Chapter 3

Within the forest, zuojia continued moving forward, as the wind blew the bushes, and causing the leaflets of the short trees around him to move in a wave motion causing some rustling sounds to be heard.

*Rustle Rustle*

As the wind gusted down into the forest, something seemed odd.

When the wind had stopped, the leaves around him continued to move and cause some more rustling along his way. He paused, preventing his legs from moving any further, investigating the situation wisely.

". . . ."

complete silence, nothing can be heard and the movement of the leaves stopped all of a sudden. He smirked as he realized that it was indeed unusual, he was being tailed.

*Fwooshh*

The wind blew once more, but this time he had noticed that the movement had become way too obvious and more clear, with the corner of his eyes he continued to follow the unusual movement into the trees until it had stopped once again.

Slight rustling could be heard from the short tree beside him, the stems waved oddly

"oh . .?"

He smirked. It was already the end of the game when he took a step forward, something jumped out of the trees quickly, attempting to attack zuojia.

It was completely anonymous with no factual structure, just a dark silhouette that he couldn't take a clear look of what had actually jumped at him. Zuojia took a step to the right, allowing him to evade the thing that had attacked him on the exact right time. He took a few steps backwards just as a guard up, until he heard something land on the spot where he moved away from.

"Woah. . ."

It was surprising to see such a strange thing in this forest for him.

A kid who seemed to be around twelve or thirteen years old, wearing torn clothes covered in dirt, with his long pitch black hair and a body which was partially covered with dirt. He took a very strange pose similar to the beasts in the Forest, standing on both of his limbs, but he didn't seem to growl or anything like such. He grinned while gazing upon zuojia.

As for zuojia, he stood there yet he looked at the kid. A gaze filled with disgrace and mockery.

"Ah, it's a brat-"

The kid had projected himself again towards zuojia, attempting to scratch him with his hands as if they were sharpened claws.

"Tsk-"

With another hook to the side zuojia managed to evade the kid's aggressive attack. The kid managed to land with both of his feet horizontally on a huge tree bark, with all his might he pushed his feet against the tree allowing him to project himself again at zuojia.

"Haha!!"

The kid's laugh echoed through the area, because he thought that this was his victory since zuojia didn't have the time to turn around and face him completely.

". . .NICE TRY!"

The unexpected clash, just when he had thought that he won, he didn't even notice zuojia's Reflex movement, he managed to face him on the right time, with only a few centimeters between their clash.

"HAHA!"

It was now zuojia's victory screech, when he landed a successful palm strike on the kid's stomach.

"Kaaah!!"

The palm strike sent him away until he hit the tree behind him, causing him to fall on the ground, unable to move. With his eyelids becoming heavy. He took a final look at zuojia's unclear image standing before him, until he lost consciousness as he fainted.

". . . ."

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[A few minutes later. . ."

"Ack. . .w-where am- YOU!?"

The kid knocked out of his unconsciousness, to find himself tied firmly to a tree behind, and zuojia sitting before him with his legs crossed while looking at the kid with a pair of narrow eyes, scratching his chin as if he was examining the boy.

"That was fast, i thought that i hit you too hard that you wouldn't wake up for a while, what a shame~"

Zuojia crossed his arms while grinning, with a smirk escaping from his countenance.

"Argh! Dammit. . ."

The kid started struggling, hoping that he would be able to free himself from the ropes But it was no use against such strong ropes, in addition to how strong they were tied around him, to bind him in his spot without even giving him the slightest chance to escape.

"Tch!"

He sighed when he realized that there is no escape from this situation so he had given up on struggling against the ropes.

"What brings a dirty brat like you here, don't tell me animals were taking care of you?"

Zuojia asked with mockery mixed up with his tone and his expression as well.

"Curse you!!"

The boy glared in anger, right after what zuojia said which highly mocked him.

"Is that so?"

Zuojia simply grabbed his bag where he hid his belongings in, then he took out around five dumplings which he had saved when he went to the dumpling shop.

The kid's stomach released a loud growl when zuojia pulled out the food from his bag.

"Ah. . ."

His resistance and anger were completely extinguished once he saw the food.

All what zuojia did was simply sit firmly before the kid with his legs crossed, then he started eating the dumplings Slowly. His looks were filled with provocation, challenging eyes gazing at the kid.

"Hungry? No? Alright."

Zuojia spoke sarcastically while munching on the dumpling he was holding.

The kid started growling at first until he really realized that he was very hungry and that zuojia was only mocking him this way.

"C. . .Could you spare me some?"

The boy spoke hesitantly, with his eyes filled with shame, as if he had to drop his pride to feed himself.

"Ha? Sure, there you go."

The boy felt happy and enthusiastic until zuojia took out all the dumplings, placing them on a large leaf and the he placed it before the boy, the problem is that the distance between the dumplings and the boy was a little too far for him, especially when he was in this condition, tied up and unable to move an inch away from the tree.

"Really. . .?"

The boy asked as he looked at zuojia with narrowed eyes, knowing that this was nothing but more mockery.

"Of course, help yourself."

Zuojia smiled sarcastically, as it seemed pretty obvious that this was just another prank.

"ARGH!!!"

The boy started struggling once more while yelling in anger, until he stopped and gave up once more.

"What's the matter? I thought you were pretty strong already. . .shame. Maybe you should try being a bit more polite?"

Zuojia continued toying around with the boy's anger, teasing him with mockery and provocative talk.

They both remained silent for a while until one has finally decided to talk.

"Could you please untie me so i can eat?"

Said the boy, with his head lowered down from the shame, finally admitting his defeat.

"Nope, no can do buddy."

Said zuojia.

"Oh come on!"

The boy's hopes were destroyed once he had thought that it was finally all good for him. But without him even noticing that, zuojia threw a chop towards the boy. He closed his eyes when he saw it coming instantly.

"Iye!. . . .huh?"

The chop didn't actually hit him at all, he was unharmed. But the opposite could be said about the tightly tied rope.

"Now you can help yourself."

The boy rushed towards the dumplings as he started digging in with wide appetite. It appears that he hasn't eaten for a long while, judged by his acts.

*munch munch munch*

Zuojia went back to his spot, took the same sitting position again. Then he took out a small bamboo container which was storing some water inside of it, so he started drinking the water while looking on the other side away from the kid.

"You would be better off this place, where are your parents?"

Zuojia asked.

"I have no parents, I'm a slave."

Said the boy, and judging by his clothes, they really related much to the clothes of a slave, since the slavery system was pretty popular around this period.

"I see. . .then you should go back to your master, isn't that right?"

Said zuojia, with a question which came out of him with a strange calm tone. However, the boy didn't respond and continued munching on the dumplings.

After a while, the boy finally finished eating the dumplings, it was silent at first. Until he spoke.

"I escaped. Ran away."

The boy's attitudes had changed, he didn't seem angry any more, as he seemed to have a calmer tone than before.

"Hm? You ran away from your master you say?"

"Yes, i have been out for a while now. . .i don't want to go back there. ."

"And why is that?"

Zuojia askes the boy, as he continued going along with the conversion.

"He tortures us. He orders us to go mine and extract jewelry and ores from mines for his own satisfaction. . . .some of us had already died from the fatigue of working under pressure."

The boy resumed with his speech, and zuojia listened with a plain expression on his face, an expression with no feeling, just a plain looking face yet he listened carefully.

"Well, do you think that you are safe here? Or perhaps. . .you just wanted to have a taste of some fake freedom."

With a calm provoking manner, zuojia spoke his words silently as he hinted something up for the boy.

". . . .?!"

The boy's expressions had changed dramatically, a sharp grin was formed on his face.

"You will live the life of a coward forever, a slave just like any other, no hope, no dreams. You will just keep runni-"

"SHUT YOUR MOUTH!"

The boy yelled out loudly in anger, the red color had taken over the normal color of his skin due to the anger he was in.

However, zuojia's expressions had become sharper yet more serious, yet he did nothing but listen to what they boy was saying for the meantime.

"I just needed help. . . .what kind of world is this? I wanted to save my friends, but i couldn't, what did we do to deserve such thing, i had enough of this slavery. . . .I'm helpless, i have no power and there is nothing i can do. . ."

The boy grabbed his own clothes tightly in pain, his feelings were mixed between pain...guilt and shame. His sadness caused his eyes to tear up, yet he continued wiping his tears to show no weakness.

"Well. . .if you say so, not my problem so I guess i will be on my way now."

Zuojia stood up while packing his belongings again to return back to his path once more.

"H. .Huh, where are you going?!"

The boy asked, while his face seemed to show a shocked expression once he saw zuojia stand up and attempting to leave.

"I have things to do, you do you kid, i have many things that has to be done sooner."

The boy looked down, while grinning heavily, a moment of silence until he finally decided to break through the silence.

"Please. . . .help me release my friends."

The boy said, as if he had nothing to lose and no regrets on what he was doing.

"Oh well~ as none of my business kid, i have other things to do."

Zuojia turned around once he had finished packing his belongings, he carried his back then he rose his hand waving to the boy from behind him.

"Please. . .i beg of you, i know you are can help me. . .i promised them that i would get them out of there, please. . ."

The boy went on his knees with the tears in his eyes falling on the ground like a droplets of the sad rain falling on the leaflets of the trees. he bowed down towards zuojia, asking for his help.

". . . ."

Zuojia stopped walking, yet he didn't look behind him but he just stopped while listening to the grunting of the boy, caused by his pain and sorrow.

"I have nowhere to go to, no home, no family. But they were the only people with me. . .and the only people i had in my life that gave me hope, i promised them. . .i promised them."

The boy's voice had become shattered, filled with pain and suffering, his crying could be heard more clearly now.

"Stand up. . ."

Zuojia spoke with a deep voice, as he changed the direction of his body to face the boy again.

"Lowering your head towards anyone like this is Beyond weakness. . . .!"

A semi furious expression had taken over zuojia's face, a moment of seriousness which had knocked the fire into his heart.

". . .i-"

"You better hurry, i have many things i need to take care of, plus. . .you can't let your friends wait any longer, am i right?"

The boy jumped up in happiness, wiping his tears with. Then with an grin he managed to put up a serious gaze towards zuojia as he responded.

"Right!"

"Very well, where is their whereabouts?"

Zuojia asked.

"About six hours travel east from here."

"Oh thats alri- WHAT?!"

Zuojia seemed relieved at first, until he understood how far the place was.

"You don't have to worry though, he owns so much gold and vendor items hidden in his palace, pretty sure you can reward yourself at the end."

Said the boy with a sneaky smile.

". . .?!"

Zuojia's expressions changed instantly as he looked at the boy with amazement, a wide smile was carved on zuojia's face when he heard about the treasures that the boy's master owns.

"Ahahaha! My my~ you sure know how to put up some good business, let's go, the gold can't wait any lo- i mean you friends can't wait any longer. . .!!"

Zuojia patted the back of the kid as he lead the way through the forest.

"Ah by the way, what's your name kid?"

Zuojia asked while looking at the boy with the corner of his eyes.

"Kaijin, and you, Chopper mantis?"

"Yes I'm Chopp-, it's Zuojia."

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A long way to go, zuojia and kaijin continued walking their path together, heading to a certain objective, after exiting the forest, according to kaijin's explanation, the one who owns him and the slaves. Hides them in underground tunnels, each one of them is in a cell similar to a prison. He explained that along the way to zuojia until they have finally arrived. Approaching a big building similar to a palace, surrounded with guards.

Finally after hours of walking past the forest, they arrived to their destination.

Zuojia and kaijen hid behind some trees checking out the place to set up how they enter and leave.

kaijin pointed at the building hinting that his friends are inside.

"The underground tunnel is a secret path inside the palace, we need to get in there so we can go through the secret pa-"

"Yeah goodluck to you."

Zuojia found the risk in this, especially when he knows that entering a place like that means coming across big troubles.

Suddenly he got pulled back by kaijin.

"And we are going in there."

"You can go, it's fine i'll wait here and cheer you on."

"Coward"

With a plain expression kaijin pointed at zuojia, for refusing to go inside with him.

"What?!"

"You can't simply abandon such a chance to become rich, this man does not even deserve to have all that money, he is stealing other's efforts and yet does terrible things." said the boy with in a sneaky yet clever way.

"That doesn't make me any better if i went in there and took the treasures!!"

"Then you can use it for good? The gold zuojia. . .the gold. . .the gold. . .the gold."

Kaijin repeated the same sentence over and over while whispering to zuojia, hoping that he would be able to convince him.

"Alright alright. . ."

"Here is the plan, instea-"

"Got it."

Zuojia interrupted kaijin's speech not allowing him to finish what he was going to say.

"I didn't even finish yet!"

Zuojia came out of the bushes he was hiding behind. The guards standing standing from afar had noticed zuojia's presence while he was approaching wearing his coolie hat to keep his identity hidden.

"Hold it right there, where do you think you are going?"

One of the guards stooped zuojia from walking any further. All of the guards seemed to be holding spears which had curved blades.

"Ohh~ what's that on your chin?"

Zuojia said while pointing at the guards chin.

"What's th-"

Before the guard was being able to finish his sentence, the guard moved his eye down idiotically thinking that he would be able to see his chin like that, zuojia instantly chopped his neck with his flattened palm causing the guard to fall over the ground.

"Stop him!!"

On of the guards ordered the others around him to go and get zuojia, once they had found him a threat to them.

"Woah there-"

All of the guards at once rushed towards zuojia with their spears ahead of them, directed at zuojia.

"Crap watch out!"

Kaijin yelled out when he saw that from afar distance, with a worried expression he pulled himself together then he stood up attempting to rush there, but he stopped when he saw the upcoming scenario.

". . . ."

He jumped off his spot, suddenly all the spears crossed in one spot which zuojia had left. He landed on top of the crossed spears while gazing at the guards with a smile, a crazy looking smile filled with madness, then with a soft voice he said:

"Damn, you missed. . .~"

Repeating the same attack again but this time it was pretty quick, he stroke each guard's neck with both of his index and middle finger in a straight position, instantly causing them all to fall on the ground, paralysed yet unconscious as well.

". . .?!"

Kaijin stood there shocked yet amazed what he just saw.

"Y-You will pay for this!!"

The last remaining guard behind rushed hesitantly at zuojia yet again with his spear ahead of him attempting to stab him.

". . . ."

With both of his thumb and index fingers, zuojia stopped the speed by holding the blade with just two fingers.

"Eh. . .ha. . .HAAAA!"

The guard dropped the spear, heading towards the palace to ask for help but suddenly.

*Whack!*

A chop hit his neck from zuojia which dropped him as well on the ground.

"Tsk tsk. . .nope, too poor"

Zuojia was searching in the guard's clothes, looking for anything valuable they had just like how he did earlier with the bandits.

"D. . .Did you kill them- WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!"

Kaijin stood beside zuojia while looking at all the fallen guards.

"Ah? No not at all, they just lost consciousness."

"Oh, i was going to say, instead of having trouble we could have just entered from from behind the palace, there are less guards and it could have been easier."

". . .Well then, your fault for not saying."

"Did you even listen?!"

"Let's go, before any other guard come over here."

Zuojia and kaijin managed to enter the palace carefully by sneaking around since most of the guards headed outside when they heard the yelling of the other guards outside so they went to check it out, which made an open path for both zuojia and kaijin to enter the palace.

"Here it is!"

Kaijin pointed at a normal looking door which did lead to an underground way underneath the palace.

"Perfect, you go help your friends and i will go check where is the gol- i mean cover you from behind!"

It was pretty obvious that he was lying, yet kaijin figured it out but there is no better chance than this one, he rushed through the door. Heading down to the hidden underground path.

"Kaijin. . .it's kaijin!"

It was correctly like how he described the underground path, his friends were imprisoned in cells, once they had seen him they were all happy yet hyped up.

"You are back!"

"Yep i promised to help you guys out of here!"

"Did the guards outside see you?!"

"Ahahah! Never, i beat them on my way."

"Lying again?"

They all laughed for a moment, until kaijin started looking around for something, rotating his head from left to right in a hurry until his vision was directed at a liver attached to a paddle on the wall.

"There!!"

He rushed towards there then with both of his hand he grabbed the liver then he started rolling it in the opposite direction, which caused the bars of each cell to raise up slowly.

"This will be finally over. . .i know that for sure."

Kaijin thought to himself while smiling.

"KAIJIN WATCH OUT!"

"YOU LITTLE. . . .!!"

One of the guards suddenly came down as he stood behind kaijin attempting to hit him with a malachite.

". . . ?!"

TO BE CONTINUED. . . .