Severing Time & Space

Desperation, Part I

Four days had passed since the Wu Clan's enemies had attempted to break into the compound and failed. Several battles had taken place each day, and each time, the Wu Clan's forces would be reduced from injuries and deaths. What had been a clan of around five hundred strong was now only about four hundred—and at least half of that number was made up of young children and people who had no cultivating talent.

Deaths were relatively low, with only twenty-five people having been killed since the first wave of attacks. The rest had received injuries so brutal that it would take months for them to recover. The only upside to all of this was that Father had woken up three days after the first attack, though he still lacked the strength to stand at the frontlines. It appeared he had been poisoned by Tian Hao. This had the effect of weakening his body. According to Wu Shaolin, it would take at least one month before he recovered enough to fight.

Wu Jian had not participated in any of the battles since that first one. After being simultaneously thanked and scolded by Wu Taohua, who told him she didn't know whether to be grateful for his quick thinking or furious for his recklessness, he had been tasked with helping Mother care for the injured alongside Wu Meiying and Hou Jingshu. Together, the three of them did everything in their power to help preserve the lives of those who fought to keep them safe.

Having experienced another battle where their lives were put on the line, Wu Jian no longer held the same fear he used to for their situation. He still felt its icy hold. Only fools felt no fear when death loomed over them, but more than being afraid, what he felt was helplessness at their situation.

At present, Wu Jian was located inside the hospital wing. The sleeves of his blood-coated hanfu had been torn off. He had used them to bandage a young man's injuries. The person in question was currently lying down, the fabric wrapped tightly around his bicep as a makeshift tourniquet.

His arm was missing from the elbow down.

They had long since run out of actual bandages and were being forced to tear strips of fabric to use in their place. Hou Jingshu had been the first to tear her dress apart and use it, and now the others were following her lead. Wu Jian had to admit that she had never looked more like a noble princess than she did in that moment.

"You're going to be okay. Come on. Let's change your bandages," he said.

The man he was now seeing to groaned groaned as he lifted his leg. Wu Jian removed the bandage, careful not to aggrandize the wound further, and managed to keep the grimace from his face thanks to having already experienced worse. Ugly festers covered the wound and it was beginning to turn green. The wound was infected.

This is bad. We haven't been able to gather any herbs, so we're running low on salves for stopping infections. To top it off, we're almost out of salt too...

They had been using their stores of salt, mixing it with water to create a disinfectant. It stung, but it was effective. However, that had only been a temporary solution. It was never meant to last. As he looked at the wound, Wu Jian realized they were truly backed into a corner.

We're out of salves, almost out of salt, and nearly out of food. Even if the Ming Family and Fierce Tiger Sect do nothing, they will win.

These thoughts passed through his mind as he tore more of his clothes, cleaned them with salt water, and wrapped them around the wound as a makeshift bandage. Sweat beaded his forehead as he tried to focus only on his task. He knew that thinking too much about the future would cause him to freeze.

"There. You're all better. Take it easy and get some rest," Wu Jian said with a smile.

The Wu Clansman, injured and in obvious pain, smiled back at him. "Thank you, Young Master. We are... cough cough... very grateful to you, for all the help you have given us."