Fantasy An Eastbound Journey - IC

[Dawnsx]

Location: Xiaoshan Town

Encounter

The assassin who had so boldly insulted Yan Muchun a moment ago snapped his mouth shut upon sensing Luan Zhang's oppressive neili. The tension in his body betrayed his fear, yet he did not utter a single word to betray their purpose. Even after a chastised Luan Zhang shuffled away, he wisely kept his thoughts to himself to avoid provoking those still present.

One of his companions, however, responded to Zhang Shiyang with a tremor in her voice, "A-all I know is that Yan Muchun absolutely cannot reach Mount Qingtian or join the congrega-"

"Shut it!" the other assassin snarled. He glared up at Zhang Shiyang. "You're wasting your time. Leave us be."

Despite Bihua and Yang Le's best efforts to care for the assassins, they refused to take a single nibble of the proffered food. Aside from the tiny scrap of information that Zhang Shiyang managed to obtain, the prisoners refused to offer anything else-- or perhaps, as one of them suggested, they didn't know much to begin with. Lack of cooperation aside, the night passed by peacefully.

It would be noon of the following day before they detoured to the closest settlement. Xiaoshan Town wasn't much bigger than Wanzhu Village, but it was certainly more populated with its bustling streets and residential areas. Nevertheless, a large group of martial artists entering town together would no doubt draw attention. As they had no intention of finding lodgings anyway, half the group would enter through the west gate and restock on the necessary supplies, while the other half would circle around the town and reconvene with the others at the east gate once the errand was done.

It was decided that Yan Muchun would be part of the group that was going into town. Zhang Shiyang and Luan Zhang were among the few who were handpicked to accompany Yan Muchun, considering their stellar performance in defending him during the assassination attempt. Bihua was also among their ranks, as they required her expertise to pick out the appropriate medicinal supplies. Xiang Yiwei and Yang Le joined by virtue of good (or perhaps bad?) luck when drawing lots.

As for the assassins, Yan Muchun chose to let the authorities in Xiaoshan Town deal with them, placidly shutting down any protests thrown his way. Though the authorities likely couldn’t do much, as the incident involved matters of the jianghu, the heavy sack of tael that Puyang Zi pressed into the hand of the bureaucrat assured them that the assassins wouldn’t be released anytime soon, at the very least.

Once in town, the group would find themselves in the busy markets. Food stalls lined each side of the street, filling the air with rich aromas. There were also vendors selling combs, fans, and other little trinkets. Each time the group passed a stall, there would be a merchant calling out to them to take a look at their wares.

It was after they had made their first pit stop at a herbal shop that Yan Muchun felt a tug on his sleeve.

“Mister!” a soft, high-pitched voice called.

Looking down, the group would see a young girl who was around ten years old. She seemed to scrutinize each of the warriors with her big, doe eyes before her gaze settled on Yan Muchun again.

“Would you like to buy a tanghulu? My mommy made 'em!” she said. She held up a skinny bamboo, which had several sticks of the candied fruits sticking out from it. Holding up two fingers, she continued, “Costs only two bronze pieces!”

“Ah…” Yan Muchun smiled apologetically before producing the coins. “I’m afraid it wouldn’t be quite fair for us to enjoy such a nice treat by ourselves when there are others waiting for us, but why don’t you take this anyway and buy yourself something tasty?”

“Oooh!” The girl took the coins and stuffed them into the folds of her robe. “Thanks, mister!”

With that, she bounced away cheerily.

”To think someone that young must also work…” Puyang Zi remarked. He stared after the girl for a moment as she disappeared into the crowd, then frowned as something about her abruptly struck him as odd. He recalled her neatly braided brown hair and her pristine blue robes. Compare her to to the average tanghulu vendor... Puyang Zi’s eyes widened as the realization sunk in, and he whirled around to face Yan Muchun. ”Sir, your belongings?”

Yan Muchun hastily reached into the front of his robe, and he pulled a piece of parchment partway out, just enough for the others to identify it as an envelope. The tension in his shoulder released slightly, but upon searching inside his sleeve, he paled.

"The knife,” he said breathlessly. ”The knife is gone.”

Stone-faced, Puyang Zi leapt onto the roof of the nearest house. And there, down below in the crowd, were several girls with similarly braided hair and blue robes. Two of the girls rushed into the back alleys of the stores, while three others scurried toward the direction of the residential district. He quickly jumped back down and relayed the information to the others.

”I’m sor–” Yan Muchun started, but Puyang Zi cut him off with a raised hand. The master pursed his lips, shook himself, then turned to his escorts. ”I was too careless. That girl took an ornamental knife from me. It’s a – gift, for the friend that I am visiting. Please, I need your aid in getting it back.”

”Yang Le, please go to the west gate in case the girls try to leave the town. Master Yan and I will find the others at the east gate and have them spread out to look for them,” Puyang Zi ordered, nodding in approval when Yang Le wasted no time and took off. He turned to face the others. ”And if the rest of you could track the girls in the directions that they went in, it would be much appreciated.”

Code by Nano

 

[ThatWhichShouldBe]

Location: Wanzhu Village

ZHANG SHIYANG

LOCATION: CAMP

"... No. The others may go, but at least one of us must remain with you and Puyang. Those assassins we met will not be the last- To leave you with only a single guard would be complete and utter folly. Our first priority is your safety, not a piece of metal - unless there is something profoundly important about that knife you are not telling us."

Zhang Shiyang snorts. Really. A knife was this all-important thing? And not even a storied weapon of the Jianghu either, just a Heavens-damned knife.

Code by Nano

 

[Nano]

Location: Xiaoshan Town

Xiang Yiwei

When Xiang Yiwei had the “honor” of being chosen to accompany Yan Muchun into town while drawing lots, he internally cussed out whatever unknown entity responsible for striking him with the misfortune of extra work after all he’d done to make sure he wouldn’t distinguish himself in their last battle. However, his expression remained as placid as the tranquil stillness of a midsummer’s day, and he gave Yang Le who’d drawn the same lot an encouraging smile. Oh well, surely they’d face no unexpected mishaps in a bustling town with many eyes. Surely.

Xiang Yiwei’s hopes would be dashed not too soon into their trip to the marketplace. A girl not much older than the age of ten called out to the group, giving each of them a brief once-over before deciding to approach Yan Muchun. Unsurprisingly, her strange action would be quickly explained by their employer’s exclamation that an important knife of his had been stolen.

He doubted that straight-laced loyal dog of Yan Muchun’s cared much for random baubles, and the slight pause in the latter’s explanation gave the impression that the word “gift” was a mere correction to cover up the stolen object’s true purpose. He also didn’t miss how he appeared concerned over whether or not a piece of parchment (a letter?) had gone missing. Now the more important question was whether or not the incident had been targeted. At a glance, the little girl’s robes were simple in design, yet the cloth was of a higher quality than what the average commoner would loosen their purse strings for. She had the dexterity and skill to slide right under Puyang Zi’s sharp nose, yet her choice in target and apparel were rather unusual for an experienced thief masquerading as a tanghulu vendor. If he were a pickpocket of her age, he doubted he’d swipe a valuable object off of a man who was evidently in the midst of a group of martial artists.

Xiang Yiwei hoped that he was overthinking things and that the child was simply greedy and vain. Two incidents within such close proximity of each other only meant that there was more to come. The group hadn’t even made much headway to their final destination, meaning that their employer had either been born under an unlucky star or someone out there was very determined to stop him from doing whatever he had set out to achieve.

Master, just what kind of troublesome man is this acquaintance of yours?

Not wishing to stick around to find out if the stolen knife was a ruse to get them to spread out and leave their employer open for an attack, Xiang Yiwei quickly got to work. Two short whistles followed by one long one alerted the falcon who’d been quietly observing the group from the roof of a nearby building. Once her handler turned to face in the direction of the residential district, the bird took off to look for the girl from above.

Turning back to Zhang Shiyang who’d been the first to announce his skepticism towards Puyang Zi’s orders, Xiang Yiwei’s eyes traveled between the spearmaster and Luan Zhang. The two were undoubtedly the most skilled combatants but Zhang Shiyang clearly had the cooler head on his shoulders between the two.

“I figure the best people to stand guard are you and that bodyguard of his,” Xiang Yiwei suggested, “I doubt it’ll be easy to spot our little cat burglar within the crowd, but I sent my falcon to survey the area from above. And I’m not sure how good the doc is at hide-and-seek, but surely she has a few things up her sleeves.”

Code by Nano

 

[QuirkyAngel]

Xun Bihua

Location: Xiaoshan Town​

Bihua yawned.

In addition to tending the injured warriors, prisoners (that refused to eat until the very end), and whoever else may request her medical services in the middle of the night, the rest of her evening had been spent caring for the wounded horse she had lovingly dubbed ‘Wangzi’ (for its prideful ((difficult)) temperament). It wouldn’t let her near it until it grew too tired to resist. Unlike the other humans, its injuries had been more severe; Its vitality greatly diminished by the loss of blood and length of time it had remained untreated until found. So she’d spent the evening transferring her own Neili into the poor creature. Periodically checked its condition until she was satisfied.

The morning didn’t give much time for rest either, though she’d squeezed in meditation time to recirculate and replenish her internal energy whenever she could. Certainly a call-back to the days she’d spent training in Mount Emei.

Habits die hard, so those who’d caught her cultivating–who wandered away from the camp–would’ve seen the heirloom sword in her hand.

Back then she’d never been good at sticking to a schedule either.

Despite Bihua’s relative tiredness, there was a certain bounce in her step when the group finally arrived at the town of Xiaoshan. Her eyes brightened and her neck craned as she tried to take in all the novel sights and sounds, her curiosity getting the better of her. She wanted to buy a souvenir for Dr. Li, though she knew food and medical supplies were the priority. Bihua double-checked the list Yang Huan had given her.

“Rice, Red Ginseng Root, Cloth, Tea…”

The list went on and on, along with a few other miscellaneous requests from those that did not draw the ‘lucky’ lot. Ladies needed lady-items. Arrows and horses needed to be replenished. But of course, the moment they arrived at their first pit stop–the herbal shop–Bihua’s attention was stolen away. She’d seen Yan Muchun interact with the ‘Tangulu’ girl, but the various herbs and concoctions she make from them interested her more than a 10-year-old seller so she didn’t really turn their direction until Yan Muchun lamented his stolen knife.

Bihua rolled her eyes.

Hand on hip, she waited for Puyang Zi to relay the information before responding to the falconer. “Not really. Medicine has nothing to do with catching a thief.” Drawing out a mouse from hiding was different than drawing a human out of one. Perhaps if she had been able to assess the girl’s internal energy she’d be able to track the flow, but as it stood, Bihua only vaguely recognized her face from sheer memory. “What am I supposed to do but chase her down? Even if I do catch her, I refuse to beat a child, no matter the reward…”

Even a thief’s got to eat. Children that turn to thievery often did so because they had little other choice.

Bihua sighed and shook her head. “But do I know what it’s like to lose a precious gift from a friend, so I’ll cover the back alley areas I guess…” Thieves hung in shady areas like those, didn’t they? But, then again, given her clothing had been on the finer side, perhaps the residential areas made more sense? “Someone else can check the ones Puyang Zi saw headed towards the residential areas.” Or she’d double back there should the back alleys prove to be fruitless. “The Thunder Lance has a point, though. Our job is to bring you safely to Mount Qiantian, Master Yan, not your things. Once the item is retrieved, I’d also like an explanation as to why an ornamental knife is more important than the rice or herbs warriors will need on this journey.”

For now, her focus would be on finding the thief and retrieving the stolen item.

“Send a signal if you find her.” She’d seen a couple of stalls selling fireworks. “But even if you don’t, it’s best to meet back up at the East gate in an hour.”

Her piece said, Bihua cracked her neck before leaping on the roof of a nearby store. Using the Fairy Step technique of Mount Emei, she soundlessly traversed the row of store rooftops, eyes searching, until she spotted the braided girls Puyang Zi had identified. Silently she dropped into the array of alleyways, keeping to the shadows as the chase began. She hunted them like she would hunt an animal. Step by step and cautiously so as not to startle them. If they split, she followed her instincts in regards to which one to tail, since it was impossible to identify which of the girls had the knife without careful observation.

ThatWhichShouldBe Ginko The Mushishi Dawnsx

 

[Ginko The Mushishi]

Location: Xiaoshan Town

LUAN ZHANG

Luan Zhang had continued to ponder of his shortcomings the day before. With today being afflicted with the same thoughts, and becoming far less attentive to the others. Luan Zhang was stuck with the mistake he made. Such a ruthless being emerged that night to Lu's shame. He should have had himself in check, and never just wildly abandon his teachings.

Luan Zhang had to become better, and would not settle for less. He was no beast, nor a scoundrel. Perhaps leaving his sect had allowed a false perception of himself give way in his innermost self after the 5 years he spent alone. Something he wanted to purge from himself if it were true... He wanted to be the Youxia he knew he could become. Did any other righteous hero fall from grace..? Become a monster? It shook him to his very core.

Xiaoshan Town was quite a pleasant and moderate change of scenery after the forest. Luan Zhang smiled at the various walks of life that surrounded him. The drawing of lots ensured Luan Zhang stick with Yan Muchun, which he wasn't against in the slightest. Luan Zhang broke his mental block for the time being with remaining on the task at hand. Eventually, that mission was put to the test when Yan Muchun's knife was stolen by a couple of girls that Luan Zhang spared little time looking at directly in the face. Instead, he observed the clothing they wore. Pristine blue robes-a beautiful shade of blue infact.

When Luan Zhang snapped out of his thought process, he realized what everyone was conversing about.. Yan Muchun had been the unfortunate victim of a snatching. Everyone threw their two cents into the situation at hand while Lu mulled over his options, deciding to stay and watch over Yan Muchun. "I'm better suited standing guard I think, right now I'd be much too slow to chase after some children. Carrying quite a load here!" He patted himself with a gentle laugh "I think it wouldn't hurt to search for a few minutes though."

Code by Nano

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QuirkyAngel

 

[Dawnsx]

Location: Xiaoshan Town

Encounter

Despite his evident distress about losing a seemingly insignificant knife, Yan Muchun quietly snorted at Zhang Shiyang’s blatant refusal to split up and search. Puyang Zi, on the other hand, briefly made an expression of consternation before smoothing out his face.

“I understand your concerns, and my apologies for not elaborating,” Yan Muchun said. “The knife is something that my deceased father had left behind, you see, and he had received it as a gift from the friend whom I am visiting. I already have much to remember my father by; much of what I own today was his, in fact. Though the knife was the friend’s to begin with, I figured that he should have it anyway, to remember my father.”

Those who were familiar with Yan Muchun would know that it is quite the uncommon occurrence for him to speak so extensively about his past. So rare, in fact, that even Puyang Zi raised an eyebrow.

“How rare it is for Master Yan to share so much about himself,” Puyang Zi remarked, an edge in his voice that hadn’t been there prior. He shook his head and turned his attention back to the group. "I am heartened to hear that you prioritize Master Yan's safety. Let us all proceed together, and we can send someone to bring a message to the rest of our comrades if this takes too long."

Not too far away, Feifei dutifully followed the girl who had nabbed the knife. Along with one of her accomplices, they made their way to a rather desolate part of the residential area. Wordlessly, they slipped into a small shed. A moment later, the thief emerged with a green tunic and her hair tied in a bun. The other girl – or rather, a young woman with a diminutive stature – changed into a plain robe and swapped her braid out with pigtails. The duo went separate ways; the woman toward the west gate, and the thief further into the residential district.

Upon this new development, Feifei would fly back to Xiang Yiwei. If the group chooses to follow her, they would end up at the same house that the two girls had changed in. While the woman would be long gone, the girl would be a small but visible dot in the distance. She walked at a leisurely pace, entirely confident that she appeared to be an ordinary citizen. Had it been under a different set of circumstances, perhaps she could have eluded her pursuers. Alas, she remained utterly and blissfully unaware that her every move had been observed by a pair of eyes in the sky.

Back at the markets, Bihua’s quarry would continue slinking about the backstreets. They would eventually split up, but if Bihua persisted in her pursuit for a while longer, she would find them reconvening at a small shop on the edge of town. The sign on the wall was faded, but just legible enough to be identified as an incense shop. The awning was ratty, two of the four windows were littered with holes, and if Bihua got close enough, the shop would smell more of mold than incense.

After a cursory glance around, the girls would enter the shop. Should Bihua take this chance to approach, she would hear the hushed voices of several girls.

“...believe that Meimei actually did it!”

“You weren’t followed, were you?”

“No, those suckers didn’t notice at all!”

“And Meimei?”

“She should be with A-fei now. Meimei’ll be on her way back, and A-fei will drop the knife off with the geezer.”

“What’s so special about the knife, anyway?”

At the question, the voices became even quieter.

“I only got a quick look, but it definitely isn’t just some ornamental knife. My dad was a blacksmith, y’know? That knife is definitely something that those jianghu bozos would use. Y’know, to kill people!”

There was a brief silence, then another voice spoke.

“You sure we can trust the geezer? Even if it’s a fancy weapon or whatever, he’s paying an awful lot of money for us to steal it.”

“Will A-fei be okay?”

“...she’ll be fine. She knows how to defend herself. That’s why we sent her.”

At that point, the conversation would begin to devolve into meaningless chatter of tween and teen girls. Whether Bihua chooses to confront the group or bring this piece of information back to her comrades would be her choice.

Code by Nano

 

[Nano]

Location: Xiaoshan Town

Xiang Yiwei

At Bihua’s perfunctory response to Yiwei’s throwaway comment and Yan Muchun’s hastily given explanation of his current circumstances, the falconer merely shrugged and shook his head from side-to-side. It wasn’t long before their employer’s loyal dog cut in, seemingly to prevent his master from speaking further on the matter, and ushered the warriors into being on their way.

Still so secretive, Xiang Yiwei thought, though a sharp trill from above kept him from voicing whatever sarcastic quip he had in mind. The man looked towards the sky and observed quietly as Feifei let out a series of cries while making two wide circles around the group. Once her handler confirmed he’d received her message with a nod, the falcon flew back off in the direction she’d come from moments prior.

“Looks like our little thief hasn’t gotten very far. Unfortunately, there is or was one person by her side when Feifei last saw her, and they’re on the move,” Xiang Yiwei reported to the group. His disgruntled expression was completely undisguised, and it wasn’t difficult to understand why that might be the case. Heavens forbid they split up, they’d have to chase down not one rat but two or more depending on whether or not the knife changed hands among the thief’s accomplices as if it were a hot potato.

Xiang Yiwei’s concerns would be confirmed upon the group’s arrival in front of a ramshackle shed. Feifei had settled herself upon its rooftop for a brief respite while awaiting her handler’s arrival. In turn, Yiwei closely studied the ground around the shed, but the stone path lacked anything of note aside from being worn and shabby compared to the state of the busier areas of the town.

Feeling feathers suddenly whip his cheek and claws digging into his shoulder, Xiang Yiwei scowled and pushed his hand against the feet of the offender. Once Feifei had settled upon the man’s right hand and successfully caught his attention, she pointed her beak one way. In the next second, the falcon hopped while flapping its wings before adjusting its hold upon its perch and pointing in yet another direction.

Without further ado, Xiang Yiwei flicked his wrist in a direction pointing further into the residential district, seemingly flinging Feifei into the air. The falcon once again resumed its chase, though more observant members in the group might have noticed that her gaze seemed trained on a small girl dressed in green instead of one dressed in blue.

“It’s likely that one headed off towards the West Gate while the other went deeper into the residential district. We’ve already sent one person to the West Gate, but shall we split into two groups and pursue the two separately or stick together as insurance?”

Xiang Yiwei had sent Feifei off to pursue the one who’d chosen to remain within the town, but it was solely due to the fact that the crowds made it more difficult to track down a target by foot. In truth, he had no clue as to who was who as well as which one of the two were carrying the knife.

Code by Nano

 

[ThatWhichShouldBe]

Location: Wanzhu Village

ZHANG SHIYANG

LOCATION: XIAOSHAN TOWN

Zhang Shiyang is rather grateful for once that Yan Muchun actually talked about what the hell this trip was about. If only he had been so forthcoming from the start. No matter. They had to get that knife back now, and so they would, the party quickly heading out to the ramshackle shed. These thieves were certainly not of any higher-class sort, it seemed. He'd spare Yan Muchun the comments disparaging his vigilance, for once.

"I will head for the West Gate. We can't risk the Knife leaving the town- Heavens only knows how long it'll take us to track it down then. The rest of you can do as you will, I doubt we should worry too much. These are not the sort of thieves who would be excelling martial artists."

Code by Nano

 

[QuirkyAngel]

Xun Bihua

Location: Xiaoshan Town​

An incense shop that smelled more of mold than incense. Was this the base of operations for the group of girls that had taken Yan Muchun’s knife? A Thieves’ Den, perhaps? Eyes flickering from the faded sign on the wall to the hole-littered window, Bihua stepped in close enough to make out the conversation while keeping herself crouched against the wall, presence lowered to avoid detection.

So…Meimei was the one who had taken the knife, but A-fei is the one who’ll end up with the knife. Interesting…

Taking note of the names, as well as the revelation that the girls had been hired by some old geezer to steal Yan Muchun’s possession, Bihua contemplated her choices as the important bits of the conversation came to end. Leave to inform the group of what she’d learned or confront the girls to glean more information?

Well…it’s not like we’ll get the knife back with just names.

Decision made, Bihua cleared her throat as she entered the shop through the front door, a friendly smile painted across her face. “I wouldn’t be so sure of that if I were you, Ladies~”

Her eyes swept the room, every tween/teen face–shocked or otherwise–committed to memory. Despite the disadvantage in numbers, Bihua wasn’t particularly frightened. They were just kids, after all, and, from the sounds of it, none of them seemed to be a part of the Jianghu…except maybe ‘A-fei’ who knew how to defend herself. Maybe. Even then, knowing how to ‘defend oneself’ was different than knowing Martial Arts.

“Any creepy, old man that offers an obscene amount money to hire young girls can’t be a good guy,”

Villains that hired children to do their dirty work often did so because the latter was easily disposable; They liked to be thorough and remove any evidence that could be used to trace them back to their wrongful actions.

…At least, that was the case in all the novels she’d read. Bihua didn’t actually know. However, it fit with the story she was going with, so Bihua just rolled with it.

She shrugged, shaking her head with a tsk. “And to steal my noble friend’s priceless, jianghu-related knife at that…”

Hands clasped behind her back, Bihua wandered the shop with interest, observing every nook and cranny. This might not be the Beggar Sects’ base, but she’d be a fool to let her guard down in a den of thieves. It didn’t take much to lay a trap or three, after all. She wouldn’t be surprised to find some stolen items stashed away either. “You’re all in big, big, trouble you know. I found your base of operations. I know all of your faces. I have excellent painting skills. It’ll only take one trip to the city officials’ offices to make your lives all the more difficult in this town…assuming I don’t take you there myself.”

She finished her inspection by clapping a hand firmly on the shoulder of the closest little girl. “But I’ll let you all off the hook if you lead me to where A-fei is to meet with this old geezer who commissioned my friend’s item to be stolen. Who knows? There might be an even greater reward in it for you if a nobleman like Yan Muchun gets his knife back.”

That, of course, was up to Yan Muchun. Bihua certainly didn’t have the funds to bribe any of the girls.

Her gaze once more swept the room, meeting the eyes of each thief/accomplice individually. Hopefully at least one would crack. “What say you, Ladies? To A-fei, who might be in danger from a pervy old man, or to the city officials?”

ThatWhichShouldBe Ginko The Mushishi Dawnsx

 

[Ginko The Mushishi]

Location: Xiaoshan Town

LUAN ZHANG

Luan couldn't argue with that display of openness from Yan Muchun. He smiled and tapped his staff to the ground.
"Sounds like a plan!" Lu said to Puyang Zi.

"Sticking together might draw more attention, especially if people are in league with the thieves. If I may, I'll follow whoever decides to pursue the residential district. With Zhang heading to the West Gate, you'd need a good fighter paired up with whoever decides to go in. Not that the little girls could fight...But for insurance, at the very least."
Luan Zhang seemed to slowly come out of his shell once more, his thoughts over his mistakes had subsided for now, with the current situation taking precedence. Perhaps this could clear his thoughts completely, but he doubted that.. Despite that, it was a relief to think of something else other than his shortcomings from that evening.

Code by Nano

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Dawnsx
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QuirkyAngel

 

[Dawnsx]

Location: Xiaoshan Town

Encounter

Despite the girls’ tender age, it would quickly become clear that this wasn’t their first time being on the wrong side of the law. As soon as they recovered from their initial surprise, a few of the little girls burst into tears. It was easy enough to believe that they were frightened by Bihua’s abrupt intrusion and gentle threats, but their tears weren’t quite enough to camouflage their sharp, wary gaze.


Unfortunately for Bihua, the idea of being reported to the city official didn’t seem to frighten the little thieves. The only crack in their mask of vulnerability was the way some of their eyes glimmered at the mention of a handsome reward from Yan Muchun.


“We don’t know what you’re talking about!” an older girl, one who looked to be in her late teens, shouted loudly. “How dare you accuse us of a crime when you’re the one breaking into our home!”


“Yeah, we don’t know what old guy you’re talking about!” another lass yelled. Spurred on by their sisters’ stubborn denials, the rest of the girls erupted into angry protests. Several even jumped to their feet and looked seconds away from using force to expel Bihua from their store.


“Um. Hello.”


A familiar voice, starkly tiny and calm amidst the din of overlapping shouts, startled the girls into silence.


Standing at the door was the thief who’d taken Yan Muchun’s knife – Meimei. Her eyes flickered to her accomplices before settling on Bihua. Unprompted, she reached into her sleeve and pulled out her plunder. The hilt of the knife shone with a blue hue with a dark navy tassel attached to its tip. The sheath itself was a plain silver, but embedded at its center on one side was an azure gem, cut into the shape of a crescent moon.


For a supposed ornamental knife, the design itself was rather modest. But those with some familiarity with the Qingtian Sect may recognize it to be the elusive treasure that it was – the prized weapon of the previous sect leader, Fu Ren.


Shortly after Fu Ren’s death, it had been revealed that his unnamed knife had gone missing. For a few years after, hordes of jianghu warriors went on a frenzied search to claim the weapon as their own, or to find it and collect reward money from the Qingtian Sect. Countless more were swindled by intricately-made knockoffs on the black market.


And now here it was, more than a decade later, held in the chubby hands of a doe-eyed girl.


“Meimei, you were supposed to give that to A-fei!” the older teen hissed.


“Yeah, but then she changed her mind and said that I should hold onto it,” Meimei said. She pouted, and tapped her chin. “What was it that A-fei said…? Oh yeah, that I should give it to one of the warriors for safe keeping!”


That would be all the warning Bihua got before Meimei irreverently tossed the knife to her.


“Hmm… What else?” Meimei mused. It would seem that aside from her talents in pickpocketing, she was not so different from an absentminded child. After a beat, she perked up. “Oh, and she said that I should ask you to help her at the west gate, because you guys are fishy for having this knife, but the old guy is extra fishy for making us steal it, so she’d rather trust you and your friends!”


There was plenty of missing context there, but it would remain unknown whether it was because A-fei neglected to tell the whole story or if Meimei simply couldn’t hold it all in her little head.

Code by Nano

 

[Dawnsx]

Location: Xiaoshan Town

Encounter

Upon his arrival, Zhang Shiyang would catch sight of Yang Le hurrying out of the west gate. Yang Le glanced back, pressed a finger to his lips, and hastily gestured for Zhang Shiyang to follow.


By the time he caught up, he would find Yang Le perched on a branch just a short distance away from Xiaoshan Town. Beneath them on the ground, several paces away, was a young woman and a hooded figure.


“That woman came up to me and said that she and her friends were hired to steal the knife,” Yang Le murmured. “She said she would lead me to their employer and asked that I capture him…” he hesitated for a moment, “...or kill him.”


“–the knife, A-fei?” the figure said. Judging by voice alone, he sounded like an elderly man.


“It’s quite a lofty knife that you had us steal,” A-fei said, turning her nose up. “Who knew I would have the pleasure to see Fu Ren’s prized weapon in my lifetime?”


The man shifted, and the tension in the air grew thicker.


“I’m surprised that an alley rat like you recognizes it,” he said.


“My mom was a martial artist,” A-fei replied with a shrug. “In case you misunderstand, I’m not interested in the knife. Plenty of people died or lost a fortune trying to get their hands on it, and I’m not going to become one of them.” She clasped her hands behind her back and rocked back on her heels. “But what was it that you said when you first sought me out? That the knife rightfully belongs to you and yours?”


Yang Le frowned. A-fei was presenting some dots to him, but logic and reasoning had never been his strong suit. Fu Ren had been unmarried, so Yang Le would imagine that all of his possessions would “rightfully belong” to the Qingtian Sect after his death. Did this mean that the man down there was a member of the sect? But what rightful owners would hire thieves to retrieve something that belonged to them in the first place?


Plus, what Yan Muchun said about delivering the knife to his friend on Mount Qingtian… Unless, he was fibbing?


“You ask many questions,” the man said, tone gently chiding. “For people like you, ignorance is often the key to longevity.”


A-fei scoffed. “Like you weren’t planning to dispose of me after I hand the knife over.”


“Smart girl. But I can just as easily take it from you.”


The man swooped forward, his neili bursting forth like a bolt of lightning. Before his outstretched hand could grab hold of A-fei’s neck, she lightly kicked the ground and hurtled backwards, swift and nimble as a sparrow.


Something glinted in the man’s sleeve. Never one to deny his instincts, Yang Le pushed off the tree and swung down his chain whip. The metallic dart at its end collided with a flying dagger aimed at A-fei’s throat. As soon as Yang Le landed on the ground, A-fei retreated behind him.


“Got a few hired muscles of your own, hm?” the man said, seemingly barely perturbed by Yang Le’s sudden appearance.


“You can’t let him go, or he’s going to kill me and my sisters!” A-fei cried. “If you get the job done, I’ll tell you everything he told me about the knife!”

Code by Nano

 

[ThatWhichShouldBe]

Location: Wanzhu Village

ZHANG SHIYANG

LOCATION: XIAOSHAN TOWN, WEST GATE

"To fight and die for a relic is one thing. To murder a child is another. Even for a relic as precious as Fu Ren's own dagger. To murder many children is simply disgusting."

Zhang Shiyang descends from the tree branch, floating to the ground gracefully, the wind billowing and picking up around him as he studies his opponent with a cold gaze. His spear begins to whirl, tracing lazy paths through the air as he settles into a stance, beckoning the man towards him with a mocking smile on his face. His spear wide and open, ready to exploit the wide-open battlefield to its fullest extent.

"Then again, what can I expect from a man who relies on children to do his work for him? Do you at least have a name you wish to be known by, before you are slain by Zhang Shiyang?"

The moment he hears the answer, or the man moves without bothering to speak, Zhang Shiyang bursts forward, his spear sweeping out in a series of long strikes and slashes that exploit its reach to immediately put the man upon the defensive, the wind being swept up around Zhang Shiyang with every movement, building up as the spearmaster gathers his strength. The longer the fight goes on, the more intense the wind would grow...

Code by Nano

 

[Nano]

Location: Xiaoshan Town

Xiang Yiwei

Following Feifei’s lead back into the busy streets of Xiaoshan Town led Xiang Yiwei not only onto the trail of the first thief the group had encountered but directly to what appeared to be their hideout. To his pleasant surprise, the doctor appeared to have the situation handled, what with the way the young pickpocket carelessly spilled every last detail about the situation. Though he would’ve loved nothing more than to be on his way now that he’d confirmed that the knife was packed up and safe in the doctor’s hands, the foreign party who’d sparked this entire incident couldn’t go ignored.

After knocking on the wooden door frame to let his presence be known, Xiang Yiwei called out to the doctor. “Seems like you’ve got things handled here, so I’ll be heading off to the West Gate. Our employer’s hound, the spearmaster, and that naive stone face went on ahead, but who knows if they’re walking right into an ambush. I’m sure they’ll need what assistance they can get.”

As he turned to leave, he patted Lu’s shoulder twice to signal for him to follow. Though it was entirely possible that the doctor had been bluffing when she threatened to personally hand draw the portraits she’d hand in to the authorities, he doubted the girls needed much more convincing to stay put now that their youngest had given away the stolen knife. More importantly, he didn’t want to be the only one there if the men stationed at the West Gate truly needed the additional help.

By the time the two made it to the West Gate, the sounds of battle had long made their way to the town entrance, eliminating any need to look for traces leading to the old man mentioned by A-Fei. On the contrary, it appeared that their opponent had yet to be alerted of their presence, and Yiwei gestured towards Lu with a finger to his mouth to remain quiet.

“Try seeing if you can sneak around and strike from the back. Make sure he doesn't try to run,” he whispered. “I’m going to check the perimeter to see if there are any rats sneaking around.”

QuirkyAngel Ginko The Mushishi​

Code by Nano

 

[Ginko The Mushishi]

Location: Xiaoshan Town

LUAN ZHANG

Following Xiang Yiwei proved one thing; He truly did have some secrets up his sleeve. The carefree and evidently relaxed fellow took charge in an instant of their pairing. Lu himself decided to just follow Yiwei's direction. Quickly did Yiwei travel deeper into the district until he found the hideout of those thieving girls. Luan Zhang stood at the ready, but when Yiwei noticed the doctor: Xun Bihua had already wrangled control of the situation. Lu, being as goofy as he was gave a little wave to Bihua in greeting.

“Seems like you’ve got things handled here, so I’ll be heading off to the West Gate."

Yiwei made his intentions clear, and Luan Zhang nodded as he patted his shoulder for attention. From there they shot off towards the West Gate where action had already bubbled up into a confrontation. Lu examined the battle, and quickly looked to Yiwei who held a finger to their lips.

"Try seeing if you can sneak around and strike from the back. Make sure he doesn't try to run.”

Luan Zhang smirked and gave a nod of understanding, with swift legs he made his way in silence towards the old man's backside. Luan Zhang remained in position and watched the old man's next move. While Zhang Shiyang ushered into battle with the old man, Lu would wait until the old man intended to pull off a shady move before advancing upon the target.

Code by Nano

 

[Dawnsx]

Location: Xiaoshan Town

Encounter

In lieu of responding to Zhang Shiyang, the old man brandished a sword. The former was quicker to attack, but the man no doubt possessed the skill to back up his confidence. He placed a hand behind his back and parried each of the spear strikes with unexpected force as he glided backwards, swift and smooth as a gust of wind.

Even as the man exchanged blows with Zhang Shiyang, he had the spare energy to ask, “Thunder Lance of the South, I take it?”

Yang Le charged forward, flicking his whip at the man’s feet in an attempt to immobilize him. The man swung his sword in a downwards arc, the force of the motion propelling him upwards whilst sweeping away the whip and the spear strikes.

He landed on a low branch and continued lightly, “I can’t imagine the girl just chancing upon such a famed martial artist to protect her. The two of you must be Xie Ruixian’s bodyguards.”

The man flipped back down onto the ground. Next second, a dagger whistled through the air and embedded itself into the trunk where he’d been standing.

Puyang Zi leapt down from the trees with his dao in hand and a dangerous glint in his eyes.

“Another one of his guard dogs, I take it?” the man asked breezily.

Code by Nano

 

[ThatWhichShouldBe]

Location: Wanzhu Village

ZHANG SHIYANG

LOCATION: XIAOSHAN TOWN, WEST GATE
"You are well-informed, where you lack in etiquette."

Zhang Shiyang dashes forward, his Swallow Steps technique carrying him with the swiftness and wild energy of a leaf on the wind, whirling around the older man as the spearmaster begins to pressure his opponent. This man could not be allowed to escape- so Zhang Shiyang utilizes his style's mastery of reach, distance, and movement to close off the older man's lines of retreat. The Thunder Spear of the South circles the man like a prowling wolf, as his spear whips out in a series of probing strikes.

Even as he speaks, Zhang is eyeing the man carefully. Trying to determine the man's style through the pattern of his sword-work and his movements. Trying to search for anything identifying.

Who was he? He'd fended off all three of their attempts with no great difficulty- there were few men or women of any sect that could do such a thing. Even fewer who had managed to avoid mention and recognition in the flows of the Jianghu- even an old monster by necessity leaves a reputation.

Code by Nano