◇Tremors Of Fears◇

Ms. Song was walking up the stairwells when she felt the first big quake. Cursing her luck, she hurried up the steps in heels. They've had earthquakes in the past, but nothing on the news had mentioned the possibility of one tonight.

Partially afraid, Ms. Song reached the rooftop to catch sight of the kids huddled in groups. The girls, frightened, were hugging closely together near Tu Yan who was trying to act fearless. The boys were smarter and were kneeling down right in middle of the roof, far from the ledge and walls...heads covered.

Lu Xing was calmly seating down in the same spot, Mr. Wu remained calm as he continued to smoke, and Xiaolang...

Was hugging Lu Xing's waist.

Feeling confused, Ms. Song's eyes fell upon one figure in particular.

"Wen ZhenKang?" Ms. Song practically crawled over to the boy as the place shook.

The name suddenly caused Lu Xing to glance in the boy's direction.

A spark of interest lit his eyes.

Mr. Wu who had been watching Lu Xing for exactly this moment, gave a slight smile.

'He also recognized him.' Mr. Wu thought as he puffed out smoke. 'I believe I may just follow this man...he seems interesting enough.'

"Xiaolang, there isn't anything to fear from here." Lu Xing said low enough that Xiaolang alone could hear, with the possibility of Mr. Wu also hearing it.

His hand patted the boy's back, as the boy continued holding on to him.

Ms. Song had just reached where Wen ZhenKang was at, reached over to grab the boy's leg...for he alone was still standing fearlessly as he glanced over the railing. The tremors had grown stronger with every passing minute, people could be heard wailing in fear, some insane enough to run out of their houses. Shrieks and pleas for help were soon heard...

Then finally houses began to collapse.

ZhenKang finally knelt down, but not before watching the biggest tremor shake down a building two blocks away.

Lu Xing couldn't help but glance at the boy from time to time as he ignored the surroundings. The building they were on wouldn't collapse from this earthquake. They would all survive...

But not everyone in Y City would be so lucky.

'Many will die here. There is no changing that fact.' Lu Xing thought, Xiaolang trembling in fear, 'This will be the start of many horrors to come.'

So low that most would barely catch it, Xiaolang mumbled out something.

"My sister...and my old man...are they really alright?" Xiaolang asked, his hands trembling.

"I can't swear to anything for certain, but so long as they were able to make to the warehouse," Lu Xing stated, "they should be safe."

The sound of building collapsing, and the cries of the unfortunate ones could be heard, Xiaolang clutched onto Lu Xing tighter.

"Make it stop!" Xiaolang sobbed.

This wasn't like a video game, no cool heroes were saving the people down below.

Lu Xing clenched his teeth and looked away from Xiaolang's sobbing figure, his pleas ignored.

Xiaolang had witnessed Lu Xing practically inhuman speed more than once...even so, he knew that wasn't enough to save anyone but a handful of people at most.

Still it was cruel.

"Why..? Why didn't Mr. Silver Fox say anything about this..?" Xiaolang asked pitifully, "He must've known, but he said nothing...why?"

Lu Xing couldn't bring himself to explain his reasons for doing what he did...

"Are you dumb?!" The taunting voice came thick with sarcasm.

Xiaolang forced himself to glance in the direction of the voice...the voice was none other than Wen ZhenKang.

"This," Wen ZhenKang gestured to the destruction behind him, "No one would have ever believed the guy...if he had said anything, it all would've been in vain."

He outright laughed, his laugh nothing more than humorless dry laughter.

His gray eyes flashing with distaste as they landed on Xiaolang.

"Wen...baby, I'm scared." Ms. Song buried herself into his arms.

Those eyes instantly moved onto Ms. Song, and the look in them turned from distaste to utter disgust. Xiaolang unintentionally flinched, and Lu Xing too glanced discreetly at the interaction of those two. Abruptly, those gray eyes met Lu Xing's own...

The look in those gray eyes now...

Contained a burning curiosity.

Lu Xing looked away towards Mr. Wu, who instantly smirked his way.

"You knew?" Lu Xing asked so low under his breath that not even Xiaolang could hear.

"I did." Mr. Wu barely moved his lips as he spoke in just a low a tone.

"He isn't like the two of us..." Lu Xing mused quietly.

"No worries..I've checked him, and the others." Mr. Wu stated, his line of sight falling on Tu Yan.

The girl's around him were blubbering messes...save for Baili who was holding in her fear, her annoyance at the babble of girls being greater.

Lu Xing also took note of it, 'She had always only held Tu Yan in her eyes...' There was no sadness in his eyes, only acknowledgement to something he had known all along.

'I never did love her either...' Lu Xing thought, his eyes turning to look at the sky, 'I loved her in a way that benefited me alone. I also trusted them not believing that they could so easily betray me.'

'Now, I know...in this lifetime, I, Lu Xing, won't help you.' Lu Xing said, anger filling his heart, the bitterness of their betrayal still fresh.

"Your name stranger in black?" Wen ZhenKang asked, his eyes fixed upon Lu Xing.

Lu Xing instantly knew it was him, the boy was speaking too, his eyes lowered down to meet the others gaze.

"The name is Lu Xing." Lu Xing said turning his head at the sound of a building across from the school, as it crumbled.

"Its almost time." Mr. Wu said, his gaze fixed on Lu Xing's, and reminded him, "The quakes will end soon."

"Xiaolang, I need you to go with Mr. Wu." Lu Xing said suddenly grabbing Xiaolang right hand, yanking him to his knees properly.

Xiaolang was startled by the sudden act as Lu Xing practically foisted him off onto Mr. Wu before he could even protest.

"He gets so much as a scratch..." Lu Xing said, his eyes darkened.

"Yeah yeah...I'll keep this twerp safe." Mr. Wu said puffing out smoke before reaching arm around Xiaolang and snuggling him up to his side, Xiaolang struggled against it...

But the result was much like Lu Xing, who Xiaolang couldn't budge against either.

So he gave up, red faced.