Wild Creatures

Chapter 83

04.00am Sunday

As soon as Lan Zhan wakes up, he's aware of two things: his arms and legs are bound, and secondly, he's not alone.

There's another man sitting in front of him, this time wearing modern clothes. It's a simple pair of black trousers and a white shirt. His expression is curious, and unlike Wen Zhong, there is no malice in his eyes. They are a warm brown, like melted chocolate. His hair is short and wavy, and he has an air of importance, perhaps not of himself, but maybe his position?

Lan Zhan can't tell anything else for sure except that he is very much a human. And he seems to be far too relaxed for someone who is meant to be causing him pain, he thinks, picturing those tools he saw before, just ahead of passing out.

"Who are you?" His throat feels dry, but he's not feeling hungry, thanks to Wei Ying's diligent caretaking of his needs.

"My name is Wen Zhuliu." His voice is calm and gentle. "I was curious about you." He gestures towards Lan Zhan's body.

This must be the adopted son of Wen Rouhan, the one that was kept secluded, Lan Zhan surmised, remembering what Baoshan Sanren had told them about the Wens.

Why had he come here to see Lan Zhan? Had he escaped or was he allowed to wander freely?

"Why am I bound now?" Lan Zhan struggles against the leather straps around his wrists and ankles. "How much time has passed?"

"A few hours." He looks at his watch in a bored manner. "It is four in the morning. And they have bound you because the effects of my blood must have worn off by now. It wouldn't do to have their trump card running around loose, would it?"

"Why do they want to drain me?" Lan Zhan recalled what Wen Zhong told him, about what they wanted to do to him, and did a quick inventory of his own body. He is relieved to find it in perfect working condition now. The only thing stopping him from getting up and killing his way out of here is that his hands are tied, literally.

"They have Wen Qing's research. They know about you and the human, that your venom is enhanced. That's why you can walk in the sun, and that's probably why they want to feed from you."

"That's disgusting." Lan Zhan makes a face. He doesn't bother to correct him.

Leave it to the Wens to put two and two together and get ten, because the leap from seeing his test results and his ability to go outdoors in the daytime was a stretch, unless...unless Wen Qing had tampered with the results?

He tried to recall everything she had told them about their compatibility, between himself and Wei Ying, especially when she said that Wei Ying's blood actually welcomed Lan Zhan's venom. Baoshan Sanren had taken it further by explaining how his venom was attacking the cancerous tumour in Wei Ying's head. It felt like his venom was acting as an extension of himself, protecting Wei Ying and keeping him safe, because even it knew that Lan Zhan was as good as dead if Wei Ying wasn't safe, hale and hearty.

"They are well aware of the benefits of experimenting on both blood and venom." He shrugged, as if he was talking about something as inconsequential as the weather.

"But you too, are one of them, no? It is necessary for your survival, and the sooner you stop being squeamish about feeding, the easier it will be for you. Though I should warn you, they will want to keep you, if you prove valuable to them."

"I'm not going to stay here," Lan Zhan tells him, confidently.

"Then you're a bigger fool, if you think you can get away from my family." He laughs quietly, but there is something desolate in the sound.