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The four of them watched as the underground palace sunk deeper and deeper for another seventy years. Their short-live adventure has officially ended. Wu Xie sighed in relief.
“Pangzi, do you still have the phone with you?”
At the mention of it, Pangzi's eyes widened, then he immediately rummaged through his dusty backpack while muttering to himself. Minutes later he took out the said phone, “Haha, Pangye is really lucky, the phone is fine despite our stun down there.”
“Call someone to pick us up, I don’t want to wait for another six days to go back.”
Wu Xie said impatiently. Now that the matter has settled, the fatigue for all their endeavors started to climb on him. It has been really a long time since he felt like this. Wu Xie looked back at Zhang Qiling who was looking around as if searching for something.
“Xiaoge, everything’s okay?” He asked while stepping closer to the other. Eyes scanning up and down Zhang Qiling’s figure.
He got a nod as an answer.
Still Wu Xie wasn’t convinced so he did more checking. Circling around the other man to see whether there was any sign of an unknown wound, then touched the torn jacket on the chest up to his shoulder. The Qiling tattoo was peeking, not too vivid but enough to be seen. Fortunately there was not a single scratch on him. Wu Xie was finally satisfied that Zhang Qiling was really fine. After all, the fight was a fierce one.
Zhang Qiling was standing perfectly still while Wu Xie checked on him. Seeing the finally relaxed expression of the other, he reached out to take Wu Xie’s left hand.
“Not bleeding anymore, it’s fine.” despite the assurance he still frowned.
“Follow me,” Zhang Qiling said, loud enough to be heard by others.
Pangzi immediately stood up then walked after the two. The woman, the only person who came out safe from the second group, was hesitant, after all they were not on good terms from the beginning. But then Pangzi looked back and told her to follow them.
“Come with us, you wouldn’t want to wait for the bus, would you?”
She shook her head then quickly ran after them. Apparently Zhang Qiling found a better place to wait for their pick-up. It’s enough to shade from the sun and possible sandwind. They immediately flopped down on the sand totally exhausted.
“Drink this,”
Zhang Qiling offered Wu Xie a half filled mineral bottle, the same one that he tossed him before. Wu Xie chuckled at it. The fact that it was still intact after everything is really something. He then took another water bottle from the bag, the same mineral water but this time it was a full-uncapped one. The man actually brought another bottle with him. Wu Xie looked back at the other, somehow amazed. Zhang Qiling then threw the sealed water bottle to Pangzi, who then shared it with their plus one.
“Hand,” he asked after watching Wu Xie gulp the water.
Wu Xie wanted to refuse, thinking it’s just a small wound. But the other’s gaze was resolute. Reluctantly he offered his hand. Zhang Qiling took off the dirty bandage, inspecting the slash wound, his expression was visibly relaxed, nothing severe with the wound. There was a small amount of blood mostly because of the climb. Dipping a cotton with alcohol before pressing it around the reddish wound. Wu Xie couldn’t help but flinch, but immediately controlled himself not to let out a groan. He distracted himself by looking around just then his eyes fell on top of Zhang Qiling’s bag, and several medical kits were lined up. A roll of clean bandage, small bottle of alcohol, a pack of cotton buds and wipes, then there’s a strip of white tablets peeking from the opened bag–must be painkiller, Wu Xie thought. He was flabbergasted.
After putting on a new clean bandage, Wu Xie thought it’s finally over but then Zhang Qiling noticed there were two visible traces of possible wounds on the other chest.
“Take off the jacket,” He said.
“Huh? There’s no need.” Wu Xie said.
“Must be checked,” Zhang Qiling unzipped the jacket by himself, and with no hesitation tore up the shirt to get a better look.
“Xiaoge!” Wu Xie’s cry of protest was ignored. Right at the same time Pangzi walked closer to them, pretending to make a disgusting face.
“Can you two hold it until we go back?” the other man teased.
“Si Pangzi, Xiaoge is just checking!”
“Ha, then why do you just cry out like Xiaoge is about to pounce at you.” Pangzi was squating on his left. Together with Zhang Qiling they inspected the two small round wounds on Wu Xie’s chest.
“Was it poisonous?” Pangzi asked.
“No,” Zhang Qiling replied firmly.
“That’s good.” Pangzi sighed in relief. At that moment, just like Wu Xie, Pangzi was attracted by the things spread on top of Zhang Qiling’s bag. “Hey, Xiaoge, did you just dump the entire first-aid kit in your bag?”
Pangzi couldn’t hold his laughter. While Zhang Qiling gave him–his signature–deadpan expression. But of course it wouldn’t stop Pangzi from teasing Wu Xie even more.
“Tianzhen, Tianzhen, this part of you still hasn’t changed. Look at me and Xiaoge, we were both unscathed, but you, ckckck.”
“Damn you, Pangzi, why do you think I got these?!”
“Yes, yes, you did it for Pangye,” Pangzi made a salute gesture to Wu Xie. “Comrade Tianzhen Pangye owes you his life!”
“Go away!”
When he looked back at Zhang Qiling, the other had finished addressing his wound then zipping up his jacket again. Wu Xie watched as the other put back all the things to the bag, and wondered since when Zhang Qiling started to bring all of them with him. In the past he used to carelessly address his own wounds. There was still a notable frown on the other forehead, it made Wu Xie want to reach out to smooth it, then assure him that it’s okay, he had worse than this before. Yet, Wu Xie swallowed down his words because he realized it would only worsen the situation. His eyes once again fell on the torn jacket of the others,–there’s no more tattoo– and the empty scabbard that was put on the sand.
“You left the sword,”
“Too hot,”
“Right,” Wu Xie sighed. “Let’s go shopping for new jackets to bring to Yucun.”
Zhang Qiling nodded, then pushed Wu Xie until he lay back on the sand.
“Sleep,”
“I'll ask Xiao Hua to find several swords for you to choose.”
“No need.” Zhang Qiling said rather dissatisfied.
“Huh?”
“Sleep,”
Wu Xie failed to notice that the frown on Zhang Qiling was actually deepened.
“Fine, wake me up when our pick up arrives.” Wu Xie said.
Zhang Qiling put a hand over Wu Xie’s eyes to let him sleep faster.