“Can you just please tell us how corpses have come back to life? That is supposed to be completely impossible!” exclaimed Wen Xiao. Her fists were clenched as well and they shook with the continuing rush of adrenaline. Her brother, Wen Ping, gently rubbed her back trying to calm her.
“I loved them!” Big Bang exclaimed. “I fire just one shot and twenty of them go bye-bye. You’re all fancy-schmancy with your kung phooey, but I took out more than any single one of you,” expressed Big Bang as he reloaded his weapons.
“But in the end you still needed me to save your skin,” remarked Bai Lang. “I have always wanted to venture into this pass, but I never found myself able to actually get here. Rumors of paranormal events stirring in these parts started to spread in the Underworld. Naturally I was compelled to investigate,” shared Bai Lang. “As for the corpses, rumor grows of a powerful necromancer who has made this pass his domain and has been practicing his dark art for some time.”
“A necro-what!? Well this just keeps getting better and better doesn’t it?” whined Jirgal.
“In the Underworld, he’s known as the Puppeteer. They say he is very tall and slender, and that his body is wrapped tightly with cloth, covered in loose robes. I cannot confirm this for I have not personally laid eyes on him.” His left eye twitched almost indiscernibly twice or thrice but he quickly turned his gaze away from Xin who had surely caught the faint signs.
Tong was right, thought Xin. My old ally seems odd… more than usual.
“So those things were the handiwork of a necromancer? I never would have guessed,” commented Wen Ping.
“Yes. The Underworld calls them Jiangshi, leaping dead,” replied Bai Lang. “Come, let’s go into the cave so we can talk. I have food and drink.” The team proceeded into the darkness of the cave with nothing more than a lit torch Bai Lang had grabbed from the floor.
“It smells damp in here, but better than those freaks outside,” commented Jirgal.
“Watch your step. Dang-near sprained my ankle first time I settled down in here,” said Bai Lang. The cave opened up into a cavern where Bai Lang had set up camp. Directly above was a circular opening that cut through the rock layers and allowed the morning light to provide limited illumination. “You’ll have to excuse the mess. I wasn’t expecting visitors.” He gathered a length of rope and an empty canteen from the ground that led into the dim cavern.
“Nyaaaah!” screamed Jirgal effeminately. A colony of bats fluttered past the team as he dove for cover. “Ugh, first it was the hopping dead, now it’s bat droppings,” he moaned, brushing away chunks of droppings from his boots. Zuo Shilong kneeled beside a spring running through the cavern to rinse off the filth from his iron rod. Buff Baby sprinted at the chance to drink some water and happened to have dunked his face downstream from where Zuo Shilong was cleansing his weapon. He immediately regurgitated the water when he came to the realization.
“You careless, insensitive bald-headed simpleton!” he spat as he wiped his mouth with his wrist bracer and stomped toward the monk. Zuo Shilong fought the urge to snicker at the mishap but positioned himself to prepare for the barbarian’s bullying.
“That’s enough, Bao!” barked Sun Xin. “Take a seat and calm yourself. We are no longer in combat.” Bai Lang laughed in amusement at the altercation.
“That’s quite a following you have there, Wolf,” chuckled Bai Lang. “I’ve never known you to travel with companions. I’m guessing you’re here on urgent business? Some high-priority mission?” He took a seat on the cold hard ground. He rubbed his hands and placed them over the fire.
“Is it so obvious?” Xin replied.
“Hah. Is that sarcasm I am detecting?”
“Yes, yes it is. If I had come alone I may have not survived the Jiangshi,” Xin said, nodding to the rest of the team. “We came out here, Lang, looking for you.” Sun Xin looked him in the eye as if ready to interrogate him.
“Uh oh. Don’t tell me I’m on the wanted list… again,” laughed Bai Lang. He un-wrapped a skewered rodent from his knapsack and roasted it over the fire.
“The Jianghsi, how long has that been possible?” Xin questioned Bai Lang. He himself could not fully accept what he had just been through.
“The arts involving communication with the dead or even the reanimation of corpses is as old as civilization,” Bai Lang answered.
“That looked a heck of a lot more than just communication,” Buff Baby commented.
“Many who delve into the arcane arts have tried to raise corpses. It looks like someone has succeeded,” said Bai Lang.
“That’s crazed talk. Jiangshi are supposed to be just stories! Tales for the campfire, or to scare the children,” Wen Xiao said.
“Yeah, well… not anymore, it seems,” Bai Lang replied. “Want some? There’s more where this came from,” he said, offering the roasting rat.
Sun Xin declined the offer with a hand gesture. “No. I’m fine. In truth, we’re here to seek your expertise on Wulin. Lang, the Underworld is amassing and uniting. The Pale Foreigners are gathering them to attack the empire from the inside and prepare the way for a massive invasion from the sea. This business with the Jiangshi—it’s just a symptom of everything that’s happening and will happen.”
“And you’re all here so you can find a way to stop them. I already know what’s going on with the sects. I’ve had nearly thirty years of experience dealing with them, but I’m not exactly on the friendliest of terms with the sect leaders these days.” Again, Sun Xin caught the faint twitch in his left eye even in the dimness of the cavern.
“You seem undismayed by these events, comrade,” observed Xin.
“Eh, what happens to the nation is of little concern to me. I’ll be out here in the wilds, content and unbothered,” he replied callously.
“Yes, perhaps. But this is of great concern to me. I’ve spent ten years taming the sects of the Underworld, Lang, and I’m not going to let all of that come undone with the scheming of the Foreigners. I… we need to know who is amassing them and from where it is they receive their command.” He removed a small capsule from his belt pack and tossed it to Bai Lang. “That is a concoction the foreigners are brewing to feed to the rebel sects. It enhances speed, strength, and stamina to impossible limits. It’s not perfected but when it is… and when they distribute it to the rebel armies, fighting them would be suicidal. But I’m guessing you already knew that.” Sun Xin’s eyes narrowed as he strengthened his gaze at Bai Lang.
“Yes, I know. But there’s nothing we can do to stop what has already been put into motion,” he answered, tossing back the vial to Xin.
“Yes, they can be stopped. I can stop them… and I will. I always have” Xin shot him a fiery glare as he clenched his jaw.
Bai Lang scoffed and sighed. “What is it like to always be looking over your shoulder? You always were stubborn, Xin. Always fighting for some righteous cause, like you can change the crooked path the world has been treading for thousands of years. All I know is several of the heavily robed and masked foreigners were dispersed to contact the leaders of the prominent sects in the Underworld: Crimson Moon, Serpent Eye, the Shan Gui or Ghosts of the Mountain, Iron Dragon clan, and so on. From what I can tell, they’re doing a good job rallying them up. The sects are being given a chance to participate in the making of some new world where they will reign alongside the foreigners if they succeed in their conquest. He paused for several moments to check on his roasting rodent. The rest of the group was seated in a circle around Bai Lang, listening intently to what he was saying. “As far as the leadership is concerned, I am not sure who is calling the shots. I can tell you less about the where, for they congregate in various places. It’s not like Wulin has a history of cooperation and friendship. I’d start with the Shan Gui. They have the most members.”
“What about monsters? Did you happen to witness monsters emerging from the wood? One of t
hem attacked me on my way north with Jirgal and Mentor,” Zuo Shilong cut in.
“Aside from the Jiangshi? Yeah, I think I prefer that monster over those freaks behind those rocks back there,” added Jirgal, shaking his head with the traumatic memory. “I miss my wagon and two horses. Dumb animals they are.”
“I’ve seen a lot of things recently, kid. But yes, there are some unusual creatures making themselves known around here. If I’m not mistaken, they’re being herded within the Underworld too.” He chuckled and shook his head.
“First it’s mythical creatures and now an army of undead. I can barely wait to see what happens next,” muttered Jirgal as he buried his face in his hands.
“You there. You’re are a monk. Just what are you doing so far from the Shaolin Temple?” Bai Lang asked, trying to be more conversational. “Your people don’t really like me, just saying.”
“They are not really my people anymore,” muttered Zuo Shilong. He frowned, lowered his gaze, and ran his fingers across the busy designs running along the length of the iron rod.
There was a prolonged and awkward moment of silence within the group. The crackling fire and the nearby stream echoed.
“Tell me, Lang, why are you really out here?” Xin questioned.
“I’m always out. What are you talking about?”
“Here in this pass—why here? What is it you’re looking for?”
“Ah, there it is—your masterful ability to read faces and body language. Never ceases to amaze me.” He chuckled then stopped as soon as he saw the cold seriousness of Sun Xin’s facial expression. “You know, they say your cold, hard stare is legendary. Could intimidate anyone.”
“Listen, Xin. Truth be told, I wanted to see if the rumors were true. Up until recently I only saw evidence of the Jiangshi and the necromancer. Now, with my tracking, I’ve confirmed what the evidence has long revealed. I don’t know anything about the potion. They could be brewing it anywhere or in many places, but I’m sure it would be not far from where they gather. Like I said, start with the Shan Gui,” Bai Lang said staring into the fire.
Sun Xin was not satisfied with his answer. There was something Bai Lang was not telling him but he did not want to further agitate the man who appeared to already be somewhat disturbed. The group fell silent and the only noise that could be heard was the spring flowing through the cavern and the crackling of the fire not far from it.
“So... how are things for the Wandering Wolf?” Bai Lang asked in an attempt to shift topics. “How is the world of men?”
“Filthy. Only a few bother to sweep away the mess,” Xin answered plainly.
“What is the government doing about the Foreigner threat?” he continued.
Sun Xin hesitated for a moment to give a detailed answer. “The Ming army is preparing as we speak, retraining troops and making fresh supplies of weapons and armor. The Imperial navy is being refurbished, being the first line of defense against the maritime invasion.” Xin was sure to keep the information unspecific.
“I see. That makes sense to me. I sincerely hope they make it, though I’ve never been the patriotic type. Ming soldiers are no pushovers,” said Bai Lang.
“With the government focusing on preparing for the invasion, there are not enough resources to answer the domestic threat rising in the Underworld. This is why we are here,” Xin emphasized.
“There’s not much else I can tell you, friend. I wish you the best on your mission. In the meantime, you are all welcome to stay here for as long as you like. It’s good to wait another day before heading out. Those Jiangshi could be lurking about, and it takes a day before they give up their pursuits. Don’t ask me how I know that. I just do.”
“Tell us more about the necromancer, Lang,” said Wen Ping leaning against the cavern wall with his arms crossed. “Why were you searching for him?”
“T’was just curiosity that mostly brought me here. I’ve been meaning to investigate this part of the province and find proof of the necromancer’s existence. I guess I’ve pretty much found it,” he said.
“Now what?” asked Wen Ping.
“Now I’m going to try to learn his secrets. Such things are the underworld of the Underworld… and a bit of my specialty,” he said with a sly smile.
The team rested in the cavern for the rest of the day until night had fallen. Sun Xin grew increasingly restless, and he found himself pacing back and forth in the cavern, waiting for the next day to arrive already. The eagerness to see the mission through was beginning to increase his tension. Maybe if he lay down he can sleep away the time until dawn arrived. Bai Lang was already asleep, carefree as he was. Someone with no attachments had very little trouble sleeping. Sun Xin wished the same for himself often times. Before he knew it, he too dozed off.
Faint echoes resounded through the cave walls and bounced around the cavern in such a way that it sounded close by. The sounds of thumps, rattles and clatters joined in soon after as Sun Xin opened his eyes slowly, but they immediately glared with focus. The echoes had quickly turned into very audible shrieks and snarls, and in moments, the cavern air was saturated with noise. Sun Xin jumped to his feet with a kip-up.
“Wake up! We’ve uninvited guests,” he barked. The two Academicians rose to their feet without hesitation, and Zuo Shilong instinctively grasped his iron rod as he awoke with a start.
“Bao! It’s time to move. Wake up or stay here to die,” Xin ordered the sleeping giant.
Buff Baby scoffed and laughed at the remark. “I won’t be in this cave with them. They will be in the cave with me.”
Wen Ping and Wen Xiao gently kicked Jirgal to wake as Big Bang scrambled to gather his weapons and equipment. Sun Xin poured oil onto an arrow head and shaft and set it aflame. He fired it deep into the pitch-black tunnel that led to the cavern, and the arrow penetrated the soft cave rock. It illuminated the portion of the tunnel that curved toward the cavern, but dozens of shadows blotted out the yellow-orange light. The shrill shrieks and growls grew ever louder.
“Oh no, they have found a way to reach us and now they are coming to finish us off,” thought Zuo Shilong loudly.
“Not at all, Captain Obvious! They’re coming here to tell us they want to make nice and be friends,” cried Jirgal who shook as he scuttled to slip into his boots and gather his gear.
“We can’t fight in here. In close quarters we will be overrun,” said Sun Xin. He grabbed a torch and rushed to scour every nook and cranny of the cavern, seeking an alternate exit. A small opening in the darkest portion of the cavern revealed itself in the torchlight. Bats flew to and fro the opening. Peering through it, Sun Xin tossed the torch through and saw an even larger cavern revealed in the light.
“Fung! Toss an explosive into the base of this wall, right beneath the bat hole!” Xin barked.
“With pleasure!” Big Bang reached for his backpack and pulled out a lemon-sized grenade. He lit the fuse with a match strapped to his thumb. He threw the grenade at the base of the bat hole as the team dove for cover. It detonated with a thoom that echoed in the cavern for several moments. Their ears blared and rang with pain, but the wall did not crumble. It cracked in several places, and several chunks of stone simply fell off its face.
“Hurry, toss another one,” yelled Xin. The detonation had alerted the incoming horde, and immediately they could be heard quickening their pace toward their location.
“No, let me handle this,” said Buff Baby. He planted his feet firmly into the ground and charged at full speed. He slammed into the wall with enough momentum to make it shatter and explode to the other side of the opening. The Academicians rushed through the new opening first as they each grasped a torch to light the way. The rest of the team followed closely, except for Big Bang, who had been setting two grenades lined with trip wire at the cavern’s entrance.
“That should even the odds!” he giggled to himself. “Those suckers
are gonna looove that!” He ran with a waddle as he made his way to catch up to the rest of the fleeing team. The weight of all his gear severely impeded his speed and challenged his endurance. He watched the torchlights become smaller and smaller in the distance. The rocky surface became rockier and, in the darkness, he stumbled over the increasingly uneven surface. His face wiped the ground as he skidded to a halt. The passage began to wind, and the torchlights disappeared around the bend. Big Bang was, all of a sudden, alone underneath the faint light of the moon.
“Well, phooey,” he said to himself, spitting out some of the dirt from his teeth. He struggled to stand underneath the weight of his gear until a bright torchlight reappeared from above his head. Before he could react he was abruptly lifted off his feet and swiftly carried down the rest of the passage toward the team.
“I knew there was someone missing from the pack!” said a giant voice. Buff Baby briskly jogged down the passageway with ease, even with Big Bang slung over his shoulder. Several moments had passed when a duo of thunderous booms like thunder echoed down the passageway and was followed by the violent sounds of a massive cave-in.
“Bahahaha, I told you the suckers would love it! They can’t get enough of getting blown up and squashed like insects!” Big Bang exclaimed with his arms raised even though he hung over Buff Baby’s shoulder.
“Ho-ho,” laughed Buff Baby like a giant. “Just how many bombs do you carry? If I just dropped you on the ground like a rock, would we die?” he asked.
“If I fell on your torch, yes, and we would be in several places all at once, and this entire mountain would collapse into itself. Isn’t it awesome?” he shouted excitedly. Buff Baby did not respond. He readjusted his posture and tightened his grip on Big Bang, and was more careful to watch his footing. He gulped and lowered the torch to better illuminate the passage. “Why do you ask, eh? Eh? Are you a fire powder enthusiast too?” he asked innocently.
“Let’s just say little crazy one, that I prefer my fire and my powder separate.” The duo managed to catch up to the rest of the team as the passage way ended to an opening which revealed a valley located at the opposite end of the pass. The team proceeded to descend the terrain to reach the valley below, and took shelter in the thickness of the bush. The team was silent as they caught their breaths and took a moment to regather themselves.
Clash of Alliances Page 13
