"A large explosion has shook the Midwest in even more turmoil. My name is Lisa Ruppert and I'm here on site to give you all of the updates on what has been the hardest months of the Midwest people. As you can see behind me, this all used to be forests. It has been completely destroyed. There have been loads of dead bodies showing up in this spot." The news quietly played in the background while an unconscious Lee Seng sat in a change with bandages wrapped all around him.
Lee Seng stirred in his sleep, eyes slowly moving as he opened them. The TV was blurry and the noises overwhelmed him. A System pop-up hovered in front of him. He rubbed his eyes and tried to move, feeling his body hurt.
"It has been confirmed that the Creator - Dr. Vang Chang - has built a large underground system in this forest. Tests of all kinds are showing up everyday because of the shifting earth and the entire world is questioning what the doctor was even doing here." The reporter continued with her story. Lee Seng wiped the sweat off his head and groaned.
"You think he'll be up, yet?" Keng's quiet voice came from somewhere behind Lee Seng. Keys jangled and a key slid into the door. The door unlocked and the key pulled out and was stuck in one more time before turning. The door opened and the noises of stuff hitting the door in crinkled shopping bags followed.
"Maybe." Calis answered, closing the door behind them.
"I'll check just in case." Keng handed the bags to Calis and made his way over to Lee Seng. Lee Seng shifted causing the pain in his body to surge. He grunted in pain and Keng appeared around the armchair in an instant. Keng knelt down and gently grabbed Lee Seng's hands. Three tails moved behind Lee Seng as Keng scanned Lee Seng. "You're up. Are you still hurting? Where?"
Lee Seng looked down at his stomach. There was a strange feeling in his stomach. Keng nodded and grabbed something from the coffee table and opened it. He dipped his fingers in it while the wraps around Lee Seng's stomach moved and unraveled. A large dark spot appeared where the pain was.
'What's that?' Lee Seng wondered. Keng slowly moved the ointment over and gently rubbed it onto the dark spot.
"It's an ointment from the General. He said this would help you so I smothered you in this thing for months!" Keng answered Lee Seng's question. Lee Seng squirmed. The ointment was too cold. "Stop moving. You'll tear open your wounds, again."
'W-wounds? I-I don't quickly heal?' Lee Seng asked Keng. Keng finished putting the ointment on and grabbed a napkin and wiped the ointment off. He screwed the ointment cap back on and set it on the table.
"I don't know why you aren't healing like normal, but I think it's due to your DM (Dark Matter) nerves being severely burnt. What even happened to cause this?" Keng asked his brother.
"Stop asking him so many questions. Let him rest. He must be confused as to why he's in a rundown place like this." Calis rounded the other side of the armchair. He waved at Lee Seng and then glared at Keng. Keng let out a pouty lip and Calis shook his head, not having any of it. "That won't work."
"C'mon… I'm just worried for him." Keng stood up and grabbed Calis's hand. He tugged it trying to win. Calis sighed, clearly breaking. He rolled his eyes and looked away and Keng smiled and hugged Calis.
"Lee Seng Chang was last seen exiting the city with three individuals. Evan Trainor and Ritsuka Yamada were identified as two of the three other individuals with Chang that day. We've asked them many questions but their families have declined the young men to answer any questions. It seems Trainor and Yamada are hiding something. The government officials have put out a search for Chang so he can answer for the Creator's actions." The reporter spoke. Keng pulled away from Calis and turned his attention to the screen.
"Shut it off." Calis motioned. Keng grabbed the remote and shut it off.
"It's not like we know anymore than they do. Who knew the Creator had multiple large underground facilities?" Keng looked at Calis. Calis nodded and the two looked at Lee Seng. Lee Seng licked his lips and tried to gulp. His throat felt dry.
'It never ends.' Lee Seng sighed. He tried to stand up, but Calis and Keng only protested. They were worried for him - rightfully so - but Lee Seng didn't care right now. He needed to think about what he should do.
"Lee, you should rest. Your wounds will open." Keng reached for his brother's wrist. He moved around Lee Seng and stood in front of him. "C'mon, sit."
'Give me some fresh air and I'll have this sorted out. I can heal myself.' Lee Seng told Keng.
"Your DM nerves are burnt. Didn't you hear me?"
Lee Seng moved past, feeling every single step hurt. Keng turned and called for his brother, but Lee Seng ignored him. He made his way to the door. He felt himself sweating profusely. He began to unlock it when a knock came to the door.
"Who's that?" Calis asked Keng.
"I don't know. Did you check to see if anyone was following us?" Keng replied. Calis nodded.
"I'm sure I—"
Lee Seng opened the door, revealing their unannounced guest. It was Manny. He looked disheveled and dirty like he hadn't showered in a while. There was no one with him. He huffed not taking in the injured Lee Seng in front of him.
"Keng, I—" Manny began to say when Keng and Calis appeared behind Lee Seng. "W-what… Wait… Y-you're there then this is… Lee?" Manny didn't hesitate to tackle hug Lee Seng. Lee Seng's body flared in pain as screams flew out his mouth.
"Hey, he's still hurt!" Calis shouted, putting a hand on Manny and attempting to get him off Lee Seng. Keng moved and pushed Manny away, standing in front of Lee Seng defensively.
"What do you want, Valentin? I already told you I—" Keng began to say when Manny interjected.
"Evan spilled the beans! He said Lee Seng was with you and it is true! Why do you have him in this shit shack of a motel room?!?"
"Go away. There's nothing you can do to help him."
"Keng, I thought my childhood friend died! He's alive! Let me see him and get my emotions together at least!"
"I already stated that there would be no contact until he was up and fully healed. If you're here, that means the reporters aren't too far behind. Go away or I'll make you!" Keng shouted. He moved forward with the intent to do what he said he would. Lee Seng reached up and set a hand on Keng's shoulder. Keng turned and watched Lee Seng move out of the house. "Lee, get back here before you ruin everything! You could go to jail! We could all go to jail at this point!"
"Stop being so protective." Lee Seng said with a dry voice. Manny rushed over to Lee Seng and grabbed onto Lee Seng to stop him from falling. "Easy… You're going to turn me to mush."
"Y-you're okay!" Manny's eyes watered. "I thought you were dead! We all thought you were!"
"I didn't say he was dead. I just said we can' see each other for a while!" Keng corrected Manny. Manny ignored Keng and wrapped a hug around Lee Seng.
"I'm so glad you're okay!" Manny cried. "You're fine. Everyone's fine! Man, this is gonna be good!" He pulled away, showing his toothy smile. Manny's eyes scanned Lee Seng, noticing the injuries and the black spots. "What happened to you?"
"Hey that's enough you should—" Keng started to walk forward when a bright light lit them up. Everyone squeezed their eyes shut and tried to block the blinding light away.
"So this is where you were." A voice came out. A set of feet planted onto the ground. "Lee Seng Chang… you are a very hard person to find. If it weren't for a tip saying Mr. Valentin was following someone, we would've never found you."
"You brought the gov to us!" Keng shouted at Manny.
"Well, well, well… I guess there's two of you and our mystery guy right there." The man pointed. Lee seng and the others opened their eyes and noticed a large force of government officials all around them. They were all around them. Manny quickly turned and blocked Lee Seng.
"Back off. He didn't do anything bad. He's a victim in all of this, too." Manny shouted at the man.
"If he didn't do anything bad, he can come to us…" The man replied. He looked over to Keng, watching the three tails defensively sway behind him. "It seems there's another one of you, Chang. He looks similar to you, too. A hidden twin brother?"
"Take one step closer and I'll blast all of you away!" Keng shouted. Lee Seng could hear people moving and pointing their guns and magic at them.
"Enough, Keng." Lee Seng coughed. He looked over at the man. "Who are you?" The man pulled his identification out and stepped closer.
"I'm the lead in the investigation. Captain Harvey Frank. Lee Seng Chang, you and your squad are coming in for questioning with me."
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