Chapter 3 (1/2)
Chapter 3
After the snowstorm, the Long Shan cemetery was covered by dense, dark clouds; everywhere, sombre and desolate.
Luo Yi De speechlessly looked at the insidious young man before him, lightly laughed, and then asked indifferently, “You want to seek revenge? What are you going to use to seek revenge? Even if the offender is standing right in front of you, do you even have the strength to avenge your father?”
Luo Yi De’s question was simple, callous, blunt and even struck a vital point. Jiu Jie seemed like he got a face-full of cold water. In a matter of seconds, all the strength he had seemed to leave his body.
That’s right. What can my weak self even do?
Jiu Jie lowered his head and looked at his thin, slender hands. He felt his inner rage and the reality of his powerlessness fusing together, making him breathe heavily as he felt like there was a bunch of cotton at the pit of his stomach, suffocating him. His anger and indignation had risen to its peak.
“Uncle Luo, what should I do then?” Jiu Jie gritted his teeth and asked.
“Do you want to gain strength?” Luo YiDe asked.
“Yes!” JiuJie immediately answered.
“Do you want to chase the road your father once walked?”
“Yes!”
“Do you want to avenge him?”
“Of course!”
In Jiu Jie’s unwavering gaze, his replies were getting louder and clearer.
“That’s good. The you right now is good.” Luo Yi De said as he took out a red, crusty book and pa.s.sed it to JiuJie.
When he received the red book, Jiu Jie asked, “What is this?”
“This is the Red Book. It contains the contract and the skills to become a Watchman.” It will help you to become a Watchman and allow you to have power over dreams. You have an unusual amount of talent; I have never come across another person that can surpa.s.s you in Li Bi Duo [Note: So, Libido in the raws was actually a coined term in the novel.]. In the future, you may be able to surpa.s.s both your father and me.”
“Li Bi Duo? What is Li Bi Duo?” Jiu Jie asked, confused.
“Li Bi Duo is a very big and complicated concept. In the time being, think of it simply as a part of your inner spiritual and mental power. It is the origin of the power of Watchmen. Everyone possesses LiBiDuo, the only difference is the strength of it.”
Jiu Jie couldn’t really understand the explanation. He looked at the red, crusty book in his hands, and casually flipped through it. The book was very thick but the pages were all blank; there weren’t any words or pictures.
“This book is empty. There isn’t anything.” Jiu Jie said in confusion.
“That’s because you haven’t established the contract. Just try dripping blood on the first page.”
JiuJie was a bit skeptical but did it anyway. His bit his thumb and dripped fresh blood onto the first page of the book.
Following the dark red drop of blood falling on the blank paper, the originally white paper suddenly had a words miraculously appearing.
JiuJie stared at the page of emerging words in wonder and asked, “What do they say?”
“This is the Watchmen Pledge,” Luo Yi De said, “Memorise the paragraph then put your hand on the red book and recite it. If the book doesn’t reject you, you will then become a Watchman.”
“By becoming a Watchman, can I obtain the power to manipulate dreams?” JiuJie asked.
Lou Yi De nodd
ed and said, “Of course, but you will start off as a novice. You still have a lot to learn.”
Jiu Jie’s mind was made up. He started to memorise the pledge and, according to what Luo Yi De said, put his left hand on top of the red book followed by his right. He solemnly and clearly said: “When the long, dark night arrives, I will, from today onwards, keep watch over it until the day I die.”
“I pledge my life to be humble, upright, merciful, brave, just, selfless, honourable and trustworthy. I will fulfill my duty regardless of life or death.
“I am the sword in the darkness, the defender of dreams; I am raging fire resisting the glacial temperatures, the light of dawn. I am the horn that wakes the sleepers, the s.h.i.+eld that protects the glory.”