Hours passed.

  By then, the battle had already spilled across every screen. Footage, fragments, shaken voices—social media was flooded with the aftermath of what had taken place beneath the ruined tracks. Speculation ran wild, fear spreading faster than the truth ever could.

  Authorities released what little they could confirm.

  The death toll climbed steadily as the search continued. Over two hundred sixty-eight bodies had been found—lives ended, streets stained, the devastation impossible to hide.

  And still, no one could fully explain what had really happened there.

  On the news, officials and commentators pushed a simpler story. They claimed it had been nothing more than a gang fight—two common gangs clashing, violence spiraling out of control without warning.

  The narrative repeated on every channel, spoken with forced certainty, as if saying it enough times could make it true.

  But beneath the calm explanations and blurred footage, the scale of the destruction told a different story—one far darker than anyone on the screen was willing to admit.

  "Hey, um..." Fei spoke up, her voice as soft and humble as she could manage. She hesitated, words catching in her throat. "Can you please... loosen the rope a bit on my chest? It's... too tight."

  Heat crept up her face as she said it, a faint blush betraying her discomfort as she lowered her gaze, trying—and failing—to hide her embarrassment.

  The mysterious teen didn't respond. He remained seated, eyes fixed on the screen, fingers moving restlessly as he flipped through channel after channel.

  News. Again. And again.

  He changed stations frantically, as if trying to outrun the coverage, searching for anything—anything—that wasn't about what had happened earlier that afternoon. But every channel told the same story, replaying the same images, the same headlines, the same carefully shaped lies.

  The glow of the screen washed over his face as he paused, then switched channels once more.

  There was no escape.

  Beside him, Alcy lay fully asleep, exhaustion having finally dragged him under. Lara rested close by, her skin pale, her body frighteningly still. She was breathing—barely—but the shallow rise and fall of her chest made it painfully clear how fragile that was. Without proper medical care, she could still die.

  Fei let out a quiet sigh.

  I hope they're alright, she thought, her gaze lingering on them. Best case... they think I died along with everyone else today.

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

  Her fingers tightened slightly against the restraints as another thought followed, heavier than the last.

  And maybe... they'll let the kids go.

  The mysterious teen noticed the subtle shift in her body—the tension, the readiness—and made his decision.

  The ropes snapped without warning.

  Fei gasped in shock as the restraints fell away, the sudden freedom almost disorienting. Instinct took over. She surged to her feet, heart pounding, and bolted, muscles screaming as she tried to put as much distance between herself and him as possible.

  She felt it before he even moved.

  A single look—cold, measured—fell on her, and understanding struck instantly. If she tried anything stupid, if she so much as hesitated or turned back, she would pay dearly for it.

  The warning needed no words.

  "I—I just..."

  Her voice broke completely. "I just want to make sure my kids are okay!"

  The words burst out of her in a raw, desperate rush, everything she'd been holding back collapsing at once. Her composure shattered as emotion overtook her, fear and panic spilling out in an uncontrolled tantrum, tears streaking down her face as her body shook.

  "Sit."

  The word was cold, stripped of emotion, yet the moment it reached her ears, something shifted. A strange calm washed over her, like a soothing aroma in the air, easing the frantic edge of her panic. The storm inside her faltered, breath slowing despite herself, as if the command carried a weight she couldn't resist.

  Several minutes passed before he finally found a channel that wasn't replaying footage of the battle, wasn't dissecting death tolls or feeding the same hollow narrative. The noise of the news vanished, replaced by something lighter—bright colors, familiar sounds.

  "Oh..."

  The word slipped out of Fei before she could stop it. Her eyes lingered on the screen. "This show... my kids like this show."

  Realization hit her a second too late. Heat rushed to her face. She quickly looked away, cheeks flushed, suddenly embarrassed by how easily the truth had escaped her lips.

  He didn't respond.

  Instead, a quiet sigh slipped from him—subtle, almost unnoticeable. The tension in his shoulders eased just a little as the screen continued to show anything other than the events of that day.

  For the first time since the battle, he seemed... slightly relaxed.

  Seeing that small change in him, Fei gathered what little courage she had left and opened her mouth, wanting to try again—to speak, to reach him somehow.

  But the moment was cut short.

  The door opened.

  Footsteps crossed the threshold, steady and deliberate, and Fei's attention snapped toward the sound. Standing there was Sir Luku, his presence filling the room the instant he entered.

  Whatever Fei had been about to say died on her lips.

  Luku's eyes swept across the hospital room the moment he stepped inside, taking in every detail with quiet precision.

  His master sat calmly in the chair, posture composed, gaze steady. Nearby stood a woman Luku did not recognize, her presence tense and uncertain. And beside his master, on the beds pushed close together, lay Alcy and Lara—both unconscious. Lara looked especially fragile, her stillness unsettling even beneath the steady rhythm of the monitors.

  The scene was strange. Heavy.

  Luku said nothing at first, but the weight of what he was seeing settled in his chest as he continued to observe, silently piecing together what must have happened before he arrived.

  "They will be fine," he said calmly to Luku. "I'm waiting for a friend to come and see to them both."

  The words landed with quiet certainty.

  Relief flooded Luku's face. His strength gave way all at once as he dropped to his knees, bowing deeply, forehead nearly touching the floor. Gratitude poured out of him, raw and earnest, as he thanked his master again and again—each word heavy with emotion he could no longer hold back.

  The Master is waiting for a 'friend' to heal Alcy and Lara. Who do you think it is?