The Inconceivable Flame: A Fallen Angel's Disguise

*THUD!*

*CLANK!*

The valley that seemed too quiet and peaceful just half a day ago was filled with all kinds of noises as bullets flew around, blasts rang out. People slammed into things, or things slammed into people. Metal crashing with metal.

No matter which sound it was, the result was the same. Blood! Yes, it was a bloodbath and chaos. Two figures who had entered the hidden facility scrunched up their nose as the acrid smell of stale gunpowder reached their nostrils.

"I told you not to follow me," the young boy looked at the pretty girl behind him.

"And I said that I can’t just sit around. I also want to help you," she answered as the tension in the air was increasing. "I also want to save Yuan. Besides, you should be the one to sit this one out, you’re already injured."

Zhang Han didn’t know how to convince this stubborn girl that he was still in a better condition than her. His injuries were all physical that would go away with time, hers wasn’t. This place was her worst nightmare and he really didn’t want her to face it again. But before her stubbornness, he could only give in.

"I think it’s this way," she said and turned left.

The real battle was going outside this hidden facility that’s why they both didn’t encounter much trouble while finding their way around. However, whatever Zhang Han saw inside that facility was making his blood roiled. He really wanted to burn this place to ashes.

No matter what or how he was gonna get that little uncle of his out of this nightmarish place. According to Zhang Han, Yuan was way too innocent for a place like this.

"Yuan!" Lily’s cry got Zhang Han’s attention as he rushed over towards her.

There he was, Xiao Zhiyuan tied to a metal bed with chains as if he was some kind of a beast. But the real beasts were the ones who tied him here.

"He’s not waking up," Lily said as she tried to shake him awake but Yuan gave no reaction.

"Let me try," offered Zhang Han and moved up to Yuan’s side. He raised his index and middle finger and struck Yuan’s chest making him cough up blood.

"What are you doing?" Lily glared at him.

"I just woke him up," answered Zhang Han and rubbed Yuan’s back who was still coughing blood. It was the only way Zhang Han could get him to cough up whatever they fed him. Even though he had been harsh but it was necessary. "Little uncle, you okay?"

"Xiao Han?" asked Yuan in confusion as he blinked his eyes at Zhang Han.

"Can’t recognize me now?"

"I can’t see you..." answered Yuan and coughed again.

"What? Did they turn you blind? That’s not good. What should I do now?" Zhang Han was panicking when Lily hit his head.

"He means his vision is blurry."

"Oh, say it clearly. I’m not in the right mind to process much at the moment," Zhang Han was already quite tensed. The situation they were in wasn’t really ideal. There was blood everywhere. Screams cry of pain and help mixed with blood and mud. But his biggest dilemma here was that he didn’t want Yuan to see all of this. You see, in Zhang Han’s mind, Yuan was the most innocent soul and he didn’t want him to see the cruelty of the world at its worst.

"Where are we? What is this place?" Yuan questioned while his vision cleared a bit and he looked at the white room he was in. Actually, no, it was more like a laboratory of some sort. "And why does my body feel so stiff?"

Zhang Han scratched his head not knowing how to answer those questions. As for Lily, she was already a person of few words. She didn’t know what to say or what not to say.

But they weren’t given a chance to think of any excuse as well as suddenly the door behind them closed. The three heads whipped around to see several people standing with their weapons in his hands giving them dirty looks.

"You kids should know better than to walk around without supervision," said one of the scary-looking man.

"Seven, leave that kid in black for me. He killed my brother today, I’m gonna get back at him for that." A woman behind the scary-looking man said while staring at Zhang Han. It was needless to say that he had invited trouble for himself when he killed those people back in the fields. Well, not like he was going to regret doing that.

"Don’t worry, Nine. We all have some debt to collect from him," said another one.

Zhang Han calculated their steps. They were spreading out making a circle around three of them. It didn’t look good. He could find a way out without having to confront anyone but what about the rest of the two? Even though he knew Lily was strong but she wasn’t really trained for a real battle. Her expertise lied towards sneak attacks. She could be called an assassin rather than a soldier.

Zhang Han pulled out his sleek sword from under his sleeves and unsheathed it before their eyes. How glad he was that his Senior Brother had something he could use in this battle.

He stretched his arm and turned to look at Yuan saying, "Little Uncle, how about you close your eyes?"

"Huh?" Yuan was dumbfounded.

"I really don’t want you to see any of it," replied Zhang Han in all honesty.

"Kid, you talk too much!" A cry was heard from behind Zhang Han as a man rushed up to him as he pulled out his gun and shot a bullet towards Zhang Han who ducked down with ease and continued to do so until he stood right before that man’s face.

"You talk even more than me," was his words before he slit his throat without even flinching. Blood splashed on his face, staining his handsome face all over again. Before the other man’s body even fell down, Zhang Han was under the wrath of those several people rushing to him with their own weapons.

Lily picked up the gun that Zhang Han had slid towards her and shot a person every time she took an aim. Zhang Han had tried his best to fight with all his strength. But those people were not only strong, but he was also greatly outnumbered. He had already put half of them down but there was still the rest who were waiting for a perfect moment to strike since their gunpowder had run out now.

Well, at least, Zhang Han didn’t have to run around to avoid the bullets anymore now. Now, it was just a battle of skills. Let’s see who falls first.

"You’re overestimating your little strength, kid."

Zhang Han had a hand over her arm which was shot just now and looked over. His eyes widened. They were holding Yuan and Lily both with a blade against their throats.

"Let me give you a choice... Put that sword down and you can save them."

"No! Xiao Han! Don’t you dare believe them!" Lily screamed at him.

Zhang Han tried to smile at her even though his whole body was in severe pain now. He dropped his sword down and slid it towards them as they instructed.

"Now, let them go," said Zhang Han.

"Hahaha..." A burst of laughter reverberated through the room.

"Choose one," they said while Zhang Han narrowed his eyes at them. "Only one of them can walk out alive, Which one do you want to save? The choice is yours."

"YOU!"

Zhang Han tried to rush up but the way they pressed the blades against both Yuan and Lily made blood drip out of their neck. Zhang Han came to a halt.

"Xiao Han! Take Lily out of here," Yuan was the first one to speak up. He honestly didn’t know what was going around him but he so wanted to be of some help. He could see Zhang Han’s helplessness. And felt really powerless at the moment when he saw Zhang Han trying his very best just to protect him. He felt like a burden on both of them. And if he was a burden he didn’t deserve to live.

Zhang Han scoffed, "Little Uncle, even if I choose you or her... They aren’t letting any of us walk out of here."

"Smart kid," said the one with that predatory look who was holding Lily in his grip. "But what can you possibly do with this smartness?"

Zhang Han’s hands were clutched tightly beside him. There was no way he was willing to lose any one of the people before him. It was way out of question!