Chapter 130 - You Can't Stop Me

Mafan did not stay in one place but moved from one area to another. He knew the warriors who were after him were battle proven. He was no match against them with powers and physical strength. He headed to the city gate while the residents blocked General Lofey.

Although he didn't like the thought to be labeled as evil by using the innocent, he knew his enemies would not hurt these people. Thus, he had to use them to his advantage so he could get away from this city as a victor and not as a prisoner.

He looked down at the dull white stone with colorful speckles in his coat pocket and caressed it gently. He thanked the General Lei Ming for his diaries, guiding him in this venture and laughed to realize the governor was the man's namesake. 

"I have a confession, governor." Mafan's voice echoed through the people, disturbing Ming and General Lofey's minds while fighting. 

"Do you know, governor? Your ancestor was my guide to this quest I have in my shoulder. The General Lei Ming sent me here to change our fate, the fate of the Chiangdas, the fate of this world."

Mafan made a sinister laugh, giving them goosebumps.

"I also want to thank you for setting me free , although I can still get away without your help because this is my destiny. Remember, fate is fate and no one can stop it."

Mafan stopped talking and walked leisurely. His destination, the city gate and escape, to start his own nation somewhere. Mafan's face plastered a wide grin, delighted with his plan, imagining his dreams coming true as if it was a walk in the park. However, he had already calculated everything: where to start a new identity and life. 

"Where are you, coward? Face me now. Stop with your blabbering. And don't  mock my hero," Lofey shouted at the top of his lungs while he barged his way to the people with his huge body, disregarding whether he hurt them. He had to find that man before losing him. He could not forgive himself if he let him get away again this time.

After listening, Ming's regret for releasing Mafan lessened but hated to hear the enemy saying his ancestor helped him, more so, for using his family members for his selfish reasons. This was too much for Ming to take and tilted his head heavenward and shouted. "How dare you? I'll kill you when I find you."

Watching his mother and sister, he tried reaching to Lifen's consciousness again as the mother continued to strike at him. "Ma, wake up. You are strong in mind and will. I know you can get out from his power."

Inside Lifen, "I can hear you, son, but I can't stop my body." Her heart cried, painful to see her own blood and flesh suffering in her hands. She tried to stop her leg from kicking but it went off on its own, hitting Ming to his face. He staggered on his feet as he tried to duck on time when Lei An sent a punch to his jaw. Ming gave Lei An a hit on her stomach but controlled, enough to make her kneel while clutching her painful belly.

"Lei An, wake up. This is your big brother. Wake up. Fight that man's control, Ma, Mei mei." Ming kept on shouting while defending, hoping all hopes it would make them get out from the trance.

----- o -----

Xinyi, with the Hutyuns, and Nianshi ran on deserted roads. There was not a soul in every house they passed, making her nervous, scared to think of the inevitable. 

"Where is everybody?" Xinyi asked.

"My lady, I think we should go back to the city square. I'm afraid the madame and your sister-in-law…" Nianshi let the rest of his words trailed.

She clutched her chest, fearing what Nianshi said could be true but still held onto hope. She hurried to the make-shift infirmary. 

"Ma, sis," she shouted, running to every room and up to the third floor. Yet, saw the place just like the rest of the buildings, abandoned. Xinyi sighed in desperation. "Let's go back to the city square." 

Nianshi was sorry for them. Suddenly, his ears twitched and stood erect, sensing a fluctuating power somewhere in the city. He turned to Xinyi and saw her gazing at him as well. "You feel that?" Xinyi asked.

"Yes, my lady." 

Words were spoken in silence as they jumped out from the third floor directly on roof tops, searching for that surging power.

Mafan was almost at the gate, leisurely walking with a smirk on his face. But then Tyriece jumped down right in front of him, jolting Mafan to step back.

"Hoho, do you think you could run away that easily, pretty boy?"

"How do you know I'm here?"

"Easy as pie. You  want to get away from us, so the gates are my best shot." Tyriece let his fingers stood up and the thumb-sized stones floated on nothing but the breeze. "Let the people go or these," referring to the pebbles, " will make you look like holed cheese."

Mafan slowly stepped back. "You can't stop me." He tried to toughen his tone but stuttered, giving away a slight fear to Tyriece.

"Test me and you'll find out the results when you've woken in the underworld."

"Just let me go and I'll set them free." He stepped back a little faster this time while Tyriece advanced.

"No bargain allowed. Set them free now," Tyriece said with fierce dominance in his voice and let a few stones target Mafan's leg. A lopsided grin on his face, thinking it would take Mafan by surprise and surrender but gasped to see the stones fell before it touched Mafan.

"What the…?" 

Mafan was more surprised than the other person and his eyes lit up. He touched his chest. That action led Tyriece's eyes on a rusty chain on Mafan's neck and the man's hand touching a bulking object under the shirt.

Tyriece frowned. "What are you wearing there?"

"None of your business." Courage overflowed from Mafan and walked forward with confidence.