114 Leaving me so soon? Part 2

"Where did everyone go?" Su Lin wondered.

She noticed that lights were still on in Kuala's room downstairs and decided to take a peek out of curiosity.

Because, usually if someone was awake, they either lounged around in the living room or hogged the game consoles.

So, today's somber atmosphere made her uneasy.

"Did I spend too much of their money?" Su Lin wondered while she walked towards Kuala's room.

And just as she got closer, several hushed and murmured voices came from the room.

"Brother... It's just not possible. We do not have that kind of background."

It was clearly Monkey's voice and it carried with it a tinge of sadness and hopelessness.

"Bro, no amount of money can bring us to their level."

"I agree with Rabbit's opinion as well. We just can't compare to a monstrosity like that."

"So, are you asking me to just give up and sacrifice Squirrel and Panda, and bow and squirm under their rule, like weak ants??" Luther growled, his voice shredding the peace and quiet of the deadly night.

"You are not giving up boss, I am willingly offering myself. This blood feud is between me and the ninth gate. You have nothing to do with it." Squirrel declared with conviction.

But, Su Lin could clearly sense the small tremblings in that strong arrogant voice.

"Let's just talk again tomorrow. Don't decide anything rashly. At worst, we just have to go into hiding again." Luther's defeated voice comforted the other five.

"What the hell happened?" Su Lin was extremely confused.

Noticing that the meeting was coming to an end, she quickly made her way back to their bedroom in deep thoughts.

Ahem... Ahem... For someone as dignified as her, eavesdropping was just a tad bit embarrassing.

If she needed to know more, all she had to do was grab Squirrel tomorrow and interrogate him.

Even if Luther refused to tell her anything, this guy should probably cough it up.

"Hmph. A disciple shouldn't hide things from his master!!"

Su Lin made a mental note to teach her first official disciple some hard life lessons tomorrow.

Just what was this powerful rowdy bunch so afraid of?

Lost in her thoughts, Su Lin gazed at the bejeweled night and drifted asleep gradually.

The next morning as well, the atmosphere is the villa was kind of weird and she could hardly even get a hold of any of the brothers.

Finally, around 9 am, she saw Squirrel.

Squirrel, as usual, entered the modified kitchen to brew the morning's batch of body-tempering liquid, as if everything was just fine and nothing was out of place.

Su Lin raised her eyebrows in annoyance.

This boy! Did he think his master was so weak and dainty, that she couldn't even handle a bit of tough news?

"Hello, my dearest disciple" Su Lin calmly spoke, watching him from behind.

The tall lanky guy was so preoccupied that he actually did not notice her presence until now!

"Well, well. Looks like my dear disciple is absent-minded this fine morning." Su Lin cleared her throat. Her words were obnoxiously heavy, with a lot hidden within them.

Squirrel instantly stiffened, with cold shivers running down his spine!

No no no, she couldn't possibly know. He immediately calmed himself down.

But when he turned around to look at his master's profound eyes, his strong mental constitution instantly collapsed, and he broke down.

"I am sorry, master", he nodded submissively.

He clearly knew that under their atrocious circumstances, even his talented master was completely helpless, but still, he couldn't help but feel some sort of comfort in her presence.

A feeling, so overwhelming, like the protective warmth a child felt in its mother's womb.

Squirrel squirmed under her intense unwavering gaze but managed to keep his mouth shut.

Under no circumstance, he could ever bring himself to tell his master the truth.

He couldn't do that to his brother...

Luther would be furious if he ever exposed Su Lin to this kind of danger and crippling fear.

He would rather sacrifice himself than endanger everybody else. Squirrel strengthened his conviction and smiled with a calm demeanor.

His self-doubts and hesitance from seconds earlier had now completely vanished.

But...

When he looked up and met his master's piercing eyes, everything crumbled and he was back into the proverbial frying pan.

Ah fuck. This does not look good.

Squirrel clenched his fist and waited for that imminent question.

"Tell me everything" Su Lin commanded, instantly bringing down that mountain of a man to his knees with a single sentence.

Such is the power of a soul core, even when it was at stage one and a semi-formed core at that!

"I am so sorry, master. I am endangering your life by telling you this." Squirrel dropped his head in shame.

"Hmph. We will see about that." Su Lin tousled his hair and patted him.

"Master, have you ever heard about the nine gates of hell?" Squirrel murmured, so visibly afraid to even speak out loud the particular phrase.

Su Lin nodded, having no idea of what that was.

He then began to explain reluctantly.

"Visibly, this world is divided into different countries and each country has its own governance in place."

"But, this is not the real truth."

"The fact is that 'The nine gates of hell' rule our world."

Su Lin couldn't help but gasp in surprise.

Indeed, this was a well-hidden secret! She had never come across anything like this in her minuscule time on this world.

"Go on" she muttered.

"Yes, master." Squirrel nodded.

"The nine gates of hell are nine powerful organizations, holding tremendous unfathomable authority and dominance."

"Their prowess and strength is something, which normal people cannot even dream about."

"These strong martial arts families rule the world with an iron fist, pulling the string behind various governments."

"They don't usually entangle themselves in civilians lives and normal people don't even come to know about their existence in their entire lifetimes."