CHAPTER 5: ARRESTED

- You guys, hold her, make her look up.

The two men who had been holding Daisy, once more time come forward to her, following the army general's orders. The young man sitting next to the army general says:

- You see, Scorpion Country people have dark skin, black pupils, and black hair. She has light skin, auburn hair, and amber pupils.

-The Scorpion Country army is inherently evil. It is possible if they train a secret agent from another tribe to sneak into our army.

Then he looks at Daisy:

- I give you one more chance. Speak! Who are you?

Daisy just cringes. Due to being held tightly, she can't bow anymore, only can shake her head repeatedly. The young man speaks again:

- Army general, it looks like she's mute, or doesn't understand what we are saying in the beginning.

The army general peers all over Daisy. Daisy feels like she is being scanned from head to toe by an airport scanner. With a military eye, he immediately notices that Daisy was carrying a large bag.

- Bring her luggage here.

The man violently snatches the bag out of Daisy's body, then offers it to the army general. But he just coldly glances at the bag and throws it at the person next to him. The scholar examines each compartment, and carefully examines the plan document that Daisy prepared for Mr. Van of New Generation Company. Then he shows the army general:

- You see, this language is really strange. This is the first time I have seen it. This paint uses very high technology, currently, we have not been able to make this beautiful paint or ink color.

- Maybe this is their own created code to avoid other people finding out. Let's bring her back and interrogate her first. She seems to know many things. Then… it's not too late to kill.

Although Daisy does not understand what he is saying, for some reason, Daisy gets goose flesh all over her body because his eyes seemed as wanting to expose her.

The two men continue to drag her and then directly throw her onto the horse’s back before jumping up and sitting behind her, pinning her in front. Daisy is unable to struggle. The horse neighs and then gallops along with the line of troops ahead. Daisy sees the scholar turns to look at her. A look is only passing, but somehow she has the feeling that he has something to say to her. But Daisy can't think much of it. The horse's galloping rhythm, the dusty wind blowing into her face and eyes, and the fatigue of her body make her quickly faint.

When Daisy wakes up, she finds herself lying on a rough little bed in a sketchy tent. Daisy glances outside and sees two guards in front of her tent. They are still with a muscular body, a fierce face, and brown skin as shiny as bronze. Looks like they think they can dig up some secret information from Daisy. The army general still suspects that Daisy is a spy, and she is being held as a prisoner. But this also means that he hasn't killed her now. However, he can change his mind at any time, the day after tomorrow, or even tonight.

Daisy wonders if he finds out that she really doesn't know anything, what will he do with a worthless prisoner? Let her go or implement the policy of killing the wrong person rather than ignoring the latent risk?

Daisy shudders at the memory of his ferocious face, with his heavy jaw and cold-blooded, despotic eyes. Surely he always have the intention of killing her to get rid of the debt, if the scholar didn’t help, she would have left her body in the desert.

Daisy looks around the tent. The strange layout makes it impossible for her to tell what era she is in or what ethnicity they are. At first, Daisy thinks she had gone back to feudal times, though even this thought seems to be a myth. But after thinking carefully, about the clothes, the way they dress, and the language they use, Daisy realizes that her patchwork history knowledge from a few books and movies is useless.

Daisy once read about parallel world theory, maybe the strong impact brought her to another dimension, a world that existed at the same time as her current world. If so, is Daisy's body still in the old world with a persistent vegetative state, or has it disappeared from there completely? If David finds her missing, will he let someone find her? Do Pai Huang Company, the department head, and Rita think that Daisy can't bear the responsibility of the failed contract and choose to run away?

Or in another theory, Daisy's arrival here took the place of someone who looked like her, and at the same time dragged them to another world. Then, Daisy's replaced person must be as confused as she is right now. Maybe she isn't in a situation of being murdered, but she is also facing terrible situations, like being sent to a mental institution.

Daisy wishes she can find out what is going on. She silently blames herself for not learning about Stephen Hawking's theory of time seriously. Or she should blame herself for watching too many romantic stories and then falling into this strange situation with many scenarios.

Before, Daisy thinks about death many times, especially when her parents died. Daisy is not afraid of death, she is more curious about it than afraid. But somehow she wants to live now, she yearns for returning to her world, even though she has never really loved it. Maybe when she loses what she had, she knows how to appreciate them.

Daisy lies on the bed. She tells herself that the most important thing now is to find a way to survive here. And the wooden stake she can cling to, it is definitely this person.  From the moment she sees his face, this thought comes to Daisy.

- The Army Deputy General!

- I follow the general's orders to look into the suspect's situation.

A voice comes from outside, it is not difficult for Daisy to recognize the low, calm voice of the scholar she is thinking of.

- You just lie on the bed, your face seems to be better.

He waves his hand as he sees Daisy getting out of bed. He continues clapping twice. Immediately a soldier comes in and brings a basin and a bottle. They are all full of water.

Isn't that the potion that the army general gives Daisy? Daisy involuntarily kneels, grabs the scholar's legs, and begs him by bowing and shaking her head.

Aware of Daisy's panic, the young man asks the soldier to get out and help Daisy up. He leans down to the basin of water, pretending to be a person washing his face, then he turns to hold the water bottle, pretending to drink. When he has done, he turns to Daisy and points at his head:

- Do you understand? This is a basin of water to wash your face, and this is drinking water. Absolutely no harm to you.

Daisy nods her head. Since she is in the desert, she is thirsty, but she does not dare to scream. Her face, hands, and feet are all dirty, she just wants to take a bath. However, just a basin of water is already a blessing at this moment.