Ming sat on the bench in her jail cell. She wondered, how on earth will she save Nuan and Liu? How on earth could she do such a task? Suddenly, she heard Shen's whisper.
''Here comes the Key's Keeper! Act like nothing has happened. Play it cool.'' Shen hissed.
''Got it.'' Jia whispered.
Suddenly, they heard the footsteps of a big boar coming towards their cells. The boar had a large, broad chest. He wore a spiked belt around his waist and damaged, torn clothes. They noticed keys dangling from the boar's spiked belt, making a clicking noise as they dangled. It was the Key's Keeper. Jia shivered as she heard the Keeper's cold, low-pitched voice.
''I will keep my eyes on you tonight. No escapin', talkin' over me while I speak, nothin' like that. I would like you all to be quiet while I'm here and you can only talk if I want you to or if you have a necessary question. Otherwise, zip it.'' the Key's Keeper ordered with a expressionless look on his face.
Everyone nodded, except Ming. As the Key's Keeper slowly turned his head to Ming, his expressionless look turned into a deep frown. He slowly padded over to Ming's cell, not changing his facial expression. Ming slowly started to back away deeper into her cell.
The Key's Keeper looked through the metal bars of Ming's cell. ''Did you hear what I said? Am I clear?'' the Key's Keeper grumbled.
Ming kept silent. She was too frightened to speak. The Key's Keeper growled under his breath. He slowly reached for the key of all the cells in the dungeons. As Shen managed to fit his head through the metal bars of his cell, he watched carefully what was happening.
The Key's Keeper slowly put his key in the lock and began to turn it. Ming's head was wet with perspiration and her heart was racing.
''Yes I've heard! I understand.'' Ming burst out and quickly nodded. The Key's Keeper turned the key the other way to lock it again.
''That's what I thought.'' the Key's Keeper smirked.
''Ehem...sir?'' Ming said quietly, remembering the plan Shen came up with.
''Yes what do you want?'' the Key's Keeper grunted as he turned his head back at Ming.
''I would like to speak to Lord B-Bohai about something.'' Ming answered nervously.
The Key's Keeper chuckled. ''Haha, please...why would Lord Bohai wanna speak with you?''
'' I don't know I would just...like to speak to him about something.'' Ming answered, her eyes looking down at her feet.
The Key's Keeper grunted. ''Fine, I will tell the guards to let you out and bring you to him, but the guards will have their eyes on you.''
The Key's Keeper padded back to Ming's jail cell and unlocked the door. Ming slowly walked out of her cell. She realized she was much taller than the boar than she thought she was. Ming giggled slightly, but quiet enough so the Key's Keeper wouldn't hear.
The Key's Keeper called the guards and Ming was led back upstairs through the palace's beautiful halls and into the Throne Room, where Lord Bohai sat on his throne, looking surprised to see Ming again.
''Why is she here?'' Lord Bohai asked the guards, looking awkwardly at them.
''She wanted to speak to you about something. We don't know what.'' One of the guards replied.
Lord Bohai sighed. ''Oh alright then, leave us.'' Lord Bohai ordered.
''B-but sir what if she tries to-'' One of the guards asked but got cut off.
Lord Bohai took out his lance from underneath his robe. The blade on the lance was made of pure, solid gold. Lord Bohai pointed the lance at the guards. ''Get out.'' he ordered, smirking at them.
The guards quickly nodded and rushed out of the Throne Room, leaving Ming and Lord Bohai completely alone.
''So, what is it that you wanted me to talk to you about?'' Lord Bohai asked curiously as he hid his lance underneath his robe again.
''I...I wanted to ask you, why are you keeping us hostage here? I know that your plans might be personal but...I'm just curious, sir.'' Ming answered nervously.
Lord Bohai chuckled slightly. ''You don't call me 'sir'. You call me by my title, which is 'Lord Bohai'. As for your question...I can easily answer that to you. See, I have a desire, a wish...and I'm working hard to make come true. I want China to be mine, and to do this...I need to get a few obstacles out of the way. So that is why I am keeping you hostage here. You all can just go out and try to stop me.''
''I do not think I alone would be able to stop you, Lord Bohai.'' Ming said, now sounding a bit more confident.
''So you're saying I should set you free? Now that would be a little betrayal, hmm? You're friends would never forgive you. Also, what about your best friend, Nuan?'' Lord Bohai smirked.
''Well, no I would never betray my friends. I just...'' Suddenly, Ming stopped talking.
''You just what?'' Lord Bohai asked, taking a step closer from where he was standing to Ming.
Ming again remembered about Shen's plan. She knew she had to act quickly. She knew what she had to do.
Ming quickly pushed Lord Bohai out of the way and ran for the other door, which led to the other halls of Lord Bohai's palace. Lord Bohai growled and took out his lance again. He called for his guards and rushed through the door Ming went in to go and find her.
Ming knew that if she got caught, she could get killed, but she could also be put to where Liu and Nuan were kept at. She decided not to take any risks and to keep running.
Lord Bohai's palace was like a labyrinth. She feared that she will get caught in the halls of the palace because, since Lord Bohai lived at the palace, he knew it inside-out and he had the advantage.
As Ming ran through the big long halls of the palace, she began to hear voices. The voices sounded familiar. She noticed a half-opened door and peeked inside. Her eyes widened. She couldn't believe it! She found the room Liu and Nuan were held in.