The Price of Redemption (Xue Yang x Xiao Xingchen)

Chapter 4: The Search

↻ ◁ II ▷ ↺

"Heart Wants What It Wants" by Selena Gomez

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Xue Yang stumbled through the dense forest, his breath ragged and labored. Every step was agony, the wounds that marred his body seeping blood onto the forest floor. He had lost count of how many times he had been attacked, how many enemies had sought to take advantage of his weakened state.

His mind was a haze of confusion and fear, his senses dulled by pain. Faces flashed before him—men and women with swords drawn, eyes filled with hatred and vengeance. They called out accusations and threats, words that fell upon ears that no longer recognized their meaning.

"Why?" Xue Yang whispered to himself as he stumbled over a root, pain shooting through his leg. "Why won't they leave me alone?"

The answer was lost to him, buried beneath layers of forgotten memories and fractured identity. All he knew was the relentless pursuit, the never-ending cycle of violence that seemed to close in around him with each passing moment.

He found a secluded spot beneath a gnarled tree, his back pressed against rough bark. His hands trembled as he pressed them against his side, feeling the wet warmth of blood seeping through torn fabric. The wounds were deep, the cuts of swords and daggers leaving him vulnerable and defenseless.

In the silence of the forest, Xue Yang could hear the distant echoes of pursuit—the crunch of leaves underfoot, the distant shouts of his pursuers drawing nearer with each passing second. Fear gripped his heart like a vice, squeezing out the last vestiges of hope and strength.

"I have to... I have to keep moving," Xue Yang muttered through gritted teeth, his voice strained with pain. "They can't... they can't find me here."

With a surge of adrenaline, Xue Yang pushed himself to his feet, ignoring the protests of his battered body. He stumbled forward, his movements erratic and unsteady, desperate to evade capture and certain death.

The forest seemed to close in around him, the trees whispering secrets that he could no longer comprehend. Shadows danced at the edge of his vision, mocking him with their elusive familiarity. He reached out, grasping at memories that slipped through his fingers like smoke.

Time blurred into a relentless march of agony and exhaustion. Each step was a battle, each breath a reminder of his frailty. He stumbled upon a small stream, its water cool against his fevered skin. He collapsed beside it, gasping for breath, his body trembling with the effort to stay conscious.

The wounds throbbed with a dull ache, a constant reminder of his vulnerability. He peeled back the torn fabric of his robes, revealing the angry red gashes that crisscrossed his flesh. Blood pooled beneath his fingers, staining them crimson.

"I don't understand why they hate me so much. What did I do?" His words hung unanswered in the air, the only response the gentle rustling of leaves and distant sounds of pursuit. He felt utterly alone, lost in a sea of pain and confusion.

Tears mixed with sweat on his cheeks as he battled against the overwhelming darkness threatening to engulf him. Each ache and wound reminded him of battles fought and enemies unseen. Breathing was a struggle, each breath a painful reminder of his battered body.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the forest floor, Xue Yang closed his eyes. Sleep brought no relief, only haunted dreams filled with faces he couldn't recognize. Amidst the turmoil of his mind, a name slipped from his lips like a whisper, a name buried deep within his soul.