Prince's Gamble | HAOBIN

14. Endless Ocean

Stepping out slowly onto the platform, Zhanghao realized why Gunwook had made him swim so much. As he looked down, the dark blue color of the water beneath his feet scared him. As the waves splashed gently, he couldn't help but notice that he couldn't see the bottom of the water. Far away in the distance, Zhanghao thought he could see another figure standing on their own pier. Was it Taerae? He thought, but as soon as that idea came into his head he threw it away, turning to look back at his own pier. A chill ran down his spine as he saw the stone door close behind him and a voice began to speak.  

"Competitors, welcome to the second round." Kim Jiwoong sounded throughout the arena. Looking up at the sky, Zhanghao saw a projection of Jiwoong on the roof, the King a few feet behind him. "Let's hope you can swim, for in this round it will be somewhat different to the first round." He paused before continuing, "You will need to retrieve the gems of the King which lie at the bottom of the ocean. The faster you find them, the faster the round finishes." 

His lips thinned, "The eliminated competitors will be decided by either which two are killed first, or the last two to find a gem. Good luck." Was all Jiwoong said, before his face disappeared from the projection and they were left alone in the arena again.   

Looking forward, Zhanghao narrowed his eyes as one last siren went off, signaling the start of the round. He thought he heard the faint sound of loud splashing in the distance as if someone had jumped in. Well, there was only one way to find out. 

Walking to the edge of the pier, Zhanghao took a deep breath, making sure everything on him was secured before diving into the water. His body froze as his skin touched the water but he was used to this. The endless hours of swimming training with Gunwook had prepared him well for this. He opened his eyes, which showed an infinite blue in front of him. 

Zhanghao needed to find the gem first, maybe that way he wouldn't need to come into contact with anyone this round. Swimming deeper into the water, Zhanghao looked frantically, his oxygen running out. He had just begun to see the bottom of the ocean when he couldn't hold his breath any longer and had to resurface. 

Reaching the surface, he looked around for any sign of another competitor before taking in a big breath and diving back under. This time he swam faster, down to the bottom. It was certainly dark at the bottom, but at the same time it just bright enough for them to find the gem. 

Zhanghao had know idea what the gem was meant to look like, but he kept his eyes peeled for any glint or sparkle. Then he saw it. He would've missed it if he hadn't done a double take, his hands moving quicky to dig in the sand. Success blazed through his eyes as the sand revealed a shining, green gem. Picking it up, he stuffed it in his pocket before swimming back up to the surface, his lungs about to give out. 

He was about to resurface, a hand pushed him down, keeping Zhanghao under the water. He thrashed violently, trying to push the person away to get to the surface. He felt his lungs beginning to burn as the water entered them, suffocating him. He screamed, eyes roaring at the pain of water being on them too long. His body was about to give up when the hand came away, and instead pulled him above the surface by his collar. 

"Give me your gem." The boy who held his collar said, his grip still tight. Eyes burning, Zhanghao began to cough up water, unable to answer. The boy let him hack up the water for a moment, before giving him a rough shake, "Pass over the gem, Zhanghao." He demanded, eyes glaring.

Zhanghao breathed heavily, thinking about his options. He either gave the gem to the boy and risk coming in last place while he looked for another gem, or he would fight the boy—right then and there. Energy low after just fighting for his life under the water, the boy had the chance of being much stronger than Zhanghao, but Zhanghao could be smarter. 

Zhanghao shook his head at the boy, a taken aback look on the boy's face at his refusal. Taking his chance, Zhanghao pulled away from the boy's grip, now free from his hold. The boy growled, pulling out a large hammer from behind him. 

Hand moving over his shoulder, Zhanghao did the same, brandishing out his sword. The water would make his moves heavy and slow, but so would the boy's. Using that to his advantage, Zhanghao waited as the boy made an attempt to raise and swing his hammer down onto Zhanghao. 

Swimming quickly out of the way, Zhanghao turned his body so his arm could swing behind him, cutting the boy in the back. The boy yelled in pain, eyes burning with anger as he turned to look at Zhanghao. He was fast to bring his hammer back up, making useless attempts to hit Zhanghao. Zhanghao didn't even need to use his sword as he ducked and dodged effortlessly. 

A pool of red began to wash around the boy, his back bleeding from Zhanghao's previous infliction. The salt water would invade the wound, creating pain and infection. Just then, the boy jumped through the water at Zhanghao, he was about to be close—too close. Zhanghao wasn't thinking before his sword was in front of him, the boy's neck running right into it. 

Blood ran all over Zhanghao's sword, leaving him in shock as the boy's eyes widened before he fell limp off the sword. It had been a defensive move, like a reflex, and Zhanghao had never meant to kill him. Yet, there the boy's body lay, drifting face down in the water as it bobbed up and down. 

Still in shock, Zhanghao didn't move even as the loud siren went off and the red lights began flashing. Only when he heard the sound of the stone door opening again in the distance was he snapped back to his senses. Was he just meant to leave the boy? Leave his body to drown here? However, just then, a helicopter appeared above, lowering down a claw-like machine before picking up the body out of the water and taking it away.  

With that sorted, Zhanghao turned to the direction he had come from, swimming to get out of the arena. His body shivering and numb, he didn't want to be in here any longer than he needed to. As he approached the pier, he spotted his friends plus a worried Hanbin who was waiting for him while holding a grey towel.      

Pulling his weight up onto the pier, Zhanghao got to his feet, his clothes and hair drenched as the water dripped onto the pier. Shivering, Zhanghao walked through the stone door, into Hanbin's arms as Hanbin used the towel to dry his clothes and hair. Ignoring Gyuvin and Ricky's shouts of celebration, reluctant tears began to fall from Zhanghao's face as he leaned into Hanbin. 

"Zhanghao, what's wrong?" Hanbin realized, pausing to look at his face. 

"Hanbin," Zhanghao sniffed, "I killed someone."