Hei Xiazi
After looking for a way in for a few minutes, Xiao Hua finally got one spot that was a possible entrance to another tunnel or chamber, thus both of them worked hard in taking the wall down to find what was hidden behind the clay and mud. What they found was another dark corridor that leaded to a chamber that had a table in the middle of the room, with some strange things hanging from the ceiling.
Because it was so dark in there it was hard to see beyond of what their flashlight illuminated, which was the reason why Xiazi make the mistakes to put one foot into the trap in the floor, as he was focus on the walls. Instantly, the sound of a door closing take their attention and both of them headed back to the entrance in a rush, but as it happen with Wu Xie's group, they were too late to get out.
"Seriously? How come you have fall into this one too?" Xiao Hua asked Xiazi who smiled in return.
"No real harm done, we are fine and we can always find our way out by exploring this place... it's dark in here and I was distracted by the paintings in the walls. Were you not too?" Xiazi asked in turn, which only make Xiao Hua sigh.
"We better find our way out." Xiao Hua said, looking forward to the closed door at the other side.
"Why the hurry? There is some history in this place we can explore before finding the mechanism that opens the doors. I know you worry about Wu Xie, but he is beside Yaba Zhang, so I assure you nothing will happen to him and he is also experienced in finding hidden doors on tombs. It will be only a matter of time before they are on their way to find the secrets of the Queen Mother." Xiazi said as he looked at him.
"Wu Xie is not the only one interested in finding those secrets." Xiao Hua retorted.
"Well, of course, but we are lucky enough to be on a place that may give you some answers to the mystery." Xiazi insisted.
"Are you sure you just don't want to keep me sealed in a room while alone with you?" Xiao Hua asked and Xiazi laughed.
"My dear sexy Master Hua, how can you think like that? Am I a pervert? Are you a powerless man incapable of defending yourself against this pure man in love advances? I think that I should be the one worrying about what you can do to me instead than me to you, right?" Xiazi teased, quite enjoying himself and the opportunity Xiao Hua had given him to press on their steadily growing relationship.
"There is no such thing as what I can do to you. I will not initiate anything."
"Oh, but you kiss me just a short while ago."
"You were the one who kiss me."
"With your permission, of course."
"I was having a crazy crisis."
"How come? I know for sure you enjoy it and you were not crazy at all, just hurt."
"Then stop taking advantage of it at any given opportunity."
"And how else will I woo you? It's not like this adventure will last forever and eventually there will be a time in which we either part ways or stay together into a relationship of a kind. I'm rooting for staying together for as long as we can, but you are so stubborn..." Xiazi said, taking Xiao Hua by surprise.
"Is this how you 'woo' a man such as myself? Come on give me a break, Zhang Qiling is been more effective than this."
"That is because Wu Xie is willing, oh, very willing... Now, are you as willing too?" Xiazi asked seriously as he moved closer to his source of messing feelings.
"No." Xiao Hua said on impulse, but Xiazi was not taking a no for answer this time and walked even closer to his Xiao Hua who didn't move an inch backwards.
"So heartless, but are you sure? You are the kind of man that can't be forced to do things against your will, so the kissing we shared half an hour ago was not something you didn't want." Xiazi corner Xiao Hua.
"Like I said before you are too forward. Wu Xie had waited for Zhang Qiling for years. Their relationship matured from those years of yearning."
"Yes, which is why Wu Xie is head over heels for Yaba Zhang, but I don't have that same luxury. I get the feeling that if I don't press you now, you will avoid me like the plague, once out of this hell." Xiazi said as he pulled Xiao Hua to him.
"I have never been in this kind of relationship before."
"Nor had Wu Xie or I for that matter."
"I need to think about the future of the family I am the head of."
"As if there is another heir in the Wu family as well. I don't want something that will come and go in a flash, because I can honestly find that somewhere else. I know exactly who you are, Xie Yunchen, for which I don't dare to play with you. My interest in you is quite serious... but I think you need to think on yours...." Xiazi whisper as he let go of Xiao Hua who remained silent for the coming minute and at that, Xiazi sighed.
"Alright then, let's see what this place can tell us, then we find our way out." Xiazi said as he turned to look into the drawings on the walls, already resigned to lose that fight even after gaining some terrain.
"I can't promise that we will end up in a romantic relationship after this... but I can promise you I will not run away from you once out of this place. If you decide to follow me, I will not stop you." Xiao Hua said behind his back and Xiazi smiled.
"Good... as long as you don't run away, I can pursue you properly." Xiazi said, without turning to look at him.
"It may end in nothing." Xiao Hua warned him.
"I'm confident it will end on us sharing the same relationship Wu Xie and Zhang Qiling had right now." Xiazi insisted as he illuminate a particular wall that pick up his interest.
"Why?" Xiao Hua asked curiously, as he approached Xiazi.
"Because if you had not even a spark of interest, you would had turn me down since we accidentally kiss the first time in that fake palace. You may be reluctant right now, but not disgusted by the possibility, nor the touches or kisses I have given you so far. That alone, is worth a millions in my book." Xiazi said, finally turning to look at the slightly flushed Xiao Hua.
"You trick me into promise you I will not avoid you." Xiao Hua realize it and Xiazi smiled widely.
"All is fair in love and war... or so it's said." Xiazi whisper, giving him a wink that Xiao Hua could not see.
"I let my guard down." Xiao Hua admitted and Xiazi once again pass an arm over the shorter man shoulders.
"You are been honest too. Now let's decipher the secrets of this room. It's creepy in here." Xiazi said quite delighted and Xiao Hua resigned himself to be at the mercy of that teaser man, probably for the rest of his life.
Wu Xie
They follow the narrow tunnel until it widen into a room filled with small pools of water, similar to those found on caves underground, which make Pangzi overjoyed with not having to walk hunched over for long minutes anymore.
"Finally I can stretch myself." Pangzi said as he stretched his sore muscles.
"We must be deep underground now, this look like a natural formation." Wu Xie said as he looked around.
"Who said that the Queen Mother was not a nature lover? She certainly like to keep things wild." Pangzi joked.
"There are even white shrimps in the water..." Mop notice.
"Life saving stuff when you are about to starve, how kind of her." Pangzi said as he took one from the water to have a closer look at it.
"Stop harassing the shrimp, we need to keep moving." Wu Xie said and follow Xiaoge's scout closely. They walked pass the water pools in where they found more birdman statues and into a dry tunnel, in which Xiaoge's signature showed up again.
"Xiaoge... can nothing in this place trigger your memory?" Wu Xie asked softly.
"No so far." Xiaoge whisper back.
"You know what, Xiaoge? I'm fine with you not remembering, but why do you left behind those marks that don't give clues of what they mean? Next time, please leave characters that tell you what you need to know about the place, like danger, safe, this is the secret hidden here or stuff like that..." Pangzi whined.
"Hey, losing his memories is not his fault, leave him be." Wu Xie defended his lover.
"We should keep up." Pan Zi agree.
"Right, let go find the mysteries of the Queen Mother." Pangzi said and they headed forward until reaching another round chamber filled with a pound and what looked like a coffin at the center.
"This must be the main water supply from the palace, we are definitely very close to find the Queen Mother now." Wenjin said.
"Let's light the torches." Mop offered as he wanted to be of some use, in order for the others to help him survive and what was left of his team follow him and soon, the room was well lit.
Wenjin was in a hurry to find whatever was out there, so she was not interested in studying the red coffin in the center of the pool, so she bypass it to go directly to the other side, to find it blocked by a heavy door. Wu Xie by the other hand went down after Mop found a piece of clay that was left behind probably in offering to smoothing on that place.
"Motifs clay pots pieces, they are sharp, so be careful with them." Wu Xie advised Mop and his men.
"So, with so many of this things... they were left as offering, right?" Pangzi asked.
"Yes, most probably." Wu Xie answer.
"Then, there must be something in here that needed to be kept peaceful..." Pangzi said as he looked around.
"Better for us to not find the reason. Let's go." Wu Xie said and they walked ahead inside the shallow water.
"Is it just me or that coffin looks brighter?" Pangzi asked as they walked halfway the coffin. Wu Xie stop and give the thing a better look and frowned.
"Indeed... it's tuning reddish, no doubt about it." Wu Xie confirmed, now a bit worry of what it could mean. Then he looked down and notice that the water, even if it was a bit murky, it was filled with something.
"Wait, there is something in the water..." Wu Xie alerted them and both Pan Zi and Pangzi put their hands in the water and grab whatever was lurking inside. What they got out were things that resemble very long reddish water worms.
"What's that?" Mop asked in fright as he saw the red things.
"Worms... and they are feeding on our blood to transfer it to the coffin! Cut them off!!" Wu Xie yelled as he figure out the trap left inside the water, just before one of Mop's men was yanked out his feet by the worms in the water that were sucking him dry.
"Cut them now and let's get out!!!" Wu Xie repeated as he fanatically did it while taking his knife and cutting everything his knife was in contact with. By his side Pangzi and Xiaoge were doing the same with equally rush and when they were about to go out of the pool into the dry sides, the coffin in the center of the pool sink down and the traps above their heads open with a large barrage of arrows flying down toward them.
"Wu Xie!" Xiaoge pushed Wu Xie away with measured strength, just enough to send Wu Xie close to the torches pillars to minimize the arrows he needed to dodge. Once Wu Xie was behind one, the same as Pangzi and Pan Zi, Qiling danced on his own to intercept the coming arrows as much as he could until the traps above closed again.
"Stay there! I will take care of the worms!" Xiaoge shouted as soon as it was safe for him to move and he jumped into the coffin's side to cut as much worms as he could in what could be his faster moves so far.
"We need to help Xiaoge! The less weight the coffin had, the better our chances for avoiding the rings of traps above!" Wu Xie yelled and run to help Qiling.
"Stop, I will handle this!" Qiling protested, but Wu Xie ignored him and try to cut as much worms as he could and so they did the others too. However, despite their efforts, another trap was trigger when the coffin sink further. They all look up to see keelbaks fall like a heavy rain in a fierce storm.
"Watch out!" Pan Zi shouted.
"Damn it!! I hate this snakes the most!!" Pangzi yelled as he killed the coming one.
"Take care of the worms, leave the snakes to me." Xiaoge said as he back down into the water and slashed anything that moved. Wu Xie, Pan Zi and Pangzi keep up cutting the worms, as well as the occasional snake that escape Xiaoge's deadly dance.
"Master Fatty, save me!!!" Mop yelled at some point.
"I have my hands full here! Just save yourself for once!" Pangzi responded, yet Qiling moved closer to save his sorry arse.
The battle keep up until finally there were not enough worms to trigger more traps and they jumped back to the water to get into the ledge, but as soon as they jumped, another tremor hit the chamber and they stagger with the movement until it stopped for good, half a minute later.
"What the hell was that?" Pangzi asked as he looked up, expecting another thing coming down on them, but the ring of traps were closed.
"The snakes are fleeing!!" Mop yelled in victory.
"You idiot! That's means there is something else here that scare them!" Pangzi shouted at the man.
"No, no, no... it can't be anything worse!" Mop deny in horror.
"Forget about that, let leave this pool into the ledge!" Wu Xie demanded and Xiaoge extended his hand to help Wu Xie move faster inside the water. However, as they did, the coffin once again moved, but this time up to its original position, which in turn trigger the closed door to finally open, revealing a fly of stairs.
"How come it open just like that?" Pangzi asked in amaze.
"Don't care, let's go!!" Wu Xie ran toward the door with Xiaoge still holding his hand to give him more momentum to also run up the stairs and out of that sudden hell. Once up, they found themselves face to face with what should be the Queen Mother in sat in her throne, overlooking the chaos of her palace and its secrets.
AN: Thanks for reading. I wanted to go to the part in which Xiaoge go inside the meteor, but it was getting too long, so it will be for the next time, perhaps after the Heihua part. Take care my darlings, love you lots. 💖💖💖