195 A Ques (1/2)
”RUN!”
”!!!”
”NO!!!”
KABOOOMMM!!!
”!!!”
”...”
Christina sat up, a bit drenched from her sweat, as she woke up from her dream.
”Christina, you're awake,” cried a big woman with red hair.
”Maxine, you're alright... What about the others? Where is this?” asked Christina, she looked around the room which seemed to be a cave with people standing not far from where she was lying. She tried to get up and recognize their faces.
”AArrggghhh!” Her head throbbed in pain, making her sit down again.
”Don't move too much, sis. Rest for a while, we're safe here,” said Maxine while assisting Christina sit.
”How long have I been unconscious?”
”Almost three hours, sis” replied Maxine.
”Where are we? What about the others? Were they able to escape?”
”Calm down, sis.”
”Jennie... What about Jennie? Is she okay?”
Maxine fell silent at Christina's inquiry, and with that, Christina knew the meaning of her silence. But not long after, a few people came over.
”Nam? Nam! You're safe...” Christina exclaimed.
Nam appeared more silent than usual, it seemed that not many of his brothers survived the attack in the forest.
”Yes... If Inspector Tang hadn't found us, maybe we'd suffer the same fate as my fallen brothers.”
Christina was somewhat relieved some of the Triad members had survived, especially Nam who was the strongest among them. She then noticed the old man at the back who was smiling at the sight of her.
”Inspector... Thank you for saving us. Could you tell us more where we are?”
People from both groups gathered to try and hear what information Inspector Tang had gathered by the time he was missing.
Inspector Tang recounted the things they had experienced during the six days that had passed while stranded in this strange place. Similar to Christina's group, the elite Hong Kong police force had been continuously attacked by the same beasts, and only a few of them remained.
While Inspector Tang was explaining, Nam interrupted and said, ”Inspector Tang, with all due respect, we had more people than your group when we arrived here but a lot of us were killed in just a few hours, I find it hard to believe your troops can survive for 6 day.”
Nam's words seemed to undermine the ability of Hong Kong's elite troops, but the inspector wasn't offended at all. He simply raised his hand and pulled the sleeve of his shirt.
”!!!”
Around the inspector's wrist was a unique bracelet coiled like a snake, surprising everyone. The bracelet was as big as a clenched hand and seemed to be made of black iron, but the texture of the metal looked very foreign.
The inspector touched the bracelet, and suddenly, an alien engraving glowed on its surface.
”What's that thing, inspector?!”
The inspector swiped the bracelet multiple times, and everytime he had done so, the alien engraving changed.
”Inspector Tang, do you understand how to use it?” Nam asked.
The inspector took a deep breath. ”I... don't know how to exactly explain this. In fact, I don't even recognize these symbols, but when I touch this, it feels like it's speaking to my mind and I understand it.”
”...”
Christina tried to stand up again but couldn't balance herself. ”Inspector Tang... Do you know why we're in this place?
The inspector swiped the bracelet once more and the engraving changed. ”We're here for a quest.”
”What quest?”