12 To be a Hero pt 2 (2/2)

”There. Now hurry and leave! They should be getting up soon.” She ushered.

The ladies ran out, hustling down the narrow, dark hallway and out from the secret passageway. About two of the women were still sitting down, too tired because they didn't have the energy to stand up. Inside the cell, the ground was murky smelled like a wet dog.

There was no plate of food or water for the ladies. Suyin decided to help the two ladies up, one on both sides of her as she tried to carry them out of the cell and out of the brothel. ”Come on, you guys have to survive and live!” Suyin spoke, gently walking down the narrow hallway and out of the basement to the lobby area as the two ladies weakly moved beside Suyin.

”Thank you, Mr. Hero. I shall never forget this.” The lady on Suyin's right side announced.

”As long as you guys are okay, that's all I'm asking for.” Suyin smiled.

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Right after Suyin carried the two girls out of the brothel, chatters could be heard from inside the inn, causing a loud commotion.

”Was there something that happened?!” Suyin could hear people talking from the inn. She tried to use all of her strength to carry the girls, hiding behind an alleyway. A couple of the girls that ran off earlier came to help hold the two girls, holding them as Suyin stood in front of them.

”You guys can hurry and go now.” Clashes of weapon and swords could be heard from the inn. ”Hurry, before they come out!”

”Thank you, Hero.” One of the girls said, her eyes welling up with tears asSuyin bid them farewell.

Suyin had to absorb the thought of ”hero,” almost correcting them because she forgot that she was dressed up as a man.

”No problem. You guys have to make it back home safe and sound and never come back near here.” Suyin assured them. They dashed off, with Suyin turning around to hear the sound of endless footsteps gather up nearby.

”Find them!!” A powerful command could be heard nearby. Suyin was about to turn around until she bumped into someone's chest. Suyin was about to use the rest of the sleeping powder on the person for defense but stopped after she recognized his face.

”You--” She froze. The man's face was full of hostility and the aura of piercing coldness blew straight across her. The only person that was distinctive enough for Suyin to recognize who it was-Tienzheng!

”Y-You!” Suyin was ready to burst out his name when he covered her mouth, pulling her into his chest and squeezed onto her waist. She could feel her feet become lighter when Qin Fuhua flew up to the rooftop with her. The group of men began running through the alleyway with their spears and swords.

”They shouldn't be far!” one of the men in the group cried out, running down. Suyin's face was buried deep into the chest of the man.

”murflahgahing?!” Suyin attempted to speak but Qin Fuhua would squeeze her tighter if she proceeded to talk, muffling her words.

”Stapheitoricantbreathe” She tried to utter. The more she spoke, the tighter he held onto her, nearly suffocating her close to his chest. Finally comprehending that if she kept talking, he would pull her tighter to his chest, so she didn't utter a single word anymore, her face still buried in his clothes.

There were more footsteps coming and going from the group of men that came out from the brothel, yelling out words that Suyin couldn't catch or hear thanks to Qin Fuhua who calmly anticipated for the chattering to die down from the brothel.

”Someone had poisoned all of us!” Suyin could clearly hear the chaos in the inn below and grinned. Poisoning them with the sleeping powder? She could laugh if she could, but Qin Fuhua's grip wouldn't allow it.

”You did this?” Qin Fuhua questioned. She could feel his head lower to hers as if he was impressed by her plan. She could only nod twice.

Qin Fuhua finally let go of Suyin, who took a couple of breaths to show Qin Fuhua how tight he was holding onto her.

”You held me so tight, I couldn't even breathe!” She whispered, complaining about the strength of his grip. Qin Fuhua didn't bother or flinch to give a reaction to her, totally ignoring her.

Everything then fell down to Suyin as she furrowed her brows. Wait. How did Qin Fuhua know that she's Suyin when she's clearly dressed up as a man?

”How did you know it was me?” Suyin asked, unsure how he came here and how randomly kind enough for him to help her.

”There was a commotion about this beautiful lady with plain clothes, walking down to every medical shop and getting kicked out.” He answered with no emotion, ”I was forced to follow you since you have something that I still need back.”

Suyin had to think for a second. Right. The jade of the dragon was still in Suyin's possession back at the room.

Qin Fuhua's words were actually, a lie.

The lady had something special that no one else had that Qin Fuhua could recognize that was something unique about her. The woman's medical skills and one other thing that he had been trying to figure out: the scent of magnolia flowers that emitted around her.

Qin Fuhua's master revealed that the flowers of magnolia would help guide the way for a better future, but Qin Fuhua couldn't comprehend his words. It was very rare for magnolia flowers to flourish in the territory of the Qin clan because of the soil and dry air, which were not fit for any flowers to bloom.

Suyin could only grin at him, ”Sorry. Um... it's back at the inn...” She apologized. She wouldn't have questioned about him following her since she was too engrossed in saving the ladies in the basement.

”Did you see anything unusual down there?” Qin Fuhua questioned Suyin, who perked up her head.

”Anything?” Confused, Fuhua's eyes pierced through Suyin's soul, a serious tone not to be messed with.

”Did you find any scrolls or key. Anything that you find unusual in a basement.” Suyin now understood why Fuhua was there now. He was planning on going down the basement, but because of the commotion, he was unable to thanks to her. She shook her head, assuring the male that she didn't see anything out of the ordinary.

”I don't think there's anything in there that was unusual... besides the fact that they were kidnapping girls!” Suyin explained, still angered by the fact that those men were kidnapping girls. Qin Fuhua had a distressed expression.

”Well then, I'll take you back to the inn where you are staying. Give me back my jade of the dragon and that'll be it.”

Suyin agreed. She didn't want to hold onto that jade any longer after those guards were like a dog on a leash after she dropped it. It was better for him to not know that she dropped it on the ground too if it was that valuable. Qin Fuhua carried her off at the top of the rooftops with her guidance to where she was staying at.

On the ground in the kitchen as the chef stopped cooking was Weizhe, who turned around to smile at the plates of food that was poisoned.

”Guess it's my turn now, Prince.”

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