Wang Tao woke up—pain, every single muscle was screaming. But he was alive.
He opened his eyes to the familiar stone ceiling of his cave. He turned his head and saw Yan Li sleeping while sitting next to the bed, her head resting on the edge, still holding his hand. On the other side, Wei Lian was also asleep, his back against the wall, but with his hand resting on Wang Tao's shoulder.
It was as if, even in sleep, they needed to know he was still there.
Wang Tao felt a tightening in his chest. How long have they been here? He tried to move slowly, but Yan Li's hand tightened instantly. She woke up with a start.
— Tao?! — Her eyes were wide.
Wei Lian woke up right after. — You... — his voice was hoarse — you're awake.
Wang Tao tried to smile, but the pain stopped him. — How long?
— Two days — Yan Li replied, tears starting to well up. — You were out for two days...
She didn't finish the sentence; she just squeezed his hand harder. Wang Tao looked at the two of them: the deep dark circles under their eyes, their wrinkled clothes. They hadn't left his side.
— Are you guys okay?
Wei Lian let out a dry laugh. — YOU almost died and you're asking if WE are okay?
Wang Tao shrugged and then groaned. — Bad idea — he muttered.
Yan Li was crying, but smiling at the same time. — Idiot...
— I know — Wang Tao nodded. — But I'm going to live.
For the first time in two days, the siblings truly breathed.
Wang Tao tried to sit up, helped carefully by Yan Li. As soon as he stabilized, reality hit him.
— The body — he said suddenly.
— What? — Wei Lian frowned.
— The Shadow. Her body. You guys...
— We left it there — Yan Li answered. — We didn't know what to do.
Wang Tao closed his eyes. Dammit. — We have to clean everything up. The battlefield, the blood, the evidence. If the Invisible Hand comes...
He stopped. The two were staring at him. — Invisible Hand? — Yan Li asked. — What is that?
Wang Tao hesitated, looking at his own hands. They were already involved. They had fought for him. Lying now would be a betrayal. He took a deep breath.
— I am part of an organization. The Invisible Hand.
— And are you forced to be? — Wei Lian was processing the information.
Wang Tao nodded. — They have something of mine.
— What?
— My freedom.
Yan Li's eyes widened. — How...?
— I can't say more — Wang Tao cut her off. — The less you know, the safer you are.
— But... — Wei Lian started to insist.
— NO — Tao's voice was firm. He softened his tone immediately after: — I'm sorry. It's just that you've already risked too much for me. I won't let you get involved more than necessary.
Yan Li touched his hand. — We are already involved.
— Do you think there's any going back? — Wei Lian asked.
Wang Tao was silent for a moment, then smiled sadly. — There isn't, is there?
— No — the two replied in unison.
---
Wang Tao dragged the body with one hand, while the other throbbed with pain. Wei Lian helped him in silence. Yan Li watched, unable to get close to the corpse. Wang Tao noticed her discomfort.
— Yan Li, go keep watch. Let us know if anyone comes.
She nodded gratefully and moved away.
---
Wei Lian and Wang Tao worked for a few minutes until Wei Lian broke the silence: — Have you done this before?
— Yes.
— How many times?
— Many.
Wei Lian paused for a second. — Did the Invisible Hand force you?
— Yes — Wang Tao gritted his teeth.
— And do you regret it?
Wang Tao stopped, looked at the Shadow's body, and then at Wei Lian. — Do I regret it? Not exactly. Death has always accompanied me since I was a child. I don't know if I would know how to live without it.
Wei Lian felt a chill. Wang Tao turned to his younger brother with a provocative look. — You aren't afraid of me now, are you, Brother Wei?
Wei Lian shook his head. Wang Tao laughed softly.
— The problem is the shackles that stop me from deciding. The Shadow was the first life I took on my own. This time it wasn't an order. It was me. My choice. My first real death.
— And what changed? — Wei Lian asked.
— I don't know. I always wanted to be free, but now I feel there are more important things. Losing you would be worse than any prison.
Wei Lian was stunned but respected the silence that followed. — Do you think I'll have to do this one day?
Wang Tao put his hand on his shoulder. — I hope not. But if you do... I'll be there to help you clean up.
---
They returned to the plateau as the sun began to set. The traces of the fight had been erased, but the memory would be burned into them forever.
Wei Lian broke the silence: — Brother Wang, what about the war? Will we have to participate?
Wang Tao froze. He had forgotten about the imminent war. He looked at his siblings: Yan Li was strong but inexperienced. Wei Lian was smart but still at the 6th level of Absorption.
The way they are, they're going to die.
He stood up, his gaze resolute. — We have to ramp up the training. Yan Li, you need to learn how to FIGHT, not just create. Wei Lian, learn how to kill fast.
He whispered to himself: — Fighting isn't enough. You will learn to detect traps, to flee, to hide. I will teach you EVERYTHING I know. The next few days will be hell itself.
Wang Tao made a solemn promise: — None of us will die in this battle. I won't allow it.
— When do we start? — Yan Li asked, nervous.
— Tomorrow at dawn. And we don't stop until I say you're ready. You aren't leaving this mountain until then.
That night, no one slept well. Wang Tao calculated every chance of survival. Yan Li remembered the feeling of the panda's power. And Wei Lian wondered if, when the time came, he would have the courage to do what was necessary.