Chapter 21 – A small star, glittering (1/2)
Chapter 21 – A small star, glittering
Part 1
“A small star, glittering,
Stars fill the heaven, but the moon does not shine,
People fill the earth, their hearts grieve.”
***
An autumn night, full of stars. A young boy, and two young girls； three children, one heart and a star. A very, very, very small star. Later, the children grew up. One heart became three. But there was still only one star.
And there was still just one very, very, very small star.
After growing up, they grew old. Some of them died. Some did not die, and yet their hearts died.
The star was as small as ever, and didn’t change. This is because stars do not have emotions, or life. They don’t understand how to pursue love, nor do they comprehend hatred. And so they do not change, nor do they grow old.
This star had been made from a seashell, scooped up out of the ocean.
When one of those people, who had already grown old and changed so much, who was not dead, but whose heart was dead, saw this star, a star that would never change, what feeling would arise in that person’s heart?
Other than the three people, who could know?
Part 2
April 19, before dusk.
The stars had not yet begun to shine.
The star was made from a beautiful and precious seashell. On the back were carved delicate designs, and two characters. It had obviously been carefully carved by a pair of extremely nimble hands.
Some seashells in the ocean are as precious as pearls, with radiance and luster which will never fade.
But this seashell appeared to be nothing more than a shell picked up off the beach by a pair of beautiful hands. It didn’t look like anything special.
Xiao Jun couldn’t help but ask: “You showed her that star?”
“Yes.”
“Don’t tell me that after she saw the star she suddenly couldn’t fight back against you?”
“No, it’s not like that,” said Ingot. “After she saw the star, her hand started trembling, as did the rest of her body. Unfortunately, I couldn’t see her face, so I’m not sure her expression at the time.”
“She was wearing her mask?”
“Yes.”
“Then how could she see you?”
Ingot laughed. “You’re a person who pays close attention to details, or at least that’s what you think. You believe nothing can slip past you.” He sighed. “Sadly, you are not like that at all.”
“Oh?”
“Do you really think Gao Tianjue can’t see anything when she puts on her mask? If so, then how could I wear the mask to come here? And how could I know what expression is on your face? If you were as attentive as you think you are, you would have noticed that even though the mask does not have eyes, it does have two tiny holes, each a bit larger than the size of a needle, inlaid with pieces of crystal. When the mask is shining and glittering, I’m afraid only an incredibly bright, kid genius like myself would notice!”
Xiao Jun could only keep his mouth shut.
“Preventing others from seeing you is a mark of genius, but to prevent yourself from seeing others would be plain stupid.” He sighed. “Think about it, how could Gao Tianjue possibly be that stupid?”
***
The Beggar Sect is the largest sect in the world. It has the most beggars, and the most complicated affairs.
The Chamber Lord of its newly founded Torture Chamber, intent on reorganizing the sect, not only must be occupied with numerous complicated affairs, but must also have the wisdom to be able to perceive the minutest details of a matter. He must have an unfailing sense of judgment. But in front of this boastful, laughingly foolish youth with his feigned charm, this conceited Chamber Lord could not say a single word.
It seemed Ingot had more questions. “Can you tell what is special about the star? Why it would have such an effect on Gao Tianjue?”
“I can’t tell.”
“I can’t either,” said Ingot. “That’s because you are not Gao Tianjue, and neither am I.” In a serious tone, he continued, “From my perspective, it just looks like a star a kid might make out of a seashell. But to some people, it seems to have a type of magical power.”
“Some people?” said Xiao Jun. “What people?”
“At the moment, I can’t tell you.”
“Why not?”
“Because right now, I don’t know. At the moment, I just know that it is absolutely useful in dealing with Gao Tianjue. More useful than the most fearsome weapon in the world.” [1]
That was enough. Just based on that alone, the value of this star was incredible.
For some people, this star could be considered far more valuable than the “turn iron into gold” star.
“So, let me ask you. Will you accept the bet?”
“I accept.”
Ingot tucked the star away, put on his mask, and tied the black headband on. “Then come with me.”
“Where are we going?”
“To find General Li.”
“You can find him?”
“Of course. I have no choice. Otherwise I have to give you my star.”
“Where is he?”
“On this ship, of course.”
***
Xiao Jun didn’t say anything.
He now believed Ingot, believed that General Li wasn’t dead, believed that Gao Tianjue, after seeing Ingot’s star, had allowed her acupuncture points to be sealed. But despite believing all that, he couldn’t believe that General Li was on the ship.
Part 3
The ship was lit with lanterns, even below decks. Not the shadow of a single person could be seen.
That was because this Gao Tianjue who wasn’t really Gao Tianjue had ordered, “Everyone go up top. No one is permitted to come down.”
Even though it was Ingot who gave this order, it was as effective as if it had been spoken by Gao Tianjue. This was because he wore the headband, mask, cloak and boots. All of these things were symbols of mysterious power, an irresistible authority.
No one had ever doubted this power and authority, and no one could have ever imagined that these symbols of Gao Tianjue could be “taken” away.
***
The area below decks was much larger than anyone who hadn’t been there could imagine. And there was even more space in the hull.
There was nothing in the hull. But without the hull, the boat would sink. And were it filled with objects, the boat would also sink. It was its emptiness that made it important, far more important than any other part of the ship.
There are many things in the world like this.
Part 4
There were about ten cabins below decks. People lived in some of them, others were filled with grain or other cargo.
Ingot took Xiao Jun along cabin by cabin. Though they didn’t even see the shadow of a person, Ingot was still filled with confidence.
“I know that you don’t believe General Li is on the ship,” said Ingot.
Xiao Jun had to admit it.
Then, Ingot asked him a very incredible question: “Why don’t you believe?”
Xiao Jun thought about the question for a while: “Because it’s just not possible. Who could possibly believe it?”
“So you are saying that it is impossible for him to be hiding on this ship.”
“Yes.”
“I understand what you mean,” said Ingot with a smile. “Your way of thinking now is the same as it was two days ago, when you never imagined that we could be hiding in Jinan’s biggest prison.”
Xiao Jun understood what he meant.
If a person like General Li wanted to hide somewhere, he would pick a place no one would ever think to look.
“I get what you mean,” said Xiao Jun. “But did you ever think of how he could possibly get onto the ship?”
Ingot deliberately made a straight face, and in a very serious tone said, “It’s definitely not possible. There are people everywhere, all of them with very sharp eyes, none of them even half blind. General Li has no invisibility technique, nor the seventy-two transformation abilities of the Monkey King that would allow him to turn into a housefly and fly on board.” He let out a deliberate sigh. “When you think about it your way, he definitely could not come onboard.”
“Therefore, it is not possible for him to be on this ship.”
Ingot sighed, then, with a chuckle, said: “Fortunately, you are not, fortunately, you are not.”
“Fortunately I’m not what?”
“Fortunately you are not General Li, and he is not you. Otherwise you would be dead, and I would have lost.”
“Don’t tell me you still think he’s on the ship?”
Ingot didn’t respond. Instead, he gripped an iron hoop nailed into the deck planks and pulled up a secret hatch. “I think you should go see for yourself.”
Underneath was the hull. No people, no cargo, no lamps. Nothing.
Xiao Jun hesitated, but then finally grabbed a small lantern and leaped down. And then, he gaped in shock.
In the corner of the hull was a person!
It really was him. The multi-millionaire who had faked his own death, Sun Jicheng. The man who had fled and then returned to Jinan, the businessman Wu Tao. And the incarnation of them all, Three Frightening Laughs General Li!
Xiao Jun stood in front of him as if in a dream. This was truly something that would not occur even in a dream.
General Li lay there, half sitting, half reclining. His back lay against the bulkhead, and he seemed as if he didn’t even have the energy to sit straight.
Even though the sword had not actually stabbed through his heart, his injury was clearly severe.
But his eyes shone brightly, and when he saw Xiao Jun, he suddenly smiled. It was a smile filled with both comfort and pain. And then he said, “Where’s Ingot?”
***
Ingot jumped down, shutting the secret hatch behind him. In his best imitation of Gao Tianjue’s bearing, he walked up to stand in front of General Li.
He really did have a bit of genius. He had studied well the ways to imitate a person, and pulled it off quite well.
“That little bastard Ingot is already dead and fed to the turtles,” he said. “You’ll never see him again.”
General Li laughed. “How can a person call himself a bastard? We’re friends. If you’re a little bastard, what does that make me?”
Ingot laughed too.
“How did you know it was me?” he said. “And how did you know I would come?”
“When I hid here, I thought to myself, if anyone could find me here, it would definitely be Ingot.”
Ingot immediately nodded his head in agreement! “Other than me, no one would guess. When it comes to a genius like myself, there is no second in the world.” He sighed. “Sometimes I just can’t help but admire myself.” He suddenly clapped Xiao Jun on the shoulder. “Right now you can’t help but admire me too, right?”
Xiao Jun seemed to be in a dream, staring blankly at General Li.
—Was this person who he had never seen before really his father? Why would he abandon he and his mother? Why would he let his mother die in her hatred, and let him live a life of suffering?
Regardless, the man was alive. Perhaps he had made mistakes, but the mistakes were not so great that amends could not be made.
Xiao Jun looked on this relative who was a stranger, not sure whether his heart filled with hatred or love, sorrow or happiness.
Ingot was incredibly happy. “Who would have thought you would hide on this ship?” he said. “Other than me, no one would have imagined you would use this method.”
“How did you come to realize it?”
“It was when I saw the water armor the people wore when they went to look for you.”
The divers wore tight water armor made from fish skin that covered their entire bodies, even their hair.
That was what General Li was currently wearing.
“The divers’ kung fu was good, and you were injured, but you could still take care of one of them easily.
General Li smiled. “It was incredibly simple.”
“Take off his armor and wear it, then bury him in the sludge at the bottom of the lake, mingle back in with the people returning to the ship and take advantage of the chaos of the shift change to sneak down here. At that time, it wasn’t light yet, everything was dark below and above the water. Nobody could see anything clearly. To do all that wouldn’t be difficult at all.”
General Li smiled and gave a sigh. “As of now, even I have to admire you a little bit.”
“A little bit?” said Ingot, shocked. “I assumed at the least it would be a medium bit or a lot bit. I was definitely sure.”
What he said really was a bit excessive, but he had to have a reason to say something this.
So General Li asked, “Definitely? Why do you say definitely?”
Ingot’s response was incredible: “Because you aren’t blind yet.”
“I’ve never been blind,” responded General Li, baffled. “What does me being blind or not have to do with me admiring you or not?”