The boss just looked at me and LAUGHED. Then he turned to the men and shouted,
"LOCK THEM UP! ALICE COMES WITH ME!"
My heart dropped.
Alice screamed in fear as they dragged her away. I tried to run after her, but two men blocked my way. I screamed her name, but all I could do... was watch.
They slammed the door shut. I collapsed into the corner, my body shaking, my hands clenched.
Raiden was in the room with me. But I couldn't look at him. I just couldn't.
I was angry. I was broken. I was TIRED.
Why didn't I just stay in the village? With my family?WHY DID I THINK I COULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE?
Why did I... even exist?
No, seriously.
I SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN BORN.
WHO AM I? WHAT DO I EVEN DO?
If I were really Lianhua... I wouldn't be like this.I wouldn't cry.I wouldn't be this weak.WOULD I?
And then...I SCREAMED.
I screamed until my voice broke. Until my soul shook.
My fists slammed against the wall.
Once.Twice.AGAIN.And AGAIN.
My knuckles started to bleed, but I didn't stop. I wanted to feel pain, real pain, not this emptiness inside me.
Then—A hand grabbed mine, holding me tightly.
Raiden. He was kneeling next to me now. His voice calm, low.
"Do you really think it'll help if you break your hand?"
I couldn't answer. I just shook my head and curled back into myself.
But this time...
He didn't leave.
He sat there. Quiet. Close.
He looked different now. Colder. His face emotionless, but his presence... warm?
I touched my neck instinctively.
That SCAR.And then it hit me—Raiden's scar.His chest. My neck.How could I have forgotten?
I'd been so lost.
Suddenly, I pulled something out.
A small, wrapped gift.
I placed it gently in hes hands.
"I bought this before... before they kidnapped you," I said quietly."It reminded me of you. I wanted you to have it."
Hes eyes widened.
He reached out,
Our faces were CLOSE.Too close.
My heart began to pound. My cheeks flushed.
WAIT.WHAT AM I THINKING?
I BLUSHED and moved away.
NO. I'm NOT falling in love.
...Right?
I wiped the thought away. Smiled nervously.
He smiled back, just a little.
"Thanks," he said."But now we need to work together. To survive. The two of us."
In that moment...
He gave me something I hadn't had in a long time.
Hope
Then He leaned closer and whispered my plan.
He raised an eyebrow."That's risky."
I smiled.
"So are we."
so we did the plan
I banged on the door and screamed until my throat burned.
Finally, a guard burst in.
"YOU STUPID GIRL! WHAT'S YOUR PROBLEM—"
But he stopped.
He looked around.
"Where's the other one?"
I tilted my head.
"What other one?"
Before he could react, Raiden appeared behind him. With lightning speed, he pulled the rope that had once bound him—tight around the man's neck.
The man struggled. Clawed.
Too late.
He dropped. Lifeless.
Raiden took the sword and handed it to me.
"Your plan was clever."
"Of course it was," I smirked.
We peeked outside.
No guards in sight. Strange.
We moved carefully, freeing every woman we passed.
One woman, shaking, told me:
"They took ten women... to the ravine..."
My blood ran cold.
ALICE.
We ran.
The climb out of the ravine was rough, but the screams—THE SCREAMS pushed us forward.
And then I saw it.
At the top of the cliff...
The boss. With a SWORD.
ALICE pinned beneath him, crying.
And he was going to kill her.
I ran.Faster than I thought I could.
And then—
CLANG!
My sword met his just in time.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?" he shouted.
He pushed me away.
"WHAT DO YOU WANT?"
I steadied myself, lifted my sword.
"I want you to stop."
And then he attacked.
Steel against steel. My arms ached. He was strong. I was exhausted.
But I didn't stop.
I dodged. Kicked.He stabbed me—my leg.
I cried out.
But I STRUCK BACK.
Cut his arm.
He screamed in rage.
"YOU... YOU MONSTER! I'LL KILL YOU!"
He lunged at me.
Tried to choke me.
I gasped for air, fighting, clawing...
Then—
A BOOT CRACKED AGAINST HIS HEAD.
Raiden.
The boss staggered, teetering at the edge of the cliff.
I stood up. Bleeding. Shaking.
Below us, the freed women were running. But more men appeared. Like wolves.
But we weren't prey anymore.
We were fire.
I turned to the boss.
"YOU TREAT WOMEN LIKE DOGS. LIKE NOTHING."
"AND NOW..."
"YOU'RE GOING TO DIE. AND THE LAST THING YOU'LL SEE IS ME."
"A WOMAN."
His face twisted in confusion.
"WHO ARE YOU?"
My whole body trembled.
My vision blurred.
And something ancient awakened.
I whispered:
"I AM LIANHUA."
And I ran.
I JUMPED.
Straight at him.
We both fell into the ravine—
Yes
that was it
the end
of this story
a sad ending, right?
you thought
well, are you sure?
no, that's not the end, no, but
that's only the beginning
if I were truly Lianhua, I wouldn't die
or?
But before I hit the bottom, I grabbed my sword.
STABBED it into the cliffside.
Held on tight.
I looked down.
The boss was still falling—his face frozen in horror.
he is dead know
"Told you," I whispered.
"I'm the last thing you'll ever see."
But my grip was slipping.
The sword started to break loose—
Then—
A HAND.
"ELOULA!"
RAIDEN.
He grabbed my wrist.
I smiled.
"Raiden..."
But then my other hand slipped.
Now he was the only thing keeping me from falling.
But my weight was dragging him too.
"LET ME GO!" I shouted."YOU'LL FALL TOO!"
"ARE YOU STUPID?!" he yelled back.
We looked into each other's eyes.
And that moment...
Time stopped.
I felt it again.
A memory.
A connection.
A love I'd never understood... until now.
I whispered:
"I KNOW YOU..."
He looked at me. Confused.
And my heart—
My heart raced.
Because in that moment...I realized.
I was in love with him.