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

Beta & Co-author: jeangirlmy

- Chapter Start -

Huo DaoFu makes the short walk to Jiang ZiSuan's room with a scowl on his face.

His pride is smarting after Manager Tong's stern reprimand over the steaming treatment - which everyone knew was temporary - and insistence that they remain here until they find a cure.

He's further annoyed by Er Jing strutting in like he owns the place and claiming that Wu Xie is dead - Really? After all the effort Huo DaoFu went through to keep him alive? - and the rest of them are spies. If not for Bai HaoTian's quick thinking, they'd be dragged off by Er Jing's armed goons and killed.

And now, he's worried about Wu Xie, Liu Sang and Zhang QiLing's safety after Manager Tong agreed to let Er Jing and his thugs access the Unredeemable Section.

Huo DaoFu pinches the bridge of his nose in a vain attempt to stave off a headache. It looks like Liu Sang's rescue from the Unredeemable Section is the only highlight of today.

Well... that and seeing a flustered Li JiaLe this morning when Jiang ZiSuan teased him about getting a bigger bed. Huo DaoFu exhales through his nose.

No.

Better not to think about the reasons for that blush nor Jiang ZiSuan's smile for that matter.

- o -

Jiang ZiSuan's room is empty of both occupant and belongings. Huo DaoFu curses once he realises what that means. Jia KeZi and Li JiaLe were with Jiang ZiSuan so of course they overheard what happened.

"Those three idiots are going to get themselves killed," he snarls to the empty room. Hopefully he can catch up with them.

- o -

On the way to the Unredeemable Section, Jia KeZi holds up a hand.

"There's a large group of people coming this way. Could be Er Jing and his men."

Jiang ZiSuan swears under his breath.

"We'll have to let them go first. I doubt we can make it down to the Unredeemable Section without being spotted."

The trio duck into an empty room as the tromp of multiple booted feet grow louder and louder. Then they hear voices.

"Thank you for signing the waiver forms," Manager Tong says.

"No problem. Anything to allow us entry to the Unredeemable Section," Er Jing replies.

They wait for the two dozen or so men to march past and then Jia KeZi leans forward.

"Alright, they've gone inside the entrance."

Someone claps a hand on Jiang ZiSuan's shoulder. He acts instinctively, spinning around to break their hold, flinging up both hands to grab their shoulders, and slamming them against the wall. Pushing his left forearm against the base of their throat, he draws his right hand back in a fist.

Huo DaoFu blinks at him, lips parted and eyes going wide behind his gold rimmed glasses. His pulse is quick against Jiang ZiSuan's arm.

"Huo DaoFu!" Li JiaLe and Jia KeZi exclaim.

Huo DaoFu's eyes dart from Jiang ZiSuan to them and back again.

"Do you mind?" He says tightly. "I've had a trying day and my patience right now is non-existent."

Lowering his arms, Jiang ZiSuan steps back and Huo DaoFu coughs, one hand going up to rub at his throat.

"Sorry."

"Forget it. Let me guess, you three are off to warn Wu Xie."

"Don't try to stop us," Li JiaLe says at once.

Huo DaoFu rolls his eyes and tugs the strap of his backpack.

"Stop you?" He scoffs. "I'd have better luck trying to stop a train. I'm coming along."

Li JiaLe and Jia KeZi look relieved.

"Someone has to keep you lot out of trouble," Huo DaoFu snarks.

"I remember a certain doctor telling me he's not a fighter," Jiang ZiSuan drawls.

"And I remember a certain sniper getting bronze poisoning," Huo DaoFu snaps, chin tipping up in challenge.

Jiang ZiSuan blinks and looks away, twitching.

"Let's go. We're wasting time."

- o -

Aside from hiding when Manager Tong comes back, they reach the entrance to the Unredeemable Section without further incident. They can hear Er Jing's voice echoing from the vast underground below.

"Good thing we didn't rappel down immediately or we'd land on their heads," Huo DaoFu says, voice so deadpan that Jiang ZiSuan can't help but grin.

Quietly, they listen as Er Jing orders his men to retrieve hidden weapons and details out his plan to separate Zhang QiLing from Wu Xie and Liu Sang by luring him away into an explosive trap.

"Of course he wants to separate Xiao-ge from Wu Xie and Liu Sang," Li JiaLe says. "We have to warn them."

"We have no way of doing so," Huo DaoFu points out. "None of us know the Iron Triangle's Knocking Language."

"They're moving out," Jia KeZi says, listening intently.

"Let's follow behind them for now," Jiang ZiSuan suggests.

- o -

A muffled explosion tells them that the trap for Zhang QiLing is sprung. There's a horrible moment where they stare at each other, imagining the worst, before Jia KeZi sighs in relief.

"Wu Xie says that Xiao-ge's alright and will join them later."

Then he frowns.

"Oh. Er Jing knows it's Wu Xie. Wu Xie says he and Liu Sang hid some bronze reeds in different locations and will take Er Jing and his men to them before the spy shows up."

"But he's the spy!" Li JiaLe bursts out.

Jiang ZiSuan grabs his arm.

"I'm sure he already knows."

"Agreed. Wu Xie is smart which, frankly, makes him extremely reckless." Huo DaoFu exhales in annoyance before tipping his chin at Jiang ZiSuan. "How do you feel?"

"Fine," Jiang ZiSuan says. His left side still aches and the whispers are louder down here, but he's able to tune both out by focusing on the task at hand. He nods at Huo DaoFu.

"I can manage," he amends and glances at the other two. "I'm not alone now."

Jia KeZi smiles at him and Li JiaLe nudges his arm, also smiling. Huo DaoFu gives a tight nod.

"Let's go then."

- o -

They're taken aback when Wu Xie asks Liu Sang to lead some of Er Jing's men to the location of the bronze pieces.

"They're splitting up. ZiSuan, are you sure Wu Xie knows Er Jing's the spy?" Li JiaLe looks perplexed.

"We have to trust in him," Jiang ZiSuan says and almost cringes at his words.

"Who do we follow?" Huo DaoFu asks.

Jiang ZiSuan makes a quick decision, hoping it won't backfire on them.

"Liu Sang has a head start and we don't know where he went. KeZi and JiaLe will follow him. Huo DaoFu and I will follow Wu Xie."

- o -

Li JiaLe and Jia KeZi follow behind Liu Sang and Er Jing's men, trying not to stumble in the dark. Using torchlights is, of course, out of the question.

A while passes before Jia KeZi speaks again.

"I'm sure Liu Sang knows we're following him. He also knows that we know that he knows we're here. And that he's in danger from Er Jing's men."

"We can take them down."

"There are three of them and they're armed," Jia KeZi says calmly. "Let's wait a bit."

They continue walking for a few more minutes, Jia KeZi listening and narrating, while Li JiaLe gets increasingly agitated.

"Liu Sang refuses to take them to the bronze reeds. They're threatening to injure his eardrums."

"What?"

"He says he needs his hearing to find the reeds. They're threatening to pull out his teeth instead."

"What?!"

"Shh. He says he's already dying from the bronze poisoning so there's no point in torturing him. In fact... he's daring them to kill him."

"They're going to beat him up for that."

"They are. Right now." Jia KeZi grimaces.

"Let's go!"

"Shh! He sounds like he's alright. Someone is chipping on one of the wooden cartons, likely leaving a clue. Alright, they're moving again. Let's go."

They walk for a minute more. Jia KeZi stops and turns his head, listening, and then he smiles at Li JiaLe.

"Pang Zi and Director Bai are here too."

"Great! We can definitely take down those three now."

"Wait. Liu Sang says he wants to change sides. He's offering to shoot Pang Zi and Director Bai as proof of his loyalty."

"He has a plan," Li JiaLe guesses.

"Yes, I think so. He's fired a shot at a carton. And another one. And another - no, it's bouncing off the others and sounds like some sort - EJ's men suspects something. Ah."

Jia KeZi's wince doesn't bode well for Liu Sang's current state.

"Pang Zi says Liu Sang is asking for help."

"The Iron Triangle Knocking Language?"

Jia KeZi nods, still listening.

"Director Bai says she'll distract them and draw them away from Liu Sang."

They look at each other.

"I'll go with her," Jia KeZi offers.

"I'll help Pang Zi, with pleasure," Li JiaLe says, his voice hard.

- o -

It doesn't take long before Er Jing's men lie in a bruised and unconscious heap, thanks to Pang Zi and Li JiaLe.

"Thanks although we didn't need your help," Pang Zi says with a grin. He goes to crouch before Liu Sang and pats his cheek. "Hey, Jinx? Jinx!"

Liu Sang opens his eyes and gives him a dazed smile.

"You and I have tacit understanding," he says before turning to Li JiaLe. "And you were so loud I was afraid they'd hear you."

Jia KeZi clasps Li JiaLe's shoulder and squeezes, feeling the tense muscles under his palm.

"We were worried," he says simply.

Liu Sang's smile falters at once.

"Ah. Thanks," he says, looking awkward. "Uhm, Er Jing is the spy."

"We know," Pang Zi and Bai HaoTian say. Jia KeZi and Li JiaLe nod.

"I wanted to warn Wu Xie," Liu Sang continues, "but Er Jing kept sticking to him. He set a trap for ouxiang, but luckily he's not injured. He just fell to the floor below."

"Does Xiao SanYe know Er Jing's the spy?" Bai HaoTian asks. "Otherwise, we have to find a way to warn him."

"By the way, why're you two here?" Pang Zi asks Jia KeZi and Li JiaLe. "Right. You must've overheard Er Jing wanting to arrest us, hmm? Is SuanSuan here too?"

Bai HaoTian quickly turns away to hide a smile.

"We split up. He and Huo DaoFu are following Wu Xie," Li JiaLe explains.

"We could use the Knocking Language to warn him," Bai HaoTian says, ignoring Pang Zi's incredulous, "Huo DaoFu is here too?!"

"We can't. Er Jing is familiar with that," Liu Sang says. Turning his head, he frowns before looking at Jia KeZi.

"Yes, someone's coming," Jia KeZi says, "but I don't know who it is."

"Kan Jian?" Pang Zi asks, but Liu Sang shakes his head.

"HongHong."

- Chapter End -

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

Beta Notes: Hey all, this chapter featured things such as dialogue, Wall Slam (TM), flustered HDF, sneaking, and narration. Sorry if the action seems a bit slow at the moment. Didn't want our prickly hedgehog stealing the spotlight from the main characters. But don't worry, there'll be more action coming up soon :')