Rebirth in the Apocalypse: Third Time's a Charm



Stepping out of the restaurant for the second time, with Wang Chao at my back, I was completely unprepared for Liu Wei to storm through the food court and pull me into his arms. "Are you okay?" he asked. "Wang Chao said that you had come across an ambush."

I laughed as he refused to let me go, even going so far as to lift me up so far that my feet were dangling off the floor. "I am just fine," I reassured him, "You know what a worrywart Wang Chao is."

"That's the thing… he's not a worry wart. He's like one of those emperors that lets everyone else do the worrying while he makes the final decision," Liu Wei said as he put me back down on the ground and held me at arm's length.  Looking me up and down, and from back to front, he confirmed for himself that I was fine before tucking me into his side. "Who's the new people?" he asked, pointing his chin to where Huang Chan Juan and Huang Tian Kuo were.

"The people who set the ambush," said Wang Chao as he came over to my other side.

"Then what are they doing with us?" asked Liu Wei, clearly not impressed that the men were getting along so well with people that tried to kill them.

"They're military," said Wang Chao as the three of us made our way over to the large group of people.

"And?" volleyed Liu Wei, clearly not impressed with the fact that they were military.

"And you will have to ask them," replied Wang Chao, clearly not wanting to become involved with the whole situation.  Their blasé manner in discussing Hua Chan Juan and Huang Tian Kuo made me relax all that much more. No longer feeling threatened, I was in a much better mood to talk to my previous best friends.

"Why the traps?" asked Liu Wei as we stopped in front of the two.

Huang Tian Kuo shrugged his shoulders, not really bothering to say anything. In contrast, Hua Chan Juan looked Liu Wei up and down. "Major?" she asked in a hesitant voice.  Liu Wei looked at her briefly before turning his attention back to Huang Tian Kuo.

"The traps," he snapped.  I looked at Wang Chao in question, but he was simply looking at Huang Tian Kuo as well. 'We would have lost you if you didn't notice the wire.  Liu Wei is feeling a bit… upset over that idea,' said Wang Chao without looking at me. 'Honestly, I am not that impressed either.'

Finally understanding what was going on, I let the men handle it. I was not overly upset about what happened, but if the situation had been reversed then I would have been out for blood. It was a sheer coincidence that I had recognized the trap and knew how to disarm it. 

Technically, if I hadn't been reborn, I would have died just then… or at least been severely injured. When I heard Wang Chao growl beside me, I quickly blocked those thoughts from my mind.  I was here, safe and sound, and in desperate need of supplies. 

Feeling both men relaxing, I gave myself a quick cheer. At least I can help them out of whatever mood I manage to put them in.

"We needed a safe place and this was the best one that we had found," said Huang Tian Kuo as he shrugged his shoulders.

"You needed a safe place, but you didn't care about anyone else that would have come down those halls?" Liu Wei sneered, not impressed with his answer.

"We are sorry," said Hua Chan Juan, trying her best to diffuse the situation. "But we couldn't be sure if the next person coming here was friend or foe."

Liu Wei scoffed. "Did you really think that something like those booby traps would save you from the zombies? Best case they heal and come back more pissed, the worst case is that you would then have two zombies on your hands. Then what?"

The two looked at Liu Wei, their eyes wide. "You've fought the zombies?" Huang Tian Kuo demanded.

"You haven't?" Liu Wei asked as he pulled me towards him and towards the exit. "Did you get what you needed here?" he asked turning to look at me. Nodding my head, he smiled. "Perfect, now let me show you what I managed to collect for you."

-----

It was going to take Liu Wei more than a few minutes to calm down for the idea that he almost lost Li Dai Lu. Gripping her wrist tighter, he continue to pull her down the same hall that she once almost lost her head and towards the stairs. He didn't really care if this was uncharacteristic of him, or if he was being abrasive in some way, his mind was still focused on the idea of losing the one person that made him feel complete.

All of his life, he felt like there was a part of him missing. For the most part, his brothers managed to fill it up, but at the same time, there was the feeling that sometimes, they were not enough. 

His thoughts flashed to the nightmare that he had when he was suffering from the more mundane side effects of the vaccine, especially the part where he and Wang Chao watched Li Dai Lu being ripped apart by zombies. To say that it felt like they were being ripped apart at the same time was not an understatement.  I was like he could feel exactly what she felt, the pain, the betrayal, and the anguish.

Liu Wei was finally feeling a sense of being complete, that when he was with his brothers and Li Dai Lu, he was finally becoming who he was meant to be. He could not, would not live with the feeling of being incomplete without her. Now that he found her, he would reign death down on whoever sought to hurt her.

And to have his men, men that he personally trained, laughing and joking around with the people that almost destroyed his life? He needed to leave that place as fast as possible before he did something he might regret.

Then again, he probably would not regret killing everyone at that moment. What was there to regret when killing someone? Death was simply a part of life… if they lived, then they should expect to die. It was really quite simple... well, everyone but Li Dai Lu.

Rubbing his thumb back and forth across her wrist, he was able to feel her pulse, and he could count her heartbeats.  Reassuring himself for the 100th time that she was alive, he took a deep breath and slowed down his pace.

"Are you ok?" Li Dai Lu asked, looking up at Liu Wei. He could feel the concern in her voice like he was the one that could have been dead.

"You could have died," he repeated, trying to push back the thoughts of going back to the food court and killing everyone there.

"And yet, I am still alive!" she said with a smile, trying to cheer him up.  The brightness of her smile was enough to push back the darkness a bit, but at the same time, another voice inside his head wanted, no, demanded their deaths. He would have sacrificed all of his men to prevent her death… why weren't they going down the halls first?!?

She was a precious package that they were supposed to protect and yet, they sent her through first?

Feeling his rage rising up inside him again, he tried to steady himself. Cracking his neck back and forth, he tried to think about something else… anything else than this burning rage to kill everyone and everything.

Hearing the soft giggle beside him, he looked down at Li Dai Lu.  "I think we have been spending too much time together," she said while gently laughing at him.  He looked at her in confusion.  As far as he was concerned, there was no such thing as too much time together.

"You have officially developed my tick of cracking my neck when stressed. Are you stressed about something?" she asked, her wide bright blue eyes looking up at him in complete innocence.

"Did you miss the part where your head was almost taken off?" he asked, part in sarcasm and part in disbelief. How could she just shrug off such a thing as if it was completely inconsequential? Did she not know just want her death would have done to him? To Wang Chao?

"Nope, caught onto that part," she said with a wirily half smile. "But if I kept focusing on what might have killed me, I will never be able to see what actually does."

As soon as those words left her mouth, Liu Wei spun her around to face him, the two of them standing inches away from each other. Leaning down until their faces were level, Liu Wei said with gritted teeth, "You will never see what actually kills you for the simple fact that you will not die.  If you die, I can promise you that this world will die with you. And as soon as I have killed everything, I will join you in death so even then, we are not separated."

Li Dai Lu looked him in the eyes, studying his face. Nodding her head, she let out a bright smile, "Then I will wait for you."

Turning back around and walking to the top of the stair, she looked at Liu Wei. "Now, about those supplies you promised me."

"Of course, my Queen. You're wish is my command."