27 The candidates (III)

Fu Yixiao slowly opened her eyes however, the blinding light made her blink in repetition; adjusting her eyes to the light. Her body jolted in shocked as she tried to recall what had happened earlier. She felt goosebumps when an eerie feeling rose in her heart and mind. She couldn't fathom the logic behind the whole experience she had undergone.

Then, she heard footsteps, one heavier and another lighter. With her mind still in chaos, her sense of danger was heightened. she woke up and took out a knife from the inside of her dress' pocket. There was a moment of astonishment at how fast her reflex was.

Realizing that the footsteps were gone, she swung her knife only to slice the emptiness in the air. She climbed down from her bed, walk to every corner of the room, but nobody was there. She stepped back, the knife pointed, ready to slash if there was enemy lurking in the room.

"Who are you?" She whispered. Silence.

"I don't care who you are. But remember this, you can't harm me." She declared without fear. That was when she felt someone's breath on the back of her neck. Her body reacted as she spun her body, however, the throbbing pain in her head made her stagger.

She knew she needed to stay awake for all her senses were screaming danger. She tightened her grip on the knife and slit her palm. The sharp pain helped to regain half of her consciousness. Relief, she stabilized her footing when her eyes recognized 'her'.

There, behind the curtain, she saw the silhouette of a girl waving and smiling. "I'll protect you from him," The silhouette whispery voice faded along with the graceful sway of the curtain. She blinked and noticed that there was nobody there. She was gone along with the danger lurking in the room.

She wavered and fell on the floor, her body forcefully leaned against the side of the bed. The knife was still in her hand, as blood dripped from the wound she made earlier.

That was when the door abruptly opened, and the corner of her eyes caught the sight of two familiar people. Thank god, they are here! She prayed as she rested her head on the hard part of the bed.

"Miss Fu!" Liling rushed toward her with teary eyes for the moment she entered the room, the first thing she saw was blood dripping from her young miss' palm. "Tony, lift her on the bed. Hurry!" Liling screamed in anxiety. Tony who had taken the knife away from Fu Yixiao was momentarily in confusion for the knife gave him a familiar feeling.

"Hurry!" Liling rushed him after realizing the dazed state he was in. Then, she saw the knife in Tony's hand. Her eyes were wide opened, "How?" She asked, bewildered.

"Not sure. Let ask Young Miss later." Tony replied as he readied himself to carry Fu Yixiao's body to the bed. However, the moment his hand touched her, a force jerked his hand away, and then with her eyes closed, she called on Liling. "You, help me."

Tony immediately pulled his arm away, understood the meaning behind Fu Yixiao's words. Liling who was a bit confused rushed to help. She had no idea that her young miss who once thoroughly inspected Tony's body was now felt indignant when her body was touched. She chuckled as she noticed the awkwardness in Tony's face.

"Young Miss, are you okay?" Liling asked. Next, she saw her young miss struggling to stay conscious, her breath uneven. Liling was in total panicked for she had no idea what to do.

Tony who was nervously waiting by the bedside noticed a phone under the pillow. He reached for it and as soon as the phone was in his arm, a call came in. He dragged the answering icon hoping that the person making the call could offer some help.

"Tony, go to the secret chamber behind the first bookshelves, the red book was the trigger to open the door. Took an IV drip and ..." Tony immediately put the call on a loudspeaker as soon as he recognized the voice's owner. It was him, his Master. Liling who was on the bed, stared at the phone in Tony's hand; totally shocked! "Master," Tony muttered, nodding his head.

"Liling, use your medical expertise. Fu Yixiao is suffering from hypoxia!" Liling who had recovered from her initial shock immediately gave her young miss a CPR, then seeing her calming breath, she rushed to the secret chamber instructing Tony to carry all the necessary equipment and medicine needed. Liling had no idea how her Master knew about her young miss however, she was glad he made the call or else with her personality, her medical expertise may have come to waste.

Hours later, Fu Yixiao awakened, feeling a little bit better. Her body was still in a weakened state but she had come out from the critical zone. However, some of her memories were warped, for she couldn't remember anything up till the moment she had woken up.

"Miss, do you really not remember?" Liling sat on the bedside questioning her patient. Tony was sitting on a chair, peeling the apple's skin. His eyes were staring at Fu Yixiao as his hand paused.

"What do you want me to remember?" She looked at her personal maid and to her bodyguard. Seeing Tony, she gasped and memory ran to her mind.

"Tony, do you know Wu Zhaoyi?" Tony who resumed his activity of peeling the apple's skin staggered. "Err.. yes, he was my Master." He answered, exchanging looks with Liling, however, Fu Yixiao noticed it as she asked, "Why? Liling you know him too?"

"Miss Fu, he is my Master too. We were sent here under his order." Liling explained. Both she and Tony were honestly shocked at her casual tone when speaking about their Master. He was a scary person! Not someone that you could comfortably say 'Hi.'

Yet, that's the vibe they received from their young miss nonchalant attitude.

"I see. Liling, give me my phone." She asked extending her arms and pulled it back once the phone was in her palm. She dialed a number and soon a man's voice answered the call.

"Wu Zhaoyi, what happened to me? Can you ask CM to get footage the moment I entered the passway? Somehow, I can't remember a thing." She rushed with her questions, not bothering giving him pleasantry remark. This made the other person in the room cringed in fear.

"Hmm, have you? Or do you simply want to abuse the power of protection I gave to you?" The man asked. His voice wasn't displeased, in fact, one could tell the hidden joy in his voice.

"I have no time to argue. Tell me." Fu Yixiao bantered. "No need for footage. You were entrapped in the passway for five hours." Wu Zhaoyi then explained every detail, causing Fu Yixiao to frown. Even knowing the whole detail, she felt that something wasn't right.

"Liling, how long have I been unconscious?" She stared at the girl in front of her. "Today marks the third day," Liling explained, not sure how her young miss would react.

"What?? Then, my grandparents are at home? How about those people?" She asked as she tried to get off the bed. Her mission wasn't completed yet. There were people out there needed a good, satisfying slap.

"Miss! No!" Liling reprimanded her. Fu Yixiao could almost see her in a medical coat with the doctor tag hovering on her head.

"Miss, the Lu Community is having a gathering in the principal room in this very moment. Madame Yun Xi had instructed us to stay by your side and even if you regain your consciousness. She had instructed to let you stay on bed and get enough rest." Tony explained.

"Lu Community?" Fu Yixiao asked in curiosity. Seeing her confused expression, Tony inhaled a deep breath, preparing him for the lengthy explanation on the matter. Fu Yixiao was intensely listening to his explanation and soon she nodded in understanding.

"Fu Yixiao, go to the secret chamber and you'll get the chance to carry out your revenge." Everyone was startled when they heard Wu Zhaoyi's voice. Crap! Young Miss didn't end the call! Both Liling and Tony were thinking the same thing as they looked at each other. They were relieved that they did not ill-speak their Master. Or else...

"Secret chamber? In this room?" Curious, Fu Yixiao asked. "Yes, it's already there since a long time ago. I simply renovated them in a way more suitable for you. Take it as a fee of our cooperation." Fu Yixiao sneered as she noticed his mischievous tone.

"Wu Zhaoyi, our cooperation was fair trade. Let see if your secret chamber was enough as repayment for your failure in protecting me when I was trapped in the passway." She said and strode toward the secret chamber. For people who didn't know of its existence, they would never believe that there was quite a spacious room behind one of the bookshelves in the room.

"How was it?" Wu Zhaoyi's voice once again reverberated through the speaker. "This is awesome. I gladly accept your payment! Bye!" She ended the phone call in a way that honestly displeased Wu Zhaoyi who was at the receiving end.

In the secret chamber, there was a medical corner, a vault to keep weapons and a set of the latest high-tech computer at the center of the room. It resembled the one she saw at the Wyvern HQ except more to her taste.

"Tony, there are CCTVs at the principal room right?" She asked, confirming. "Yes," Tony answered. He was curious about what her young miss would do next. "Good, let's watch the gathering from here." She said, her face lit up in excitement. Finally, she could confirm the information she gained when she saw a similar set up at the Wyvern HQ. Her finger ran through the keyboard, started slowly and soon her fingers flew.

"There you are! Live from the principal room." Fu Yixiao leaned against the chair, feeling satisfied with her performance. Still, she started to question the body's original owner. With all the abilities she has, why was she lying on the hospital unconscious? What were the used of all these abilities she possessed? And again, like before, she had no answers to all these questions.

She massaged her head as she watched the whole event unfolded in her eyes, live from the principal room.