He had to make the escape this Sunday. He couldn’t stay for another week and wait for Siyu to come up with other methods, and he certainly didn’t want to find out what trip she wanted to bring him on.

Taking out the makeshift stake from the drawer, he felt the sharpness of it. It was far from a blade, but it would certainly go through as long as there was force behind it.

With just 2 days remaining, he had to prepare himself for the escape. He spent the remaining time going over the manors layout in his head over and over. It’d been a long time since he had stepped foot outside of the cell, so it wasn’t easy to recall.

Bits and pieces connected till he felt a had a solid understanding of the manor. Slowly he started to formulate his plan. He absolutely had to do it quietly, there wasn’t anywhere to escape to nearby, so if they realized he was gone too quick he’d be found. Ideally they wouldn’t find out till morning when the other guard came back.

With everything coming together he felt ready, there was a solid chance he would be successful.

The fateful time came as he heard the guard whistling as he walked down the hallway to serve his dinner. Wang Jie leaned against the wall, trying to look as inconspicuous as impossible while he clutched the stake in his non-visible hand.

Soon, the guard turned the corner and came into view.

“Not planning on calling on me several times again tonight are you?” The guard laughed as he gave him a quick look.

“Probably not.” Wang Jie said as he gripped the stake harder.

“Well, that’s nice to hear.” The guard bent down and started setting down the items.

After finishing he turned to walk away.

“Actually, can I ask you something?” Wang Jie said, taking a slight step forward while still keep the stake out of the guards eye.

“Hm, what?” The guard came back.

“I was just thinking.” Wang Jie lunged into action, gripping the mans shirt and pulling him closer.

“What are you-” The guard began to speak, but before he could say anymore Wang Jie plunged the stake through his chest, aiming for his heart.

“You- you- you-” The guard began to panic, weakly he tried to loosen Wang Jie’s grip on him while the stake was being twisted and turned inside of him.

His eyes almost popped out of his forehead as his body began to slump. When Wang Jie felt the last of his life leave him, he dropped the stake and yanked off the mans key chain. With his goal in hand, he let the man fall down on the floor.

With the key in hand he walked over to the gate and unlocked it. Now on the other side, he stripped himself and the guard naked, before putting on the guard uniform, grabbing the sheathed sword and sticking the key in his pocket. The whole front part of the outfit was bloody, so he could only show his back.

He started walking down the hallway, following his memory. Quickly he came to a spot where he remembered a guard being stationed when he was taken through. Peeking around the corner, he didn’t see anyone. A sigh of relief escaped him. He’d been counting on the fact that there were lesser guards during the evening.

But just when he thought luck was on his side, he turned another corner and saw a guard there facing away from him. He frowned as he started considering.

It was impossible for him to sneak past him, he had to murder him. But if he did, there was a big chance someone would pass by and find the body. It was just a risk he would have to take.

Making as little noise as possible, he unsheathed the sword and held it close. Slowly he started tip-toeing towards the man. He held his breath as he neared him, by now he was so close that he could hear the mans breath.

In one motion he covered the mans mouth as he plunged the sword through him from the back. The man started shaking in his arms as he felt the sword enter him. There was little resistance before he breathed his last. Feeling him go limp, Wang Jie carefully laid him down.

It had really gone better than expected.

The rest of the way was clear and he soon found himself inside the grand entry hall. The door was just within his reach when he heard someone behind him.

“Hmmm? Hold on a second, what are you doing out of your post?” The person behind him was clearly suspicious.

Wang Jie stopped and without turning around he answered, “I have to use the bathroom.”

“You know theres no bathroom that way right?” The person took a step closer, “Turn around for me.”

What should he do? Wang Jie tried to think of a way out as he heard the man nearing him. Out of options he drew his sword and spun around while swinging at the man.

A clank rang out as steel met steel and his attack was blocked. The guard had been prepared for it.

“Intruder!” The guard started yelling as he took a step back to go on the defensive.

Shit, he was running out of time. Soon the place would be swarming and he’d truly be caged in. Making up his mind he re sheathed the sword and started running for the door.

Breaking out through the door Wang Jie sprinted across the courtyard towards the wall. The entire time he could hear hurried footsteps behind him. It seemed the guard had chosen to chase after him. A loud bell began to ring and guards started flooding out of buildings behind him.

Finally nearing freedom, he made a leap and used the wall as a stepping stone behind him. As he went over, he heard a sword strike against the wall. He had just narrowly dodged that one.

After he landed he heard the man scale the wall behind him. He had to get rid of this pursuer before he lead anyone else to him.

When the man came over the wall and was on his way down, he was instead met with a sword thrust from Wang Jie on the other side. Completely unable to defend himself in the air, the sword effortlessly pierced through him.

Without confirming his death, Wang Jie ran inside the forest. He kept running for a bit before slowing down and being careful not to make noise. In the distance behind him, he could see various orange glows entering the forest one after another. The place was absolutely swarming with them. He couldn’t attract their attention or they’d descent on him like a flock of vultures.

Navigating through the forest, he was nearing the hill. Still, if he managed to get that far he would be in open territory. The only thing on the other side was the river, the road to town and a whole lot of nothing. It was the only way though.

Just 20 meters were left when Wang Jie heard someone run towards him at high speed. His eyes widened in disbelief as he turned and saw who it was.

He raised his sword to defend but before he could even react he took a kick to the stomach and was sent flying back and dropped the sword.

Slumped on the ground as Siyu stood over him, looking down, he felt his hope leave him. Was he going to die here?

Siyu reached down and pulled him up by his neck. With a single arm he he held him up and looked him over. “Did you really think it was going to be that easy?” Siyu gave him a mocking look, “I knew you were planning something.”

No, he could still fight. Wang Jie started kicking out with his legs, trying to get free. It wasn’t going to work through, Siyu just laughed at his antics.

Glaring and giving up on that end, Wang Jie sneakily began reaching down his pocket. Straining as he started running out of air from the choking. He felt a bit of metal touching his finger and he quickly reined it in to grip it in his hand.

“You know what, that’s what I like about you, even at this moment you still have that unbreakable glare in your eye.” Siyu spoke, enjoying himself.

With a slight sneer on his mouth, Wang Jie mustered up all the energy left in his body, and with a quick move he swung the key in his hand at Siyu’s eyes.

He knew it had worked when he was let go and fell down on the ground. Coughing, he hurried back on his feet and without sparing a glance he ran for the hill. Even if Siyu was blind he would still be able to beat him.

15 meters…

“You fucking.” Siyu screamed behind him, “I’ll flay you alive!”

10 meters…

But before he could get any further, he felt a massive strike on his back. He flew more than 10 meters and started rolling down the hill, bumping into rocks along the way.

The last thing he heard was the splash of water before he faded into nothingness.

—

Siyu and several guards stood at the bottom of the hill, looking around.

“He has to be somewhere! He can’t have just fucking disappeared!” He screamed as he flailed about madly, his right eye dripping with blood, “Search the river, I want him found.”

“Sir with all due respect, you likely killed him with that last attack. He’s probably lying dead somewhere.”

“So then if he’s dead go find his damn body idiot.” Siyu gave him a smack and turned to yell at the other guards, “You useless blockheads go and find him already.”

That set them off and they quickly started running around checking everywhere. Moving downstream and scanning the river, but no one was ever able to find anything. No sign was left behind. They continued for hours but ultimately they were left empty handed. He had disappeared from right under their noses.

—

Wang Jie regained consciousness lying in a shallow pool of water, his whole body ached as he looked around, trying to find out where he was.

Bright white light filled his surroundings as he looked around. He was inside of a cave, but how had he gotten here? Using one of the walls as a support he managed to clamber up on his feet, and used his new height to check out the cave.

A few meters away he saw an altar, above it there was a suspended white orb, was that the thing lighting up the cave? With nowhere else to go he started walking towards it, every single step was arduous as he moved. Before even getting halfway he started coughing up blood. He may have escaped for now, but he was going to die anyway from his internal injuries.

He kept dragging himself, slowly getting closer. He began to notice there were some things on top of the altar. At last he was there. He braced himself on the altar, helping to keep himself up as he looked down at what was there.