Chapter 87

Chapter 87

Du Jiao Jiao said, “Since Wei Wu Ya is able to trap them inside, he must have laid out detailed plans long ago, there certainly will not be any food that will drop down into the cave.”

Li Da Zui added, “That’s right, Wei Wu Ya must have planned long ago to starve them to death in there.”

Du Jiao Jiao continued, “But how long can you stay hungry?”

Li Da Zui’s eyes gleamed and replied, “If there’s no food, I can last at least half a month, but without water, I won’t be able to stand it after two days.”

Du Jiao Jiao laughed, “Exactly, no matter how strong a person is, if there’s no water for two days, he will still have to lie down. Even if the Floral Princesses is stronger than anyone else, still she will surely not be able to last more than three days.”

Ha Ha’er clasped his palms and said, “Haha, that’s right, why don’t we wait another three to five days before we go in”

Before he could finish his words, Bai Kai Xin had somersaulted out from the forest and was laughing loudly, “That’s right, why can’t we wait for another three days before we go in, haha, Du Jiao Jiao oh Du Jiao Jiao, you’re really a lot smarter than I imagined ”

Although Hua Wu Que’s eyes were shut, but his ears were not, and on hearing these words, his heart unconsciously sank, as if it has sunken into a bottomless abyss.

Du Jiao Jiao said, “Since everyone has decided to stay here, there’s a few things that need to be done.”

Bai Kai Xin replied, “That’s right, since we have decided to stay here, then we should bring that two lasses here as well. Although that half human half ghost weirdo promised to keep an eye on them there, but I still don’t feel assured,”

Du Jiao Jiao agreed, “Exactly, I may have use for those two ladies, so, Ha Ha’er, we’ll have to trouble you to bring them here.”

Bai Kai Xin ‘humphed’ and asked, “What about me then? What do you want me to do?”

Du Jiao Jiao replied, “You will go find some food and drinks, enough to last us at least for these three days.”

Li Da Zui jumped up and exclaimed, “Why do you want him to go? That lad knows nothing about food, he can even survive on a cold bun. The food that he will bring back, I’m afraid even dogs would not want to take a sniff at it.”

Du Jiao Jiao laughed, “That’s right, lechers are usually not that particular about food, but it’s better than asking you to go. If you bring back a plump roasted human, then we will have to go hungry. In the small town at the bottom of the hill, there seems to be a blacksmith, go there and get some tools for splitting open the rocks. From what I see, it won’t be an easy task to cut through this cave.”

Ha Ha’er replied, “Haha, if it’s an easy task, the Floral Princesses would have come out long ago.”

The three of them split up, and the soonest to return was Ha Ha’er. He was leading a donkey, and the donkey was pulling a huge rock.

Hua Wu Que was waiting anxiously for Tie Xin Lan, but Ha Ha’er only brought back a donkey. Hua Wu Que was both surprised and disappointed.

Right at this time, something stranger happened. From this rock, a very strange moaning sound was heard, accompanied by a giggling laugh.

Hua Wu Que almost could not believe his own eyes, nor believe his own ears. Du Jiao Jiao glanced at him and suddenly said, “Do you see this rock? This is a magic rock, it will eat people up, so it’s called Carnivore Rock, that Miss Tie of yours have been eaten by it.”

Hua Wu Que gritted his teeth, to control himself from speaking. Although Hua Wu Que does not believe it, but his eyes can’t help but keep looking towards that direction. His eyes may be looking, but in his heart there is still disbelief.

Who would have expected that with a wave of Du Jiao Jiao’s hands, that rock really opened. There are actually two people in the rock. And surprisingly it’s Madam Bai and Tie Xin Lan.

At a time and place like this, with a scene like this, Hua Wu Que is really shocked, but Ha Ha’er and Du Jiao Jiao were clapping their hands and laughing heartily.

Hua Wu Que finally realized as well, that this stone is actually made from canvas, and moss was stuck onto the canvas piece by piece. It’s so well made that it can pass off as the real thing, and with the darkness of night, even with Hua Wu Que’s sharp eyesight, he can’t immediately tell the difference.

Flipping open the canvas, there’s actually a metal cage made from fine steel, and Madam Bai and Tie Xin Lan were kept in this metal cage. Tie Xin Lan was stooped in a corner, covering her face with her hands, as if she does not wish for others to see her, nor does she wish to see anyone. Madam Bai was almost naked, and she kept wriggling about, giggling continuously, and also moaning continuously.

Hua Wu Que only took a glance, and he closed his eyes, unable to watch any longer. He can’t bear to see Tie Xin Lan’s appearance, nor bear to see Madam Bai’s appearance. Tie Xin Lan made him feel sad, but Madam Bai made him feel a little nauseous.

Du Jiao Jiao smiled, “Tie Xin Lan, Miss Tie, do you know who we’re talking to?” Tie Xin Lan still covered her face with her hands, refusing to lift her head up.

Ha Ha’er said, “Why don’t you open your eyes to take a look, I guarantee that once you open your eyes, you will certainly be shocked.”

Hua Wu Que only hoped that Tie Xin Lan will not open her eyes, will not see him in such a situation, he will never want Tie Xin Lan to feel upset because of him. But Tie Xin Lan’s hands have already slid down, her head already lifted.

Her body started shaking immediately. She rushed over, her hands grabbing the steel cage, her eyes filled with sadness and despair. She did not scream or shout, but the look in her eyes is enough to break one’s heart. Hua Wu Que closed his eyes, hoping that the ground would suddenly split open and swallow him up forever.

Right at this time, Bai Kai Xin is back.

He brought back two large bags of things, and kept on panting, his mouth mumbling, “I would actually go through so much trouble to find things for you, I can’t even believe it myself.”

Du Sha asked, “Where is Li Da Zui? Why isn’t he back yet? Didn’t you go with him to that town?” Bai Kai Xin exclaimed, “Why would I go the same way as that big mouth wolf, if he can go to heaven, I’d rather go to hell.”

Du Jiao Jiao asked, “Then, where did you get these food from?”

Bai Kai Xin replied, “At the temple at the foot of the mountain. Did you think that the monks in the temple are vegetarians? Let me tell you, you’re in luck. This temple that I found, is opened by a monk who drinks wine and eats meat. Even a boss won’t let his staff eat more than a kati of meat, but they would eat meat by the kilos.”

From within his bag he took out a piece of meat and started chewing on it, mumbling again, “The mouth is used for eating, not for scolding, whoever uses it wrongly, the only person who will be unlucky is himself.”

Madam Bai, who was in the cage, suddenly jumped up and stared at that two bags. Her body is full of lined injuries, some were due to whipping, some were due to her own scratching, she has been so tortured that she no longer seems human, she has lost the dignity of being a human. Even the gaze in her eyes looks like a wild beast.

Du Jiao Jiao took out a bun and said, “You want to eat as well? So sorry, but I must want you to go hungry.”

Madam Bai did not speak, because the strange illness of her struck again.

Du Sha furrowed his brows and asked, “Why do you want them to go hungry!”

Du Jiao Jiao smiled coquettishly and replied, “Because I want to use them in an experiment, to see how long will it take to starve them to weaken them, by that time, we can start digging the hole.”

The last to return was Li Da Zui. By the time he came back, the sky is already bright. He had traveled for a whole night, but not only was he not tired at all, he was very excited instead.

Bai Kai Xin sniggered and said icily, “Look at him, he looks like the Ox Demon who has just eaten Tang Seng’s flesh.”

(Tang Seng: Tripitaka, or Tang Xuan Zang, a monk from the Tang Dynasty, made famous in the novel Journey to the West. According to the novel, any demon who ate his flesh would become immortal.)

Du Jiao Jiao interrupted, “Don’t you listen to his bullshit, tell us quickly what strange things you saw.”

Du Sha asked icily, “What actually happened?”

Li Da Zui explained, “By the time I left the mountains it was almost the ‘Zi’ hour (11pm – 1am), and I thought those in town would certainly be asleep by then. Who would have expected that the town was still brightly lit, the streets filled with people, and it was even more crowded than the temple fair in the city. So I thought it strange as well, and I pulled someone aside to ask, and I found out that there were two people who opened a gambling den in town. Not only those who stay in that town would gamble till daybreak, even those people in the surrounding hundred kilometers came as well, so this originally secluded town became even more crowded than a trading town.”

Ha Ha’er replied, “Haha, opening a gambling den is a lucrative business, why don’t we join in the fun, and I can have be a competition to that two lads.”

Li Da Zui laughed, “A gambling den like theirs, I’m afraid we can’t afford to open one. Because they are not intent on earning money with their gambling den, but to ease their gambling urges. Those who go there to gamble, if they win, the banker will pay their winnings, but if they lose, they just have to kow tow and they can leave. It seems that within three days, the two lads have lost several thousand taels.”

Bai Kai Xin opened his eyes wide and said, “There are people in the business of killing others, but no one will be in the business of making a loss, could there be something wrong with these two?”

Li Dai Zui replied lazily, “There’s nothing wrong with these two at all, it’s just that their gambling addiction is shocking, as long as someone will gamble with them, they’ll be ecstatic, and they never bother about winning or losing.”

Ha Ha’er suddenly clapped and said, “Haha, I know, a gambling addict like this, there can never be a second one in this world.”

Du Sha furrowed his brows, “It is really Xuan Yuan San Guang?”

Li Da Zui replied, “I saw him, but he did not see me, because at that time, besides the dice and cards in his eyes, he wouldn’t recognize his own father if he went. But the stakes there are really strange, a kowtow is considered one tael, a slap on the buttocks is considered five coins, when he wins, sounds of heads being knocked on the floor and buttocks being slapped will be heard throughout the gambling den, and add that to his smug laughter, it’s really lively.”

Du Jiao Jiao asked, “What if he lost?”

Li Da Zui replied, “If he lost, there really would be piles and piles of silver taken out to pay the others, not a single cent less.”

Du Sha suddenly asked, “The person who was banker with him, do you recognize him?”

Li Da Zui laughed, “Skinny and wrinkled, not very good looking, I’ve never seen that person.”

Du Jiao Jiao replied slowly, “That may not be necessarily so, maybe I will be interested in this person.”

Bai Kai Xin laughed, “I am quite interested in this person as well, I really want to see how he became friends with that compulsive gambler. For all you know, Compulsive Gambler’s silver may be coming from his pockets.”

Du Jiao Jiao rolled her eyes and smiled, “Since we’re both so interested in him, then let us pay him a visit tonight.”

Although it’s deep into the night, but the town was really brightly lit, and those walking on the streets were mostly happy, but nine out of ten of them doesn’t look like respectable characters.

But Du Jiao Jiao’s appearance now, is very respectable. She is dressed up as a poor scholar who looks like he’s got not much money, but a lot of flair. Naturally Bai Kai Xin can only be her follower.

Du Jiao Jiao chose to take a seat at a stall selling noodles, and ordered a bowl of noodles, a braised egg and a plate of braised beef. Bai Kai Xin can only stand at the side and watch.

The boss of the noodle stall is an old man, and as he cooked, he tried to make conversation, “Are you gambling as well?”

Du Jiao Jiao smiled and asked, “Have you ever seen the two persons who opened the gambling den?”

That old man sighed, “Those two are mad, especially the skinny one. When he’s not gambling, he looked as if his father had just died, a look of despair on his face, but once he gambles, he is immediately energetic. This time he has gambled for three days and night.”

Du Jiao Jiao asked, “Can they afford to lose?”

That old man replied, “It seems that they brought with them two huge carriages of silver. If the ancestors have not done anything wrong, would their family have a wastrel like him.” That old man was really polite in his conversation, so polite that it makes one feel good.

As they spoke, they have followed a few people to the only inn in the town. The inn was not very large, and now it’s almost bursting to the seams. Xuanyuan San Guang’s gambling den is right in this inn.

Du Jiao Jiao walked over, and everywhere there were people squeezing and pushing one another. She has never been tall, so she can’t even see where Xuanyuan San Guang is. But she finally heard Xuanyuan San Guang’s voice.

Someone laughed loudly and shouted, “Ge Lao Zi (Old Man Ge), will you sons of turtles come up one by one, any more squeezing and even your egg yolks will be squeezed out.” Du Jiao Jiao have not heard his voice for twenty years, but once she head the words ‘Old Man Ge’, she knew with certainty it must be Compulsive Gambler.

(Ge Lao Zi: A slang used in Si Chuan. Somewhat like an exclamation.)

Du Jiao Jiao rolled her eyes, pulled Bai Kai Xin to the side and suddenly sealed the acupoints of the two people in front of them. They collapsed without a sound, and the others did not even take a look towards their direction. Du Jiao Jiao actually stood on top of these two people. And so she finally saw Compulsive Gambler Xuanyuan San Guang.

They are gambling on ‘odds and evens’ now, and on the table, there was a white piece of cloth, with a black line drawn in the middle of the cloth, odd is on the left side, even on the right.

Once the dice is shown, if it’s ‘odds’ then those who bet on ‘evens’ would kowtow and slap their buttocks. Such method of gambling, is really simple and easily understood, and very exciting as well.

Half of his cloths have slid down his body, his hair messy as well, but he just used a dirty and smelly towel to wrap his head, his whole face oily, his eyes bloodshot, looking exactly like a butcher.

In front of him were some meat buns, obviously not only did he not sleep, but there’s no time for meals as well, and only a bite was taken out of that bun. He looked totally disheveled, but his face is full of joy, and his voice may have become hoarse, but he’s still roaring at the top of his lungs.

Du Jiao Jiao stared at a person next to Xuanyuan San Guang, and Bai Kai Xin finally followed her gaze and took a look. This person is really dark and skinny, his appearance ugly, but his bloodshot eyes looked bright.

Xuanyuan San Guang shouted, “Sons of turtles, place your bets quickly, I’m going to open.” On both sides of the tables, bets were placed, some betted with a few copper coins, some with two stones, some even wrote a few words on a tattered piece of paper. At the side of the table, there were two who were still kowtowing, obviously they lost too much.

Xuanyuan San Guang shook a broken bowl in his hands, the dice rolling about in the broken bowl, the dark and skinny man staring at the side, his forehead sweating. Suddenly Xuanyuan San Guang roared, “Open!” and with a ‘bang’ the broken bowl was lifted from the table.