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Thread: A Happy Hero

  1. #121
    Senior Member Hoju!'s Avatar
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    Chapter 4 continued.....
    --------------------------------------------------

    His complexion was ashen, and his eyes had a grisly look. If a faint-hearted person were to see him at night, not only would a confession be extracted, the poor person would likely end up wetting his pants in fear. “This guy shouldn’t be called JiaGun. [Chinese] Vampire would be much more appropriate.” The sentence nearly escaped from Guo DaLu’s lips. Do not think that he did not dare say it. As long as his belly was filled with wine, there was nothing that Guo DaLu did not dare do.

    Wang Dong and the others were not bothered by the situation. “To make friends with this Guo DaLu means that you are prepared at all times to fight for him.” To them, getting in fights was an everyday occurrence. Even Lin TaiPing was not an exception.

    JiaGun eyes were no longer fixed on him, but Guo DaLu still glowered back. One wrong statement from either party was all that was needed for the fight to break out.

    Golden Lion suddenly spoke. “These people do not need to be questioned.”

    JiaGun: “Why?”

    Golden Lion: “If they were guilty, do you think they would be sitting here discussing my nose?” It turned out that not only did this man have an acute sense of smell, his hearing was extremely sharp as well.

    A laugh escaped from Guo DaLu. “You could hear everything?”

    Golden Lion: “In our line of work, not only must we observe everything around us, we must always keep our ears open as well.”

    Guo DaLu: “And you’re not angry?”

    Golden Lion: “Why should I be angry? My nose may be ugly but it is not disgraceful.”

    Guo DaLu’s impression of this man improved drastically. “Not only is it not disgraceful, it’s not ugly either. A man should have a large nose, the larger the better. Mature women are attracted to men with large noses.”

    Golden Lion erupted in laughter. “Your nose is not so bad itself.”

    Guo DaLu gave his nose a rub and smiling, said, “So-so. It will pass.”

    Golden Lion: “Do you live in the city here?”

    Guo DaLu: “Not in the city. Up in the hills.”

    Golden Lion: “Are there many people living in the hills?”

    Guo DaLu: “Living people, there’s only the four of us but dead people, there are lots.”

    Golden Lion: “Dead people?”

    Guo DaLu: “We live in a place right next to the cemetery. It’s called Wealthy Manor. If you have time, feel free to come over for a drink.”

    Golden Lion: “We most certainly will visit.” He stood. “Shopkeeper, the bill please. And we will pay for the tab for these friends as well.”

    Guo DaLu jumped to his feet. “That’s not right. We are the host here. You must allow us to extend our friendship as hosts and treat you to this meal.” Not only did he like making new friends, he enjoyed treating guests even more.

    No one could make friends as fast as him, nor could anyone pay a tab as quickly as he did. However, as his hand reached into his pocket, he realized he could not pull it back out. He could not take out the ingot of gold with everyone’s eyes on him.

    But Golden Lion did not continue to insist on paying. Smiling he said, “If that’s the case, then ‘obedience is better than politeness.’ Thank you.”

    JiaGun suddenly tapped Guo DaLu on his shoulder. “The city will be in chaos for the next couple of days. If you have no specific reason to be out, it would be best if you all stayed at home and avoid any trouble.” Without waiting for a response, he applied a force on Guo DaLu’s shoulder and said, “Do not trouble yourself to see us out the door. Please, have a seat.”

    Grinning, Guo DaLu replied, “I’m tired from sitting. I prefer to stand.” JiaGun had used eighty percent of his strength, yet it did not get a reaction from Guo DaLu at all. He eyed Guo DaLu up and down a few times, then without a backwards glance, he left.

    Suddenly, they heard Golden Lion’s voice say, “Do you know that person across the street?” On the opposite side of the street, a hunchbacked old man with silvery hair was carrying a bucket of dirty water out of a shop. “SPLASH!” He emptied the water onto the street.

    Guo DaLu laughed. “Of course. He’s the storekeeper of Li Yuan Pawnshop. We all call him ‘Huo BoPi’ [*literally, one who skins people alive. i.e. he squeezes people for every penny].”

    Golden Lion’s eyes never left the old man until he had disappeared back into the shop. “Please, take your time. We must take our leave now.” He left and caught up to JiaGun. After whispering something amongst themselves, they went together in the direction of the pawn shop.

    It was only then that the man in black unhurriedly rose from his seat and slowly walked past Guo DaLu and the others.

    They all lowered their heads and sipped their wine. No one wanted to look at him because when they did, it was as if they were looking at a venomous snake. He did not stop, but all of a sudden, he said, “Huang YuHe, greetings.” They paused in confusion. No one knew who he was talking to.

    But in several large strides, he was already out the door.
    Last edited by Hoju!; 11-07-07 at 10:51 PM.

  2. #122
    Senior Member Hoju!'s Avatar
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    Chapter 4 continued.....
    --------------------------------------------------

    Guo DaLu shook his head and muttered, “Maybe he’s got some sort of problem.”

    Lin TaiPing was still staring at the sword on the black-clothed man’s retreating back. “That sword is at least four feet, seven inches long.”

    Yan Qi: “You’ve got a good eye. I would guess that you must use a sword as well?”

    Lin TaiPing appeared to have not heard the question. “From what I know, only three people in the entire martial world use such a long sword.”

    Guo DaLu: “Oh? Which three?”

    Lin TaiPing: “One is called Ding YiLang, who is reputedly the illegitimate child of Scarlet Wood San Tai Lang , the FuSang [*ancient Japan] wanderer and Ding Li, the heroine of Yellow Mountain. Scarlet Wood San TaiLang is a swordsman from FuSang’s “Cloaking Wind, Flowing Sword” sect. That is why Ding YiLang’s swordsmanship incorporates the strengths of both FuSang’s and Yellow Mountain’s sword techniques.”

    Yan Qi stared intently at him. “I never would have thought that your knowledge of wulin secrets would be even more extensive than mine.”

    Lin TaiPing hesitated briefly before answering, “I heard it from someone else.”

    Guo DaLu: “And what about the other two?”

    Lin TaiPing: “The second is Gong HongFen, the only successor of Gong ChangHong’s sword skills.”

    Guo DaLu: “Gong HongFen? That sounds like a woman’s name.”

    Lin TaiPing: “That’s because she is a woman. Did you think that a woman cannot use such a long sword?”

    GuoDaLu laughed. “I just believe that the black-clothed person couldn’t possibly be a woman.”

    Yan Qi: “I heard that Ding YiLang recently went to FuSang to look for his father, so the person in black should not be him either.”

    Guo DaLu: “What about the third person?”

    Lin TaiPing: “That person is ‘Roaming Soul Beneath the Sword’ NanGong Chou.”

    Guo DaLu: “Roaming Soul Beneath the Sword? Isn’t that a phrase that you would curse someone with [*to die by the sword and become a soul]? Why would he choose such a name for himself?”

    Lin TaiPing: “Many years ago, there was a strange person in the martial world called ‘Fierce Crucifix Sword.’ No one who crossed paths with him could escape his sword. He even killed ‘West Mountain Three Friends’ and ‘Finest Sword of Jiangnan,’ who were all very famous at the time. Only NanGong Chou has ever escaped from beneath the fury of his sword. NanGong Chou, himself, felt extremely lucky and hence, gave himself the martial name, ‘Roaming Soul Beneath the Sword.’ ”

    Guo DaLu laughed. “He lost out to someone else’s swordsmanship yet he still thinks he’s lucky. This person is quite amusing.”

    Lin TaiPing: “He is most definitely not amusing.”

    Guo DaLu: “Why do you say that?”

    Lin TaiPing: “It is said that his favourite thing to do is to kill. Sometimes he kills people for his own pleasure, other times it’s for money. And though he was able to escape from the Crucifix Sword with his life, he still came out of the fight with a cross-shaped scar on his face. That is why he does not allow people to see his face.”

    Guo DaLu: “If that’s the case, then the man in black must be him.”

    Wang Dong suddenly spoke up. “Not necessarily.”

    Guo DaLu: “Why?”

    Wang Dong: “How do you know that the person is not a woman, that it’s not Gong HongFen?”

    Guo DaLu: “Of course it’s not.”

    Wang Dong: “Why? Have you seen his face or his hands? What about his feet? He doesn’t even allow you to see one inch of his body. The only thing you saw was his black clothing. If a man can wear that type of clothing, why can’t a woman?”

    Guo DaLu paused in surprise, struggling with the thought. He laughed. “If ‘he’ really is a woman, then that truly would be amusing. I’d definitely want to see what she really looks like.”

    Yan Qi said slowly, “As long as it is about women, you find it amusing, don’t you?”

    Guo DaLu laughed again. “Most women are more interesting than men. Of course, the ugly and the old are the exceptions.”

    Yan Qi sighed. “And this guy actually has the gall to claim that he’s not a pervert. If he isn’t, then I don’t think there are any perverts out there.”

    Wang Dong gave a loud yawn. “At least I have one thing in common with a pervert.”

    Yan Qi: “What?”

    Wang Dong: “Any time, any place, all I can think about is bed.”

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

    Bed!

    The five boxes of gold and jewels were still under the bed.

    Even the wealthiest person in the world would not take those five boxes filled with their priceless contents and carelessly shove it under a bed, then leave without locking the door.

    But that was exactly what they did.

    That was because no one would ever dream that underneath that old, worn-out bed was a storehouse of treasures. Plus, there was nothing left in the house. Aside from beneath the bed, there was no other place that they could hide those five boxes.

    “Why don’t we bury them underground?” Yan Qi had suggested.

    Wang Dong was the first person to argue against that idea. “We’ll have to sweat and work now just to bury it and then a couple days later, we’ll have to sweat and work again to dig it back up. If in the end all we’re going to do is dig it back out, why bury it in the first place?” Lazy people always have a good excuse to refuse working.

    Wang Dong’s reasoning was certainly logical.

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

    He was now back to lying on his bed.

    Guo DaLu was hanging upside down, fervently practicing how to drink wine in that position. He was determined to learn how to do it. In fact, if he heard of anyone out there who could drink wine through their eyes, even if it was only one person, he would keep practicing until he had mastered that skill as well.

    Lin TaiPing sat holding his head on the stone steps at the front of the house. No one could tell whether he was deep in thought or whether something was troubling him. Even though he was the youngest of all of them, he seemed to have the most things troubling his heart.

    Yan Qi had slipped away somewhere again. There always seemed to be a hint of secrecy and furtiveness in his actions. He would often sneak off to some place, but no one would know where he had gone or what he was doing.

    It seemed deep into the night already, yet at the same time, it still felt early.

    Someone once said, “Time governs all of creation, and only time is truly eternal.” But in this place, that saying did not appear to be completely accurate. Although the people in this place did not use time to their advantage, they were not slaves to time either.

    When Guo DaLu had finished his third bowl of wine, Lin TaiPing suddenly stood up from the stone steps. The expression on his face was ecstatic, yet very serious as well, like a general announcing to his troops an extremely important battle strategy. Nevertheless, no matter how serious a person’s expression is, if you are looking at him while hanging upside down, his face will somehow become incredibly comical. Guo DaLu nearly spurted out in laughter the wine he had just drank.

    Lin TaiPing: “I have something to say.”
    Last edited by Hoju!; 11-07-07 at 10:52 PM.

  3. #123
    Senior Member Hoju!'s Avatar
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    Chapter 4 continued.....
    --------------------------------------------------

    Lin TaiPing: “I have something to say.”

    Suppressing his giggles, Guo DaLu replied, “I can tell.”

    Lin TaiPing: “There is someone who lives in the city whose martial arts is extremely powerful. Not only that, he also knows the art of disguises and the skill of contortionism. He was once responsible for a series of big cases that left the officials with nothing but headaches.”

    Guo DaLu blinked. “I think I had heard about this before too.”

    Lin TaiPing: “Not only you, Sour Plum Soup knows this as well.”

    Guo DaLu: “Oh?”

    Lin TaiPing: “Furthermore, she must have a deep-seated animosity, an enmity, towards this person.”

    Guo DaLu: “Enmity?”

    Lin TaiPing: “But she is in the same situation as we are. She only knows that he is hiding out somewhere in the city but doesn’t know where exactly nor what identity he is using. Even though she wants to seek him out for revenge, she doesn’t know where to find him. Therefore…”

    All of a sudden, he did not seem as funny and loveable to Guo DaLu anymore. With a somersault, Guo DaLu dropped back to the ground. “Therefore what?”

    Lin TaiPing: “Therefore, she thought up a scheme to get someone else to find him for her.”

    Guo DaLu: “And of course she must have known that GunZi The Stick and Golden-Coat Pekingese are the best in the world at finding people.”

    Lin TaiPing: “She also knew that they were already in the vicinity, so she somehow leaked the information to them that this famous thief was hiding in the city.”

    Guo DaLu: “Then she went into the city and committed seventeen or eighteen burglaries. What’s more, she intentionally mimicked the style of how he commits his crimes to lead The Stick and Golden-Coat Pekingese to the conclusion that these thefts must have been his doing.”

    Lin TaiPing: “That wasn’t the most important reason for doing it.”

    Guo DaLu: “What is then?”

    Lin TaiPing: “Her actions would have confirmed to The Stick and Golden-Coat Pekingese that the famous thief is in the city, so they would then put effort into the search. People of their status do not bother making an effort for information that is merely a rumour.”

    Guo DaLu: “But she had a problem.”

    Lin TaiPing: “Her problem was, she had all these stolen goods but she had no way of getting them off her hands or transporting them out of the city because The Stick and Golden-Coat Pekingese had already arrived.”

    Guo DaLu: “Correct. The goods were conspicuous and to hide them would not be an easy task.”

    Lin TaiPing: “Not only would it be difficult, it would require some effort and thought. That’s why…”

    Guo DaLu laughed wryly. “That’s why she found someone else to hide it for her. But out of everyone out there, why did she pick me?”

    Lin TaiPing: “She undoubtedly knew that you lived here and knew that even ghosts don’t like coming to this place. Hiding the goods here is like…”

    Guo DaLu: “Like hiding wine in your stomach: safe and secure.”

    Wang Dong suddenly spoke up. “That also was not the most important reason.”

    Guo DaLu: “Oh?”

    Wang Dong: “Most importantly, the person whom she entrusted this task to must be a careless idiot who befriends every Miss Cat or Mr. Dog that he comes across.”

    Not only did Wang Dong rarely move, he rarely spoke either. And when he spoke, his words were usually a conclusion of some sort. But this time, the person who drew the conclusion was not him. It was Guo DaLu himself.

    Guo DaLu let out a long sigh and forcing a smile, he said, “Making friends with all the cats and dogs doesn’t matter so much. The real idiot is the one who sees a pretty girl and is so senseless he doesn’t even remember how to move.”

    Lin TaiPing frowned. “And who are you referring to?”

    Guo DaLu pointed at his own nose and said, “I’m referring to myself.” In reality, Guo DaLu was not as befuddled as he appeared but rather, he refused to put much thought into most matters. Once he actually thought it through, he often understood things more clearly than most people.

    Lin TaiPing interrupted again. “You made another mistake also.”

    Guo DaLu said with a sigh, “Mr. Guo making mistakes is not a strange occurrence. Now, if he does something right, that would be an amazing phenomenon.”

    Lin TaiPing: “You shouldn’t have used that ingot of gold to pay the bill at the restaurant.”

    Guo DaLu: “If I didn’t use the ingot of gold to pay, did you expect me to pay by chopping off my fingers? Don’t forget, you drank just as much as I did.”

    Lin TaiPing: “If The Stick and Golden-Coat Pekingese find out that we paid using gold, they will certainly wonder where these poor ghosts got the gold from. And when that happens, trouble will definitely be heading our way.”

    Guo DaLu: “Could I tell you something as well?”

    Lin TaiPing: “Sure.”

    Guo DaLu: “First, The Stick and Pekingese will not find out because Mai LaoGuang is not one to gossip.”

    Lin TaiPing: “You have a ‘first’ so obviously there must be a ‘second’ that’s following.”

    Guo DaLu: “Second, Mr. Guo having a few ingots of gold on him is not impossible or completely unheard of and is nothing worth getting alarmed over. In addition, I had inspected the ingot, and it had no marking or symbols on it. Anyone who dares say that it was stolen will get a good clout across the face from me.”

    Lin TaiPing: “Anything other points?”

    Guo DaLu: “Yes. Everyone needs to eat, and if we wanted to eat, we would have eventually had to use that ingot anyway.”

    They heard a voice say, “This is actually the most important point. Sour Plum Soup required a person that is not only a perverted idiot but also an insanely poor and insanely starved idiot.” This also was a conclusion. The person who drew the conclusion this time was also not Wang Dong. It was Yan Qi.

    Yan Qi’s appearances were just as mysterious and quick as his disappearances.

    Guo DaLu shook his head and gave a wry smile. “When this guy talks to anyone else, he’s still rather civilized, but for some reason, he enjoys throwing insults my way.”

    Yan Qi laughed. “If you weren’t my friend, I wouldn’t bother wasting my breath to insult you.”

    Guo DaLu: “Wang Dong is your friend too. Why don’t you try throwing a few insults at him?”

    Wang Dong laughed. “You’ve already exhausted all the possible ways to insult me. Why would we need anyone else to do the job?”

    Guo DaLu had to laugh as well. He strolled over and patted Yan Qi on the shoulder. “Where did you slip off to this time?”

    Yan Qi: “I … I just went for a stroll.” It seemed that he did not like people touching him. Every time Guo DaLu touched him, he looked very uncomfortable. Perhaps this was because, aside from Guo DaLu, very few people were actually willing to come in contact with him. They only needed to take one look at the clothes he was wearing and they would be retching up the previous night’s dinner.

    Guo DaLu: “Where did you go for your stroll?”

    Yan Qi: “The foot of the mountain, in the city.”

    Guo DaLu: “There’s nothing to see there.”

    Yan Qi: “Who said there isn’t?”

    Guo DaLu: “There is?”

    Yan Qi: “Didn’t you see a beautiful woman carrying two baskets just yesterday evening?”

    Guo DaLu: “Well, what did you see tonight?”

    Yan Qi: “Murder.”
    Last edited by Hoju!; 11-07-07 at 10:54 PM.

  4. #124
    Moderator Ren Wo Xing's Avatar
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    Keep it up! You definitely have many readers aside from myself; some of us are just lazy bastards who don't post (myself included). Don't think it's being ignored; I've been reading after every update!
    Read the latest chapters of Coiling Dragon at Wuxia World!

  5. #125
    Senior Member Hoju!'s Avatar
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    RWX, thanks so much for the encouragement! It's so nice to hear that people actually do read this story.

  6. #126
    Senior Member Hoju!'s Avatar
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    Chapter 4 continued.....
    --------------------------------------------------

    Yan Qi: “Murder.”

    Guo DaLu: “Murder? Who was committing the murder?”

    Yan Qi: “The Stick.”

    Guo DaLu: “The Stick committed murder? Who did he kill?”

    Yan Qi: “A suspect.”

    Guo DaLu: “Who was the suspect? What was he suspicious of?”

    Yan Qi: “GunZi is looking for a man in his fifties who moved here ten years ago. Therefore, any man who moved here within the last ten years is suspicious and could potentially be Feng QiWu [*Phoenix Perched in the Parasol Tree].”

    Guo DaLu: “Who is Feng QiWu?”

    Yan Qi: “Feng QiWu is the person that GunZi is trying to find.”

    Lin TaiPing interjected, asking, “The Feng QiWu that you are talking about, is it ‘Chicken and Dogs Will Not Be Spared’ Feng QiWu?”

    Yan Qi: “That is him.”

    Guo DaLu chuckled. “His name is so sophisticated and elegant. How did he get such a horrible-sounding martial name?”

    Yan Qi: “Because once he strikes, he will steal everything possible, and a person is left with nothing, not even a penny. Many people that he left in poverty and ruin had no choice but to hang themselves or slit their own throats. So even though he has never killed anyone, the number of people that he has driven to the point of death is not small.”

    Lin TaiPing: “I have heard that this person is cruel and ruthless. He views money to be as important as his own life, and he will not spend the money that he has stolen.”

    Guo DaLu: “Could it be that he took the money and gave it to charity?”

    Yan Qi: “This man has done everything out there but he has never done a single act of charity.”

    Guo DaLu: “So where has his money gone?”

    Yan Qi: “Nobody knows.”

    Guo DaLu was lost in thought for a while. “How many people in the city are potential suspects?”

    Yan Qi: “There weren’t many to start and now there are even less.”

    Guo DaLu: “How many has The Stick killed?”

    Yan Qi: “Five or six, maybe six or seven.”

    Guo DaLu glowered at him. “And when he killed, you were right there watching him?”

    Yan Qi: “I can’t be bothered to watch anymore.”

    With another angry glare at him, Guo DaLu jumped up and rushed out the door.

    Wang Dong heaved a sigh. Grumbling under his breath, he said, “Why is it that, ever since I met him, it seems that I have no choice but to get up and move?”

    Guo DaLu may not have been befuddled, but he was very rash and impulsive. He should have first asked Yan Qi, “What type of people did GunZi kill?” He did not ask, though, because he knew that anyone GunZi killed could not be much of a good person. He understood, yet he still could not control his hot-headedness. Even though this was a bad habit, it was much better than being callous and heartless.

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

    The man in black had a habit as well – he would never walk in front of anybody. Of course, this was not a matter of being polite or humble but rather, it was because he preferred to have his eyes on people instead of his back facing them.

    At this moment, he was walking behind GunZi and Golden Lion. They were not concerned because they knew that his sword never pierced anyone from behind. Although he wore a black cloth to prevent people from seeing his face, he was still a person who cared much about face and honor.

    Silence filled the street. Only two or three houses still showed a dim light in their windows. Their footsteps took them to the fourth house on the left side of the street, where they stopped.

    The house was similar to any other house found in the city. Its construction was simple but sturdy, the door narrow and thick, and its windows, covered in yellowed paper, skinny and tall. The dull, yellow light of a lamp shone through the windows. The door and windows were tightly shut.

    Golden Lion said in a low tone, “Is this house?” GunZi nodded.

    Golden Lion suddenly flew into the air. Although he had a large build, he was adept in lightness kung fu, and his motions were extremely lithe and agile. With a light tap on the ridge of the roof with his toe, he was over and inside the house.

    GunZi turned and glanced at the man in black, then in a loud voice, cried out, “This is the state on official business. Residents shall stay inside with all doors and windows shut. Anyone who disobeys will be killed on the spot.” Before he was finished, the lights inside the house had gone out.

    A loud crashing noise disturbed the silence. Someone had broken a window at the back of the house and was trying to escape. But Golden Lion was prepared. They heard a cry of panic, then Golden Lion’s low voice saying, “Where do you think you are going?”

    Suddenly, a shadow appeared on the roof of the house. Its display of lightness kung fu was not inferior to that of Golden Lion, but the person’s build was significantly smaller. Hesitating for a moment, the shadowy figure flew off towards the east.

    GunZi did not move.

    It also seemed like the black-clothed man had not moved. But all of a sudden, he was already on the roof of the house, blocking the shadowy figure’s escape route. In fear, the figure struck out with his two fists. It did not appear as if the black-clothed man had returned the blow, but the figure was already toppling to the ground into the middle of the street.

    Slowly, GunZi walked over towards him. With his hands behind his back, he lowered his head to stare at the man on the ground. The wind was bitterly cold in the solemn night. In the darkness, his eyes looked like a pair of awls. A pair of awls covered in ice.


    End of Chapter 4
    Last edited by Hoju!; 11-07-07 at 10:55 PM.

  7. #127
    Senior Member Han Solo's Avatar
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    Thanks for the translation.

    What does the awls meant?

    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

  8. #128
    Senior Member Hoju!'s Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Han Solo View Post
    What does the awls meant?
    I'm glad I'm not the only one didn't know. I had asked a couple of people and they knew, so I thought I was the only one.

    Web definitions that I found:
    Awl (錐) is a long pointed spiked tool used for marking surfaces or making small holes.

    I always kind of knew what they were in my mind, but couldn't find a word in English. Guess I'm not a very handy person.
    Last edited by Hoju!; 09-01-07 at 03:49 AM.

  9. #129
    Senior Member ghostdarTeal'c's Avatar
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    wow Hoju!, i didnt know youre a translator too!!

  10. #130
    Senior Member Han Solo's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hoju! View Post
    I'm glad I'm not the only one didn't know. I had asked a couple of people and they knew, so I thought I was the only one.

    Web definitions that I found:
    Awl (錐) is a long pointed spiked tool used for marking surfaces or making small holes.

    I always kind of knew what they were in my mind, but couldn't find a word in English. Guess I'm not a very handy person.
    Does that mean that the eyes are pointed outwards?

    Just can't visualize how the eyes look like.
    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

  11. #131
    Senior Member Hoju!'s Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ghostdarTeal'c View Post
    wow Hoju!, i didnt know youre a translator too!!
    I just started this project recently. I'm still learning.


    Quote Originally Posted by Han Solo View Post
    Does that mean that the eyes are pointed outwards?

    Just can't visualize how the eyes look like.
    I think it means that his stare was sharp, like daggers or a drill, and cold.

  12. #132
    Senior Member Hoju!'s Avatar
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    --------------------------------------------------
    Chapter 5 – The Pest that Would Not Go Away
    --------------------------------------------------

    The nosey pest, Guo DaLu, had arrived long ago and had watched everything from the corner of the street. Several times earlier on, he had wanted to charge onto the scene. But what would he do once he rushed over there? If GunZi had really captured that ruthless thief, was he going to help the crook resist arrest? As he rushed down the mountain, the cold wind blowing on his face, his anger had had time to cool down. That was why he now remained where he was at the street corner.

    The person who had fallen lay twisted and motionless, like a pile of mud, in the middle of the street. Suddenly, GunZi grabbed him and dragged him into an upright position. With his hands twisting the front of the man’s clothing, he spoke, emphasizing each word. “Look at me.” Although the man’s body was upright, his head was drooping onto his chest.

    GunZi let go of the clothing with his right hand, and with it, slapped him across the face ten times. A stream of blood flowed from the corner of the man’s mouth, but not even a moan escaped his lips as he grit his teeth in pain.

    GunZi sneered. “You have backbone.” His knee flew up into the man, whose face contorted in pain. He wanted to bend his waist, but he could not. He could only pull his lower body up so that he was a curled-up mass hanging, shaking, from GunZi’s hand.

    GunZi: “I have many ways to deal with disobedient people. This is one of the simplest methods. Would you like to try another one?” The man finally lifted his head to look at him, his eyes filled with anger and hatred. The expression on GunZi’s face changed and became unexpectedly pleasant. “Are you Feng QiWu?”

    The man’s teeth rattled against each other. In a hoarse whisper, he answered, “You know very clearly that I am not. Why did you still attack me?”

    GunZi: “Because I am still not certain. Only if you tell me your real identity will I be able to confirm that you are not Feng QiWu.”

    The man replied, “I am a nobody, only a small merchant who sells groceries in this city.”

    GunZi’s face clouded over again. With his chilling smile, he said, “If you are not anyone else, then I will have to assume that you are Feng QiWu.”

    The man’s voice quivered in anger. “You are afraid that you have the wrong person, and yet you also fear that your superiors will blame you. So even though you know that I am not Feng QiWu, you are still not willing to let me go. I know the tactics that people like you use.”

    GunZi’s expression became gentle once again. “You are mistaken. I am looking for Feng QiWu only. This has nothing to do with other people. So long as you tell me your identity and background, I will let you go immediately.”

    The man asked, “Let me go? You really will let me go?”

    GunZi actually smiled. “Why would I not let you go? Even if you had committed a crime in some other place, what does that have to do with me? Why should I be like a dog that chases mice, meddling in someone else’s business?”

    The man thought over it for a long time before gritting his teeth and answering, “My surname is Han. I am called YiZhenFeng [*a gust of wind].”

    GunZi: “YiZhenFeng. Are you the one who, on a spring day many years ago, committed the murder in Zhangjiakou of that rich landowner named Huang and his entire family?

    YiZhenFeng: “You said that, so long as I am not Feng QiWu, you will not concern yourself with any other matters.”

    GunZi: “And I do not intend to. But how can I be certain that you are YiZhenFeng and not Feng QiWu?”

    YiZhenFeng: “I have a tattoo on my body …” Rip! The front of his clothing was torn open. There on his chest was the tattoo of a tornado. This was indeed YiZhenFeng’s emblem.

    GunZi said coolly, “It is true that YiZhenFeng would never pretend to be Feng QiWu, but Feng QiWu could very likely try to disguise himself as YiZhenFeng.” He spoke slowly. “I heard that the rich man, Huang, was killed by a single thrust of a sword.”

    YiZhenFeng: “No. I do not use a sword.”

    GunZi: “Then how did he die?”

    YiZhenFeng: “I first used a poison to kill him and then threw him down a well.”

    GunZi: “Based on that, you truly are YiZhenFeng.”

    YiZhenFeng: “Of course I am.”

    GunZi: “Good, very good…” Without warning, he struck with a backhand motion that sliced across YiZhenFeng’s neck. YiZhenFeng fell to the ground, nothing more than a pile of mud once again.

    He was dead, yet his eyes still glared fiercely at GunZi. His eyeballs slowly started to bulge outwards, and they were filled with fury and hate. They seemed to be asking, “You promised you would let me go. Why did you kill me?”

    No words were spoken from GunZi’s mouth, but his eyes answered for him. His eyes were filled with conceitedness, as if they were saying, “That is my way. I did not trust you, so why did you think you could trust me?”

    Guo DaLu’s eyes burned with anger. But he remained standing where he was because YiZhenFeng had indeed deserved to die. It was a fact of life that government officers killed criminals.

    A voice suddenly spoke, “So it turns out that you only stand and watch, as well, when he kills.” Guo DaLu did not need to turn his head to know who had spoken.

    ----------------------------------------------------



    Hi everyone,

    I'm going to be on vacation for a week, and then I'll be moving across the continent. I'll still be translating but probably posting infrequently. I hope that I'll have my internet connection up and running by October.

    Cheers!
    Last edited by Hoju!; 11-07-07 at 11:10 PM.

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    We hope so too. Cheers!
    Read the latest chapters of Coiling Dragon at Wuxia World!

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    Chapter 5 continued.....
    --------------------------------------------------

    A voice suddenly spoke, “So it turns out that you only stand and watch, as well, when he kills.” Guo DaLu did not need to turn his head to know who had spoken.

    He sighed. “But I will continue to watch.”

    Yan Qi: “You enjoy watching him kill people?”

    Guo DaLu: “I am waiting to see him kill one person wrongly.”

    Yan Qi: “Why?”

    Guo DaLu: “Then there will be a reason for me to kill him.”

    Yan Qi: “You want to kill him?”

    Guo DaLu: “YiZhenFeng may have deserved to die, but he deserves to even more so.”

    Yan Qi: “You think that he has done something he should not have?”

    Guo DaLu: “You cannot say that what he has done is incorrect, but the methods that he used are vile and despicable.

    Yan Qi: “What if he never kills one person wrongly?” Guo DaLu paused. Yan Qi laughed. “There are some things in life that no one can control. And even though GunZi may be despicable, he is very useful. There are some people that need to be dealt with by people like GunZi.”

    Guo DaLu also laughed. “But you think that no one can deal with people like him?”

    Yan Qi: “Who can? You?”

    Guo DaLu: “Perhaps myself, perhaps someone else. Who it is does not matter. I only know that one reaps what one sows, and retribution will not go easy on anyone. Sooner or later, someone will deal with him.” This was why Guo DaLu was who he was. He viewed life with compassion and faith. He believed that truth was steadfast and that justice always prevailed. He trusted that goodness would always triumph over evil. No matter what setbacks he encountered, these beliefs would never waver.

    Golden Lion was patting GunZi on the shoulder. With a smile, he said, “Congratulations. That is another big case that you have solved. In one night, you’ve cracked seven cases. Who else besides you could have such a great achievement?”

    GunZi: “You.”

    Golden Lion laughed loudly. “I cannot. My heart is not hard enough. I am slowly finding that I cannot do this job anymore.” The expression on GunZi’s face changed, but he resisted the urge to reply.

    Golden Lion: “Where is the next place?” GunZi lifted his head to look at a sign hanging on the opposite end of the street. It was a black sign with gold lettering: “Li Yuan Pawnshop.”

    The owner of Li Yuan Pawnshop may have been tight-fisted, but he was not one to cheat others, and in fact, it was often the opposite. He had left a pretty good impression on Guo DaLu. As he watched GunZi and Golden Lion head towards the pawnshop, he could not help but want to hurry over there before them.

    Wang Dong had been standing behind him the whole time but had not spoken a word. He suddenly said, “Do not move.”

    Guo DaLu replied with a smile, “I’m not Wang Dong. Why shouldn’t I move?”

    Wang Dong: “Any movement now will bring trouble.”

    Guo DaLu: “When have you ever been afraid of trouble?”

    Wang Dong: “Right now, and what’s more, I’m scared of this type of trouble.”

    Guo DaLu: “But don’t forget, he is the ‘uncle’ of our second home. We frequently have to visit him.”

    Wang Dong: “Losing this ‘uncle’ is not a concern; losing my ancestors is a huge concern.”

    Guo DaLu paused in confusion. “Losing your ancestors?”

    Wang Dong: “Should uncle really be a criminal who has a record, if I help him, I will disgrace my ancestors.”

    Guo DaLu: “You don’t need to go. I’ll go!”

    Wang Dong sighed. “If I could have allowed myself to let you go alone, don’t you think I would still be sleeping on my bed right now?” Guo DaLu stared at Wang Dong’s expressionless face, into his cold eyes. His heart was suddenly filled with the warmth of friendship. No one would be able stop him if he had set his mind on doing something – no one, except his friends.

    By now, Golden Lion and GunZi had already arrived in front of the pawnshop. The door was closed. But before they could knock, it suddenly opened. Owner BoPi’s head emerged from behind the door. “I knew that you three sirs would return. Please, come in.”

    Golden Lion and GunZi exchanged a glance, then followed him in. The black-clothed man remained behind to guard the door.

    Guo DaLu grit has teeth and mumbled under his breath, “I wonder what methods GunZi is going to use on him. I really should go in to take a look at the situation.” But he did not need to go anywhere. Golden Lion and GunZi were already walking back out the door.

    They heard Owner BoPi’s voice from inside the doorway. “Good sirs, you are leaving already? Forgive me for not seeing you out the door.”

    With a smile, Golden Lion held his fist in one hand and said, “Please, do not feel the need to see us out.”

    Guo DaLu watched in amazement as he muttered, “What is going on? Why have these two people suddenly become so courteous?”

    Wang Dong: “A stick does not beat people at random. Otherwise, it would not be long before the stick breaks.”

    Guo DaLu: “But who is Owner BoPi? What ability does he have to make them act so courteously?”

    Wang Dong mused, “Perhaps they are being so courteous because he really is a nobody.” Guo DaLu mulled over the thought for a while, not certain if he truly understood the meaning of this idea.

    But he did not have any more time to ponder because Golden Lion and GunZi’s next destination turned out to be Mai LaoGuang’s barbecue meats shop.
    Last edited by Hoju!; 11-07-07 at 10:58 PM.

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    Chapter 5 continued.....
    --------------------------------------------------

    But he did not have any more time to ponder because Golden Lion and GunZi’s next destination turned out to be Mai LaoGuang’s barbecue meats shop.

    Guo DaLu furrowed his brow. “It is hard to believe that they would suspect someone like Mai LaoGuang. They are rather overly suspicious.”

    Yan Qi: “You shouldn’t have to worry this time. Mai LaoGuang will definitely not have faults for them to uncover.”

    Guo DaLu: “Of course I’m not worried, but not for the reason you are suggesting.”

    Yan Qi: “Then for what reason?”

    Guo DaLu: “They are human beings as well, and all human beings need to eat. Without Mai LaoGuang, what will they eat tomorrow?

    Wang Dong: “They can eat fart.” Guo DaLu started laughing, but the instant his smile reached his face, it disappeared again. A cry of fear suddenly echoed out from the barbecue meats restaurant. It had come from Mai LaoGuang.

    They could hear GunZi’s voice asking, “Where did this ingot of gold come from? Speak!” When Guo DaLu heard him say, “gold,” he dashed out, swift as an arrow, from where he had been standing. This time, even Wang Dong did not try to stop him. They saw GunZi dangling Mai LaoGuang, similar to how Mai LaoGuang would dangle a soy-sauce chicken. And like a soy-sauce chicken, which would have oil on it, the beads of sweat on Mai LaoGuang’s face were like droplets of oil, shiny in the lamplight. Mai LaoGuang was trembling so uncontrollably that he could not say a single word. GunZi snarled at him, “Are you going to speak or not? Where did the gold come from?”

    But it was not necessary for Mai LaoGuang to answer this time. Guo DaLu had already charged inside, and in a loud voice, said, “The gold was from me to buy thirty jin of meat, forty jin of wine, seven geese, and eight chickens. It was a fair business transaction for all parties.” GunZi gradually lowered Mai LaoGuang back to the ground, then turned and fixed his gaze on Guo DaLu. As Guo DaLu stood there, dishevelled and untidy, he certainly did not look like one who could use gold to pay his tabs.

    GunZi: “The gold is yours?”

    Guo DaLu: “Yes.”

    GunZi: “Where did it come from?”

    Guo DaLu: “If it is a crime to have gold in your possession, then there aren’t many people in this world who haven’t committed a crime. I’m quite certain even you, sirs, are no exception.”

    GunZi’s face showed no expression, but his pupils had begun contracting. Suddenly, his hands shot forward. He was not only taller than the average person, his arms were also longer. His thin, shrivelled fingers were like iron spikes on a stick.

    But Guo DaLu deliberately wanted to come in contact with those spikes. He neither dodged, nor evaded. “Whoosh!” Both his fists struck out and directly collided with those iron spikes. The attack took GunZi by surprise, and even Golden Lion could not hide his astonishment. Even a blind man would be able to sense that GunZi’s claw attack obviously contained techniques from the Eagle Talon Skill. If this opponent did not have incredible internal energy, why would he choose to collide directly with the attack?

    In reality, Guo DaLu’s internal energy was not as astounding as they imagined. It was because he was naturally a dalu [*recall Prologue 1, dalu means to be straightforward, carefree, and a little dense] type of person. Not only was he dalu when he did things or spent money, his martial arts was also dalu. With his attack, would his fist shatter the eagle talons or would the talons pierce his fist? He had not even considered this question, nor had he cared about the answer. As long as he felt like doing so, he would use whatever stance pleased him.

    But others were not dalu as he was. In addition, the fundamentals of martial arts tended to place particular emphasis on technique and the changing and shifting of stances. If it was not a last resort, what person would choose to defend by directly colliding with an opponent’s attack?

    As Guo DaLu’s fist attack launched forward, GunZi’s moves had already changed. Dropping his elbow, he turned his hand so that his fingers protruded upwards like a grappling hook, and he struck at Guo DaLu’s wrists. But it was as if Guo DaLu had not seen anything at all. He did not even change his attack in the slightest. “To be unchanging is to change. Be unchanging to counter ten thousand changes.” This too was one of the highest principles of martial arts.

    GunZi somersaulted in midair to avoid the attack and nearly collided with the wall.

    It could basically be said that Guo DaLu had not even completed one move, and he had already forced this top-tier fighter of the Six Fan Sect to retreat.

    He was quite pleased with himself and did not pursue the fight. It was not that he did not understand the concept of “pursue and strike while you are winning,” but since his opponent had already expressed fear and defeat by retreating, why would he continue to chase him? Ruthlessness was never a characteristic of Guo DaLu.

    Golden Lion cleared his throat a couple of times and stepped forward. “Young friend, all matters can be discussed. There is no need to have such a big temper tantrum.”

    Guo DaLu: “It’s him that has the temper problem. He wanted to come over and beat on me. How is it that I’m the one with the temper tantrum?”

    Golden Lion: “Misunderstanding. It’s just all a misunderstanding.”

    Guo DaLu: “Nevertheless, he’s been asking me so many questions, I would like to ask him one as well.”

    Golden Lion: “Please ask.”

    Guo DaLu: “Has someone committed a criminal offense if he uses gold to pay for food and wine?”

    Golden Lion smiled. “Of course not. I also frequently pay for my tabs using gold.”

    Guo DaLu: “Since it’s not a crime, then please release Mai LaoGuang, and please release me as well.

    Golden Lion: “Of course, of course.” He cast a sidelong glance at Wang Dong, Yan Qi, and Lin TaiPing, who were standing outside the door. “We had already accepted your hospitality this afternoon. Tonight, how about letting me assume the role of host and treat all of you to a few drinks?” Guo DaLu hesitated. It was apparent that he was being swayed. It was not because he wanted a free meal but rather, he felt bad saying no to people’s offers.

    Wang Dong: “Right now, I don’t want to think about anything. All I want to do is climb back into my bed.”

    Golden Lion laughed. “That’s fine too! We had wanted to pay you a visit at your home anyways. What do you think if we take advantage of this opportunity to go to your home and drink the night away?”

    The way he put the question, even Wang Dong did not know how to refuse. When members of the Six Fan Sect wanted to go to your home for a “visit,” who had the ability to say no? Furthermore, if they were at Wealthy Manor, they would not be able to kill any more people.

    So, they went to Wealthy Manor.


    End of Chapter 5
    Last edited by Hoju!; 11-07-07 at 10:59 PM.

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    What an interesting series of characters!
    Read the latest chapters of Coiling Dragon at Wuxia World!

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    --------------------------------------------------
    Chapter 6 – The Secret Underneath the Bed
    --------------------------------------------------

    Anyone who first heard the name “Wealthy Manor” before actually going there was guaranteed to be shocked when they arrived. It was not often that you saw a manor that was “wealthy” in the way that this one was.

    Guo DaLu laughed. “Normally this place does not have lamps or oil, but fortunately, I bought some candles today or else we would all have to eat in the dark.”

    Wang Dong: “Actually, eating in the dark can be quite entertaining.” Once he returned home, the first thing he usually did was take off his shoes and climb onto his bed. Today, though, he did not even walk in that direction, but rather, sat down far away from it and said, “If you do not mind that it is dirty, please feel free to take a seat on the floor.”

    Golden Lion laughed. “That is an ancient practice anyway. Our ancestors originally sat on the floor.”

    Guo DaLu: “We have captured the spirit of ancient customs more completely than anyone else then. We even sleep on the floor.”

    Golden Lion: “So what about the bed?”

    They had all been trying to prevent the guests from focusing their attention on the bed, but anyone who walked into the house could not help but notice it.

    Wang Dong: “I sleep on the bed by myself.”

    Guo DaLu: “It’s not because this owner of the bed is being selfish. It’s because we think it’s too dirty.

    They were the only three in the house who were speaking. Lin TaiPing, Yan Qi, and GunZi had not even opened their mouths, and the black-clothed man still had not stepped through the doorway. He stood in the courtyard holding his hands behind his back, blending into the gloominess of the night.

    Golden Lion: “Young friend, may I ask who taught you your martial arts?” Everyone was relieved that he had changed the topic away from discussing the bed.

    Guo DaLu: “I have several shifu, but they have only ever taught one student.”

    Golden Lion: “And may I ask who they are?”

    Guo DaLu: “The teacher who taught me basic skills is ‘Divine Fist Expert,’ Mr. Liu Hu. Then there is ‘Invincible Sabre,’ Mr. Yang Bin; ‘Spear Piercing Nine Dragons,’ Teacher Zhao Guang; ‘Divine Sabre Iron Arm,’ Mr. Hu DeYang; …” Golden Lion’s eyes widened as he listened. The more names Guo DaLu rattled off, the wider his eyes became, as if he was in shock. He really had never heard of any of these names.

    In the martial world, there was an interesting reality: the more intimidating a person’s martial name, the more average and insignificant his martial arts, especially names along the lines of “Spear Piercing Nine Dragons” or “Divine Sabre Iron Arm,” which sounded like names of street performers. If a reputable martial arts master chose such a martial name for himself, people would laugh so hard that their front teeth fell out.

    After spitting out all these elaborate martial names, Guo DaLu smiled and asked, “Have you ever heard my shifus’ names mentioned before?”

    Golden Lion coughed a couple of times. “I have long heard of these names. Ahem… long heard of them.” With a sudden lift of his leg, he darted to the bed. Grabbing the edge of it, he jumped into the air and lifted the bed with him. Guo DaLu, Wang Dong, Yan Qi, and Lin Tai Ping felt as if their hearts were also being tossed upwards. Should the five boxes underneath the bed be discovered that day, even if they could ward off Golden Lion’s sabre, GunZi’s claw, and the black-clothed man’s sword, they still would never be free from the stigma of being a thief. They were still young; if they had to carry the shame of being a thief, when would they ever be able to hold their heads up again?

    But there was not a single box under the bed; there was nothing at all.

    Guo DaLu nearly shouted out in surprise. Golden Lion also appeared to pause for a moment before he slowly lowered the bed. Forcing a smile, he said, “I was certain that I just saw a mouse. Where did it suddenly disappear to?”

    With a cool tone, Wang Dong asked, “Was it a white mouse or a black one?”

    Golden Lion: “Um… I could not see it very clearly.”

    Wang Dong: “A white mouse indicates wealth. White mice are frequently seen in places where gold is hidden. Tomorrow, I’ll still go dig in that spot to be sure; perhaps there really are a few boxes of gold buried there.” His face was still cold and did not show a hint of expression on it.

    Guo DaLu shot a glare at him. “Perhaps if you, Brother Jin, stayed here for a while, you might gain a small fortune as well.”

    Golden Lion forced another smile. “No thank you. I was not destined to have easy money.”

    Even though the manor was old, much attention had been paid during its original construction. The ground was paved with bluestone tiles, but moss had grown in the gaps between the tiles. Anyone could see that the tiles had not been moved for at least ten years.

    GunZi suddenly stood. “I feel drunk. We will say our farewells.” He had not drank a single drop of wine and was obviously lying, but no one was going to point this out. Everyone felt that the lie had been spoken at the perfect moment.

    GunZi and Golden Lion had left for quite some time before Guo DaLu could breathe easy again. Smiling, he said, “Our Wang Laoda [*biggest brother] is brilliant. If he hadn’t moved the boxes, we would have been caught red-handed.”

    Wang Dong: “Who is Wang Laoda?”

    Guo DaLu: “You, of course.”

    Wang Dong: “Do you actually think that I am the person who moved those five boxes and then hid them?” Guo DaLu paused. It was probably easier to tell the boxes to move Wang Dong than to get Wang Dong to move boxes.

    Scratching his head, Guo DaLu asked, “But if it wasn’t you, who was it?” He turned his head and saw YanQi.

    Yan Qi: “Don’t look at me. I’m not necessarily much more hardworking than Wang Laoda.”

    Lin TaiPing: “I have never moved boxes in my entire life.” His hands were white and small and nearly softer than a young girl’s face.

    Guo DaLu scratched his head until his scalp nearly bled. “So if none of you moved the boxes, did they grow legs and run away themselves?”
    Last edited by Hoju!; 11-07-07 at 11:10 PM.

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    Chapter 6 continued.....
    --------------------------------------------------

    Guo DaLu scratched his head until his scalp nearly bled. “So if none of you moved the boxes, did they grow legs and run away themselves?”

    Wang Dong: “The boxes may not have legs, but Sour Plum Soup does. And, she should definitely have a pair of nice-looking feet.” Wang Dong’s sentences usually were a conclusion. Aside from Sour Plum Soup, they simply could not think of anyone else who would know that there were five boxes under the bed, much less move those boxes.

    Yan Qi: “She accomplished her purpose, so naturally, she would not leave us those five large boxes for free.”

    Lin TaiPing: “And she took advantage of the opportunity to move the boxes out when she saw us all head down the mountain.”

    Wang Dong stretched lazily. “It’s actually good that she moved them. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have been able to sleep comfortably on my bed.”

    Lin TaiPing: “I find one thing strange, though. None of us even glanced in the direction of the bed. Why would Golden Lion be suspicious that there was something under the bed?”

    Wang Dong: “Perhaps he was suspicious because of the fact that none of us cast a single glance at the bed.” This was also a conclusion: the more you deliberately demonstrate that you do not care about something, the more it shows that you actually do care. This is especially true with girls. If a girl is friendly and pleasant to everyone and only ignores you, then that possibly means that in her heart, there is nobody but you.

    Lin TaiPing let out a sigh and said, “It seems that this Pekingese is truly a formidable individual.”

    Yan Qi: “The man is shrewd and cunning. Behind his smiles, he hides daggers. He is much more fearsome than GunZi.”

    Guo DaLu had not spoken in quite a while but suddenly said, “The boxes were definitely not taken by Sour Plum Soup.”

    Yan Qi: “If it wasn’t her, who was it?”

    Guo DaLu: “If she had really wanted to transport the boxes, she would not have stayed here yesterday.”

    Yan Qi: “Why?”

    Guo DaLu: “Moving those five boxes out of the city would have been a lot more difficult today compared to yesterday. Why wouldn’t she have chosen to do it yesterday instead? Is she a fool?”

    Yan Qi laughed sarcastically. “Of course she’s not the fool. I am. But I still cannot think of anyone else who would have moved the boxes.”

    Guo DaLu suddenly laughed. “Why is it that every time Sour Plum Soup is mentioned, you become grouchy? Could it be that you have taken a fancy to her as well? Would you like me to give her up to you?”

    Yan Qi: “Why do I need you to give her up? Does she belong to you?”

    Lin TaiPing sighed. “You haven’t even had the chance to drink your sour plum soup, and you have already drank several bowls of vinegar [*to drink vinegar is to be jealous]. Why would you do that to yourself?”

    Yan Qi smiled. His smile was unique and very attractive. When people smile, some smiles start at the eyes, others start on the face. His smile, though, started at his nose, which would wrinkle up into a little spot. It would then spread until two deep dimples slowly appeared on his face. Guo DaLu stared at him. Shaking his head, he said, “If this guy did not act the way he does, I would definitely think that he was a woman.”

    Yan Qi glared back at him. “If I am a woman, then you’re a big flirt.”

    Guo DaLu: “Of course I know that you’re not a woman. But your smile, your dimples…”

    Yan Qi: “So what if I have dimples? Don’t you know that dimples only mean that you can hold a lot of wine?”

    Guo DaLu suddenly reached out and grabbed his hand. “Let’s go! We’ll go drink some wine.”

    Yan Qi: “Where?”

    Guo DaLu: “At the foot of the mountain.”

    Yan Qi: “The wine here has not even been finished. Why would you want to go down the mountain?”

    Guo DaLu blinked. “I have heard that Mai LaoGuang barbecues his meats in the middle of the night. I want to eat a barbecue duck fresh out of the furnace.”

    Yan Qi: “I’m not as gluttonous as you are. Go by yourself.”

    Guo DaLu: “You know I never drink alone.”

    Yan Qi: “You can bring Wang Laoda with you.”

    Guo DaLu: “Even if held a knife to his throat right now, he still would not get out of his bed.”

    Yan Qi: “If he does not go, I’m not going either.”

    Guo DaLu laughed. “You’re not some lady. Why would you not feel comfortable going with me?”

    For a moment, it seemed as if Yan Qi’s face had turned pink. “I said I’m not going and I mean it. Why won’t you let go of me?”

    Guo DaLu laughed. “I am going to make you go. I don’t care if you are a guy or a girl, you’re going with me.”

    Wang Dong gave a sigh. “In my opinion, you should just go with him. You have only yourself to blame for not being more careful when you chose to befriend him. Now if you don’t go, I will not be able to get any sleep either.”

    Yan Qi also sighed. “It is fortunate that I am a man. If I was a woman, I really would not be able to put up with him.”

    Laughing, Guo DaLu replied, “If you really were a woman, I think I would be the one who wouldn’t be able to stand it.” When you cross paths with someone like Guo DaLu, you never know what to do with him.

    In the end, he finally managed to drag Yan Qi out with him. However, they had just stepped out the front door when the two of them paused in surprise. It was already deep into the night. The people of the mountain city should have been fast asleep, and some would actually soon be rising out of bed. But the foot of the mountain was illuminated by the light of lamps and candles. In the three months since Guo DaLu had arrived, he had never once seen the city lit up so brilliantly. Guo DaLu asked, “Could it be that today is the New Year?”

    Yan Qi: “I don’t think so.”

    Guo DaLu: “If it’s not New Year’s, then why is it so lively?” He grabbed Yan Qi’s hand again. “Let’s hurry and join in with the excitement.”

    Yan Qi: “I know how to walk. Why do you feel the need to always hold onto my hand?”

    Guo DaLu grinned back at him. “If you don’t want me to hold your hand, then you should hold my hand instead.”

    Yan Qi sighed. “It seems that I should change my name to Yan Ba.” [*ba = eight]

    Guo DaLu: “Why?”

    Yan Qi: “Meeting someone like you makes me want to go die one more time.”


    End of Chapter 6



    -------------------------------------------------------
    I managed to sneak in one more update. I am moving tomorrow and the updates will not be as frequent again. I hope internet will be up and running by next month.
    Last edited by Hoju!; 11-07-07 at 11:03 PM.

  19. #139
    Senior Member rati4u's Avatar
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    Guo Dalu is the happy hero ??? i liked the underlying spirit of this great novel..a man should be with out any regrets in his life! great Gu Long!

  20. #140
    Senior Member Hoju!'s Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by rati4u View Post
    Guo Dalu is the happy hero ??? i liked the underlying spirit of this great novel..a man should be with out any regrets in his life! great Gu Long!
    I believe so. I am reading this story as I translate, so I don't know much more than everyone else does. Another take on it could be that all four friends are the happy heroes. The title can be translated as hero or heroes.

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