Chapter Thirty-Five: Trapping the Enemy

Chen Hu seized Huang Mao by the collar and demanded, “You lead the way. Which house does Tang Fei live in?”

“Sir, I dare not,” Huang Mao stammered.

“And why not?”

“That kid… he’s fierce. No one in our village dares cross him,” Huang Mao said haltingly.

“Fierce? Is he fiercer than our Flame Shrine? With us backing you, what could he possibly do?” Chen Hu gave Huang Mao a shove, impatience in his voice. “Hurry up and get moving, or I’ll take your head off right here.”

“Yes, yes, I’ll take you there right away. Sir, you must keep your promise, though. Once this is done, you must bring me into the Flame Shrine.”

“That depends on your performance,” Chen Hu said.

Wang Tianlong was maintaining order with his men when he saw Chen Hu approaching with a group. He hurried over, asking, “Brother, any orders?”

“Have this fellow help us identify the person,” Chen Hu said, pointing at Huang Mao.

“Have you found him? Which house is it?” Wang Tianlong asked. “Brother, I know this area well. Need any help?”

“Just keep watch over the people. Until this is over, not even a fly is to leave this place.”

“Don’t worry, brother, I’m watching,” Wang Tianlong thumped his chest in assurance.

Huang Mao peered around, searching, and then pointed at one of the yard houses. “Sir, it’s that one.”

With a metallic rasp, Chen Hu drew his precious blade from his waist and strode toward the small courtyard, gesturing broadly.

The other gray-robed men quickly fanned out, encircling the yard.

Chen Hu reached the door and paused when he saw a flame talisman pasted on the wooden panel. “Who put this here?” he asked.

“Brother, I had someone post it,” Wang Tianlong explained at his side. “I checked this house—three people, an old man and two children… all good folks.”

“Is that so?” Chen Hu eyed Wang Tianlong, weighing the chances he’d been bribed. But he quickly dismissed the idea. With his intellect, bribery was pointless.

“Yes. I even came in and had their barbecue. The boy’s got real skill. I was thinking, once this busy spell is over, I’d bring him back to show off for you.”

Chen Hu cast a glance at Huang Mao, who shivered and said, “Sir, it’s here… Tang Fei lives here.”

Fear gnawed at Huang Mao. He hadn’t expected Tang Fei to have connections to the Flame Shrine. If Tang Fei survived this, he’d surely have Huang Mao’s head…

“Tang Fei?” Wang Tianlong was surprised. “I know him. I even complimented his name. He’s the barbecue chef I mentioned, just a kid of fourteen or fifteen. What trouble could he possibly get into?”

“Go call him out. I want to see just what kind of boy he is,” Chen Hu ordered.

“Yes, right away.” Wang Tianlong hurried to the door, knocked hard, and called, “Tang Fei… Tang Fei, open up…”

With a creak, Tang Fei opened the door, smiling at Wang Tianlong. “Brother, what brings you here?”

But when he saw the crowd of gray robes at the door, his expression turned troubled. “Brother, isn’t this a bit much? You know, all our meat was grilled last night. We haven’t had time to restock from the mountain. With so many guests at once, we really can’t manage…”

“How about you let us go up the mountain first? We’ll bag some wild chickens and goats for the brothers to enjoy?”

“It’s not about the barbecue,” Wang Tianlong said. “My brother wants to see you.”

“You’re Tang Fei?” Chen Hu studied him, a hint of disappointment in his eyes.

“Yes, I am,” Tang Fei replied.

“You carried a girl here?” Chen Hu asked.

“A girl?” Tang Fei looked genuinely puzzled. “When did I ever carry a girl home? I’ve only ever carried two-headed sheep.”

Chen Hu turned to Huang Mao, who immediately stepped forward. “I saw it with my own eyes! He carried a girl—a girl dressed in black—home…”

“Are you sure you didn’t see wrong?” Tang Fei’s lips curved into a bright smile as he looked at Huang Mao. “You’ve been thinking about girls so obsessively you started seeing wild boars in black dresses as beautiful women?”

He recognized this fellow—a newcomer who’d moved to the Hate Mountain settlement. Just days ago, this guy had tried to harass Anning and her mother, and he and Fatty had given him a solid beating.

Now, at this critical moment, he’d gone and stabbed him in the back, even bringing the Flame Shrine to his door.

“Impossible. I saw it myself—a girl. Others saw it too…” Huang Mao insisted, his voice shrill. He knew he’d crossed Tang Fei, and if Tang Fei escaped trouble today, he’d be a dead man. With Tang Fei’s fearsome reputation, he wasn’t someone to provoke lightly.

Since that was the case, he’d better get Tang Fei killed and join the Flame Shrine himself. Then, he could do whatever he pleased, to whomever he pleased.

“Brother, here’s what happened,” Tang Fei turned to Wang Tianlong, but really explained for Chen Hu’s benefit. “This Huang Mao harassed a girl a few days ago. I intervened and saved her. He’s borne a grudge ever since, and now wants to use you to get his revenge—a truly vicious mind.”

Tang Fei’s voice turned sharp as he stared at Huang Mao. “Isn’t that right? If you deny it, I’ll fetch the girl right now and have her confront you.”

“You’re lying, I didn’t—” Huang Mao protested, but his guilty expression betrayed his fear that Tang Fei really would call Anning to confront him.

Wang Tianlong saw right through him. He unsheathed his knife, ready to end Huang Mao then and there. “It’s one thing to bully a woman, but to use us to kill for you? What do you take the Flame Shrine for?”

“Enough!” Chen Hu barked.

“Brother, this Huang Mao bullied my brother. Let me finish him.”

“The main business first,” Chen Hu said coldly.

He fixed Tang Fei with a stare. “You truly didn’t carry a girl home?”

“No. Absolutely not,” Tang Fei swore, thumping his chest. “Why would I bring a girl home? She can’t be eaten or drunk. And besides, it’s just a small yard—where could I possibly hide her?”

“It’s true, brother, I searched last night and saw no girl,” Wang Tianlong chimed in. He really had searched and found nothing.

Chen Hu brushed past Tang Fei and was the first to break into the yard.

With a sweep of his arm he ordered, “Search.”

He trusted neither Tang Fei nor Wang Tianlong. Since Huang Mao dared to accuse Tang Fei, he must have seen something. Otherwise, how many heads did he have to offer the Flame Shrine?

So, a horde of gray robes surged into Tang Fei’s tiny yard.

“Search! Leave no corner unchecked!”

“Team One, take the east room…”

“Team Two, the west room…”

“You, check the kitchen… even the latrine, don’t miss a thing…”

Having failed to stop Chen Hu from entering, Wang Tianlong felt awkward. Only last night, he’d promised to look after Tang Fei, to let him live the good life under his wing. Now his own brothers were raiding his place.

He looked apologetically at Tang Fei. “Don’t worry, don’t worry. Deputy Chen is one of us. He’s just following orders. Once they search and find nothing, they’ll leave.”

“If we’ve done nothing wrong, no one can frame us. When the brothers come out, I’ll deal with Huang Mao for you. Of all people to pick on, he dares pick on my brother?”

“Hey, Tang Fei, why are you closing the door?”

“To handle a dog.”

“What dog? Where’s the dog?” Wang Tianlong suddenly sensed something was wrong and widened his eyes at Tang Fei.

Bang!

Wang Tianlong’s head exploded with pain; the world spun, blood streamed down his face, and he collapsed.

Fatty withdrew his hammer. “Brother, it’s done.”

“You didn’t kill him, did you?” Tang Fei asked with concern.

He thought well of Wang Tianlong. After all, he’d posted the flame talisman, vouched for their family to the Flame Shrine, and tried to stop Chen Hu from searching.

“Don’t worry, I held back,” Fatty replied.

Huang Mao was staggered by this turn of events. He hadn’t expected Tang Fei and Fatty to dare attack the gray-robed men of the Flame Shrine. He stared at them in disbelief, trembling all over.

He tried to speak, but it was as if someone had gripped his throat—no sound came out.

Tang Fei grinned at him. “I gave you a chance, but you didn’t value it.”

Bang!

Fatty brought his hammer down on Huang Mao’s skull—this time, with full force.

Huang Mao’s head shattered. With a dull thud, he collapsed.

Chen Hu led his men into the yard—and finally saw the woman they’d been searching for.

Phoenix stepped out from the inner room, smiling as she stood under the eaves, facing the assembled gray robes. “You’ve come?”

Chen Hu nodded, about to answer that they had arrived…

But he caught himself. He was the deputy of Hate Mountain’s branch of the Flame Shrine, here to capture this “witch”—what was the point of such small talk? Were they visiting relatives?

“Is the door locked?” Phoenix asked.

“It’s locked,” Tang Fei replied, standing guard at the door with a machete.

“Then let’s get to work,” Phoenix said.

…

Chen Hu knew then that the situation was dire. They’d walked into a trap.

(ps: Shouting myself hoarse for double monthly votes!)