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

Beta & Co-author: jeangirlmy

- Chapter Start -

Wu Xie decides to go back to Tianlin Hotel using the route through the tunnels back to Jiang ZiSuan's room.

"It's a much shorter route," he explains. "Er Jing would've gone aboveground to escape the explosions. He's going to have to trek through the poisonous forest and find the road where he'll have to get transport back to the hotel."

"We have a stretch of forest to traverse ourselves, Tianzhen," Pang Zi points out. "Not to mention I have a busted leg."

"The first one is taken care of," Huo DaoFu assures him and gives the splint Wu Xie put on Pang Zi's leg an appraising look. "That should hold for a while."

"I'll stay with Pang Zi," Hei XiaZi adds with a grin, flinging an arm around him and almost causing both of them to lose their balance. "The rest of you go on ahead."

- o -

When they reach the poisonous forest, they put on face masks and make a run for one of the shelters with Jiang ZiSuan leading the way. Wu Xie whistles at the stack of hazmat suits and goggles that Huo DaoFu and Jiang ZiSuan stashed there earlier.

"There's water and rations as well," Jiang ZiSuan says, nodding at another backpack.

"You two carried all these here?" Bai HaoTian looks impressed.

"Jiang ZiSuan did most of the carrying," Huo DaoFu replies and gives him a sideways glance. "Like I said, I needed muscle."

Jiang ZiSuan gives a snort of amusement.

"A pack mule, that's what I am."

"No, you're more than-" Huo DaoFu snaps his mouth shut when he notices the others staring at them.

"Let's get going," Wu Xie says. "I want to reach Er-shu before Er Jing does."

- o -

They're traveling along the tunnels leading back to the hotel when Zhang QiLing holds up a hand.

"I hear something." He presses his ear against the nearest wall.

"Iron Triangle Knocking language?" Bai HaoTian asks. "But we're all here, even Liu Sang."

"Who still can't hear anything," Liu Sang says, reading her lips.

"It's Li JiaLe, using Morse code," Zhang QiLing replies, making sure to face Liu Sang as he talks. "Er Jing and his men have just arrived at the hotel in two vans. They're unloading several boxes."

"That was quick," Liu Sang says.

"Jia KeZi heard Er Jing telling his men that he'll take control of the Wu family businesses as soon as they get back."

"Not if I can help it," Wu Xie says grimly. "Xiao-ge, tell JiaLe we're on our way up."

"And to stay put and not do anything stupid," Huo DaoFu adds, looking annoyed and worried. "They've lost a lot of blood."

- o -

Li JiaLe and Jia KeZi are hovering anxiously by the wall when Wu Xie and co emerge one by one.

"Thanks for the warning, JiaLe, KeZi," Wu Xie tells them, clapping them on the shoulder. "Xiao-ge and I will take care of Er Jing."

"What about his men?" Jiang ZiSuan asks.

"I'll call the police," Bai HaoTian offers.

"Good. The rest of us will stay here with the door locked." Huo DaoFu gives Jia KeZi and Li JiaLe a stern look.

"Be careful, Xiao San-ye, Xiao-ge. Take care of Princess," Bai HaoTian says.

"More like she'll take care of us." Wu Xie grins at them while Princess waves from his shoulder.

"Don't jinx it!" Jiang ZiSuan and Huo DaoFu shout after him.

- o -

Wu Xie and Zhang QiLing sneak into Wu ErBai's room, knock out the lone guard there and drag him inside the adjoining bedroom. Seated in his wheelchair, Wu ErBai watches the action with relief in his eyes.

"Don't worry about Er Jing, Er-shu," Wu Xie says, patting his shoulder. "We'll handle him."

Footsteps sound outside, followed by the scrape of a key inserted into a lock. Wu Xie and Zhang QiLing quickly slip inside the bedroom.

"Er-ye, I'm back from Thunder City." Er Jing enters with a pleasant smile. "My apologies for keeping you waiting."

His eyes flick around the room as if searching for someone.

"I'm afraid I have bad news for you," he says, closing the door behind him. "Your precious nephew and his friends are dead. They were trapped in Thunder City without protective gear and have succumbed to the poisonous gas. I'm all you have left, Er-ye. I'll be the one in control from now on."

"He doesn't think much of us, does he, Xiao-ge?" Wu Xie can't help saying, channeling a bit of Pang Zi in his anger.

Er Jing's gaze snaps to the bedroom at once, his smirk vanishing.

"Xiao San-ye. Xiao-ge." He forces a smile. "You guys are back so fast. How did you survive the poisonous fog?"

"And the explosives your men planted?" Wu Xie asks, one eyebrow raised.

Er Jing glances around the room again, frowning a little.

"If you're looking for your goon, he's out cold," Wu Xie says. Princess chooses that moment to crawl out from his jacket collar.

Er Jing whips out a gun and points it at Wu ErBai's head. He smirks at Wu Xie.

"Doesn't matter. I still have the upper hand," he says. "Now, I want you two - ahh!"

Princess leaps to his wrist and latches on. Er Jing drops the gun with a shout, fingers spasming. Princess then leaps up to his neck and bites down again.

"It bit me! Twice!" Growling, Er Jing yanks her off with his other hand. "You'll pay for this!"

Hand held high, he starts squeezing her, his eyes fixed on her bulbous ones and the open red mouth smeared with his blood. Princess struggles in his grip.

"Princess!" Wu Xie shouts in alarm. He leaps forward only to jerk to a stop. "Xiao-ge, let go!"

"Wait." Keeping a tight hold on the back of Wu Xie's jacket, Zhang QiLing slips out a knife from his belt and flings it. Sunlight from the window glints off the blade before it embeds itself in Er Jing's neck.

With a choked scream, Er Jing flings Princess away. A gurgling sound emerges from his lips before he crumples to the floor. Zhang QiLing darts forward and catches Princess neatly in his cupped hands.

"Got you."

Meanwhile, Wu Xie crouches beside Er Jing and presses two fingers to his bloodied neck.

"He's dead," he says, feeling an odd mix of relief and sorrow. Getting up, he goes to Wu ErBai. "Er-shu, are you okay?"

Wu ErBai gives a tiny nod.

"What about you, Princess?" Wu Xie looks over at Zhang QiLing who's still cradling the shellfish. "Princess?"

He could swear he hears her cooing.

- o -

Two days later, Wu Xie and co board the train and leave Guozinao Mountains. Hei XiaZi left yesterday with Wu ErBai and promised to wait for Wu Xie at the hospital.

Er Jing's men were rounded up by the police pending future investigation while Er Jing's body was cremated. Despite his crimes, Wu Xie finds he can't bring himself to leave the other man behind. He packs the small urn containing Er Jing's ashes among his luggage.

- o -

The next day, Wu Xie unlocks his apartment door and pushes it open. He looks around and pays no mind to Princess leaping down from his shoulder and running inside the bedroom.

He's only lived here for two weeks, excluding his stint in Warehouse 11, before going to Thunder City. It doesn't feel like home, unlike Wushanju with its ancient walls and many rooms, interconnecting walkways with cracked tiles, huge old fashioned kitchen, antique furniture, pool table, back gardens and even a delightful little fountain.

With a small sigh, Wu Xie drops the two bags on the floor. With Pang Zi admitted to the hospital, Kan Jian looking after Wu ErBai and Wang Meng assigned to another of Wu ErBai's managers, there's no one to help him unpack all his things.

Turning around, he comes face to face with the Princess Mute statue instead.

"Princess! Please don't give me a heart attack now that my lungs are healed."

Two long fingers emerge from the long hair and wave at him. Wu Xie waves back and then he pauses.

Wait.

Er Jing hadn't transferred control of the Wu businesses and assets to himself before he died. With Wu ErBai now incapacitated, wouldn't Wu Xie be in charge of everything?

"Don't get too comfortable, Princess," he says with a grin. "We're moving back to Wushanju!"

- Chapter End –

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