurings from the men, they all left. Yu Lin peeked her eyes a bit and when she saw no one was there anymore, she sat up. She looked around her. She was in a cell. To her left and right were empty cells. She knew that Glorious Forest but she had no idea where it was. She scooched up to the wooden bars in front of her. Just this little movement seemed to drag out all the energy she had in her. Her head felt dizzy and her throat felt dried. She glanced at her surroundings. She seemed to somehow be near the Chu residence as she saw the siheyuan through a small door standing not so far from her. Aside from this she was surrounded by a huge brick fence. This was all she could observe as the pounding in her head forced her eyes closed. She fell to her side.
-
“Yu Lin,” she heard someone whisper as a hand gently shook her, “Yu Lin. Please wake up.” she opened her eyes. Night has already fallen and the only light left was that of the moon. Behind the cells she saw a familiar face stare back at her with concern.
“Hong Hu?” her voice was hoarse. She felt thirsty, so very thirsty.
“Yu Lin, where have you been?” she heard him whisper.
“What do you mean? I was just with you yesterday night.” she tried to sit up. When she did, her head began to spin again. She laid it against the rough wooden bars.
“What? You have been missing for a month and a half already. Your parents and I went everywhere looking for you.”
“I’m thirsty… I’m thirsty…” she mumbled. Her mind was not functioning. She heard some rustling and felt something touch her lips.
“Drink. It’s water.” she opened her mouth and felt the healing liquid touch her tongue. She swallowed and swallowed, until she was full.
“Thank you.”she breathed out and then grimaced as she tasted a bitter aftertaste. Despite this, her head and body felt much better.
This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
“First… what do you mean? I have been gone for a month and a half?” she asked.
“That’s right. Your parents and I have been searching for you since you disappeared that night.”
“That night?”
“That night when we heard a woman scream. You stayed behind with her while I went to chase the troll. I lost the troll and when I came back, you were gone. Do you remember what else happened?” Yu Lin thought back about that night. Her head began to pound again. She groaned as she fell to the floor. “Yu Lin! Are you alright?”
“I don’t know. I don’t remember. My head hurts.” her body grew hot. She opened her eyes and looked at Chief Chu. Something seemed off about him. She squinted her eyes. “Who… are you?” the word escaped her mouth before she could prevent them. Right as she said them, she wished she could’ve taken them back. Her body trembled and she started to pant. The worried look on the man’s face disappeared as he stood up. She could no longer see his face as he hid behind the shadows.
“Hahaha. How did you see through it?” the voice no longer sounded like Chief Chu. It sounded much lower, and much darker with some type of accent. The accent was similar to her mother’s accent when she spoke the human language. Yu Lin could feel her conscious starting to fade away. It was as if sleep was forcing its way onto her. She bit the inside of her cheek, trying to keep herself awake.
“Who… are… you?” she said through each pant. The man let out a laugh. This laugh, she had heard it before.
“Just… an old friend of your mother.” the man snickered. She could feel herself slipping away by the second.
“What… have you… done to me?” her body started to shake uncontrollably. The pounding in her head grew worse. The figure approached her and knelt down. Her eyes were barely open now, as if someone was forcing them shut, but she saw him clearly. Those white strands of hair in his face. Those blue whirlpools that seemed to destroy everything in its path as it stared down at her. That dark skin. The way his lips curled up. She knew who he was. Fury burned in her heart.
“Don’t blame for what happens. It’s punishment for your mom, who decided to run away from me. She’s the one who caused all of this. You can only blame yourself for being born to that woman.” the man snickered. Yu Lin continued to bite her cheek. She could feel the pain and taste the blood in her mouth, and yet her mind continued to run away. She could no longer hold on, as she was sucked into the plans of those whirlpools. Her eyes closed shut, and she felt every strength leave her.
-
“Is that true Sen Feng?” Chief Chu asked as he, Sen Feng, and Yo Mei walked to the cell that was located in a secluded area behind the Chu residence. It was protected by a tall fence and had three guards per each wall.
“Yes.” Sen Feng answered.
“How… we searched everywhere for her… how can she just appear now?” Yo Mei’s eyes started to tear up.
“Mrs. Du… I’m sorry. If that night she did not come back, then all this wouldn’t have happened.” Chief Chu looked down.
“No… it’s no one’s fault.” Yo Mei said, but even she felt a bit betrayed in the inside.
“But, have Mr. Du come back yet?” Chief Chu asked.
“No… first Yu Lin… and now Chou… what am I going to do?” Yo Mei covered her face as hot tears streamed down her cheek. Chief Chu rubbed her back.
“Please keep your head up Mrs. Du. I don’t think Yu Lin would want to see you like this.” Chief Chu said. Yo Mei nodded her head as she wiped her tears away and looked up. When she did, her eyes widened and she froze. Chief Chu and Sen Feng froze as well. Their jaws dropped as they saw bodies twitching around the fence of the cells. They started running towards the cell.
“Yu Lin!” Yo Mei and Chief Chu yelled as they ran to the cell.
“What happened here?” Sen Feng asked one of the guards as he stayed behind.
Chief Chu and Yo Mei reached the cell to find no one inside. There were broken pieces of wood where the cell used to be. It looked as if the wooden bars were ripped open.
“Yu Lin!” Yo Mei cried as she ran inside the cell. She looked around to find no traces of her daughter. She felt the ground and it was cold. Her lips trembled and her eyes quivered.
“Father!” Sen Feng yelled. Chief Chu and Yo Mei ran back to where he was.
“What’s wrong Sen Feng?”
“Father, listen. Tell me again, what happened here?” Sen Feng supported the torso of the fallen soldier. Blood trickled down his chin as he let out a small cough.
“Chief… ex chief came here earlier… we let him go inside… and then… the girl… she came out and attacked us… only one survived managed to escape… he went to get help…” the soldier replied.
“What? You are saying I came here?” Chief Chu bent down. The soldier’s eyes traveled up to his.
“Former chief… why?” was all he could utter before his head fell backwards. Chief Chu’s eyes widen as he grabbed the man’s shoulder.
“Soldier! Soldier!” Chief Chu shook him. The man had left them.
“There! There they are!” they heard someone yell. The three of them turned around to see men with torches run towards them. They didn’t have time to react as the men surrounded all of them. In the crowd of soldiers stepped out the man who was the leader.
“What are you doing Lu Tou Ling?” Sen Feng narrowed his eyes at him.
“That is my question Chief, what are you doing?” Lu Tou Ling held his head up. The soldiers around them pointed their swords at the three of them.
“Put down your swords!” Sen Feng ordered.
“Keep your swords up.” Lu Tou Ling ordered. The swords stayed up. Sen Feng bit his lip.
“What are you guys doing? This is treason towards the village!” Sen Feng yelled.
“Chief, former chief, and… her,” Sen Feng glared at Yo Mei, “if you guys wish to avoid any suspicions then I would suggest you three comply to our demands. Please put down your weapons and follow us back for investigation.”
“Investigation of what?” Sen Feng glared at Lu Tou Ling.
“One of the soldiers who was guarding the cell said that he clearly saw Chief Chu enter the premises. After that, him and the rest of the guards were attacked by that beast… are you going to tell me now that you guys have nothing to do with this when the evidence is clear?” Lu Tou Ling’s voice was calm, but his eyes danced at the sight of the three.
“Tha-”
“Ahh!” a scream broke out in the village. Everyone looked back down towards the village. Chief Chu, Sen Feng, and Yo Mei didn’t hesitate as they ran past everyone who was still stunned from the scream. When the men saw the three past them, they finally snapped back together. Lu Tou Ling only smiled before acting surprised.
“After them men!” he ordered.
“Yes commander!” the soldiers screamed as they ran down, after the three of them.
“Save me! Stop! Ahh!” the voice continued to scream out. At this time, some men had walked out of their homes with gardening tools in their hand. The sound came from the other end of town.
Chief Chu reached the site before anyone else. When he got there the screaming had already stopped. He froze when he saw the scene. In front of him was the back of a young girl sitting. Her white hair was stained red as her body moved up and down, as if she was chomping down on something. He could see a pair of lifeless legs stick out from behind the girl. His heart sunk.
“Yu… Lin?” Chief Chu stuttered out. As he said this, the girl paused. She stood up and slowly turned around. Chief Chu took a step back and his eyes widened as he saw her. From her head to toe, she was covered in blood. Her head was hung low and she suddenly pulled it up. She cocked her head as her eyes looked ahead, cloudy and unfocused. It seemed as if she was searching for something. Chief Chu swallowed hard. “Yu… Lin?” he tried again.
This time the child heard him clearly. Her eyes went straight to his, and when they landed the clouds disappeared. The ends of her lips curled up as blood trickled down her chin. Chief Chu felt a go up his spine. Something from inside of him told him to run, yet for the first time in a long time he was frozen with fear. The girl's leg suddenly bent back as she pushed herself off the ground she was standing on, and lunged towards him.