Xiang Yu pushed aside the loose floor vent. It moved easily, revealing a dark opening beneath. He peered inside, the faint glow of his torch casting shadows on the smooth, stone walls.
The tunnel stretched out before them, straight and quiet. It looked like part of the city’s underground system; clean, even, built with purpose.
He couldn’t help but think the overseer was truly remarkable. To plan spies in each territory and have an escape route ready. That took skill and patience. It was smart, dangerous work. Xiang Yu felt a flicker of admiration. If it weren’t that this bitch had hurt Han Xin, he might have loved to have a mother like her.
Without hesitation, he stepped in first. He shone his torch ahead, the light bouncing off the walls. "Jump in," he called softly to Lian and Mei. They nodded, quick to slide down into the darkness. Han Xin was last. He paused momentarily, glancing back at the vent, then closed it quietly before following.
Suddenly, the ground trembled. A series of loud explosions echoed through the tunnel, shaking the walls and rattling loose dust. But the four of them stood firm, their faces calm. They waited until the tremors ceased, then moved forward again.
Ahead, the tunnel narrowed and was blocked by a mound of rocks and sand. The debris was thick, but they pressed on, crawling through the narrow space. Soon, they felt the rough texture of the earth giving way to fresh air.
They emerged outside, free from the underground maze. The small hole was just enough for them to slip through. Xiang Yu was the first to crawl out, checking the coast. The sky had a thick cloud of smoke from the explosions but the forest was peaceful and far removed from the chaos in the city behind. He helped Lian and Mei out of the hole, steadying them on shaky ground.
Right afterwards, he reached out and helped Han Xin to his feet. As he pulled him up, Han Xin lost his balance and fell into Xiang Yu’s arms. For a moment, they both stood close, Han Xin steadying himself by holding onto Xiang Yu’s waist. But in truth he was taking advantage of the situation, caressing him while leaning forward.
Xiang Yu pressed a hand gently on his chest. "Babe, don’t mess around," he said softly, a hint of amusement in his voice.
Han Xin hugged him even tighter, then leaned up and pressed a quick kiss to Xiang Yu’s forehead. "Do you feel uncomfortable?" he asked softly.
Xiang Yu pushed him away with a small smile. "You worry too much," he answered.
Lian and Mei acted like they saw nothing. They were busy looking everywhere but at the two men. Lian glanced up at the sky. "The sun is nice today," she said casually.
Mei nodded. "Yes yes, it’s perfect for basking," she added with a smile.
Xiang Yu heard them and chuckled softly. "Let’s go," he said quietly.
Mei smirked and said, "If you like, Master, we can give you some time alone."
Lian nodded. "Yeah, we have plenty of time."
Xiang Yu reached out and tugged at Mei’s ear. It was still red from where she had been pierced earlier. "Stop talking nonsense," he said lightly.
Mei yelped in pain. "Brother Han, Master bullied me," she whined.
Han Xin looked at her with a helpless expression. "What am I supposed to do about it?" he seemed to ask silently.
The so-called henpecked husband, couldn’t even save himself from Xiang Yu, let alone others. Xiang Yu shook his head with a small laugh.
"Your brother can’t save you. You let Lian pierce your ears, and do you remember how your nose swelled last time when she tried to pierce it?" he teased.
Han Xin listened quietly, not quite understanding what they were talking about. He didn’t ask questions. Instead, he enjoyed the sound of their banter, the soft laughter, and teasing words. It was a rare moment of peace amid chaos.
Xiang Yu chuckled softly. "You cried so much and thought you were dying," he said with a teasing smile.
Lian rolled her eyes. "She’s just a crybaby. She even picked a coffin for herself while wailing. Hahaha, brother, you should have seen it, it was hilarious."
Xiang Yu glared at her, and Lian stopped laughing, but she still defended herself. "Besides," she continued while looking at Mei, "her nose ring looked nice."
Han Xin glanced at Mei. She had no nose ring now, and his curiosity grew. He wondered if the piercing had closed.
Xiang Yu shook his head. "It was so swollen for so long. You cried and asked if your nose would fall off," he said.
Mei’s face flickered with memories. She remembered feeling ugly then. But when she put her jewel on her nose piercing, she felt so pretty that all the pain disappeared. She smiled softly, lost in that moment.
Suddenly, Xiang Yu called her name. Mei was startled. "What?" she asked, coming back from her pleasant memories. Believe it or not, she was already thinking of getting her nose pierced again.
Xiang Yu looked at her with a strange expression. "You...," he said feeling helpless. "If next time your sister asks to chop off your leg so she can reattach it, would you let her?"
Mei shook her head quickly. "No," she answered firmly. She didn’t want to be the guinea pig unless she looked pretty in the end. No matter how it looked, chopping off legs and reattaching them didn’t sound pretty at all.
They argued back and forth, teasing and arguing, while Han Xin played the referee, trying to keep peace. He looked amused, but he didn’t interfere.
Meanwhile, around them, the world was in chaos. All the territories had suffered terrible attacks at the same time. The land was scarred, buildings were shattered, and their cities were crippled. The alliance was falling apart.
The attacks had been too perfect, too coordinated. Someone knew every weak spot in each territory. The attackers vanished into thin air after striking, like ghosts. No one knew how they did it.
The fragile alliance, like a thread stretched too thin, finally snapped.
But Xiang Yu, the one behind the chaos, was busy enjoying himself. He was camping in the forest with his lover and his children, as if they were on a peaceful vacation. The world burned around them, but he smiled softly, unaware or uncaring about the storm he had unleashed.