Chapter 29: Yang Tai

Once again Zen found himself walking through the streets of down town. This time, he was not with Shibi. He had forced the Fiery Ape to sit in the dorm and recover from its wounds. His partner this time was a member of his own species, Chu Jiahai. He had agreed to go with him as they went to Yang Tai’s home to seek his assistance.

Yang Tai’s address was written on the Bingo Card Hue Yi had given him. in fact there were a list of addresses, presented from mostly used and least used. This information scared Zen a little as it placed Hue Yi’s information collecting to stalker heights. Although at first, Zen was angry that Hue Yi did not find him enough of a threat to collect information on, now he was relieved he was safe from Hue Yi’s prodding.

The two boys stopped in front of a small house. Zen knocked twice, the second time when no answer came after a few seconds. A few seconds later and man opened up. The teenager at the door looked down at the two, a cigarette burning down in his lips.

“Yeah? What do you two brats want?”

“We’re looking for Yang Tai.” Zen said.

“There’s no one of that name here.”

“When will he be here?”

“Are you deaf, kid?” the man leaned in closer to Zen. “I said there’s no one like that here.”

“That can’t be,” Zen said, fighting the urge to cough from the smoke the man breathed onto his face. “We have it on good authority…”

“You calling me a liar?”

Zen opned and closed his mouth, unsure how to reply.

“What’s going on?” A voice said. to Zen’s relief, Yang Tai came to investigate what was going on. “Hey, I know you. You’re the 3 second man.”

“Wang Zen,” Zen said. “This is my friend, Chu Jiahai. Can we speak to you?”

“Speak,” he said.

Zen looked around. “Uhm… what we want to speak about is sensitive. Can we come in?”

The two were let in. They entered the living room and were squeezed in a small straw couch while Yang Tai sat across them. between them was a table with a chess boardgame and a few silver coins beside it.

“So, 3-seconds, what is it you want to speak to me about?” Yang Tai said as another of his friends swept the money off the table into his palm.

“We wanted to ask you about Ma Xinqi,” Zen said before he and Jiahai jumped in fright at the sound of the other man dropping the coins. He gave Zen and Jiahai an ugly look as he picked the coins off the ground.

“What do you know of Ma Xinqi?” Yang Tai said.

“Nothing. Which is why I wanted you to tell me about him.”

Yang Tai smirked before leaning forward. “Kid, you don’t know what you’re getting yourself into. Go back to the academy, cultivate and stay out of down town business and you may live long enough to enjoy your nobility.”

A moment of silence stretched between them, filled only with silver coins being knocked into each other as they were collected from the floor. Even that stopped by the silence continued.

“I can’t,” Zen said. “I have a friend who needs my help.”

“Fine, it’s your life you’re wasting after all.” Yang Tai said, leaning back. “Ma Xinqi is one of three crime lord operating in Goixi City. Relatively, he is a newcomer and therefore yje least influential of the crime lords as he holds little territory. He deals with illegal gambling, brothels and good exchanges in the black markets. You probably know one of his places, the Emerald Snake.”

“Yes, do you know anything about the girls who work there?”

“Ah, his Black Butterflies.” Yang Tai said. “I don’t know much, except that they are recruited young and work for him until adulthood. There are rumours that this is because he binds them in a Blood Contract.”

“A Blood Contract?”

“Don’t you know anything?” Yang said. “A Blood Contract is like a Beast Contract but it is between members of the same species… humans. If someone under it breaks its condition, they will die.”

Zen was taken aback by this. the knowledge that Jun Nee may be forced to working for Ma Xinqi weighed heavily on him.

“So, do you have a lady love who works for him that you want to save? Leave it kid, you’ll find another girl.”

Yang’s friends laughed.

“It’s not like that!” Zen said.

“You are no Gan Jiang and she is no Mo Ye,” Yang Tai said. “If she is working for Ma Xinqi than she deserves her fate and if you get involved then all you’ll do is end up dead.”

-

“What do we do?” Jiahai said, havinging found his voice now that he and Zen were away from Yang Tai and his group of friends.

“Yang Tai has told me what I need to know,” Zen said as he and Jiahai walked through the street, “Now all I need is a plan to save my friend.”

“What?”

Zen clenched his fists. “Although I hate it, I think I have to ask the man from the Red Dragon Sect for help.”