Chapter 18: First World: She was my girlfriend!

Loud rustling and panting could be heard through the partially dense forest terrifying any nearby wildlife. That was all because of Wen Qinxi who was running through the bushes as fast as he could while chanting, "One billion, huff.....one bil-l-lion," cutting through the forest.

And why was he running? It was because he wasn't willing to start the world all over again that is if Qie Ranzhe died today. Jolie had informed him that Qie Ranzhe's brother, Prince Anzhie had suddenly made his debut earlier than expected. Apparently he has been searching for Qie Ranzhe's mother who had been driven out of the palace by the empress because she was pregnant.

The emperor's heart still yearned for his concubine and if he found out she was pregnant, he would definitely make her son his crown prince. To put his mind at ease, Qie Anzhie set off looking for her so he could kill her and her spawn effectively eliminating the thorn in his eye. This was if the woman hadn't already succumbed to her fatal injuries as his mother, the empress stabbed her several times with a poisoned dagger straight into the stomach before tossing her out.

If it were upto Qie Anzhie, he would have preferred it if his mother had just beheaded the slut and cut the baby out her womb before dicing that bastard. Because of this Qie Anzhie searched all plausible locations she could have run off too and somehow found himself in this small town.

Hearing this, a sore Wen Qinxi didn't hesitate ignoring his muscle ache running through the forest before the prince's envoy could catch a glimpse of the boy, who looked exactly like the emperor, currently knee deep in training with his wooden sword.

Qie Ranzhe was meant to be the protagonist of this story but with the current trajectory of the story, it was easy for him to be marked as a villian as he blackened into a genocidal maniac. Thus he could be killed earlier in the game starting the storyline all over again.

"Fuck that shit! I am not going back to being drowned and beaten up again. That's not fucking happening!" he yelled at Joile swatting at the thick bushes blocking his path. The thought of being drowned and used as punching bag by a bunch of teenagers sent a painful tingle at the pit of his stomach. He wasn't willing to do that crap again thus running like his life depends on it.

***

An oblivious Qie Ranzhe was fully aware of people approaching in the distance but didn't really care much as he continued with his training. The forest was free for all though he remained vigilant.

From a distance, a guard noticed a neatly dressed teenager training with a wooden sword and couldn't help but admire his skill. He was stuck in a daze watching his graceful yet powerful strikes brimming with extraordinary vigour and agility. The youth had ample potential to be the best of the best under the right master.

He decided to introduce him to prince An, maybe the kid could be recruited into the army and make something of himself. Judging with his poor quality clothing, he felt pity on him and hence broke formation to inform the prince currently riding on his stallion.

Qie Ranzhe wiped away the sweat dripping on his forehead before leaning down to pick up his leather water bag. As he leaned down, he sensed a presence but was too slow to react hence he was tackled onto the ground behind a boulder.

Lin Jingxie was right on top of him with one hand closing his mouth and the other gesturing for him to be quiet. He silently watched as the dazzling boy peeked at something as though stealthily stalking an enemy. The sun kissed his flushed face with his hair slightly damp giving him an enticing wet hair look.

Qie Ranzhe followed with his eyes a single rogue drop of sweat glimmering in the sunlight as it streamed down from the boy's earlobe caressing his smooth skin all the way down to his exposed collarbone before disappearing into his heaving chest.

Lin Jingxie seemed as though he hadn't planned on leaving the house judging from his loose fitting garment showing off part of his jade-like collarbone. Qie Ranzhe suddenly felt parched thinking Lin Jingxie was indeed a handsome youth that could drive any girl crazy.

"Shit! His coming this way," whispered a panicked Wen Qinxi still lying on top of Qie Ranzhe with his knees either side of Qie Ran's waist. He scanned around trying to come up with something when he noticed they were at the top of a steep hill side. Wen Qinxi then made a decision that would buy them sometime. "Sorry about this," he said before rocking sideways as they rolled down the small cliff huddled in each other's arms.

They rolled all the way to the bottom, reaching level ground in a short span of time with Qie Ranzhe now on top of Lin Jingxie grinning like an idiot. "Oh, there he is!" yelled an excited guard at the top of the steep hill.

Realizing they weren't out of danger yet, Wen Qinxi slightly frowned at grinning fool before looking around for something that could help. They were both unarmed with one skilled and the other a nerd, they would definitely be apprehended as soon as Qie Anzhie lay his eyes on Qie Ranzhe. They would probably be buried alive in some unmarked grave. Yep, Qie Anzhie was that cruel.

Panicked as they were running out time, Wen Qinxi noticed a damp puddle of thick clay and muttered, "Thank the maker."

"Huh?" asked a confused Qie Ranzhe but was soon thoroughly smeared with clay while Lin Jingxie was yelling,

"You stupid bastard, l am going fuck you up today!" smashing even more clay on his face till he barely recognizable.

An even more perplexed Qie Ranzhe pinned his wrist down with a face covered in disgusting mud mixed with god knows what other petrifying things inside. "The fuck Jin, why the hell did you do that?" he asked trying to spit out some of the dirt in his mouth but Lin Jingxie winked while nudging his head in the approaching guard's direction.

Its only then that Qie Ranzhe caught on though he didn't understand why Lin Jingxie cared so much about the guard.

"Lets see whose going to fuck who up you little brat!" he yelled acting out his part perfectly before smearing Lin Jingxie's face with mud as well.

As the guard approached closer, he saw the pinned boy pushing off the one on top of him freeing himself. He knelt down before tossing a couple handfuls of mud cursing his opponent. "You fucking piece of shit, she was my girlfriend!"