Chapter 139: The Plan

Zen woke up. The rain softly knocked agains the roof of the building. He stayed in bed for a while, reluctant to get up, reluctant enter the world with all its problems. He stayed there, feeling safe and at peace, as long as he stayed in his bed, as long as he remained home, as long as the rain continued to gently pour down.

After an hour of looking up at the ceiling her sat up and swung his legs off of bed. Shibi, who was sleeping on the floor got up and after Zen dressed, perched on his shoulder. Zen began walking the across the dark house. The moon loomed overhead, providing little light.

He could sense two powers in his father’s office. He knew he had to talk to his father… probably get shouted at. He huffed in anger, resolved to give him a peace of his mind too. His knuckles prepared for one hell of a knock but stopped inches from the wood work. Shoulders drooping, he sighed and dropped his hand. Right now, he had no fight in him.

“You okay?” Shibi said.

Zen smiled at Shibi and rubbed his head. He heard voices on the other side of the door. Walking forward, he leaned in, pressing his ear to the wood.

“Those two Red Dragon representatives…” he heard Yin Bhiki’s voice.

“They are the ones who attacked me last time, one is missing.” He heard his father.

“You think Lord Jao is in involved?”

“No. That fool stumbled into something he doesn’t understand. His not involved. But I sure gave them a good show.”

“Yes, and caused a lot of damage too.”

“The house can be repaired.”

“I was not talking about the house, Master.”

There was silence before Yin Bhiki spoke again.

“Master, have you ever thought of what will happen after?”

“Meaning?”

“Your relationship with son.” Yin Bhiki breathed. “I understand why your doing this but somethings cannot be repaired. What if we succeed, Master? What if we get our freedom and you get your revenge? What will you have left with your son?”

“It is easy for you, Yin Bhiki. You can hide your family behind the obscurity of being commonality. With my family being nobles, my crimes will be inherited by my family. If we fail, my son will inherit my reputation as a criminal and I will not have that. And if we succeed… I’ll cross that bridge when I come there.”

“By that time, Master, the bridge may already be burned down.”

“Let’s not talk about this any further.” Wang Ton said. “Organise a carriage and a protection detail for Wang Zen, I want him back at Goixi and far away from this. Then organise a carriage for me, I need to escape these Red Dragn scum and work in secret.”

“Yes sir.”

Zen withdrew his ear from the door and quietly returned to his room.

There was a knock on Zen’s door.

Silence.

There was another knock.

Silence.

“Master Wang, we-we have your carriage ready.” Ding Wu said from the other side. “I’m sorry, your Father wanted this. Master Wang? Master Wang?” Ding Wu sighed and the door clicked open. “Sorry, I burrowed this skeleton key…”

Ding Wu looked around the room in confusion for there was no one there.

“Could’ve at least made his bed,” Ding Wu said before he ran out.

Yin Bhiki raised his hands when Ding Wu came out of the house without Wang Zen.

“He’s not in his room,” he said.

“What?” Yin Bhiki folded his arms. “Then where the hell could he be?”

The carriage existed the town and Wang Ton looked out at the country. The men toiling the soil. The sun began to sink in the horizon as it moved even further away from the farmyards into the path that cut through the forest.

Wang Ton heard a knocking on the roof. He looked up as he fished out his storage stone. His pink mace appeared inhis hands and a moment later, he exploded from the roof of the carriage. Wang Zen was sent sailing in air with a scream.

Zen and Shibi landed hard on the ground, his father looking at them from the roof of the moving carriage.

“Son?”

Zen sat up. “Dad… hey!” He waved awkwardly at the shocked man.