Chapter Text
Zhuo Yixuan fiddles with the embroidery of his silk robes as he attempts to sit quietly in the boat ferrying him to the entryway to the Jiuchen Valley. The red veil over his head makes it very difficult for him to see ahead, but guessing from the pacing of the sedan, they might be close. Zhuo Yixuan sighs, he wonders if this is what all of the bridal candidates of the Gong family endured every selection.
The Zhuo family received the invitation to send a candidate three months ago. According to the invitation, a bridal selection will occur in the Jiuchen Valley at the Gong family’s residential compound for the next heir of the family, their eldest alpha son, Gong Huanyu. The only requirement for the candidate is to be an omega with good physical health.
The Zhuo family is a stable and fairly influential on their own, in most occasion, an invitation such as this would be left for Zhuo Yixuan to decide whether to entertain or not. However, the Gong family is an exception. Twenty five years ago, the Gong family and the Zhuo family became acquainted due to some affairs the two families dealt with together. After the incident, the two families promised to strengthen their relationship through marriage in the future. However, year after year, the Zhuo family produced only alphas and so did the Gong family. It became difficult to arrange a match when both families looked forward to furthering the lineage.
Zhuo Yixuan’s presentation as an omega metaphorically awakened the nearly decades-long forgotten promise between the families. And now, with the bridal selection of the Gong family announced, the Zhuo family has to fulfil the said promise.
“We’ve arrived,” Zhuo Yixuan hears the boatman say. “Please stay out until we dock.”
Zhuo Yixuan waits until he hears some scuffling. The boatman’s hand reaches out, Zhuo Yixuan doesn’t waste time, and takes it. The red veil makes it difficult for him to see, so he kept his head down to look at the ground and find clues about his surroundings. Distantly, he can hear the voices of people, he could only guess they’re the other bridal candidates. As soon as he steps on solid ground, the boatman’s hand is replaced by a delicate hand of a younger servant. Zhuo Yixuan, unable to rely on anything else, allows the servant to lead him up what feels like a flight of stairs.
Then, the hand on his elbows disappears. The sound of cheers became quiet, and hurried footsteps resounded on the ground. Zhuo Yixuan lifts his head, turning his head to the source of noise, but is unable to see ahead of him. Then, he hears a distinct sound of wood and string. He swallows with difficulty as he hears more of the familiar sound.
As if sensing the strangeness of the situation, the other bride candidates begin to scramble and push against each other. Chaos surrounds Zhuo Yixuan in the blink of an eye, without any other option, Zhuo Yixuan lifts his veil to a scene he doesn’t expect. Rows and rows of guards surround the bridal candidates with arrows aimed.
A bride bumps behind Zhuo Yixuan, turning around he catches her and steadies her. Seeing him dressed as a bride as well and sensing his omega scent, she clings to him in fear and shock. Zhuo Yixuan looks around, unsure of what is happening. Before he could react the guards began firing arrows.
***
“Gege, you promise you’ll take care?”
“I promise.”
Zhuo Yixuan wakes up with a jolt. His eyes immediately saw a female omega sitting across him with a confused look. She appears to have recently woken up, too.
“Where are we?” She murmurs.
Zhuo Yixuan looks around, they appear to be underground. Across from him and his companions are another group of brides in the same situation, a cell. Then, another one a little further into the dungeon. In sum, there are four groups of brides in each cell.
Zhuo Yixuan feels his acupoint, feeling an ache on a familiar spot. Aside from the ache, all of them are unscathed. Perhaps the arrows that were shot at the brides have a blunt point.
“Is this how they treat their brides! My father will hear about this!”
Zhuo Yixuan sees the brides waking up one by one. Panic, mixed with confusion, begins to surface. More yelling follows. The room grows nearly suffocatingly sour with the scent of frightened omegas.
Then, just as Zhuo Yixuan is beginning to devise a plan by himself, he hears the sound of footsteps. A scent of a young alpha flitted through the air. Looking between the bars of the cell, Zhuo Yixuan sees a young man clad in a fur-trimmed coat walking down the dungeons.
“Where are we?!” One of the brides cries. “You better get us out of here!”
The young man turns to face them. Zhuo Yixuan notes that he’s probably no older than most of the brides. His stature indicates someone who's been brought up well, his clothes also appear well-made made indicating he isn’t just anyone. He must be one of the members of the Gong family.
Zhuo Yixuan thinks it’s best not to speak too much to this man. He doesn’t want to stand out after all. If he doesn’t stand out, he wouldn’t make waves, and there’s a good chance he’d be sent back home.
“I am Gong Ziyu, the Sword Wielder, and I have found out that there’s a wufeng spy among the brides.” The young man says.
Gong Ziyu? Zhuo Yixuan tries to recall the brief introduction of his father about the Gong family. Gong Ziyu doesn’t ring a bell. Perhaps, he’s one of the younger members of the Gong family. Based on his clothes, Zhuo Yixuan could tell he isn’t lying about his identity.
Zhuo Yixuan glanced around. if the rest of his words are true, then they’re in trouble. Wufeng is one of the most feared networks of assassins. Most often led by women, they are known to be so skilled they rarely ever fail, or they die trying. Even the Gong family fears them. Ten years ago, the Wufeng assassins nearly wiped out half of the family.
The Gong family has a very bad blood with Wufeng to say mildly.
“The Sword Wielder had decided to kill all of the brides.”
There it is, Zhuo Yixuan winces, hearing the announcement. The rest of the brides gasp and cry with shock.
“I came here to get you out,” Gong Ziyu says. “But I need you to cooperate with me.”
“Why would we believe you?!” One bride says in the brink of tears. “You’re a Gong, you’re one of them!”
“Would I tell that to you if I want you to March to your deaths?”
“Because it could be a trap!” Another bride says.
That’s a smart thought. Zhuo Yixuan looks at Gong Ziyu, it is possible that he could be leading them to somewhere where it would be easier to kill them and hide them. But, Zhuo Yixuan looks around, these brides are no ordinary young ladies. Perhaps, indeed, one of them is a fake. But what about the rest? They could be daughters of important figures and individuals, if they disappeared after this, even the influential Gong family cannot hide from the criticism.
Zhuo Yixuan has no other choice or hope; the best-case scenario Gong Ziyu truly means well. Worst-case scenario, he’s lying, and he somehow would have to fight his way out of this situation.
“Young Master,” Zhuo Yixuan hears the arrival of another person. This person is dressed in a particular way that Zhuo Yixuan could only guess to be a uniform. “Where have you been? I told you to wait for me.”
The guard looks around, with a sigh, he begins to unlock the cells one by one. Zhuo Yixuan steps out, looking back, he holds his hand out for one of the bridal candidates who was with him to help her out. Looking around now, Zhuo Yixuan finds himself as the only male omega bridal candidate. He mentally sighs, there goes his hope of not standing out.
Male omegas are typically rare after all. Their rarity makes them very precious and popular among influential families because of the belief that male omegas produces stronger and healthier children than their female counterparts, even female betas. Logically, there’s not really a lot of facts to back up such belief but it hasn’t stopped many families from continuing to stick by it.
“Follow me, and be quick.” Gong Ziyu says.
In this situation, Zhuo Yixuan doesn’t have much to go by. Dressed in heavy garbs, no weapon, and walking in an unfamiliar place, he could only hope he wouldn’t need to fight his way out. He follows Gong Ziyu and his guard just like the rest of the bridal candidates.
After treading a long and winding tunnel, they finally get their second breath of fresh air as they leave the secret passage. There are no guards in sight. It seems that Gong Ziyu might truly be speaking the truth.
“This way,” the guard says in a hushed voice.
The group follows, their foot are hurried but careful.
Then, Zhuo Yixuan sees something out of the corner of his eyes. He turns his head and sees a figure clad in red running to the other side. Zhuo Yixuan contemplated if he should stop and follow the other bride, but recalled the mention of a Wufeng Spy among the group. He looks forward and to his surprise, finds that Gong Ziyu has stopped and seems to be counting the brides that pass by.
Zhuo Yixuan and Gong Ziyu’s eyes meet.
“Someone left.” Zhuo Yixuan says.
“I know.” He says as if he needs the said confirmation. “Follow the group, I’ll get her. Stick together, do as told.”
Zhuo Yixuan wouldn’t argue with the man who lived and was raised in that manor. He follows the group immediately. The guard is careful, smart, and agile. Just watching him walk and run, Zhuo Yixuan can tell he is a very skilled fighter. Zhuo Yixuan doesn’t doubt that even if he fights this man himself, even with his sword, he won’t be able to defeat him easily. Having that kind of person leading them gives them a sense of security.
Just as they are heading to the corner, the guard turns to check on them and realizes that Ging Ziyu is missing.
“Where?!”
Zhuo Yixuan debates whether or not he should tell the guard, but luckily, before he can. Gong Ziyu arrives with one of the brides him. Zhuo Yixuan looks at the younger omega, something about her tells Zhuo Yixuan she isn’t nervous despite what she looks like.
“Where have you been?!” The guard scolds Gong Ziyu, “How reckless. There is an assassin among these brides–”
“You think too much. It wouldn’t be easy for a Wufeng Assassin to sneak in, and why would she care to kill me of all?”
“If you’re too careless, it will be easy t–”
“Alright, let’s go.”
Zhuo Yixuan keeps quiet, but if he could share his thoughts on the matter, he’d agree with the guard. Their logic is very reasonable and sound. Being too comfortable and relaxed is exactly what one’s enemy would like their target to do. In addition, knowing the incident ten years ago, it is very apparent that Wufeng cares not whether someone is important or not among the Gong family. They’ve killed even helpless servants and children before; whatever standing Gong Ziyu has in the Gong family, he is already several steps more important than a child or a servant, so there will be an incentive to kill him.
The guard leads them out of the corner and towards what appears to be a wall. The group stands by, watching. The scent of anxious omegas fills the air like a suffocating mixture of lemon and aged wine. Zhuo Yixuan couldn’t believe this is how fast his journey to the Gong family will be, but he would lie if he said he isn’t quite happy about it.
Just as the guard walks up to the wall and pushes a mechanism on the wall, Zhuo Yixuan feels an eerie sense of someone watching from a distance. Then, the wall opens up, showing what appears to be a hidden passage.
“This leads to the exit to the Jinchen Valley, there are many traps inside so be careful.”
Just as some of the brides are taking a breath of relief, a voice resounds in the stillness.
“Gong Ziyu.”
Gong Ziyu turns to look up on one of the tiled roofs of the manor. Zhuo Yixuan and the rest of the bridal candidates follows his line of sight. Zhuo Yixuan first notices the dark robes. They are pitch black like raven feathers. The person lowers his hand as he seems to finish adjusting his gloves, revealing his youthful face.
His familiar youthful face.
“Aren’t you sending me people to test my medicine on?” The youth asks Gong Ziyu.
Zhuo Yixuan’s lips parted. His eyes grew wide.
“ Xiao Chen.” he gasps quietly.
The youth looks just like his little brother, from the tips of his nose to the shape of his eyes. But, ultimately, Zhuo Yixuan knows this isn’t his little brother. Zhuo Yichen has deep, dark blue eyes that even the darkest night could not conceal, but this young man has eyes the same color as the abyss.
“I am carrying out the Young Lord’s orders.” Gong Ziyu says. “I do not need to explain myself.”
“Are you carrying his orders are you falsely relaying orders?”
“Go!” Gong Ziyu tells the bride.
Zhuo Yixuan turns towards the passage, but before he can even take a step forward, a rock-like item hits the mechanism, and it closes. Zhuo Yixuan looks back to the roof and watches as the youth leaps down from it, heading towards the group. Gong Ziyu then rushes to meet the youth halfway, but the other seems faster and more agile, swiftly dodging Gong Ziyu. Zhuo Yixuan has a nagging feeling as he sees the youth take a sharp turn. He notices his clenched hand.
And he throws something towards them.
Zhuo Yixuan watches as the small ball-like item is hurled between the group of bridal candidates.
Then, it explodes.