MDZS: Scars Remain Unforgotten.

Chapter-7: Rumoured man-eating bunker, blades everywhere.

We were currently five or six miles away from Qinghe.

"Lan Zhan, if I get eaten up here by the man-eating bunker then...I want to look you in the eye and remember you as my last fond memory..." I smiled at him. I just had to be a tease. He looked away. Somehow I felt as if he was somewhat flustered, I imagined it surely, maybe it was the way he turned his head away? Maybe. I was sure it was due to disgust. But I just liked to imagine that he was blushing just hearing my flirtatious remarks about him.

'So beautiful.'

'The upright and just Hanguang-jun getting smitten by the lowly Yiling Patriarch.' I said in my head, smiling all the while at him. It was unbelievable, pure gone-wild imagination.

"Focus." He replied.

"But! But! I was just admiring your beauty."

"Frivolous."

"Whaaaat!?" "Hey! Hey! Lan Zhan! Wait up!"

"Woof!"

"GAH!" I hid behind Lan Zhan after hearing the bark of a dog. What was a dog doing in the forest!? Lan Zhan looked at me over his shoulders, I grabbed his arms tight, I smiled sheepishly.

"There are no dogs...Wei..."

"Wei Ying, courtesy name: Wei Wuxian."

"Wei Wuxian..."

"You can just call me Wei Ying!"

"You may call me addressing me by my given name, but I won't."

"Why?"

"It is disrespectful...in my opinion."

"Hey! It isn't! Then..."

"WOOF!!"

"AAH!!!" I lowered my body even more, in fear I still stood behind Lan Zhan.

"Why are you afraid of dogs." I let go of his arms and now stood beside him, like a normal person.

"It- it- isn't necessary...to know." Lan Zhan started walking away, oh so he thought that him leaving would convince me, yes it would, he was so damn right. And since he was right, this time I was not going to let him walk away in his sashaying, yet humble and dignified walk!

I grabbed him by the arm.

"WAIT! WAIT! I'll tell! I'll tell!" He stopped, and looked at me, he really wanted to listen, which was unexpected.

"When...I was younger...I used to be a tramp...I fought with dire dogs for food...because of it, they'd chase me, I- I don't know, I guess the childish fear is still there..."

"..." He remained silent for a while. "There are no dogs, I...guarantee your safety."

"T- Thanks..." He nodded his head.

"Could you let go...it-"

"O-OH! I'm so sorry!" I realized I still grabbed onto his arm, I let go, was I truly afraid that he'd leave and never return? Why did I suddenly care so much?

I was still a bit spooked by the bark of the dog, so I did not hesitate and immediately rushed over to Lan Zhan and hid behind him, clinging tightly onto his arms, I was going to stay like this for a while.

Everywhere I looked, there were gnarled vines and grass-like outgrowth, then there was fog.

"Seems like the rumours aren't groundless." Lan Zhan had made a comment. I looked at him.

We walked onwards through the thick fog, until, before us, there were some stone staircases leading upwards, we had perhaps stumbled upon the rumoured man-eating bunker.