Author Notes: Hello again, everyone! This is an action packed chapter, something YenGirl tries not to write for the simple fact that she's pants at it. Luckily, she has a co-author and beta who isn't and improved it lots. Enjoy :)

Beta & Co-author: jeangirlmy

- Chapter Start -

Chaos breaks out at once, accentuated by startled shouts of "You shot one of us!" and "Who are you?!", accompanied by wildly flashing torchlights.

Just as Jiang ZiSuan expected, Pang Zi doesn't waste his chance, throwing himself at the nearest guard who's pointing his crossbow at Liu Sang. Scrambling forward, Liu Sang snatches the weapon from him and turns on one knee to shoot the guard aiming at Bai HaoTian. Meanwhile, Pang Zi grabs the fallen crossbow from the man Jiang ZiSuan shot and flings it at Wu Xie with a hollered "Tianzhen!"

If Jiang ZiSuan has a moment to spare, he'd be impressed by Liu Sang leaping into action despite the debilitating effects of the clocks. He can't spare that moment. Instead, he takes full advantage of the surprise attack they have, punching the man guarding Li JiaLe and Jia KeZi before reloading and taking out the one going for HongHong. He's an accurate shot, but the dissonant ticking and whirring from the clocks and the bouncing lights from dropped and kicked torchlights make this a nightmare.

Still, the altercation is over in seconds and he finally has a moment to take stock of what's happened.

Li JiaLe's holding a crossbow and standing in front of Jia KeZi who's leaning against a stack of crates with a crossbow aimed at the nearest groaning guard. HongHong is scrunched up against another crate with his arms over his head. Bai HaoTian is crouched beside him, also armed with a crossbow. Wu Xie and Er Jing are in a standoff with crossbow and gun pointed at each other. All the guards are on the ground, either dead or injured.

At a nod from Bai HaoTian, Li JiaLe goes to collect the other fallen crossbows and place them before her.

"I was right, simei is our pack leader!" Pang Zi crows with a wild grin which fades when he turns to Wu Xie and Er Jing who are still focused on each other.

Liu Sang inhales sharply, eyes darting towards the wall of canvas they came through earlier. Reaching up, he gives Pang Zi's sleeve a sharp tug and looks around.

"There are at least a dozen people approaching."

Pang Zi immediately drags a cowering HongHong behind some crates. Jiang ZiSuan and Li JiaLe help Jia KeZi up and follow suit.

"You too, Xiao Bai," Wu Xie tells a reluctant Bai HaoTian without breaking eye contact with Er Jing.

Jia KeZi grabs at Jiang ZiSuan's sleeve.

"Is Huo DaoFu alright?"

"Yeah, but you're not." Jiang ZiSuan's gaze drops to the red patch on Jia KeZi's shoulder.

"I'm fine," Jia KeZi says and then he tenses up.

"Watch out! They have weapons!" Er Jing calls out.

In the next moment, the canvas is ripped away and a dozen or so armed men pour into the room.

- o -

Pang Zi, who often accuses Wu Xie of being reckless, decides to forgo the crossbow and uses his body like a battering ram. Liu Sang proves to be quite the crack shot despite the pained frown etched on his forehead. Bai HaoTian looks like she's using a crossbow for the first time but proves to be a decent shot until she takes one in her arm and falls back against a squawking HongHong.

"Xiao Bai!" Wu Xie shouts in alarm and ducks as Er Jing shoots.

The sound echoes in the enclosed space and ricochets painfully off Jiang ZiSuan' eardrums, momentarily deafening the endless ticking of the clocks. He doesn't see Wu Xie and Er Jing after that, too occupied in shooting, punching, even using a guard as a shield, while guarding the corner where Jia KeZi, Li JiaLe, Bai HaoTian and HongHong are. It works for the first ten seconds until a bolt slams into his thigh and he goes down with a pained grunt.

"ZiSuan!" Li JiaLe shouts in alarm.

"Li JiaLe, watch out!" Bai HaoTian's panicked cry is followed by the brief sounds of a scuffle and something being struck.

Jiang ZiSuan swings around on his knees, heart leaping to his throat when he spies Li JiaLe on the ground, unconscious. The guard standing over him is reloading when Pang Zi throws himself at him, bringing both of them crashing to the ground just beside Li JiaLe.

He hears a strangled shout and turns to see Jia KeZi struggling with another guard, both their hands wrapped around the hilt of a knife pointed at Jia KeZi's chest. Since he already discarded his crossbow earlier, Jiang ZiSuan slides out one of his knives and flings it, watching it bite deep inside the man's neck with a small curl of satisfaction.

Jia KeZi's relieved eyes meet his, before widening in alarm.

Someone slams into Jiang ZiSuan, sending the two of them onto the floor. Pain erupts in his head. Body reacting on instinct, he lands a hard punch on his opponent's jaw before a retaliatory punch to his own jaw makes stars explode behind his eyes. They grapple on the ground, each trying to gain the upper hand.

As their fight takes them through an opening, Jiang ZiSuan dimly registers the noticeably cooler air and darker surroundings. He catches a sideways view of two figures - Wu Xie and Er Jing - trying to wrest the backpack from each other, and almost misses a dull glint. Grabbing his opponent's wrist, he's just in time to halt the knife plunging towards him. They're well matched in strength; it's all he can do to prevent that knife from slashing his throat open. He doesn't see the knee whipping up until agony explodes from his injured side, knocking the breath from his lungs and almost making him black out.

When his hold on the knife loosens, he lunges sideways as far as he can just as the knife swings. Pain blooms in his right bicep and draws a line down to his wrist, cutting through his - A-Ning's - bracelet. The beads would have scattered everywhere if not for the intricate design tying each bead to the main cord. It slips off his wrist.

Spitting out a curse and some blood on his opponent's face, Jiang ZiSuan gets in another punch and they roll over, reaching the edge of the cliff with a vast, dark nothing in front of them. His momentary distraction allows his oblivious attacker to gain the upper-hand and flip them over again.

Now, there's nothing beneath them, but open space.

Heartbeat pounding in his ears and drowning out every other sound, adrenaline spiking, Jiang ZiSuan tries to fling out both arms to catch onto something - anything - but his right arm doesn't obey. The fingers of his left hand just grab on the edge of a jutting out rock. The other man falls into darkness with a scream that echoes up.

Jiang ZiSuan's left arm burns with his weight. He jams the toes of his boots against the cliffside, but there are no holds. Grunting in pain, he tries to bring up his right arm, but it's numb. His fingers are slick with sweat or blood, his fingernails torn. Just as they slip, small stones fall past him and a hand grabs his wrist like a vice. Automatically, Jiang ZiSuan closes his fingers around that wrist in turn, head jerking up in surprise.

"Got you," Wu Xie grunts. Of course it's him. "You'll be fine. I've got you."

He's lying. Their palms are sweaty and already, their combined grip is slipping. Wu Xie's strong enough to keep Bai HaoTian from falling off the cliffside at that marionette theatre stage, but Jiang ZiSuan isn't a petite tomboy. He can see Wu Xie's arm shaking with the strain of carrying his weight.

"Hold on," Wu Xie tells him.

Jiang ZiSuan stares up at that tense face, at the pupils blown wide, at the stark panic in them. His throat tightens. This time, Wu Xie's desperation and focus are for him, for Jiang ZiSuan. He finally, finally gets why Pang Zi, Zhang QiLing and Bai HaoTian follow Wu Xie wherever he goes. Liu Sang, Huo DaoFu, Li JiaLe and Jia KeZi as well. Even he himse-

Movement catches his eye. It's Er Jing, approaching them with a knife held in his remaining hand. Jiang ZiSuan looks back at Wu Xie whose head is half turned in Er Jing's direction.

"Wu Xie, let go." Jiang ZiSuan is surprised at how even his voice sounds. "You can't save me."

"Yes, I can!"

Jiang ZiSuan wets his lips, shakes his head.

"He'll just kill us both."

"Don't force me to make this decision again!" Wu Xie snaps. "First Xiao Bai and now you. You know what choice I'll make!"

"... I know, but it's not your choice to make this time."

Wu Xie's eyes widen even more.

"Don't you dare!"

Jiang ZiSuan smiles.

"I'll give Jie your regards." He releases Wu Xie's wrist.

"No!" Wu Xie screams.

- Chapter End -

A/N: Thank you for reading! This chapter cost us dearly in both braincells and tears so please leave a comment before you leave? *hopeful smile*