My watch was showing three when we reached town. Edelweiss and Na San followed along with me at the wheel on my old Volkswagen with Lin Feng driving himself, Chongxi, and Big Sister, in another car, following closely behind. "Shiyan," Lin Feng called to ask, "Where to now?"
I pondered for a second and answered, "Lu Shengnan's teaching center first. That's our only lead for now." Lin Feng snorted an assent and the call clicked off.
Our cars, both moving in a file, came to the street bustling with commercial activity and to our dismay, there were no parking spots available. We circled around and finally found a couple not far away from our destination. In busy shopping areas like this one, beggars can't be choosy.
Our party waded through the currents of shoppers until we finally reached the entrance leading up to Lu Shengnan's place upstairs. Unexpectedly, we found the entrance locked by a sturdy-looking padlock. Lin Feng and I looked at Chongxi
By the powers of Master Six and Father, my companions and I were sent back through time, back into ancient China where we embarked on a quest of pilgrimage to strengthen and temper ourselves. With little said about our adventures in medieval China, we returned back to the present, once again being tossed down into the spiraling chaos of the invisible war for the dragon leys of China.It was during one of our many adventures in ancient history where Chongxi found himself a weapon. We left it somewhere in Wu Zhong before returning back to the present and recovering it was the first thing we did as soon as we came back. After retrieving it, we went back to town. Lu Shengnan had been abducted by Huang Li's people during our absence and in the final message she had been able to send me, there was only a four-letter word: Help.At the same time, Ji Qichen had been taken as well. His disclosing of vital information to me had been discovered by his confederates, th
Na San and I went back to outside Huang Li's interrogation room where we found Zheng Shuang waiting for us. He gave us two sets of lunch boxes. I pried open the chopsticks and opened my box, saying, "Let me speak to Huang Li and the four stupid dead logs. Do not let anyone in. And, it would be best to have..." "Already done, Shiyan," Zheng Shuang mentioned, "All recording apparatuses have been shut off. Apparently, our reputation and exploits have impressed the top brass of the District Headquarters and they are doing their best to fulfill any requirements we'll need." I nodded, ignoring the strange and curious stares from the other officers around us as we went into the interrogation room with the lunch boxes.We pushed through the doors and two other officers were on watch inside, one of them being the chief of the District Headquarter's Criminal Investigations Division whose name I could no longer recall.I gave them a knowing look and a curt nod, implic
Outside the interrogation room, everyone mobbed me for answers and I told them everything about Huang Li's talk with me and her final words. "Did you notice, Shiyan? Something wrong with her when she lost control of her temper just now?" Chongxi pointed out, chewing his cigarette, "Her soul was unsteady just now. But only for a brief moment, if you'd noticed.""I did," I agreed, nodding my head, saying, "Someone has tampered with her soul. She did mention that her father had done something terrible to her and her husband, Cao Xuedong. She did not say what specifically, but I guess it had something to do with their souls."Big Sister interjected suddenly, "You said just now Huang Li told you that everyone that looks the same like her bears the same rage and malice towards you?" I nodded. "I don't understand. What does she mean?" I paused for a moment's mulling before I answered, "I could only surmise she's referring to people that have the same cold and fros
I unzipped the plastic bag, peered inside, and was immediately dismayed by what I saw. I tipped it over and emptied the bag, pouring a few bank cards and a receipt for the payment of lease for this shop.We shared a quick look. exchanging weak smiles and exasperated chuckles. Nothing could have been more trivial than what we found: a couple of Huang Li's and Cao Xuedong's bank cards and lease payment receipts. Shaking my head, I tossed the bag onto the mattress and looked around the crabbed little room.Only, there was nothing left for us to look into. The room has nothing else besides the bed and the dressing table, save for distinctive scruff marks on the wall which suggested that there was once a portable zip wardrobe here. It was missing now and it could have been taken when they left. If there was anything vital still hiding around, it could only be inside the drawers of the dressing table.Zheng Shuang knelt down beside the table and open
"Like a robot." Our heads turned and saw it was Lin Feng who said that, with the edges of his eyes twitching uncomfortably. I flashed him an approving nod, attesting to what he said, something which Chongxi agreed too. "True enough," he said, "All of them behaved like mindless drones without any shred of humanity or compassion, only programmed to do as he's told."Zheng Shuang looked positively aghast by that epiphany, looking absolutely shocked that he could not even speak. Big Sister placed her empty can on the table and propped one leg over one knee and called, "Toss me another, Na San." The Shaman hastily placed his can on the floor and knelt down to extract another Coke from the box. Carefully, he popped the Coke open and presented it humbly to her, saying, "Your drink, My Lady." "Gods, Big Sister. Can you be any more imperious!?" I frowned from across the coffee table. She shrugged nonchalantly as she took her Coke from Na San's hands, ignoring my jibe, and gestur
Mr. Huang stared at me as if he was surprised at my introduction. I smiled and stepped closer to him, offering a hand. "Well, I must say, as Huang Li's former classmate, I'm sorry to hear what she's gone through. Considering our friendship, I felt it right to come and meet you." With feigned embarrassment, I scratched my head, trying to look as sheepish as possible before I went on, "We're sorry we came empty-handed; we don't want to be untactful since you being in your office might attract a lot of unwanted attention."A look of comprehension broke on his face just as immediately before a slight hesitation, then he took my hand and shook it.The shake of hands was deliberate. Before this, my shaking hands with Huang Li, Cao Xuedong, or even Sergeant Zhan at the police's District Headquarters had always resulted in me experiencing hallucinations as soon as we came into contact. It was my own way so far of determining if anyone was a descendant of Tribe Nine
"I can't believe it! A will-o'-the-wisp!" Chongxi spat furiously. "What do you think this place is? Wildernesses like these are where people usually abandon corpses and carcasses, of course, there'd be will-o'-the-wisps here!" Big Sister quipped with a giggle, to which Chongxi uttered a surprised "Ah?", not comprehending what Big Sister was trying to say."I'd not be surprised if Huang Li's father has indeed killed to cover up secrets of his. This area is deserted and he could easily dig a hole and hide any dead body without being seen. That's what she means." I explained and Chongxi emitted an "Oh!" finally.We reached the inside of the compound. Crouching by the corner of a wall, Zheng Shuang whispered to me, "Go on then! I'll keep watch here!" I felt like a little child leading his band of merry men bent on mischief and Zheng Shuang's pretense of "I'll keep watch here" struck as being as best an excuse he could come up just to mask his cowardice like the
The end of the corridor was a particularly dark corner, hindering us from seeing who it was or what had been broken. Without even any signal from me this time, Na San charged again into the darkness with me screaming urgently, "Careful!" But Na San kept his pace as if he had not heard me.Fearing for his safety, I ordered my wolves to go with him. Then I grabbed Edelweiss's hand and we chased after him. The corridor was not a long one; it only looked long because of the shadows when it was but only a few paces to the stop.We reached the end to find the large glass pane smashed to bits and the night winds were pouring in like a dam being broken. The eerie silence was broken by the mad howling of the winds and the snapping of our clothes. We looked out and saw Zheng Shuang sipping nervously on his cigarette on below a nearby corner. I shouted at him, "Hey! Did you break this glass pane?" The sudden cry jolted him and he jumped. Then he instinctively looked u