QingYu: A Wuxia Tale (Going Through Reediting)

Prison Cell

(Qing's POV)

My wounds were treated one yard away from the prison cell where Dayu was placed. I lay on my stomach on a table situated by the door so I can keep my eyes on the man I was supposed to run away with tomorrow while Dr.Huein clean my wound.

"Fortunately, the wounds were not too deep or it would be a disaster if those knives punctured your lungs, Captain," Dr.Huein said.

I was just half listening to him. The other half of my mind was back on that fight with Mr.Shu.

Mr.Shu deceived me. I thought he was not hesitating, but the truth was he was avoiding to cut me deeply. He was not just hesitating, he was holding back.

His attacked were calculated. They were precise. I thought it was to kill me or defeat me. But his moves were to make sure that I know he can cut me and I have to defend fiercely. He kept me on my toes the whole time, made me focus on surviving. He was telling me to defend or he will stab me for good.

Mr.Shu forced me to survive.

And I was wrong in wanting to capture him. I was the one who hesitated. Desiring to capture "The Shadow". I hesitated to give Mr.Shu a decent fight. I held back. I cowardly fight half heartedly, not using all my strength and abilities because I wanted the glory of capturing an infamous assasin. I made a mistake.

And Mr.Shu paid for my mistake with his life. If I just fought him with all I have, I could have stopped him sooner and captured him, maybe Mr.Shu will be unconcious or badly hurt, but at least he would have been alive.

Now, I approach the prison cell where Dayu sat, on the corner of the floor filled with dried straws and looking sideways with eyes not seeing anything.

I can still hear him screaming. Asking for Mr.Shu to wake up, shaking the older man. I can still see him crying desperately as he look around for someone who can help his uncle.

I can still see that look he gave me as those guards drag him away from Mr.Shu's lifeless body.

A look full of promise. A promise that Dayu will take his revenge for the person who is responsible for the death of his uncle.

Me...

"I should have killed you that first night in the cabin,"

I blink when Dayu spoke in a tone devoid of emotion.

I watch as he turn his head to look at me. His face, a canvas of blankness. A dead tone and a blank face. This is not the man I spent time last night in the lake.

This one...is the assasin I fought in that darkened forest.

With a move too quick for me to avoid, Dayu stood up, ran to the prison bar and grab my robe. He hauled me closer as I finally saw an emotion filling his eyes.

Hatred.

"I should have killed you! You were stupidly confident and unaware that night, I should have strangled you on that bed! It would have been so easy. And my Uncle Shu will still be alive..."

Yes...if we could just go back to that first night in the cabin, then I will take Dayu away from this place as fast as I can.

"D-dayu..." his hand slide up to my collar, twisting and tightening to strangle me.

The soldiers guarding the prison cell came rushing to help me take Dayu's hand off my robe but I stopped them.

"Get out!" I shouted at them.