CHAPTER 2: Part 4

Splash! A sudden deluge of cold water caused Wei Lin Jiang to sit up with a start. Gasping for breath, he wiped his face reflexively. Before he could recover from this assault, a pair of arms grabbed him and pulled him to his feet. Staggering slightly, his eyes snapped open to land on the soldier standing across.

He was dressed differently than the ones that had brought food. His uniform was a shade of deep blue and the metallic helmet on his head bore a symbol of an eagle. His straight posture and the slight proud expression indicated that he commanded some power.

"Do you think we can present him like this?" The soldier holding Lin Jiang commented; his face contorting with disgust. "It seems like he hasn't taken a bath for days."

"Just bring him along, Lei Dawi," the other soldier commanded, pushing the door of the cell open.

Wei Lin Jiang's eyes flitted to the other side of the cell. Luo Ran was sprawled across the floor in a careless fashion. His eyes were closed; seemingly oblivious to the happenings in the cell.

"Xian Sheng," Wei Lin Jiang wanted to wake Luo Ran up but he never got the chance. The soldier gave him a forceful shove. With a grunt, he stumbled out of the cell, almost falling to the ground. The other soldier grabbed his right arm and twisted it behind his back. He held it in a firm grip as he prodded Lin Jiang through the narrow passage.

Moments later, the other soldier fell into step with them; having locked up the cell securely. They led him through the desolated passage; their steps echoing in the silence like a rhythm of beating drum beats. As the apprehension mounted, Lin Jiang's heartbeat accelerated; blending with the thudding footsteps in an anxious tune.

After walking for a while, they reached a darker section of the passage. The path dwindled into a narrower version with several diversions. They took a sharp right turn, then a left from the fork only to reach a dead end. Lin Jiang blinked his eyes several times as he mumbled, "I think my eyesight has become due to weakness."

The soldier accompanying him pressed his palm against a circle and twisted it clockwise. It merely looked like a circular pattern with an eagle. But, it was actually the access point to a secret section of the underground tunnel.

When the soldier twisted the slab, it spun thrice before sliding back into the wall. There was a soft whirring sound and a section of the wall slid open.

Wei Lin Jiang gaped at the opening in wonder. He couldn't stop himself from asking, "Where exactly are we?"

"A filthy dog like you doesn't need to know that…." The soldier taunted with an arrogant toss of his head. "Just follow whatever instructions you are given."

Lin Jiang's blood boiled and his face flushed at the humiliation. A long string of curses formed in his mind, bubbling anxiously to flow out of his mouth. He so wanted to give those wrenches a piece of his mind. Clenching his jaws together, he restrained himself. It was imperative to stay silent and observe if he wanted to escape.

The guard holding him tightened his grip as he prodded Lin Jiang through the opening. Their pace quickened, forcing Ling Jiang to walk faster as well. They trotted down the long winding path; taking one turn after another. At first, Lin Jiang tried to keep track but eventually gave up. Luo Ran was right the layout of the dungeon was indeed complicated.

Wei Lin Jiang's eyes darted around with restless energy but he couldn't figure out anything useful in the darkness. Torches were fixed on the wall every few meters but their flame was very dim. He could barely make out small disjoint sections of the passage. The torches looked more like symbols to indicate direction than something used to illuminate the surroundings.

They finally came to a halt in front of a cave-like opening. Releasing him, the soldier commanded, "Go inside."

Wei Lin Jiang hesitated; his eyes darted from the soldier called Lei Dawi to another, "Won't you come along? What if I run?"

Lei Dawi snorted and shook his head, "Even if you manage to run, you will probably spend the rest of your life trying to get out of this dungeon. This place was…

The other soldier didn't wait for Lei Dawi to complete his explanation. He grabbed Lin Jiang's arm and dragged him inside. Lin Jiang barely managed to save his head by ducking quickly. It opened into a small room with a rectangular depression. It seemed to be filled with some liquid; probably water. Though the color of the liquid appeared black in the dim light of the flame torch.

Wei Lin Jiang was still observing his surroundings when the soldier suddenly pushed him. With a startled scream, he landed in the water with a loud splash. His arms and legs flailed in the water in a frantic attempt to get out.

"Clean yourself up. I will return with some clean clothes," the soldier spoke in a cold voice before walking out of the cavern.

Lin Jiang relaxed visibly hearing the soldier's words. So, this was a bath and not some deep pond to drown him. Once he had calmed down he realized that his feet had landed on a solid surface. The next moment, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Why did the guards ask him to take a bath in the middle of the night? Was this some sort of ritual that had to be performed before he was sacrificed?

A dry laugh escaped his lips and he shook his head in resignation. He could only wait to find out. Once he got used to the cold water, he could feel all the weariness seep out of his skin. It also made him hyper-aware of the various cuts and bruises all over his body.

A sudden gust of cold wind drifted into the cavern making him shudder. He suddenly started doubting their motives again. Did they want him to clean up or were they planning on freezing him to death? He wrapped his arms around himself as his eyes darted around.

There had to be a way to get out of the pool. After fumbling for some time, he finally found the supporting handles and pulled himself out of the pool. Shivering with cold, he trudged closer to the torch; hoping to find some warmth in its dim flames. He had barely taken a few steps when his eyes landed on the fresh clothes placed on the floor.

"When did the guard come in to place the clothes," he muttered as he picked up the towel. Wiping himself thoroughly, he changed his clothes as quickly as humanely possible.

"Why are we doing this again?" A faint sound reached his ears from the passage. "It feels like we are waiting on him like servants."

"Lei Dawi, there is no need to overreact. We couldn't probably let him go in front of Lady Xiu dressed in rags, can we?"

"Why does our Lady even want to meet a filthy beggar like him?"

"Lei Dawi! It is not our place to comment on that."

"I apologize, Xiao Wen. My statement was out of line."

"You should always behave according to your position Li Dawi. How many times have I told you to think before talking?" Xiao Wen continued to reprimand the other soldier but Wei Lin Jiang's mind drifted elsewhere. His heart started fluttering with hope. Lady Xiu hadn't forgotten him after all….