The coldness of the stone cell gnawed at Jian Yu's bones, his breath shallow as he struggled to regain consciousness. He had been left to die—abandoned by the very people he thought were his allies, the Embers. The pain from the beatings was unbearable, and yet, it wasn't the physical injuries that hurt the most. It was the betrayal, the crushing realization that the Embers had never cared for him.
The words echoed in his mind: "You're just a tool, Jian Yu. Nothing more."
Those harsh words from Li Wei cut deeper than the blows that had bruised his body. Jian Yu had thought the Embers were different. He had believed they were more intelligent, more pragmatic than the Fireflies. He thought they understood him, believed in him. But the truth was, he had been too naïve. He had trusted them, and now, they had thrown him away as though he were nothing.
His limbs felt numb as he tried to move, the chains that held him rattling with every slight motion. He had failed. He had believed in their lies and false promises.
"How could I be so foolish?" Jian Yu thought bitterly, the weight of his mistakes pressing heavily on his chest. He had wanted to prove that he was more than just a weak pawn, more than someone who could be discarded without a second thought.
But the Embers had made it clear: he was nothing to them.
The darkness that surrounded him seemed to close in, and his thoughts wandered back to Mei Lin—her fire, her strength, her refusal to bow to anyone. She would never have done this to him. She would have fought, even if it meant dying by his side. The fire in her heart was pure. She had always been different from everyone else.
And yet, here he was—alone, betrayed, abandoned by the very people who had promised him redemption. The Embers had lied to him. They had used him.
---
Elsewhere, the Embers were already regrouping, moving on to their next steps, indifferent to the fate of the man they had just discarded. Li Wei stood before the gathering of the group, a cold expression on his face, as he looked out over their plans.
The room was tense with quiet anticipation. The mission was far from over. Mei Lin was their focus now. They had captured her, and now, it was only a matter of extracting the information they needed.
"We've made our move," Li Wei said, his voice low and authoritative. "Jian Yu is nothing to us anymore. He was weak, naïve, and now he's out of the picture. The Fireflies are no longer a threat. It's time to focus on the real power we need to destroy."
Madam Rong nodded, her lips curling into a thin, calculating smile. "The Fireflies were nothing more than a distraction. Now, with Jian Yu out of the way, we move on to bigger things. Mei Lin is our target. The Fireflies were foolish enough to rely on that boy. We'll make sure the world knows their weakness."
Gao Lin, standing in the shadows, grunted in agreement. "Mei Lin will break. She has to. The Fireflies' strength is already faltering. With Jian Yu gone, they're nothing."
Li Wei turned, his eyes piercing. "Get to work. Mei Lin is not to be underestimated, but we know how to break her. Once she's dealt with, we can fully execute our plans."
The group scattered to prepare for the next phase of their operation, but the weight of Jian Yu's betrayal loomed heavy. He was gone, lost to them, and they didn't look back.
---
Back in the cold darkness, Jian Yu struggled to stay awake. His body ached, but his resolve hardened. They had abandoned him, but he wasn't going to let that be the end.
His mind raced, flashing between moments of pain and clarity. The Embers had betrayed him. But Mei Lin... Mei Lin was still out there.
With every ounce of strength left in him, Jian Yu tugged at the chains, gritting his teeth against the pain. The world had turned its back on him, but he had made a promise. He had promised to protect her.
Jian Yu's thoughts were a mixture of regret and determination. The Embers had shown their true nature, but he could still do something. He wouldn't let them win. Not like this.
His mind was set. Even if he had to crawl his way out of this cell, even if he had to fight every step of the way, he was going to find Mei Lin.
The cell was dark, the silence almost suffocating. But there was one thing Jian Yu knew for sure: The Embers had made a grave mistake. He wouldn't just escape this place—he would come back for them.
He would make them regret abandoning him.
---
The days turned into weeks, and Jian Yu's body slowly recovered from the abuse. He had managed to escape his chains, crawling through the dark tunnels beneath the stronghold. Each step felt like an eternity, the blood pounding in his ears as he made his way through the corridors.
His escape was slow, calculated. But he had a single, burning goal in mind: Mei Lin.
---
Meanwhile, the Embers had moved on, but the thought of Jian Yu lingered in their minds, albeit briefly. Li Wei, as usual, remained focused on their mission, but even he couldn't shake the lingering question: Had they truly made the right choice?
But then, he dismissed it. Jian Yu was weak, and Mei Lin was the priority. They had to focus on their true goal. The rest of the world was simply a distraction.
---
But Jian Yu's thoughts were far from over. The world was a lie, and the Embers had shown him just how far people would go for power. He had been abandoned, but now he was free. He would find his way back.
And when he did, the Embers would wish they had never crossed him.
---