“This is incredible!” Luo Jie was amazed by the impressiveness and solemnity of the Conference Hall. As a Banner Master, Luo Jie attended the High Ranking Military Conference of House ZiChuan for the first time. The place was simply magnificent, and was designed to provide space for over a thousand high ranking officers and more. Top notch red carpet, walls filled with hundreds of lively sculptures, the roof was so high and together with the countless crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling like stars in the nightly sky, it was a sight to behold.
“How big is this place?” Bai Chuan asked Stirling sitting next to her at the table.
Stirling smiled back: “I have no idea. But there was a legend, saying that a Banner Master once came here with his whole infantry division. That Banner Master was late, and by the time he got here, he couldn’t find anyone. So he left. The next day, his subordinates told him that his entire Division, over three thousand men stood at the left corridor of the hall, waiting for him…
“Yo!” Chang Chuan called: “That banner in the middle… the handsome looking one… Who is that long haired idiot in the large portrait?!”
“Watch your mouth! That is the founder of the house, His Excellency ZiChuan Yun!”
“Huh? Where did Master Xiu go?”
“Master Xiu, why are you cowering in the corner?”
“Oh, I thought I could pry some the decorative gold from the wall, but they were surprisingly well fitted…”
……
ZiChuan Xiu looked around; the conference had yet to start. Over a thousand high ranking officers were spread around the hall, chatting or casually taking a walk. He turned to Stirling: “Isn’t your Imperial Guard on security duty today?”
Stirling smiled: “You really think Yang Ming Hua would leave the security of this place to me? The constables from the Ministry of Supervision are the ones in charge of the security.”
ZiChuan Xiu nodded. Inspector General – Xiao Long had always maintained neutral. He is the only one both parties would be able to accept if put in charge of the security.
……
An officer greeted ZiChuan Xiu as he approached: “Long time no see, Xiu!”
ZiChuan Xiu turned around: “Sir De Lei, it has been a long time indeed.”
De Lei was the Deputy Commander of the Black Banner Army. They fought side by side six years ago during the counter attack against House Liu Feng. Smiling, De Lei introduced his son, Banner Master De Ke to ZiChuan Xiu: “This is my kid, De Ke. It’s his first time being invited to a place like this. He still has much to learn from Sir Xiu and Sir Stirling.”
De Ke was pretty much still in his teens, with barely any beard growth around his lips. He seemed a little bit shy and introverted. He quickly gave ZiChuan Xiu and Stirling a military salute, but didn’t quite know the right words for the occasion, so he cracked a simple, but honest smile instead.
Stirling commended: “Such a spirited lad, I’m sure he has a great future ahead of him!”
ZiChuan Xiu gave an evil grin: “He is quite a handsome devil isn’t he; almost as good looking as I am. Sir De Lei, are you sure he is yours? I have my doubts!”
De Lei laughed: “When we remove that silver tongue of yours, we will have rid ourselves of most of the wickedness in this place!”
“Most? Where is the rest?”
“Well, you will have to ask our most honourable Supreme Commander for that!”
They each gave the other a knowing smile, before De Lei excused himself to talk with the other high ranking officers.
……
The bell rang and the conference began. On the podium sat the six commanders: Luo Ming Hai, Ge Ying Xing, Lei Xun, Fang Jin, Ming Hui and Pi Gu. But the seats of Supreme Commander and Headmaster remained empty. It had been a long time since Headmaster ZiChuan Shen Xing last attended a major conference, and thus no one really expected him to be here this time either.
On top of the podium, Yang Ming Hua appeared on time, but what started both ZiChuan Xiu and Stirling was, that he showed up together with Di Lin who sat down somewhere in the middle. Di Lin had returned, but he had yet to make contact… Their eyes met, and they both could sense the worry brewing in the other’s eyes.
Yang Ming Hua went and took the seat below the great portrait of ZiChuan Yun, the one reserved only for the Headmaster of the House. He was smiling, as if that was the most natural thing in the world.
A wave of uneasiness spread across the hall. Many high ranking officers stared at Yang Ming Hua in disbelief as the same thought surged through their mind: Has he gone mad?
ZiChuan Xiu whispered to Stirling: “He is paving the path for his coup!”
“Yep!” Stirling said: “At the same time, he wants to find out if anyone dares to oppose him!”
Suddenly, the door at the main entrance opened wide and Headmaster ZiChuan Shen Xing’s shadow appeared behind it.
The air in the conference hall was immediately replaced by a cloud of uneasiness as all the officers could see how ZiChuan Shen Xing’s body quivered at the sight of the open provocation. Yang Ming Hua on the other hand, was very calm and had no intention of ever standing up… The awkward silence seemed would last for an eternity.
A kick against the floor later, ZiChuan Shen Xing turned around and went back out of the door.
Almost everyone let out a sigh in relief, counting themselves lucky that no conflict arose on the spot, that the hollow peace could continue its course and that they weren’t forced to pick a side then and there…
Stirling’s tightly clenched fist shook violently… “He should be ashamed if his master had to worry, and he should die if his master was put to shame.”[1] He would not stand for the humiliating insult directed at his Master; he would die if it means the death of Yang Ming Hua… But a firm hand was placed in time on his shoulder, keeping him at bay. ZiChuan Xiu’s spoke with a calming voice: “Stay alive, you have much to do still!”
……
Yang Ming Hua began his speech: “Fellow officers, let’s begin the annual High Ranking Military Conference…” As if nothing had happened, he announced the opening statement.
“Sir Supreme commander, I’m sorry, but I think you are sitting on the wrong seat…”
Everyone instantly turned their head towards the source of the disturbance – it was a shy young Banner Master still in his teens. Both ZiChuan Xiu and Stirling were shocked… It was De Lei’s kid, De Ke.
“Oh.” Yang Ming Hua gave him a frown: “I don’t think we have met; I’m sitting on the wrong chair you say?”
It was De Ke’s first time speaking in front of such audience, and criticising a figure of authority no less… His anxiety made his words come out in a stutter: “I’m De Ke, Banner Master from the Black Banner Army… I’m not trying to criticize you Sir; I meant nothing by it… I’m sure it was just an honest mistake… But in my humble opinion, you should make way for the Headmaster, Sir. In the end, rules are rules…”
His father, De Lei got on his feet almost instantly and scowled at him: “De Ke, are you mad? What are you even saying?! Apologize to the Supreme Commander and sit back down!”
“It is fine. Banner Master – De Ke. I know you mean well, but please do not interrupt the proceedings again. This is a very serious occasion!” With that, Yang Ming Hua gave Di Lin a look; his intention was clear and terrifying at the same time.
“Of course! I would like to apologize for my intrusion earlier…” De Ke apologized hurriedly with his reddened cheeks… He didn’t even know why he had to apologize… I…”
He was not allowed to finish, as a narrow long blade pierced his youthful, warm and broad chest with lightning precision, and it was retracted just as fast, leaving a trail of blood in its wake. He watched dumbfounded at the mark of blood slowly expanding across his chest. When he looked back up at Di Lin, who slowly wiped away the blood staining his blade, De Ke’s eyes widened in disbelief of what he just saw… and then, from where he stood, he fell… even then his dilated pupils were still so full of youthfulness and yearning…
His Father, Deputy Commander – De Lei roared in anger as he leaped towards Di Lin, but before he could even take a single step, a heavy palm landed on his back, sending blood gushing from his lungs. “Bam.” He dropped to the floor; he probably wouldn’t be alive for much longer. Lei Xun somehow made his way next to him, and thanks to his Storm Technique, the blow was fatal.
Shouts exploded throughout the hall; officers couldn’t believe what they just witnessed. Yang Ming Hua’s men openly executed two of their fellow officers, De Lei and De Ke, two high ranking officers of House ZiChuan!
A few Officers from the Black Banner Army instantly rose to their feet…
“Boom!” Thunder boomed across the Conference hall, temporarily stunning everyone caught in the blast. Lei Xun stood proudly in the center; his body acted like the eye of the storm as air swirled around him, spinning faster and faster. Those who stood near him couldn’t even keep their eyes open, even less remaining on their feet. Not even the locks could bear the terrifying pressure, “Bang,” and the entrance doors were blown wide open. Yet, even more shocking, it made him float in midair. Looking down from above, his intense killing intent quickly engulfed the entire hall, and that was the peak form of his powerful Storm Technique.
……
Stirling murmured to himself: “Not bad for the number one warrior of House ZiChuan!”
ZiChuan Xiu twitched his mouth to one side: “Yeah, he is more like a fan. The way he hangs in midair, let’s call him a ceiling fan from now on!”
Every officer present was overwhelmed by Lei Xun’s display of force, and unable to retaliate.
Yang Ming Hua stood high up on the podium, scanning the faces in front of him with his imposing gaze, as if he was trying to find out if there was another idiot who would step up and oppose him… But no one dared to look into his threatening eyes, not even ZiChuan Xiu or Stirling, as they averted their eyes unconsciously…
“So when brutality reaches a certain peak, it could become a form of authority.” Stirling’s mind was in pain, the look of that young lad’s widened eyes the moment he died kept reappearing before him. He would not rest in peace. “Di Lin, how could you?!”
……
“Good, let’s proceed.” Yang Ming Hua declared.
And there was silence.
Yang Ming Hua smiled in satisfaction, thinking: Bunch degenerates, if I don’t scare them a little, they just may forget their place!”
“Next…”
“I object!” A feminine voice interrupted his speech.
“I accuse Far Eastern Army Deputy Commander – Di Lin of premeditated murder against Black Banner Army Banner Master – De Ke!”
“I accuse Central Army Commander – Lei Xun of premeditated murder against Black Banner Army Deputy Commander – De Lei!”
“I accuse Supreme Commander Yang Ming Hua being the mastermind of both of these cold-blooded murders. He must be held responsible!”
“I, Banner Master – Bai Chuan and assistant at the Administrative Office, bring my accusation to the Inspector General – Xiao Long. I will take full responsibility for all my actions!”
Bai Chuan’s clear and due to her nervousness, slightly trembling feminine voice echoed in the silent conference hall.
Over a thousand brave men were gathered at the Annual High Ranking Military Conference of House ZiChuan, and all of them were to put shame by the courage and integrity of a young woman.
……
The conference took place on Imperial Calendar, Year 779, March 26th. That day, would forever be known as the “Bloody Night of Di Du”. The river of blood flowing in the Conference hall would soon rejoin the great sea later that night, drowning everyone who stood in its way…
House ZiChuan’s hundred years of heroism and anguish, would begin its first chapter that crimson night.
Suddenly, Inspector General – Xiao Long’s next step could very well decide everything.
Not because he held an important position: He was House ZiChuan’s seventh Commander, a position that was above the other six.
Not because he held great powers: He was in charge of the internal affairs, and was not under the direct command of the High Command led by the Supreme Commander – Yang Ming Hua.
And definitely not because he was fair, just, revered or respected by everyone in House ZiChuan.
The only reason being that at the time, the four thousand constables in charge of the security were all under his direct command! Whichever party he chooses would instantly gain several thousand fully armed elite forces to their side. If a conflict did break out, there was no way someone could withstand the onslaught even if they were the best fighters in the world.
Not to mention the fact that all the officers present had to go through security before the Conference, and were disarmed. In other words, it gave them even less of a fighting chance against the well armed, well trained constables who held a significant number advantage in the first place.
Every single pair of eyes was fixated on Xiao Long sitting in the front row, wondering how he would react to Bai Chuan’s accusations.
Stirling’s face turned pale; he already knew which side Xiao Long was on – How did Di Lin get inside with his blade?
Xiao Long’s solemn expression was like an iron mask, in the face of all expectations, he began slowly: “No murder has taken place; there is no need for an investigation. Case dismissed.”
The murder took place right in front of him; the blood hadn’t even dried. Yet he claimed there was no murder! He couldn’t have made it clearer; everyone knew which side he was on by now. So apparently no one was killed.
Yang Ming Hua was furious with Bai Chuan. He couldn’t care less about grace or manners at this point. Everyone else had clearly given up, except one stupid bitch who didn’t know her place. He gave Di Lin another look.
Di Lin replied with a grin and began pacing in Bai Chuan’s direction. The tragedy that befell Banner Master De Ke was about to repeat itself.
ZiChuan Xiu, Luo Jie and Chuang Chuan instantly rose to their feet and came to stand between Di Lin and his prey.
Seeing ZiChuan Xiu, Di Lin hesitated and halted his steps, unsure of what to do next.
Stirling on the other hand focussed his attention entirely on Lei Xun, making sure that he wouldn’t be able to ambush his friends like he did before.
Small distance away, Xiao Long shouted the order. A party of fully armed constables rushed into the Hall and surrounded ZiChuan Xiu, Stirling and their men, holding them at arrow-point.
Bows were drown; arrows were notched. The situation could turn violent at a moment’s notice!
……
Suddenly, Ge Ying Xing’s gentle voice sounded from afar: “Inspector General – Xiao Long says that there is no need for an investigation – I disagree. In fact, I think we should get to the bottom of this! So I suggest we vote on it. Those who think we should start an investigation, please raise your hand!” With that, Ge Ying Xing not only raised his hand, he even stood up on the podium.
The way he said it was very clever. He only asked everyone to vote on whether they should “start an investigation” or not, and did not directly accuse Yang Ming Hua of “the murder”. This way he had given Yang Ming Hua a way out, instead of pressuring him to make a move.
The officers from the Far Eastern Army instantly raised their hands in support. They had resented Yang Ming Hua for what he did for a long time. They didn’t come out and say it before because they lacked a voice that would bring them together, but now with Ge Ying Xing’s backing, there was nothing holding them back.
Far Eastern Army was the biggest armed forces of House ZiChuan, which meant a big portion of the officers rose to their feet in an instant. Even Yang Ming Hua was caught off guard by it.
Border Army Commander Ming Hui sitting on the other side of the podium cracked a wry smile while looking at Yang Ming Hua: “I agree with Sir Ge Ying Xing’s opinion!”
Black Banner Army Commander Fang Jing stood up almost immediately without saying so much of a word. He was in a terrible mood. Then again, the ones killed were all Black Banner Army officers; they were his men, so naturally he was furious.
Even Imperial Guard Army Commander Pi Gu, whom everyone thought was dull-brained, got up on his trembling feet in protest!
Suddenly noises erupted in the hall, almost everyone had stood up. Every single pair of eyes filled with anger fixated on Yang Ming Hua standing on top of the podium… His outrageous behaviour had angered the mass! Amongst all the officers standing up in protest, quite a few were even from Yang Ming Hua’s own force, the Central Army.
The only ones still sitting on the podium at this point were Yang Ming Hua’s close confidants: Lei Xun and Luo Ming Hai.
Facing them, was a great ocean of fury.
……
At where ZiChuan Xiu stood, countless officers from the Far Eastern Army, Black Banner Army, Border Army, Imperial Guard Army and many more whom he knew or didn’t know had come to their aid. Even though they had no weapons, they stood fearlessly in the way of the constables, blocking their arrows with their bare chests. Out of nowhere, a multi-layered wall made of flesh and bone surrounded Bai Chuan, separating her from the constables. The indignation in their eyes provoked the sword wielding constables in silence: come, come! Shoot me if you dare!
Facing the sudden outrage, even the usually disciplined elite forces, the constables of House ZiChuan were forced back.
Stirling was moved to tears. He turned to ZiChuan Xiu: “Justice is in the heart of the people!”
ZiChuan Xiu replied sarcastically: “Right… Justice is like a scared little girl… It only appears when there are many of us. I have yet to see any Justice showing up all by its lonesome.”
Facing the ocean of fury and for the first time, Yang Ming Hua realized how insignificant he really was. He angrily signalled Xiao Long with a gesture of moving his wrist around the neck. His meaning was clear – Kill!
But Inspector General – Xiao Long had other things on his mind: This was no longer a small matter involving a few officers from the Far Eastern Army and the Imperial Guard Army. If he moved against a thousand high ranking officers from every regiment in the realm, who represented the entirety of the armed forces of House ZiChuan, the outcome would be unthinkable, and the inevitable reprisals would be even worse. Even though the world was a vast place, as the one solely responsible for all the bloodshed, there would be no place for him to hide. Besides, there were many capable fighters present amongst the thousand officers here. His constables might not necessarily win the bout… All in all, it was a lose-lose situation eitherway..
He sighed in defeat as he gave the order, telling every Constables to fallback and he himself left with them.
The hall exploded in a roar of joy and a voice shouting: “Yang Ming Hua – Be gone!”
Several hundred more voices instantly answered in unison: “Yang Ming Hua – Be gone!”
Yang Ming Hua’s first instinct told him to find out who it was shouting those words, expecting to frighten him with his presence, but all he saw was the same kind of faces, fearlessly staring back at him with fire in their eyes.
Turning his gaze towards the podium, Yang Ming Hua saw Ge Ying Xing smiling mockingly, as if he was enjoying the public outrage directed at him. Ming Hui denied him even that, turning his head away from him; Fang Jing’s eyes were filled with rage. Even Luo Ming Hai, who was usually calm and collected, revealed a hint of uneasiness. Only Lei Xun came up to him and whispered: “Sir, We still have the Central Army! You have our undying loyalty!”
Yang Ming Hua nodded. Clenching his teeth, he grudgingly left the hall. Lei Xun, Di Lin and Luo Ming Hai quickly followed suit.
Cry of joy exploded everywhere! Everyone leaped to celebrate as if they had just defeated Yang Ming Hua, forgetting that he still held the Central Army of hundred seventy thousand strong and the entire Capital City under his thumb.
……
Only until everyone came out of the Conference Hall did everyone take notice: numerous parties of soldiers roamed the street, fully armed, and all carrying the banner of the Central Army. The usually quiet and serene streets of the Capital were suddenly shrouded in a thick mist of killing intent.
The riders from the Civil Police could be seen everywhere, putting up posters: “The High Command has declared martial law! A curfew is now in effect until further notice. All citizens must remain indoors after eight o’clock. Any violators will be punished by death!”
Onlookers scattered left and right; the Capital was on the brink of war…
……
Under the protection of a large regiment of Personal Guards, Ge Ying Xing approached ZiChuan Xiu and Stirling: “Stirling, Xiu, I’m leaving for the Far East, Fort Warren tonight. Do you want to come with me?”
ZiChuan Xiu and Stirling gave each other a look, and spoke with determination: “No Sir. We will stay.”
Ge Ying Xing wasn’t the least surprised. He had expected as much, extending his hand to the both of them: “Tonight, many heads will roll in the Capital. Take care of yourself!”
ZiChuan Xiu and Stirling held tightly onto Ge Ying Xing’s fragile but warm hands; they could feel the warmth spreading through them. Yes, it was Ge Ying Xing who saved their lives once again. That weak sickly little man was the real cornerstone holding the family together. He was irreplaceable! Now he had to return to the Far East, not for his fear of losing his own life, but to take control of his army so he could better oppose Yang Ming Hua’s forces. For the same reason, ZiChuan Xiu and Stirling chose to stay; they all did what they did out of loyalty for the House ZiChuan!
“Sir, you have a long and dangerous journey ahead of you. Take care!” ZiChuan Xiu spoke with all the sincerity in his heart.
Stirling wanted to express his gratitude as well: “Sir, I owe you my life. I have no way to repay the kindness you have shown. Please be safe!”
Ge Ying Xing smiled: “We will meet again. I’m sure of it!” His eyes turned to Bai Chuan standing beside them: “She has been incredibly brave… It’s your duty to keep her safe!”
Bai Chuan was already in tears, the sheer volume of emotions had overwhelmed her. She could only bow to Ge Ying Xing as deeply as she could, in order to show how grateful she was for what he had done.
……
Seeing Ge Ying Xing’s forces slowly leaving, ZiChuan Xiu asked Stirling: “Where are we going now?”
“Central Park, to see Di Lin!” Stirling answered, but his gloomy expression said it all.
Di Lin had been waiting for them, seemingly losing his patience.
Sensing Stirling’s anger from miles away, Di Lin stole the initiative and spoke first: “If you were in my position, what would you have done?”
Both Stirling and ZiChuan Xiu froze; they had no answers.
“My only way out at the time was to kill that noisy Banner Master, or Yang Ming Hua would instantly suspect me, and all our efforts would have been for naught.”
“We were standing right there in the middle of it, between you and Bai Chuan. Why didn’t you kill us as well? That way you can proof your loyalty to Yang Ming Hua even more!” Stirling taunted him.
Di Lin sighed: “For my safety and for everyone else's safety… He simply had to die!”
Stirling refuted sarcastically: “You mean for your own personal gain… you could kill just about anyone, even the ones loyal to the Family!”
Di Lin replied without hesitation: “As long as my life is at stake, I would kill the whole world!”
Neither of them could bear to look each other in the eye, both turning away in anger: “Tch!”
Even ZiChuan Xiu was at a loss, unsure which one to side with. His rational mind told him that Di Lin did what he had to, but all his emotions were telling him otherwise; it was simply hard to accept the nonchalant way Di Lin acted after killing an innocent officer in cold blood.
He could only try to downplay the situation: “Enough, this is not the time to fight amongst ourselves. Stirling, there is nothing you can say right now to bring him back. But if you insist, we can bring flowers to his grave and honor his sacrifise every year.”
ZiChuan Xiu then turned to Di Lin: “It is entirely your fault. Yang Ming Hua told you to teach De Ke a lesson. You could have stabbed his legs or even his butt you know, why the hell do you have to stab him in the chest?!”
Both Stirling and Di Lin laughed uncontrollably.
Di Lin sighed in defeat: “I could kill the whole world… except you two.” For someone as arrogant as Di Lin, that was his way of saying sorry. In fact, the three of them often fought over matters in the past, it was always Stirling who won the argument while the other two surrendered, because Stirling was always standing on the side of just and truth.”
“So what is the situation?”
“I brought fifty thousand soldiers from the Far Eastern Army with me. They will only answer to me. If I tell them to kill, even if it was the god himself, they would not hesitate. They are currently stationed outside the walls!”
“Is you army allowed inside?”
“Nope! Lei Xun’s Central Army is in charge of City's defence. He won’t let us in without a valid reason. In fact, Yang Ming Hua has already ordered me to chase after Ge Ying Xing and his guards!"
Stirling seemed disappointed: “If they can’t get in… then they are no use to us. Or can they force their way in?”
Di Lin lost his patience: “You want to try fight your way into a heavily fortified Capital City with only fifty thousand men?! The Central Army alone is hundred seventy thousand strong!”
“Wrong, they can be of use to us!” ZiChuan Xiu revealed a mysterious smile: “I have an idea, what do you think?”
……
“No wonder everyone says Xiu is the biggest pain in the ass!” Di Lin nodded satisfyingly: “As expected from the most cunning bastard of House ZiChuan!”
Stirling hesitated: “But this plan clashes with His Excellency, ZiChuan Shen Xing’s Lancer plan, and it is very risky, the chance of success isn’t very high either…”
“Fuck that! What is the point of holding onto a plan that won’t work? We are all going to die tonight. A shred of hope is better than none at all!”
“Fine.” Stirling had made up his mind: “Then let’s fuck them up!” Stirling rarely resorted to vulgarity, but today he would make an exception.
Di Lin continued “The moment the last light of the sun dims, when the Central Army locks down the city gates… That will be the moment of truth!”
Everyone instinctively turned towards the sun; the reddish glow of the sunset had engulfed the entire City in a shade of bloody crimson…
Stirling declared resolutely: “It is a good omen… The righteous shall prevail!”
Di Lin smiled coldly: “Whose blood I wonder, will paint the street of Di Du in red tonight?”
ZiChuan Xiu murmured: “I don’t know whose blood it will be, but it won’t be mine. I’ve anaemia; I don’t have that much blood for them to paint the street with! Though I did hear Yang Ming Hua suffers from high blood pressure…”
“I assume everyone understands… the gravity of our current situation…” In the Mansion of ZiChuan Ning, ZiChuan Xiu had gathered Luo Jie, Bai Chuan, Chang Chuan and the rest of his men.
Everyone nodded undoubtedly, showing their understanding of the situation.
“If I vow to be Supreme Commander – Yang Ming Hua’s enemy… Which side would you choose?”
Luo Jie: “We don’t really have anything against Supreme Commander – Yang Ming Hua…”
Bai Chuan: “But considering the fact that he is your enemy, Sir…”
Chang Chuan: “So naturally and without a doubt, we would…”
The three spoke in unison: “Support the Supreme Commander and bring death to ZiChuan Xiu!”
“I have had enough of your shit; it is finally time for payback!”
“That is right, I don’t care if it was Yang Ming Hua; I would gladly go to hell if it means that I can get my revenge on you…”
“We won’t hesitate for a second even if we have to sell our souls to the devil!”
……
“I understand, but let’s not be hasty… I will give everyone the freedom of choice. I will turn around and count to ten. Those who do not wish to stand by me may exit through the door. I won’t hold it against you. If after I count to ten, and you are still here, then it means you have decided to follow and support me with the absolute conviction… Hey… Luo Jie, What are you running for? I haven’t even started counting yet. Common man, at least I deserve that much?”
“Fine, I’m starting to count: One, Three, Five, Six, Eight…”
“Hold on, stop. You are counting too fast… and you are skipping counts. I haven’t even had to chance to run yet! Again!”
“One, Two, Three…”
“Huh, Chang Chuan, I can’t get the door open!”
“Four, Five…”
“Shit, that bastard has barred the doors!”
“We can’t get out… He never intended to let us out in the first place!”
“Seven, Eight…”
“Bai Chuan, hurry and get the master key!”
“I left it in my room… We are almost out of time. Luo Jie, you are a big fellow, just kick it open!”
“Luo Jie, hurry or it will be too late… He is going to get the better of us again!”
“Nine…”
Bang! (Luo Jie smashed against the door)
“Ouch, what are these doors made of?! It didn’t even move!”
“Ten!”
ZiChuan Xiu turned around explaining: “They are made of materials used for security vaults… I see that everyone is still here. I’m really glad… They say one can only tell who his friends truly are when the situation is most dire… And given the threat we now face, I can safely say that everyone’s loyalty to me is beyond reproach. I’m touched… I feel I’m about to cry…”
ZiChuan Xiu wiped his nose.
……
“Sir.” The secretary knocked on the door into Commander Lei Xun’s office: “Deputy Commander Di Lin has requested to see you.”
“Ok, I understand.” Lei Xun wasn’t too happy hearing the name. Di Lin was but a callow brat, yet he had somehow gained Yang Ming Hua’s favor. Just because he won a few battles against the Demons, he now thinks he is better than everyone else. Rising to the position of Deputy Commander at the age of barely over twenty, who knows, perhaps he would surpass even him…
Lei Xun glanced at the time; it was already seven PM. Another hour from now, the curfew would be in effect, and the attack on the House of Headmaster would commence… Coming here at this hour, what could Di Lin want?
“Let him in.”
Di Lin walked in to the office, and gave Lei Xun a polite salute. The lack of his usual arrogance made the whole thing more tolerable for Lei Xun.
“Di Lin, do you know what time it is? Shouldn’t you be doing what you’re supposed to do?! Why are you here?” (Lei Xun meant that Di Lin was supposed to go kill Ge Ying Xing.)
“Well, Sir. Let me explain. During my campaign in the Far East against the Demon Horde I have managed to acquire certain assets, and I want to give them to you as a tribute, to show my appreciation.”
Lei Xun’s stressed cheeks were instantly relaxed and his voice became gentler as well: “Oh, you’re being too kind, Commander Di Lin. You didn’t have to.” (Everyone knows you have stripped the Demons bare of their riches in the Far East, leaving no stone unturned in the process. So of course you are bloody rich!)
“But I’m a commissioned officer, it’s not proper for me to accept such a gift!” (You better not waste my time by bringing me some worthless magic stones or gems… I won’t take your leftovers!)
Di Lin cajoled Lei Xun with all the flatteries he could muster: “Sir, I have always admired your infinite candor! But these meager gifts were originally meant for you anyways, so please grace me with the honor and accept this tribute!” He whispered to Lei Xun’s ears: “This is not something you see every day. It’s something I took from the Demon Nobles during the Siege of Ga… something. I assure you it is worth a fortune!” Di Lin’s lips curved into a flattering smile.
(He sure knows his way around the politics!) “Well, Commander Di Lin, you are being very persistent… You should know that I never ever accept any gifts (Because they were too cheap) …Very well, I will make you an exception, just this once. So what is so special about this one? And again, there won’t be a next time!”
Di Lin gave a mysterious smile: “Of course, Sir. Would you allow my servants to carry it in here? They are waiting outside.”
Lei Xun quickly gave the order to the Guards to let them inside.
Two soldiers with their hats pulled down moved in with an iron box the size of half a man, Lei Xun pondered: “So big, what could it be? Diamonds? Gold? Rare magical Items…? Looking at the amount of effort they are putting into moving that thing; it has to be heavy…”
The box was lifted onto Lei Xun’s desk; Di Lin’s quietly closed the office doors behind him, then slowly unlocked the locks on the iron box. He smiled: “There is only one way to find out, Sir.”
Lei Xun eagerly opened the box but was left stunned… The box was completely empty.
He looked at Di Lin in an alarming fashion: “You…”
……
The shocking turn of event.
The soldier standing on his left suddenly reached for his sabre, and there came an attack aimed for his neck… an attack without any finesse or sophistication, the only exception of it being fast! Faster than sound, faster than lightning, faster than anything he had ever seen! But the truly frightening part of it all was that it came without warning. Without any sudden movement and in the blink of an eye, the razor-sharp blade was already at his neck, as though it had materialized in thin air!
Lei Xun was a capable fighter, but against a deadly move like that, his reflex was all he could rely on… Shifting his body to his right, he instinctively raised his left hand in an attempt to block the incoming attack.
Slash, his left arm was severed at his wrist, slowing the blade slightly, but it still cut deep into the artery below his neck.
Almost at the same time, the soldier on his right struck Lei Xun lightly above his right shoulder… so gently that he almost couldn’t tell he was struck, until the paralyzing sensation began to spread from the point of impact, and in an instant, it extended to the rest of his body. Nearly all of his blood vessels, nerves endings and even his breath were numbed, frozen. The little bit of Qi[1] he managed to gather in a desperate attempt to retaliate was sealed shut as well… how could someone’s martial art be this overbearing? In the moment between life and death, Lei Xun could only think of one name… if it really was Stirling, then his death was almost a certainty, but at the very least, he could alarm those guarding outside… Lei Xun channelled every last bit of his remaining strength, and cried out…
But all he felt was the coldness of steel stuck between his throat, unable to utter a sound… Di Lin’s lightning strike had pierced his vocal cord and cut off his air.
The last image Lei Xun saw before the fuzziness took over was Di Lin standing before him with a blood soaked blade in his hand, grinning and gloating. In that moment he realized something: the whole thing was oddly familiar, as if he had seen it happen once before…
The number one fighter of House ZiChuan, the mighty Commander of the Central Army – Lei Xun, gaped with his eyes wide open, and died where he stood… As to whether he realized the reason of his death would forever remain a mystery to all…
The entire assassination took place in under a second… Only after the fact did his left wrist, which was cut off by ZiChuan Xiu, hit the ground. Bam.
ZiChuan Xiu retracted his sabre and Stirling took a step back. They were both veterans of war; they had killed before… But killing in such underhanded fashion and by outnumbering their opponent, left them slightly… Anyways, they didn’t feel too comfortable looking into Lei Xun’s pair of wide eyes!
Di Lin on the other hand, looked as if nothing unusual had happened. Wiping the blood of his sword against the deadman’s coat, he jested: “And he calls himself the number one; it was no different than slaughtering a lamb… Just look at him, I can tell he didn’t die a happy man!”
Stirling whispered: “Justice! Deputy Commander De Lei and Banner Master De Ke will finally rest in peace.”
“Hey, Stirling, can you not curse me like that… You know I killed De Ke, and saying he is going to rest in peace, are you suggesting…”
Stirling gave him a harsh look but kept his silence: the death of the boy would forever remain a thorn in his heart…
……
ZiChuan Xiu listened against the office door for any movements. He then turned to the others: “They haven’t noticed us yet.”
Everyone was relieved at the sound of that. They were in the Central Army Headquarters, and they had many capable fighters amongst them. If Lei Xun had made any sounds at all, or even the smallest hint of struggle was heard outside, no matter how skilled they were, they wouldn’t have been able escape with their lives.
The rest was easy: First, they dumped Lei Xun’s body in the iron box, then they cleaned up the blood – this part was the easiest, thanks to Stirling’s Freezing Breath[2], Lei Xun’s blood was frozen solid before he could bleed out. Next they pried open the hidden drawer in Lei Xun’s desk to find the central army commander’s seal… There were a large sum of cash and jewelleries hidden inside the drawer as well, and naturally, a certain someone wouldn’t mind liberating them for the greater good, but Stirling stopped him: “Don’t! We didn’t kill Lei Xun out of vengeance… what you are doing is an insult to our cause!”
ZiChuan Xiu respectfully replied: “Of course.” And returned everything back to where he found them… while pocketing half of the spoils in secret.
And so the trio walked out of the office, head held high and an iron box in their hands. Not even once were they stopped for questioning… The way Di Lin arrogantly walked in front of the pack; no one was stupid enough to get in their way.
……
The moment they left the Central Army Headquarters, the trio felt like a weight was lifted from their shoulders. Only then did they realize the sweat had already soaked through their thick uniforms.
The streets were eerily quiet, with barely any pedestrians walking about. Clearly the time of curfew was drawing near.
“We will have to act separately from now on!”
Stirling felt uneasy as he studied ZiChuan Xiu: “Your task will be the most dangerous of all. How about you take over the command of the Imperial Guards, and let me…”
Di Lin nodded in agreement: “I also think Xiu is taking too much of a risk… Let me instead. I’m Yang Ming Hua’s close confidant, they won’t suspect me…”
“No need!” ZiChuan Xiu turned to Stirling: “Second Brother, you are the heart of the Imperial Guards. Yang Ming Hua will attack the House of Headmaster tonight… They need you there!”
“And you Big Brother, the fifty thousand soldiers of the Far Eastern Army will only answer to you… You cannot be replaced.”
“Therefore, I’m the only one capable of accomplishing this task.”
“Big Brother, remember: the red lamps are our signal! The moment you see three red lamps being lit atop of the city gate, ride through the gate and bring them hell!”
The trio joined their hands: “See you tomorrow!” A rather common phrase to say goodbye, but every one of them here had a dangerous mission filled with uncertainties ahead of them. Will the three brothers really be able to watch the next sunrise together?
……
Stirling couldn’t bear it any longer: “Xiu, do you have anything you want me to say to Lady Ning? She has always… you know…”
ZiChuan Xiu gave it a thought: “Yes, I do…”
“Tell her to stop wearing those miniskirts. She is too skinny; they don’t look sexy on her at all. Also, tell her to make me some of that egg porridge tomorrow morning when I get back… and this time, more eggs, not just some rice and water. I’m a big boy you know… Hey, Brothers, where are you going? I wasn’t finished! Tell her to give me back the porn mags she took from me, or I will get really upset this time! I’m serious…”
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