35 Hallucination (1/2)
Late at night, in a room filled with smoke, Ghosthand had been waiting quietly in the Black Octopus pub's secret room.
Someone silently walked into the room. He took off his cloak, revealing an elegant long robe from the East. He seemed very old, his hair was mottled gray with black and white flecks. His movements were silent, like a ghost. ”Lost him again?” Mr. Chang sat opposite him, ”To be honest, I am very disappointed with your work attitude.”
”Unfortunately, this is the city of Avalon. Our work is not always perfect.” Ghosthand shook his head, trying to control his anger.
Mr. Chang looked indifferent. ”Mr. Ghosthand, before Yunlou is taken over by the rebels, we'll be delivered whoever we wish to find. If we want his head, then his head will be delivered; if we want his hands, then his hands will be delivered. Anyone who delays the process will have their eyes taken out. If anyone dares to hide him from us, he and his family will pay the price for the mistake.”
”But this is Avalon, and things are not the same as before. Great efforts have been made just to hide your group of people!” Ghosthand frowned, ”Mr. Shaman does not want to cause any trouble. Do you want this to be noticed by the royal family?”
”It's been almost four days.” Mr. Chang said quietly, ”Mr. Ghosthand, we cannot wait much longer.”
”Mr. Chang, I said I need more time.”
”I've given you time, haven't I?” Mr. Chang got up and dispersed like a ghost into the white smoke.
In silence, Ghosthand leaned against the chair. He sucked on his pipe, little by little. The sepiolite pipe broke apart between his teeth. ”Because of those two eastern kids, Avalon is turning into a mess.” He spat out the residue, and crushed the pipe in his palm. ”And that damn dog.”
-
”Alright, let's go back.” In the carriage outside the pub, Mr. Chang opened his eyes in silence. He had not moved at all from the beginning of his journey until the end.
The carriage moved silently. A servant who had just received a message presented a bamboo script to him. Mr. Chang moved his fingers across it, collecting dust on his fingers. ”You mean, Shaman is looking for another Eastern child?” he asked.
”Yes, also with white hair, and with a dog. Some people saw that kid with the fugitive we are looking for. We do not know who wants him. Mr. Shaman had deemed him more important than our fugitive.”
Mr. Chang frowned, ”What is Shaman looking for?”
”Seems to be some kind of box. Dead or alive, just the box. Couldn't find out anything else.”
”In a country of barbarians, the rules are chaotic. This group of barbarians has their own agenda,” Chang humphed coldly. ”The Shaman may have credibility, but after all, foreigners can't be relied on.”
The servant asked, ”Eunuch Chang, do you mean we have to find another way? There are plenty of people who can help us search in the city of Avalon.”
Chang contemplated for a moment then suddenly asked, ”What happened to the group who is now in the control of Yunlou?”
”They have submitted the credentials and will go into the city soon.”
”Well, Yunlou Qingshu is a wolf with a savage heart. Not only did he seize control of the city of Yunlou, but he also wants to join forces with the barbarians, and claim independence with no respect to his king and father! A princess? Just a fake. No one will be deceived!” Chang snapped, ”Give them my orders. Do not betray the trust of His Royal Highness. Bring back the princess! When His Highness takes back Yunlou, and gets rid of the rebel Yunlou Qingshu, he will reward everyone accordingly, and you will all get a cut! ”
”Yes, Eunuch!” The servant hesitated, looking confused, ”But one thing is unclear to me.”
”Yes?”
”Why bother coming here personally if only for a little girl with the Bloodline of Dragon?”
Old Chang fell silent. For a long time he lifted his palm and put it back down, then finally sighed, ”You have served me for so many years. Today I will teach you a lesson of being by the side of the king.” He glanced at his servant who had just escaped death, his eyes like damp, gloomy rotten wood. ”Follow the rules strictly. Do not cross any lines. That's the trick to living a long life. The more you want to know, the faster you will die. Do you understand what I mean?”
”Understood.” The servant was soaked with sweat as if he had been caught in the rain.
”Then go.” Eunuch Chang closed his eyes and rested. ”Remember, bring her back in one piece, without missing even a single hair.”
”Understood.”
-
From that day on, Bai Xi had not spoken to Ye Qingxuan. Although she seemed better behaved now, she just did not want to talk to others. Every day after she was done with work, she would quietly sit in the corner. She would stare at the dust on the floor in front of her, but her gaze pierced through the dust as if she was looking at something else.
Only Old Phil could have a few ”words” with her, but Old Phil could not talk, and she would not say anything to a dog. But sometimes when Old Phil slept beside her, she would reach out to touch Old Phil's hair, carefully and seriously. Old Phil was really a lovable dog. Although it was ugly, it was still much more popular than Ye Qingxuan.
Unfortunately, that was the way of this world--hating a person needed countless reasons, but loving a dog did not need any. And in most cases, the dog was much better than a person, for as long as you were good to it, it would not harm you.