~~~
Liu Jin and Lei Kong are each given a private room inside the Five Blessings Auction House. The building is well-equipped for receiving guests. Though it may be called an auction house, it is more accurate to call it the main headquarters of the Five Blessings Group in Five Bats City. The auctions just happen to draw the most attention.
The room Liu Jin is given is opulent enough for him to know he is being treated well, but not so much that it becomes overly gaudy and uncomfortable to stay in. Its large, comfortable bed, muted colors, and classic furniture gives it a serious atmosphere, which Liu Jin finds himself favoring.
As for Lei Kong’s room, Liu Jin has not seen it. He doubts Lei Kong has either as the man seems intent on becoming his shadow.
“You have questions.”
Liu Jin does not bother looking up from his desk, his focus on the letter he’s writing. Even if he did look at Lei Kong, he’d just find him kneeling in the corner of the room. He has been doing that for the past hour.
“That is indeed the case, my lord.”
As Lei Kong speaks, Liu Jin puts down his writing brush and looks at what he has written so far. His eyes are halfway through the page when a dissatisfied hum leaves his mouth. His brow crinkles into a frown. A shake of his head. A click of his tongue. The paper is tossed away. Poison disintegrates it before it even hits the ground.
A new sheet of paper is placed on the desk. The brush is inked. Soon enough, Liu Jin is writing again.
“How curious. I thought you were a tool. Since when does a tool ask questions?”
“I—”
“It is fine,” Liu Jin interrupts, his brush drawing a soft curve. “You have tied your life to mine, allegedly.”
“I wish my lord did not feel the need to add that last word.”
“Wanting to know in which direction we are heading is completely natural,” Liu Jin continues without missing a beat. “Uncertainty is an ugly thing.”
Liu Jin hums a little tune as he reaches inside his spatial pouch and pulls out a talisman. It is one of many his master taught him how to make.
“For utility,” Old Jiang had said. As Liu Jin sends out a jolt of Qi to activate it, he finds himself grateful for his master’s foresight.
“That is—!”
“A talisman, yes,” Liu Jin says, sounding bored as he lets go of the talisman and leaves it floating in the air. “It will ensure we can talk without being overheard.”
The Five Blessings Group has proven far more reliable than Liu Jin had been expecting. Still, that doesn’t mean he is about to let down his guard.
“Please, try not to sound so surprised at every little thing. It is rather annoying.”
The brush makes a soft noise as Liu Jin sets it down.
“It is a weird situation we are in. I know alienating you is probably the worst thing I can possibly do right now.” Liu Jin finally turns away from the desk. “Like it or not, I do depend on you. It is in my best interest to treat you well.”
Uncomfortable as it is to admit it, Lei Kong has been at his side ever since he woke up. If Lei Kong had lost his patience with him at any moment, he could have killed him. There’d have been little Liu Jin could have done about it.
Even now, all Lei Kong would need to do is to attack him. It is unlikely Liu Jin would be able to react in time.
“And yet, I find it hard to suppress my dislike of you. To be more accurate, I can’t find the will to do so. While it is heartening to know I am not without emotion, it is rather troublesome.” Liu Jin drums his fingers against his left knee, lightly biting the inside of his cheek. “Oh, well. No matter. You have questions. Go ahead and ask them. I do not feel like telling you my life story, but I will try to answer as best as I can. It is the least I could do.”
“My lord, I…” Lei Kong trails off, unsure of how to continue. Perhaps it is because he is having a hard time deciding where to start. Perhaps it is because Liu Jin’s manner is simply that off-putting.
Liu Jin wouldn’t blame him for that. He finds himself rather off-putting as of late.
On the bright side, he has been able to think about his Master without feeling any sorrow lately. That is certainly an upside to his condition.
“My lord, I will not question how it is that you have such a good relationship with the Five Blessings Group.”
Liu Jin blinks.
“Truly? I thought for sure that would be the first thing you were going to ask about.”
Lei Kong shakes his head.
“I will not deny I am curious, but it is as you say. I am a tool. There is no need for me to know about my lord’s past. My lord is clearly better connected than I had initially assumed. I acknowledge my error and ask forgiveness for my presumptuousness,” Lei Kong says, bluntly and seriously, his face contrite. “What I do wish to know, however, is what is it that my lord seeks to accomplish here? Certainly, we have been treated well, and selling that core will give my lord funds, yet I do not think that is all my lord is after. Am I wrong?”
“Ho, rather insightful, aren’t you? Wasn’t being a soldier a waste of your abilities? No, there is no need to answer that,” Liu Jin adds when he sees Lei Kong about to open his mouth. “It is as you say. Obtaining funds is only one of the reasons why we are here. There are three others.”
Liu Jin raises three fingers.
“First, I wanted to know if news of the attack on Eastern Port City had already reached this location.”
Five Bats City experiences a high amount of trade. Since people from all over the empire travel to and from the city, news from all over the Crimson Cloud Empire eventually make their way here. Despite that, Liu Jin has not heard a single thing about Eastern Port City being attacked. Not when walking through the streets and not when conversing with Branch Manager Bianfu.
In other words, it is safe to assume the fate of Eastern Port City is still not public knowledge.
Lei Kong’s words… he most likely wasn’t wrong in implying only Liu Jin survived.
Liu Jin takes a deep breath and wills himself to keep talking.
“Had that happened, Five Bats City would have been the safest place to stay while keeping an eye on the situation. Even now, staying in Five Bats City is probably for the best.”
Which isn’t to say Five Bats City is the safest place for them to stay at. Far from it, really.
That’d have been New Moon Town.
A small town several days away from Eastern Port City, lacking any resources that would make it attractive to an invading army. Had Liu Jin gone there, he’d have been treated well. No one would have questioned his motives, and he’d have easily been able to stay for as long as he wished to.
However, that would have been nothing but hiding.
Although... is what he is doing right now really so different?
“Tell me something, do you think your former comrades will keep pushing their way into the Crimson Cloud Empire?”
“What?” Lei Kong looks shocked before quickly shaking his head. “No, my lord. I rather doubt it. Murong Bang is unfortunately not so foolish. The only reason he attacked Eastern Port City is that the Empyrean Crystals were a too tempting target. He and his army will most likely stay in the area until they have mined all of it then return to the Storm Dragon Empire.”
“I see.” Liu Jin hums. “There are worse alternatives, I suppose. If the situation changes, we’re well poised to take action.”
How exactly is he supposed to act, however, is a mystery not even Liu Jin knows the answer to.
“My lord is not going to inform the people of what happened?”
“I probably should, shouldn’t I?” Liu Jin muses. “However, I am leery of doing so, which, I guess, brings me to the second reason we are here. The attack on Eastern Port City will eventually make waves. That is why certain people must be informed of it discreetly before it becomes public knowledge.”
Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.
People like Xiao Fang.
The Xiao Sect’s main headquarters in Eastern Port City are now destroyed. That does not mean the Xiao Sect is gone. It still has several branches all over the Empire. Right now, Xiao Fang is somewhere out there, unaware of the fate of his home. As he is Xiao Zheng’s heir, he is someone who can claim leadership of the Xiao Sect one day.
Will all the Branch Masters agree to that, though?
Elder Hui had ended up being a traitor. Who is to say there aren’t others like him? With Xiao Zheng gone, how many people will soon wonder what the Xiao Sect would be like under their rule?
What is to stop those people from deciding Xiao Fang’s existence is an obstacle?
Xiao Fang not being the next leader of the Xiao Sect is not something Liu Jin minds much. Xiao Fang being assasinated, however, is something he will not allow.
“To that end, I have asked the Five Blessings Group to help me locate certain people.”
Xiao Fang needs to be informed first. Of that, at least, Liu Jin is sure of. That way, he will be able to prepare himself for any potential treachery.
If only Liu Jin could figure out how to write the damn letter!
Liu Jin has gone through six drafts since he sat down to write. Every single time, he finds himself making stupid excuses. Perhaps, that is why the notion of going out to find Xiao Fang in person is so unattractive to him.
What would he even tell him? That Eastern Port City has been destroyed by his folly? That he tried his best and was worthless?
Even like this, it seems the guilt is far too much. No, Liu Jin cannot show his face to Xiao Fang right now. That makes finishing this letter all the more important. With Xiao Shuang, Liu Jin can tell himself she’s as safe as one can be.
Because she is in the Divine Frozen Palace.
If he really wanted to do something about this, shouldn't informing the Divine Frozen Palace about what happened not be his first task?
Liu Jin can tell himself he‘s in no condition to make a journey like that. He’s too weak to go to those frozen lands. There is no guarantee they’ll listen to him. He doesn’t even know if it is possible to send a message there.
He can make as many excuses as he wants, but isn’t he just being a coward?
“My lord?”
“It is nothing,” Liu Jin says, “As I was saying, there are some people I believe must be informed before this becomes common knowledge. As for the third reason, well…”
Liu Jin looks at the ceiling.
“There are some people here I thought I’d visit.”
~~~
Liu Jin goes out for a walk the next day. The auction will not take place until tomorrow, and it will take longer than that for Xiao Fang’s location to be ascertained. That leaves Liu Jin with plenty of free time.
Five Bats City is as busy as it was the day before. It is as if someone took the commercial districts of Eastern Port City and made an entire city out of them, except with even more people. There is not a single street in which something is not being sold. Five Bats City is bustling with activity and teeming with people, loud to the point it is annoying.
It is almost surreal.
Days ago, people were dying all around him. Looking around now, that can almost seem like a dream.
If he closes his eyes, Liu Jin can probably pretend he’s in Eastern Port City.
If he ever does that, he’ll probably hate himself.
Shaking his head, Liu Jin pushes through the crowd. While Liu Jin is tall for his age, he cannot be compared to a grown man. Not yet. It is easy for people to miss him, especially in a multitude like this one. A sidestep here. A push there. Liu Jin would be surprised if someone out there hasn’t made a training routine out of walking through these streets without bumping into others.
The address provided to him by Branch Manager Bianfu is tucked away safely in his pocket. There is no need for him to take it out. He should be close now.
“Thank you, honored customers,” a young lad says, bowing as he finishes a delivery. “Please remember us in the future.”
A smile tugs at Liu Jin’s lips. Somehow, it feels genuine.
“I see you are doing well.”
The young lad leaps at the sound of Liu Jin’s voice, startled by his intrusion. Brown eyes blink confusedly at him before widening.
“You!” He shouts, his finger pointed at Liu Jin. Some of the people in the street turn to stare at the two, but Liu Jin pays them little mind. He shrugs and gives a small wave to the young lad.
“Hello, Chang Wei. It has been a while.”
Sometime later, after the initial shock has worn off and introductions—or rather re-introductions—have been made, the two are walking down the street.
“I am sorry. I did not mean to shout.”
“Nonsense,” Liu Jin tells Chang Wei. “You were not expecting to see me. Who could blame you for being surprised?”
“No, no, no.” Chang Wei shakes his head with each no. “That’s not what I meant… ah...”
Realizing Chang Wei has no idea how to address him, Liu Jin decides to help him out.
“Liu Jin is fine. You are the older one, so there’s no need to concern yourself with being respectful. Rather, I am the one who should be showing respect.”
“No! No! No!” This time Chang Wei moves his hands in addition to his head. “There’s no need for Brother Liu to do something like that. I was… rude to Brother Liu last time we saw each other. That’s why I’m apologizing. I acted poorly. I’m sorry.”
Ah, so it is about that.
Certainly, the last time Liu Jin saw the disciples of the Seven Leaves School hadn’t been a happy occasion.
“It was a stressful situation for you. A few heated words are easily overlooked.” Seeing Chang Wei still doesn’t look happy, Liu Jin adds, “I accept your apology.”
“Thank you.” A content smile spreads across Chang Wei’s face. “Not being able to apologize to Brother Liu has been bothering me all this time, so it’s good that you came here.”
“Oh? You have been here since you left Eastern Port City then?”
Chang Wei nods happily.
“Yeah, some disciples chose to leave the school, but the rest all came here. After healing Brother Tian’s injury, it seemed easier to start over here than to return to Eastern Port City. Especially because of how things ended up there.”
“A wise choice.”
For far more reasons than they realized.
“It is heartening to hear you were able to heal Cui Tian.”
“Of course! We were able to find the Three-Hundred-Year Lotus right away.” Chang Wei looks down and scratches the back of his head. “To be honest, I was surprised by how helpful the Five Blessings Group ended up being. They gave us a huge discount on it. It is because of them that it was so easy for us to start over here.”
"Is that why you were doing that delivery just now?"
Chang Wei nods happily.
"Yes, occasionally, we receive jobs delivering merchandise or offering protection. The pay is pretty good, and usually, there's no problem with deliveries inside the city. Master Shi is out right now, guarding a caravan, but I'm sure he'll love to greet Brother Liu once he returns." Chang Wei brightens up immediately. "Ah, Brother Tian is definitely here, though! That's where I'm heading right now! He'll love to see Brother Liu! Maybe you can even have a match! Brother's been growing fast since he recovered!"
"That'd be an interesting experience. I never did get the chance to visit your first school."
"What? Ah, no. We’re not going to the new school. Brother Tian's been spending all his time with this girl lately. Well, she's the daughter of the doctor who healed him, so I can understand why he'd feel grateful, but he really should know better."
As Chang Wei keeps talking, Liu Jin can't help but think it is probably not gratitude that keeps bringing Cui Tian to this doctor's daughter.
"It's here!" Chang Wei runs up a house and waves him over. "Brother Liu! Over here!"
Chang Wei doesn't waste any time knocking on the door. An older girl answers a few moments later. She is rather pleasing to the eyes with long black hair that is tied at the back of her neck and bright eyes.
“Chang Wei,” she greets. She tries to sound happy, but Liu Jin can tell their intrusion is not entirely a welcome one. “You are here early… and you brought a guest.”
Liu Jin smiles and inclines his head.
“Greetings, I am an acquaintance of Chang Wei. It is a pleasure to meet you.”
“Acquaintance, he says.” Chang Wei throws an arm over his shoulder. Liu Jin tries not to flinch. “Sis, you won’t believe who Brother Liu is. Brother Tian! Get here! Look who I brought!”
“Chang Wei!” Cui Tian’s voice comes from inside the house. The young man appears at the door, looking far healthier than the last time Liu Jin had seen him. His powerful body barely fits through the door frame. “You cannot shout like that. Think of the neighbors!”
He looks like he’s about to say more but trails off when he lays eyes on Liu Jin. An instant later, Cui Tian laughs and, to Liu Jin’s surprise, catches him in a hug.
“What a blessed day!” Cui Tian says, still hugging Liu Jin with enough force to lift him off his feet. “Come here, Si Lan. Allow me to introduce you! Without this person’s help, I’d have never met you!”
“Well, I can hardly be expected to greet him if you do not let go of him,” the girl remarks teasingly. Cui Tian laughs and lets go of him. Liu Jin lets out a relieved sigh.
The list of people Liu Jin is fine being hugged by is frighteningly short.
It most certainly does not include Cui Tian.
“Am I correct in assuming you are the one who advised Master Shi to come to Five Bats City? If so, I must thank you,” Si Lan says, bowing her head to him. “Cui Tian has become very dear to me. It’d have been a shame if he had been left crippled.”
“Please, there’s hardly a need to thank me. Rather, wasn’t it your father who performed the procedure?” Liu Jin looks around, surprised the man has not come out of the house yet with all the noise they’ve been making. “Where is he? I should thank him for taking care of Cui Tian.”
“He’s away!”
“He’s sick!”
Two different answers by two different people are said at the same time. Si Lan and Cui Tian look at each other with panicked eyes.
“He’s sick,” Si Lan insists. “Cui Tian meant to say he’s usually away at this time, but right now, he’s sick. I am sorry, but I am afraid he cannot receive visitors. It is nothing serious, but nevertheless, he needs rest. I will make sure to transmit your thanks to him.”
“Yes, that is what I meant! But what are we standing outside for? We should be celebrating! Come in! Come in! This is a happy occasion!”
Cui Tian’s smile and laugh.
This time they sound forced.
~~~
The meeting goes well enough. They sit and laugh and have a good time. It is late at night when Liu Jin leaves Si Lan’s house, promising Chang Wei and Cui Tian to meet again. Chang Wei even makes him promise to spar with him.
Yes, today was undoubtedly a good day.
However, Liu Jin cannot forget the wild, panicked eyes on Si Lan’s face when he asked about her father.
They are definitely hiding something.
It could be nothing important. It also could be none of his business. However, Liu Jin doesn’t really feel like leaving this matter alone. He hops and lands on an empty roof.
“Lei Kong.”
Liu Jin only needs to say his name for him to appear kneeling before him.
The steps of the thunder god, it seems, are remarkably silent.
“Yes, my lord?”
“I need you to find out something for me.”
~~~