Author Notes: Hello again, everyone! Enjoy this next chapter :)

Beta & Co-author: jeangirlmy

- Chapter Start -

Jiang ZiSuan's sleep is restless, invaded by the loud and incessant whispers of "Come on down" and the echoing, endless ticking of a clock. He pushes past both and opens his eyes, staring up at the ceiling.

The whispers recede to the back of his mind while the infernal ticking vanishes. It's not from Huo DaoFu's wristwatch since he already kept it inside his medical bag after dinner. Jiang ZiSuan appreciates the gesture, knowing just how often the other man consults it in the course of his work, especially when timing medications.

Then he registers the warmth on his right and the feel of his arm trapped under something... or someone.

In the past, he'd be surging up to straddle his unknown bed partner with a knife to their throat and murder in his eyes. Now, he just turns his head to see Li JiaLe sleeping on his side and facing away, Jiang ZiSuan's arm trapped under him.

Jiang ZiSuan relaxes and resists the urge to roll his eyes. On his left, Huo DaoFu is stretched out on Pang Zi's bed. He doesn't snore, not even when he lies flat on his back. In fact, he's so silent Jiang ZiSuan finds himself searching for the slight rise and fall of his chest.

This time, he does roll his eyes. He already told them that he's capable of ignoring the symptoms of the bronze poisoning. He doesn't need anyone keeping an eye on him.

"I'm not going to strap explosives to my chest," he states when Li JiaLe insists on sleeping in his room.

"We're just keeping you company," Li JiaLe counters with a smile that takes all the wind out of Jiang ZiSuan's sails.

"Why else would we be here?" Huo DaoFu asks.

"Fine. You two can have Pang Zi's bed." It's a token grumble at best, just to save face. "Don't blame me if you fall off."

It looks like Huo DaoFu took his advice to heart while Li JiaLe decided to risk a fall. If Jia KeZi isn't in the Unredeemable Section right now, Jiang ZiSuan is sure that he'd be here too. Shaking his head, he goes back to sleep, unaware that he's smiling.

- o -

When he next opens his eyes, it's to urgent knocking at the door and Huo DaoFu stumbling past his bed, hastily putting on his glasses with his hair falling over his eyes.

"Who's that?" Li JiaLe raises his head, startled from sleep. Jiang ZiSuan quickly grabs his shoulder to stop him from tumbling off the bed.

"ZiSuan? Why're you in my..." Li JiaLe trails off when he realises where they are.

"More like the other way around," Jiang ZiSuan says with a smirk. "Should I get a bigger bed?"

Face turning red, Li JiaLe scrambles to get off the bed.

"Wu Xie and co have just returned from the Unredeemable Section," Huo DaoFu reports. "They found Liu Sang. I'm off to see them now."

"Let's go," Jiang ZiSuan says and sits up, hastily suppressing a wince under Huo DaoFu's eagle eyes. "I feel much better."

The pain is another matter, but... well, he's suffered worse.

"As stubborn as Wu Xie," Huo DaoFu says with a long suffering air and ignores the glare Jiang ZiSuan throws him.

- o -

The three of them join the crowd gathered at the entrance to the Unredeemable Section. Jiang ZiSuan notes with amusement that Huo DaoFu doesn't hesitate to use his doctor status to get them through.

"There's KeZi!" Li JiaLe's grip on Jiang ZiSuan's arm tightens. "KeZi, are you alright?"

Huo DaoFu gives Jia KeZi a quick, assessing look and a brief nod before going to Liu Sang.

"I'm fine," Jia KeZi replies. He looks tired and a little worse for wear, but he's smiling. "We found Liu Sang! Xiao-ge too."

Zhang QiLing, arms crossed over his chest, appears as pristine as always while the others look like they've been dragged out from rubble - dusty and sporting cuts and bruises.

Meanwhile, a makeshift steaming table is set up in one corner. A tray of a mysterious ore that Wu Xie and co brought back is set underneath and heated up. Ma, a senior storekeeper who was one of the first to suffer bronze poisoning, is stripped to his waist and laid atop the table.

With everyone watching, Pang Zi splashes the ore with water to create steam and Ma's body starts to convulse. Jiang ZiSuan notes that Wu Xie and co watch calmly, but the others look worried. At least until Ma opens his eyes and sits up abruptly and then everyone breaks into the cheers and applause.

It's a temporary solution, but it works. In the blink of an eye, there's a long queue of poisoned employees awaiting their turn. Jiang ZiSuan doesn't mind being one of the last in the queue.

That steam does not smell good.

- o -

Unfortunately, the temporary solution... is temporary. Ma and the others start suffering seizures and falling unconscious not long after being treated. Pang Zi, Huo DaoFu and Bai HaoTian meet with a worried Manager Tong who refuses to let them leave Warehouse 11 until they come up with a permanent cure for all the affected employees.

Meanwhile, Li JiaLe, Jia KeZi and Jiang ZiSuan are back at the latter's hospital room. Jia KeZi is halfway recounting what happened at the underground lab when he holds up a hand and tips his head to one side, listening intently.

"Er Jing just arrived with about a dozen men. He claims that Wu Xie's dead and that someone's masquerading as him at Wusanju."

"But-" Li JiaLe begins.

"He brought something as proof of that. He's also exposing Pang Zi as a spy and wants to arrest all of us."

"What?" Li JiaLe jumps up only for Jiang ZiSuan to pull him down again.

"Wait. Director Bai claims that since Er Jing is Wu ErBai's loyal and longtime employee, he means to secretly help us escape under the guise of arrest. She suggests to Manager Tong that we remain here instead of going off with Er Jing."

"Smart move," Jiang ZiSuan says approvingly.

Jia KeZi nods, head still tipped to one side.

"Wait. Er Jing now insists on going down to the Unredeemable Section with his men."

The three of them exchange heavy looks.

"Wu Xie's in danger." Li JiaLe says aloud what they're all thinking.

"We have to go warn him." Jiang ZiSuan doesn't realise what he says until much later.

"I'm sure Pang Zi and Director Bai will do that," Jia KeZi says although he looks troubled.

"It'll be too late by then. We should go now," Li JiaLe insists and glances at Jiang ZiSuan. "I mean, KeZi and me should go."

"I'm coming with you two," Jiang ZiSuan says at once.

"You've been poisoned!"

"I'm fine. The lines haven't spread much."

With a snort, Li JiaLe grabs the hem of Jiang ZiSuan's T-shirt and yanks it up, exposing the jagged black lines zigzagging out from the large bandage at his left side.

"You call this... fine?" He sounds angry. "You didn't even get the treatment!"

"But that method didn't work!" Jiang ZiSuan argues, annoyed.

Li JiaLe shakes his head, but he's still staring. So is Jia KeZi.

"Er Jing has a group of men with him, likely armed. I can't let you two go down there alone," Jiang ZiSuan insists.

Neither Li JiaLe and Jia KeZi say anything so he pushes down his T-shirt and frowns when their eyes dart up to his and then away.

"Right. Well, I'll pack some things before Huo DaoFu comes back," Li JiaLe says hurriedly.

"Me too. We'll grab your backpack for you. If you don't mind?" Jia KeZi offers.

"Thanks." Jiang ZiSuan tosses him his room key. He's never let anyone touch his gear before, but he doesn't mind if it's these two.

"See you in ten minutes," Li JiaLe says and they leave.

- o -

Out in the corridor, Li JiaLe keeps his gaze straight ahead until he hears a small cough. He side eyes Jia KeZi.

"Don't say it," he warns upon seeing Jia KeZi's smile.

"Your heart is still beating fast."

"I said, don't say it!" Li JiaLe scolds him. His face feels hot.

Jia KeZi gives a small laugh and nudges his arm.

"Well, your heart's beating fast too," Li JiaLe shoots back.

"Huh. You can't hear that!" Jia KeZi sounds defensive.

"I don't have to," Li JiaLe with with a smirk. "I know it is."

Jia KeZi nudges his arm again, lips pressed together. This time, it's his cheeks that are flushed red.

- o -

With a small frown, Jiang ZiSuan lifts up his T-shirt and takes another look at the bandage and the poisoned lines.

Li JiaLe and Jia KeZi were staring at those lines, right?

With a shrug, he releases his shirt and turns his attention to more important matters. Like sneaking off to the Unredeemable Section before Huo DaoFu comes back.

- Chapter End -

A/N: Thank you for reading! Please leave a comment if you enjoyed this chapter :)