Chapter 284 - The First Floor Intersection (2/2)

Then a litany of soft, but audible footfalls echoed off the walls of the corridor outside, rapidly stiffening our smiles. Then came the creak of a door being pushed open and the distinctive click of the door latching to a close. Gods, there really is someone here?!

Without even a moment’s thought, I dove at the door, flung it open, and I rushed out to the darkened corridor flanked with cubicles of offices, with Edelweiss and Na San hot at my heels.

When we entered the quiet and shadowed corridor, every door was closed. We could not see which door was just opened and closed by our unseen intruder and so, we could only try to open each of them to be sure.

The first door refused to bulge, allowing only a loud clack as its lock refused to yield. Then the second, that too came out as a big No. Then the third, which handle twisted readily at my grip. What was more, I realized that the door was left slightly unclosed when I grabbed the handle. Na San and Edelweiss rejoined me when they heard the different sound coming from my way, approaching me softly and carefully. With a nod as a signal to them, I hurled the door open with Na San bounding in deftly like a panther!

Just as Na San rushed in, he felt something coming at him. Something dark threw itself at him just as his eyes got used to the dimness, howling like a terrified monkey right into his face with foul language, “YOU BASTARD!!

Bang! The unseen assailant’s blow landed squarely on Na San’s face and he collapsed. The figure looked up, only now he discovered that the enemy he had just incapacitated had two more allies right behind him, and with a howling “Gods help me!”, he tried to make for the exit.

Right before I could make out who our mysterious assailant was, Na San screamed from the floor, “Your Highness! It’s me!” Only his warning came a tad too late; Edelweiss’s hand wrapped around the man’s throat and she apprehended him with a headlock around his neck, making him oddly resembling a ragdoll. This allowed me to see the man’s face and indeed, it was Jin Qichen!

The self-professed prince seemed to be ignorant of Na San’s earlier calls, still struggling to free himself from Edelweiss’s vice-like grip like a furious chicken. Na San, in spite of his bloodied face, threw himself to Jin Qichen’s legs, hugging them tightly as he cried, “Your Highness! Finally, I’ve found you! Thank Heavens, Your Highness!”

The howling monkey teetering on the edge of complete insanity that was Jin Qichen finally cooled down only after he heard Na San’s wails. He twisted around and recognized Edelweiss and then his eyes found me and he burst into tears, sobbing frenetically, “Gods in Heavens! It’s you guys! It really is you guys! I can’t believe it!”

Feeling slightly amused, I asked, “Who else did you think we were?” Jin Qichen wiped off his tears and stomped the ground vehemently with frustration, giving a kneeling Na San a contemptuous kick, “How did you find me?! Why is Na San with you?!” He glowered at Na San, “And where have you been, slave!?”

With the chance when Jin Qichen’s attention was occupied in chiding his servant, I had a good look at him. He looked absolutely shabby and dusty, with even that expensive-looking mink coat of his missing. In fact, I would have thought he could give Na San a good run for his money! Edelweiss released her grip of Jin Qichen at last and I asked, “What happened to you?” Still looking disoriented, Jin Qichen stammered incoherently, “I was meaning to ask you what’s happening here?! There’re monsters here everywhere! Ghosts too! I saw a few Na Sans, then I saw a couple of yous, all in a rampage, bloodthirsty for my life! I’ve been running! But I know. I know they’re not real! Not real…” He paused to choke back a sob, breathing heavily.

It seemed rather clear to me that Jin Qichen had had a terrible shock and he looked terribly confused. He bawled and bawled with more tears streaming down, “Oh, Gods! What a long night this is! Gods in Heaven! Please help me!” I shoved him and he lost balance and fell. He crashed to the ground, skittered away from us, and curled himself into a shivering ball, but he seemed to calm down a little. “Tell me,” I said again quietly, “What happened after you were taken? Where have you been for the past few days?”

“What do you mean by ‘past few days’? I thought I was taken here by them today?!” He cried with shocking disbelief. Then he halted like a videotape stuck on freeze-frame before he looked as if he had remembered something. Then out of nowhere, he spun and gave Na San one of the most terrible slaps I had ever seen on his face. “You imbecilic slave! How dare you left me on my own!”

Na San only kept his head bowed on the floor, uttering not a single syllable.