Chapter 9 #3
Her cheeks blazed. She quickly nodded, imploring eyes meeting his own.
“It’s a miracle you’re even here. That anyone would even care to help some silly lost kitsune girl when the whole world acts like we no longer even exist, so none of us ever dare show our ears in public.
Not ever. Anyway, are you the boy I saw in my dreams? Is that why you came?”
Alex blinked at this. “I came here to look after my friend. To make sure she’s all right. And once I know she’s safe, I’ll be taking care of this little problem the best way I know how.”
The girl furrowed her brow. “You’re thinking of taking over this chapter? I don’t think these assholes are JiangHu at all,” she said, glaring down at the remains before Alex made it disappear with a gentle touch of his fingers… and the blood too.
The girl’s eyes widened. “You’re definitely one of us, aren’t you, hero?”
Alex smirked. “An old friend declared me her lieutenant, once upon a time. But I’m not seeking to reform this chapter.”
“Then why are you…”
His gaze hardened. “I’m going to purge it of every last member of Dongfang Hong’s little infestation.
Punishing the bastard who thought he could use this sect to infiltrate and invade Wanshi City by embracing the same damned tactics he’s used in so many other cities, however many seasons or centuries ago it might have been. ”
The kitsune girl stared at him for long moments. “My name’s Lini,” she said at last, before giving a solemn bow. “I will lend you the cloak of my night and the edge of my blade for so long as you wish it, Lieutenant.”
Alex smirked. “I’m Alex. A pleasure to meet you, Lini. Your name’s quite similar to that of my friend, interestingly enough. Is there a naming convention among the kitsune clans that I should know about?”
But Lini was gazing at Alex in surprised disbelief. “Alex? Your parents actually named you…” Her features paled. “No. The old ones are dead! There’s no way you could actually be… and I was named after my mother.”
Alex froze at those words. He swallowed his suddenly dry throat. “Lini…”
“Yes, Eternal Disciple?” She smirked at his look. “I’m just kidding. But you must have heard the tales countless times in your childhood for your parents to have actually named you… Why are you looking at me so strangely?”
“What is your mother’s name?”
She bit her lip. “Nili.”
Alex blinked. “Of course it is. And why should I be surprised? You really do look just like her.”
“And if she finds out I’m here when I should be safely holed up with my little brothers and sisters… Wait, what do you mean ‘of course it is’? Who do I look like?”
Alex sighed. “Who do you think I’m here to look after?”
Lini paled. “Oh no.”
“What’s wrong?”
“If Mother finds out I came here, I’ll never hear the end of it!
She’ll keep me locked up until I’m old and gray.
” She then flinched, truly taking in what Alex had said.
“Wait. She’s here too? Then that means she’s in danger!
These bastards aren’t JiangHu, and they’re kidnapping girls, I’m sure of it!
I came here looking for proof, but now I just want to find her and get out of here! ”
“Agreed. And if we’re going to do that, we’re going to use our heads. Which means you keep your eyes open, your ears perked toward me, and your words at a whisper. Or absolute silence when my blade is bare.”
“Yes, Lieutenant.”
“Right now it’s about reconnaissance and reuniting you with your mother. Then you two will leave and I’ll get to work.”
Lini bit her lip before slowly nodding. “All right, I’ll go with you.” She flashed a brave smile. “I came here following the threads of Fate, looking for my missing friend. I certainly wasn’t expecting these soldiers you mentioned, let alone men versed in Shadow Qi!”
Alex flashed a cold smile. “Don’t look so surprised.
My enemy had access to the cream of his crop, apparently, before he was exiled.
So here he now is, with his overly talented psychopathic contingent, eager to carve an empire for himself in these hot desert sands, far away from any Sacred City.
Now that I think about it, that’s probably more common than anyone ever admits aloud.
So long as would-be tyrants leave Sacred Cities and the farming network they depend upon alone, no one cares what happens in the wilder parts of the world.
And most of the time I lived in a Sacred City, I never had any reason to care either. Not until now.”
Lini gave him an odd look. “I don’t entirely understand what you’re saying, but if this would-be king has access to powerful soldiers well-versed in Shadow Qi and other arts, then we really are in trouble.”
Alex gave a measured nod. “So the best thing we can do is find whatever weeds Dongfang Hong’s left to grow in his stead, and cut them all down to size.”
“Right. And I’ll help you.”
“Yes. By making full use of your Shadow Qi, so we can track down your mother with the least amount of interference. But I expect you to leave any fighting to me.”
“Gladly,” she said as shadows and gloom soon filled the corridor.
Not quite as expertly done as Nili or Jidihu, but the gloom along with their suddenly soundless footsteps hopefully meant that they would have a chance to explore this underground maze of rooms and find Lini’s mother before it was too late.