-~*~-
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Outside of Irene's workplace.
Yanyi nonchalantly enters the premises and find Irene's desk. She tap her shoulders when the girl in her chair turned around and saw her friends. "What are you doing here? Didn't you guys have a huge amount of work to do?"
Yanyi handed her the old journal of her. Confusion written on her face, Irene asks. "Why are you giving me this?"
"Just in case you need it."
"Okay?..."
"I'll be eating dinner at the manor. See you later."
She walks away from Irene to the entrance door. Irene didn't say anything but raising her eyebrows is already enough to show her confusion. "Whatever."
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Yanyi and Kazuto are overseeing the whole preparation for the journey. It won't take long if they speed up. Probably around 3-4 hours. That is by car so fast enough for them.
Kazuto oversees the ammunition and weapons. They have no clue on who they are fighting against. All of their records are either erased or not updated.
But considering that he is able to create a semi-living creature from dead corpses, it shows that he is capable of some sort of wicked things. Thus, being extra prepared is never wrong.
Yanyi on the other hand went inside Daniel's office. She had instructed for the forensic team to supply at least 5 people to help them investigate anything weird in the premises later. However, only Daniel had ever actually touched and saw the weird abomination of that person.
Knock Knock!
"Come in!" Daniel said.
The door was pushed open and came in Yanyi. Daniel is currently experimenting on a dead frog on…? I don't know.
At least Yanyi wasn't fazed by it.
Daniel —"Lady Yanyi. What can I help you with? I'll try to make it quick since you need to depart soon."
Yanyi — "I want you to join in."
Daniel — "What?"
Yanyi — "Out of everyone in the forensic team, you're the only one that had seen the body in 'full' view. Two, you knew more than the others."
Daniel — "What do you want me to help you with?"
Yanyi walks over to his table before leaning half of her body against it. Her hands hidden inside of her trousers. "I want you to find a way to negate the effect."
Daniel was left speechless.
Yanyi further explained herself. She had essentially wanted to leave the corpse as it is. However with something as bezaire as being an undead creation, who knows what might happen in the future. Thus she wanted to find someone who can negate that effect quickly.
"No worries, you will be working alongside the disciple of Countess Corla Smit, Andrew. You both will use all the ingredients that are available before you to try and make a neutralising agent."
"But isn't it illegal to do it?" Daniel is more concerned on the legality rather than the opportunity. He had long been intrigued with the body. However due to the current case, he wasn't able to closely study it. It is also to keep safety protocols in action.
Hearing his doubt, Yanyi then straightened her body and placed both of her hands behind her back. Up to her torso. With loud and confidence, she commands the following.
"I, Lady Xue Licia Yanyi, The Holy Maiden of the Volenix Empire. The Guardian of Society, allows you, the disciple of Chen Luyao and the disciple of Countess Corla Smit, Andrew to work together to create a neutralising agent for this whole undead corpse case."
"If unbeknownst shall fall, let it be known that my life will be the first to be taken. My oath as the Guardian shall grant you access to all the prohibition herbs and medicine needed. Solely for the purpose of keeping the peace of society."
Her body didn't move an inch. Instead what comes next could be described as coming straight out of an imaginary story. Yanyi's whole body starts to emit a glowing light. Her hair that once fell due to gravity is now semi lifted into the air.
There is no wind.
Daniel is speechless. Never had he seen something like this ever happen before. Not even in public or rumours. It is as if he is witnessing an ethereal being. He thought to himself.
'So this is the Holy Maiden…'
It didn't last long as everything started to revert back to its original state. "I have taken a life oath. Which has been tied to both of your actions. Once you have completed this task, the life oath that has been placed shall negate itself."
Daniel didn't understand what is happening. What he do know, he nodded in determination. He will not see this falling.
Witnessing the determination in his eyes, Yanyi can safely say that she has found the right person. She nodded and said, "Pack you essential. You're coming with us." before going outside.
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After around 30 minutes of non-stop preparation, they are all now ready to depart to Red Leaves Town. They have brought over ⅓ of the police forces as well as dispatched half of the Ryuichi militants that patrols the road over to Red Leaves Town.
Their journey now begins.
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4 hours later…
It is now around 12 noon. They had been driving nonstop for 4 hours straight. Yanyi is reading back all the evidence they had on hand. Kazuto is going through their ambush tactics.
Long drive later they arrive at the entrance of Red Leaves Town.
The mayor, or rather the oldest released convict, had come over to the entrance to greet them. "Young Marquesses, welcome to Red Leaves Town. It's an honour to have you all here."
Kazuto shakes his hand firmly. Despite being a living person, he is still an ex-convict. Thus it's not wrong to put in some extra precaution.
That is one of the reasons they require so much guard. Most of the people here are not really friendly with the higher people.
Yanyi enters the gate and follows the clue that she had been able to deduce. She walked along the path while people stared at her in disdain. Mistakes may be forgiven but grudges are still fresh.
Eventually they reach so far into the woods that it can no longer be said to be connected to the town. There stood a shabby 2 story small house. Enough for one person to live in.
The walls are made out of dry out clay. The roof is made from thick wood and leaves and there doesn't seem to be any window. Well except for one behind the house on the second floor.
Yanyi and Kazuto didn't wait for any command to be given and immediately infiltrated the house quietly. To their surprise, the door wasn't locked. It was never properly close to begin with.
Suspicion lingering in her mind, Yanyi pushes forward with her signia ready to be open.
The bottom floor seems to be just a kitchen with a small sitting area. Nothing that screams a person is nearby. Instead it spells the complete opposite.
No one is around.
CLANG!
The sound coming from the upper floor. Kazuto and Yanyi disperse. One went outside to get ready from the window, the other went upstairs.
Yanyi climbed up the stairs and surveyed the area. She didn't find any movement. Neither did she find any wind.
She found the whole floor to be a mess. Cups and kits everywhere.
The floor.
The table.
The bed.
Even the bookshelf.
That is when her eyes caught the sight of a figure. One in a faintly white hood. They didn't move. They stood still, staring at her. Yanyi didn't feel any threat not reassurance with their presence.
They stood there staring at each other.
Silent.
The figure then jumped out the window and proceeded to bypass their little barriers of armed men and into the forest. "KAZUTO! After them!" The man immediately ran after the figure.
Yanyi herself jumps out while giving out orders. "Police! Secure the premises and let Daniel and Andrew do their work! Militants! After them!" Obedient to that command, they move to action.
Kazuto has been following the person and has kept a clear view on where they are going. Yanyi herself is not as bad. Her fast movements allow for a catch up with her current partner. "Status?"
"Quick! I was able to catch up due to shortcuts and eyesight! Have any other plans?"
"Physics and stamina!"
Yanyi quickly moves faster using all of her energy to push her body forward. Lowering her body to reduce air resistance. She has deliberately taken a sideway to hopefully catch up quicker with their escapee.
At some point she uses the momentum from the tree to launch herself forward. Slowly but surely, she is mere inches away from grabbing that robe or hood of them.
GRAB!
Got it! Is all she is able to conjure.
What she didn't realize is that the robe or rather the figure had completely vanished from thin air. Heck, Yanyi didn't even realize that she had actually run out of the forest.
Right before her eyes are the view of the ocean and the beautiful coastline of the old land of Anderil. However it seemed to be a bit too high to be a place she had stepped into.
That is when her mind starts to click. Her feet are not being able to touch any land. Instead it touches the air. She has run towards a cliffside without realizing.
She is falling.
Before the sight blur in front of her from the sheer gravity pull, she felt a strong tug on the back of her collar. Thankfully that tug, whatever it is, is able to stop her death fall. "Be careful next time!"
Turning her head upwards, she saw her temporary partner holding out his arm. He had caught her barely before her immediate death. She let out a sigh of relief.
Quickly she latches her feet onto the dirt wall before slowly climbing back up. Kazuto didn't let go of her collar for caution. He then grabs her outreached hand and pulls her back to safety.
It is quite early to let out a sigh of relief for the second time. After all, when she registers back her current surroundings, she finds two gravestones situated to overlook the view behind her. The half ocean half land that she had nearly seen as her last view.
"Who's grave are they?" She asked Kazuto to which he shrugged. He had been focussing on catching and saving Yanyi that he also hadn't realised the existence of the graves.
Yanyi crouches down in front of one of the graves and sees an engraving that has been eaten up by dust. She wiped the engraving to reveal words, dates and soon a name.
"A loving wife and mother. A brave warrior of the empire. Date of death: xxx-xx-xx. Name, … Lydin … Zheng…"
"Zheng Yingjian… the name of this one…"
Both are stunned locks. They had figured out the whole story behind him. But they never thought that it would connect with their little mystery. It was supposed to be separate.
That is when Yanyi stood up abruptly. Her eyes are dead set on both gravestones. "Their bodies were never found… so why are they here?" she mumbles to herself.
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'Nothing is a coincidence…'
Yanyi — "We-We have to go back…"
Kazuto — "Go back to the house?"
Yanyi — "No…"
Yanyi looked him straight in the eyes. The man before her can feel the desperate attempt to run. "Back to the manor… they are after him."
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At the training field in the Ryuichi manor.
Eker is resting under the shaded tree while reading a book. He had found an interest in mechanical machines and has been sneaking books out from the manor's library. He is currently taking a 5 minute rest while waiting for his trainer to join him.
He was so immersed in the book that he failed to notice a presence near him. Specifically, right beside his ears. A voice entered his right ear.
"What are you reading, little one?"
Registering that it was an unknown voice, one that he is not familiar with, Eker drew his sword that was laying before his eyes. Intending to hurt the man beside him.
Unfortunately, his attempt is met with a slash of the wind. The man had backed away so quickly that all was left was a blur of movements. Eker then let his eyes wander around the premise.
That person is still near him. He can feel that ominous presence. "Wow, the young master must have trained you well." He looked up to the tree branches.
He is perching on the branch.
Looking down on him.
Albeit being at a slight disadvantage by one, being younger and inexperienced. Two, being at a lower vantage point, Eker refuses to let the man get the better of him.
Hiding his slight fear, his sword pointed to where the man stood. "Who are you?!" in an attempt to intimidate, proclaimed such a question.
The man didn't answer.
Didn't respond.
Didn't budge.
He just stood there, his smile eerily wide. Like a smile of mockering not a pleasant one. He did speak. But his question is one that Eker is very much displeased with. "Pertell, young lad. Do you happen to know where the person named 'Chen Luyao' is?"
If Eker didn't raise his guard before, well he surely is now. His eyes narrow in disdain. Whatever this man wants with brother Luyao, his trainer, it's not something good. "I have no obligation to answer that question of yours!" He said in confidence.
The man before him starts… laughing cynically. "You're the brother of Lady Yanyi, aren't you? Persistent and hell-bent in protecting the young master.
Eker — "..."
Odd man — "Oh well. I do appreciate that enthusiasm you siblings give. However, I cannot easily let ties of that scheming woman lose."
Eker — "What-!"
SWOOSH!
Eker duck before a metal object pierce through his head. Fixing his body back he turn around and found that the man had thrown a small metal scissors in his direction. One that is so sharp that it had pierced through a training dummy and onto the manor's wall.
"What the-..."
"Amazing isn't it, young one!" The man professed his skills to Eker in a boastful manner. One that doesn't fit his clean and almost butler-like features. Just like the butler in the manor, he looks exactly the same.
But he's not here for work.
"I would love to show off more of my skills if allowed. But unlucky for you, you bear that ties with her. Thus, a swift elimination is needed."
In a blink, the man stood in front of Eker. The boy couldn't comprehend what just happened and acted on his instinct. He placed his sword right before face, hoping to stop that sharp metal scissors from touching him.
BUM!
His eyes have been focusing on that one scissors only. To the point that he has failed to notice the empty hand of the odd man. It had punched him straight on his gut. Sending the little boy flying across the training field.
He tried to stand up from the sheer force but his gut is hurting so much. Twisting, switching, name all the horrible things that could happen. He is feeling all of it right now.
Eker had lost.
Clutching his torso while on the ground, he heard the faint footsteps trudging slowly. His head is able to see the man from the corner of his eyes. He is standing right before him.
His scissors are raised above his head.
It is ready to be thrown directly onto his neck.
It would hit him.
It will kill him.
SWING!
Nothing falls.
Instead a blade entered his view. One that is placed right beside the man's neck. "Drop it and your neck will be severed." That voice. The man had spoken of him.
"Brother Luyao!" Eker cannot hold his happiness.
"Go in! NOW!"
With that command, Eker brave his injuries and strode quickly yet carefully away into the manor.
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They stood like that for a good 15 minutes. The exact time that Eker needed to get inside.
THUD!
Hearing the giant door closing, the man before him speaks without any more intense malice.
"It's a pleasure to meet you again, young master Zheng Luyao."
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-~*~-