Note: This chapter contains scenes of violence, blood, and themes such as kidnapping that may be triggering for some readers. Please read with caution.
The forest stretched out in every direction, an endless maze of towering trees that seemed to go on forever. Their thick branches twisted together overhead, creating such a dense canopy that only tiny slivers of sunlight managed to sneak through here and there. The little light that did make it down to the forest floor came in scattered patches, creating a world of deep shadows and confusing shapes.
And through this maze, a small figure was running. She was a girl, no more than seventeen. Her white dress, which might have been beautiful once, now hung in shreds from her thin body. The fabric was torn and dirty, stained with mud and what looked like dried blood. You could see her pale skin underneath, covered in dark bruises and fresh cuts that were still bleeding. Her feet were completely bare, caked with mud and blood from running over rocks and thorns. She pressed one hand against her side where a dark stain was spreading across the white fabric, getting bigger with each step. Her other hand pushed blindly through the thick bushes and low branches that kept grabbing at her. She was breathing hard, gasping for air in short, desperate bursts. But despite the obvious pain, she kept running.
Every few seconds, she would glance back over her shoulder, her long black hair whipping across her face. Even covered in dirt and scratches, even with tears streaming down her cheeks, she was stunning. The kind of beautiful that takes your breath away, the kind of face that would make people stop and stare on the street. Her features were delicate and perfect, like something out of a painting.
But right now, that beautiful face was twisted with pure terror. Her eyes were red and swollen from crying, darting frantically around the forest behind her. Tears had carved clean tracks through the dirt on her cheeks, and her lips were cracked and bleeding from where she'd bitten them to keep from screaming.
Behind her, not too far away, she could hear heavy footsteps following her.
"Stop running, little bird!" a man's voice called out, deep and mocking. "You're only making this harder on yourself!"
Bai Yuqi let out a small whimper but forced herself to keep moving. Her legs felt like they were on fire, her lungs burned with each breath, and she had no idea how long she'd been running. It felt like hours, but maybe it had only been minutes.
Suddenly, her foot caught on an exposed root, sending her tumbling forward. Her body hit rocks and fallen logs as she rolled, each impact sending sharp jolts of pain through her already battered body. Finally, she slammed into a jagged boulder.
The pain was incredible. It shot through her thigh like lightning, and she had to bite down hard on her already bleeding lip to keep from screaming out loud. She could feel warm blood trickling down her leg, adding to the collection of cuts and bruises covering her body.
For a moment, she just lay there, struggling not to pass out. Black spots danced in front of her eyes, and the world seemed to spin around her. The voices behind her were getting closer. Much closer.
"You can't run forever!"
'Get up. Get up. GET UP!' She forced herself. She hadn't escaped from that horrible place just to get caught again. She wouldn't let them drag her back.
Bai Yuqi forced herself to stand, even though her legs were shaking so badly she could barely stay upright. Her vision was blurry, and everything hurt, but she made herself take another step forward. Then another. She had to keep moving.
She stumbled forward, half-running, half-dragging herself through the thick forest. Then, somewhere ahead of her, she heard a faint, distant sound. At first, it was just a whisper, so faint she thought she might be imagining it. But as she got closer, the sound grew stronger. Water. A stream, maybe, or a river. The sound grew louder with every step.
"Stop now, and maybe we'll go easy on you!" the men kept shouting behind her, but she didn't believe them for a second. She knew exactly what they were capable of. She'd seen it with her own eyes.
The sound of water was getting louder now, and she realized the forest was starting to change. The trees weren't quite as thick here, and there were more gaps between them. Then, suddenly, the trees opened up and she saw a river, its surface shimmering with the golden rays of the sun. Her eyes lit up when she saw two people near the riverbank.
One was a woman wearing a traditional white dress, something one would wear hundreds of years ago. She had incredibly long black hair that reached past her waist, and half of it was tied back with a simple wooden hairpin. She was sitting on a small folding chair, holding a fishing rod in her hands. Next to her was an old metal basket.
The other person was a young man, maybe in his early twenties, squatting casually next to a tree near the woman. He had a phone in his hand. At his feet, a black cat was curled up, sleeping.
As if sensing her presence, or maybe he heard the shouting behind her, the man looked up from his phone. Her eyes slightly widened, and he stood up, putting his phone away. Startled by his sudden movement, the black cat woke up with a jolt and darted straight into the lap of the woman.
"Help me!" Bai Yuqi cried out, running straight toward the man. "Please, you have to help me!"
The woman with the fishing rod didn't even turn her head. It was as if she couldn't hear or see anything happening around her.
Ma Chenxi stared at the girl in bewilderment and then towards the person who was running her fingers through the fur of the cat.
"What the...?" he muttered under his breath, clearly trying to process what he was seeing.
Bai Yuqi reached him and grabbed his hand with both of hers, her fingers shaking. "Please, you have to help me. Those men, they're after me, they-"
Her voice broke off when she heard the sound of snapping branches and heavy footsteps behind her. Three men emerged from between the trees. They were big, muscular, and covered in tattoos that snaked up their arms.
Bai Yuqi whimpered and moved behind the young man, clutching his arm desperately.
The three looked at the two extra people in surprise, clearly surprised. This place was miles from anywhere, with the nearest village being at least an hour's walk away. There weren't even any roads that led here.
They looked at the man and then turned their attention to the woman, who still had her back to them and was acting like they didn't exist. The men exchanged glances.
One of the men snorted and muttered under his breath, "Well, this just got interesting."
Another stepped forward slightly, cracking his knuckles as he spoke. "Listen, kid. This doesn't concern you, so you'd better step back and mind your own business."
The other laughed at his words. The third man, who had been staring at the woman, nudged his friend and tilted his chin towards her. They both grinned as the same twisted thought crossed their minds.
Ma Chenxi, who had finally seemed to come out of his shocked daze, snorted. He looked down at Bai Yuqi, who was still clinging to him and crying, and his expression softened.
"Hey," he said gently, carefully freeing his hand from her grip. "Just wait here for a minute, okay? I'll be right back."
Bai Yuqi stared up at him, tears still streaming down her face, but she couldn't find any words.
Ma Chenxi stepped forward, rolling his shoulders and cracking his neck like he was warming up for a workout.
"You know what?" Ma Chenxi said, his voice completely calm and almost cheerful. "I actually have to thank you guys. I was getting really bored just sitting here doing nothing, and you showed up to give me some entertainment."
Ma Chenxi joined in their laughter. And then, before anyone could blink, before anyone could even process what was happening, Ma Chenxi moved. It was so fast that Bai Yuqi barely saw it. One second he was standing there, and the next, one of the men was lying face down in the dirt a few feet away, completely unconscious.