Fight, Flight, or Freeze: The Healer's Story
Chapter 289: So Simple Minded

Chapter 289: So Simple Minded

I looked down at the boy, pleading for the lives of his comrades. Letting out a long sigh, I reached down, took his hand, and healed him. I never knew if I pitied those who were so selfless or envied them for being that way.

I opened my mouth a few times, trying to find the words that I wanted to say, but eventually, I decided not to say anything at all.

"You’re a healer?" gasped one of the guards as he watched in horror as the bruises on his coworker vanished in front of his eyes.

"No," replied Bin An Sha, the cold smile on his face. "I’m a healer. She’s the Healer... otherwise known as the Angel of City A."

Brushing past everyone, Bai Long Qiang scooped me up into his arms and let out a contented sigh. "Finally," he murmured as he grazed his nose along my temple. "I missed this."

Wrapping my arms around him, I agreed.

"It’s going to take too long to get all the way to the core. Maybe we should just stop at the guild in the third circle and spend the night there," suggested Ye Yao Zu, looking up at the sky. It had gotten a lot darker than before, but I didn’t know if that was something we could even do... just stay at the guild.

"They have rooms set aside for teams to crash in," answered Ye Yao Zu, reading my mind. "I think that it would be best because we would still have like 20 floors to climb up to get to Bin An Sha’s condo even after we get through all the checkpoints."

Well, the man had a point.

"To the Retribution Guild, my good man," I laughed, tapping Bai Long Qiang on the shoulder and then pointing the way for him to go.

"As you wish, Milady," he smirked back before presenting me with his cheek. "The cost is one kiss."

Rolling my eyes, I paid the price, and we left for the gate between the fifth and fourth circle.

----

It took longer than it should have to go from gate to gate. Something about two of my men being covered in blood and me wearing sunglasses made the rest of the guards a bit wary. I think that they thought we had been attacked by zombies or something.

However, when I informed them that it was just the blood of the first guards, they looked even paler. Huh, I thought they’d be happy that we weren’t attacked by zombies...

Go figure.

By the time we had arrived at the guild, it was well past my bedtime, and I was more than a little relieved to be done for the day.

Ye Yao Zu walked up to the massive doors and knocked on them.

"Yes?" asked the man who opened them, his eyes narrowing slightly when he looked at me. "What do you want? We’re closed for the night."

"We are part of the Phoenix Rising team. Would it be possible to stay here for the night?" asked Ye Yao Zu, but the security guard didn’t even look at him.

"Are you Bin An Sha?" asked the guard instead, staring at the man.

"I am," smiled Bin An Sha.

"Perfect, we were going to send someone to try and find you. Our new head is injured," answered the guard, pulling open the door so we could all enter the building. "He’s up on the top floor. Good luck, and don’t piss him off."

The guard went back to the desk at the entrance and sat down, digging back into his dinner of a loaf of bread. He hummed his happiness as he took a glass of water to wash it all down with.

I guess being the private security guard for the Retribution Guild has its highlights. Food being the most important one.

"Ugh," groaned Bai Long Qiang, me still in his arms. "Did he really just say the top floor?"

Rip snorted his laughter. "Weakling," he chuckled, plucking me out of Bai Long Qiang’s and carrying me out of the lobby and up the stairs.

The stairs seemed endless, and after the 5th floor, I stopped counting. Rip was still going strong, and I was hoping that the rest of the guys were doing okay. We were trapped in a metal building, and I would not be able to access the energy needed to top them up unless I took it from myself.

Finally making it to the top, Rip opened the door, and we were spat out into a luxurious office with beautiful hardwood floors. There was a desk in front of where the elevator would have opened, the black chair still there as if waiting for someone to come back from lunch

"I did not see this coming," grunted Ye Yao Zu as he spun the chair around.

"I like the rug," I admitted from Rip’s arms as I pointed to the white "fur" rug under the desk and chair. It would look perfect in the cabin in front of the fireplace in the living room. After a good wash, of course.

Suddenly, the rug disappeared.

"You going to tell me who the fuck you are and how you got up here?" The voice coming from down the hall sounded familiar, but for the life of me, I couldn’t place it.

"We were sent up by the guard downstairs. Apparently, you need a healer?" said Bin An Sha, coming around Rip in order to block the stranger’s view of me.

"Fucking big mouth. I don’t need a healer; it’s just a black eye," grumbled the new head of Retribution. "What I need is someone to dispose of the body in my office. Are you willing to do that, Doctor Bin An Sha?"

"Interesting, you know who I am, but I’m afraid that I can’t say the same," replied Bin An Sha as he took another step forward.

"I make it my business to know all the major players in my city."

"Your city? Is Zhao Jun Jie aware that you consider his city yours?"

"Tsk, so simple minded. I’m actually offended on behalf of the man who brought you up. I know he would have told you that there is always a difference between who controls the city in the light and who controls it in the dark."