Travelling With The Enemy | BL

Chapter Eighty

Wang Lei didn't know how long he and the small boy cried for but by the time his tears had dried, the boy clinging to his chest was fast asleep. All of the medicine Wang Lei had taken prior had worn off thanks to all of his running and his torso was in so much agony he didn't know how he would get down, but he didn't want to shout for Nera to help him in case the child woke up. Gritting his teeth firmly, Wang Lei swift hoisted himself up to his feet then repositioned the child over his shoulder. Although uncomfortable, the child didn't wake and Wang Lei was able to use both hands in order to climb down the ladder. Once he was a few rungs away from the bottom, Nera quickly grabbed the sleeping child and held him close in order to keep him warm, sensing Nera's heat, the child quickly clung to him in his sleep while whimpering quietly. While Nera soothed the sleeping boy, Nakai and Wang Lei spoke in a whisper.

"My troops are two minutes from the palace, they're waiting for my order to move in. While you were up on the roof, Nera and I also looked around the surrounding streets to see if there was anyone else...We didn't find anyone."

Although Wang Lei knew Nakai wasn't lying to him, half of him wanted to check for himself that there really was no one left in the royal city but the other half was more realistic; there was no point in checking over things two of the best soldiers in the world had already checked, especially when they had already spent an extended amount of time diverted from the plan. Wang Lei could feel his throat begin to close from the threat of more tears spilling but he forced the uncomfortable feeling away by pinching between his brow forcefully. From behind, Nera gently ran his hand over Wang Lei's shoulders, attempting to lower them but Wang Lei was too stressed for it to work. Before moving forward with their plan, Wang Lei took a couple more seconds to gather himself before giving Nakai a firm nod to lead the way.

On their way through the silent streets of the Royal city, Wang Lei couldn't help keeping an ear out for any other person who might be calling out but like Nakai had told him, there was no one else. By the time they had made it to the neighbouring street of the palace, Wang Lei and Nakai were surprised at the lack of security around the city. On the outskirts of the city it was unsurprising to see no guards but now that they were on the brink of going through the palace gates, both Nakai and Wang Lei were confused as to why they weren't being bombarded by men with guns. While Nakai led the way through a skinny alley to get a better look at the palace, they could hear the faint sound of many footsteps echoing softly off of the brick and stone walls. At first Wang Lei thought they were the sound of human feet but once the sound grew in volume from the group of people moving closer to their position, he found the sound to be too heavy. Without saying anything, Nakai and Wang Lei peeked around the alleyway they were hiding in while Nera stayed a few paces behind with the small boy still in his arms.

Nakai and Wang Lei weren't surprised to see Nakai's troops since they had been expecting them but what was shocking for them, was that the large group of fifty troops were marching down the empty street as if there was no threat at all; and at the very front of the group was the Old Liu himself. Throwing all caution to the wind, Wang Lei quickly ran out into the middle of the road and shouted out Old Liu's name into the night. Nakai and Nera were quick on his heels, their eyes surveying the area but there was nothing. At the sight of Nakai, his troops gave him a swift salute then bow while Old Liu walked over to Wang Lei with open arms, a large smile wrinkling his face as he spoke in a warm tone.

"I'm glad to see you are well, my King."

Although Wang Lei could not believe who he was seeing, it didn't stop him from folding into Old Liu's warm embrace, almost as if he had returned to being a child in need of comfort. Old Liu sensed this in Wang Lei as well and tightened his arms around Wang Lei's broad back but quickly pulled away when he felt the younger man flinch. When asking what had happened to cause Wang Lei such pain, Wang Lei replied in a simple tone with a shrug of his shoulders.