Hei Xiazi
They make haste to reach the place from which the red smoke was coming and it was a good thing they did, because as they walked closer, they found the body of one of San Xing's man along their way, which confirmed that the one with the red smoke was indeed San Xing. Not knowing of what they were against, Xiazi told Xiao Hua to standby close to the campsite, but away enough so he can stay safe and offer help if something goes wrong.
When Xiazi finally reached the camp San Xing had made, it was all a mess of fire, red smoke and deadly snakes. Xiazi saw San Xing trying to defend himself against the many snakes with a torch, but his movements were not as fluid as when he was younger, which almost cost his life when a snake throw itself at him and was about to bite him, when Xiazi intervened, kicking away the snake before it could do the damage.
"I see I came just in the nick of time." Xiazi said to San Xing.
"Luckily, otherwise I would have die just now. You take your time to find me..." San Xing told him.
"It's not that I haven't my own problems coming here." Xiazi said as he kicked away a few more snakes.
"Are you alone? Where is Wu Xie and Xiao Hua?" San Xing asked.
"I don't know about Wu Xie, but I'm sure Yaba Zhang must be with him and about Hua'er... he came with me."
"Then where is he?" San Xing asked?
"He is safely waiting for me. It's not like I can endanger the Master of the Xie family blindly." Not to mention a possible lover that had his heart wrapped on his pale hands.
"Good, he must stay safe." San Xing agree.
"Of course and it's not like I can't handle this snakes on me own." Xiazi said and he grabbed an oil lamp and spill the oil on a piece of fabric, then put it over his head.
"Master San, light it up!" Xiazi yelled and San Xing comply setting the fabric on fire and then watch as Hei Xiazi ran away from the camp, while the snakes, attracted by the heat, followed.
Xiao Hua was not too far from the camp, actually he had walked closer, worry that Xiazi may be in troubles and he was absolutely right in thinking it so, when he saw Xiazi run like hell with a piece of fabric in flames over him.
"What is he doing? Damn it!" Xiao Hua cursed as his heart sink yet again as he ran toward Xiazi.
"Hua'er!"
"Drop it you idiot!" Xiao Hua ordered and Xiazi did as he was told, dropping the thing over a rock, yet he keep running and took Xiao Hua's hand when he was close enough and keep running for a few more minutes, until he finally stopped, after leaving the snakes behind.
"What was that for?" Xiao Hua asked as he checked on him.
"Snakes... lots of them, I needed to draw them away from San Xing's camp." Xiazi said and Xiao Hua sighed.
"Don't be too reckless... look at this..." Xiao Hua pointed at his jacked, which was charred at some parts.
"It's fine, I'm not burned."
"Let me see it."
"It's just the jacket, is fire resistant..."
"Xiazi..."
"Seriously, I'm fine."
"Show me anyways." Xiao Hua insisted and Xiazi had no other choice than to take off his jacket and let Xiao Hua look at his arm. Most of his arms looked fine, just a little bit redden on his left forearm, but at least it wasn't burned. Even so, Xiao Hua gently held his arms and ran his hand over the sore skin.
"Does it hurt?" He asked, concerned obvious on his voice.
"Not really. Just itch a bit."
"You were not bitten before, right?"
"No, otherwise I wouldn't be here."
"Don't do that again and even less when you tell me to standby." Xia Hua warned him and Xiazi smiled widely.
"I'm sorry I worry you, but as you can see, I am a diehard kind of man." Xiazi whisper.
"Don't push your luck too hard, it may backfire on you one day. Did you find Wu San Xing?" Xiao Hua asked to change the subject.
"Of course I did, we can join him now. This time his team is totally a mess of less professional ones. I'm honestly amaze he had manage to survive this far with such a bunch of idiots." Xiazi said.
"Then I guess is up to us to keep him safe the rest of the way." Xiao Hua said.
"Alright, follow me." Xiazi said and they walked side by side to meet with San Xing.
Zhang Qiling
In the moment Wu Xie look at him with those big brown eyes that fascinate him so much, always shining with curiosity, Zhang Qiling knew that his lover was about to question him about his sudden disappearance while chasing the stranger that had break into their little camp before.
He wasn't the kind of man that will offer explanations to others, but Wu Xie was an exception to that rule, not only because he loved him, but also because he trusted Wu Xie fully and if he asked, he will not deny him an answer, unless it was not his secret to share with others or he was forced to remain silent for his own good.
"So... Xiaoge..." Wu Xie begin, while offering Qiling a ration of the dry food he had, while they shared a rock they had sit on.
"Hum?" Xiaoge looked at him attentively, already knowing what was coming his way. Luckily, they were giving their backs to the other two men, otherwise, Pangzi will be rolling his eyes with their staring contest.
"Well... did you lose the stranger you were chasing before?" And so it begun.
"No." He said honestly.
"Then... did you catch him?" Wu Xie pressed.
"Yes." Xiaoge said simply.
"And...?" Wu Xie was trying for him to spill it all, but not surprisingly, unsuccessfully.
"It was Chen Wenjin." He whisper.
"What? How come it was her following us? Isn't she..."
"Yes, from that expedition." Xiaoge confirmed.
"Then, what happen? Did she got away? Why is she here? Is she looking for my uncle too?" Wu Xie fired up the questions.
"No, her reason is different." Xiaoge said as he bite a bit of the food Wu Xie offered to him.
"Then what is it? Did she tell you?" Wu Xie was now quite curious.
"Sorry, is not my secret to tell." Qiling apologize.
"Oh, hum... but did you ask for what she knows of you, right? Your missing past?" Wu Xie hoped.
"I did." Was Xiaoge's answer and Wu Xie waited patiently for him to elaborate a bit more... but then again he was Xiaoge.
"Come on what did she said to you?" Wu Xie asked excitedly.
"Sorry, I can't tell you." Wu Xie make a gesture of frustration with his hands as he fumed in silence.
"Ah, Xiaoge! We had been working so hard to bring back your memories... did she told you something to put us in the right track?" Wu Xie asked dejectedly and Xiaoge simply stared at him.
"There are things about my past that are hard to find." Xiaoge said.
"I know, which is why we are here. I don't think is a coincidence that she is around, when my uncle is here and so are you. Three members of that expedition team on the same place looking for the same thing, whatever that is. There really must be something in here that connects with what happen to all of you back then. Wenjin write about an it, an entity that seems to control everything around them... is it here?" Wu Xie asked.
"I don't know." More frustration piled up on Wu Xie's mind.
"I wonder what are they expect to find here. I get that you want to find your memories, but I wonder what my uncle is searching for as well as Wenjin. Even Ah Ning was involved, then again, why was I even involved? What was with those videos sent to us?" Wu Xie wonder aloud.
"I don't know about the videos, or what is hidden here, but I know there are some things you need to be told." Xiaoge said in a whisper while looking ahead.
"What things?" Wu Xie asked.
"Is not for me to tell, but Wenjin wants to talk to you about it." Xiaoge explained and Wu Xie was once again smiling happily.
"Then where is she?" He asked hopefully.
"Don't know, we part ways..." And so his frustration was back on him in record time.
"I shouldn't had my hopes up..." Wu Xie whined.
"Don't be impatient... she is keeping an eye on us, she will find you." Xiaoge confessed and Wu Xie stared at him this time. He was glad that Xiaoge was been honest with him over all, so he took his hand on his and look at them clapped together.
"Alright... I'm grateful for you to trust me this much." Wu Xie said with a smile.
"I will trust you for life." Xiaoge said honestly and Wu Xie give him a quick peck on his cheek.
"So will I..." Wu Xie whisper and was about to really kiss him when a cough coming from their backs ruined the moment.
"Tianzhen, seriously... I hope you haven't forget we are still here. Can't you lovely-dovy moment wait until you are alone?" Pangzi protested.
"Yeah, yeah... we should keep going now, before we lose the only trace we had to my uncle's location. The red smoke will dissipate soon." Wu Xie said and shortly after they were on the road once again.
It took them long hours to find his uncle's campsite, but by the time they reach it, it was already empty, although it looked like in a rush. Obviously something had happen, which was the reason for the red smoke, but at the very least, there were no bodies piling around, which was a good sign his uncle was still alive along with the rest of his team.
"Wu Xie, I will take a look around." Xiaoge told him and Wu Xie assented as the rest of them enter the tents to see if they could find any clue left behind. Wu Xie enter one tent alone, but as he guesses it was also empty, just some beds, equipment in general and some food. Which was a blessing, as theirs were running low. So he open his backpack and filled it with the things he deemed necessary to keep their journey and put it back on when Xiaoge came in, all cover in mud.
"Xiaoge? What happen to you? Did you fall from somewhere? Are you okay?" Wu Xie asked worriedly.
"Come with me." Qiling said, then go out of the tent closely followed by Wu Xie. They walked just a short distance at one side from the campsite, when Xiaoge suddenly halted at the border of a small creek with a lot of mud.
"Xiaoge, why you brought me here? Is something wrong with this place?" Wu Xie asked as he looked down, but at that moment when he was distracted, Xiaoge simply stripped him of the belts of his backpack and once they were removed, he pushed Wu Xie to the mud bellow.
Wu Xie fall hard face forward on the mud, wetting himself instantly, which make him turn and look at his lover like he had gone mad.
"Xiaoge! Had you lost it? What was that for?" Wu Xie shouted.
"Snake prevention." Xiaoge said simply as he stared at him so seriously.
"What?" Wu Xie asked again.
"It hides body heat, prevent detection." Xiaoge explained.
"Oh... okay..." Wu Xie conceded.
"Want me to help?" Xiaoge offer as he put his hand on the mud and gently rubbed it on Wu Xie's cheeks, then down his exposed neck, which make young Wu Xie's body heat up and rise his panic.
"No! It's okay... I can do so myself." Wu Xie hastily said, which make Qiling smile slightly at his lover sudden blush, which only make Wu Xie blush more. Xiaoge's smiles were rare and when he gift them to him, his poor heart was not ready to take the blow.
So to distract himself from his sudden rise of blood pressure, he dirty himself all over while Xiaoge watched him with something close to amusement.
"Okay, all done... what about the others?" Wu Xie asked with a huge smile.
"Your call." Xiaoge answer and watched as Wu Xie mischievously plotted a revenge on his head.
"Ah, this will be so much fun... wait for me here." Wu Xie said and Xiaoge watched Wu Xie ran into the tent Pangzi had enter, yelled something urgent, then saw both of them ran back and Wu Xie do what he had done with him earlier, pushing Pangzi into the mud.
"What the hell? Are you crazy Tianzhen?!" Pangzi asked in protest from the muddy wet ground.
"Why are you complaining? Mud is good for the skin, not to mention excellent for snake prevention. I'm doing you a favor, be grateful." Wu Xie said as he looked down on Pangzi.
"Who say so?!" Pangzi yelled.
"Xiaoge. He certainly now about it best or do you question his survival skills?" Wu Xie asked in amusement.
"What? No! Okay... I will make sure is all done evenly." Pangzi said dramatically as he rolled on the mud like a playing child. Wu Xie laughed, then he glanced at Xiaoge, winking his way, which make Qiling smile for the second time that day.
"Hey! You were not joking, right?" Pangzi asked as he saw their little exchange.
"Of course not. Aren't Xiaoge and I all cover in mud too?" Wu Xie asked.
"Oh... then about Pan Zi?" Pangzi asked, hopefully wanting to pass the joke on to him as well, but...
"I can do it myself, don't mind me." The man said at their backs and Wu Xie jumped while turning, almost falling right back into the mud, if not by Xiaoge who grab him by his waist and keep him in place. The proximity of their bodies make Wu Xie face heat up, when Xiaoge press him closer and stared at him so lovingly.
"Be careful..." Xiaoge whisper and Wu Xie panic again.
"Hum... what about a hot meal now? We had enough food for that." Wu Xie said as Xiaoge let go of him, then it was Pangzi turn to laugh.
"Yeah, hot indeed. You better run away before you melt!" More heat rushed into Wu Xie, but this time for embarrassment.
"Si Pangzi! There will be none for you." Wu Xie said as he retreated, while Pangzi laughed his heart out. Xiaoge simply faintly smiled yet again.
AN: Thanks for reading. Until next time, take care dears. 😁💖