Chapter Twelve

Yuri kept her guns and rushed to the girl hastily. Her beautiful white dress was splattered with dirty crimsons. It was very much like a deadly rose blossoming over a white canvas.

And this… is definitely not a good sight.

“Hey! Can you hear me? Listen, don’t go to sleep, I’ll save you, alright?”

Jessica struggled to open her eyes, but the pain was too extreme, her only wish was to forget about the pain on her back and fall asleep this very second. But unfortunately, the pain was so torturing that it only made her even more conscious.

“Help…”

She tried to reach for the person who was hovering over her, but failed terribly when she realized she had no strength to do such a simple action. Her energy… it was being away gradually by some unknown forces.

Jessica could hear herself panting heavily as the strength in her limbs and body slowly faded away. The last thing she remembered before she fell into unconsciousness was; she never knew it could be so comfortable to lie in someone else’s arms.

*

Never had Yuri been so regretted in her life. It was a careless mistake which should not have been made. As a hunter, she should never miss a mutant. But apparently she did, and even implicated the innocent as well.

She should not have let her guards down, and be on alert even after killing the first mutant!

Yuri could feel the dampness on her hand despite covering the injured lady with her own leather jacket. Her heart was beating in a pace faster than when she was on a mission. Sweats were trickling down her cheeks as she sped her way through the forest.

Just a little more… Just a little more…

She kept on reminding herself.

Just a little more and they will be reaching the village! As soon as she gets them to her car, she will be able to rush her back to the headquarters where the medical facilities are well-prepared.

Please… you got to survive!

“Yuri!”

For once Yuri thought Tiffany’s voice was a sign of hope, informing her she had reached her destination and that the lady in her arms could be saved.

Tiffany was approaching her when she saw the bloody lady in Yuri’s arms. “Get her to the car now, and take her back to the headquarters.” She gave out the instruction calmly.

Yuri nodded and followed her instruction. She placed Jessica in the passenger’s seat carefully and closed the door as gently as possible. Just as she was about to climb into the driver’s seat, she suddenly recalled another important issue, “Fany, what about you?” She couldn’t just leave Tiffany out here like this alone! (Reminder: Yuri drives a coupé.)

“I will walk back to the headquarters myself.” The headquarters isn’t that far from here, the distance is about thirty minutes away if travelled by car. It should not take her more than two hours even if she strolled.

Yuri obviously disagreed with her decision. How could she leave Tiffany on her own when the enemies had their eyes on Tiffany?

“Why don’t you take her back? I will walk back inste––”

“Yuri! Life is at stake right now, so don’t argue this with me! Go!” Tiffany commanded with a stern voice, interrupting Yuri’s words as she pushed Yuri into the car. She clearly understood Yuri’s intention, but never would she ever leave Yuri alone outside, just like how Yuri wouldn’t do it vice versa.

Yuri didn’t want to give in to Tiffany, but when the corner of her eyes saw the painful expression on the lady’s face, she gave up and stepped on the accelerator. As much as she hated to do this, Tiffany was right. Life is at stake right now, they should not be arguing over such minor matter.

Moreover, Tiffany would definitely be the winner at the end of the day as she would never object Tiffany’s decision. Not that she was afraid of Tiffany or anything, but Tiffany was the only person who… she would never reject.

The figure reflected on her rear mirror turned smaller and smaller as the car sped away. Yuri tried her best to hold back those tears forming at the corner of her eyes unconsciously. She had never been so helpless before. Firstly, this lady lying on her passenger’s seat was severely injured by a mutant right in front of her, and then, she was forced to leave Tiffany behind when she obviously knew Tiffany could be in a danger anytime.

What the heck is wrong with her today!

Yuri exerted more force on the accelerator, vexing out the anger which she had piled up within her chest. The moment Tiffany finally vanished from the rear mirror, her frustration was gone and her heart had sunk to its deepest point immediately.

Now, she really regretted for obeying Tiffany’s order.

Tiffany remained on her spot and watched the car drove away until it went out of her vision. She finally stopped withstanding the pain and grabbed onto her left arm tightly.

The wound, which was supposed to have dried up, was torn open when she pushed Yuri into the car earlier on. But fortunately, Yuri was too busy worrying for her and that injured lady that she failed to realize she was injured as well.

Tiffany lowered her head and frowned, staring at the part where blood was wetting her sleeves again.

Let’s just wait till the blood stopped before proceeding with the journey.

*

Almost everyone in the headquarters was shocked when they saw an anxious Yuri carrying a pale lady covered with blood, running along the corridor. Yuri might not be as capable as Tiffany, but she was still one of the better hunters around. Never in history had she ever brought back any injured party and the panicked expression she had on her face right now.

Some of the members reacted fast and called for people from the medical department. Nurses soon gathered and took Jessica away from Yuri’s arms. Yuri stood aside and watched with worries as the professionals laid the injured lady on the stretcher carefully. She followed behind them until they reached the operation theatre where the rest of them went in, and she was forced to wait outside.

One surgeon was making his way towards the operation theatre hurriedly. Yuri saw him and quickly grabbed hold of him before he was able to enter the room. “Please save her!”

“I will try my best.” He could not promise anything more than that, especially when the victim was injured by a mutant. They did not even have an idea whether the victim would turn into a mutant.

Yuri released the doctor and leaned against the wall behind her restlessly.

Please… you got to survive.

The image of Jessica in the middle of the backyard reappeared in her mind. How the angel-like woman almost took her breath away and captured all of her attention when she saw her back there. Despite the short aggressive moments Yuri had encountered when she was with her, she still saw this lady as a significance of purity and innocence.

This should not be her end. Her life should not end here. She definitely deserved a much better life rather than this.

Perhaps a world without mutant, where only peace exists.

Her brows furrowed with hatred upon pondering about their unseen future. Satron… She clenched her hands into fists and landed a hard pound on the wall behind her.

She will, she definitely will never let them off!

“Yuri!” Yuri turned towards the voice, only to see Hyuk-Jun approaching her. “What happened?” Hyuk-Jun came here as fast as he could after he heard the news about Yuri coming back with an injured lady a few minutes ago.

Hyuk-Jun was clearly aware of Yuri’s capabilities. It was highly impossible for Yuri to fail her mission, unless something went wrong.

“Oppa…” Yuri wanted to cry, but she couldn’t. She wasn’t the kind of people who showed their weak sides to the others. She turned away from Hyuk-Jun, gaze landed on the ground as she spoke, “It was me, if I hadn’t been so careless, the mutant wouldn’t have the chance to hurt her.” She made a fatal mistake. She let her guards down right after she killed the first mutant because the villagers told her that there was only one mutant. She should not have presumed there was only one just because of the villagers’ assumption. As a hunter, she was supposed to be on alert at all times and prepared herself for any outburst situations. If she had not been so careless and forgot those rules, this lady wouldn’t be lying in the operation theatre already.

No matter how much Yuri tried to hide herself, Hyuk-Jun was able to see through his sister right away. He pulled Yuri into his embrace and patted on her back lightly, comforting her, “Everyone makes mistakes Yuri, but one shouldn’t dwell too much on their mistakes. 

Instead, take it as a lesson to remind yourself not to be careless again. I’m sure you did your best too, so stop blaming yourself, alright?”

Yuri simply gave a light nod as a form of reply. She was too tired to say anything now.

Hyuk-Jun looked around them, “Where is Tiffany by the way?” It was unusual to find Tiffany missing when Yuri brought back an injured victim from a mission. And seeing the depressing look on Yuri’s face, Hyuk-Jun thought Tiffany should be the first one who stayed by Yuri and gave her support.

Fany!

Yuri shot up from Hyuk-Jun’s embrace suddenly, surprising the guy. “She is still in the village.” Yuri pulled out her communication device and wore it on her ear.

She really hates herself today, why are there so many mistakes made? This is just not her… how on earth did she forgets about Tiffany?

Tiffany answered her call almost immediately.

“Fany!”

“What’s wrong? And how’s the casualty?” Tiffany asked from the other side of the line.

Yuri lifted up her head and looked at the lighted ‘OPERATION’ word above the theatre’s doors. She replied, “We just sent her in, she is still in the operation. Fany, where are you now?” She could go back to the village and fetched Tiffany back while waiting for the operation to finish.

“I just left the village, and no, Yuri, don’t even think about it. Stay where you are, I will be fine on my own.” Tiffany wasn’t Yuri’s partner for nothing. She knew better what was going through Yuri’s mind.

“But Fany––”

“You can’t leave the headquarters yet, not when you just brought in a casualty. They may need your help for assistance. Besides that, you need a rest now. I don’t want you to overwork yourself. If you’re really worried for me, then make sure you look healthy and energetic to me when I come back. Got it? I’m going to hang up now, the journey is still long. Bye.” Without giving Yuri a chance to speak, Tiffany disconnected the signal between the two devices.

“Fany…” Yuri took off her device disappointedly. It was near impossible to change Tiffany’s mind once she made up her decision. She understood Tiffany cared for her as much as she cared for the latter, but the thing was Tiffany didn’t share the same view as her!

Yuri heaved out a heavy sigh. She ignored Hyuk-Jun’s questioning gaze and plopped down on the bench near her.

Why does Tiffany always reject her?