Once Zhou RenShu was awake, Li Qing fed him a cold watery soup. “I want you to last a little longer, you can die once you’re back in your beloved Liu Yong’s arms.”

 

After a few forced sips of water, the speculum was forced upon Zhou RenShu again. “Don’t put me back in there! I can’t go back to that place.”

 

Zhou RenShu tried to force his eyes shut as tears streamed down, even though he was trying nothing happened, all he could do was look into the dark abyss that clouded his vision. Li Qing sat in front of the dazed Zhou RenShu after the speculum was removed. She was ecstatic to see the small boy in front of her sweating out of fear, after a few more minutes her mood brightened even more when Zhou RenShu had pissed his pants. Liking how everything was going inside the terrified boy’s head, Li Qing left the room.

 

_ _ _ _ _ _

 

Liu Yong ended up sleeping at Zhou RenShu’s apartment, his large tired body laying in the same spot Zhou RenShu would sleep in. The pajamas gripped inside his hands tightly. Liu Yong always felt his dorm felt empty and cold but now he understood the feeling of cold. The room was dead silent leaving you to be alone with your loud thoughts. Zhou RenShu, where are you?

 

The next day Liu Yong walked into work with a pale complexion and dark under eyes. He walked into the room filled with computers and the room turned cold. Why does he look worse? I thought Ms Wu talked some sense into him! “Bring me the blueprints of the club Zhou RenShu was taken from as well as the prints to the building where the dead snake demon was found from!”

 

The room went into a rush after Liu Yong’s words and he left to sit in his office. How are you moving around Li Qing? The black snake sat in Liu Yong’s lap, enjoying the warmth he hadn’t felt in a while. Liu Yong had his eyes set on the beautiful painting hanging on his wall. The faint scent of Zhou RenShu brought both a sense of happiness and disgust to Liu Yong. 

 

A timid knock rattled against the door before it was pushed open, the worker didn’t say anything as they placed the two sheets of paper down on the desk then ran out, scared they would be the next victim to feel Liu Yong’s wrath. With the snake still sitting in his lap Liu Yong studied the design of both buildings.

 

He had always found it strange how Li Qing could sneak away after killing a demon undetected. The clubs held no similarity on the inside. In the end it’s best if I see for myself.

 

_ _ _ _ _ _

 

Zhou RenShu awoke from his illusion, the skin on his lower half burnt and stung from the piss he was forced to sit in. The faint smell of old urine hung in the air. Li Qing was sitting in front of him, only then did he notice the cold instrument had been placed in his eyes again. “Today, I want to take things up another level.”

 

The sound of a small cry passed through Zhou RenShu’s lips as he tiredly shook his head, his pitiful look however brought Li Qing delight instead of pity. While her nails held Zhou RenShu’s head still the next illusion began. Zhou RenShu woke up inside a warm bedroom, his skin was mottled with various sized bruises and his lips were red and swollen.

 

He dragged his tired body out of the warm bed but he could only walk a few steps before his legs gave out under his small weight. The door was pushed open and Liu Yong walked inside, picking the fragile boy up and placing him back on the bed. Zhou RenShu felt at ease and tried to lift his arms to wrap around the man he had missed with his entire being but his arms wouldn’t move.

 

With one quick motion, Liu Yong rolled Zhou RenShu over to lay on his stomach. Zhou RenShu’s voice stuck to his throat as the large thing between Liu Yong’s legs pierced his delicate flesh. His small mouth opened to let out cries and pleads before it was covered with another pair of lips, hard teeth nibbled at the dry skin until they drew blood.

 

His back entrance was attacked repeatedly while the feeling of life drained from his body, Zhou RenShu struggled and begged as hard as his weak body could but there was no response from the man behind him, the coldness and suffocation swept across Zhou RenShu. The illusion only ended once Liu Yong had absorbed all of his life essence.

 

A cackle laugh echoed off of the cold concrete walls, covering Zhou RenShu’s sobs as he gasped for air. It felt as if he had returned to the night Liu Yong had taken his life essence, it felt so real that Zhou RenShu struggled to breath. The loud cackling stopped as the illusion started again. Although Zhou RenShu knew it wasn’t real, the feeling of his tight hole being ravaged and the breath no longer entering his lungs confused his tired mind.

 

Everytime he would awake from the illusion Li Qing would be there to laugh in his face, breaking whatever was left of his spirit until he no longer resembled a person. His eyes looked dull and unfocused while his body had turned into nothing but bones. Li Qing’s body had also started to eat away at itself. Her skin was dry and peeling, leaving the frail body a mix of ashy white and raw pink. “Zhou RenShu, should we go another round?”

 

Li Qing’s voice was barely audible as it sounded more like rough sandpaper scratching against skin. Zhou RenShu didn’t answer as his head hung limply, a pool of drool appearing on his pants under his mouth. Li Qing tiredly pushed the small head back. Their eyes resembled one another. Large and lifeless. “I think we can take a small break.”

 

Although Zhou RenShu was more like a zombie, Li Qing tilted a bowl of cold soup passed the dry lips, the thin liquid passed his throat too quickly and caused him to choke. The first signs of life appeared on Zhou RenShu’s face as he coughed and spat all over himself, his sallow cheeks burning red. “I like this image.”

 

More soup passed through Zhou RenShu’s lips too quickly, his throat burned as he tried to free his lungs and throat of the liquid. Zhou RenShu’s eyes watered as he continued to choke, his coughing causing his throat to become raw. After the third throatful of soup Zhou RenShu’s body couldn’t take anymore and large amounts of bile emptied all over his pants. His already raw throat felt bloody as more painful coughs erupted from his chest. Once Zhou RenShu wa gasping for air with the same raggard deathly sound Li Qing had, the torture stopped.

 

_ _ _ _ _ _

 

Liu Yong walked inside the closed club, during the day the large building appeared more dull and empty than the bustling loud club it turned into at night. Liu Yong walked around every space, his hands gliding along the cold walls. Outside he pushed his cultivation to search for any sign of Zhou RenShu, all he found was the energy of the cockroaches and rats living below.

 

At the other location, Liu Yong did the same thing. He searched every nook and cranny the club had but found nothing. Outside he forced his cultivation to search as far as he could. His head became light until his feet stopped. Taking deep breaths to slow his heart, Liu Yong pushed his energy out again, making sure that what he felt was the true energy of Zhou RenShu.

 

Without care, Liu Yong laid his body on the dirty wet concrete, pushing his senses past the thick ground. It’s him! Zhou RenShu’s energy was weak and barely there but Liu Yong could feel it. With his phone in his trembling hand he made a call to the precinct while trying to find a way down. Further down the alley a heavy man hole was found. Liu Yong hurried as he lifted the heavy metal with ease.

 

He jumped down without a second thought,  only to land on the rotten corpse of the man that had taken Zhou RenShu. The stench of decaying meat doubled as Liu Yong’s weight crushed the soft meat. Old blood covering his shoes. Even with the hard to bear stench engulfing him, Liu Yong didn’t show any signs of notice as he sprinted down the dim concrete tunnel. 

 

His fast strides were silent as he focused on the faint energy Zhou RenShu was emitting. Zhou RenShu, hang on a little longer, please wait for me. Liu Yong continued to run through the underground maze until his head spun. Finally after what felt like a lifetime he came to a halt. In front of him was an iron door. He tried to push it open but it was bolted from the other side.

 

Liu Yong took one step back and focused his energy into his legs before swinging around. A deafening bang echoed off of the concrete as the thick metal was hit. A small dent had appeared from the attack but it was still locked and standing strong. Liu Yong stepped to the side then walked away until he had a good run up. His aim set on the thick concrete in front of him. With quick strides Liu Yong propelled forward, once he was one step away, he jumped up and leant back. As his feet were about to touch the concrete he pushed his strong legs out. The sturdy wall cracked as large chunks of concrete fell to the ground. 

 

There was no need for a second kick as Liu Yong stood up and  punched the wall repeatedly until a large hole appeared. The dimly lit room was filled with more light from the large hole, a strong stench emptied out. It was similar to the smell of the dead man still clinging to Liu Yong’s dusty shoes. “RenShu.”

 

Liu Yong used his control on the air and settled the dust, the sight was enough to bring tears to his eyes. Zhou RenShu was tied to the old wooden chair, his face resembled the night that still haunted Liu Yong. The skeletal body was covered in a mix of piss and bile. Liu Yong stumbled forward. If it hadn’t been for the small amount of energy the deathly body was emitting, Liu Yong would have lost his mind right then. 

 

While on his knees, Liu Yong was able to notice there was another person in the room. Li Qing was laying on the ground. Her body barely looked human. Her black hair was thin and sparse while her body had eaten away at itself until only skin was covering the frail bones. If Li Qing’s eyes hadn’t been open then you would think the thing on the ground was a skeleton instead of a body. 

 

Liu Yong crawled to Zhou RenShu, he ripped the chain open and removed it before holding the frail face in his hands, before, Zhou RenShu had always looked tiny beside Liu Yong. Now he looked so fragile, almost as if Liu Yong were to touch him then he would break. Even though Zhou RenShu looked extremely delicate and the stench that was coming from his body shouldn’t be something to come from any living being, Liu Yong pressed his lips against Zhou RenShu’s. He pushed aside the foul taste as he pushed dangerous amounts of Yang energy into the dying boy.

 

Slowly Zhou RenShu’s shallow and uneven breaths stabilised, a small bit of warmth returning to his body. Feeling that Zhou RenShu was no longer seconds away from death, Liu Yong stood up. His eyes drifting to the dead body of Li Qing. Liu Yong had felt anger before but the feeling brewing in his soul was different. It filled every part of him, cold deep fury carved its way into his bones until he couldn’t think clearly. 

 

The backup Liu Yong had called for ran through the maze of tunnels silently . When they arrived they came to a stand still as they saw Liu Yong’s dark ominous body trample a small mound of flesh and bone. Blood and bits of skin sprayed up, covering the man’s face. Officer Yu paled as he nervously moved forward. The rest of the team were too terrified to try and stop Liu Yong.

 

“Liu Yong, we need to get Zhou RenShu out of here. He needs immediate medical help.” Liu Yong’s body shook as his legs stopped. The eyes that scanned the men standing in front of him were pitch black, they seemed to absorb the light in the room as well as the air, multiple men looked down in fear, for the first time they feared for their life because of a comrade. Officer Yu trembled in his uniform as he tried to still the tremor in his voice. “Liu Yong, Zhou RenShu needs you.”

 

Slowly the ominous and murderous aura of Liu Yong faded, the stiff air returned to normal as Zhou RenShu was lightly lifted from his chair. The frail look of his prominent bones seemed more outstanding in comparison to Liu Yong’s large frame. The group of me parted like the red sea as Liu Yong walked past them. Officer Yu followed behind, giving directions to another exit that would be easier to get Zhou RenShu out. 

 

Liu Yong’s body and mind were completely disconnected. His legs followed the shaky direction Officer Yu gave him but his mind was only set on Zhou RenShu. His eyes never leaving the ghostly face, just like the night Zhou RenShu had died, this face would forever be burned into his memory.

 

Even outside of the tunnels, Liu Yong held Zhou RenShu in his arms, ambulance staff tried to take the small boy from him but they stepped away when faced with the dark eyes, once sat inside the ambulance, the heavy tension Liu Yong created made it hard to work. A nurse nervously inserted a needle used for babies into Zhou RenShu to start a nutrient and fluids drip. No one would be able to tell how much treatment Zhou RenShu would need until they reached the hospital. 

 

If Li Qing was still alive and not food for rats, she would have felt her life was complete. Liu Yong was almost unrecognizable. The hospital staff and officers waiting at the hospital froze as they saw the large man bring in the frail body. His body was the same as any other day but Liu Yong wasn’t the same. His eyes had no life as they continuously stared at Zhou RenShu, his skin had also drained of blood, leaving him a sick grey shade. 

 

Once Zhou RenShu had been placed down onto a gurney and taken away, the last of Liu Yong’s strength left his body. Officer Yu couldn’t react quick enough as Liu Yong sunk to his knees. His heavy body hitting the hard floor with a loud thud. “Liu Yong? Are you okay?”

 

Officer Yu knelt beside the pale man, a nurse also came rushing over. She could sense something was wrong with Liu Yong’s cultivation and quickly told officer Yu to carry him into a nearby room.  The nurse attached an IV to Liu Yong, pumping cultivation building medicine into his weakened body. Nobody knew but when Liu Yong had found Zhou RenShu he had given up all of his cultivation.

 

Until the moment Zhou RenShu was taken away he had been surviving on the pure wrath that had flooded his entire soul. Officer Yu watched nervously as the nurse called in doctors to help stabilize the dying man.