A Snake Lies Waiting

by Jin Yong

  “Old Venom?” Count Seven cried out. His internal energy had yet to recover, so his voice was quickly swallowed up by the wind.

  Guo Jing gathered his qi to his diaphragm and called out, “Uncle Ouyang, is that you?”

  “Yes, it’s me! Help!” The voice sounded faint and distant, now.

  “I don’t care if it’s a man or a ghost, let’s get far away!” Lotus said.

  “Save him!” Count Seven cried suddenly.

  “No, I’m scared!” Lotus cried back.

  “It’s not a ghost.”

  “I don’t care; we can’t save him.”

  “Helping others in their time of need is one of the principles of the Beggar Clan,” Count Seven said. “We represent two generations of Clan leadership. We cannot abandon the customs that have been passed down to us from our ancestors.”

  “But the custom isn’t right,” Lotus said. “Viper Ouyang is evil, and when he passes to the other side and becomes a ghost, he will be an evil spirit. Either way, he doesn’t deserve our help.”

  “We cannot change the customs of the Clan,” Count Seven said.

  In her heart, Lotus was furious.

  “Brother Seven, are you really leaving me to die?”

  “Yes!” Lotus cried. “Guo Jing, wait until you have Viper in your sights and then strike him dead with the bamboo cane. You aren’t a member of the Beggar Clan; you don’t need to live by this ridiculous rule. Shifu, the Beggar Clan believes in helping people in need, not devils in need.”

  “Striking someone when he’s down … Is that the righteous behavior of someone who follows the code of xia?”

  “And yet, striking a devil when he’s down…”

  She gave Guo Jing an anxious look as he steered the raft toward the voice. In the gloom, they managed to make out two figures bobbing in the water. A large piece of timber was floating next to them. They must have been clinging to it since the raft fell apart.

  “Insist that he swear never to harm another soul, and then we’ll rescue him,” Lotus said.

  “You know the Old Venom,” Count Seven sighed. “He would rather die than admit to being in the wrong. He would never promise to that. Boy, rescue them.”

  Guo Jing leaned over the side of their craft and grabbed the collar of Gallant’s robe. Forgetting how weak he was, Count Seven rushed to help. He held out his hand to Viper Ouyang, who took it. Viper pulled hard and leaped up onto the raft, but, as he did so, he ended up pulling Count Seven into the sea, where he landed with a splash. A heartbeat later, Guo Jing and Lotus jumped after him.

  “My shifu is so good-hearted as to save you, after all you have done,” Lotus growled, as she and Guo Jing lifted Count Seven aboard once more, “and you pull him into the sea?”

  Viper knew Count Seven was injured, otherwise there was no way he could have been so easily dislodged. But he himself had been floating in the water for days and his limbs were weak with fatigue. He was in no position to pursue any advantage. “I…” he said, his head held low. “I didn’t mean to, Brother Seven. I apologize.”

  “Fine,” Count Seven said with a hearty laugh. “But now you know the extent of my strength, these days.”

  “Miss,” Viper said, turning to Lotus, “do you have anything for us to eat? We haven’t eaten in days.”

  “We only have rations for three. If I give you some, what will we eat?”

  “Fine. But please give a little something to my nephew, at least. He’s badly injured and won’t survive without nourishment.”

  “I will make you a deal. He may have something, as long as you give my shifu the antidote to your snake venom. My shifu has not recovered yet.”

  Viper Ouyang reached into his robes and found two vials. “Look, miss. They have been submerged in water for days; the antidote has been washed away!”

  Lotus took them, shook the vials and sniffed. It was indeed seawater. “In that case, give us the method, so that we may make our own, once we land ashore.”

  “I could tell you anything in order to get my hands on food and water, and you’d have no way of knowing if I was giving you the real recipe or a fake one. But what kind of person would that make Viper Ouyang? Let me be frank. My snakes are the deadliest in the world. One bite is enough to severely injure a hero of the wulin. I can give you the recipe for the antidote, but the ingredients are extremely rare, and it takes three winters and three summers for the concoction to be ready. By then, it will be too late. Now that I have told you the truth, it’s up to you whether or not I should pay with my life.”

  Lotus and Guo Jing listened in grudging admiration. To be so cruel, and yet still maintain the dignity befitting his standing in the martial world, even with his life hanging by a thread?

  “Lotus,” Count Seven said, “he’s telling the truth. Our lives lie in the hands of fate. I fear nothing. Give them something to eat.”

  Lotus’s heart was aching. She knew her Master would never recover. Silently, she took a hunk of roasted goat and threw it at Viper, who proceeded to tear it into two chunks, feeding one to his nephew before eating the other himself. The sight reminded Lotus of how they had tricked the two men into eating the urine-soaked meat, back on the island, and she could not help but laugh.

  “Too late!”

  Viper had no idea what she meant and merely stared back at her, wide-eyed.

  “Now that you have injured my shifu in this way, Uncle Ouyang,” Lotus said coldly, “you will surely be the winner of the next Contest of Mount Hua. May I extend my congratulations.”

  “Not necessarily,” Viper replied. “There is at least one other person who could heal Brother Seven.”

  Guo Jing and Lotus jumped up at the same time, nearly tipping the raft. “Really!?” they cried in unison.

  “Only, this person will be difficult to persuade,” Viper said through his chews. “Your shifu knows who I mean.”

  The young couple turned to their Master.

  “In which case, why did you mention it?” Count Seven replied with a smile.

  “Tell us,” Lotus said, tugging her Master’s sleeve. “We have to try, at least. I will ask my father—he’ll find a way.”

  Viper Ouyang snorted.

  “What are you snorting for?”

  But Viper did not answer her.

  “He is laughing because you think your father is all powerful,” Count Seven said. “The person in question is mighty indeed, but he is of no use. He’s a formidable fighter, but even if he were so weak that he couldn’t even strangle a chicken, this Old Beggar would never do harm to anyone merely for his own benefit.”

  “A formidable fighter?” Lotus began hesitantly. “No, wait! Is it King Duan of the South? Shifu, let’s ask him. How could it possibly harm anyone else?”

  “No more questions. Go to sleep! I forbid you from ever bringing this up again. Do you understand?”

  Lotus did not reply. She was afraid that Viper might try to steal their food, so she leaned against the bucket containing their supplies and went to sleep.

  4

  Early the next morning, lotus awoke and looked over at Viper and his nephew. The sight of their pale faces nearly made her jump. Their bodies were swollen from having been in the water so long.

  Master is a wonderful man, Lotus thought, but he is rather too righteous. To be so righteous in the face of evil was, in fact, to be evil to righteousness. I hope Guo Jing doesn’t decide to copy this aspect of Shifu’s character. It would be better for him to learn from his father-in-law. This last phrase made her smile: father-in-law!

  By late afternoon, a black line had appeared on the horizon. Was it land? Guo Jing was the first to cry out. Before long, it was confirmed. The sea was calm, but the sun was beating down hard on them.

  Viper Ouyang suddenly rose to his feet, wobbled and grabbed both Guo Jing and Lotus by the hand. Then, with the tip of his toe, he kicked at one of Count Seven’s pressure points. Guo Jing and Lotus tried to get up, but Viper had locked the pressure points on their
wrists, rendering each of them numb across half their body in an instant.

  “What are you doing?”

  Viper grinned, but did not reply.

  “Old Venom is arrogant indeed,” Count Seven said with a sigh. “He cannot accept the grace of another human being. We saved his life, and yet he can only find peace by killing his saviors. Aiya, pity my soft heart. By rescuing him, I have endangered the lives of these two poor youngsters.”

  “May you never forget it,” Viper said. “Also, I own a copy of the Nine Yin Manual now. If I let the boy live, I will only bring trouble on myself in the future.”

  The mention of the Manual stirred something in Count Seven. He began to recite confidently …

  Viper listened in amazement. It sounded familiar, just like one of the many passages he had struggled to make sense of. He was not to know that Count Seven was making it up. Did the Old Beggar understand it? he asked himself. There are so many strange sentences, there must be some key to unlocking its mysteries. If I kill them, I might not find another soul on earth who can understand it, and all I’ve done to gain possession of this mighty text will be in vain.

  “What does it mean?”

  Count Seven replied with yet more nonsense. “Guo Jing, you continue!” Though the Old Beggar had heard Guo Jing chant large chunks of the Manual out loud on the island, it would have been impossible for him to memorize it. But he had put on a good show and kept a straight face.

  Guo Jing continued with yet more nonsense. Viper Ouyang listened intently.

  “Guo Jing, go!” Count Seven cried. Guo Jing pulled his left arm free, struck with his right and kicked out at Viper.

  The Venom had been so mesmerized by the recitation that he had loosened his grip on Guo Jing’s vital point, allowing him to make his counterattack. Guo Jing had now studied the Manual’s Transforming Muscles, Forging Bones chapter as far as the second passage, and, while he had not learned any new moves as such, it had increased his strength by around a fifth. One tug, one slap, one kick—there was nothing new about the movements, but they were charged with a remarkable power. Viper Ouyang was taken by surprise. He had nowhere to retreat to on the small raft. All he could do was raise one hand above his head and try to keep hold of Lotus’s wrist with the other.

  Guo Jing’s fists and palms rained down on him like a storm. If Viper got the chance to use his Exploding Toad kung fu, then all three would be buried out at sea. And yet, the weight of the young man’s attack drove Viper back another half a step.

  Lotus leaned to the side, preparing to unbalance Old Venom with her shoulder. Sensing the move coming, Viper was amused. Does this little girl think she can hurt me with a bump of her shoulder? Careful you don’t rebound into the ocean!

  Just then, her shoulder made contact. He did not block or dodge, but stood his ground, feigning disinterest. At that moment, he felt a needle-sharp pain grip his chest. She was wearing Hedgehog Chainmail! He was already on the edge of the raft, so he could not back away. Assaulted by a thicket of sharp spikes, he let go of her wrist and flung her aside.

  Lotus had no way to stop herself falling off the raft and plunging into the water, but Guo Jing reached behind him and grabbed her, his other hand still on the attack. Lotus pulled out her dagger and threw herself into the fray.

  Viper was balanced near the edge of the raft, salt water splashing his legs. But, no matter how hard they pressed, the young fighters could not force him over the side.

  He was the stronger, more experienced fighter, and his powers were superior to those of the young couple combined, but he had been weakened by the days he had spent floating in the water. Lotus was armed with a dagger and protected by her Hedgehog Chainmail, which was enough to make him cautious. In addition, Guo Jing had now studied the Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms, the seventy-two stances that made up Luminous Hollow Fist, Zhou Botong’s Competing Hands kung fu and, most recently, the passages from Transforming Muscles, Forging Bones.

  Viper could feel the strength gradually returning to his palms and, as the fight wore on, Guo Jing and Lotus began to notice the change in him. Count Seven was watching anxiously. As their fists danced, Viper’s left leg flew out, sending with it a gust of air. Lotus was forced to somersault out of the way and into the water.

  Guo Jing was feeling the strain, but Lotus swam under the raft and climbed up on the other side, blade aimed at Viper’s back. This pincer movement put them on an equal footing once more.

  The only way for us to defeat him, Lotus was thinking as she fought, is to take the fight underwater.

  She sliced her dagger through the bark rope, sending the sail fluttering down. No longer propelled by the wind, the raft bobbed on the waves. Lotus then wrapped the rigging several times around Count Seven’s body and then around one of the tree trunks that made up the raft, securing him with two tight knots.

  Guo Jing was flagging. He had managed to block three successive attacks, but the fourth forced him onto the back foot. Viper redoubled his efforts, pushing Guo Jing back even farther. He tried to counter with a Leap from the Abyss, but was yet again pushed back until he found his feet in mid-air. Not letting nerves cloud his mind, he kicked with both feet before splashing into the water.

  Taking advantage of the violent swaying of the raft, Lotus leaped into the water, and together the young fighters pushed and pulled at the raft in an attempt to capsize it. Gallant would drown and Viper would struggle to match them in the water. But they would have to dispose of Old Venom quickly before saving their Master.

  Viper understood their intentions. He raised his foot close to Count Seven’s head and cried, “Rock the raft and I will kick him!”

  Lotus had a backup plan, however. Taking a deep lungful of air, she dived underneath the raft and began hacking through the ropes that held it together. She had calculated that, after the Ouyangs had drowned, the three of them could float to the shore clutching the wreckage.

  The raft let out a loud cracking sound as it broke in two. Gallant was on one half, Viper and Count Seven on the other. Viper reached out and pulled his nephew toward him. Then he peered into the sea, waiting for Lotus to approach, so that he could grab her.

  Lotus could see Viper’s outline from below the surface of the water. Aware that his counterattack would be fierce, she decided not to cut any more ropes. Instead, she swam some distance from the raft, took another deep breath and dived back down to wait for an opportunity to make the next move.

  They both waited. Suddenly, the sea became calm, its surface twinkling in the sunshine. Their surroundings were peaceful, but their hearts raged with murderous intent.

  If the raft splits … Lotus was thinking.

  As soon as she comes up for air, I’m going to slap the water. The vibration alone will kill her, Viper was thinking. With her out of the way, the boy and the Old Beggar won’t cause me any bother.

  They waited, unblinking.

  Suddenly, Gallant pointed beyond the port side. “A boat! A boat!”

  Count Seven and Guo Jing turned to see a large junk with a dragon at its bow, sails raised, fast approaching them. Moments later, someone appeared at the front. He was tall and wearing a crimson kasaya. Lama Supreme Wisdom? Gallant Ouyang wondered. As the boat drew closer, his suspicions were confirmed. Quickly, he informed his uncle.

  Viper Ouyang gathered the qi to his diaphragm and cried, “Over here! We are friends!”

  Lotus was unaware of the developments above water. Guo Jing, however, knew they were in trouble. He ducked down under the surface, pulled at her arm and signaled that Viper had backup. Lotus could not understand what he was trying to tell her. But, whatever it was, it had to be bad. She gestured to Guo Jing that he should go back and distract Viper while she cut the rest of the ropes.

  Guo Jing was acutely aware that he was at a disadvantage—all the more so, now that he was in the water and Viper was on the raft. His life was at risk, but he had no choice but to try. He gathered the strength into his arms and shot upward.r />
  “Ha!” Viper Ouyang slapped his palms against the water just as Guo Jing’s hands were rushing to the surface. The two forces collided, propelling the raft upward and—crraaaccckkkkkkkk!—it broke in two. Lotus must have cut the ropes just in time.

  Lotus dived back down and was just about to leap up to stab Viper Ouyang when she caught sight of Guo Jing sinking motionless to the bottom of the sea. She swam quickly to his aid, grabbed his arm and pulled him away some distance before resurfacing. Guo Jing’s eyes were screwed shut, his cheeks pale and his lips blue. He was unconscious.

  Meanwhile, the junk had drawn close to Viper and lowered a small rescue boat. Its crew rowed over and fished Viper, Gallant, and Count Seven out of the water.

  “Guo Jing!” Lotus cried his name three times, but he did not respond. The ship might be hostile, but she had no choice. She hooked her arm around Guo Jing’s head and pulled him toward the rescue boat.

  The men pulled Guo Jing aboard and then held their hands out to Lotus, but, instead of taking them, she placed her left hand on the edge of the small boat and leaped up like a flying fish, startling the men inside.

  Only moments previously, Guo Jing had felt a force surge through his body and had almost immediately passed out. Luckily, the force traveled straight through him, without rebounding internally. Now, he awoke to find his cheek pressed against Lotus’s chest. They were on a small boat. He took a few deep breaths and was relieved to discover that he had sustained no internal injuries. He looked up at Lotus and smiled. She replied with a grin as the fear melted from her heart. Only then did she look around to see who else was with them in the vessel.

  The answer was not a happy one: eight men, including five she had encountered in the Zhao residence, in the Jin capital, only a few months before. A short, stocky man, known as Butcher of a Thousand Hands Tiger Peng; one with a shiny bald head, called Dragon King Hector Sha; a man with three cysts on his head, whose name was Browbeater Hou, or the Three-Horned Dragon; and, sitting behind them, the Ginseng Immortal Graybeard Liang, and Lama Supreme Wisdom Lobsang Choden Rinpoche. The other three she had never seen before.