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Thread: A Happy Hero

  1. #301
    Senior Member rati4u's Avatar
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    what is Yan Qi's secret? still its not discovered....a gal?

  2. #302
    Senior Member overjoy71's Avatar
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    hahahaa.. that is going to be the last secret to be reveal!! :-)
    Thanks Hoju!

  3. #303
    Senior Member Han Solo's Avatar
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    Interview with Hoju in now up in the wuxia translators interview thread.

    Han solo
    Wuxiapedia

    Quote Originally Posted by bliss
    I think they're probably at the same level as or one level below Ah Qing, which is about the level of a 2nd or 3rd generation Quan Zhen disciple.
    Troll Control

  4. #304
    Senior Member Hoju!'s Avatar
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    --------------------------------------------------
    Chapter 22 – Wang Dong’s Secret
    --------------------------------------------------

    Every person has secrets.

    Wang Dong was a person. Therefore, he, too, had a secret. It was hard to believe that someone like Wang Dong could actually have any sort of secret. He had never done anything alone before. In fact, the amount of time he spent off the bed was minimal. Never in Yan Qi’s dreams would he have thought that Wang Dong would also have a secret, yet, the first person who discovered that he had one was Yan Qi. How did he discover this? The very first time he found out about this secret was because he saw a very bizarre object: he saw a kite. A kite, in itself, is not bizarre, but this particular kite brought about many, many extremely strange and astonishing occurrences. Indeed, it could even be said that these incidents were terrifying.

    ********************


    According to the sequence of the seasons, it should have been spring already. But, you could have looked however you pleased, to the left, to the right, to the east, or to the west, and you still would not have even caught a glimpse of spring’s shadow. It was still very cold. The wind still blew hard, and the snow that had built up was still seven or eight inches thick.

    This particular day, it was exceptional that the sun was actually out. Wang Dong, Yan Qi, Guo DaLu, and Lin TaiPing were sunbathing in the courtyard. Like all other penniless chaps, they were never willing to pass up the opportunity to sunbathe. During the frigid days of winter, it could be said that sunbathing is one of the limited enjoyments that the impoverished have. Finding the most comfortable chair, Wang Dong stretched himself out lazily in it beneath the eaves. Lin TaiPing sat on the stone steps beside him, his head propped up by his hands and his eyes staring off into the distance as he pondered over concerns he held in his heart.

    Guo DaLu was perplexed. He now knew what Lin TaiPing was thinking about. But what about Yan Qi’s secret? Guo DaLu could not restrain himself as he pulled Yan Qi off to the side and whispered, “You can tell me that secret of yours now?” Since they had returned, this was the seventh or eighth time he had asked that question.

    Yan Qi’s answer this time was identical to all the previous instances. “Just wait for a bit.”

    Guo DaLu: “When do you want me to wait until?”

    Yan Qi: “Until the time that I want to tell you.”

    Guo DaLu was growing anxious. “Do you really need to wait until I am on the brink of death before you are willing to say it?”

    Yan Qi threw a fierce glare at him, but then, the look in his eyes became very peculiar. After a long while, he asked quietly, “You honestly do not know what secret I was going to tell you?”

    Guo DaLu: “If I knew, why would I ask you?”

    Yan Qi stared intently at him again for another long period. With an unexpected “pfft,” he burst out into giggles. Shaking his head, he groaned, “What Wang Laoda said really is correct: when this person should be confused, he is actually extremely intelligent, but when it is time for him to be intelligent, he is slower than everyone else.”

    Guo DaLu: “I am not a roundworm that lives in your stomach. How would I know what your secret is?”

    Yan Qi exhaled a little sigh unexpectedly. “Maybe it is actually good that you do not know.”

    Guo DaLu: “What is good about it?”

    Yan Qi: “What is not good? Aren’t we really happy right now?”

    Guo DaLu: “After I find out, will I become unhappy?”

    With another faint sigh, Yan Qi struggled to explain, “Perhaps… perhaps things will change and we will quarrel everyday or maybe even give each other the silent treatment.”

    Guo DaLu was gawking at him. Stomping his foot forcefully, he fumed spitefully, “I just don’t understand you. You are normally a very frank and direct person but sometimes you act more awkward and difficult than a girl.”

    Yan Qi: “You are the one who is difficult, not me.”

    Guo DaLu: “How am I difficult?”

    Yan Qi: “Someone doesn’t want to do something, so why must you force that someone to do it?”

    Guo DaLu: “Who is this someone?”

    Yan Qi: “Someone is me.”

    Guo DaLu gave a drawn out sigh. Cradling his head in his arms, he muttered, “He meant himself but he has to say ‘someone.’ Even the intonations of his voice are becoming more and more like a woman. How can this be right?”

    Yan Qi suddenly smiled sweetly. Purposely changing the topic, he suddenly wondered, “Why do you think HuoBoPi would leave all of a sudden?”

    Guo DaLu had been determined not to respond to his question, but after holding himself back for half a day, he finally could not contain himself. “He, himself, was not the one who wanted to go; it was the old woman who forced him to.”

    Yan Qi: “Why?”

    Guo DaLu: “Because the old woman was afraid that we would go and investigate her identity and background.”

    Yan Qi: “If that is the case, then her identity must be a big secret and the relationship between her and HuoBoPi must be out of the ordinary.”

    Guo DaLu: “Mm hm!”

    Yan Qi: “Why don’t you go nose around and find out where they have gone into hiding?”

    Guo DaLu: “Why should I go find out?”

    Yan Qi: “To unearth their secret.”

    Guo DaLu: “Why would I need to unearth someone else’s secret? There are some secrets where, no matter how hard you try to dig them up, you will never be successful. But then, when the right time arrives, you will not need to do any digging and you still will know.”

    Laughing, Yan Qi pointed out, “If you understand this philosophy, why are you still pressuring me to say it?”

    Guo DaLu’s eyes were fixed on Yan Qi. He suddenly sighed, “Because the one I care about is not that old woman; because I only care about you.” Yan Qi turned his head away slowly, like he was intentionally trying to avoid Guo DaLu’s gaze.

    The instant he turned his head, he saw a kite – a centipede design kite. It was intricate and realistic so that, as it spiralled and danced in the wind against the blue sky and white clouds, it looked like it was really alive. Yan Qi clapped his hands in delight and called, “Look. What is that?”

    Guo DaLu had noticed it as well and was also fascinated by it, but he deliberately put a pout on his face. “It is just a kite. What’s so different about it? Haven’t you ever seen a kite before?”

    Yan Qi: “But why would someone fly a kite at this time of the year?”

    In an uninterested tone, Guo DaLu stated, “As long as people feel like it, they can fly a kite whenever they please.” In reality, of course he knew that now was not the season for flying kites because, even if someone really wanted to fly one, it certainly would not go very high and possibly not even get airborne. This kite, though, was flying up very high and very steady. The person flying it was surely a master of the skill.

    Yan Qi: “Do you know how to make a kite?”

    Guo DaLu: “Nope. I only know how to eat.”

    Yan Qi blinked excitedly. With a laugh, he said, “I’m sure Wang Laoda knows how… Wang Laoda! Why don’t we make a kite too?” He dashed over to Wang Dong. Suddenly, he stopped in surprise.

    Wang Dong had not heard anything he said. He stood there, his eyes wide and bulging, staring straight at that kite. The look in his eyes was extremely peculiar, like he had never before seen a kite. From the expression on his face, it looked as if he thought the kite was a real centipede – a centipede that would eat human flesh. Yan Qi stood stunned as well because he knew that Wang Dong definitely was not one who was frightened easily. Even if he had seen seventy or eighty live centipedes crawling right in front of him, the color in Wang Dong’s face would not change in the slightest. But now, his face looked as white as a sheet of paper.

    All of a sudden, the corner of his eye gave a twitch, like he had been pricked by a needle. Yan Qi raised his head. There were another four kites in the sky: a serpent, a scorpion, and an eagle. The largest one, though, was a yellow, four-sided shape. On its surface, written with a bright red brush, were some curvy symbols that nobody could read, like a talisman drawn by a ghost.

    Wang Dong jumped to his feet and lurched back into the house looking like he could support himself no longer, like he was going to collapse unconscious at any moment.

  5. #305
    Senior Member overjoy71's Avatar
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    mmmm... interesting it is wang daLoa's turn now.

  6. #306
    Senior Member Hoju!'s Avatar
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    Chapter 22 continued.....
    --------------------------------------------------

    By now, Guo DaLu had walked over, and his face carried a flabbergasted look. “What is going on with Wang Laoda?”

    Yan Qi exhaled a long breath before answering, “Who knows what is going on with him? The instant he saw those kites, his entire person seemed to change.”

    Guo DaLu was even more bewildered. “Once he saw the kites, his whole expression changed?”

    Yan Qi: “Mm hm.”

    Guo DaLu drew his brow together. “Could there be something special about these kites?” He lifted his head to stare at those kites in the sky, scrutinizing them carefully for a long time, but he could not make a single conclusion. No one would have been able to draw any conclusions from looking up at them in the sky. A kite is a kite; there was nothing different about these ones. Guo DaLu gave in, “Why don’t we go inside and ask Wang Laoda what is going on?”

    Yan Qi shook his head. “Asking him is going to be a waste of time. He for sure will not say anything.”

    Guo DaLu: “But these kites…”

    Yan Qi cut him off. “Did you ever think that the puzzle may not lie in the kites themselves?”

    Guo DaLu: “Then where do you think it lies?”

    Yan Qi: “With the people who are flying them.”

    Guo DaLu clapped his hands together and exclaimed, “That’s right! Wang Laoda may know who are the ones flying these kites.”

    Yan Qi: “Those people may be enemies from Wang Dong’s past.”

    Lin TaiPing had been listening off to the side the whole time. He suddenly broke in, “I am going to take a look. You guys stay here and await my information.” The sentence had not even finished before he had soared over the wall. Though his actions were usually rather sluggish, when real situations arose, his movements were actually quicker than everyone else’s.

    Guo DaLu looked over at Yan Qi. “Why do we have to wait here for his information?” Yan Qi had not lingered to hear him finish his question and was already chasing after Lin TaiPing.

    For matters involving their friends, none of them were willing to fall behind.



    The kites were flying very high, very steady. Assessing their direction, Yan Qi observed, “From the looks of it, these kites were sent into the sky from the graveyard. I used to always fly kites in a graveyard when I was young.”

    Guo DaLu nodded. “When I was a kid, I always flew my kites in a graveyard, too.”

    The distance to the graveyard from Wealthy Manor was not far. Very quickly, they had arrived there. The only person there, though, was Lin TaiPing. Guo DaLu queried, “Did you see anything?”

    Lin TaiPing: “No. Not even the shadow of a ghost.”

    Who had sent the kites up into the air?

    Five straw men. Five straw men wearing hemp and mourning apparel. And in one hand, they each held a ku sang bang [*staff of mourning, covered in white; held at a funeral]. The strings of the kites were tied onto the other hand. Naturally, straw men cannot fly kites, nor do they ever wear hemp and mourning apparel. Why were these people deliberately trying to be mystifying?

    Guo DaLu and the others exchanged a look with one another. They were realizing that this whole situation was becoming more and more complicated. Yan Qi reminded, “The kites were just flown into the sky not long ago. It is possible that the people have not gone far.”

    Guo DaLu: “Yes. Let’s go search around in all directions.”

    Yan Qi: “I think there must be at least five of them. It would be best if we did not go out alone.”

    After circling the graveyard once, they noticed the little wooden house. It was in that house that they had found Sour Plum Soup. “Could the people who flew those kites be hiding in that wooden house?” Without discussing anything, their thoughts had all turned in that same direction. Guo DaLu was the first to dash over. Yan Qi cried out after him, “Be careful!” The words had just left his mouth when Guo DaLu kicked open the door and charged in.

    The wooden house was the same wooden house, but inside, it had completely changed. The pot and stove that Sour Plum Soup had used to cook were gone. This house, previously dirty and in disarray, had now been swept clean so that there was not even a speck of dust. A table had been set in the center. On that table was placed five sets of chopsticks, five wine cups, and five bright and shiny knives. The knife blades were thin and sharp, the blade bodies curved, and the knife’s shape rather peculiar. Aside from these things, there was nothing else inside.

    Guo DaLu had just picked up a knife by its hilt to examine when Yan Qi rushed in. Stomping his foot in frustration, he reprimanded, “Why are you always so incautious when you do anything? You just went barging in here carelessly. What if, by chance, there was someone in this house? Weren’t you afraid that someone might have attacked you underhandedly?”

    Guo DaLu laughed, “I wasn’t afraid.”

    Yan Qi snapped, “You weren’t afraid, but I was.” As the words slipped out of his mouth, his face suddenly turned red – a fierce, bright red. Luckily, nobody had noticed.

    Lin TaiPing had been scrutinizing the knives on the table and now, he suddenly piped in, “These knives are used to carve meat.”

    Guo DaLu: “How do you know?”

    Lin TaiPing: “I’ve seen something like these before. The non-Han people of Sai Wai [*generally refers to the land north of the Great Wall] are very fond of using such knives to cut meat.”

    Guo DaLu: “Could they be non-Han people that came from Sai Wai?”

    Lin TaiPing answered, his tone low, “Could be, except non-Han people only use knives, not chopsticks.”

    A look of alarm suddenly flickered across Yan Qi’s eyes. “There are only knives here, no meat. What meat are they planning on cutting?”

    Guo DaLu said with a grin, “In any case, it shouldn’t be Wang Dong’s flesh.” Though he was smiling, it did not look very natural.

    Yan Qi was unable to control the cold shiver that came from inside him. “We should hurry and go back. I really don’t feel at ease that Wang Laoda has been left alone at home.”

    Guo DaLu’s expression changed. “Right. We cannot fall for these people’s trap of ‘tricking the tiger into leaving its mountain.’ ” As they thought of this point, they immediately tore outside. Using the fastest speed they could muster, they flew back through the graveyard. Yan Qi suddenly came to a halt as he cried, “Something’s not right.”

    Guo DaLu: “What is not right?”

    Yan Qi’s face had gone pale. “It seems those five straw men had been right here before.” Guo DaLu also could not suppress the spooked tremor that seized his body. Those five straw men had in fact stood in that spot just moments ago, but now, they had vanished.



    Blue skies. White clouds. Truly, such good weather had been quite rare of late.

    But the kites in the sky had disappeared now as well.

    Using the fastest speed possible, they sprinted back. As they reached the front door, they froze in shock again. Astoundingly, those five straw men were in front of their doorway, still wearing hemp and mourning apparel and still carrying mourning staffs, but on the chest of one was an additional strip of paper that seemed to have words written on it – very small words that were difficult to read clearly. With a gust of wind, the slip of paper was blown up so that it made a rustling sound. It appeared that the paper had been stitched onto the hemp garment with a needle and thread.

    Lin TaiPing was the first to reach it, and he stretched out his arm to pull the paper. Surprisingly, it had actually been sewed on quite tightly. He needed to use a bit of strength before he could tear it off.

    It was at that exact same instant that the arm of the straw man that had been
    holding the mourning staff suddenly shot up, striking directly towards Lin TaiPing’s abdomen. Fortunately, though Lin TaiPing’s experience was dismal [in jianghu], his reactions were not slow. With a somersault in midair, he had evaded the staff. However, who could have predicted that, as the staff propelled upwards, there would also be a dark light that would come shooting from its end? Lin TaiPing had escaped the mourning staff itself, but it seemed that he had not dodged the concealed weapons hidden inside the staff. He felt a tingle in his right hipbone area, like he had been bitten by a mosquito. By the time he had descended back to the ground, he was not able to stand. In the blink of an eye, his right leg was completely numb and his body was toppling to the ground.

    The expression on Guo DaLu’s face changed as he realized, “Poisoned needles!”
    Last edited by Hoju!; 03-01-08 at 01:08 PM. Reason: Add clarification

  7. #307
    Senior Member overjoy71's Avatar
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    THanks Hoju!
    another piece of the puzzle..

  8. #308
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    a shame that although our heros have great martial arts and an exceptional understanding of human psychology they could still fall for such a trick..

    come on Wang Dong, those needles wont get through your greasy blanket!!!


    Thanks Hoju. Really appreciate your hard work!
    Last edited by little Fish; 03-01-08 at 03:56 AM. Reason: adding thanks

  9. #309
    Senior Member rati4u's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hoju! View Post
    Lin TaiPing had been listening off to the side the whole time. He suddenly broke in, “I am going to take a look. You guys stay here and await my information.” The sentence had not even finished before he had soared over the wall. Though his actions were usually rather sluggish, when real situations arose, his movements were actually quicker than everyone else’s.
    i actually feel that Lin TaiPing's martial arts are almost same as his mom's!
    it was really a great scene to imagine the kites giving wangdong a terror!

  10. #310
    Senior Member Hoju!'s Avatar
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    Chapter 22 continued.....
    --------------------------------------------------

    The expression on Guo DaLu’s face changed as he realized, “Poisoned needles!”

    In total, he had only spoken two words. Once he had finished saying these two words, Yan Qi had already acted, fast as the wind, with one hand sealing the acupoints surrounding Lin TaiPing’s hipbone in all four directions. The other hand had drawn a dagger out from a tube in his boot. There was a flash from the blade, and Lin TaiPing’s clothing had been slashed open. Another flash, and the flesh where the wound had been sustained was cut off. Blood spurted.

    Black blood!

    Guo DaLu’s eyes were bulging as he watched. He had never thought that Yan Qi’s ability to react would be so fast or that his actions would be even more rapid. “I have already died seven times.” It was only now that Guo DaLu believed this statement was true. Only someone who had died seven times could have such a strong ability to react to circumstances and such rich experience and knowledge.

    Lin TaiPing was in so much pain he had broken out into a cold sweat, but he still had not forgotten about the strip of paper in his hand. Gritting his teeth and gasping for air, he directed them, “Take a look. What is written on the paper?” On that slip was a line of densely written characters about the size of a fly’s head: “If you are not Wang Dong, then you are a ghost that died for him.”

    The wind was blowing. The straw men were swaying in the wind, as if they were trying to intimidate them with their display of strength. Guo DaLu’s fury escalated suddenly, and he threw a punch at that straw man. Naturally, a straw man cannot retaliate, nor can it dodge.

    Guo DaLu had just struck out when Yan Qi tackled him at the waist. Though his fist had not collided solidly with the straw man, it still managed to hit it. The instant his fist contacted its chest, he, too, felt as if he had been bitten by a mosquito. And then, all he could sense was an itching of his fist and a hint of tingling. A black dot could be seen on the joint of his middle finger.

    The tip of Yan Qi’s dagger immediately nicked that dot. The blood that flowed out had turned black already. Poisoned blood, and it emitted a stench of rotting. But Yan Qi was not bothered by the smell, nor did he care about it being filthy. Mouthful after mouthful, he sucked out that poisoned blood until it was completely expelled.

    Guo DaLu nearly could not prevent his tears from surging out. He had all of a sudden realized that what Yan Qi had for him was not all just friendship. Rather, they were feelings that were even deeper and more intimate than friendship. But he could not say what these feelings actually were. There was not a single word that could describe the gratitude that he felt in his heart.

    Yan Qi blew out a long breath and inquired, “How do you feel now?”

    Guo DaLu gave a sickly smile. “All I feel right now is that I’m an idiot. One hundred percent an idiot.”

    Lin TaiPing had been observing them the whole time. He suddenly heaved a long sigh. “You truly are an idiot.” The color of his face was much better than a moment ago, but his leg was still unable to move. Yan Qi had not sucked the poisoned blood out of his wound, but he did not have a single complaint, nor did he have any intention of blaming him. He seemed to believe that this ought to be the case. Could it be that he had perceived something? Had he seen through a secret that only Guo DaLu could not see through?

    Yan Qi’s face flushed again, and he turned around quickly. Using the point of his dagger, he flipped open the hemp garment on the straw man. It was then Guo DaLu could see that many sharp needles had been inserted into the straw. Under the sunlight, the tips of the needles gave off a black light. Even an idiot could discern that the poison on a single needle was enough to take a person’s life. Had it not been for Yan Qi holding him back a moment ago, his fist would have come down straight onto those. If that had happened, even if he could preserve his life, his hand could be considered a write-off.

    By now, Lin TaiPing certainly had worked it out. The thread on the paper was connected to a mechanism on the mourning staff. The instant he yanked on the paper, the mechanism had been triggered. The straw man’s entire body seemed to be ready with a killing ambush of poisoned needles.

    Guo DaLu gave a long sigh. With a wry smile, he remarked, “A single straw man could actually defeat us two live and grown men. If I had not encountered this myself, no matter who told it to me, I still would not believe it.”

    Lin TaiPing: “If a straw man is already so powerful, then the people who made it should be even more formidable.”

    Guo DaLu: “If they weren’t formidable, why would Wang Laoda be so scared?”

    Yan Qi’s face had drained of color. “These straw men have shown up here now; do you think those people are already here?”

    Lin TaiPing cried out, his tone panicked, “You guys hurry and go in to check on Wang Laoda. You do not need to take care of me. My hands are still capable of moving.” Guo DaLu did not speak a single word in response; he merely stretched out his arms and supported Lin TaiPing to his feet.

    Yan Qi had already charged into the manor, calling out loudly as he ran. “Wang Laoda … Wang Dong!”

    No answer. Not a sound.

    Wang Dong had disappeared.



    The bedding on his bed was in disarray, and Wang Dong was not on the bed or in the house. Guo DaLu and the others searched thoroughly from the front to the rear, but they still could not find him. They all understood Wang Dong. Very few matters had the ability to arouse Wang Dong from his bed; even fewer had the ability to compel him to go out alone.

    “Could something have happened here? Could Wang Dong already…” Guo DaLu did not even let his thoughts turn in that direction.

    Lin TaiPing was lying on Wang Dong’s bed. His pale face was starting to turn red from anxiety. “I already told you not to worry about taking care of me. Hurry and find Wang Laoda,” he yelled.

    Guo DaLu was getting anxious. In a loud voice, he threw back, “Of course we have to find him, but tell me, where should I go to look?”

    Lin TaiPing suddenly grew silent. He looked over at Yan Qi. Yan Qi stood still, thinking. They now had two people who had sustained injuries, yet they still did not even know who their opponent was. Up until this point in time, they still did not even have a notion. Right then, they only knew one thing: these people undoubtedly held an enmity toward Wang Dong, and this enmity was very deep-seated. But what was the use in knowing this point? There was practically no difference from not knowing anything at all.

    It was at this moment that the sound of footsteps was heard out in the hallway. Guo DaLu and the others’ hearts nearly stopped beating. The one approaching definitely could not be a straw man. Straw men cannot walk!



    --------------------------------------------------
    I actually think our heroes are behaving quite in character. LTP is a pampered boy who has just stepped out into the real world, so his experience is not up to par. GDL, well, when he should be smart, he acts like a fool. YQ's experience is showing though.
    Last edited by Hoju!; 03-03-08 at 10:56 AM. Reason: Proofread, now that I'm not half asleep. :)

  11. #311
    Senior Member overjoy71's Avatar
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    Thanks Hoju!
    I can't believe you are doing a parallel translation!! Awesome! Simply awesome!

  12. #312
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    this story is becoming really interesting...thx so much for translating, Hoju!

  13. #313
    Senior Member Hoju!'s Avatar
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    Chapter 22 continued.....
    --------------------------------------------------

    Straw men cannot walk!

    Yan Qi signalled to Guo DaLu with his eyes. In a flash, their bodies were seen darting forward as, simultaneously, they each hid behind a door. The echoes of the footsteps were getting closer and finally halted in front of the door. The dagger in Yan Qi’s hand was raised. The door had only been half-closed. A hand on the other side was pushing it open. Yan Qi’s wrist twisted. Like lightning, the dagger slashed at the meridian of that hand.

    From the bed, Lin TaiPing unexpectedly shouted, “Hold your hand!”

    ********************


    The instant his cry rose up, Yan Qi’s arm immediately came to a stiff halt, the edge of the blade was less than half an inch away from the vein on that hand’s wrist. But it still was very steady and continued pushing on the door, as if its nerves were cast from iron.



    The door opened. Wang Dong stepped unhurriedly into the room. In his other hand was a large jug of wine. Light glinted off the blade in Yan Qi’s hand. Lin TaiPing was lying on the bed. Anyone could have discerned that he was wounded. Wang Dong, though, appeared to not notice anything at all, and his face was void of expression. It would seem that all the nerves in this person’s entire body were casted of iron. He slowly walked into the room and slowly set the wine on the table.

    The first one who could contain his annoyance no longer was Guo DaLu. “Where did you go?” he interrogated loudly.

    Unruffled, Wang Dong responded, “To buy wine.” His answer was very natural, as it was the most rational thing in the world to do. “To buy wine.” In a time like this, he still would go to buy wine. Guo DaLu stared at him, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

    After using his palm to smack open the lute that had been sealing the mouth of the jug, Wang Dong inhaled. Appearing to be satisfied with what he smelled, the corner of his lips at last showed the trace of a smile. “This wine is not too bad. Here, everyone come drink a couple of cups.”

    Guo DaLu could not help snapping, “I do not feel like drinking right now.”

    Wang Dong: “Even if you don’t feel like drinking, you still have to. You must.”

    Guo DaLu: “Why?”

    Wang Dong: “Because this wine is the wine I am using to bid you farewell.”

    Guo DaLu repeated in shock, “Farewell? Why are you bidding us farewell?”

    Wang Dong: “Because you will all be leaving immediately.”

    Guo DaLu jumped up. “Who said we are leaving?”

    Wang Dong: “I did.”

    Yan Qi cut in, “But we do not want to leave.”

    Wang Dong’s face was hard as he stated in a cool tone, “Even if you do not want to, you still have to. Do you all intend on living here and freeloading the rest of your lives?” His expression like steel, he questioned, “Have you paid rent while you lived here?”

    Guo DaLu: “No.”

    Wang Dong gave an icy snicker. “If that is the case, then what right do you have to stay and continue freeloading?”

    Yan Qi suddenly piped in, “Fine. If you say leave, then we will leave.” He had said he would go and now he truly was leaving, except he first walked in front of Guo DaLu and gave a little wink.

    Guo DaLu’s eyes darted back and forth. “Yes. We will leave. What is the big deal?” He, too, got up to go, as if he could not stand to stay there for another moment.

    Lin TaiPing was stunned. “You are not even going to drink the wine?”

    Guo DaLu: “We have already been forced out. What face do we have to drink the wine?”

    Lin TaiPing looked over at Wang Dong. There still was not any emotion on Wang Dong’s face as he said coldly, “That is fine if you are not going to drink. Did you think the wine will become mouldy if I just leave it to sit?”

    Lin TaiPing: “How about I stay here? I am not able to walk.”

    With a stony look, Wang Dong answered, “If you cannot walk out, then crawl out.”

    Lin TaiPing was silent for a long time. At last, he let out a sigh and, limping, followed the others out of the room. Wang Dong stood in that spot, unmoving, his eyes cold as he watched them walk out the door. After a while, he heard a “peng,” but did not know who had been the one who had heavily closed the main door outside.

    Wang Dong suddenly lifted up the jug of wine on the table with both his hands. “Gulp, gulp.” In a single breath, he guzzled down seven or eight mouthfuls before ceasing. Wiping his mouth, he grumbled, “Good wine. People would actually refuse to drink such a good wine. If they are not idiots, what else can they be?” He stared at the jug in his hands. That pair of icy cold eyes unexpectedly turned red, as if tears could start flowing down at any minute.



    Without turning his head once to look back, Yan Qi walked out the front door. He stopped. Guo DaLu walked up next to him, then suddenly halted also. Lin TaiPing had followed them outside. With a “peng,” he closed the door. Glaring at them, he accused, “I never would have thought that, the instant you stated you were going to leave, you really did go.”

    Guo DaLu looked over at Yan Qi, who did not say anything and instead, took a seat on the stone steps in front of the doorway, facing the straw men. Guo DaLu immediately sat himself down also and fixed his eyes on the straw men as he mumbled, “Weird things happen every year. This year seems to have a particularly large amount though. Straw men not only know how to fly kites, they also can kill people. What do you say; is that weird or not?”

    Lin TaiPing: “Weird.” He, too, sat down, one hand still pressed tightly against his wound. By now, he finally understood Guo DaLu and Yan Qi’s intentions, and so, he did not say anything else.

    They did not know how much time had elapsed when they heard the sound of Wang Dong’s footsteps as he walked out, passed through the courtyard, stepped up to the front door, and barred the door shut.

    All of a sudden, the bar was yanked out again and the door flew open. Wang Dong stood in the entrance, his eyes wide as he gaped at them. Yan Qi, Guo DaLu, and Lin TaiPing sat in a row outside the door. None of them looked back at him. Wang Dong was not able to stop himself as he exclaimed, “Why haven’t you left yet? What are you doing sitting here?”

    The three of them paid him no heed. Yan Qi only threw a look at Guo DaLu out of the corner of his eye. “Is it illegal for us to sit here?”

    Guo DaLu: “Not illegal.”

    Lin TaiPing: “Even those straw men can sit here; why can’t we?”

    Wang Dong barked at them, “This place is my front door. You are obstructing my way by sitting here.”

    Yan Qi glanced over at Guo DaLu again. “Someone says we are obstructing his way.”

    Guo DaLu: “Well then, let’s sit a little ways over.”

    The three of them rose together to their feet, walked to the opposite side, and sat down in a row again, facing the front door. Yan Qi asked, “Is it okay if we sit here?”

    Guo DaLu: “Why would it not be okay? This is not inside someone’s house or obstructing any way.”

    Lin TaiPing: “In addition, we can sit here however long it pleases us to sit here.”

    Wang Dong glowered at them. They looked left, they looked right, but they did not look over at Wang Dong. He finally yelled out, “What do you want to do by just sitting here?”

    Guo DaLu: “We don’t want to do anything. We are just sitting, that’s all.”

    Yan Qi: “If it makes us happy to sit here, then we will. Nobody can do anything about it.”

    Lin TaiPing: “It is nice and cool here.”

    Yan Qi: “Nice and cool and comfortable.”

    Guo DaLu: “On top of that, no one will come and collect rent from us.”

    Wang Dong suddenly whipped his head around and marched back inside. “Peng!” The door was closed forcefully once again.

    Yan Qi looked over at Guo DaLu; Guo DaLu looked at Lin TaiPing. At the same time, the three of them all started howling in laughter. But though they were laughing, the grins on their faces carried a gloomy, dejected feel.

    ********************

  14. #314
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    I love these guys, I really do.

    Thanks Hoju for bringing them into my life!!

  15. #315
    Senior Member rati4u's Avatar
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    i too thank hoju for bringing these friends into my life....nice to have such friends

  16. #316
    Senior Member Hoju!'s Avatar
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    Thank you guys.



    Chapter 22 continued.....
    --------------------------------------------------

    The sun had already set. Once the sun sets, the sky will soon grow dark. And once it grew dark, what would happen in that place? No one knew; indeed, no one even dared to hazard a guess.

    Yan Qi reached over to lift up Guo DaLu’s hand as he asked quietly, “How is your injury doing?”

    Guo DaLu: “Won’t hinder anything. I can still beat up people as before.”

    Only then did Yan Qi turn towards Lin TaiPing. “What about you?”

    Lin TaiPing: “My wound is starting to have some pain.”

    Yan Qi exhaled a breath of relief. “Then that means there was no harm.” If a wound from a poisoned weapon started to hurt, it meant that the venom had been completely purged out.

    Guo DaLu’s mind was still not at ease, and so he asked further, “Does it hurt tremendously?”

    Lin TaiPing gave a weak smile. “Still okay. Though I may not be able to jump over any walls, I can still beat people up just the same.”

    Yan Qi: “Are you guys hungry?”

    Guo DaLu: “So hungry I could wolf you down.”

    Yan Qi chuckled, “But even when your belly is hungry, you can still beat up people just the same, correct?”

    Guo DaLu laughed in response. “Correct answer.”

    As expected, the sky had grown dark. Their faces were gradually seemed to show an apprehensive air.

    But now, they really were preparing to beat up people. Guo DaLu’s hands were clenched tightly into a pair of fists. His eyes were wide as he remarked, “Right now, it truly is ‘all things are ready, all that is missing is an east wind [a common saying which means that all things have been prepared and only one important requirement is missing].’ ”

    Lin TaiPing could not restrain his curiosity. “What is the east wind?”

    Guo DaLu: “The people who are going to suffer a beating.”

    Athat moment, he saw a person – a person carrying a jug of wine.

    **********************


    The front door had opened abruptly, and Wang Dong, carrying a jug of wine, had stepped outside. This time, he did not pay them any attention but rather, took a seat on the stone steps in front of the door. The four of them sat facing each other. No one said anything.

    The first person who could not hold it in any longer was, of course, Guo DaLu. Exhaling a sigh, he muttered, “I seem to recall that, just a while ago, someone was going to treat us to wine.”

    Wang Dong neither responded nor even looked at him, but he tossed the wine jug over to him. No matter what object you threw at Guo DaLu, there was a chance that he would not be able to catch it, but when it came to alcohol… If what was tossed was a jug of wine, a Guo DaLu who was fast asleep would still be able catch it. In a single breath, he had poured several gulps down his throat. He handed the jug over to Yan Qi, who drank a few mouthfuls before passing it on to Lin TaiPing.

    Wang Dong spoke up unexpectedly, “A wounded person who still wants to drink must be sick of living.”

    Lin TaiPing: “Who said I am wounded? I was just bitten by a little bug, that’s all.”

    Wang Dong could not help asking, “What type of bug?” All of a sudden, he darted over towards them and seized the wine from them. With a look of steel on his face, he demanded, “Just how long do you intend on sitting here?”

    Again, Guo DaLu was not able to contain himself. “Until someone comes here looking for you.”

    Wang Dong: “Who said someone will come looking for me?”

    Guo DaLu: “I said.”

    Wang Dong: “And how would you know?”

    Guo DaLu: “These straw men told me.” Glancing at Wang Dong from the corner of his eye, he giggled, “Not only do they know how to fly kites, they can also talk. What do you say; is that bizarre or not?”

    The look on Wang Dong’s face changed again. Slowly, he withdrew backwards and sat back down on the stone steps. Stillness fell over their surroundings. Only the sound of wine inside the jug could be heard.

    Yan Qi broke the silence unexpectedly. “The wine in the jug is speaking also. Can you hear it?”

    Guo DaLu: “What is it saying?”

    Yan Qi: “It said, someone’s hand is quivering so much that its head is starting to spin.”

    Wang Dong leapt abruptly to his feet, glaring at him. Yan Qi still did not so much as glance at Wang Dong. The three of them looked east and gazed west; they looked everywhere, except at Wang Dong.

    Suddenly, a spark flew in their direction, landing on the first straw man. A “poof” was heard and the straw man was immediately ablaze. The flames were a sickly bluish-green color and gentle threads of smoke were being released. His expression transforming rapidly, Wang Dong called, “Retreat quickly. Withdraw back into the manor.”

  17. #317
    Senior Member rati4u's Avatar
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    wow....now is the energetic n breath taking part ...thanks hoju

  18. #318
    Senior Member Hoju!'s Avatar
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    Chapter 22 continued.....
    --------------------------------------------------

    His expression transforming rapidly, Wang Dong called, “Retreat quickly. Withdraw back into the manor.”

    With a whipping motion of his arm, he tossed the wine jug to Guo DaLu, turned around to lift up Lin TaiPing, and then was hurtling back through the main door. Finally, Wang Dong had moved. He either did not move or once he did, he was faster than everyone else.

    Guo DaLu was moving also, but he first put the jug of wine down. This was because he had not moved back into the manor but rather, had raced off in the direction the spark had come from. And because he had charged off, Yan Qi naturally had to follow after him. Wang Dong shouted at them, “Hurry and retreat! That direction is not safe to go!”

    Guo DaLu had not heard. It was as if he had suddenly grown deaf. And if he had not heard, then Yan Qi of course did not hear also.

    Lin TaiPing sighed, “That guy loves going to places that he should not go. Haven’t you realized by now this bad habit of his?”



    If a house is called a “mountain manor” [Note: “Wealthy Manor” should actually be “Wealthy Mountain Manor” as a literal translation], as a minimum, it should satisfy several conditions. The house definitely cannot be too small. Even if it is not constructed on a mountain, it should at least be built at the foot of the mountain. Outside the main entrance of the house, large or small, there is usually a grove of trees. Even though “Wealthy Manor” was not the least bit wealthy, at the very least, it could still be called a “mountain manor.” Therefore, outside its door there, too, was a grove. The spark from a moment ago seemed to have come from there.

    Guo DaLu lowered his voice. “From behind which tree did the spark come shooting out from?”

    Yan Qi: “I could not see it clearly. You?”

    Guo DaLu: “I did not see either.”

    The sky had already grown dark, and it was even darker inside the woods. Nobody’s shadow could be seen; no sound could be heard.

    Yan Qi: “I think we should first go back and consult with Wang Laoda.”

    Guo DaLu: “He is the one who will not consult with us. What d*mn use is there for us to consult among ourselves?” When swear words started coming from his lips, it was an indication that his anger had risen.

    Yan Qi: “ ‘Never enter any woods.’ Don’t you understand any of the basic rules of jianghu?”

    Guo DaLu: “I don’t understand. I never was an experienced person of jianghu. All those useless rules of jianghu, I do not understand a single one.” His body suddenly pounced forward, and then he had already scurried into the trees.

    Within the dimness of the woods, there appeared to be the gleam of a cold light. Guo DaLu’s eyes had not yet clearly seen what it was but his body was already tearing towards it. And then, he saw a knife. A curved knife. A knife used to slice flesh.



    The knife had been stabbed into a tree, nailing a strip of paper in place. Needless to say, there were words on that paper, very small words that, even under the light of day, would be hard to read clearly. Guo DaLu was just about to stretch his hand forward and extract the knife when Yan Qi grabbed him. His face ashen and his eyes wide, Yan Qi snapped, “Is it not enough that you fell once for the trick? Are you going to fall for it a second time?” He was worried and angry. Guo DaLu, however, had begun to chuckle. “What are you laughing at?” Yan Qi demanded.

    Guo DaLu: “I’m laughing at you.”

    Yan Qi could not restrain his angry reply. “You are laughing about bull***t.” When he started yelling out swear words from his mouth, it meant he was infuriated.

    Guo DaLu ceased his laughter. Putting on a serious expression, he explained, “Even if they wanted to trick me, they should use an original method. Why would they use the same ploy as before? Do you really think they believe I am a fool?”

    Scowling at him, Yan Qi retorted, “Do you think you are not a fool?”

    Guo DaLu breathed out a sigh. With a wry smile on his face, he consented, “Fine. If you tell me to not use my hands, I won’t use them, but it should be all right if I just go over and take a look.” He really did put his hands behind his back and walk over to the tree. Not using the hands and only using the eyes to look truly seemed like a good plan, and everything appeared as if it would be all right. But the words on the slip of paper were just too small. He had no choice but to step a little closer. At last, he could vaguely make out the characters written on the paper: “Be careful of your feet…” By the time he could see those five words clearly, his feet gave way beneath him, and he was plunging downwards. A trap had been set on the ground.

    A shout slipped out from Yan Qi. “Careful…” Amidst his cry, he had already darted over and grabbed ahold of Guo DaLu’s hand. Exerting a force through his own hand, Guo DaLu used the momentum and leapt upwards. His lightness kung fu was not weak and he jumped very high.

    Alas, the higher he jumped, the worse it was for him. All that was heard was a crashing sound of leaves, and then a net suddenly came hurtling down from the top of the tree. A very large net. Even if Guo DaLu had wings or even if it was a bird in his place, it still would not prevent them from being enveloped by the net. In addition, his body had already been soaring up in midair. It was as if he had hurled himself into the net, and now, no matter which direction he tried to flee, it was too late. Not only was he unable to dodge it, Yan Qi was not able to either.
    Last edited by Hoju!; 03-09-08 at 03:13 AM.

  19. #319
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    oh well...what can I say but

    "CLIFFHANGERPHILIC TRANSLATOR ALERT!!!"


    Joking aside,Thx a ton for the translation!!

  20. #320
    Senior Member Han Solo's Avatar
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    I like the ingenuity of the trap being done onto the couple.

    Thx for the translation.

    Han Solo
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    Quote Originally Posted by bliss
    I think they're probably at the same level as or one level below Ah Qing, which is about the level of a 2nd or 3rd generation Quan Zhen disciple.
    Troll Control

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