PROVOCATION 4

Rui and Payloth were still in the yard, their legs and arms were tightly bound and they were sitting cross-legged. More precisely to say, they were sleeping.

"You don't see the situation, Your Highness. A little while ago they went on a rampage like lunatic. We were forced to tie them up this way in order not to be targeted by their tantrums. And even though they had been tied up, they still kept wriggling and screaming. Maybe now they are tired, so they sleep," The guard explained.

Zhu Su studied them carefully. Of course, he could not interrogate them if they were sleeping. He approached Rui, was about to wake him up.

"Your Highness, ermm... I think it'd be better not to wake them up. Or they'll get mad again..." The guard said.

"But if they aren't awake, how will we interrogate them?"

The guard turned silent, having no idea to answer.

"They are tied up, anyway. It'll be safe. Why are you so frightened?"

"Y... yes... it is true..." The guard gulped. "I'm just worried about you. You should see their manner just now. So frightening."

Slowly, Zhu Su waked Rui up. "Rui... Rui!..."

Rui opened his eyes.

"Your Highness..." Rui's eyes immediately opened completely. "Greetings to the Prince!..."

"Okay, Rui... So, why did you fight with Wu Qi just now?"

Rui blinked. He looked left and right, saw his binding body, and for a moment, he was dazed, appeared like an unfocused person.

"Ah... eh yeah... Yeah, right! Wu Qi... He told us to do something illogical!..."

"What do you mean by illogical?"

"He... he told us to bring Huoxiang until three times, whilst we had brought it to him!..."

"But Wu Qi said, he told you to bring Huoxiang yet you didn't bring it."

"No, my Lord! We really brought Huoxiang! ... well, then Wu Qi repeated it until three times, so... we're angry."

Zhu Su was sure that Wu Qi was the right one, yet since Rui was still complaining defensively and he did not want the previous incident repeated again, Zhu Su did not extend this matter. "And just because of that silly matter, then you may beat Wu Qi?"

"Eh?"

"You know, as the result of your behavior, Wu Qi is incapable to move until three days?"

"Really?! But... we're just arguing?... Eh, we mustn't beat him?!"

"What? You forget with what you're doing just now?"

"Yes... Yes! Remember!... Eh... But we didn't beat him!" Rui now waked Payloth up. "Payloth! Wake up! We didn't beat Wu Qi, that's true, right?!"

When Payloth waked up, his gesture was the same with Rui when he just awake.

"Ah... that... Hmmm... Let me think a while... Yes! We did beat him, Rui!"

"Gosh, you're so awful! I don't ever remember beating him! You must be wrong! Think twice!"

Watching both of them argued each other, Zhu Su abruptly remembered what Wu Qi said, "I think there's something wrong with them..."

I agree with Wu Qi. There is something wrong with them. They have the stomach to take action but have no gut to admit it. Now Rui keeps insisting that he is innocent. And the way he insists looks abnormal. Gosh, this will be a difficult case...

As if realizing what Zhu Su was thinking about, Li Heng chimed in, "My Lord, we'd better suspend this matter for a while." Then he took Zhu Su away. After they had walked for a few meters, he said in a low voice. "My Lord, from now on we should also observe the other new members. This case is only the initial manifestation of the bigger problem. Both of them are not the only ones who have the commotion in our group. All of them also own the same seeds of hatred."

Zhu Su sighed. Li Heng got that right. But it did not make sense for him. In his opinion, the ten new members were very passionate to devote themselves to help sick people. There was absolutely no sign of violence found in their faces.

But why did they change so much?