*Flashback Continued*
Ru's attack came as a surprise to Ling Qiaolian but she had used it to her own advantage. Because this scene was witnessed by Xiao Zhiren. And using her manipulation, even this surprise attack became murder and the crime was pinned on the Ji Family which indeed became a driving force for Xiao Zhiren's revenge.
In Ru's mind, she had taken Ling Qiaolian's life since she was again knocked out because of the drug they injected in her. But she didn't realize that she ended up being just another pawn who was played in Ling Qiaolian's hands along with Xiao Zhiren.
However, Ling Qiaolian didn't expect that Xiao Zhiren would drift away from her control if he encountered Ru. Because she had put all her pawns at place perfectly. For instance, Xiao Zhiren's most loyal and close friend, Qin Qu was actually just a pawn used by her who was left beside Xiao Zhiren to report his every little action to Ling Qiaolian.
Xiao Zhiren didn't realize that even his love for Xiao Zhiyuan was becoming a way to manipulate him. He was indeed just a little pawn in Ling Qiaolian's gameplay. And the only person who was able to make him see the world through his own eyes instead of seeing it how Ling Qiaolian wanted him to was Ru.
With Ru's entrance in Xiao Zhiren's life, Ling Qiaolian felt the fear of losing the game she had set up for years.
"Shh... Ru! Hey! Little brother, wake up!"
Ru stirred in her sleep and fluttered her eyes open only to find herself chained up in a prison cell. A faint voice was calling out to her but she couldn't find anyone in sight.
"Ru! Are you feeling okay? Tell me how you're feeling..."
Ru crawled towards the wall with furrowed brows and found a small hole in the stone wall. Through that small gap, she could clearly see those blue eyes looking at her.
"Big brother..." her voice faltered as she softly called out. "What are you doing here?"
Rong tried to smile at her in reassurance. "I told you I'll follow you to hell. How can I let my little brother feel lonely?"
Ru lowered her eyes as she tried to lift her hand to free herself but her whole body was aching. Everything felt so heavy. She couldn't find the strength to free herself. If Rong was in the cell beside hers that only meant one thing, he chose to let himself willingly get caught just so he could get to her. Ru was feeling really weird thinking about how she got not only herself in trouble but also roped in her stubborn brother as well.
"Big brother, you shouldn't have come."
"Silly one, I had to come," replied Rong even without thinking.
"But your last injury had made you really weak. Even if you want you can't save me from here," said Ru as she clearly remembered how badly Rong had gotten injured not too long ago.
"Even if I can't save you, I'd still choose to stay with you," sighed out Rong.
Ru didn't know what to say to him. He was just as stubborn as she was. She should have known he was gonna follow her anywhere. He really forsook his own life just to follow her around. It always left her mouth with a bitter taste thinking about how he was taking his own life for granted.
There were silence and darkness surrounding her. She neither knew where they were nor knew what day it was. All she knew was that she could hear weird screams in her mind. As if something dark was calling out to her. Asking her to accept her beasty side. Her breathing was labored along with her eyes that were losing the focus slowly. All she saw was blood as if she craved it. It was a weird feeling but it made her despise herself for a moment.
"Little brother..."
Ru's eyes found focus when Rong called out to her in a hushed tone.
"Happy birthday!"
Ru's eyes widened in shock and disbelief. She knew that odd surge of emotions inside of her heart was dangerous but she couldn't help it.
"You're an idiot! How could you choose to follow me just because you wanted to wish me on my birthday? Before this day, you never even told me the actual date of my birthday."
"I can tell you now if you want to know..."
"I don't want to know," Ru tried to yell in her hoarse voice. "I just... want to go home." For the first time, Ru realized that there was really no place like home. How badly she wanted to turn back time and stay close to her family.
She didn't hear a reply from him for a long moment. But then he suddenly spoke with conviction, "Give me some time, I'll take you home as I promised. I can't fight them in my condition but I'll find another way to get us out of here."
Ru's brows knitted up as she recalled the laboratory she last saw. "Big brother, you need to blend into them."
"What? These inhumane people? You want me to become one of them?"
"No, I want you to pretend like you're one of them so that you can learn what they are up to. I don't have a good feeling about this place and these people."
"Ru, you do realize that it's not our fight. My job and responsibility are to get you home safely and that's it."
"Are you really that selfish to ignore other people's pain and misery?"
"Yes, I am." Rong wasn't even being hesitant as he continued, "If being selfish can keep you alive then I don't mind."
Ru knew he meant it just like he always did. He could forsake his own life for her much less any stranger's. Although it was disturbing, she couldn't argue.
"Big brother, just for me. Just this once. Can't you do what I want?"
Her pleading voice worked since Rong had to give in. And thus began their plan to infiltrate this inhumane organization. But Ru didn't even realize that this plan would eventually cost her the only shred of humanity she had been left with. Even the identity which she so desperately seeks was taken from her.
*End of Flashback*