Chapter 2: Killer or Savior

"Hurry and grab her!" A distant shout was heard. In a dark forest ran a woman and around many rustling noises closed in on her. Her only thought was to get away from the people who were chasing after her, not too far away.

She winced as she ran past a branch on the ground that scratched her. She was barefooted and the new wounds from the branches only seemed to slow her down. The group of men approaching closer and her anxiety reached its climax. Because of that, she was too distracted to notice her leg that slid in front of the other.

"Ugh" She held onto her leg, which was now trickling with red blood and stained from the dirt below. When intended to pull herself up, abrupt pain passed her leg which forced her to collapse back onto the ground.

"Got her!" yelled out a guy. He tightly gripped her by the arm and pulled her up roughly. "You're gonna get it now. Oh just wait until we get back your gonna wish that you had never left." He angrily said as he proceeded to drag her away.

She could barely walk so her leg kept dragging itself and lots of scratches were being inflicted on her legs. "It hurts!" she screamed. The man just ignored her and yanked her back to the group of men waiting. Everyone had a torch lit up and they all gave her a mean glare for making them run all this way into the forest during the night.

"Impudent brat, just as we were gonna sell her off she decides to run off. Thanks to you we lost a good client who offered a high amount for you." One of the men scoffed. "If you're not gonna be sold, what good are you? You might as well be dead"

The group of men was human traffickers, people who kidnapped and sold people off. The lady with them was one of their recent victims and even made the attempt to escape but poorly failed. "Let me go! Please I won't tell anyone." The women pleaded. The one that gripped her arm threw her over his shoulders and all five of the men left in the direction they chased her from.

After some time of walking the woman glanced to the side and saw a dim light. It was blocked off by the trees but she knew that the light must've been coming from a fire since it was night and there was no way in hell that a village was nearby. Glancing back at the men who were laughing and chatting among themselves she saw this as an opportunity to try and escape. She was desperate and hoped that by some miracle there was a person to help.

'Please'

A groan came from the man that carried her. She folded her knees and struck him as hard as she could near his neck. He dropped down to the ground and she tumbled down as well. Crawling away she tried to move quickly, but the man grabbed one of her ankles and cursed at her, "Where does this little b*tch think she's-"

At that moment she struck him again with her spare leg but this time in the face. She didn't leave much of an impact since her leg was throbbing in pain, but it did cause him to release his grasp. The woman got up and with her heart pounding, she dashed in the direction she saw the light.

"What are you all looking at?" The man yelled as he held his nose. "Go after her!" They were all looking at him to see if he was alright, but with his order, they all followed after the limping women.

She gasped loudly as the light of fire seemed to only get farther away from her. Her legs jolted in pain and the men behind her chasing after her once more were just too fast.

'Right behind this tree... I'm almost there.'

But just as she was gonna go past the tree a huge pain surged behind her head. Someone had yanked her hair and was pulling her back by it.

'NO. NO. I was so close! I can't stop here! I need to continue- Let me go!'

She hauled her hair and struggled to fight off the individual behind her. With a last resort she shrieked, "HELP!" and her eyes watered.

'I was right there. I can't let myself be marketed off! I was... I want to see my family again even if it's just one more time. PLEASE SOMEONE HELP ME!'

The person who gripped her hair released it suddenly and she fell backward. Her vision was blurred from the sudden fall but she could see above her that the man who was pulling her hair had his hand out when she focused closely the man still didn't move and it was like he was frozen. Only then did she realize the sword that was pierced through his chest from behind.

The sword was removed and blood dripped from the man's open wound. It looked as if he would fall forward but instead, he fell sideways.

The sounds of screaming men echoed through her ears and by the time she snapped out of it and rose up it was only a couple of seconds.

She glanced from behind and saw the man who she booted and another figure. That figure sliced the man's throat with a sword and then quickly glanced at her.

Did she run away just to get killed? She wasn't going to return home either way now. She gulped and stared back at the figure. They began to walk closer to her and when she could finally get a clear view they extended their hand out toward her. She flinched and looked away. There was only silence.

'Nothing happened?'

She thought that as soon as the person got to her it would be her turn to be butchered like the others. She took a little glimpse at the person and with one glance she kept her eyes on them.

The young man now seeing that she was looking at him, smiled at her. "Are you okay, miss?" She was awestruck.

The young man in front of her was ridiculously handsome. If it wasn't for the situation they were in and the fact that this 'handsome' boy just killed the five men that were after her then she would have probably would have drooled or more or less foam would come out of her mouth. He had navy blue eyes and since he was sweating his brown hair stuck onto his face, which did make him look a little less dangerous.

She was dazed before she noticed the hand of the young man and snapped out of it. He was covered in a small amount of blood but tried softly smiling. "Who are you?" She asked.

"My name is Hu QuenQui."

"Hu QuenQui, why did you save me?"

Hu QuenQui tilted his head, "Because you asked for it." She obviously did scream for help earlier.

"I see."

The woman kept trying to keep eye contact with the stranger but her eyes kept slipping back to the blood on his clothing. Hu QuenQui noticed, "

took it. "Yes, I'm alright..." she replied. She was seemingly nervous, he did just slaughter people but again he did that to save her life. "Thank you, I will forever be grateful to you. Had you not saved me I would've been sold off or even worse killed."

He picked her up from the ground but she stumbled back down. "Seeing as your legs seem to be injured, would it be alright if I carry you?" The woman hesitated, she didn't want to feel vulnerable not after being chased multiple times and being dragged everywhere.

"If it makes you feel better I can carry you on my back."

She was still hesitating but the young man just smiled and crouched down, signaling her to hop right on. The only option for her was to accept his offer. It was either that or be killed by him or by the wolves at night. Choosing the latter sounded less painful so she hurried and got on.

"What's your name?" The woman said curiously after hopping onto his back.

"Hu QuenQui."

"Mine is Mo Muiye."

"Mo Muiye, where are you from?" Hu QuenQui asked. "Nowhere near this place. I live in the Northern parts of the country. This place is way too cold for my good."

"It's just the night. In the morning it becomes warm and sunny so I believe you'll be good."

"Hu QuenQui?"

"Yeah?"

"You are not going to kill me, right?...."

Hu QuenQui began to walk in a direction and shook his head. "Nope, you don't have to fear me." Mo Muiye did feel somewhat relieved but it wasn't like she was going to let her guard down completely. "How was it that you killed those traffickers? Was it some kind of martial art?"

"You can say that."

He looked over his shoulder as if trying to talk to her face to face and asked, "Hey lady, why is it that you're so far from home? Even human traffickers wouldn't travel a long way unless it was a big sale."

"Mo Muiye." She corrected him.

"Yes, Mo Muiye."

"Just as you thought a person settled a high amount for me."

"Really?" Even though Mo Muiye couldn't see his expression she could hear from the tone he used that he was thinking, 'What's so impressive about you?' She didn't mind it.

"The patron had a specific type and I suppose that I fit the facial characteristics that he wanted. I met him before this and...." She took a deep breath before continuing. "..he terrified me so much that I barely remember how I even escaped from there."

Hu QuenQui let out an 'oh' before going silent. She probably doesn't want to talk further about it. Was it that traumatic?

Mo Muiye stared from behind and listened. Crickets sang, little critters scampered around, but she could hear the leaves and soil being stepped on by Hu QuenQui. She was calmed by the sounds of the forest and then the two started to talk again. It was a casual conversation but she was relieved by her tension and no longer felt essential to be on guard.

She felt safe.