CHAPTER 3

He let out a sigh as he looked around. It had been four days already since he was locked up in the cold underground dungeon. He was beyond angry at this point. He had had little to nothing to eat for four days.

This situation only made him regret even more for saving that whom he referred to as chivalrous conniving bastard. All the not so tasteful words that got out of his mouth would leave one red. Despite him not having enough energy he had energy to curse at him. He let out a sigh as he slowly say down on the makeshift bed that he was so generously provided for unfortunately for him that was where the kindness ended. He slept in the cold when the night came as he shivered. It was almost winter making the situation even worse.

He looked down at his battered body with some bruises from the beating he had received but he didn't know anything. He heard them say he was a spy which he only snickered at.

But why was he in a dungeon.

It happened the day after Zhang Chens encounter with the Red man as he referred to him as. He felt strong enough so he decided to make a run for it but he didn't anticipate the situation that awaited him.

Before he could climb over the fence someone spotted him and before he could do anything he was tackled to the ground and was led to the dungeon and to no surprise it was the red man who ordered upon his attempt to flee he would be locked up but he hadn't set his eyes on Red again after their encounter.

They also believed he had accomplices but he had placed Tien and Ling in a safe place so he was sure they wouldn't find them.

"So much for being a saint," he lamented.

The night was slowly closing in marking his fourth day. He had tried to think of ways to escape but there was no possible way that ended up with him not being caught or killed.

The place he was in was some kind of remote camp. He saw people training and large tents so the number must be at least a thousand men and women and he wasn't even sure which made his situation even worse. He was not used to being in situations where he could not control.

He could only hope Tien and ling were still safe.

Just then the chunky doors opened. He heard footsteps walk in and heard a dragging sound resonating through the cold dungeon. He looked up to see two figures dragging in someone but he couldn't make out the persons face. He was moaning and groaning in pain. Another larger man walked behind them.

"We brought you company ," one of the men said sheepishly before the gate of the cell besides Zhang Chen opened and the person was roughly tossed in earning another groan.

Zhang Chen looked at the person laying on the floor unmoving. He stood up as the men left the dungeon leaving the two of them alone. He walked up to the cells railings and bent down to see if he was okay but a dreadful feeling filled his body as he got closer to the body.

To his horror it was Tien.

"Tien!" he called out loudly and in shock at the realisation.

"Tien!" He called out once again but all he got was a groan in response.

Tien was slipping in and out of unconsciousness.

He held onto the railings with all his strength as he tried to get closer to him. He hit his hands against them in hoped of removing at least one but all it did was hurt him instead making blood sip out of his knuckles but he didn't care about that. All he wanted was to be close to Tien. To make sure he was okay.

Finally feeling defeated and out of breath he sat down against the railings he buried his head in his hands a feeling of desperation washing over him.

"hello, "he called out loudly but no one answered until he called out again.

It was the last result he could think of. Tien needed to see a physician immediately and he didn't have any other option.

He told them he would tell them the truth after his message was relayed a lady with cold menacing eyes come down to see him. Opening the cell door she shoved him roughly outside. He only had one slight glimpse at Tien before he was forcibly dragged from the dungeon. A cloth was put over his head blurring his vision.

He almost fell numerous times by the rough shoving and the ropes were burning against his skin.

Finally he was pushed roughly against a chair before the cloth was pulled from his face.

His breath was heavy as he tried looking around trying to get familiar with the surroundings. The girl was nowhere to be seen.

The tent was quite luxurious as compared to the one he had been placed in the first time.

"are you ready to talk or are you going to gawk at everything the whole night." A voice said cutting Zhang Chen off his reverie.

Zhang Chen knew the voice. He hadn't forgotten the voice of the person he dreamt of pushing a knife though for five days straight day and night.

He thought it was as irritating as ever.

"I won't say unless you let the boy you brought in go," he stated his voice determined.

There was a long silence before he felt a breath behind his neck. He was beginning to get scared but he held himself together. He had to do it for Tien.

"So you do know him," the voice said again. His words tickling the hairs of Zhang Chens neck.

"he had nothing to do with what happened that night." He stated. His voice shaking a bit.

"You care about him." Red said standing in front of Zhang Chen with a glass of wine in his hands. But he was only met with silence. He let out a snicker St Zhang Chens reluctance.

"answer me!!!" He said although his voice was calm it held a threatening tone to it making Zhang Chen gulp.

"Yes." He finally answered after feeling cornered. "Just...just let him go I will do anything you say."

Red looked at him for a long while before placing the cup down and walking towards him.

Zhang Chen watched him closely as Red put his hand on either side of the armchair. He felt his body freeze when he felt Reds breath against his ear as a hand travelled round his waist pulling him towards Red.

"Anything," Red whispered mischievously.

Zhang Chen sat frozen as his eyes went wide with the realisation of what Red was suggesting.

"I....I..." Zhang Chen tried to get a words out but he was still shocked by the sudden turn of events.

Red slowly moved his nose against Zhang Chens skin towards his neck. By this time Zhang Chen was a mess his thoughts were all over the place and his heart was beating fast, his hands were in a tight grip as he stayed frozen. He held his breath.

Suddenly a voice sounded through the tent.

"Don't tease him so much he might die on us from embarrassment."

Red let out a chuckle as he stepped away and picked up his cup.

Zhang Chen sat startled as he tried to process what had just happened.

"look now you scared him," the voice said again as the lady from before came in front of Zhang Chen with a smile on her face. She looked different than she did earlier , she had a much friendlier tone and appeal.

Zhang Chen tried to regain his posture as he tried to sit up straight and cleared his throat he avoided Reds calculating eyes as he saw him smirk at his reaction.

"Lets start from the top shall we?" she said with a smile trying to break the tension.

"I told you everything, I don't know him, I didn't go there for him. I didn't even know you were in that room if I had known what an ungrateful bastard you are I wouldn't have saved you." He said glaring at Red "and if you dare hurt him I will make sure I finish what those assassins couldn't." he added his voice threatening and cold.

"Its not a good look in your situation for you to threaten me." Red said taking a huge gulp of the wine and placed the cup down and was about to approach Zhang Chen once again but the lady stopped him. They exchange a look before Red gave a sigh and stepped back.

"As he said making such a threat at this time is not the best." She said kneeling before him. Her eyes were soft as she slowly held his hand and cut the ropes. "but I believe you however, we need your help to finish something if you want your friend to go free." She said her voice convincing.

"Why does it sound like you are doing me a favour I saved his life and this is what I get in return?" He asked his voice angry.

"We didn't torture him. He is just under a drug. The drug is risky. We are trying to catch the person who sells them or else someone else will fall victim to it." She tried explaining but it only made Zhang Chen more furious.

"you drugged him! To use him as leverage" His voice was abnormally calm but he was a ticking bomb waiting to explode.

"No! No we didn't we found him like that. We were doing some investigating and we found him abandoned. We heard he was looking for you. Don't worry he is under the observation of a physician as we speak."

"How deadly is it?" Zhang Chen asked the gravity of the situation slowly sinking in.

"its a new drug so we don't have an antidote the only way to get one is capture the seller and so far every addict that we have caught if they do not get the drug within a few hours he had four days to live at most."

Zhang Chen felt like his world had shattered as he slowly stood up. He couldn't hear anything Feng Yu was saying all he thought of was Tien. He rubbed his hands on his face as he run his hands in his through his hair.

All he could think about was that it wasn't happening. It was all a lie.

Suddenly like something snapped he lunged at Red pinning him to the ground. Red looked at him a little surprised by his actions and Feng Yu shocked. He was about to punch Red but stopped mid-air his right hand in a fist and his left hand grabbing onto Reds clothes tightly.

"it's all your fault if you had let... me go back...." his voice broke with despair.

Red looked at him a flash of something on his eyes but it quickly disappeared as he pushed Zhang Chen away from him onto the floor.

Zhang Chen looked dazed as he sat on the ground.

"We still have time. We have four days to save him,"Feng yu tried to reassure him she knelt beside him and was about to touch his hand when he suddenly stood up.

"I want to see him first?" Zhang Chen said walking to the exit just as he opened the tent opening he almost jumped at the familiar face looking at him.

He looked back to see Feng Yu smiling and waving her hand at him.

"That's my sister Feng Li. " she stated giving a small laugh. " take him to see the boy." Feng Yu told Feng li who just nodded and lead him outside.

As soon as they were out of sight and range Feng Yu turned to Red.

" did you get what you wanted? He will hate you once he finds out the truth" She asked folding her hands.

"Yes I did. " Red answered with a smirk as he sat on one of the many chairs in the room. "He will agree it was for the greater good," He said.

Feng yu nodded her head in understanding.

"I don't trust him you have to be extra careful he isn't all that is letting known," she said as she walked out of the tent.

Red looked after her until her form disappeared before letting out a sigh.

Zhang Chen kneeled beside the bed Feng Li was standing behind him watching him. He slowly captured Tiens cold hands in his as he softly caressed it.

Tien was unconscious as opposed to earlier when he would fall in and out of unconsciousness.

"the doctor gave him a sleeping latent," she said seeing his concern. He nodded slightly as his eyes remained trained on Tien.

"Can I stay beside him?" he asked and Feng Li nodded before leaving the room.

The night wore on aggressively slowly. Zhang Chen stayed beside him not leaving him even once. He woke up one time calling out to Zhang Chen who instantly held him and reassured him he was going to be okay. At the sound of Zhang Chens voice Tien calmed down and fell back asleep but that wasn't the only time he woke up.

He woke up three times each time worse than the last during the night screaming in agony as tears fell down. The physician immediately came into the room and induced him into another sleep the medicine he made was getting stronger with each dose. He had stated it would reach a time that the medicine would not have any effect on him, leaving him in pain.

Hearing this Zhang Chen made his choice, he returned to the tent Red stayed at he had thought he would find Red asleep but instead he was standing beside a map with a cup of wine in his hand. He was studying the map intensely as he tagged some places. As soon as Red heard footsteps he looked up to see Zhang Chen standing at the door his face and demeanour disoriented.

"I will do it, I will help you catch the person selling the drugs." He said.

Red didn't show any reaction he only nodded his head in acknowledgement as he continued studying his map.

"Did you find anyone else with him?" Zhang Chen asked a hint of fear underlying his words.

"no it was just him." Red answered.

Zhang Chen nodded. He didn't know if h7e was happy she wasn't caught or dreadful that he didn't know where she was.

"was there someone else?" Red asked still not giving Zhang Chen any glance.

"No," Zhang Chen answered.

"I have a few places we can get information, " Zhang Chen said as he approached the table. Red looked up at him finally.

"you should go stay with him until its time to leave. "

Zhang Chen left the tent and went back to where Tien was.