A dust plume trailed after them like a tail before settling down as they came to a stop lightly squeaking, the men left the engine still running. The red lights of the brakes illuminated the surroundings, showing a small squat building to their right. A light came on from inside the building, responding to the growl of the engine outside. One of the men got out and cut the rope of the young woman bound across from her. She was dragged into the building by the man, who then came out by himself a minute or two later. He hopped back into the truck and they continued on, tires scritching against the ground as they s.h.i.+fted gears and sped up, quickly taking them away from the area. Further into the unknown. Chang slammed into the side of the truck as they started up unexpectedly adding to the layering of bruising she already felt.

Chang felt fear in her heart. She wanted to ask but dared not to, these men had already made it very clear that violence was an easy means for their solutions.

'Where are they taking me? where did they take that girl?

'Am I going to die?' That thought hit her like a ton of bricks.

'No. No. I dont want to die. Mom. Jian. Somebody please help me..' She curled her shoulders forward and hung her head low concealing a couple of silvery tears.

'Jian where are you? Save me, please.'

----

Liang JianAmal sent the guard back to the palace, to bring fresh reinforcements. He also sent him with a message to Hao Jin Ying to follow him and to bring "that."

Liang JianAmal was riding again following the tracks of the vehicle that led from the house. Even if this didnt lead to Chang, this was already far more than suspicious enough. He sorely hoped that it did though, so much time had already been lost.

The tracks led him further south and to the east slightly, into the wilds.

----

After what felt like an eternity the truck rolled to a stop in the middle of what looked liked any other spot they had pa.s.sed. Dawn was just starting to throw back the curtain of night, the sky just blus.h.i.+ng a lighter shade of lilac to her left, behind a row of ma.s.sive mountains.

Chang wearily hung from her wrists blankly looking at the scrubby and sandy hilly area. As they had traveled the gra.s.s had given way to mostly sand, and hard packed terrains of what looked like mud. Plant life had lessened to just a few scraggly small trees and spa.r.s.e bushes. The whole place looked inhospitable and unwelcoming to her.

'Wait are they going to kill me and dump my body here? No! No!' Chang started to panic as they stopped in the middle of nowhere.

The man who had grabbed them, and taken the other woman into the building; came around and tried to cut her bondage and drag her out of the vehicle. After he cut the ropes restraining her Chang started to freak out and clawed savagely at the man's face. He stumbled back and she threw herself out of the truck and started sprinting, heading back the way they came. Her breath came out ragged as she ran with all she had terror fueling her steps. She hadn't made it for than a few hundred feet when she was tackled savagely onto the hard ground. Chang screamed and flailed, clawing at the ground desperately, trying to get away; a firm hand had her ankle in a firm grip though. The back of her collar was seized along with some of her hair, which now hung mostly loose, disheveled, and she was dragged unwillingly back to the truck.

The man who she had come to realize was probably the leader sneered at her before backhanding her on her right cheek.

Chang tasted blood in her mouth from the hit, and it felt like her cheek instantly swelled up to the size of a baseball. She saw stars swimming before her eyes, and depended on the hand holding her collar to keep her up. The man then grabbed her chin forcing her face up as he inspected where he struck her.

"Hmm good, dont want to mess up that pretty face of yours, we wont be able to make as much if we do. Can't leave marks on you.." The man smiled at her evilly before continuing trying to impress his meaning into her. "At least ones that buyers could see."

Chang felt herself growing cold realizing there were things worse than death.