Chapter 5 - A warm touch to the frozen heart

"You idiot…how did you manage to get shot again? It's the sixth time this week…a damn Thursday!" A figure draped in a white medical coat rustled as she turned around to face Liu Yingyue, her expression a mixture of disbelief and frustration as she furiously typed words from her keyboard into her laptop.

Feng Mian was renowned for her exceptional medical skills, a figure of authority within the sterile walls of Odysseus more so. No.12 in rank, with only, to a point, eleven higher authorities that could make her lower her head in submission.

"Woah, calm down Mian Mian! It was an accident," Liu Yingyue interjected as she attempted to placate the frustrated doctor. "The pigs were going to shoot the kid! Thought the command was for me to protect the thing."

Liu Yingyue lied. 

She did get shot though; not so save the kid.

As Liu Yingyue was running down the alleyways of the loading dock, carrying two people in her arms, her eyes scanned their surroundings, it was in one fateful moment that her instincts flared to life. Liu Yingyue saw it, the glint of malevolence in the eyes of a Hunter, their firearm aimed squarely at Lucia.

The report of the gunshot punctuated the atmosphere. 

And Liu Yingyue's body reacted without conscious thought.

Liu Yingyue raised her arm, making it so that Lucia wouldn't even get a graze from the oncoming bullet and it struck right into her flesh. Yet, Liu Yingyue continued to act like nothing ever happened, not even a slight reaction. 

Feng Mian sighed and stared at her patient. Liu Yingyue, who laid on a hospital bed before her with a sweatdropped expression, raising her hand up as if conceding defeat made her lips curl into a frown. She couldn't help but shake her head at Liu Yingyue, always showing up before her with injuries or some kind or problem.

An occurrence that is now a routine in the doctor's life.

Liu Yingyue rested against a soft pillow on the hospital bed. Her blazer along with her white shirt was placed on the armrest of a chair. Drops of crimson stained both her blazer and shirt where the bullet had pierced through her flesh. But Liu Yingyue's posture remained remarkably composed with her upper body being completely exposed.

Feng Mian didn't bother to scold Liu Yingyue again. Instead, she wheeled over a metal trolley laden with an array of surgical tools, their polished surfaces catching the sterile overhead lighting.

She began the procedure to extract the bullet lodged within Liu Yingyue's arm, preparing the medical equipment for the operation. Liu Yingyue laid on the hospital bed, her bored gaze fixated on Feng Mian's proceedings.

First came an injection; a needle connected to a tank filled with a vivid blue liquid. The needle pierced Liu Yingyue's skin with ease, sliding in smoothly. 

As the plunger was depressed, the azure substance flowed into her bloodstream. Liu Yingyue's eyes remained fixed on the blue liquid, its hue a stark contrast to the sterile white surroundings of the room.

The liquid seemed to swirl and dance within the clear tubing. Liu Yingyue's expression remained neutral, a mask of stoicism that both showed she couldn't care less and this wasn't the first time she went though this procedure.

Feng Mian pulled on her surgical rubber gloves, securing a snug fit. She adjusted her mask, covering her nose and mouth, and moved the overhead light into position so that it illuminated Liu Yingyue's arm clearly.

She retrieved an alcohol swab and began to clean the area around the bullet wound. As the swab glided over Liu Yingyue's skin, it removed traces of blood that had seeped from the wound. The alcohol even trickled into the open flesh of the injury. 

The cotton ball she used to blot away the bloodstains quickly absorbed the blood. However, what stood out was the vivid blue hue that stained the cotton ball. It was a striking contrast to the usual red hue of blood. The metallic tang in the air remained, but it was intertwined with the deep, oceanic shade of the alcohol.

She reached for a pair of tweezers, their slender tips glinting under the surgical light. Guided by the illumination above as she inserted the tweezers into Liu Yingyue's open flesh wound. 

The metal bullet was soon retrieved from within Liu Yingyue's body with one precise motion from Feng Mian's medical hands. It glistened with a coating of a blue shimmer of blood. 

Feng Mian placed the retrieved bullet onto a glass plate that rested on the medical trolley and carefully sealed it away. 

Turning her attention back to Liu Yingyue's wound, Feng Mian retrieved a fine needle and threaded it with a thin piece of string.

Liu Yingyue's injury, while not major, Feng Mian was resolute in ensuring that her patient would not leave the operating room with an open wound. She had seen the consequences of such recklessness before, and it was a lesson learned through Liu Yingyue - being the reckless and brash person she was - got the single open wound, a stab from a knife, into having to go through heavy surgery since the blade was actually coated in deadly poison and was slowly melting Liu Yingyue's internal organs. 

The poison melting Liu Yingyue's internal organs wasn't the part that got her in surgery - since it was just another small itch for her - but it was the fact that she had the poison in her body for way too long and didn't get it resolved until it melted already nearly 80% of her organs when she finally noticed there was something wrong and casually pointed it out when getting a checkup. 

When Feng Mian heard this, she looked at Liu Yingyue with disbelief, who, in contrast, seemed to be wearing an almost stoic mask, her expression seemingly untouched by the words she just said. 

Feng Mian couldn't hold back her bewilderment and asked, "Why didn't you tell me any of this sooner..!?"

Liu Yingyue's response was as matter-of-fact as it was nonchalant. She met Feng Mian's gaze and replied, her voice laced with a hint of indifference, "Didn't really notice it myself until I felt my stamina was getting shittier than normal, Mian Mian. Checked it out, and apparently it's poison."

Feng Mian scolded her heavily, saying that she can't just leave something like poison melting her internal organs for this long and not say anything about it.

In the end, Liu Yingyue didn't take it to heart and shrugged it off, but Feng Mian now had a mental note to never trust Liu Yingyue's words. She questioned why she even trusted Liu Yingyue in the first place.

The needle moved in and out of Liu Yingyue's skin with practiced precision, guided by Feng Mian's medically skilled hand. It punctured the flesh, weaving its way through layers of tissue, and emerged on the other side. Each careful stitch served to draw the edges of the wound closer together, gradually closing the gap left by the bullet's entry.

Feng Mian maintained a steady rhythm, her fingers moving deftly as she continued her work. With each pass of the needle, the wound grew smaller, the once-open flesh now sealed by the fine thread and as the final stitch was made, Feng Mian tied off the thread, preventing it from opening up. 

She cleaned the area around the wound once more, using alcohol to disinfect and ensure the surgical site remained free from infection. With the wound properly stitched and cleaned, Feng Mian retrieved clean bandages and wrapped them over the area of the wound.

After expertly completing the procedure in just under ten minutes, Feng Mian stepped back, her surgical gloves now stained with Liu Yingyue's blood which matched the glove itself; blue. Feng Mian watched as Liu Yingyue swung her arm around without any apparent discomfort and she grinned. 

"Thanks, Mian Mian."

"Mhm," Feng Mian notchinaly responded as she removed her used gloves and disposed of them in the trash, along with her mask and replaced it for a new one. "How about those around your neck? Do you want me to clean them up for you?"

"Oh..?" Liu Yingyue casually gestured toward the slightly visible scars on the side of her neck. 

Most of the scars were concealed beneath the collar encircling her neck, only faint glimpses of them peeking out from beneath the accessory. They were still relatively fresh, the skin around them slightly raised and discolored. Some of the scars seemed to have already started fading, but they were still visible. 

 "Nah, no need."

Feng Mian nodded and walked over to the door. Just before exiting, she turned around to face Liu Yingyue and her expression grew stern with a dark glare. "Don't do anything stupid again that you will end back here, Miss Liu."

"Got it boss!" Liu Yingyue saluted with a smug smile.

"Don't celebrate too early, you still have to go through a few questions. No.14 will be recording."

"Him again?"

"Do you have a problem with that?" Feng Mian asked.

"Nope! I'm even excited to see my dolly again!" Liu Yingyue exclaimed with a beaming smile. "See if he's changed, even in the slightest." She flashed a grin.

Feng Mian had her lips parted briefly but then closed them. "Then stay put, Miss Liu." And closed the door shut.

Liu Yingyue gave a wide grin, but it faded as Feng Mian closed the door behind her. She slumped back into the bed and stared up at the ceiling with a blank expression. Although she couldn't feel any pain, seeing that the tank of blue liquid was now empty, made her roll her eyes in mild annoyance.

The room felt sterile and cold and Liu Yingyue's mind began to wander as she waited in solitude.

"When is that doll comi—"

And just like that, a monotonous voice came through the door, devoid of any emotion or inflection.

"Miss Liu, may I come in?"

Hearing that familiar robot voice through the door, Liu Yingyue closed her eyes and let out a nonchalant hum in response, not bothering to answer back with words.

No.14 entered the room with a straight and fixed posture. Every movement was meticulously planned and executed with no imperfections. His grey suit was impeccably neat and tidy, not a single fleck of dust or wrinkle marring its surface. 

In stark contrast, Liu Yingyue laid there with only her pants on and being shirtless, wearing only a black bra. Her shoulder was bandaged, and her overall appeared to be devilish. 

"Ah, my dear dolly has come to see me again!" Liu Yingyue said in a teasing tone as she waved for No.14 to walk over to her.

No.14 maintained a stoic expression that remained unchanged throughout their interaction. Regardless of what Liu Yingyue said or did, No.14 didn't budge or show any emotional reaction. Their demeanor remained consistently professional.

No.14's appearance was strikingly abnormal. His hair, a shimmering shade of pure white (not dyed, unlike the rest of the characters in this damn story), was expertly cut and styled in a way that made it subtly elegant but plain looking. However, it was his eyes that truly set him apart and what only Liu Yingyue loved about him. 

They were an eerie anomaly, an abyss of pure black, devoid of any light or hint of color. Each glance into those eyes felt like a plunge into the abyss, a journey into the unknown where emotions dared not tread.

It seemed to reflect the heavy similarities between Liu Yingyue and No.14, but it was in their personalities that these commonalities differentiated, executed completely differently. 

No.14 maintained his posture of respectful professionalism. "Miss Liu," he began, bowing slightly, "I'm here to follow procedures. Please cooperate—"

"You don't have to say those lines every time we do this, Dai Yu," Liu Yingyue interrupted.

Dai Yu closed his eyes briefly and gave a subtle nod of acknowledgment. He then pulled a clipboard of papers and a pen seemingly out of thin air. 

"Then I shall begin," he said.

As the procedure continued, Liu Yingyue remained nonchalant and lethargic as she hummed and rolled her figure over to face Dai Yu directly. Her posture was lazy and sluggish, but also carried hints of boredom. 

Underneath her mask, her eyes reflected the same lack of enthusiasm, mirroring Dai Yu's stoicism. It was as if a veil of indifference enveloped her, a perfect match to Dai Yu's demeanor, and a sly smirk danced on her lips.

Dai Yu carried out his duties with precision, but Liu Yingyue barely paid attention to his questions and answered them with brevity. Her focus locked onto Dai Yu's himself. She observed his every subtle movement, until Dai Yu's voice broke her reverie.

"Miss Liu, I understand that you're not in the mood to follow procedures, but this is mandatory. And I ask you to please pay attention to my questions, not my appearance."

"Whatever, dolly," Liu Yingyue waved dismissively. She then leaned back, placing her hands behind her head and adopted a relaxed posture.

"...I shall carry on." 

***

Liu Yingyue laid in the room in silence, but after all the questions Dai Yu asked her - which felt like forever - she wanted to just close her eyes and might as well never open them again.

It felt like an eternity had passed in that room filled with sterile air and mechanical conversations. But just as she was on the verge of drifting away, her attention snapped back to the present when she heard the door creak open.

Her body language subtly shifted, her muscles tensing. Her eyes swiftly pivoted towards the door with a certain alertness. However, as her gaze landed on the familiar figure of Lucia framed in the doorway, her features instantly relaxed. 

It was as if a softness had washed over her, the initial tension in Liu Yingyue's expression giving way to a more relaxed and welcoming demeanor.

"Uh…can I come in?" Lucia asked tentatively.

Liu Yingyue couldn't help but tease, shifting slightly as a small smile played on her lips. "Aww, you were never this polite before, Lucia!"

"...old hag!" Lucia threw open the door, only to let it slam shut behind her with a resounding thud.

Liu Yingyue couldn't help but emit a soft, amused chuckle at Lucia's dramatic entrance. She gently patted the empty space on the bed next to her, a silent invitation for Lucia to join her.

Lucia, though still a bit miffed, didn't resist the offer. She huffed in a playful manner and proceeded to stomp over to Liu Yingyue and settled onto the bed.

Liu Yingyue's enigmatic smile remained etched on her lips as she observed Lucia's silhouette, her arms casually crossed as she leaned against the hospital bed. Still, not facing Liu Yingyue directly. 

Her slender fingers idly traced the contours of the hospital bed, gliding smoothly over its surface. 

Slowly, Liu Yingyue's fingertips began their journey, tracing a path from the bed's surface and up Lucia's spine. She played with the ends of Lucia's hair, her fingers gently toying with the soft curls that graced her shoulders. With a grace, Liu Yingyue's fingertips trailing like a whisper along the nape of Lucia's neck, grazing her skin.

It was only Liu Yingyue and Lucia in the room.

Alone.

By themselves.

"How did you know it was me, hmm? I have a mask on." Liu Yingyue asked as she gestured at the sleek mask concealing half of her face.

"Haaa…you think I couldn't tell from your ever so bad posture that it wasn't you? And your features were clear enough." 

A soft, melodious chuckle escaped Liu Yingyue's lips. "You've only seen my full face around once," she remarked.

"And once was enough."

Even back then, Liu Yingyue would wear a face mask and she rarely ever took it off. The only time Lucia had seen her full face was when she accidentally stumbled upon a scene in the bathroom. 

Liu Yingyue was bent over the sink, her hand trembling as she wiped the corners of her mouth, revealing blood-soaked tissues and chunks of crimson. Lucia stood there, stunned, her eyes wide and her heart racing. 

That was the first and last time she ever saw Liu Yingyue's full face.

Liu Yingyue looked at Lucia and gave her a look of question. In response, Lucia let out a soft sigh and shifted her position, hovering her head over Liu Yingyue so that she was looking down at her. Strands of her hair cascaded above Liu Yingyue, creating a delicate curtain. 

Lucia stared directly into Liu Yingyue's eyes, their faces now just inches apart.

Lucia's finger traced the contours of Liu Yingyue's jawline. She could feel the warmth of Liu Yingyue's skin beneath her touch, and her finger followed the natural curves and angles of her face. 

Lucia felt no resistance from Liu Yingyue, so she continued. 

Slowly, Lucia's finger glided along Liu Yingyue's skin as she slid her finger underneath the mask and followed it around to the back of Liu Yingyue's head, all the way to the ribbon holding the mask up tightly.

The ribbon securing the mask was like a silk thread in Lucia's skilled hands, and Lucia easily slid the ribbon off with Liu Yingyue allowing her to do so, sitting there obediently. The mask began to unveil Liu Yingyue's features one by one like a curtain being drawn aside.

Finely sculpted eyebrows, gracefully arched like the delicate wings of a bird in flight, perfectly complemented the symmetry of her face. They framed her eyes like nature's artwork, adding an air of elegance to her countenance.

Then, Lucia's gaze fell upon Liu Yingyue's closed eyes, hidden beneath a veil of long, dark lashes. Those eyes, like the secrets of the universe locked behind heavy doors, remained a mystery, for now. The curve of her eyelids led to the corners, which gracefully rounded off with a subtle hue of purple gracing the corners.

The sharp bridge of her nose cut through the canvas of her face with the precision of a masterful sculptor. 

Finally, Lucia's attention was drawn to Liu Yingyue's lips. They had a slightly cracked, reminiscent of the parched earth after a rainless night, yet the color was akin to a vibrant, blood-red hue. 

Lucia couldn't help but notice, once again, the scar that ran from Liu Yingyue's cheek down to her chin, and softly brushed her thumb over it. 

Liu Yingyue sat there obediently and patiently as the mask slipped off entirely, leaving her face exposed to Lucia's gaze. Every nuance of her expression, every fine line and imperfection and whatnot, was now visible to Lucia, who studied each detail.

Slowly fluttering open her dark lashes, Liu Yingyue revealed a pair of silver eyes. The irises seemed to be completely hollow, yet it was reflective, capturing the ambient light in the room and casting an otherworldly glow. 

Lucia traced her finger up Liu Yingyue's face, making its way up to her eyes. With the tip of her nail, Lucia traced the lines of Liu Yingyue's eyelids, a feather-light caress that Liu Yingyue gave no reaction to.

"I could spot these even beneath a mask…as well as that old hag voice of yours."

Lucia held the mask in her hand as Liu Yingyue smiled at her, a smug curve on her lips, and leaned back on her side. Liu Yingyue's gaze fixed on Lucia.

"How nice you still are, annoying prick."

"Yeah, yeah. Now lie back down, you're still injured." Lucia's hand pressed gently against Liu Yingyue's stomach.

As Liu Yingyue complied, Lucia could feel all the contours of her well-trained physique. The lined muscles which had previously been concealed by the suit she was wearing that hugged Liu Yingyue's body, became more apparent as she was, kinda, half naked - so Lucia could see her body's bare details more clearly. 

Scars criss-crossed her skin, which were not limited to one area; they were scattered across Liu Yingyue's body, from her shoulders and down - Like black ink, seeping into a white canvas and staining it with its hue - not one part of her skin wasn't stained.

Lucia's fingers gently traced these scars - some were faded and old, while others were fresher and more pronounced - her touch following their paths starting from her neck. Thin lines traced her skin down vertically that scarred her skin like stripes, a few inches away from two gunshot wounds.

A shapeless scar from her left shoulder that looked like a gruesome burn, ignoring the fact that the same horrid burns were all over Liu Yingyue's body. Her abdomen was marred by scars that ranged from bullet wounds - way too many bullet wounds - to jagged scars as a result of burns or explosions. But marks of deep slashes from blades, glass and whatnot - stitched up - were the most prominent scars on her body that rigged her skin. 

Lucia also noticed many random rod-like shaped burn marks, as if someone had pressed hot metal rods against the flesh, leaving red imprints that had since turned into scar tissue. As well as one particular scar that stood out even among this patchwork of wounds, faded, but still visible; branding mark..?

Liu Yingyue's legs and the areas where Lucia couldn't currently see (Liu Yingyue's back) were probably no exception to this either. Only hints of heavy scars trailed from her stomach down to her legs, not that Lucia could see. 

There also was Liu Yingyue's arms, and Lucia couldn't help but notice the disconcerting sight. Sure, there were many prominent scars that looked even painful for Lucia to see, but the scatter of dots across her skin, especially on her left arm - arrays of purple and blue - made Lucia's stomach turn. 

Small needle marks, like tiny punctures left by some unseen assailant. The sight of these marks was slightly concerning.

Lucia's brows furrowed as she silently wondered; 'What the hell happened..?'

But Lucia knew that she wasn't going to get any answer even if she asked.

"En…" Liu Yingyue gently tugged at Lucia's hand, guiding it towards her bare cheek with a subtle, tender pull, almost like a cat nuzzling for warmth and comfort.

"Amir…you, you reek of cigarettes..?" 

Lucia was slightly confused by the smell Liu Yingyue was giving off. It carried the faint undertones of cigarettes, but it wasn't the usual acrid and offensive odor associated with it. Instead, it had a subtle, almost herbal quality, like the scent of smoldering sage or a fragrant incense. 

Liu Yingyue's actions came to a sudden halt, and she responded with an awkward shrug. "Uh...no?"

"When did you start smoking?"

"Nothing that should concern an annoying prick like you," Liu Yingyue answered with a smile.

Lucia sighed," Fine. But don't think that I'm not going to bring this up again."

"En, then what about my question? You still haven't answered why you're here, in China, with shit speaking abilities."

Lucia's eyes suddenly twitched, and she playfully delivered a punch to Liu Yingyue's thigh.

"Lie down, shut up, and sleep. I'll tell you when you're not dying in bed," Lucia said as she placed her hand over Liu Yingyue's eyes.

Liu Yingyue reached out and gently grabbed Lucia's arm, preventing her from leaving and faced Lucia directly, her voice almost had a glimmer of passion as she spoke, "I will, if you stay with me."

"Sure, I won't move, I'll be right here," Lucia said.

Liu Yingyue kept her grip on Lucia's arm and asked, "You promise?"

Lucia chuckled, shaking her head. "Idiot, I'd never leave you. If I did, you'd probably get yourself killed."

"Good." 

From Lucia's pursuit, Liu Yingyue closed her eyes, she felt the hand of warmth still next to her. For the first time in a while (maybe a few weeks) Liu Yingyue allowed herself to drift off - slightly.

Lucia watched in silence as Liu Yingyue's figure slowly rested, and her eyes fluttered shut. She wasn't completely asleep, maintaining a cautious vigilance to an extent, but still. 

Lucia sighed, her thumb gently grazing the back of Liu Yingyue's hand, tracing delicate patterns on her skin.

"Old hag, I can't leave you if you're the one who left first…"