Chapter 15
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: Seal - 1
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A warrior and an old man. One stands tall and proud, while the other trembles on the ground, prostrated before him.
One begs for mercy, the other bellows threats. Is this normal? No, he thought. But it was reality.
Undeniably so.
"How dare you insult our clan? You'll pay for that sin! What are you waiting for? Crawl between this old man's legs already!"
The hearty laughter of five or six warriors. The swords at their waists clink together, glinting in the sunlight. Across from them, old man Huang quivered, mumbling incoherently.
Someone chimed in. Just as expected.
Old man Huang was the talkative type.
Probably second only to that blabbermouth from the Jang Clan. He had a habit of tossing out comments whenever something happened, and he had a knack for cracking wry village wisdom that drew chuckles.
This time was no different. He probably hadn't thought much of it. With the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering—Jiangming's pride—right around the corner, he tossed it out to the squad leader. Casually, like flicking a pebble.
"Jiangming's pride, my ass. It's all just to benefit the Tian Clan. Those Dragon-Phoenix folks can't even build their own inn, you know?"
A short laugh. A brief release of tension with a hollow "heh." If laughter was a crime, we'd all be accomplices. Even the squad leader had slyly lifted the corner of his mouth.
It should've just been a passing moment in the day. If only the Tian Clan warriors nearby hadn't overheard.
Shing. A sword drawn. Its silver blade pressed to the old man's chest, poking mockingly. Unable to tolerate the insult, they styled themselves as righteous wanderers.
There was nothing old man Huang could do. For a man who'd swung a mallet his whole life, the sword was too fast, too sharp.
His hair stood on end, eyes darted wildly, hands clasped in desperate plea for mercy. That was all. It always ended like this.
For me, the foreman; for the inn's errand boys; for the farmers in the fields—martial artists were no different from disasters. They swept through, leaving only wounded hearts and lingering pain.
"Just once, please spare me. I beg you—my grandson at home hasn't married yet. Please, let me live."
"Hey, you old fart! Are you trying to turn a fine, upstanding wanderer into a murderer? Crawl between my legs, and I'll let you go!"
"I'll do it. Anything."
A sixty-year-old man slowly shoved his face between the warrior's legs. An unavoidable baptism of humiliation rained down on him. His bearded face convulsed—I couldn't tell if it was sobs or shame.
I just watched, thoughts blank. A gloomy impulse stirred my senses.
Fifteen paces to the frontmost warrior.
Nineteen to the one beside him.
Wide-open solar plexus. Perineum. Throat, and eyes. In my closed eyes, crimson flames flickered. I gripped my mallet tight.
But.
But I thought of my debts again. The Tian Clan's grand buildings, the fairly famous guests inside, the constables from the yamen.
And my mother at home.
Mother was fifty now. Her lungs were weak, so she coughed often. Her aged face was full of wrinkles, but even now, she rose early to cook.
I offered to do it, but she stubbornly refused. "What would your cooking taste like? I can't stomach bland rice." Excuses like that.
Strength drained from my hands. Old man Huang's legs moved. Crawling through filthy mud, slowly...
A crowd gathered for the untimely spectacle. "Wahaha!" The warrior laughed heartily as he hauled the old man up.
"Don't let it happen again."
That was it. Dismissed.
Old man Huang naturally returned to us, but none of us spoke to him. Unconsciously, I gripped my mallet—then dropped it with a clunk.
My grip had gone slack.
"Eat."
Back home, sure enough, Mother had already prepared the meal. Before I could lift a finger, she bustled about setting the table.
The chopsticks felt awkward in my hand. Had I overexerted myself?
"Even if it doesn't go down easy, you have to eat. Eat to live."
Mother, her face etched with fine wrinkles, scooped rice with shrimp sauce. For a moment, I nearly told her about the day's events... but stopped.
What good would it do? Over twenty, and I didn't want to worry my parents.
I carefully chose my topic. What to say? Had anything good happened lately? Nothing all week, but I racked my brain.
Suddenly, a whisper surfaced.
"Want to get stronger?"
It wasn't nagging at me. I didn't particularly want to see her again. But if I had to pick a story, she was it.
I just wanted to know if she was alive. That's all. So.
"Ever seen a strange girl around here?"
"Got a crush?"
Suddenly?
I hadn't even described her, yet that question came flying. I panicked hard.
Rice in my mouth, I nearly choked. I swallowed it down barely and continued.
"No, it's just... she's been on my mind. Last time, she was sleeping rough outside, so I should've told her to go to the next city with the Beggars' Sect branch. She looked like a penniless refugee."
"No girls your age around our house. Wanderers all live down by the markets."
"Figures."
I feigned disinterest. Jiangming was small for a city, but still—unlikely to find her. Especially for Mother, who stayed home all day.
She asked for details, so I described faithfully. I ate on, hiding my faint disappointment.
Famine year. Who knows how many girls my age had drifted here. Pale skin and nice voice—too vague to pinpoint.
But surprisingly, Mother had a suspect.
"Not sure if it's her, but there's talk of a fairy descended in the slums by the south gate. Skin like snow, pretty as can be. Especially her voice—beautiful."
"Just back-alley gossip. Probably not her. Hers was so transparent, almost inhuman."
"It's true. I've met her."
My eyes went wide as I asked again.
"What was that?"
"She treats people for free. Thought it might help my cough, so I went a few days ago."
"Why go alone to that dangerous place? Should've waited for me."
"Dangerous? I washed dishes by the south gate for years. Anyway, she's a real beauty."
Was the girl pretty? I pondered. No clear memory of her face.
First meeting was night; second, pain and fear left no room for admiration. Besides, it didn't matter.
No marriage for me this lifetime. Who'd marry this mess...
Just a bit concerned. Is she alive? With Flying Pig torn limb from limb—hope she wasn't caught up.
Worrying over a stranger I'd met twice? Odd. But separate issue. Tomorrow, after work, I'd check.
"Good night."
"Sweet dreams."
Cough. A small sound from the inner room. She waited till I slept to cough. It hurt deep; I wept quietly in my room.
But nothing changed, of course.
And so, time brought the day I met her for the third time.
Just two days after the second. This time, by my own will, seeking her. Dull, grueling carpentry done for the evening.
A bowl of plain noodles at the inn, then south gate. Slums we'd once lived in.
Her stories flooded in the moment I entered. Awe tinged every tale.
Fairy appeared months ago. Heals any illness, heart of gold—mysterious girl.
Asked where; heads shook. Some glared, lips sealed, as if I meant harm.
No one budged, so I gave up. Wandered south gate alleys aimlessly.
Geography unchanged. Famous folk draw crowds—likely in busy spots. Deeper, deeper in.
Shanties and mud walls instead of proper homes. Starving kids scavenging between low fences. There, a crack. Fight.
Shouts, clashing steel. Instinct pulled me. Crimson flickers. Panicked guards, metal rings. Legs pumped. Sounds swelled.
Sporadic cries grew frantic, terrified. Whoever it was fought weeping, fear-ridden.
Then.
Screams erupted. Long, wretched, pleading for anyone's salvation. I ran. Had to see.
Over this wall, around that alley.
I met her again.
The girl stood against the setting sun, gazing at me. Her transparent eyes, black pupils fixed on me. I froze, rooted, chilled.
Then it clicked. Why "fairy." Inhuman beauty hit first... followed by an unreal scene.
Humidity turning paths to muck. Vibrating stench of blood.
The Tian Clan warrior, eyes rolled back in death throes. Familiar—yesterday's bully of old Huang.
Schlick. She withdrew small, delicate hands from his chest. Blood spurted from the artery. White skin stained vivid red, stark contrast.
Blood-soaked fairy in sunset light spoke to me.
Hello.
We meet again.