Wu Xie
The next morning they asked Mr. Gui about the photo that Xiaoge had saved from the burning inferno of his old house and after the man had a look at it, he had said it was a man called Panma.
"This photo is an old one, just like the one you pointed at before. Panma was the best hunter at that time and was the man my father recommend to the woman to be her guide, because no one else knew the mountains better than him." Mr. Gui said.
"And is this Panma man still alive?" Pangzi asked, while internally praying the old man may still be around for all their sakes.
"Ah, yeah... he is still quite healthy." Mr. Gui said happily.
"Then... can we talk with him? You see, we are truly intrigued by the expedition that you mention was done in the mountains. If he was the guide, then that's even better. We will pay him well to take us to the place the expedition was done. Solving an old riddle is so thrilling... don't you think?" Pangzi asked the man, who laughed a bit uncomfortably.
"I guess... he lives not too far from here, so I can take you to his house if you are truly interested." Mr. Gui offer and Pangzi clapped his hand in joy.
"Sure, sure... oh, this lovely town is getting more interesting by the minute... good thing will come this way with just the right push... Mr. Gui, you had such a bright future ahead of you... come on, please lead the way..." Pangzi said as he smiled charmingly at the old man, which gladly guide them the short distance to Panma house.
Wu Xie felt a little bad for tricking the man to such extent, but if they didn't do so, how else could they find about what happen in Banai and the expedition that probably trigger all the things that happen in the Parcel Islands and everything else connected with that event.
They came into the yard of a house where a young man was working and after Mr. Gui had asked about Panma whereabouts, the young man had told them that his father had go into the mountains for hunting and had not return yet.
"That's not uncommon... hunters takes a few days while searching for preys. Hunt requires time, you see... he will probably be back very soon." Mr. Gui said hopefully and the young man looked at them curiously.
"Uncle Gui... who are these men?" He asked.
"Oh, they are big names in the cities. They came here to see if our town can become a tourist spot." The old man said as their introduction and Wu Xie repressed the desire to face palm himself, while Xiaoge sighed. Pangzi was too good at lying.
Thus they remained quiet as Mr. Gui talked some more, until a car stopped in front of the house and a woman got out to talk with Panma's son, also asking for the whereabouts of his father.
"Pangzi... don't you think that woman looks familiar?" Wu Xie asked Pangzi.
"Her clothing style and attitude, it matched of that of Ah Ning..." Pangzi said and Xiaoge looked at Wu Xie.
He had been told of her story before and the way she die... and Xiaoge still had the feeling she was important for Wu Xie in the past, although not at the level of a lover... but perhaps an old interest. Wu Xie was visible sad and affected when he tell him about her death.
However, Wu Xie looked fine right now, although a bit more serious, perhaps trying to push away the bad memories her name bring into his mind. Luckily, the woman leave shortly after she came and it was time for them to keep up the charade.
After Pangzi make deeper inquires with Panma's son, they found out that the woman was looking for Panma for the treasure he apparently had on his possession, which was another piece of metal, like the one they already had. Of course, that only make them want to open the piece even more fervently and after Pangzi failed several times with common ways, he decided to take some extreme measures.
"I will go and buy a bottle of sulfuric acid, which can melt metal and see if this thing can finally crack." Pangzi said and Yun Cai offer to go with him into town. Both Xiaoge and he saw them walk out and how happy Pangzi was with her company.
"I guess he really likes her..." Wu Xie said and Xiaoge agree, looking at his lover.
"Yes." Xiaoge hushed.
"Which mean, he may take a while before turning back... I bet he thinks he is on a date." Wu Xie said as he looked at the distance, of the pair walking close in the street.
"Date?" Xiaoge asked, not really familiar with that term.
"Yeah, l forgot about your amnesia... a date is when two people go out to know each other to develop a romantic relationship." Wu Xie explained.
"Did we date?" Xiaoge asked curiously.
"No. We meet most of the time on tombs... then you disappear and reaper at will... mostly to save me or get me out of troubles... or explore more tombs while searching for your memories. We... didn't have that luxury..." Wu Xie blushed.
"Do you want one?" Xiaoge asked and Wu Xie looked at him with amusement, then smiled.
"Who are you? What happen with my shy Xiaoge?" Wu Xie teased him.
"He is running out of time..." Xiaoge said unconsciously and Wu Xie's smile die on his lips instantly.
"You said that before back in the Queen Mother's Palace... what does it mean? Why are you running out of time? What are you supposed to do or where will you need to go? Xiaoge..."
"I don't know... I just had the feeling... there is not much time left..." Xiaoge said as he looked away, as if trying to remember something long in his past.
"Xiaoge... somehow, we will get your memories back..." Wu Xie said as he moved closer to him.
"I hope so." Xiaoge whisper and Wu Xie took his hand.
"Trust me, we will... now, let's go..." Wu Xie said as he pulled him up the stair in which Xiaoge was sat.
"Go where?" Xiaoge asked.
"On a date, of course... want to visit a particular place? Or buy something to eat from the locals?" Wu Xie asked.
"Not food... just time with you." Xiaoge said as he stared at his lover and Wu Xie blushed, recalling the heated night they have, while trying to remain as silent as possible.
"Hum... we don't know much about the village, only the little we had explored..." Wu Xie whisper and Xiaoge pulled him out of the house and into the empty wide street.
"Xiaoge... where are we going?" Wu Xie asked as he let Xiaoge guide him around.
"Exploring..." It was Xiaoge answer and they walked around the village for a while, admiring the scenery and buying something to drink when thirsty. The day became hot as it progressed and Wu Xie complained about it which end up into Xiaoge pulling Wu Xie into another direction. One of which he had an idea of where that exploration will lead... right into the river they had bathe before along with Pangzi and Wu Xie blushed like hell, all the way into it.
"Xiaoge... that man can still be there... spying on us again..." Wu Xie said as he flushed even more.
"Not this time, I promise..." His lover said and Wu Xie sighed. It seems that Xiaoge really believed they were running out of time for whatever reason that was and was trying his best to make it up for it and well... he didn't mind it at all. He certainly had waited for them to be together for years, so if Xiaoge wanted to catch up to the time lost, he was then living right in the center of his own heaven.
Hours later, they came back to the house, already dry and refreshed, not to mention, quite pleased, to find that Pangzi was still out with Yun Cai. They had already eat in town on their way back, so after greeting Mr. Gui and help him with some shores in the house, they headed back to their room in wait for Pangzi to come back.
"Did something happen to him?" Wu Xie asked as he paced inside their room.
"Don't think so." Xiaoge responded from his seat and Wu Xie looked back at him.
"What are you doing?" Wu Xie asked.
"Drawing." He said and Wu Xie bend down to look at his work.
"The tattoo?" Wu Xie asked and he assented.
"I promise you before."
"You said it was not the same."
"It's not a Qilin... it's the fierce beast Qiongqi."
"Qiongqi? Let me see..." Wu Xie said as he gave the drawing a closer look, seen that it was indeed a different beast.
"We can use this to find more clues... it was tattoo quite similar to yours, on the left side of the chest, arm and probably back. Perhaps is really related to yours, even if it is not the same." Wu Xie said.
"I don't know." Xiaoge said softly.
"Don't worry, we will find out sooner or later." Wu Xie said as he put his hands over Xiaoge's shoulders and started to massage them gently, making Xiaoge close his eyes and enjoy the caring gesture that completely relaxed his body, until Pangzi walked into their room and throw himself over their clean bed.
Both Wu Xie and Xiaoge look at him and were surprised to find him... all cover with bandages.
"What the hell happen to you?" Wu Xie asked to the moaning man, who despite the visible pain smiled widely.
"I was stung by love... literally..." Pangzi said and Wu Xie start laughing, while Xiaoge smirked.
"Don't laugh and give me something for the pain..." Pangzi protested and Wu Xie look into his backpack to search for the painkillers.
"Should I ask how did you end in this sorry state?" Wu Xie asked as he offer Pangzi a glass of water and a pair of pills.
"I wanted to gift her with fresh honey..." At that Wu Xie chuckle.
"Idiot. How many bees sting you?" Wu Xie asked.
"Just one... I can run very fast when the situation calls for it." Pangzi said before he drink the water and pills.
"Well, was it worth it?" Wu Xie asked.
"Totally... she said I was brave to poke the hornets' nest, when the rest of the villagers will not dare to even get close and she cared for me after I was stung. She even treat and bandage me herself." Pangzi said with a goofy smile.
"Then, I hope you won't regret it later." Wu Xie said.
"No matter the pain of the flesh... the love of the heart will heal it all." Pangzi whisper as he closed his eyes, to soon fall asleep.
"Well... it seems we will share the bed tonight." Wu Xie said as he took off Pangzi's shoes and wrap him with the blanket folded over another chair.
"It's okay." Xiaoge said as he stood and give Wu Xie a slight kiss on his forehead, making Wu Xie smile.
"Right..." Wu Xie whisper and after preparing for bed as well, they joined Pangzi into the dream world.
Xiao Hua
"Wait, what? Who dares to try to put a hand on my man? Oh... if I was close, I assure you I would have kill them all with my own hands..." The voice belonged to Hei Xiazi on the other side of the phone. Xiazi had called him, as he usually did almost every night and Xiao Hua had told Xiazi about what happen after visiting Mop on his house along with Xiu Xiu and later the interview with the man that he said was the link to Wu San Xing.
He had also told Xiazi about the ambush in the tea house, which was what enraged Xiazi the most and was actually tempted to leave his job to make sure his man was as unharmed and well, as he claimed.
"No need to be vindictive, I gave them a good beating on my own."
"Ah... you should have look stunning kicking assess. I love the way you dance while fighting..."
"You pervert." Xiazi laughed.
"I am a man in love, after all... by the way, nothing happen to the Huo girl, right?"
"Of course not. She can pull her weight all on her own, otherwise I would not have leave her alone with that man. She beat him up too, such a strong woman."
"Serves them right... it seem the conspiracy runs deep within the Nine. I don't think this only involve Xie Lian Huan and Wu San Xing... it may have involved all of the second generation of the Mystic Nine at once. Chen Wenjin and Huo Ling where in there as well after all."
"Perhaps. We were left with so many secrets to uncover from the previous two generations and very few clues to work on to protect ourselves and those we love."
"So it was another dead end? Just some combat practice with a small fries?"
"Not really... I got another place to find the next clue."
"Where?"
"Xiangxi Guzhang Yi Waterway."
"Then will you go there next?"
"Yes... and if I don't find anything else, I will rush to Banai."
"I will be patiently waiting. I really want to kiss you..." Xiazi remarked, making Xiao Hua blush.
"Don't worry, I will do more than that when I finally have you within my reach..." Xiao Hua answer with a smile as Xiazi laughed from the other side.
"And you said I am the pervert? Master Hua, you are so unfair..."
"Whatever... it won't take me long... keep an eye on Wu Xie for me."
"Of course... be careful on Xiangxi... I'm doing my best to also gain some info from my end too, but is not that easy with the kind of people I'm dealing with."
"Don't push yourself too far. Eventually we will find our answers one way or another. Just give me another day or two..."
"As you wish... don't get hurt..."
"As if..."
"Miss you..."
"Miss you too... good night." Xiao Hua said as a goodbye and Xiazi hang out.
After the call ended, Xiazi sighed. He really missed the idiot with gorgeous green eyes, hidden under black glasses.
AN: Thanks for reading and see you next time, probably next weekend. Take care until then. 💖💖💖