Severing Time & Space

Wu Jian vs Zhou Lihua, Part II

Wu Jian could feel his body growing tired. He was covered in bruises, was pretty sure at least one of his ribs was cracked, and his left arm was definitely broken. He had been forced to block one of her kicks with it and suffered dearly. Now he was cradling the arm to his chest as he backed off, until he was standing close to the edge.

“I saw what you did when you fought that girl. I hope you don’t think I’ll fall for the same trick she did,” Zhou Lihua said.

“I’d never expect the same trick to work on you,” Wu Jian countered.

“That’s good, but now you’ve backed yourself into a corner.”

Wu Jian shrugged as Zhou Lihua darted forward and extended her leg for a kick. Her attack was so fast the air wooshed around her leg. Wu Jian gritted his teeth, then extended his broken arm and allowed it to receive the hit. He winced at the sound of bones crunching, but he suppressed the pain, redirected her arm like he had seen Wu Meiying do countless times, and lunged forward.

He would only have one second to accomplish his goal.

He needed to act fast!

Zhou Lihua was too stunned to do anything as he tackled her; the back of her head hit the arena floor as Wu Jian straddled her stomach, his broken arm hanging limply by his side, and his free hand pressed against her throat like it was a blade.

As they stared into each other’s eyes, the veil that she had been wearing slipped off and revealed her face. Wu Jian was stunned. The girl had beautiful features. Her skin was smooth like a peach and impeccably soft. Naturally red and full lips gave her a seductive air he wouldn’t have expected from someone their age. Now that she didn’t have her veil on, though, he could tell that she was quite young, though still older than him by a few years. She must have been on the cusp of turning sixteen.

“That manuver you pulled at the end isn’t a part of your fighting style,” Zhou Lihua said after some time.

“I spar with Mei every day and picked up a trick or two from her.” Wu Jian would have shrugged if one arm wasn’t broken and the other occupied. He had tried to shrug, but he stopped the moment he felt that sting. This injury was going to hamper him in the finals.

“So I see,” Zhou Lihua murmured with a soft, enchanting smile.

“Anyway, I win,” Wu Jian said softly.

“That you do.” Zhou Lihua released all the air she’d been holding in a single sigh. “Sacrificing your arm like that was an awfully reckless move. You realize if I hadn’t reacted as you expected me to, you’d be without an arm, right? And you would have lost.”

“I know, but I was certain this tactic would work on you. I took your measure during our fight and realized you’re a very noble person. I was certain you would hesitate to attack me after I sacrificed my arm like that,” Wu Jian explained as he got off her. With his broken arm now dangling, he held out his only working hand to Zhou Lihua, who looked at it for a moment before taking it, allowing him to pull her up.

“I still say that was pretty reckless of you… but I have always been impressed by that kind of calculated recklessness—oh. Thank you.” Zhou Lihua blinked in surprise as Wu Jian picked up her veil and handed it to her. She recovered quickly and placed the veil over her face, once more hiding it from view. “In either event, this victory is yours. Congratulations. You’ve earned it.”

“Thank you,” Wu Jian said.

The elder hesitated for a moment, but when Zhou Lihua stared at him, he raised his hand and announced, “The victory goes to Wu Jian!”

The crowd went wild, though Wu Jian hardly paid attention to the cheering. His arm was throbbing. The dull pain caused his vision to go dim. It wasn’t just his arm that was injured either. He had a large number of bruises and scrapes littering his body.

“Jian!”

“Wu Jian!”

Two people leapt onto the stage and rushed over to him. Wu Meiying and Hou Jingshu looked both exhilarated and worried for him.

“Congratulations on your victory!” Wu Meiying said with a grin. She didn’t jump on him like last time, perhaps aware that he wasn’t in the right state to catch her.

“Are you okay?” asked Hou Jingshu. She seemed the more nervous of the two. Her face was pale as she stared at his dangling arm.

“I’m fine—hhssss!” Wu Jian hissed when Hou Jingshu touched his broken arm.

“S-sorry!” Hou Jingshu apologized.

“It’s fine. Don’t worry about it,” Wu Jian offered a pained smile, though he imagined it did little to quell her worry.

“Zhou Lihua really did a number on you,” Wu Meiying observed. “You might have technically won, but I don’t know if I can consider this a victory.”

“A win is a win is a win,” Wu Jian declared.

As the three of them spoke, Zhou Lihua raised a hand to her mouth and giggled, causing them to look in her direction. They couldn’t see past her veil. However, Wu Jian could now tell that she was smiling by the way her eyes crinkled.

“You three are an interesting trio,” she said at last. “I would love it if we can get to know one another better. Ah, but for now, Wu Jian, you and your friends should come with me. There’s still one more match before the finals, but I don’t think you need to watch it.”

Wu Jian didn’t take much time to agree to follow her. He, Wu Meiying, and Hou Jingshu left the stage as Ming Shen and Juishi Son replaced them. On the way past him, Ming Shen offered a dirty smirk like he was pleased by Wu Jian’s injuries, but Wu Jian didn’t pay attention to the other boy. Acknowledging Ming Shen was just playing into his hands.

Ignoring him like his existence didn’t matter never failed to piss the other boy off.