CHAPTER 2: Part 3

The door of the cell was opened momentarily and two trays were pushed inside, one slid close to Wei Lin Jiang while the other remained near the door. Lin Jiang's lips pressed in a thin line, seeing the meager portion. The tray contained a small bowl of soup and a piece of bread. The sight of food made his stomach growl in protest; a sharp reminder that he hadn't eaten for more than a day.

A snort sounded behind Wei Lin Jiang. "This bread is way better than you are used to consuming. Eat slowly or you will get diarrhea," the guard mocked as he locked up the door again. Leaning closer to Wei Lin Jiang, he warned, "That man is crazy… He often breaks into violent fits and starts hitting and screaming. Don't go close to him."

The guard had kept his voice very low but Luo Ran heard it anyway. His eyes turned bloodshot and he glared at the guard. "He is right Xiao Wei! You must stay away from me," Luo Ran roared as he jumped to his feet. He lunged at the guard only to bump against the metallic bars. The guard had already stepped beyond his reach.

Thrusting his hands through the gaps between bars, Luo Ran barked, "Come back here, You Punk! Come back here! I am going to shred you to pieces and feed them to the dogs." His eyes teared up with rage as he continued, "I will show you what a mad man can do!"

The metallic door clanked with the constant shaking but the lock didn't give way. It was probably sturdier than Wei Lin Jiang had thought.

"Xiao Yuan, I think it is mean to rile him up like this. He is after all our senior," one of the guards said; his eyes flashing with pity for the man's condition.

"What senior?" The man taunted, "He is just a criminal locked up in the cage. Why do we have to treat him with respect?" His face contorted in disgust. He turned his face and stormed out of the prison. The other man ran after him, "Xiao Yuan! Wait! Don't leave me alone with these mad hatters…."

The man's arms slumped and hung over the horizontal bars once the guards were out of sight. The anger in his eyes was replaced with a sense of intense longing and desperation. He looked so pitiful that Wei Lin Jiang couldn't restrain himself. He picked up the tray close to the door and placed his other hand on Luo Ran's shoulder. "Xian Shen, They are gone now… Let us eat…."

The man turned around, his face still flushed with anger. He glared at the tray as if it were the one that had insulted him. With a frustrated scream, he struck the tray. Wei Lin Jiang wasn't prepared for this attack. He lost balance and the tray dropped to the ground with a loud thud. The soup splattered over the floor, staining it with a faint yellow patch. The bread rolled over for some distance, gathering dirt along the way.

Wei Lin Jiang stood there gaping at the piece of bread for a long time. His stomach rumbled again. Why did Luo Ran have to waste the little food they had?

The man slumped to the floor with a deflated expression. His voice came out as a hoarse whisper as he spoke, "I am not hungry, Xiao Wei. You go ahead and eat your share."

Lin Jiang licked his lips and gulped the saliva that formed in his mouth. He picked the bowl of soup and held it with both his hands; delicately as if he were holding the greatest treasure in the world. The mild aroma arising from the soup tantalized him making the hunger pangs more unbearable than ever.

"I have never liked drinking soups," he commented as he held the bowl towards Luo Ran. The man's eyes twinkled and he grabbed the bowl instantly. He pressed its edge to his lips and almost took a sip. His face suddenly became somber and he looked at Lin Jiang questioningly, "Do you really not like drinking soups?"

Wei Lin Jiang picked up the piece of bread lying on his tray and took a large bite. His lips curved upwards and he spoke through a full mouth, "This will be enough for me."

Luo Ran nodded and went back to sipping his soup slowly. Lin Jiang on the other hand was so ravenous that he gobbled up the bread in a few bites; not even bothering to chew properly. He trudged to the earthen pot and drank three bowls of water one after the other. Only, then did the gnawing sensation in his stomach fade to a bearable level.

Luo Ran had finished drinking his soup by now and he was watching Wei Lin Jiang with careful eyes. Lin Jiang smiled at him and returned with a bowl of water for him as well. He was about to sit next to him when Luo Ran spoke up, "You should listen to the guards and stay away from me…."

"I can't do that," Lin Jiang said in an obstinate voice and sat beside him. "I am anything but ungrateful. You helped me when I couldn't even get up. So, even if you throw a fit now, I won't leave you."

The man snorted and raised his eyebrows; conflicting emotions flashed in his eyes, "What if you get a chance to get out of here?"

"If I get a chance to get out of here…." Wei Lin Jiang uttered as he rested his head against the wall. His expression turned thoughtful and he scratched his chin, "If I get a chance to escape, I will take you along with me. Then, we both can fight against this unjust world together, Xian Sheng."

Luo Ran burst into a peal of a hearty chuckle, "You sure do know how to talk big. Do you know how complicated the layout of this dungeon is? No one has ever managed to escape in all these years."

Wei Lin Jiang's eyes narrowed and he turned to study the man's expression, "Xian Sheng?"

"Hmm…"

"You were locked in this cell the entire time. How do you know that no one has ever escaped?"

"I just know," the man's shrugged off his question. "I am an old man, Xiao Wei. I need to rest early," he stated as he settled down to sleep; his face turning away from Wei Lin Jiang.

Deep lines formed on Wei Lin Jiang's forehead as he gazed at the man's form. He was anything but a commoner. Though his clothes were very simple; his gait, posture, and the way he ate indicated that he was from an affluent family. If Wei Lin Jiang could figure out who he was, there might be a better chance to escape….