Chapter 2:Hold captive
860 Words
Clearly, the man hesitated for a moment but quickly regained his calm demeanor. It was understandable—living in a place like this, nothing should come as a surprise.
"Would you like some—"
BANG!
Before she could finish her sentence, the wooden door was violently knocked down. Tinh clutched her head and groaned, "Oh no... the last intact door is gone too!"
A group of burly men, faces covered, stormed in from nowhere. They spread out, covering all four corners of the room, and what was more terrifying—they had guns. More than a dozen black barrels pointed straight at her. The whole scene was oddly comical, like using a tiger cage to trap a helpless rabbit.
Tinh held tightly to the wooden bowl in her hand, frozen in place, not knowing what to do. The intruders remained silent, standing in combat-ready stances. Then, a man entered through the doorway, a wave of cold air following his steps.
In just three strides, he stood tall in front of her. Backlit by the doorway, his face was half-shadowed, half-lit, adding a sense of chill. His high-bridged nose wasn’t as sharp as the phoenix-like eyes glaring at her. Just one glance and the hairs on her neck stood up—she felt like prey on the verge of being devoured.
Click. The guns were c****d, one pressing directly against her forehead. There was no time to admire his features anymore; survival came first.
"Sir... let’s talk this out... I—"
"The person."
She had never feared the silent types who acted without warning this much. Before she could grasp what was happening, she felt like she was already at death’s door.
She barely dared to breathe and timidly asked, "Which... person?"
CRASH!
A cup came flying from somewhere and shattered at their feet, drawing everyone's attention.
"Touch the girl and I’ll wipe your entire bloodline!" The old man, who had been lying down groaning earlier, had mustered just enough strength to throw the cup—aiming for the man’s head, though it fell short.
Truthfully, the man had already noticed the old figure when he entered. The others had seen him too, but none had expected the man to be bandaged head to toe, with only a distorted face exposed—like an overcooked rice dumpling with the stuffing falling out.
"Grandpa?" The voice was all too familiar to the man.
In a flash, he retracted his gun and circled behind Tinh, rushing over to the old man.
Tinh exhaled deeply, quietly thanking the heavens.
With one threat neutralized, the surrounding guards didn’t move until receiving the man’s signal. Only then did they lower their weapons.
"Hmph, you lot listen to Du Triet and you’ll end up..."
Du Triet stepped closer to the wooden bed, scanning the old man from head to toe, irritation in his voice:
"You’re in this condition and still have the nerve to talk back? Haven’t learned your lesson yet?"
"You rascal! Is that how you talk to your grandfather?" The old man struggled like a cocooned worm trying to break free.
After watching the scene for a moment with no signs of it calming down, Tinh finally spoke up, a bit distressed:
"He’s only injured near the heart, but... I was scared of being alone, so I wrapped him all over... just in case."
Her voice trailed off awkwardly as silence fell over the room again. One could even hear each other’s breaths. Tinh scratched her head sheepishly, while Du Triet cast her a side-eye, clearly judging.
Suddenly, the bound old man burst out laughing: "Haha! Smart girl, I like that!"
"Come here, child, let me have a look at you."
Seeing him reach out, Tinh wanted to step forward, but Du Triet—who had been staring daggers at her—stood there like a wall. She couldn't ignore that hostility.
Luckily, he was sharp enough to notice her fear and, despite his irritation, stepped aside.
Satisfied, Tinh carried over the bowl of herbal water, gently helping the old man sit up against the wall.
"Good girl, I owe you this old life. Tell me, what do you want in return?"
Her eyes lit up. "Anything, really?"
He nodded solemnly. "I’ll do my best."
"Food! As much as possible, please!" she beamed, her white teeth gleaming.
Du Triet, who had just pulled out a thick wad of cash, froze for a moment. "Are you living in the Stone Age?"
"I’ve lived here since I was little. My parents hunted to raise me. Now they’re gone, I’ve got to fend for myself. Money? I don’t even know how to use them."
"Your parents... how long have they been gone?" the old man asked.
Tinh lowered her gaze with a sorrowful expression: "Four years."
Du Triet nearly exploded, swearing under his breath: "Four years?! If that’s true, you’re either dead by now or a master hunter. Don’t test me with your nonsense, or you’ll be eating bullets next."
"Tsk!" the old man shot him a glare, warning him to mind his tongue.
"Everyone who’s ever been saved by me... they all paid for food."
- Writer
