“Hello”, some of them replied.

“Although it’s a bit late, but, thank you for saving us before”, said Li Susheng.

“Yeah. Kid, thank..”

‘SMACK’

A man tried to thank Acma, but got the back of his head smacked by his friend. Acma was puzzled with their action, but he didn’t pursue it further.

“Please don’t be alarmed, we already decided not to call you ‘kid or boy’. That’s why he got smacked. I am Li Susheng. I’m currently their leader”, Li Susheng explained as he extended his hand.

“Nice to meet you, Mr Li. My name is Acma Heart”, replied Acma. He smiled to show that he didn’t take the incident to heart. He shook Li Susheng’s hand firmly.

“Are you going somewhere?”

“No, I purposely came here since I saw you guys gathered here”

Hearing the answer, they looked at each other. Then, one of them asked.

“How do you know we’re gathering here?”

Acma pointed his finger to the sky and smiled.

“Are you a prophet? Did you received a revelation from your god above about us gathering here?”, spat a man called Shi.

“Calm down Brother Shi”, Li Susheng tried to pacify.

Acma laughed lightly when he heard that.

“I’m pointing at my drone. See, over there. I have it hovered around here to monitor the enemies. Then I saw you guys gathered here”, Acma explained. He threw a glance at the bad tempered Brother Shi.

“A sphere drone?”

“My father’s collection. I just borrow it from him for a while. Anyway, what are you guys doing? It’s quite dangerous here because the enemies is too close. You won’t able to escape if they decide to attack”

“We are planning to fight”, replied Li Susheng short. His eyes were looking straight at Acma.

“I was right. They really want to fight”, Acma thought.

“We planned to use explosives. We have some stick dynamites, but mostly we have black powders”

“Dynamites and black powders. Hmmmm...”, Acma mumbled. He turned his head around, looking at the street, then at the direction of the field at the center of the town. His mind immediately working to find the best place to use the explosives where it were most effectives.

“What do you think?” Li Susheng asked. He was quite shocked at Acma’s reaction because he didn’t expect the youth in front him seem to be familiar with the explosives. Since he wasn’t sure, so he probed him with a question.

Acma turned his head and looked at Li Susheng.

“I think using explosives is a great idea. Especially when you use it at a perfect location”, replied Acma.

Li Susheng smiled wryly when he heard that and he scratched his head a little.

“We just come out with that idea, so we haven’t discuss where to plant it yet”

“Owh. Hmmmm.. How about in front of the temple?” Acma suggested.

“In front of the temple? Why?”

“Since everyone are inside the temple, the enemies will be gathering in front of it. So, if we blow them up there, they will suffer a lot of casualties in one go. The only problem is either those monks will permit it or not”, Acma explained.

“Boss, it sounds good. Let’s do that”, someone exclaimed. Everyone were looking at him.

“He’s right, Boss”

“Yeah”

Li Susheng was frowning.

“Do you think those monks will let a blood spilt in front of their courtyard? They were Buddhist. Do you want everyone in the town hate you?” questioned Li Susheng. His face was stern.

Everyone was quiet. They understand that Buddhist monks were pacifists. There was a high chance that they won’t allowed their front yard become a killing field.

“How about the center field? The enemies can gather there too”, someone suggested.

“It only work for a small troop if we use center field. For a troop as big as this morning or bigger, they may just run over or surround us. Also, it’s hard to conceal the traces of the explosives, so they may become suspicious about our intention to keep them there”, answered Acma. “But, if it really impossible to use the empty space in front of the temple, then the field is the best choice”, he continued.

Silence. Everyone was thinking.

“...”

A few moments later.

“Haaaaaaaaaaahh”, Li Susheng sighed after a deep breath.

“I will handle the monks”, he said.

“Brother Shi, please go to the temple and find anyone who can handle the explosives. Ask them if they’re willing to help us or not. Long Arm, take a few man and go to the mining office. Help Skinny to move the explosives. Remember, always be extremely careful. The others will stay here to monitor the enemies”, Li Susheng distributed the tasks.

“Yes, Boss”, everyone replied with almost a shout. Then everyone moved except Li Susheng and Acma.

“Will you help us?” asked Li Susheng.

Acma smiled, then he replied.

“Sure, leave the head-on fighting to me”

“Thank you very much. Other than using explosives, we really have no other means to fight. But, with your help, I’m sure the enemy won’t dare to do as they please anymore”

“You’re overpraising me, Mr Li”

“No, no, it’s the truth. But I’m a bit puzzled, because our enemies are really cold and treat us harshly when they came for us this morning. I can sense their deep hatred toward us. I wonder why they feel like that”

“Haha”, Acma chuckled a little. “It’s all because they lost a war to the human 20 years ago and they lost badly. They lost most of their lands, their brethren were slaughtered and some of them were enslaved. Now, we are a perfect target for them to relieve their 20 years worth of grudge and rage”

“...”

Li Susheng was speechless. He never expect that there was a dark history between the elves, the beastmen and human. He asked several questions about the topics and Acma gladly answer them as much as he knew.

“But I never expect the elf princess to spare your lives and gave the order to retreat this morning. I think we could reason with her”, said Acma.

“Yeah, I agree”, Li Susheng

“When they came to our shelter and started beating everyone who tried to resist, I felt really helpless. I never felt the urge to become stronger as much as at that time. Strong enough to protect everyone I care about. I don’t want to stay as a weak father and husband who can’t even protect his family”, Li Susheng lamented.

After a careful thought, Acma spoke.

“Mr. Li have to keep survive then. Fight and survive”

Both of them were walking side by side toward the temple while talking about miscellaneous topics. After a while, Acma excused himself to look after an electronic components around the town to make a device to detonate the explosives remotely.

“May I ask, why you didn’t stop us from fighting?” asked Li Susheng before Acma’s departure.

“Because Mr Li and friends plan to fight and keep living. It’s like fighting for one’s honour or something similar. So, rather than stopping you guys from fighting, it’s better if I joining in too”, Acma explained.

“Thank you, Acma”

“You’re welcome”

Half an hour later, at the backyard of the temple.

“Big brother, are you finished talking with the monks?” a little boy asked when he saw a youth wearing a black armour walking toward him and his father.

“Yes, I am finished. Have you eaten?”

“I eat already. Big brother, I keep some food for you”. The boy showed a piece of white bun.

“Well, thank you”, Acma smiled as he received the bun from the boy.

“Here some tea though it’s cold already”, said the father.

“Thank you Uncle Tan”, said Acma. he chewed the bun slowly to savour it’s taste. It was a white bun with potato filling and it’s taste was bland. But Acma wasn’t a picky eater. If he can swallow it, then the food is good.

“How was it? The taste is quite bland, but this is all they have”, Uncle Tan looks worried.

“If I can swallow it, then it’s good”, said Acma as he laugh a little.

After he was finish eating, Acma took out the electronic components he found in the town under the eyes of Tan Meng and his father. He wanted to make a detonator. He felt the urge to complete them as soon as possible because his heart couldn’t calm down when thinking that the enemies were just outside the town.

In the meantime, inside the temple’s main hall, Li Susheng was sitting together with the abbot and the others. These people were the same people Acma met before.

“Mr Li, do you really have to fight with the enemies?”, asked the abbot, Shi Ming.

“If they attack us again, yes, we have to fight. I believe they won’t leave us alone. Right now they were camping just outside the town. I think they were waiting for orders from their higher-ups”, replied Li Susheng.

“That doesn’t mean they will attack. Maybe they are waiting for an envoy”, said a man

“Maybe you’re right, maybe you’re wrong. If they return with an envoy, then it’s all good. But, if they attack when we’re not prepared... I don’t want to say what will happen to us. I already told you the reason why we must fight since half an hour ago, but you still insisted not to fight.

“...”

“Actually we’re not totally against fighting, we just don’t know how to. About your plan, we’re reluctant to destroy the front yard, just to kill the enemies. But, we also realize that broken things can be repaired, but live lost will be gone forever”, said the abbot. “Also, you plan to detonate the explosives from behind the barrier, so the risk is low and it’s quite safe. Therefore, my decision is, we will support your plan to fight”.

“You opposed my suggestion for half an hour, made me sincerely thought that you will against fighting until the end. It seem that I was mistaken. I’m really grateful for your decision”, said Li Susheng.

“Most people mistaken us to be a pacifist, but we’re not. In a situation like we’re currently facing, we have to fight. I’m sorry if what we done earlier created a misunderstanding. We just want to make sure that you really know what you’re doing and not planning to suicide”, explained Shi Ming.

“Everyone, since I already got the agreement from the abbot, I will excuse myself first. My men most likely have finish gathering all the equipment. Thank you very much”

Li Susheng rose to his feet and walked away.

A few hours later.

“Master, a new troop consisted of 300 horsemen have arrived outside the town”, Alice reported.

“A new troop? Thanks Alice”, said Acma. “Mr Li, I have something to tell you”, shouted Acma to call Li Susheng who was standing not far from the temple’s entrance.

Li Susheng, Acma and the others had finished planting the explosives around the empty space in front of the temple, based on the enemies’ position this morning with a few correction. In addition to the explosives buried in the ground, they also prepared dozens of pipe bombs. Those pipe bombs were a back up plan.

“What is it, Acma?” asked Li Susheng when he reached Acma.

“There is a new troop arrived”, said Acma with a grave face

Everyone nearby were shocked hearing the news and looked at each other.

“I will go and see what their intention is”, Acma continued.

“I will go with you. Skinny, you will be in charge of the explosives. Make sure they will work. Brother Shi, inform everyone outside the temple’s barrier to go to the temple right now. Tell them that the enemy have returned. Rocky, you come with me”, said Li Susheng.

“Okay, Boss”

“Boss, be careful”

“You guys be careful too. Lets go, Acma”