Chasing You (Arc 8+)

Beneath the Heavens (XXV)

Putting his hand on the wall, he embarked further in this unsettling passageway using the wall as a guide. The moistness in the air became heavier and so did the rusty scent of decay. Fu Yemu gagged as his tolerance was at its limits. If he could describe the scent in one word it would be apowerfulpungentdisgustingodorthatisjustlikefermentedgarbageblastedonhighheatoveralongperiodoftime. Che, there was no way that he could describe it with one word as it was extremely fetid in its essence. Retching whatever little food he had left in his stomach, Fu Yemu wiped his lips and continued.

In the end, he finally spotted night pearls that dimly lit the place. The journey would've only taken a mere three minutes, but with him being cautious about the environment and the inability to hold in his nauseousness, it stretched to ten minutes.

Spotting a black humanoid object on the ground, Fu Yemu called out, "Father?"

He heard their fierce struggle the moment they heard his voice. Still a hint of fear that it might not be his father, Fu Yemu did not immediately rush over. He surveyed the area as he made his way in. The room was rather small but it was fully equipped with torture devices, two tables,bookshelf, and still had enough space for one to walk around and not feel stuffy. An Zhangyi did not feel perturbed by the room but felt a strange familiarity with the place. No, it was more accurate to say that the original's emotions surfaced and 'he' had a sense of familiarity to it.

Inspecting the person on the floor, Fu Yemu's heart felt both joy and horror at the same time. He dare not dally knowing who it was. Falling to his knees, he knelt before them and pulled out the gag in their mouth. Fu Yemu, "Mom?!"

Xiong Yanzi weakly replied, "Xiao Ye..."

Her voice cracked and tears spilled from her eyes. She looked as if she had just gone through hell and came back, her cheeks were slightly sunken in, her eyes had heavy dark circles, her lips were dry and cracked, her clothes and hair were in a mess, and she was still bleeding. Fu Yemu's heart ached to see his mother like this. His voice cracked as he tried to assure her, "Mom, I'll get you out... Dad will get revenge for you."

All he could think about was how his mother had not gone to visit the yellow spring. As long as she was still alive, he could put most of his worries to rest. He touched the bindings on her body and was prepared to undo them when she stopped him. Shaking her head, Xiong Yanzi sobbed, "Xiao Ye... Xiao Ye... Oh, how could things have been like this?"

Not comprehending why she didn't allow him to take off her bindings, Fu Yemu asked, "Mom, don't struggle let me undo this."

Xiong Yanzi smiled sardonically as her eyes held a fragility that he had never seen before. "You can't, Xiao Ye..."

Her eyes instantly sharpening abruptly, "Xiao Ye, you must listen to me, alright? Listen to me very carefully."

Fu Yemu could only nod his head to comply with her, "O-Okay."

Sighing shakily, she drew in a deep breath and started narrating, "Your father has been acting very strange lately. I had my suspicions when he asked me to take the other half of Zheng Zunzhao's notes. He claimed that it was because he had discovered a method in which Zheng Zunzhao would be able to self resurrect himself."

She laughed self deprecatingly, "Oh how foolish I was... Too blind to see that the person I love was twisted to the core. I kept denying the facts because I could not believe that the man I loved for twenty-four years-"

Lowering her head, she spoke with sentiment in her voice, "It would have been twenty-five years in a month..."

A period of silence went by before she continued to speak, "Xiao Ye, I couldn't believe that your father could be such a person."

Xiong Yanzi stared into Fu Yemu's eyes, "You must not trust your father. No matter what he says or does, you must remember my words. Your father has succumbed to his inner devils, he had been since a very long time ago. There isn't an ounce of humanity or compassion left in your father. Neither you, Zizi, or I matter to him; we don't have a place in his heart. Nothing will hold him back from sacrificing either one of us... So, protect your brother and yourself well, Xiao Ye. You must not let him know anything... You can't let him know, Xiao Ye."

She started to sob as she spoke, "I'm so sorry... I'm so sorry, Xiao Ye. I can't watch or guide you walk on your journey anymore. Mother's road has come to an end."

Deep inside she knew the outcome already. She could not drag her innocent kids into the madness that was concealed inside of Fu You. Fu Yemu's arrival here was already a mistake. Her eyes filled with tenderness as the tears continue to fall, "Mother is so scared, so scared for you and Zizi, my babies. So you must promise mother, you must protect yourselves well and live on. No matter what you must do, you cannot lie down and die, you have to carry on."

Fu Yemu didn't know when it was, but he was crying incredibly hard. His breathing became haggard and he was sniffling non-stop. He shook his head and cried out, "Mom! We can make it out of here. You can't say this, I won't leave you."

Xiong Yanzi, "And here I never thought that I would ever hear you cry again, Xiao Ye."

A sad smile appeared on her lips, "Promise me, Xiao Ye. Promise that you won't forget what mother has told you."

Fu Yemu bobbed his head, "I won't, mother."

He wiped the snot from his nose with the back of his sleeve, his eyes were resolute; he was going to bring his mother out of here. Fu Yemu, "Mom, don't speak such sad words anymore. Once you and met get out of here, we can run awa-"

Xiong Yanzi's eyes went on alert and she shot Fu Yemu a look, silencing him. She mumbled under her breath, "Hide, he's coming."