Blood Moon

by Patrick Laplante

  Chou Tai frowned. This was indeed strange. While they shouldn’t go investigate directly, perhaps they should go pay a visit to the Fairweather County lord prior to reporting in.

  “Is there anything we can do to help?” he involuntarily blurted out.

  That’s strange, he thought. Why would I try to help them so easily? We’re on duty and can’t get sidetracked. But she seemed very helpless and alone, as if there was no one else in the world she could rely on. How could he abandon her in her time of need?

  Madame Li’s expression lit up when she heard this. “How generous of you, Captain. However, I’m sure you have important work to attend to,” she said, reluctantly declining. Nevertheless, she continued pouring tea for herself and the captain. Her expression indicated that she had accepted their fate.

  The captain felt guilty now. If he declined to help, wouldn’t that make him heartless? “It’s decided,” he said. “We’ll go in the morning and investigate. However, I can make no promises. If they are normal rabble, we can take care of them. However, if the group is larger or well armed, we can’t jeopardize our mission. We can, however, confirm our findings with the county lord and instruct him to dispatch guards. I do have a certain amount of authority in the army.”

  Despite his words, the captain was confused. Why do I care so much about this? And why am I trying to impress her? This isn’t like me.

  “Thank you ever so much,” Madame Li said while standing up. She was glowing with joy, to the point where she seemed like she could cry at any moment. “I’ll go arrange for a feast tonight to celebrate! Please make yourselves comfortable for a quarter hour while I make the necessary arrangements.” She left the two of them alone in the tea room and began to run around, busily giving out orders.

  “Captain Chou, why did you agree to help her?” Feng Ming asked. “This isn’t like you. You always say that it’s best to be cautious, lest we endanger the mission. Any delay in providing information can lead to the loss of many lives.”

  “You’re right. I understand your concern. However, I’ve already agreed, and she is already preparing a feast. It would be a little awkward to refuse now, wouldn’t it? I don’t want to tarnish the Royal Army’s reputation.” Chou Tai knew he had made a mistake. Feng Ming sighed as well.

  “Besides, these bandits could be affiliated with the rebels. Even if we don’t fight them, we can at least confirm their location and attempt to extract information from them. Failing that, we could possibly obtain information on rebel banners.” While the older man justified himself calmly, he knew that he was only making excuses.

  “What’s done is done. However, we need to agree that there can be no drinking at the feast, and no overeating. We’re on duty, and it’s best to be cautious,” Feng Ming warned the captain once more.

  “Right, right,” the captain said tiredly. “Tell the men. We need to make sure everyone stays sober and is ready to leave first thing in the morning.”

  “And they need to stay away from pretty girls. Something doesn’t feel right.” Feng Ming insisted on this. Chou Tai’s reaction to the innkeeper seemed unnatural.

  Chou Tai hesitated for a bit, then nodded. “Yes, please let the squad know on my behalf. Your caution is admirable, Sergeant.” He didn’t notice his own hesitation.

  The feast began four hours later. It was already dark outside, as the winter days were much shorter than in the summer. Feng Ming looked around the inn, admiring the decorations that had been hastily set up. If he didn’t know any better, he would have sworn that they had spent days preparing. Not only was the place impeccably clean, rare pieces of art were prominently displayed on the walls. The chairs were all covered in bright, decorative fabric. Unsurprisingly, the plates, bowls, and utensils were all crafted out of beautiful pieces of crystal glass. The crystal glass had been shaped and carved to resemble mythical creatures, like dragons and phoenixes. Not a single piece was the same.

  The captain sat at the seat of honor, while Li Piao sat in the host’s seat. She had changed for the occasion. Her beautiful, lithe figure was showcased by a form-fitting, low-cut red2 dress. Her curves were accentuated by carefully placed slits along her legs, back, and upper chest. Although Feng Ming would have thought it impossible, she was even more dolled up than previously. Among other things, she had painted her eyelids with a light coat of red glitter, which matched her cherry-red lips and her red dress. A passerby would think they were attending a traditional wedding ceremony.

  The only other guests called to the feast were three of the town’s five guards. Due to their large frames, they looked quite menacing. They did, however, express their gratefulness to the captain for helping them deal with the bandits. Clearly the presence of the bandits had placed a significant amount of pressure on these guards.

  Once all the guests were seated, Li Piao stood up and lifted her cup, which was filled with tea. The captain had insisted that tea be served instead of liquor to maintain compliance with military regulations.

  “Thank you all for attending this feast that we’ve prepared for you. You’ll have to forgive me for the meager fare, but all of this was prepared on very short notice. Now, I would like to join our guards in a toast to these brave soldiers who will go out to investigate the bandits tomorrow.” She quickly downed her cup of tea, regretting that it was not wine. The guards and soldiers joined in as well. “Let the feast begin!” she yelled. This was followed by a cheer from the soldiers and guards.

  Immediately after her announcement, a half dozen maids flooded into the room bearing large dishes and serving tea. There were several vegetable dishes, most of them involving local produce that could last the winter, such as onions, carrots, potatoes, taro, and the like. The meat dishes mostly featured sheep and goat meat, likely obtained from the pen outside. Given only four hours of preparation, such a grand spread was very impressive.

  The soldiers and guards chatted and ate, and while they didn’t drink, they became intoxicated with the atmosphere. The cautious Feng Ming sniffed at his tea cup. He also lightly rolled some of the liquid around his tongue. It didn’t seem poisoned, which reassured him. The guards had cultivations no higher than the fourth level of qi condensation, which reassured him as well. What didn’t reassure him was how friendly Captain Chou was getting with Li Piao, and how forward she was being with him. Neither was he reassured with the half dozen maids’ overly friendly behavior, and their too-perfect appearances. How could so many pretty maids appear in such a small town? Why hadn’t they been snatched up by some local lord? Heck, with so much local talent, the town could support a professional matchmaking agency.

  He also didn’t like the way the guards looked. He occasionally spotted vicious glints in their eyes, which leaked through their friendly façade. Some looked hungry while others looked angry, but invariably these emotions were quickly suppressed by another before they continued chatting and joking. Was it… fear? Unfortunately, it was difficult to come to any conclusions, as guards were fighting men and could easily have their own traumas.

  The feast continued for two hours. At some point, one of the maids took out a guqin, a pleasant stringed instrument. She was quite skilled, and she immediately became popular with the men and guards alike.

  “I didn’t know she knew how to play! What a surprise!” one of the taller, lanky guards said.

  Before long, the soldiers and guards were singing along. Even the captain couldn’t help himself. Eventually, one of the guards brought out a flute, which he used to accompany the maid. Seeing the joy in the room, Feng Ming had second thoughts. Perhaps he had been overthinking things.

  * * *

  1 Piao can be used in many situations. Piao Liang is beautiful. Piaozi is a banknote, but another tone can be used to describe a prostitute’s fee for service.

  2 Traditional Chinese wedding attire is red, not white. White is used more for funeral attire in China, and quite frankly, most of eastern Asia. That being said, the West’s influence in China is very large,
and as a result, two or more costumes are now used. These costumes include the white Western wedding dress (the man wears a suit), the red Phoenix dress (the man wears the dragon outfit), and usually a red cocktail dress, mostly because wedding dresses are a real pain to walk around in.

  Chapter 8: A Clue

  Feng Ming was sitting in a corner of the banquet room, looking sullen. One of the maids came by to take a seat beside him.

  “Why are you sitting here looking all grumpy while everyone else is out there having fun?” she asked. Feng Ming massaged himself between his eyes with one hand.

  “I’m just tired,” he lied. “It’s been a long trip, and I’ve never been one to celebrate.”

  Anyone who knew Feng Ming would know that this couldn’t be any further from the truth. Fortunately, they weren’t acquainted.

  “I know what you mean,” the maid said, sighing. “There’s always so much noise at events like these. I would never stay in a small town like this if my family didn’t live here.”

  “Your father?” asked Feng Ming.

  “Yes, my father is a famous crystal glass artisan. It’s the same with the rest of these maids. My father used to live in a large city in the north of the continent. He met my mother there. After living in the north for twenty years, he reached the peak of glass artisanship in his kingdom, making a great name for himself. Unfortunately, he felt that he had reached a bottleneck of sorts in his art. Crystal Meadows is well known in the world of glass artisans, so he brought our family here to live a peaceful life while he learned to better his craft.

  “Honestly, none of us daughters need to work a day in our lives. We wouldn’t even need to get married—the fortune that our fathers have earned is more than enough for us to live a pleasant life in a large city. There used to be more of us, granted. Those of us that remain are here to take care of our aging fathers.”

  It was truly a touching story, and it addressed his previous concerns. Was he being too cautious?

  After another two hours, they finally stopped the celebration. The captain instructed the men to get to bed. Military protocol dictated that they must be ready for departure at dawn. Feng Ming was glad to see that the captain had delivered on his promise.

  A half hour after the feast, Captain Chou was busy writing his log. It was a habit that he’d maintained in his childhood, and it had accompanied him throughout his military career. He attributed much of his success as a military captain to this simple habit.

  He heard a soft knock on the door and sighed. He knew what Li Piao was up to, but duty dictated that he’d have to turn her down. He opened the door softly, only to find the beautifully dressed woman with red eyes full of tears. Her makeup, which had been impeccable earlier, was now smudged. Seeing the distraught lady, the captain invited her in and sat her down on the bed.

  “What’s wrong, my dear? What happened?”

  She took a while to calm down. Seeing her red eyes and blotched makeup, the caring captain brought out a handkerchief, which she used to wipe her eyes and blow her nose.

  “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have come here.” Just as she was getting up to leave, a large hand pressed down on her shoulder.

  “Come now, something is clearly bothering you. How about you tell your story?”

  Li Piao hesitated slightly and nodded. “I didn’t tell you the whole truth this afternoon. It’s not just bandits that are troubling us. There are rumors that they are backed by a rebel army, which is why the lord of Fairweather has been reluctant to interfere in our affairs. I’ve been hesitant to share this because… I am afraid that you’ll do the same.” As she began crying again, he hugged her close.

  “There, there now.” The older man stroked her beautiful black hair. “You don’t need to worry. In fact, this makes it a lot easier. The goal of our squad is to retrieve information about the rebel army, so now that we know, we can’t leave without verifying.”

  The small figure stopped shivering. “Really?” she said, looking up with her tear-stained face.

  “Yes, really. You don’t need to worry about it anymore.”

  “But… I don’t know how to thank you for this…” she said shyly.

  The older man chuckled and shook his head. “It’s all a part of my duty. You don’t need to worry about a thin—”

  He was interrupted by a fiery sensation invading his entire body as her tongue wandered into his mouth. For a moment, he lost his ability to think. A few minutes later, he regained his clear mind, only to realize that he was lying on his bed, and she was straddled on top of him. Somehow they had shed their outer garments, leaving them both with few remaining clothes.

  Just as he was about to say that they should stop, a soft, slender finger pressed against his lips.

  “Please don’t say anything. I just want this so much…” She began shifting her hips back and forth, and although they still had their undergarments on, he knew that it wouldn’t last much longer. It felt like pure heavenly torture.

  As she continued her sensual movements, her loose hair fell across her bountiful bare chest. Her hair tickled Chou Tai’s face as she leaned forward to kiss him gently. It was an electrifying sensation. He hardly noticed her devious smile, as the world suddenly went blank. Her silver hairpin, which she had carefully removed earlier, was now lodged deep inside his neck. His shocked expression seemed to ask her, Why?

  She didn’t answer as she quietly observed his body spasming as the last of his life left him.

  Feng Ming was nervous. He wasn’t sure why. The men had returned to their beds without drinking, as he had planned. He had seen the pretty ladies exit the inn, as planned. The vixen Li Piao didn’t even accompany the captain to his room, as he’d thought she would. He sat down on his bed for a half hour in silence. The heavy silence that pervaded the inn unsettled him.

  In his nervousness, he had decided to don his armor, his boots, and his sword for good measure. While it might be overkill, the cured leather and cold steel reassured his restless feelings.

  Perhaps I should check with the captain again, he thought. He hoped he was being overly imaginative. He couldn’t be reprimanded for visiting his captain in full uniform, could he?

  After mustering his courage, he walked out of his room into the hallway. It was far from quiet, as the sounds of moaning men and women filled the inn.

  So much for no women tonight.

  Ignoring the other men, he stepped up to the captain’s doorway, which was silent.

  He knocked softly on the door and waited for a response. The captain was normally very aware of his surroundings, and even a quiet knock would immediately wake him up. The door opened a few seconds later. To his surprise, the person answering the door wasn’t the captain. It was Li Piao.

  “The captain is sleeping now. Can’t it wait until morning?” Her ample figure was partially covered with hastily gathered clothes.

  Feng Ming frowned. The captain seemed like he had a lot of self control near the end of the night. How did it turn out like this? He wouldn’t waste his time on this vulgar woman, though. He would ask the captain himself.

  “No, it can’t wait. Open the door, I’m coming in.” Without waiting for a response, he shoved the door inward. Li Piao was thrown to the ground, her naked figure fully revealed. Feng Ming was overcome with an overwhelming urge to pounce on her, to violate her. He started walking toward her, and she tightened her hand around her silver hairpin, waiting for an opportunity to strike.

  Without any warning, a war started raging inside the young man’s mind.

  Yes, I haven’t had any action in ages! Maybe I can get some now!

  But where is the captain? Isn’t he asleep?

  But she’s right here, I could take her back to my room and the captain wouldn’t notice!

  Is he asleep? Why haven’t I seen him?

  Who cares? She must be telling the truth.

  These questions bombarded his mind in the time it takes for a spark to fly off a piece of flint. During this
exchange, his eyes finally managed to flicker to the captain, who was lying on his bed. His formerly white bedsheets were red.

  Is that blood?

  The sight of the blood jerked Feng Ming back to reality. He regained his lucidity just in time to notice the beautiful naked woman pouncing toward him. Instinctively, he drew out his sword using his quick-drawing sword technique. The draw and the strike were completed in a single, swift motion. The last of the bewitching presence quickly faded as Li Piao’s body was cut in two and hit the floor. She was clearly not a cultivator. Yet she had almost killed him by beguiling him. Just like she had killed the captain.

  The naked corpse’s eyes flashed red and finally faded to white. A red mist quickly left her body, unbeknownst to Feng Ming. Even if he had seen the mist, he wouldn’t have been able to stop it. As he stared down at the woman and the captain’s corpse, the gravity of the situation dawned on him. What about the rest of the soldiers?

  Feng Ming quickly grabbed the captain’s bag of holding as he left the room. He rushed toward the next room, worried that he might be too late. He kicked open the first room, only to find a similar scene. The soldier in the room was lying on a bloody bed. Instead of looking at him, the woman in this room appeared to be crying, regretting what she had done. His eyes turned cold as he hacked the beautiful naked body in half before continuing. He continued knocking down door after door, until he finally reached the last door. Inside the last door, a soldier sat down on his bed, shaking. A beautiful naked body lay crumpled on the floor, devoid of life.