Chapter 27: Twisted

    ~~~

    Liu Jin wakes up with a gasp.

    He desperately looks around and finds he is back in his room, back in New Moon Town. For a desperate moment, Liu Jin dares to think it might all just have been a nightmare. However, it is a foolish thought. The images in his mind. The pain in his body. They are all too real. No, it was not a dream.

    He

    He.

    Little Brother! Someone touches his shoulder. Liu Jin flinches but instantly relaxes upon noticing it is Xiao Nan.

    Elder Brother, Liu Jin says, taking a deep breath. You are here.

    The knowledge is enough to return a measure of calm to Liu Jin.

    I am, Little Brother, Xiao Nan says. You are safe. We brought you back.

    Liu Jin closes his eyes and tries to remember the events after the fight, though perhaps calling it a fight is too kind.

    As soon as the bandits had been taken care of, Liu Jin put the pendant back on. It wouldnt do to let Nine-Headed Snake Gods poison keep contaminating the forest. He had done his best to take in the surrounding poison and guide it into the pendant, but by then, the damage had been done. Though perhaps not immediately lethal, nothing would grow in that area of the Whispering Woods for a long time.

    Xiao Nan had arrived shortly after that. The older boy had found him surrounded by corpses and about to collapse, tired both physically and mentally.

    And the others? Liu Jin asks with his eyes still closed. He doesnt know why he asks. The answer is already known to him.

    Dead.

    The reply is instant. Liu Jins heart aches.

    The Black Bear Group... It was the Black Bear Group.

    We know. Xiao Nans words cause Liu Jin to look up. One of the corpses was identified as one of their commanders. I was also able to interrogate one of them.

    What? But I Catching himself in time, Liu Jin lowers his voice just in case. I removed my pendant, Elder Brother.

    No one should have survived Nine-Headed Snake God''s poison.

    I figured as much, Xiao Nan says. Little Brother is strong but not that strong. You must be thinking no one should have survived something like that, and youre right. Not one of the bandits was left alive.

    Then how?Ree?ad latest novels at novelhall.com

    Not being alive is not the same as being dead. There are a great many steps between life and death, and there are a great many things you can do with someone who is transitioning between them.

    For a moment, Liu Jin wants to ask just what exactly Xiao Nan means by that. However, he cannot bring himself to do so. The look on Xiao Nans face is as severe as he has ever seen it. The teens face is tight with worry and anger.

    Regardless, the interrogation produced interesting results, Xiao Nan continues. The attack only had one purpose. To kill Xiao Dong. I am not sure what was going through their minds when they decided to do something like that. However, now that they have succeeded, it cannot be overlooked. This cannot go unpunished.

    Of course it couldnt go unpunished. The Branch Masters son was killed by a group of lowly bandits. Even though this is just a minor branch, the Xiao Sect is still the Xiao Sect. An offense like this cannot be allowed to stand. The Black Bear Group should not have been unaware of that. Attacking Xiao Dong like they did could lead to no other outcome than bringing down the wrath of the branch sect on them.

    That was why no one had seen the need for Xiao Dong to be heavily guarded.

    No one would be stupid enough to attack him. That had been everyone''s reasoning.

    A party has been gathered to hunt down all members of the Black Bear Group. I will set out along with them in a few hours.

    You will be leaving? Liu Jin curses himself for how weak he sounds. Even so, he does not want Xiao Nan to leave. Not right now.

    Xiao Nans face softens.

    Elder Brother, I I dont understand

    Xiao Nan smiles, and it is the saddest smile Liu Jin has ever seen.

    Little Brother, I wish I could tell you something else. I wish I could be reassuring. However, that would not be fair to you. In this world of ours, we struggle, we climb, and we keep climbing. We amass power. We gain favor. We spread our influence. All of it is to reach greater heights. Any act we made, however immoral, is automatically made right by our power. Power forgives all. Power excuses all. That is why the decisions made by those with power can never be wrong.

    Xiao Nan looks almost ashamed as he says this.

    That is why your actions cannot be in the wrong. You let them go because you had power over them, and then you killed them because you had power over them. As long as you keep being in a position of power, you can make any choice you want.

    That that''s twisted, Elder Brother.

    Xiao Nan sighs. We live in a twisted world, Little Brother.

    ~~~

    It is late at night when Xiao Heng finally comes to visit him. By then, Xiao Nan and Xiao Ding have already left town to hunt down the Black Bear Bandits.

    Boss, I am so sorry! Xiao Heng literally kowtows in front of Liu Jin.

    Stand up! Liu Jin snaps. He immediately regrets how harsh his voice sounds. Liu Jin did not mean to yell. He is just not in the best of moods. In a gentler tone, Liu Jin asks, Why are you apologizing?

    I-I should have been there to help Boss! Xiao Heng cries out, his gaze firmly on the floor. I should have thought about it more. I should have talked with brother and convinced him to take more guards with him. I should haveI should have

    It is not your fault, Liu Jin says. It strikes him then that Xiao Heng is someone who has just lost his brother. We should all have thought about it. We never considered we would be attacked.

    No one would dare to attack the Xiao Sect. That was what they had all been thinking. There was no need to bring many guards because no one would dare to do anything to the local branchs young master. Everyone had been confident of that. That was why no one had tried to caution Xiao Dong when he said he wanted to go to the forest.

    You have lost a brother, Liu Jin says. I am sorry.

    Xiao Heng quickly shakes his head. Boss has nothing to apologize for. If anything, Boss has already avenged my brother by slaying his murderers. I should be thanking Boss instead.

    Liu Jin barely fights back a flinch. He still remembers it. The Fifth Commanders face as he fell, blood spurting from his mouth. Had he even realized he was dying? Liu Jin quickly shakes his head, hoping to banish those images.

    It doesnt work.

    Boss, are you okay?

    I am fine, Liu Jin says. He rubs his forehead. I believe I need a walk.

    Liu Jin moves to leave the room as he says that. For a moment, he worries he is being too rude, but Xiao Heng just silently follows him. As Liu Jin makes his way towards the courtyard, he cannot help but notice everyone they pass gives him a wide berth. It takes him a minute to figure out why that is.

    Of course, the story of what happened probably already made its way around the compound a couple of times. Liu Jin dreads to imagine what rumors have popped up since then.

    It is a relief for Liu Jin when he finally makes his way out to the courtyard. Night has already fallen. The cold air is a welcome distraction from his problems, and the full moon shines brightly in the sky. Liu Jin stares at it, hoping to get lost in it, hoping to forget about everything that has happened today. This morning everything was fine. Now he is a killer.

    Twisted.

    The world really is twisted.

    Liu Jin takes a deep breath. His hot breath turns into white vapor which drifts off into the night.

    Young Master! Little Lord!

    Liu Jin and Xiao Heng turn around. A group of servants is running toward them.

    What is it? Liu Jin asks.

    Visitors, Little Lord! One of the servants says. There are visitors at the main gate!

    ~~~