Romance of Dragons and Snakes

Dusk was approaching. The water flowing in the rivers and the grass swaying in the forest were already reflecting the change in time. But even despite the passage of time, Wang Chao had yet to even finish pondering the words he wanted to say to Tang Zichen.

Time was going by quickly, and soon, the day would end in no time at all.

“I have to cut myself off completely, or else I’ll never feel safe.” Wang Chao stood up. His ears were seemingly as agile as his eyes were now, as if they were a mouse that only just came out of its cave.

The night is when a mouse is in their element. It is only during the night when a mouse’s senses is honed to their limits. The aspects of a mouse had yet to enter the common martial arts, but one who reached a satisfactory level of martial arts would have little trouble manifesting the nature of a mouse and combining it into their own martial arts.

Naturally, Wang Chao was at such a level.

“Sis, I have never once felt myself at peace ever since I learned of your existence. I spent every day being on guard, but now, I can finally let myself rest. And what a luxury that is.”

A hand reached up to reach his head from behind. Like how a mouse would pick at a louse, Wang Chao’s finger touched upon a small fingernail-sized microchip from the collar of his clothes.

A GPS tracker with short-distance listening capabilities. A bug. Equipment that only the special forces were trained to use.

A special piece of equipment made tiny enough where Wang Chao only had to pinch it in order for the bug to break.

Crack!

Paradoxically, Wang Chao felt his body grow lighter as pieces of the bug crumbled beneath his fingers. Like shrugging off the invisible chains that had once bound his body, Wang Chao felt unfettered and free like a leaf newly separated from its branch to join the wind into the sky.

“Sis, you were right. A dragon’s rightful place is in the Ninth Heavens above and the oceans below where the clouds and water provide shelter. A nest of snakes is no place for a dragon to live. I have lived amongst them for so long that I had nearly lost that dragon’s nature.”

“Yanan, Liu Qing, Boulder. You can come on out now.” Wang Chao’s eyes flickered to the left where several figures were. With the dusk light encroaching on the land, the area they were standing in was considerably dark, but not dark enough.

As well hidden as they were, there was no hiding their bodily scent from the night winds and Wang Chao’s sharp nose.

“Wang Chao.”

Knowing that hiding was an exercise in futility, Lin Yanan stepped out from beyond her cover. Rather than the usual clothes she wore and the firearms she often carried, Lin Yanan sported dark-green sportswear and was completely unarmed.

She wasn’t alone in stepping out. Liu Qing, Gao Jun, Fang Wei, and Zhang Kai followed behind her; each person was unarmed except Liu Qing, who had a pair of crescent moon knives with him.

Boulder was the very last to show himself. “Master Wang,” He greeted. Though bare-handed like most of his companions, Boulder looked especially unwell compared to the others.

It was to be expected that they were unarmed and in civilian clothing. Staying on foreign lands made it especially prudent for them to exercise caution in what they displayed.

Lin Yanan nodded once to Wang Chao before changing her attention to Tang Zichen.

“Miss Tang, may we talk?”

She took two steps forward.

“First it was the Americans that wanted to talk. Then it was the Japanese. And then it was the Russians. And now China? Why must all you be the same? I don’t care for your ways and neither do I care to talk.” Tang Zichen sighed.

“We have orders to invite Miss Tang back home for a trip. Please forgive us if we are forced to circumvent the laws here, but you have our word that we won’t touch even a single hair of yours. We can escort you safely out from China afterward.” Lin Yanan continued, her body shifting slightly from discomfort.

“Head back, Yanan. You’d have a hard time dealing with her even with a gun, let alone without. I don’t want to hurt anyone here.”

Wang Chao’s eyes lingered on Lin Yanan briefly before turning to the others.

“These orders come from above, Wang Chao. I really shouldn’t have to explain it to you; the secrets she knows could benefit our nation greatly. According to intel, the other major powers of the world are after her, she would be safest with us.”

“Convince her to return,” she spoke under her breath. “We can promise her safety if she complies. Please remember your status in the organization. What you’re doing right now can be construed as treason, and treason has always been dealt with decisively. You have far too many enemies that are eagerly waiting for an opportunity to kill you.”

“You can ask your sister if you don’t believe me, Wang Chao. Ask her if it’s true. Ask her if she’s had had four or even five assassination attempts on her life this month alone! Ask yourself if she will be targeted like that if she’s back home. Chinese blood runs in your veins, shouldn’t you work for the benefit of our nation?”

Choosing to look up toward the sky, Wang Chao let out a slow exhale as if to gather his thoughts.

“The most sincere Way. The power of foresight. You haven’t seen the scenery at the top as I have, so you wouldn’t understand. It doesn’t matter where the danger hides, internal or external. Regardless of if China is safer or not, there is no point in asking if sis Chen isn’t willing. Chickens don’t speak with ducks, and dragons shouldn’t mix with snakes.”

Dragons shouldn’t mix with snakes. It was a blasphemous statement not meant to rebuke Tang Zichen, but Lin Yanan. Given Lin Yanan’s capabilities in martial arts, it was incredibly undignified of her to “invite” Tang Zichen to a talk, and it was little wonder why she felt disinclined to go with them.

Wang Chao understood her. He was the same after all.

For one who reached a height of martial arts like him, his demeanor was similar to that of a dragon. To stare down in disdain from the heavens and disallow any blasphemy.

To understand was to understand, and to not understand meant to not understand. There were just some things that had to be experienced rather than to be explained. Wang Chao had no doubts about that and declined Lin Yanan’s suggestion.

“We have snipers planted in every single route out from here, Master Wang. You wouldn’t be able to escape from here even if you sprouted wings. We were ordered to familiarize ourselves with your skill and personality over the years. Our orders were given, and we will follow those orders.”

Boulder stood forward with a nod of his head.

“So that’s the reason why you’re here alone? So they can prepare an ambush?” Wang Chao laughed.

“No,” He shook his head, “you’ve known me for almost three years. You may know of me, but not of my martial arts.”

Having been a spectator of the talks up to this point, Tang Zichen turned away so she could face the Han River instead of the others. “If we go by sniper fire,” She drawled, sounding almost bored, “then I have survived over ten thousand attempts from overseas.”

Even surrounded, she looked more as if she was taking a nice brisk walk instead of being in danger.

“Senior, I’ve always wanted to show you the knife forms I’ve learned of the Baguazhang style. Shall I?”

In response, Liu Qing stepped forward, his hands gripping the crescent moon knives slightly harder than usual, as if he was unsure of himself.

“There’ll be time for that later.” Wang Chao shook his head. “I want to deal with those monks first, especially that Yong Xiaolong. I hadn’t had my fill back then in the institute; and so I wish to find an opportunity to fight and kill him later.”

“You talk big game, Wang Chao.”

A new voice interrupted the conversation. From the other side of the lake, several robust figures came swiftly into view.

Out of these figures, Yong Xiaolong was amongst them. There was also another tall caucasian monk and two other large monks.

“Master Wang,” Laughed Yong Xiaolong, “you’ve turned coat it seems. Today we shall see how the Laoshan school will fare against the Shaolin Temple. Today, revenge will be had for the lives of Duan Guochao and Yong He.”

Yong Xiaolong was quite merry and his laughter was indicative of just how joyous he was of the situation. The word ‘threat’ couldn’t even begin to describe what he thought of Wang Chao. The man was more of an archnemesis. Having the military as a patron saw the Laoshan School of Internal Martial Arts booming with fresh new students and their development was so rapid that even the great Shaolin Temple with their ancient roots felt threatened by it. Not even Yong Xiaolong could say with confidence that in twenty years, the Shaolin Temple would be as great a figure as it was now compared to the Laoshan School.

The death of Duan Guochao had earned Wang Chao the title of persona-non-grata by the temple, but there was nothing they could do about him either. Given Wang Chao’s status as a person of interest, even the Shaolin Temple lacked the proper means to successfully rid themselves of Wang Chao without suffering from great pains.

Skill wasn’t enough to become famous. One had to have both skill and a powerful patron in order to become famous.

So when Yong Xiaolong received a secret message asking him to help deal with Wang Chao and capture the women with him, he knew that the opportunity had finally arrived.

In his eyes, Wang Chao had no longer any support behind him. He had nothing but his skills to rely on.

“The roots are born with the step and are broken with the rise. Each one of them is capable of Transforming Jin, but it’s the middle-aged man in the middle who is the strongest of the three. Be advised that they are without firearms or weapon.”

Tang Zichen was still faced toward the river, but her words were heard easily by Wang Chao.

“I know of three experts amongst the Shaolin; Yong Xiaolong, the American Yong Xiaohu, and the Russian Xing Yi.” Wang Chao pondered to himself. “The one in the middle must be Xing Yi. I heard Putin was so impressed by his performance that the man flew out to Mt Song to see the Shaolin Temple for himself. I’ll move first and show sis Chen just how much stronger I’ve become.”

Even as he thought to himself, Wang Chao could already feel his desire to fight start to infect his mind.

The opportunity was right in front of him, and to refuse that opportunity would be the same as the saying goes, ‘to return home with neither gold nor glory is the same as wearing the finest embroidered clothes at night’.

That is to say, now that Wang Chao had reached the stage of Transforming Jin, he felt it necessary to show his prowess to Tang Zichen.

Tens of thousands of people bore witness to Wang Chao fight in the past, but not a single one of them was as important a spectator as Tang Zichen was now. If he couldn’t show the fruits of his efforts, then he may as well return home at night in his brightest of clothing.