Jiu Yue Ying Fei (Flying Eagles in the Ninth Month) by Gu Long
Well, let's try to revive this story...
I tried to search for the previous topic on this, but it's gone. Maybe it was deleted on purpose. So, I'd like to pique more interest in the book.
The original source was translated first via Babelfish and then edited. I used Trinie's translation (with Junny's comment) to start the translation, and hope that will be fluent enough.
The setting is some time after Bordertown Wanderer, being translated by Bliss in another thread.
To HYS: You may copy this to Wuxiapedia if you want - but I have a feeling I will be doing only a few chapters.
Chapter 1: The deadly gentlemen from Qing Cheng
Early morning ….
The first clear morning after a long period of snow, yet the cold was bitter enough to turn the snow that had gathered on the long streets into ice. Icicles hung in staggered lengths under the eaves, as if they were the teeth of wolves that waited for the opportunity to sink themselves into their chosen victims.
But there was nobody on the street, all of the windows and doors of the homes were tightly closed, dense fog hung near the ground. The heaven and earth were like inseparable, creating an environment that freeze and kill any signs of life.
There was no wind, even the winds had all been frozen like they were dead.
Tong Tong-shan gathered his fur coat around him, sitting on a tiger-skin-chair at the head of the long street, facing this deathly stillness in the long street, feeling very smug in his heart because his order had already been carried out.
He had warded off this long street for the battlefield, in not even half an hour, he will take Xi Cheng (the western city) Du Huo-tang’s blood, to cleanse the amassed snow on this street.
Before that moment arrived, if there were a single person who dared to step on this long street, he would cut off his foot. This was his city, anyone should just gave up any idea of entering a foot in his domain, including Xi Cheng Du Huo-tang.
Besides Wei Ba Tai-ye (Old gentleman Wei Ba), he definitely would not allow anyone else to be in front of him, blocking his path. He simple striped blue clothing, his hands bunched together in front of his body.
Beside him, there were also two similar tiger-skin-chairs. A young person with a pale complexion and a face full of arrogance, lazily leaned against the left side of one of the chairs. He wore a purple sable worth one thousand pieces of gold on him. He used his little finger to hook the handle of the gem-decorated sheath of a long sword, swinging it back and forth without stopping. To him, this matter was very boring and very senseless. Because the one that he wanted to kill was not this Du Huo-tang, this person was not even worthy of him to make a move
The person on the right was rather young and was using a snow-bright goose feather sabre to manicure his own fingernails. He wanted to maintain a calm appearance as much as he can, however his long face, filled with youthfulness, was turning red with excitement.
Tong Tong-shan really understood this young person’s state of mind. He was similarly anxious the first time he performed a task for Wei Ba Tai-ye. However, he also knew that this young person held the twelfth position among 13 great protectors in Wei Ba Tai-ye’s organization, moreover he handled a goose feathered sabre, therefore he would not disappoint him.
Inside a shut-tight room, suddenly a child’s crying erupted, breaking the silence in this world. The sound of crying just resounded and then muffled. The child’s mouth had been obviously clamped by the grown-ups.
A furry old dog then darted off from a dog-hole in the corner of a wall, wagging his tail, and fled along the long street.
That long faced youthful person looked at that dog running to the heart of the street, with a very strange expression in his eyes. The left hand slowly went inside his coat, then suddenly it came out very quickly.
With one flash of the sabre, the dog was nailed to death at the heart of the street. The sabre skillfully penetrated its throat, its blood flowing through the snowy area, painting it brightly red…
Tong Tong-shan spirit was aroused, he approvingly said: "Good, Twelfth brother moves really fast."
This youth was also obviously very satisfied with his move and proudly said, "When Old Man Tong issue an order, no matter whether it is a person or a dog, so long as it dares to rush through here, I, Duan Shier (12) will want his life."
Tong Tongshan with a big laugh said, "It’s good to have fourth brother Xin and twelfth brother, two young heroes here. Even if ten, and not one, Xi Cheng old man Du who come here, what is there to fear?"
Xin Si however coldly said: "I only fear today it is not my turn to make a move."
His little finger that hooked the long sword suddenly stopped rocking, Tong Tongshan's laughter also suddenly stopped.