98 Two Souls

When Chen Ru came to again, the first things he noticed was the distinct scent of soil coming from the ground he was laying on, the chorus of crickets filling the night air, and numbing ache that pulsated throughout his entire body. 

For a while, he lay there, staring vacantly at the beautiful full moon high up in the sky through the gaps of the wooden bars before him. 

Wait… wooden bars?

Panic surged within him as memories of the previous incident flooded back. Ignoring the agony coursing through his body, he attempted to sit up, only to groan out loud when a sharp and searing pain shot through his side. It hurt so much that a gasp was punched out of him, tears squeezing out of his eyes. 

"You're awake?" Song Zhuyu's voice reached his ears, as composed and casual as ever. "Don't move around just yet. I don't know how severe your injuries are."

"F–Father Song?" Chen Ru looked around, his vision slowly adjusting to the darkness.