Clash of Alliances

by Pierre Dimaculangan

  ​Zuo Shilong dabbed the cut on his cheek with a handkerchief as he ran his fingers across the deep slice upon his leather armor. He was quite bothered that the blade had managed to make its mark on him, more so than the fact that it could have been fatal had he not been wearing protection.

  ​Fa Lien limped toward a clearing as she clutched her abdomen. “I did not need your help, fool,” she grunted to Sun Xin. Fa Lien readjusted her gaze and her expression changed to surprise. “Oh, well… hello, beloved. It’s been so long and no word you,” she said with a cheeky smirk. She glanced at the rest of the team. “It looks like the legendary Wandering Wolf has found himself a few sidekicks.”

  ​“Beloved?? You did not say you were betrothed, Master Swordsman,” quipped Buff Baby.

  ​“I’m not betrothed.”

  ​“Well, then I must compliment your taste in dames, though I wonder how you could have scored a lass so lovely and simply walk away. She at least a paramour for some good old moonlit trysts ,eh?” Buff Baby gazed at Fa Lien as he rested his foot on a tree stump and leaned forward upon his knee. Zuo Shilong nudged his elbow, signaling him to be quiet.

  ​“This is White Wasp, Bao. The Shan Gui’s current lord, though I have doubts considering…” he said as he looked around at the dead bodies strewn all around them. “Has your throne been usurped, Fa Lien?”

  ​She frowned and spat onto the ground. She reached into her belt compartment to grab another red bean bun.

  ​“Don’t even think about it,” Wen Xiao barked at her. The sect leader laughed and casually brought the snack to her mouth for a nibble.

  ​“You shouldn’t be so tense, dear.”

  ​“Why were your men pursuing you, Lien?” Sun Xin asked tersely.

  ​“And here I thought you didn’t care about me anymore,” she replied with a raised eyebrow as she looked into his eyes.

  ​“I care because it’s my responsibility to eliminate psychopaths… and anarchists like you.”

  ​“Your sense of nobility is cute, considering you thought it noble to betray and kill my father after he trusted, loved, and chose you as his own. You’ve got some nerve, you whoreson.”

  ​“Your father was a mad man. If I had decided otherwise, he would have left the entire empire in complete anarchy,” said Xin. “If I could do it again and again for a thousand times, I would.”

  ​Her eyes twitched as she glared at him, wanting nothing more than to scar his brooding handsome face. Without warning, she reached for her knives and swung wildly at him, but Xin caught both of her wrists before they could bring the blades down on his neck. He slammed her between the eyes with a head butt. Blood dripped out of her nose, and she spat out what trickled into her mouth. She wiped away the rest with her braced sleeve.

  ​“You’re a bastard, you know that?” she said as she struggled to catch her breath, evidently exhausted and in pain. “Fine. Next time, I’ll just wait until you’re sound asleep.”

  ​“I don’t sleep soundly. And I never will because people like you exist,” Xin answered.

  ​She limped to a nearby boulder and leaned against it with her arms crossed. She shot Xin a gaze that could pierce steel. She was intelligent, headstrong, and independent and perhaps one of the most dangerous individuals in the Middle Kingdom. Sun Xin had long learned to keep his guard on high alert when dealing with her. “The assembling Underworld, the unification of the sects— tell me everything your masters are planning,” said Xin.

  ​“Hah! Wouldn’t you and your cute little ragtag team like to know,” she replied.

  ​“Yes, we would. As far as I can tell, there’s not much going for you right now. I just saw your own men trying to bring their blades right down your neck and I couldn’t care less why. I don’t have any problem killing you where you stand. I’ll find some other way to get answers. I always do… or you can save me a sword stroke and tell me everything you know now,” said Xin glaring at her spitefully.

  ​“What? No woos and whisperings of sweet nothings to my ear? You used to be much more fun to have around, beloved. Try taking notes from your large friend here,” she chuckled, referring to Buff Baby. “It seems that the road hasn’t been too kind these past few years.”

  ​“No, it has not,” said Xin, his tone growing more impatient.

  ​“You sure know how to take the fun out of courtship.”

  ​“I don’t have time for your flirting, Lien. What are the rallying sects planning? What are your masters trying to do?”

  ​“They’re not my masters,” she said with voice raised as her eyebrows crinkled. “That big battle your people fought on the peninsula and in the gulf was merely a distraction meant to buy them more time. I am sure you all have realized by now that it was merely the first step in a grander plan.”

  ​“I’ll let you know if I finally hear something that surprises me,” said Sun Xin, staring her down with a narrow gaze.

  ​“What you didn’t know was that the foreigners who arrived here some months ago have made… plans that do not agree with me. Several of the eunuchs from your petty emperor’s palace showed up and were put in charge of operations, and have dared to undermine the authority of the sect masters. Of course, being the scum eunuchs are, they have been scheming behind my own walls. I discovered their plot to usurp the leadership of the Underworld once we have fulfilled our roles, and they have made good use of the Pale Foreigner’s elixirs to rewrite the minds of my soldiers and turn them against me in order to pursue their own agenda. Some had resisted the change, but most turned, transforming into unquestioning drones loyal only to the eunuch dogs. I tried to fight back, but you saw the rest. I shouldn’t have left my people to them.” Her facial expression changed. She lowered her gaze, trying to hide the devastation she felt. “I’ll tell you the rest if you can help me get some measure of vengeance. I guarantee, we’ll both get something we want,” she cooed with her eyebrow raised. She twirled a strand of her hair around her finger.

  ​Sun Xin paused for a brief moment, just staring her down in the eyes. “What do you know about a necromancer, Lien? Does an army of Jiangshi ring any bells?”

  ​A faint look of surprise passed over her face for a short instance that Sun Xin immediately caught. “Agree to my proposition and I will tell you all you want to know,” she said.

  ​“Or I can just kill you right now and find my answers elsewhere,” said Sun Xin, becoming irritated as he reached out to grab her collar. His other hand gripped a dagger aimed directly at her face. “I don’t have time for games! The army of undead is real, Lien! We were nearly killed in the first encounter. This changes everything! Tell me what I want to know or Heaven help me, I will bury knife into your eye sockets!”

  ​“I guarantee you wouldn’t want to. Even if you could search elsewhere, I highly doubt you would even know where to start. You don’t have the luxury of time. It’d be too late. Then everything you have had to overcome to get this far would’ve been in vain. You and I both know there is not enough time to be running around searching for answers. I am your cheat sheet. If you want to take a peek, you just have to help me,” she said.

  ​“You want to bet on that?”

  ​“With what I know, Xin, you don’t have the luxury of simply killing me and moving on. I guarantee the worst will happen if you do not acquire the answers only I can provide. When I say worst, I mean the loss of thousands of lives. Help me get my revenge,” insisted Fa Lien, her expression turning to a sly smile. “I’m too weak and injured at the moment, and I have no other means. Kill Liu Jin and the rest of the eunuchs if you can, then rescue the captain of my personal guard, the Jade Lotus. Then, I’ll tell you everything—what the rebels are planning to do, what the foreigners want from the Ming, enough intel to make the Jinyiwei and the Eastern Depot drool. Besides, we both want the eunuchs dead. It’s a win-win for you. But you’d better hurry before it’s too late.”

  ​Xin’s entire body shook with anger toward Fa Lien and what she represe
nted, but he could not gamble the lives of thousands. He knew how dangerous the Shan Gui really were. But then again, the purpose of the entire operation was exactly what Fa Lien had proposed. Sever the head of the snake and discover the enemies’ plans before they can unfold. “Fine. I’ll play your game. If I suspect any hint of treachery, I will kill your sister then come after you,” he said, releasing her collar from his grasp.

  ​“I knew you’d make the right decision, beloved, and I’ll be sure to keep that in mind, although I would like to add that it might just be you who gets killed if you cross me.” she said.

  ​“Something doesn’t feel right, chief. This may be a trap,” said Wen Xiao. She kept her weapon generally aimed at Fa Lien.

  ​“It probably is a trap, but it’s also our only lead. Bai Lang said we’ll find our answers here, and now we know who’s heading their operation. We can sever the head of the snake,” said Sun Xin.

  ​“Regardless of your decision, my sister and I will accompany you to the end, chief. You know that,” said Wen Ping.

  ​Sun Xin nodded to him and turned his attention to Fa Lien. “Where are the eunuchs and your men gathering?”

  ​“Twelve li northeast of here, there is a large clearing surrounded by seven small mountains. In the fortress grounds, the eunuchs are gathering the forces of the Underworld, and holding their preparations for the next great offensive. The only passage is through a small secret pass that leads directly into the citadel and the surrounding courtyards. It should be lightly guarded so you shan’t have much trouble gaining entry. They’re not expecting outsiders to ever come near,” said Fa Lien. “You cannot simply walk amidst an army of hostiles. The area around the citadel is massive and there are eyes everywhere. There are guards guarding the guards. Unless you’re Ming imperial commandos, you might not survive a straight fight in there. How lucky and convenient for you, I have a map outlining their defensive perimeters and key fortifications, and the fortress at the very heart of the stronghold. There is also a facility used to manufacture those bloody performance elixirs.” She reached for a folded sheet of paper between her breasts and handed it over. “The fortress blueprints are on the other side of the sheet. I suggest you salvage the uniforms of the dead and remain incognito if you’re going to see this through.”

  ​“Very well,” said Sun Xin.

  ​“And one more thing: breaking and entering is the simple task, but fleeing the scene is another. Deep beneath the fortress grounds there is an entrance to a network of tunnels that lead directly out of the stronghold. Only my father, I, and Jade Lotus know of it. The path that leads to the inner tunnel networks is highlighted on the diagram. How you will see the rest of the mission through is now up to you.” Fa Lien looked into Sun Xin’s eyes smugly and with satisfaction. “You’re a spoiled brat, beloved. I’m practically spoon-feeding you at this point.”

  ​“This information has spared you my blade, nothing more. So stop calling me beloved.” Sun Xin turned to Buff Baby, Jirgal, Zuo Shilong, and Big Bang. “The four of you will have to remain here to keep an eye on her. I want her alive and present when I come back. Set up camp here while the three of us continue ahead.”

  ​Jirgal was relieved. He preferred guard duty over everything else they had been undertaking. “Ah, finally, a break!” he said, as he grabbed a snack from his pack.

  ​Zuo Shilong was clearly disappointed. “I would very much prefer to go to the action. At least I can meditate if I stay.”

  ​Big Bang sat on the ground with legs and arms crossed, mumbling about staying behind. “Hmph! No more fizzes, booms, and bangs,” he complained.

  ​Buff Baby didn’t protest at the order. He was smitten by Fa Lien, and he could not help but stare throughout the entirety of her interaction with Sun Xin. Zuo Shilong could not help but take notice and nudged him with an elbow.

  ​“Psst! Behave yourself, Buff Baby,” he whispered.

  ​“A warrior, a leader, and a gorgeous, rebellious sass… she’s perfect,” Buff Baby mumbled as he rested his chin on his palm. He gazed at Fa Lien with a juvenile admiration.

  ​“I do not think it wise to get involved with her kind,” said Zuo Shilong.

  ​“Meh, you’re just a monk. What do you know about women? I bet you’ve never even been kissed before, am I right?” said Buff Baby, with a teasing tone and a taunting duck face.

  ​Zuo Shilong stammered for a moment, and his cheeks turned pink. “Well, I-I-I pursued spirituality and self-cultivation. Those are far nobler causes than romance. Besides, touching women was strictly forbidden for those of the Shaolin Temple.”

  ​“That is the sorriest thing I have ever heard,” said Buff Baby.

  ​“There is far more to life than eating and drinking, fighting, and women, you big ape,” Zuo Shilong replied.

  ​“Nah, I don’t believe there is. Merrymaking is life’s purpose!”

  ​“Life’s purpose is to help one another.”

  ​“Bah, that’s boring,” scoffed Buff Baby.

  ​Sun Xin gathered the team some stone’s throw away from Fa Lien. “Do not be fooled by her charming wit or her flirtatious advances. The White Wasp has many skills, so I implore you to not underestimate her. She had mastered the arts of sabotage, escape, breaking and entering, and assassination before her eighteenth birthday and inherited leadership of the Shan Gui after I… after the death of her father. She is extremely cunning and highly skilled. Do not take any chances, is that understood?” The four merely nodded their heads and shrugged. “If ever she becomes aggressive… just don’t die.”

  ​“Oh, I believe I can handle her, Master Swordsman,” winked Buff Baby. “We’ll have a peachy-swell time getting to know each other.”

  ​Zuo Shilong facepalmed.

  ​Sun Xin and the two Academicians proceeded northeast, wearing the black overcoats of the Shan Gui fighters they had slain. They moved posthaste, navigating the terrain with their superior mobility and acrobatic skill. Sun Xin had grown to admire his Academician escorts. They followed him unquestioningly, knowing full-well that their current objective was virtually suicidal. He had rarely seen this characteristic in other Academicians before.

  ​They matched his pace skillfully, executing vaults and cat leaps with ease, over terrain that would have been impassable for common travelers. For Sun Xin, even in the speed of his strides, he remembered Master Lo. He felt for his master’s sword still slung across his back right above his own. In a sense, he felt as if he were there with him going deep into enemy territory.

  ​Sundown was coming shortly and the darkness would do much to aid their disguises and infiltration of the Underworld’s army encampment.

  ​“I find it oddly convenient, chief, that one of our greatest enemies has given us the exact information we need to complete this mission,” said Wen Ping as he ran alongside Xin.

  ​“It is very convenient. I am not complaining. But something tells me that Fa Lien actually wants us to succeed. I’ve been in such a similar situation with her before. Have you heard of the saying ‘The enemy of my enemy is my friend’?”

  ​“Yes. I just didn’t expect to ever be in such a circumstance,” said Wen Ping.

  ​“There is more to the mission now than just severing the head of the snake and spoiling the manufacture of the potions. She claims to withhold vital information, and I know her when she’s honest. We’ll find out what it is when we complete the original objectives.”

  ​“I have a very bad feeling about this,” said Wen Xiao. “I resent the fact that we’re banking on her information.”

  ​“Stay close and clear your minds of doubt,” said Sun Xin.

  ​They slowed their pace to a jog when the terrain changed into a natural trail. Soon enough, a set of dwarf mountains appeared above the landscape, and the incoming darkness revealed faint torchlights that marked the entrance to the enemy’s current base of operations. The trio paused to take a better view of the guard. The map highlighted key guard stations s
urrounding the entrance, and Sun Xin signaled for the Academicians to take positions near the main entrance. Several Shan Gui guards stood in attention, scanning the area in a disciplined manner. Their iconic dark uniforms stood out from the green and rocky surroundings, but their armor and weapons signaled they were no ordinary foot soldiers.

  ​“I count seven, no, eight elites. Two perched on the tree and the rest crouched near the shrubbery on the adjacent hill,” said Sun Xin. “How full is your quiver?”

  ​“I’ve thirteen,” said Wen Xiao.

  ​“Twelve,” said Wen Ping.

  ​“Good. I’ll get their attention and round them up. As soon as they cluster, I’ll signal you to unleash a few volleys. I will take care of the rest before they figure out who’s targeting them. Aim for the head.” Sun Xin adjusted the fitting of his broad-brimmed hat, secured his gear, and walked casually toward the Shan Gui elite guards. He was detected from a distance and was ordered to halt.

  ​“Stay where you are, scout,” shouted the one of the guards. He appeared to have been the ranking officer in the squad. “Why are you in the field? And unaccompanied? All disciples were to report to the rendezvous area yester noon.” He hastily approached Sun Xin with one hand gripping his weapon. Xin could see his eyes. They were no longer rounded, almost warped. It was clearly the work of the elixir. The elite guards were no longer just mere men.

  ​“I’m all that’s left of a scouting party,” answered Sun Xin with his hands in the air, pretending to appear traumatized. “The rest of my squad were wiped out by a Ming imperial patrol some twelve li south of here. I’m all that’s left.” Xin kept his head low, hiding his eyes beneath his hat.

  ​“Who is the squad chieftain that sent you scouting?” the guard asked. His tone was becoming more suspecting.

  ​Sun Xin hesitated for two moments. “Chieftain Iron Skin. He had us sent out three days ago.”