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Thread: A Happy Hero

  1. #321
    Senior Member rati4u's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Han Solo View Post
    I like the ingenuity of the trap being done onto the couple.

    Thx for the translation.

    Han Solo

    couple....hehehe perhaps its figured out???

  2. #322
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    bahahaha, i can see the little smile on Hoju!'s face as he clicks the post button, knowing that he has the power to keep people on the edged of their seats!!

    I hope Yan Qi's secret is revealed soon.. its getting fustrating reading about two guys having these moments together >_<



    Thanks Hoju!

  3. #323
    Senior Member patricia n's Avatar
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    argh! cliffhangers??? why leave me wanting more when that requires me to wait patiently. i'm actually getting annoyed by guo's idiocy at times. yan is very bright...as a matter of fact wang and yan are the brightest in the group. i'm torn as to who i'd like for yan to be with, but sigh, apparently, guo is the protagonist of the story. and he is adorable at times.

    yes, when will guo discover yan's secret? everyone knows except for him!
    if you have the time and enthusiasm, please join in on the new and fabulous wuxia rpg fic /rpg discussion. (<--- click here)

  4. #324
    Senior Member Hoju!'s Avatar
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    @ little Fish: It's not just a little smile. It's an evil cackle.
    Alright, how does our couple get out of this mess?




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

    Not only was he unable to dodge it, Yan Qi was not able to either.

    Just when it appeared that the two of them would be ensnared, a dark shadow all of a sudden was flying towards them like a cannonball. It was so fast it was simply inconceivable. The shadow brushed over their heads. Stretching out a hand, it snatched up the net.

    This dark shadow was not a cannonball; it was a person. It was Lin TaiPing.

    As Lin TaiPing reached out to seize the net, his body was still soaring forward like a real cannonball, flying out two to three zhang [1 zhang = 3 1/3 metres] before his momentum finally slowed. By now, Guo DaLu and Yan Qi had retreated. They saw Lin TaiPing hanging in one spot, one hand gripping a tree branch, the other clutching that net, and his body swinging back and forth incessantly.

    Guo DaLu’s heart was still pounding, and he could not help exhaling a lengthy breath. Smiling cynically, he said, “Were it not for you, I am afraid that this time I really would have ‘sent myself into the net.’ ”

    Lin TaiPing smiled back at them. “You do not need to thank me.”

    Guo DaLu: “Who do I thank if I don’t thank you?”

    Lin TaiPing: “Thank the person behind you.”

    Guo DaLu whipped his head around. Only then did he discover Wang Dong, his face emotionless, standing behind him.

    Lin TaiPing grinned. “I already told you long ago that I am in no shape to jump over any walls right now.”

    Guo DaLu: “But, just now, you…”

    Lin TaiPing: “Just now, it was Wang Laoda using his strength to fling me over here. Otherwise, how could I be so fast?” Indeed, there was no person in the world who could be that quick. Had he not drawn on the force of Wang Dong’s throw, it was impossible for anyone to have that sort of speed.

    Guo DaLu stole a glance over at Wang Dong. Smiling apologetically, he complimented, “It looks like Wang Laoda’s strength is not insignificant.”

    Lin TaiPing: “But Wang Laoda really admires you.”

    Guo DaLu: “Admires me?”

    Lin TaiPing: “His strength may be great but your courage is even greater.”

    Guo DaLu glared at him. “Must you act like a monkey and hang there while you talk?”

    Lin TaiPing grinned widely at him again. “I wanted to get down a long time ago, but unfortunately, my legs will not do as they are told.”

    Wang Dong had not opened his mouth the whole time; neither had Yan Qi. They were both staring at Guo DaLu. Guo DaLu could only force a smile as he admitted, “It seems today, not only have I not done one thing right, I have not even said one sentence that was correct.”

    Sighing, Yan Qi told him, “This sentence of yours is finally correct.”

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


    A lamp burned in the room.

    Aside from the lamp, on the table, there was also a slip of paper, a knife, and a jug of wine. This was because, in the end, Guo DaLu still could not stop himself and had to remove the knife from the tree. And of course, he could not forget to bring the wine back with him. Though this person may not have looked like an ox, he surely had the temperament of one [i.e. stubborn]. He was actually very pleased with himself as he beamed, “I had told you earlier that it would be fine to pull out the knife. I knew they were going to switch to use a fresh and original tactic. Wasn’t this trick very fresh and original?”

    Yan Qi answered grumpily, “Extremely fresh. Even fresher than the fish inside a net.” He picked up the knife on the table as he continued, “I now know what meat this knife is used to carve.”

    Guo DaLu blinked at him. “Is it for carving fish meat?”

    Yan Qi: “You have finally said another correct sentence.”

    Guo DaLu: “Well then, I might as well be a drunk fish.” He lifted up the jug with both his hands, all the while still mumbling to himself, “Drunken shrimp is a delicacy of Jiangnan so the taste of drunken fish cannot be bad either.” But the wine had not yet touched his lips before Wang Dong had snatched the jug away from him. Guo DaLu stood stunned for a moment. “Since when did you become the same as me: a drunkard?”

    Wang Dong: “This wine cannot be consumed.”

    Guo DaLu: “It could be consumed just a little while ago. Why are we not allowed to drink it now?”

    Wang Dong: “Because then was then and now is now.”

    Yan Qi’s eyes were looking all around as he asked, “Where did you put the jug of wine ja moment ago?”

    Guo DaLu: “In front of the door.”

    Yan Qi: “When we all were in the woods, there was nobody by the door, right?”

    Guo DaLu: “Right.”

    Yan Qi: “That is why this wine cannot be consumed anymore.”

    Guo DaLu: “Is it possible that, in just that little amount of time, someone had already poisoned the wine?”

    Yan Qi: “That little amount of time just a while ago was enough to poison eighty jugs of wine.”

    Guo DaLu broke into a guffaw. “You are overexaggerating how frightful these people actually are. Could they really be ones who leave ‘no opening left unentered’ [a saying that means to seize every opportunity] and will not let go of a single chance to inflict harm on someone?”

    Wang Dong did not speak. Without warning, he walked out the door and, taking the jug that had been in his hands, smashed it forcefully into the ground. The jug shattered; wine poured out all over the ground. Heaving a sigh, Guo DaLu muttered, “What a pity. Good…” The sound of his voice suddenly cut short. His body had frozen in shock.

    A very, very small snake was slowly slithering out from amongst the broken shards of the container. This snake was so small that it was rather bizarre. However, the smaller the snake, the more venomous it is.

    The look on Guo DaLu’s face had changed. He could not help giving another sigh as he mumbled to himself, “It looks like they really are people who leave ‘no opening left unentered.’ ”

    Yan Qi suddenly exclaimed, “ ‘No Opening Left Unentered’ Scarlet Serpent.” Alarmed, he looked over at Wang Dong. “Is it ‘No Opening Left Unentered’ Scarlet Serpent?”

    Wang Dong’s face was ashen. Slowly, he turned himself around, walked back into the room, and sat down beside the lamp. To their surprise, this time, he did not lie down on the bed. Yan Qi trailed closely after him and pressed, “Is it him? Is it really him?”

    For a long time, Wang Dong remained silent. Finally, he gave a slow nod of his head. Yan Qi blew out a long breath. Step after step, he moved backwards before abruptly lying down. This time, it was him who had lain down on the bed.

    Guo DaLu had followed them, all the while asking, “What type of gadget is a no opening left unentered scarlet serpent?”

    Yan Qi: “It is a person.” Not only had his entire body seemed to go limp, his voice also appeared to be breathy and without strength.

    Guo DaLu: “What sort of person is he? Do you know him?”

    There was a sarcastic smile on Yan Qi’s lips as he answered, “If I did know him, it would be a marvel that I have still lived to this day.” He bounded to his feet rapidly and charged over in front of Wang Dong again. “But you must know him?”

    Again, Wang Dong sat in silence for a long while. All of a sudden, he grinned as he stated, “I am still alive right now.”

    Yan Qi sighed. “A person who actually knows him and is still alive. That is not an easy feat.”

    The smile on Wang Dong’s face gradually disappeared. At last, he, too, gave a sigh and said, “Indeed, it is not easy.”

    Guo DaLu nearly shouted out in exasperation. “So are you talking about a person or a snake?”

    Yan Qi: “Person.”

    Guo DaLu: “This individual’s name is Scarlet Serpent?”

    Yan Qi: “And furthermore, is ‘No Opening Left Unentered.’ That means, you only need to be slightly inattentive and he will be able to poison you.”

    Guo DaLu: “Slightly inattentive? Everyone has times when they are not paying attention.”

    With another sigh, Yan Qi said, “That is why, if he wants to poison you, you only have one route you can take.”

    Guo DaLu: “What route?”

    Yan Qi: “To be poisoned by him.”
    Last edited by Hoju!; 03-11-08 at 10:17 AM.

  5. #325
    Moderator CrazyT's Avatar
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    We're finally at the meatier part of the story. Can't wait to see what adventures behold our heroes and heroine. Thanks for translating the story Hoju! Can't believe you're translating 2 stories at once.
    I would love to change the world, but they won't give me the source code.

  6. #326
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    haha, good humor.. good humor..


    Thanks Hoju!

  7. #327
    Senior Member Hoju!'s Avatar
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    Chapter 22 continued.....
    --------------------------------------------------

    Yan Qi: “To be poisoned by him.”

    Guo DaLu unconsciously drew in a sharp breath of cold air. “All those devious schemes used to harm people, they were all his doing?”

    Yan Qi: “Even though this person’s proficiency in poisoning can be regarded as number one in the world, his other skills are nothing great to speak about.”

    Guo DaLu released the breath he had been holding. “Now I can set my mind at ease.”

    Yan Qi: “Unfortunately, aside from him, there are others as well.”

    Guo DaLu: “Who else is there?”

    Yan Qi: “Thousand Hands Thousand Eyes Centipede God.”

    Guo DaLu: “Thousand Hands Thousand Eyes?”

    Yan Qi: “In other words, it means that when this person releases and catches projectile weapons, it is as if he has one thousand hands and one thousand eyes. Supposedly, there are hidden weapons on his entire body, from the top to the bottom, and even his nose can launch projectile weapons.”

    Throwing a look over at Wang Dong, Guo DaLu giggled, “Very good. Once I see this person, I will first knock his nose in flat.”

    Yan Qi blinked at him. “But if you come across ‘Rescuer of the Poor and Needy’ Hong NiangZi [Red Lady], I am afraid that you will be reluctant to hit her.”

    Puzzled, Guo DaLu repeated, “ ‘Rescuer of the Poor and Needy’ Hong NiangZi? Hearing this name, one would think that she is an extremely good person.”

    Yan Qi: “She is a good person. She knows that most of mankind is caught in suffering, and so, she wants to help them transcend out of this life and reincarnate a little earlier.”

    With a sigh, Guo DaLu remarked, “If that is the case, she does not really seem to be a good person.”

    Yan Qi: “In a group of 800,000 people, you will not be able to pick out a single person as good as her.”

    Guo DaLu: “And what special ability does she have?”

    Yan Qi’s face hardened and he said coolly, “It would be best if you did not know about her abilities.”

    Blinking innocently, Guo DaLu asked, “Is she a very beautiful woman?”

    Yan Qi: “Even if she is, she should now be an elderly woman – a very beautiful elderly woman.”

    Guo DaLu: “She is already seventy or eighty years old?”

    Yan Qi: “Not yet.”

    Guo DaLu: “Fifty or sixty?”

    Yan Qi: “It seems not quite either.”

    Guo DaLu: “Around forty or so?”

    Yan Qi: “That should be pretty close.”

    Guo DaLu: “At most, that can be considered the cougar years. How can you say she is an elderly woman?”

    Glowering at him, Yan Qi snapped, “What does her age have to do with you? Do you care?”

    Guo DaLu: “When did I say I care?”

    Yan Qi: “If you do not care, why are you grinning like a mole cricket?”

    Guo DaLu: “Because I am a mole cricket.”

    Yan Qi gave him another fierce look but in the end, he could not help bursting out in giggles. Taking advantage of this opening, Guo DaLu immediately jumped in, “From what you have said, it would seem that her skills are specifically targeted against men.”

    A stony look covered Yan Qi’s face again. “I do not know what type of skills she has. All I know is the number of men who have died by her hands is not a small one.”

    All throughout their conversation, Lin TaiPing had been reclined in a chair off to the side, but now he broke in, “Did she make the straw men?”

    Yan Qi: “No.”

    Lin TaiPing: “If it was not her, then who was it?”

    Yan Qi: “ ‘Yi Jian Song Zong’ [‘First Meeting, Pay Last Respects’ ; i.e. first meeting will be your funeral] Cui MingFu [Life-Hastening Talisman].”

    Lin TaiPing’s brow was knit together as he echoed, “Life-Hastening Talisman?”

    Yan Qi: “This individual not only has a belly full of devious schemes, he also has a pair of skilful hands: changing his appearance and disguises, information gathering devices, complex concealed weapons, unusual weapons – reportedly he is adept in every one of these.

    Realization flashed across Guo DaLu’s eyes as he murmured, “Now I understand.”

    Yan Qi: “What is it you understand?”

    Guo DaLu: “A snake, a centipede, a scorpion [* to represent a cruel woman], a talisman. All that is missing now is the eagle.”

    “When Wang Laoda and I entered the woods just now, we seemed to see a shadow flying up from the tree where the fishing net had been dropped,” Lin TaiPing piped in.

    Yan Qi: “A fishing net is not able to drop from a tree by itself. Someone had to have been in the tree.”

    Guo DaLu: “Where did that person go?”

    Lin TaiPing replied with a wry smile, “At that instant, I had just been flung out by Wang Laoda. Do you think I could be bothered about other people right then? Furthermore, that person’s lightness kung fu is very formidable. He almost appeared to be like an eagle.”

    Yan Qi: “ ‘Flies, Soaring into the Sky’ King of Eagles!”

    Guo DaLu clapped his hands together. “Five kites, five people. Everything is now accounted for.”

    Yan Qi: “Among those five people, not only can the Overlord of Eagles be considered to have the best lightness kung fu, his martial art purportedly is also the strongest.”

    Guo DaLu: “In my view, out of these five, the hardest to deal with is still that ‘Rescuer of the Poor and Needy’ Hong NiangZi.”

    Lin TaiPing: “Why?”

    Guo DaLu: “Because we are all men.”

    Yan Qi’s voice was icy as he scorned, “If men were not lechers, even if she had abilities greater than the heavens, she would not be able to use any of them.”

    Guo DaLu heaved a lengthy sigh. “But how many men in the world are not lecherous?”

    Wang Dong had been sitting the whole time, his face unreadable, not moving at all. In times that he did not need to move, he absolutely would not budge. Yan Qi moved a chair over and sat down across from Wang Dong. “When you saw those kites, you knew they were coming to give you trouble,” he stated.

    Guo DaLu moved a chair over towards them also and added, “And so, you wanted to force us away because you knew that there would be complete turmoil wherever these people were.”

    Yan Qi: “You did not want us to get pulled into the muddy waters of chaos, so you tried to drive us out.”

    Guo DaLu: “But what you did not know is that we had already entered the muddy waters long ago.”

    Yan Qi: “From the first day that we met you, we have been in it.”

    Guo DaLu: “Because we are friends.”

    Yan Qi: “That is why, no matter where you may be, we will be there too.”

    Guo DaLu: “That is why, you may want to send us away now, but it is already too late.”

    Wang Dong had been watching them without speaking. He knew that there was no longer any need for him to say anything now. He feared that the instant he opened his mouth, hot tears would start pouring from his eyes.

    Friends. This word was so simple, yet at the same time, so majestic. Wang Dong was kneading his hands as, enunciating each word, he stated simply, “You are all truly my friends.”

    This sentence was enough. You only needed to truly understand the significance of this one statement, and then nothing else needed to be said. Yan Qi was smiling. Lin TaiPing, too, was smiling. Guo DaLu tightly clasped Wang Dong’s hands. All they needed to hear was this one sentence; it was enough to them. Now, the only question they had was “How can we send this trouble away?”

    Yan Qi: “The instant I saw that kite, I knew that trouble had arrived.”

    Wang Dong: “The kite was a form of warning.”

    Yan Qi: “If they were coming to give you trouble, why would they forewarn you and allow you to be on your guard?”

    Wang Dong: “For the reason that they do not want me to die too quickly.” His complexion had paled. He continued slowly, “Because they recognize that the kind of terror a person experiences as he is waiting for death is much more painful than death itself.”
    Last edited by Hoju!; 03-15-08 at 01:36 AM. Reason: Correct for consistent capitalization

  8. #328
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    Nice buildup to an upcoming, climactic showdown. Our happy heroes display so many flaws, compared to the formidable skills of the "5 Venom Team". But hey, that is what makes everyone so endearing.

    Guo is so impulsive, dense, and gluttonous. Yan can be considered a bit passionate (jealous). Lin is naive, with no jianghu experience. Wang is just a plain lazy bum who sleeps all day.

    So it just amazes me how how the flawed happy heroes overcome and conquer their adversaries. Can't stop reading and loving the traps, counters, and adventures.

  9. #329
    Senior Member Shi-Potian's Avatar
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    another magnificent update hoju you are my hero loving this novel more and more now that this new twist has been added i want our heroes to form a mighty mansion though with renound in the jiangu! also im just curious but did gu long really right "the cougar years" or was that some personal addition after watching the cougar club????lol

  10. #330
    Senior Member Shi-Potian's Avatar
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    something else that needs mentioning is the way in wh9ich gou dalu and yan qi were finishing each others sentances if yan qi is a female then they make a good pair

  11. #331
    Senior Member Hoju!'s Avatar
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    Shi-Potian, you caught the one phrase I debated over for an hour (literally!). The direct translation is the 'wolf and tiger years,' which is used to describe women ~ 30-40 years of age whose sexual desires are in overdrive and who are rather irritable (i.e. ***tchy). I was trying to avoid writing a footnote to elaborate on that.



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

    He continued slowly, “Because they recognize that the kind of terror a person experiences as he is waiting for death is much more painful than death itself.”

    With a sigh, Yan Qi remarked, “It appears that the trouble will not be small.”

    “Truly not small at all,” Wang Dong agreed.

    Guo DaLu suddenly gave a little chuckle. “It is rather unfortunate that they miscalculated one point.”

    Yan Qi: “Oh?”

    Guo DaLu: “They may have five people, but we have four. Why do we need to feel terror? Why will it be painful?”

    Yan Qi: “ ‘A spear out in the open is easy to dodge; arrows that are concealed are difficult to guard against.’ Do you not understand this saying?”

    Guo DaLu: “I understand, but I am not afraid.”

    Yan Qi gave him a fierce look. “What are you afraid of then?”

    Guo DaLu: “I’m afraid of you.”

    Yan Qi could not stop himself from breaking into a captivating smile, but then immediately, he pulled his face into a scowl and turned his head away. In reality, of course he understood what Guo Dalu was saying because he, too, felt the same. For people like them, the only thing they feared was people caring about them and being moved by that care. If you managed to touch their hearts, then even if you asked them to cut off their heads and give it to you, they would not so much as frown.

    Guo DaLu: “ ‘When the army comes, the general will resist; when the water comes in, the earth will be flooded.’ [*Saying that means take things as they happen.] Those sorts of people have nothing remarkable about them. Besides sneakily inflicting harm on people, I think their real capabilities are rather limited.” He paused a bit, then added, “The only question now is, when are they coming?”

    Wang Dong: “Don’t know.”

    Guo DaLu: “You do not know either?”

    Wang Dong: “I only know that, before they pay their last respects to me at my funeral, they will certainly not leave.”

    With another snicker, Guo DaLu replied, “Right now, it is still difficult to say who will be paying whom last respects.”

    This was an endearing trait about Guo DaLu: he was always confident in himself, always optimistic. He was the kind of person who would never worry, even if he knew that the sky was going to collapse, because he believed that, so long as a person had confidence, any issue could be resolved. And he not only possessed confidence for himself; at the same time, he passed on confidence to others also.

    Wang Dong’s face had gradually brightened again. He suddenly declared, “They may be occupying a slightly advantageous position, but I still have ways of dealing with them.”

    Guo DaLu rushed in to ask, “What type of ways?”

    Wang Dong: “Sleep.”

    Guo DaLu paused for a minute, then broke out in laughter. “You are probably the only person who could think of such a method.”

    Wang Dong countered, “What is wrong with this method? It is called ‘waiting in ease for the exhausted to arrive.’ ”

    Clapping his hands together, Guo DaLu exclaimed, “True. If we must sleep, then we should do it right now. We will rest up and have enough energy to deal with them.”

    Yan Qi: “If we are to sleep, we must still do it in shifts.”

    “Correct. You and I will take watch in the first half of the night,” Guo DaLu proposed. “At midnight, we will awaken Wang Laoda and Lin TaiPing.”

    Lin TaiPing interrupted them unexpectedly, “That will not work. It will be better if I am on the same shift as you.”

    Guo DaLu: “Why?”

    As his eyes stole a glance at Yan Qi, Lin TaiPing explained, “The two of you have too much to say to each other. You get so excited while you are chatting that I am worried you will be completely oblivious even if someone is sneaking into the manor.” Abruptly, Yan Qi strode outside because his face had suddenly turned pink.

    Guo DaLu insisted, “I still think that it is better if Yan Qi and I are on the same watch. Two people who are chatting and talking will not fall asleep.” As the words were leaving his lips, he was already trailing after Yan Qi. Regardless of what anyone said, he was still adamant that he had to be on the same shift as Yan Qi. There seemed to be a thread connecting the two of them together.

    Lin TaiPing watched as they stepped out. With a sudden laugh, he wondered out loud, “Sometimes I really find it quite strange: why is Xiao Guo [Little Guo] so dense?”

    Wang Dong was chuckling with him. A little smile was still on his lips as he said, “Do not worry. He will not be for very long.”

    Lin TaiPing: “Actually, I hope that he will continue to be dense for a while longer.”

    Wang Dong: “Why?”

    Lin TaiPing: “Because I find that the way they are right now is rather interesting.”

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


    Yan Qi walked into the guest hall and sat down. Guo DaLu, too, walked into the guest hall and sat down.

    Starlight shone in through the window and lighted upon Yan Qi’s eyes. His eyes were very bright. From the side, Guo DaLu gazed at him. Beaming suddenly, he said, “Did you know that, at times, your eyes look like a girl’s?”

    Yan Qi drew his face into a pout. “Do I have any other aspects that are like a girl?”

    “When you smile, there is a bit of similarity,” Guo DaLu giggled.

    In a cool tone, Yan Qi asked, “If I am so much like a girl, why do you keep on following me around?”

    Grinning, Guo DaLu answered, “If you really were a girl, then I have even more reason to follow you.”

    Yan Qi turned his head away and rose to his feet. After finding a flint, he lit the lamp on the table. It seemed that he did not dare sit alone with Guo DaLu in the dark. As the lamp glowed, it cast his shadow onto the window. All of a sudden, Guo DaLu reached over and pulled him close, like he wanted to hold him in his arms. “What… what are you doing?” Yan Qi exclaimed.


    --------------------------------------------------
    Has GDL realized something?!

  12. #332
    Senior Member patricia n's Avatar
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    great update! i doubt gdl has realized that yq is indeed a girl. what i find very interesting about this story is, even though there are four of them and all have been through life and death together, why is it that wang and lin, both who realize that yq is a girl, have no feelings for her? i would expect for people who spend that amount of time together, feelings will naturally develop. yet, it is gdl who has feelings for yq even though he believes yq is a guy. this is one of the more interesting aspect of this group...but i'm relieved there's no stupid drama of one dame having to pick between her close friends.
    if you have the time and enthusiasm, please join in on the new and fabulous wuxia rpg fic /rpg discussion. (<--- click here)

  13. #333
    Senior Member Hoju!'s Avatar
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    Chapter 22 continued.....
    --------------------------------------------------

    “What… what are you doing?” Yan Qi exclaimed.

    Guo DaLu: “If you stand there, haven’t you just made yourself a live target for that Thousand Hands Thousand Eyes Big Centipede?" His eyes looked around, then suddenly sparkled as he mumbled to himself, “That is a pretty good idea.”

    Casting an annoyed look at him, Yan Qi snapped, “What great ideas could you possibly come up with?”

    Guo DaLu: “Since that Big Centipede likes using projectile weapons on people, we might as well provide him with a few live targets.”

    Yan Qi’s brow creased together. “Who do you intend on getting to be his target?”

    “The straw men.” He elaborated on his plan, “We will move those straw men into this room and seat them right here. From outside the window, who can tell that they are not real people?” Yan Qi’s brow unfurled as he listened to this. Guo DaLu carried on, “Once that Big Centipede sees a human silhouette in the window, his hands will start itching.”

    Yan Qi: “And then?”

    Guo DaLu: “We will be waiting outside. As long as his hands start to itch, we will have ways of dealing with him.”

    Yan Qi contemplated over it for a short time before asking dully, “Do you really think your idea is a good one?”

    Guo DaLu: “Even if it isn’t good, we should at least give it a try. We cannot just sit here and wait to die. We should devise a plan to lure them out.”

    Yan Qi: “Do not forget that those straw men can injure people too.”

    Guo DaLu: “But no matter what, straw men are lifeless. They should be a little easier to handle than living, breathing people.”

    With a groan, Yan Qi gave in, “Alright. This time I will do as you say. We will see if this idiotic idea of yours will actually work.”

    Guo DaLu grinned. “Idiotic ideas are at least a little better than no ideas.”

    From outside, the straw mens’ shadows on the windows really did look quite similar to those of real people. This was because, in addition to being dressed in clothes, these straw people were also wearing hats.

    It was deep in the hours of the night. The wind blowing on their bodies was cutting like a knife. Guo DaLu and Yan Qi had hidden themselves in a place that was sheltered from the wind, but they were still shivering from the cold. Out of the blue, Yan Qi said, “It would not feel so cold if we had a little bit of wine to drink right now.”

    “I did not think you there would be a time when you would want to drink,” Guo DaLu remarked with a grin.

    Sighing, Yan Qi responded, “It is called, ‘those near ink will turn black.’ When a person spends every day with a drunkard, sooner or later, he will turn into a drunkard himself.”

    Guo DaLu chuckled, “And that is why, sooner or later, there will be a day when you no longer hate women.”

    Yan Qi pulled his face into another scowl and did not say anything else.

    After a long while, Guo DaLu piped up again, “I just cannot figure it out: how could someone like Wang Laoda develop an enmity with the Big Centipede and Scarlet Serpent? And that animosity seems so deep.”

    Yan Qi’s tone was frosty. “If you cannot figure it out, don’t think about it.”

    Guo DaLu: “Don’t you find it peculiar?”

    Yan Qi: “No.”

    Guo DaLu: “Why?”

    Yan Qi: “Because I never try to probe into other people’s secrets, especially if they are my friends’ secrets.”

    Guo DaLu could only respond to that comment with silence.

    After a long time had passed, they suddenly heard a “gu” sound. The look on Yan Qi’s face changed as he asked, “What is making that noise?”

    With a wry smile, Guo DaLu confessed, “It’s my stomach.” He really was awfully hungry. Another long while passed until they heard a “ge” noise. “What is making the noise this time?”

    Yan Qi bit down on his own lip. “It’s my teeth.” He was so cold his teeth were beginning to chatter.

    Guo DaLu: “If you are cold, why don’t you huddle a little closer with me?”

    Yan Qi: “Shh…”

    Guo DaLu: “What is that supposed to mean?”

    Yan Qi: “That is telling you to stop making noise. If your mouth keeps talking nonstop, that Big Centipede is not going to show himself.”

    As expected, Guo DaLu immediately did not dare say anything else. He was not afraid of anything, nor was he scared that the enemy was coming. His only fear was that they would not come. It was unbearable having to wait like this. The most agonizing part was that no one knew when those people would show up. Perhaps they would have to wait several days, or perhaps it would be in that very instant…

    Guo DaLu was reaching over to cover Yan Qi’s shoulders with the fishing net he was holding in his hands. The net was light and soft, yet extraordinarily sturdy. They did not know what material it was made of. Lin TaiPing had brought it back with him. Guo DaLu was planning to use it against the Big Centipede – an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. Although the net was light, Yan Qi’s heart was flooded with a warm feeling.

    All of a sudden, like an arrow, a shadowy outline flew in from the other side of the wall. As it twisted in midair, the sky was filled with flashes of cold light, and thirty to forty projectile weapons had been fired like a fierce storm through the window.

    This person had come in extremely fast; his projectile weapons were even faster. Guo DaLu and Yan Qi could not even see how he had fired them. After unleashing the weapons, his toe touched the ground, and immediately, he was soaring into the air again towards the roof of the house.

    His body had just launched back into the air when, out of nowhere, a large net came falling down over his head. He had been flying upwards at the time so it looked as if he was actually throwing himself into the net. In panic, he struggled to free himself, but the net was like the silken threads of a spider entangling around his body.

    Guo DaLu could not contain his shout of triumph. “Let’s see if you can escape now.” Yan Qi had already darted over and sent a kick towards his “Xue Hai” [Sea of Blood] acupoint.

    But then, at that moment, from within the net, more than ten points of cold light came flying out. This time it was Guo DaLu and Yan Qi’s turn to be surprised. In that same instant, a hook flew in from outside the wall and caught onto the net. Obviously, attached to the hook was a rope. And of course, holding onto the rope was a hand. The hand gave a tug and the net was yanked upwards.

    When the net was being pulled up, both Guo DaLu and Yan Qi had lunged towards it. However, even though they were simultaneously startled, the projectile weapons were not unleashed on both of them at the same time. All the weapons had, in fact, been fired at Yan Qi. That is why Guo DaLu was more alarmed and more panicked than Yan Qi. His mind had not yet contemplated what he should do before his body had already dived towards Yan Qi and thrown itself on top of him. The two of them tumbled to the ground.

    Guo DaLu felt bursts of stabbing pain all over. Abruptly, his entire body became completely numb. And then, his senses grew numb as well.

  14. #334
    Senior Member patricia n's Avatar
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    guo is a good friend who apparently likes men and women...okay one man and most good looking women.
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    Senior Member fastclock's Avatar
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    I don't think Gu Long mentions age at all in the story, but I would imagine that Wang Dong is the oldest, maybe between 25-30 yrs old, Guo Dalu and Yan Qi in the early 20s, and Lin TaiPing the youngest.

    So, at least from age-wise GDL and YQ would be the most compatible.

    Besides, Wang Dong and Lin TaiPing have their own secret thingy, which will be divulged later...

  16. #336
    Senior Member patricia n's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by fastclock View Post
    Besides, Wang Dong and Lin TaiPing have their own secret thingy, which will be divulged later...
    you mean, they have a thing for each other? i kid. however, i was curious because lin liked sour plum soup (i forget the character's name) as well, that's why i thought that he was also a heterosexual and available bachelor...

    and i also thought that gu long hinted that wang may be mildly interested in sour plum soup as well when she was trying to pick a husband.

    maybe these guys are shallow because they haven't see yan qi at her best...but i am definitely interested in learning all their secrets.
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    Quote Originally Posted by patricia n View Post
    you mean, they have a thing for each other? i kid. however, i was curious because lin liked sour plum soup (i forget the character's name) as well, that's why i thought that he was also a heterosexual and available bachelor...

    and i also thought that gu long hinted that wang may be mildly interested in sour plum soup as well when she was trying to pick a husband.

    maybe these guys are shallow because they haven't see yan qi at her best...but i am definitely interested in learning all their secrets.

    Haha....
    I wouldn't comment on that thingy at all...
    Ho Ju will kill me anyway, if I start spreading false/true rumor.

    The sour plum soup (Mei RuNan) was open to pick a husband among the four. Unfortunately, the guy she picked was the wrong one. But, while she was pondering which one to pick, I think the guys would prefer to be chosen rather than being rejected (you know, ego thingy associated with a MAN).

  18. #338
    Senior Member Shi-Potian's Avatar
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    another magnificent update HOJU! much appreciated!

  19. #339
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    LTP and Wang Dong an item?! LOL!! No comment on that. We'll just have to wait to find out.



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

    And then, his senses grew numb as well.

    He did not see the fishing net get pulled off, nor did he see the man inside the net free himself and leap upwards. In his state of semi-consciousness, all he heard was two loud shouts followed by a cry of fear and a cry of anguish. However, he could not discern who had produced that frightened cry and who had let out the anguished cry. He only knew that he definitely had not cried out. That was because his teeth were clenched tightly together.

    There are some people who, in normal times, will frequently shout and be noisy, but when they are genuinely in pain, they will not even so much as moan. Guo DaLu was such a person.

    There are some people who, when they see their friends in danger, will forget about any danger to themselves. Guo DaLu was also one of these people. And once he was in motion, he paid no attention to his own life.

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

    The cry of fear seemed to slowly fade into the distance so that gradually, he could no longer hear it. But what was that sound? Was that someone weeping?

    Guo DaLu opened his eyes. Right away, he saw the tears on Yan Qi’s face. When Yan Qi saw his eyes open, he could not help crying out in joy, “You are awake.”

    Someone to the side immediately said, “Good people do not live long; a blight will stay for a thousand years. I knew that he would not die.” It was Wang Dong’s voice. His voice was usually emotionless, but now, there was a hint of quivering in it. And then, Guo DaLu saw his face. That cold, detached face was right now filled with joy and elation.

    Guo DaLu chuckled. “Did you think that I had died?” He was laughing, but the look on his face was as if he was crying. The instant he laughed, his body was wracked with pain.

    Wiping his tears away secretly, Yan Qi instructed, “Lie here quietly. You are not allowed to walk or say anything.”

    Guo DaLu answered obediently, “Yes.”

    Yan Qi: “You are not allowed to even say one word.”

    Guo DaLu nodded.

    Yan Qi: “And not allowed to nod your head. Not even allowed to move.”

    Sure enough, Guo DaLu did not even move a little bit, but his eyes were wide as he stared at Yan Qi.

    Yan Qi exhaled a little breath and explained, “You were hit by a ‘nail of death,’ a sleeve arrow, plus two poisoned needles. This life of yours was basically snatched back from death, so you should cherish it.” His eyes grew red again as he spoke.

    Wang Dong sighed at him. “If you don’t allow him to speak, it may be even more difficult for him to bear.”

    Guo DaLu: “Correct answer.”

    Yan Qi glowered at him and snapped, “It seems the right thing to do is sew this guy’s lips together.”

    Guo DaLu: “It is only when I am not talking that I feel pain.”

    Yan Qi: “No such thing.”

    Guo DaLu: “Yes there is.” He wanted to laugh, but he held it back. He carried on slowly, “Because all I need to do is start talking and I will forget about any pain.”

    Yan Qi was gazing at him. That expression in his eyes: was it showing feelings of protectiveness and tenderness? Or blame? Or some other emotion that could not be expressed in words or even understood? His complexion was very pale, like the color of the window paper.

    The window paper was white again; the sky had brightened. Although the night had been very difficult to endure, it was at last part of the past.

    Guo DaLu could not help asking, “What happened with the Big Centipede?”

    Yan Qi: “He has become a dead centipede now.” The cry of anguish that Guo DaLu heard had come from him.

    However, a centipede may appear to die, but its body may not actually stiffen. Therefore, Guo DaLu pressed further, “Is he really dead? Completely dead?”

    Yan Qi did not answer; it was Lin TaiPing who did. “He is completely and thoroughly dead.”

    Guo DaLu: “It was you who killed him?”

    Lin TaiPing shook his head. “It was Yan Qi.” With a sudden laugh, he added, “You must not have thought that, even under those circumstances, he would be able to get your revenge for you.” Guo DaLu really had not thought that was possible since at the time, he had been lying on top of Yan Qi. He tried to ask Yan Qi, but Yan Qi had already turned his head away. Lin TaiPing carried on, “I did not think that would happen either, but I watched as, just when the Big Centipede leapt up, a dagger pierced his throat. Then I saw the blood on the ground.”

    Guo DaLu: “There was only blood on the ground? Where was his body?”

    Lin TaiPing: “He left, and he took the dagger with him.”

    Guo DaLu: “A dead person can still walk?”

    Lin TaiPing: “Because there was still one last breath left in that person. At most, though, it was just one breath.”

    The breath that Guo DaLu had been holding was finally released. His face brightening, he said, “So it seems I did not lose out.”

    Lin TaiPing: “Yes. And now, it is four against four.”

    With a self-mocking smile, Guo DaLu joked, “Sadly, though, I can only be counted as one half.”

    Wang Dong suddenly interjected, “They only have three people left.”

    Lin TaiPing: “Hong NiangZi, Scarlet Serpent, and Cui MingFu [Life-Hastening Talisman].”

    Guo DaLu: “Do not forget that there still is that ‘Flies, Soaring into the Sky’ King of Eagles.”

    Wang Dong: “I am not able to forget that.” His expression had suddenly become very strange, and his eyes seemed to be staring at something far off in the distance.

    Guo DaLu counted off, “Hong NiangZi, Scarlet Serpent, and Cui MingFu, plus add in the King of Eagles – is that not exactly four?”

    Wang Dong: “Three.”

    Guo DaLu: “Three plus one. Why is it still three?”

    Wang Dong’s eyes were empty. Nobody could tell what he was looking at. His face looked as if he was in a trance. Nobody could tell what he was thinking. A long time passed before finally, speaking each word slowly and clearly, he said, “Because I am ‘Flies, Soaring in the Sky’ King of Eagles.”

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

  20. #340
    Senior Member patricia n's Avatar
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    wang dong is the eagle...holy smoke. no wonder they want him dead...he left their team hence weakening them. now that is a great secret!!! so i wonder why wang converted or um...left the dark side. can't be for lin.
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