Heal These Battle Scars | MxM

Chapter Twelve - Cruelty Of War

With the Chinese New Year swiftly approaching, Xiao Fang stayed up all night in the cramped, stinking cell, racking his brain to think of an escape plan. Staying in Wang Yi's company these weeks, he learned enough of the schedule Yi used around the military base. Though it wasn't fool-proof information to go by, he figured buttering up to Commander Wang some more might help him gain further trust. After all, since Yi's unfortunate mishap, he showed Xiao Fang a much kinder side, a side Xiao Fang thought didn't exist.

The more days Xiao Fang spent in Yi's company, the more he enjoyed hearing him laugh, seeing him smile, and watching him sketch the mountains up the hills.

Sometimes, he pondered too much about Yi. It seemed that the more Yi showed him some kindness, he would let his guard down, disregarding all the wrongs — all the senseless killings Yi had done during his time spent in the military. It felt as though Yi must've cast a spell on him because though he tried — oh how he tried, to despise the young commander with the same passion as before, he could no longer do so.

It was early in the morning before dawn broke out when the rattling of the cell door appeared, disturbing Xiao Fang and the other prisoners; startling most of them awake.

Usually, during the early hours, the guards would send them off to work in the field. However, this time when Zichen appeared from behind the young prison guard — that dead look in his eyes as he wrinkled his nose in displeasure at Xiao Fang's flustered face, the doctor understood Zichen came to collect him.

"Xiao Fang," Zichen said, clicking his tongue. "Get up. You're needed elsewhere."

Since Yi favored Xiao Fang from the rest of the prisoners — viewed him as some sort of savior, having a soldier come to collect him during all hours of the day wasn't something unusual. So quickly, he scrambled off the floor, ignoring the bitter, watchful eyes that Cheng Li shot at him as though he was some willing backstabber.

Despite all Xiao Fang tried doing to ensure his comrades could escape this bloody hellhole, Cheng Li seemed to be the most skeptical, doubting his motives, believing he would betray them when the time came. Ungrateful bastard. If Cheng Li was a brave enough man, he would've done something instead of complaining about Xiao Fang's incompetence.

"What is it?" Xiao Fang asked, slipping on the pair of crooked spectacles.

At this point, if he kept wearing them — with all the scratches from the sides, he would go blind.

"Come with me," Zichen answered, turning his back on Xiao Fang.

"Mm," Xiao Fang hummed.

As the soles of their boots clank against the concrete floor, Xiao Fang stifled down a creeping yawn until he reached outside of the prison walls. The skies outside were still dark. Though in the distance around the mountains, the sun started peeking out, casting an orange glow on the roof of the base.

When the chilled morning air flushed against his skin, shivers raced down his back. Though he couldn't quite put his fingers to it, this morning seemed colder than the others.

"Is Commander Wang looking for me?" he asked, voice husky from sleep.

As expected, Zichen didn't answer, so a sickening twist in Xiao Fang's gut appeared as he continued walking, passing several armed soldiers along the walk.

When Zichen cast a scornful look over his shoulder before turning left, close to the fence at the back of the barracks, Xiao Fang swallowed, his heart started pounding in his ears. Since he came to the camp, Zichen scorned him, and would rather see him dead in a ditch than watch him offer help to the dying soldiers. To say he wasn't the least bit suspicious of Zichen would've been an understatement.