Drip... drip... drip...
The faint dripping echoed in the darkness, dragging Jian from the abyss of unconsciousness. His eyes fluttered open, only for the cold, damp air to force them shut again. He lay sprawled on the frigid ground, shivering violently as icy tendrils seeped into his very bones. His body trembled, helpless against the gnawing cold.
Where... where am I?
He forced his eyes open, blinking through the gloom. It was pitch dark—damp walls barely visible in the shadows. A sharp, relentless throb pounded in his skull, and when he tried to move, a metallic clank shattered the heavy silence.
Chains.
His hands were bound tightly to a thick metal pipe, and his legs shackled to the ground. Panic surged through his veins like wildfire.
"No... no, no, no... fuck..." Jian's voice cracked as he struggled to keep himself calm, but the rising hysteria clawed at his throat. "Kidnapped... I'm fucking kidnapped..."
His breathing grew erratic, heart racing beyond control. Thoughts spiraled into chaos. Was it because of the Wang family? Were they the reason he was here, trapped and bound like a helpless animal? He had always known they were more trouble than they were worth, but this... this was a nightmare he never imagined.
Hugging his knees to his chest, he buried his head in the curve of his arms, trembling like a child lost in a storm. The icy chains bit into his flesh, but the suffocating fear numbed everything else.
Suddenly—
The door creaked open, flooding the room with a harsh, blinding light.
"He's awake," a voice whispered.
"Should I tie him up more?"
"Nah, those chains will hold him. Where is it? Why's it taking so long to get tested?"
Their words slashed through the silence, every hushed tone grating against Jian's fraying nerves. His breath hitched—there were two of them, maybe more. He strained to hear beyond the harsh pounding of his heart.
Footsteps approached hurriedly.
"I got it! It's real—gold! I told you this was worth it!" A man's voice quivered with excitement.
"What?! We struck gold?"
They squealed, embracing each other in euphoria. Jian blinked, dazed and exhausted, but their words clawed at his consciousness. Gold? What the hell were they talking about?
As if sensing his confusion, the stocky man turned towards the room, voice lowering. "Shh... we can't let anyone know."
"Did you feed him?"
"No. I thought you were going to."
"Shit! We can't let our golden goose starve, can we?" The stocky man stepped inside, a twisted smile plastered across his face. "Hey there. Wait, I'll bring you food. You must be starving."
Jian's voice broke as he gazed up at him, trembling. "Please... let me go."
The man's grin only widened. "Oh no, that we can't do."
The door slammed shut, darkness swallowing Jian once again.
"No! Let me go! Please... pleaseee..." His voice cracked into desperate sobs, but the door remained sealed.
Outside, the kidnappers cringed at his cries.
"Maybe we should knock him out," one suggested.
"What if it messes with the efficiency of the blood? We can't risk that," the stocky man said, holding a shimmering chunk of gold up to the light. "How can a person's blood turn into gold? You think he's... something else?"
"Who cares? I just want the money."
Jian barely registered the conversation. The icy dread consuming his chest was suffocating. His body shook uncontrollably, teeth chattering as despair clawed at him.
The stocky man returned, pushing a bowl toward him. "Eat."
Jian didn't move. His wide eyes were filled with terror.
"It's okay if you don't eat," the man sneered. "Bring it in."
Jian's heart plummeted as the thinner man entered, carrying a bowl and a gleaming knife.
"Grab him."
"No... no, no, no!" Jian thrashed, but they overpowered him with brutal efficiency. His screams pierced the air as they pinned him down.
A sharp, searing pain lanced through his wrist.
"AHHH!!!"
Blood gushed from the gaping wound, dripping into the bowl below. Jian's horrified eyes widened as the crimson liquid began to shimmer and solidify into gold right before him.
"Fuck! We're going to be millionaires!" one of the men cried, his voice trembling with glee.
The stocky man grinned triumphantly. "Quick—bandage him! Don't let that gold go to waste."
Turning to Jian, he sneered, "And you better eat, kid. If you don't want to bleed to death."
Jian's soul shattered under the weight of their malicious laughter. His body trembled uncontrollably, cold terror seeping into his very being. The world around him faded into chaos and darkness, but one thing remained—a soul-deep scream that echoed in his mind.