60 The Attempt at Flamboyance (1/2)

Gan Tian Chi entered the hunter's shed once more. This time, he rummaged through the clothing that was left there, it was in a short amount of time that he found what he was searching for.

”Found it!” He muttered to himself as he pulled out a large cloak and some spare clothes from a trunk that was left in the hunter's shed. It was probably left there for extra warmth, in case someone stayed here at night. But now, it was his to use in whichever way he pleased.

He brought out dark colored robes and began to dress the creation he recently made from straw. Thanks to the movable joints, he was able to place the straw limbs into the clothing quite quickly and with ease.

There was also a waterproof hat made from dried leaves that covered a person's head quite well and it was placed upon the figure.

The eves of the dried leaves, though now browned still retained a tint of green from the leaves of which it was originally made. The slightest tint of a vibrant color allowed this figure to gain a bit of life, in contrast to the baggy and dark robes that covered its lifeless straw body.

Its eyes shone brightly from underneath the darkness of the hat, making it seem as though there was a slight breath of life that existed from that lifeless pile of straw.

Satisfied with what he created, Gan Tian Chi stretched his muscles and went into the shed, leaving his creation out under the moonlight, accompanied by darkness and the cold winds howling in the air.

~

Within the border town, the night was as cold as always, there were a few stray leaves spinning in circles from the vortex of the winds. Soon, the winds dissipated, becoming a strong and fierce wind that could chill a person to the bone. The leaves too and disappeared back into the fridge night.

Yet, deep within the Hundred Flower Hall, Wang Bo was sitting in a private room that was simply too flashy to put into words…

The walls were painted with auspicious colors of red and gold. There were paintings of flowers that were a bright and eye-catching yellow. The vases gazed with gold, but its old material of cheap metals still shone through as bright as day, more like a pauper's attempt to look as flamboyant as possible, but didn't quite succeed. There was also a preserved wolf's head that was fixed firmly upon a wall, of red. Its dead glassy eyes seemed to follow one around as though it was still the great predator it once was. Also, there were multiple preserved birds that were strung up to mimic that of birds flying in the wild. They too had dead glassy eyes, and when a slight breeze blew, the string would rattle, giving an illusion of the birds coming back to life.

Everything about this room was unsettling, from the vases that looked like it should belong in a rich and noble household, to the wolf that seemed to belong in a bandit's den, or the birds that should have been in a collection at a place of wonders. It was only the walls that seemed to belong in a brothel.

Though every available braizer was burning at the same time, Wang Bo still felt chills when sitting in this room alone. He wondered where madam Lu was, if she was going to make an appointment with him at six, then she should come at six and not leave him waiting.

Yet it was now eight. He had been sitting here for a full two hours, and the shadow of madam Lu was nowhere to be seen.