by Ino Lee
Hojin had circled the entire south side of Jang Street and was now halfway up the north and getting desperate. He tried not to get his hopes up too high before taking a deep breath and knocking.
A young boy with a noticeably crooked tooth opened the door.
“What do you want?” the boy said.
“Hi. I’m hoping you can help me. I’m looking for my sister.”
“Well, good luck finding her.”
The boy tried to shut the door, but Hojin stuck his foot in.
“Wait. It’ll only take a moment. I just need information.”
The door opened again.
“Look, information is time, and time is money.”
Hojin looked confused until the boy held out a hand. He rolled his eyes, dug into his pockets, and handed over a small coin. The boy bit down on it with his crooked tooth to test the quality.
“This will do. What’s your sister’s name?”
“Ting. Her name is Ting.”
“Sorry, I don’t know anyone named Ting.”
He slammed the door shut again, but this time before Hojin could get a foot in.
“Open up!” Hojin yelled, banging on the door. “If you don’t open up, I’m going to kick down the door and knock out your stupid tooth.”
He pounded again.
The door opened not long after, but this time a girl with perfectly straight hair appeared. He straightened up.
“Did you say Ting?” she asked.
“Yeah. My sister.”
She stepped out and pulled the door shut behind her, examining him.
“Tell me about her.”
“She’s about this tall.” He held out his hand to chest-level. “Lots of energy. Tough. We’re from a farm just outside the city.”
“Ting said her brother was a Shaolin warrior.”
“That’s me! You know her! Where is she?”
“You don’t look like a Shaolin warrior.”
“Oh.” He looked down at his shirt. “I came with the Shaolin warriors yesterday, but had to sneak away to find Ting. I’m not supposed to be here.”
“You’re also kind of young.”
“I’m about the same age as you.”
“Exactly.”
“Why would I lie? Tell me where Ting is. She needs me.”
She took another moment to consider. “How did you find this place?”
“She told someone we know at a market near South Gate where she was—an alley on Jang Street. It took me all afternoon to find you.”
He sensed her suspicion and studied the windows, realizing he was being watched. Should he be suspicious, too? He felt suddenly reassured by the butterfly swords hidden up his sleeves, but upon closer look, realized the faces in the windows were all other kids. Perhaps a different approach was needed.
“I’m not here to cause trouble. If Ting’s here that means something bad must have happened. That’s all I care about. I came a long way to find her.”
Her voice softened. “Sorry. Where I come from, you have to be careful.”
“I’m Hojin.”
“Shadow. But Ting’s not here.”
“Where is she?”
“Out looking for stuff. She might not be back for a while. I’ll bring her to you if you can tell me where to find you. I’d invite you to stay, but I really don’t know you.”
“Sure. Um. There’s a place down Jang with a lot of seating outside.”
“The food stand? I go there all the time. I’ll find you there.”
“Okay.”
She stepped back inside and sensed his apprehension. “Don’t worry; if you are who you say you are, you can trust me.”
He nodded. “I’ll see you there.”
“And try the beef skewers, with the sweet and sour sauce. They’re the best.”
She waved and closed the door.
The char was perfect—a crispy burnt coating mixing beautifully with a tangy glaze.
“Shadow was right,” Hojin said, biting down on the hot skewer.
“Who’s Shadow?” Kai asked.
“The girl at the house.”
“I don’t know about this. Do you trust her? Maybe we should be checking out the house.”
“It was down an alley. They’d see us coming. Maybe if we snuck up on the roof, but then what if they came here? I think she was telling the truth. She seemed more suspicious of me than I was of her.”
“You’re not worried?”
“Of course I am. But she didn’t have to mention Ting at all. She could have just sent me away.”
Kai refocused on his own plate of rice and meat skewers. “I guess you’re right.”
“We can check it out if they don’t show up.”
They ate quickly, famished after having only eaten a small snack on the road while searching for Ting. Hojin eyed the food cart.
“Want me to get a couple more?” Kai said.
“Sure. That was good.”
A boy sitting next to them at the communal table heard them talking and chimed in. “The chili lamb skewers are good, too, if you like spice.”
“Thanks,” Kai said, rushing off.
“The best food in the neighborhood,” the boy continued. “Are you from here? You two don’t look familiar.”
“No,” Hojin replied. “We’re just passing by.”
“If you don’t mind me saying, this is a strange place to just be passing by.”
Hojin understood what he meant. He had noticed the rough-looking customers at the other tables and realized that he and Kai stood out. Their shirts were a little too colorful for the crowd, with most of the normal residents disappearing as evening approached. This boy didn’t look as threatening as the others, though. He was a little older and taller than Hojin, and seemed friendly enough.
“We didn’t plan on being here,” Hojin said. “I’m just waiting for someone.”
“It gets kind of dangerous around here at night. I’d be careful about sticking around much longer.”
“Thanks for the warning. But we can take care of ourselves.”
Kai returned with a lamb and chicken skewer. “Let’s go halves.”
The boy noted the unusual shape of Hojin’s sleeves when he bent his arms to receive Kai’s fare. If his arms were longer or his knives smaller, the weapons would have been better concealed.
“So, where are you guys from?”
Hojin hesitated. “My family owns a farm just outside the city, but we’re traveling from up north.”
“Where so?”
“Pretty far up there. Just a small town. But my family’s farm is not far from South Gate. We grow lotus.”
“Is it the big one down Piyao road?”
“No. That’s not a lotus farm. Those are rice patties. They also raise chickens. My farm’s closer. There’s a big sign on it with a lotus flower.”
“Oh, I know it.”
“How about you?”
“Always been here. I live close by.”
“Lamb skewers are good,” Kai said.
“Thanks. Like I said, good and spicy.” A look of concern flashed over the boy’s face and he lowered his voice. “Look, I don’t want to alarm you, but those guys at the other table have been eyeing you ever since you went to get more skewers. Either your coin or bow caught their attention.”
Kai and Hojin glanced over.
“No! Don’t look—”
“There are just three,” Hojin said.
“That doesn’t concern you?”
“I said we can take care of ourselves. It’s okay if you leave, but we have to stay.”
“I can hold my own if needed, but it’s not smart.” He turned to Kai. “How about you?”
“I have a bow. Plus, I’m not finished eating.” He chomped
down on the last bit of his lamb skewer.
“I hope you guys are who you say you are.”
Hojin looked perplexed. “What do you mean?”
“Look sharp. They’re coming.”
Three men approached their table, grinning slyly. Hojin’s back was toward them, while Kai and their new friend observed from the other side of the table. Kai wondered how one of them could look so dirty.
“Hello, my friends,” the dirty one said. “It’s getting late. Don’t you know there’s a curfew?”
Hojin didn’t bother to turn.
“We have some time,” their new friend answered.
The dirty man moved uncomfortably close. “But it’s dangerous to be out. Don’t you know there’s Koon Gee?”
Another one of the strangers flanked close by, while the third stood further back and folded his muscular arms, showing a broad dao sword. Brandishing the fat blade up high was obviously meant to intimidate them.
“We’ll be sure to leave soon,” the friend said. “If you would just let us go about our way.”
“No, no,” the dirty man said. “We can’t let you go home when it’s so dangerous. We have to make sure you’re safe.”
“That’s not necessary.”
“We insist.”
“No thank you,” Hojin said.
The man leaned over and tried to make eye contact, but Hojin just scooped up the last bit of rice and pretended not to notice.
“We can make sure your possessions are safe if you hand them over.”
“I already said no thank you.”
He smacked Hojin in the back of the head. “Give us your money.”
The flanking thug moved in.
Hojin had enough. He pressed his palms on the table and struck out with both feet, using his momentum to flip on top of the table, knocking the thieves on their backs. His butterfly swords were out in an instant.
The thief carrying the dao unfolded his arms and took a step forward, but Kai was already on top of the bench with a leg on the table, arched with his bow drawn and an arrow notched. He shook his head.
“You wouldn’t shoot me,” the man said.
“Why not?”
The swordsman hesitated.
“Let ’em go, Kai,” Hojin said. “I hate thugs.”
Kai scrunched his face as if to question Hojin, then dropped his aim.
The men charged.
Hojin threw his knives into the table so they stuck upright, then jump kicked the dirty man in the face. The other repeatedly threw punches, but Hojin dodged and deflected before double-punching his gut, then flip-kicking his face.
The swordsman charged as soon as Kai’s aim dropped and unleashed a mighty hack into the table. Kai slipped underneath to avoid it, then struck out with his bow directly in between the offender’s legs, causing him to drop his dao and groan.
The dirty man was up again and threw a punch, but Hojin caught and twisted, causing the man to cry aloud before knocking him out with a back-kick.
“That’s what you get for being a thug. And take a bath next time.”
The second man raced for one of Hojin’s butterfly swords and managed to grab it, but their new friend held it down and punched him in the neck. He fell back again and saw both his accomplices on the ground, so turned and ran away.
Hojin retrieved his swords and saw the muscular man curled up in a ball with Kai innocently standing by.
“Wow, you must have hit him hard.” He turned to their new friend. “Thanks.”
“We should go.”
Hojin shook his head. “I can’t, I’m—”
“I know. Don’t worry. I know why you’re here.”
He started walking away.
Hojin followed him suspiciously. “Who are you?”
“I’m with Shadow. I came to check out your story, and there’s no doubt you’re from Shaolin.”
“I knew something was strange. You were taking too long to eat your skewer. I’m Hojin and this is Kai.”
“Call me Panyin.”
16
“SO THIS IS home?” Jaguan said, examining the intricate thatching on the ceiling of the treetop hut.
“For now,” Wong said. “But I suspect not for long.”
Jaguan shifted his attention to the jungle views outside the open doorway. “Is the breach of Tangled Root imminent?”
“The Koon Gee make a little more progress each day. It wouldn’t surprise me if they were here within a month.”
“What is your plan then?”
“Renshu is stubborn. Right now, she’s it.”
They looked at Aiying, who was recovering in bed. She was lucid for a small time while traveling back, but was now asleep.
“To what ends?” Jaguan said, not understanding her purpose.
“Information.”
“Perhaps we should not let her sleep so soundly. She may fall back to unconsciousness and never return.”
“No,” Wong said. “She’s all right. I don’t know how I know, but she’s sleeping peacefully for the first time in ages.”
“Did you know you could pull her from the lo-shur’s grip?”
“I thought she would die. My only hope was that she would be able to impart an important piece of tactical information before passing. Something that could help turn the tide or delay the inevitable.”
“That is much to hang your hopes on. It seems I have come at the right time.”
“Indeed. Never in my mind did I expect her to come back to us. But here she is. How were you able to find us when you did?”
“I arrived at Tangled Root just after you left camp. The magaus directed me to you. I thought you could use the help.”
“Did you do something to break her possession? Everything was a blur.”
“No. Only slay the spirit. It was you. Do you not remember?”
Wong thought hard. “It was confusing. I think I entered her mind. I was there with the demon. We fought it together and broke free. That must be how she survived.”
“You brought her back before the demon could tear its way out.”
“Is that what it’s like when monks mind-connect?”
“Do you really not know, Wong? Do you not know that this was something different altogether?”
Jaguan moved from the doorway and took a seat near Wong, who sat on the ledge of the bed near Aiying’s feet.
“When I arrived, I saw you and Aiying on the ground. I did not understand what was happening. Then suddenly, black smoke lifted from her body—but what I saw was not just one spirit, but two.”
Wong’s face flattened.
“You were that sprit, Wong. You separated and returned to your body. It took me a moment to comprehend what was happening before I tore through the lo-shur. I wasn’t even sure if you were whole, and I’d have to fight you, too.”
Wong got up and walked to the far wall, his face still blank. He pulled a cork off a container hanging nearby and took a hard gulp of its contents, then returned to the bed and passed the container to Jaguan.
The monk sniffed its contents and made a face. The smell of alcohol was strong.
“What is it?”
“Baiju. Have some.”
Jaguan took a sip and was surprised. “Quite pleasant.”
“The magaus make it sweet.”
“So, Wong. How is this possible?”
“First you mash some sugar cane, then you—”
“Not the baiju. The fact that you were a lo-shur spirit.”
“Did I look like them?”
“Different. You had a distinct human form. But you were a black spirit nonetheless.”
“Something happened to me recently. I reached chi fai without radiance pool energy.”
“With your own yin chi? How?”
&
nbsp; “Renshu pushed me. It was an epic battle. You should have seen it . . . then again, I lost.”
“Fascinating. That does not explain how your energy manifests as a spirit, though. I would not believe it had I just not seen it.”
“I retain lo-shur abilities. This is just more of it.”
“You no longer fear losing control?”
“You always lose a little bit of control. The trick is to nudge it in the right direction. But to answer your question, I no longer fear being controlled by a lo-shur.”
“I suppose that is something. I can’t imagine what the grandmaster would say.”
They laughed heartily.
After their laughter subsided, Wong spoke more seriously. “You never mentioned why you came here in the first place.”
“Ah, now that is another matter.” Jaguan corked the container and handed it back. “The council has agreed to our plan for Tanjin.”
“Really? Are you serious? They’ll let the magaus stay there?”
“Yes.”
“How did you convince them?”
“It came in part by necessity. Tanjin is on the brink of collapse again.”
“So what’s new?”
“Circumstances are dire. Hanai was attacked. South Gate was burned and invaders spread havoc. There has been much activity along the Great Wall, as well.”
“They got to Hanai?”
“Yes. A limited force. It is contained, for now.”
“Sounds like you’re having about as much fun as we are. But now for the hard problem. How do we convince Renshu?”
Suddenly, the monkey king’s head popped into the doorway, hanging upside-down from the roof.
“Never!” He shook his hand violently. “Never. Never. Never. You gave your solemn promise, Wong, to fight to the end for Tangled Root.”
Wong held up his hands in defeat. “Easy. I’m not done yet, but Jaguan made no such promises.”
The monkey king redirected his attack. “Master monk of the temple! Do not come here with such trickery.”
“See what I have to deal with?” Wong said.
Renshu flipped down and through the doorway. “The Lady of the Painted Tear will yield a solution.”