Blades of Secrets: The Endless Night

CHAPTER 40

Li Ming knocks on Wen Zhang's apartment door. The door swings open. The babysitter guides them in quietly. She had sleek black hair that was tied up in a ponytail and big round glasses. A smattering of freckles lay across her cheeks.

"I'm Li Li."

They sit on the couch.

"Yulong is asleep. I decided to call you because you always seem to be close to Wen Zhang and... I was hoping that he was with you. Wen Zhang hasn't come back yet- it's not like him."

"When did you last see Wen Zhang?" Li Ming asked, trying not to sound worried and failing.

"Around 9:30, he paid the money for me to take care of Yulong. Then he left. Normally if he goes out, he comes back at least at 11pm maybe 12am but never past that."

"Did Wen Zhang act strange before leaving?"

Li Li shakes her head.

"Have you tried calling him?"

Li Li nods. "I've tried 5 times, but I couldn't reach him."

Cheng Xing looks at Li Ming. Li Ming pulls out his phone and presses Wen Zhang's name. Li Ming put it on speaker. The dial rang twice before it came to the automated voice message. Li Ming hung up before the pre-recorded message could finish playing out.

"Thank you, Li Li. We'll investigate."

Li Ming was at the office looking through some files on the laptop. Cheng Xing leans on the door, pinning him with a stare.

"Don't give me that look," Li Ming said not even looking up from his screen. Cheng Xing sighs

"I really wanted to do something tonight," Cheng Xing said sarcastically.

"We have plenty of time to do it, just on another night."

Cheng Xing reaches for his phone in his pocket. He feels around but then remembers he left it at the house.

"Li Ming, can I borrow your phone. I seem to have forgotten it."

Li Ming hands him his phone. Cheng Xing walks out the office and dials Fen Yuhang's number, but there's no response. Cheng Xing dials a second time. No response.

Where are you? He thought exasperatedly

"I brought Cheng Xing's phone, and I put it on him,"

Fen Yuhang's mind flashed back to when he hugged Cheng Xing in the bedroom. He had pickpocketed his phone, and as he was leaving, he attaches a black microphone to his shoe.

Ping Heng took the phone. Da Qiang came from behind and pulled Fen Yuhang to the wall. He whipped Fen Yuhang. The thin metal stuck into Fen Yuhang, leaving behind lines of fiery pain.

He looks at his phone ringing in his pocket. Ping Heng indicates for him to take it. Fen Yuhang pulls out his phone, the movement aggravating his wounds. Ping Heng opens the curtain and plays with the knife around his fingers. Wen Zhang is unconscious, drugged and slumped over in the corner.

"Put it on speaker and if you say something wrong-"

Ping Heng indicates to the knife and then at Wen Zhang. Fen Yuhang nodded stiffly. Fen Yuhang answers it and puts it on speaker.

"Cheng Xing, what is it?"

"I wanted to check on what you found out about him."

There's a long silence as he gets his breathing under control. Fen Yuhang glances at Ping Heng

"Fen Yuhang?"

Ping Heng indicates telling him to continue.

"Nothing much, he's been mainly training."

"Wait so are you telling me you're not at home?"

"I'm watching him-"

There was a silence on both ends, Fen Yuhang watching the blade in Ping Heng's hands with razor focus.

"-like you told me to."

Fen Yuhang tries not to stutter as he watches the knife close in.

"I told you to get some rest. You said you were tired," Cheng Xing's voice said. 

Fen Yuhang looks back up at Ping Heng.

"Fen Yuhang what's gotten into you lately?"

"The truth is Cheng Xing, I heard Wen Zhang's missing. I'm looking for him."

Cheng Xing sighs. "Be careful."

Fen Yuhang hangs up. Ping Heng takes Fen Yuhang's phone and turns it fully off. Fen Yuhang sighs and rest his head on the wall.