Chapter 24, Part 1
The Heart of a Serpent
(1)
Everybody has a story. Most people can't help but bring up their past when they are talking with good friends.
Sometimes it's just like telling a story. Most of these stories aren't very interesting—listening to other people brag is never as exciting as talking about your own glory days, but of course there are always exceptions.
When Dash was speaking, their eyes were wide open listening intently, without a single interruption.
Of course, Big was the first one to say something. Actually, he had already held it in for as long as he could. After hearing about the mysterious master, he took a long sigh, "That old person waited for you every day?"
Dash: "In the Forest just behind the cemetery."
Big G: "You went every day?"
Dash: "No matter how windy or rainy it was I went every day."
Big G: "How long did you go for?"
Dash: "For three years and four months."
Big G sighed again, "Isn't that more than a thousand times?"
Dash nodded.
Big G: "Sounds like he was really strict, he would give you a good beating every time you were too slow."
Dash: "That first year, hardly a day went by when he wouldn't hit me."
Big G: "Since he hit you every day, why did you keep going?"
Dash: "Because it seemed so mysterious, and it was new and exciting."
Big G thought about it, "I would have gone as well," he smiled.
"Didn't you ever ask the old guy what his name was?" Forest had to ask.
Dash: "I asked hundreds of times."
Forest: "Did you know where he was from?"
Dash shook his head, "Every time I arrived, he was already there."
Forest: "Why didn't you try going earlier?"
Dash: "No matter how early I got there, he was already there."
Big G raised his eyebrows, "Why didn't you follow him and see where he went?"
"I obviously tried that as well," Dash smiled bitterly.
Big G: "And?"
Dash: "He beat me hard every time I tried, so all I could do was go home by myself."
Big G was frowning, "He waited for you every day, and forced you to intensely practice martial arts, but he wouldn't let you know who he was," he muttered.
Dash: "What's even stranger is he never asked me who I was."
Big G sighed, "Something this strange is indeed quite rare. Looks like only a weirdo like you would encounter something like this."
"When you were planning on breaking away from your friends, did the Red Women know?" Swally suddenly asked.
Dash: "I never raised the issue with anyone."
Swally: "But that Red Women... Was she really good to you?"
Dash had a disgusted look on his face, "She was good to a lot of people," he said coldly after a long pause.
Swally realized that he had went a little too far, "So how did you get away?" he immediately changed the topic.
"One time they were planning on stealing Tibetan manuscripts from the Shaolin Temple, and they asked me to go and investigate first, so I used the opportunity to slip away," he said casually.
"These people were brave enough to make an attempt on the Shaolin Temple," Swally gasped.
Big G: "After you slipped away, they never found you until now?"
Dash: "That's right."
He suddenly stood up and walked to the window. It was a cold dark night.
He stood motionless in front of the window deep in thought, after some time had passed, he finally spoke, "Once I returned home, I rarely went out."
Big G: "And all of a sudden you didn't feel like moving?"
Dash: "I definitely changed, I changed a lot and it all happened so fast..."
His voice was hoarse and full of sorrow, but he kept talking, "Upon my return I learned that during my second year away from home, my mother..."
He stopped talking, he was clenching his fists and his whole body was shaking, he was unable to go on. This time, even Big G stopped asking questions. He couldn't bring himself to ask another question, and it was no longer necessary. Everybody knew what had happened to Dash, and they understood where he was coming from.
By the time he had returned home, and wanted to repay his mother and father for everything that they had done for him, it was already too late to show his filial piety.
Why do people always wait until it was too late, until they finally understand their parent's affection towards them?
Forest hung his head, his eyes seemed to be brimming with tears.
Big G also felt a tinge of regret, his eyes were slightly red as well.
It wasn't until this very moment that Big G realized how Dash had become this poor, this lazy, and this strange.
Because his heart was full of sorrow and regret, and this was his way of punishing himself.
If you were to say that he was hiding, then, he definitely wasn't hiding from the Red Women. He wasn't hiding from the Crimson Snake either, because he wasn't hiding from anyone.
He was hiding from himself. Big G thought back to the first time he saw Dash lying on his bed, lying in the darkness, letting mice crawl all over his body, he couldn't help but to sigh regretfully.
If a person has completely lost their will to carry on, even if they could overcome the hunger, they certainly wouldn't be able to stand the mice. That evening, if Big G hadn't foolishly come charging in, and in his muddle-headedness hadn't become friends with Dash, would he still be alive?
Big G didn't even want to think about it.
Dash finally turned his head, "I have been back for almost three years, they must have been looking for me this whole time," he said slowly.
Big G put on a smile, "It clearly wasn't easy, who would have thought that the Soaring Eagle King would be in this kind of place, spending his days like this."
Dash: "But I knew that sooner or later they would find me. "
Swally blinked, "Why would they still be looking for you after all these years?"
Dash: "Because we have unfinished business."
Swally: "Did you settle things with yourself? Do you owe them? Or do they owe you?"
He went silent for a long time, "Some business will never be settled," he finally said slowly.
Swally: "Why?"
Dash: "Because every person has their own way of keeping score, and none of them are the same."
He was deep in thought, "According to them, there is only one way to settle our business," he added speaking very slowly.
Swally: "How?"
Dash: "You can probably figure it out."
Swally didn't say anything. He knew that some debts could only be settled in flesh and blood.
A drop of blood wasn't enough, it would take more than that. One person's blood wasn't enough either, it would take the blood of many.
Swally was looking at the wounds all over Big G's body, he sighed after a long pause, "Seems like this business is getting harder and harder to settle, who knows when all of this is going to be over."
Dash sighed, "Don't worry, it won't be very long now, because..."
He suddenly shut his mouth. Everyone was silent, they weren't even breathing.
Because they all heard the sound of footsteps.
× × ×
They were light footsteps, walking slowly through the courtyard.
Who was approaching?
Had the time to settle accounts actually arrived?
Forest thought about struggling to stand up and rush outside to have a look, but he held back, Big G pointed at the windowsill with his finger, but Swally shook his head at him.
The person was alone, they walked slowly up the stone steps stopping outside the door.
There was a sudden knock from outside, they never thought that these people would be dignified enough to actually come and knock at the front door.
"Who is it?" Dash finally asked.
"Me," a voice replied softly from outside.
Dash: "Who is me?"
The person outside instantly started to laugh, her laughter sounded like silver bells, "If you don't even recognize my voice, you really have lost your conscience."
It was a woman, she sounded young with a beautiful voice.
After looking at Dash's facial expression, they all guessed who this woman was, his face was as white as a piece of paper.
Swally patted him on the shoulder, pointed at the door and then pointed to the back of the room.
His meaning was: if you don't want to see her, go and hide in the back, I will take this one for you.
Dash obviously knew what he meant, but he shook his head no.
He knew better than anyone else the situation he was in, and he had retreated for the last time.
He had already decided that he would no longer run, that he wouldn't retreat another step.
× × ×
"Why don't you come and open the door?"
Nobody had seen the Red Women before. But just by the sound of her voice, anyone could tell how intoxicating she could be.
"Is there a woman inside that you don't want me to see? You should know that I'm not the jealous type, unlike yourself."
Dash suddenly strode forward and then stopped, "The door isn't locked," he said in a deep voice.
With a light push the door opened. A person stood in the doorway, she was facing the lights shining from inside the room.
It was as if all the light from inside the room was shining on her alone. Of course, everyone's eyes were also staring at her.
She appeared to be shining, a bright red aura that made your heart skip a beat.
× × ×
The Red Women was obviously wearing red. But the light wasn't coming from her clothes, in fact, other than her clothes, her whole body seemed to be glowing. Especially her eyes and the way she smiled. Each one of them felt as if she was looking directly at them, that her smile was for them alone. If a smile could bring down a city, then it would certainly be exactly this kind of smile.
Swally adjusted his stance, appearing to accidently stand in the way of Big G's gaze.
Regardless of the situation, it would be a good idea not to let your friends gaze upon such an enchanting smile.
Shouldn't we all hope that are friends stay far away from evil?
Her eyes were flirting, "Why the hell are men always like this..." she suddenly said.
That was the first thing she said, and then she suddenly stopped talking. It was as if she intentionally wanted to leave a deep impression on them. She seemed to think that all the men in the room liked to hear her talk like that. The way she swore, did indeed have a special flavor.
As soon as she had paused, somebody couldn't help but ask, "And what the hell are men like us like?"
The sound came from behind Swally's back. Swally could block Big G's line of sight, but he couldn't stop his sense of hearing, or his ability to talk.
"Why is it that as soon as you guys see an attractive woman, you all act like you've seen a ghost, you don't even have make a peep?" the Red Women asked.
She crinkled her nose, and started smiling again in the manner that Swally was trying to prevent Big G from seeing.
"At least one of you should have invited me inside," she added softly.
In fact, by the time she was finished her sentence she was already inside. Everyone in the room knew who she was, and they all knew what she was there to do. When she walked inside, they all should have been angry, nervous and anxious.
But Swally suddenly realized that when Big G and Forest were looking at her, their eyes displayed not even a trace of animosity or anxiety. They were actually smiling, even Swally himself was starting to waver, starting to doubt.
He never imagined that the Red Women would be like this. Since she had said the word 'hell,' it seemed that the entire atmosphere had changed. All of their impressions of her had changed, the way she spoke wasn't exactly how a viperous vixen was supposed to sound.
It wasn't until that moment, Swally realized she was carrying a basket of food in her hand.
She placed the basket on the table with a thud. She flicked her hand away and sighed, "It took me more than half an hour to carry such a heavy basket for all of you. My hand feels like it's going to break, and all of you aren't the least bit grateful."
"Nobody asked you to bring us anything, there isn't a single person who wants you here," Dash suddenly said coldly.
The Red Women finally glanced in Dash's direction, she was biting her lip, pretending to be amused and angry, "I want to ask you, are these people your friends?"
Dash: "Yes."
She sighed gently, "You might be able to watch your friends starve, but I can't."
Dash: "Them being hungry or not has nothing to do with."
"Why not? Your friends are my friends, I couldn't let my hubby's friends go hungry now could I," she replied.
Dash: "What are you talking about?"
She just smiled, "You all are Dash's friends, how is it that you don't recognize his lady?"
She pulled up the cloth covering the basket, "It's on me today, don't be shy, it would be such a waste if you all didn't eat," she said sweetly.
Swally: "And if we eat."
"That would also be a waste," she smiled again.
"Free riders have a way of dying young," Swally said maliciously.
The Red Women looked at him, her facial expression looked as if she had just been slapped across the face.
After some time had passed, she turned around facing Dash, "Do you all think that what I brought is poisoned?"
Dash: "Yes."
"Do you think I came here to poison all of you?" she asked.
Dash: "Yes."
"Not only to poison them, but to poison you as well."
Dash: "Yes."
The Red Women appeared to be on the verge of tears, she suddenly turned around and grabbed a chicken leg from the basket, "So the chicken is definitely poisoned?"
Dash: "Highly likely."
Red Women: "Ok, fine..."
She took a bite of the chicken leg, swallowed it down and then grabbed a bottle of wine, "The wine is poisoned too, right?"
Dash: "Also very likely."
Red Women: "Fine."
She also took a drink—
She ended up tasting a little bit of everything from the basket, then she raised her head looking at Dash, "What do you think now?"
Dash immediately answered without giving it any thought, "It is still completely the same."
Red Women: "You think its poisoned?"
Dash: "Yes."
The Red Women's tears were on the verge of streaming down, but she tried to regain her composure. After a long pause, she finally nodded slowly, "I know what you are thinking," she said faintly.
Dash: "You should know by now."
Red Women: "You think I took the antidote before coming?"
Dash: "Yep."
"You have always seen me as a heartless, venomous women, you always thought that I was merely using you..." she said sorrowfully.
She couldn't hold back her tears any longer.
After hearing all of that, Big G and Forest started to feel sorry for her. Although they weren't saying anything, they felt that Dash was treating her a little too harsh.
Regardless of the current situation, they had a history together.
If it was Big G, he would probably be embracing her by now.
But Dash's face was void of any expression, his heart seemed to be made of iron.
The Red Women slowly put everything back into the basket. "Fine, since you think its poisoned, I will take it with me," she said while biting he lip.
Dash: "It's best that you leave now."
The Red Women was shaking, "If you think that I never had sincere intentions towards you, then I will never come to see you again," her voice was flustered.
Dash: "You shouldn't have come."
Red Women: "I... I just wanted to ask you one thing..."
She suddenly rushed in front of Dash, "After meeting me, have I ever wronged you in any way?" she asked desperately.
Dash couldn't find the words to reply.
The Red Women was tightly clenching both of her fists, her body was still shaking, "You're right, I'm not a good person, I've hurt a lot of men, but my feelings for you... when have I ever hurt you? Say something, say anything," she pleaded.
"There is nothing left for us to say," Dash said coldly.
She stood there thinking for half a moment, and then slowly nodded her head, "Ok, I'm leaving, I will go... don't worry, you won't ever see me again," she said dejectedly.
She turned around slowly, she picked up the basket and slowly walked out.
Big G was watching her leave, feeble and alone, he watched her walking slowly towards the dark, cold, courtyard...
The wind was blowing hard through the courtyard, the snow from the trees swirled in the air, in the blink of the eye the branches were bare of any snow. Are people and their affections not the same?
Emotions can settle like the snow year after year, but can't a strong wind blow them clean away in the blink of an eye?
Big G was feeling a little depressed, he hoped Dash would have a change of heart and let the poor women stay.
But his heart was hard as iron, he just watched her walk away without the slightest expression on his face.
He watched her step past the threshold, Big G could barely prevent himself from asking her to stay on behalf of Dash.
Her body suddenly convulsed, as if she had been struck by a whip.
And then she fell to the ground.
Her limbs continued to convulse as she lay on the ground. Her pale, white face had turned a blackish purple, her eyes had rolled back into her head, and she was frothing from the mouth.
There were streaks of blood mixed through the white froth.
"The things she brought were actually poisoned," Swally's facial expression had changed drastically.
"But she couldn't have known, otherwise why would she eat poisoned food?" Big G rushed to add.
Dash stood their motionless like a piece of stone, as if he hadn't seen what was happening.
Even Swally was getting anxious, "Dash, regardless of what happened, you should at least go have a look," he had to say.
Dash: "Look at what?"
Swally: "What kind of poison was it? Will she live?"
"There's nothing to see," Dash responded coldly.
"What's wrong with you? Are you even human?" Big G yelled.
If Swally wasn't holding him down, he would have been struggling to get up.
All they could see was the Red Women convulsing on the ground, struggling to breath, and calling out nonstop, "Dash... Dash..."
Dash finally let out a long sigh, "I'm right here."
The Red Women struggled to reach out her hand, "You... come here... I'm begging you..."
Dash clenched his teeth, "If you have something to say I can hear you."
Red Women: "I don't know... I had no idea these things were poisoned, I never intended to hurt you, you... you should believe me."
Dash didn't say anything. Big G couldn't help but to reply, "I believe you, we all believe you."
She gave a sorrowful smile, "The Crimson Snake and the rest wanted you dead for what you did to them, but I... I never wanted this."
She was curled over, and her clothes were drenched in sweat. She struggled to keep on speaking, "I know I'm a horrible person, but with you, my intentions were always sincere. As long as you understand what's inside my heart, I... I'm willing to face even death."
When she finished talking, it seemed that all of her strength had been completely exhausted, she no longer had the strength to struggle.
Big G was watching her with clenched teeth, his eyes were sobbing wet, "Dash, did you hear what she said?"
Dash nodded.
Big G clenched his teeth again, "Since you heard what she said, why are you still standing there."
Dash: "What am I supposed to do?"
Big G: "If it wasn't for you this wouldn't have happened to her, can't you think of a way to help her?"
Dash: "How am I supposed to save her?"
"Since you helped take care of Big G's poison, you should be able to help her too," Forest suddenly said.
Dash shook his head, "That was different, completely different," he said slowly.
Big G: "What's different?"
Dash stopped talking again.
Although he was trying his hardest to control himself, there appeared to be a shimmer of tears in his eyes. It seemed as if he was full of anger.
His hands were shaking.
"If Old Mr. King doesn't even know how to cure her poison, then there is only one person in the world who can save her," Swally said urgently.
Big G: "Who?"
Swally: "The Crimson Snake."
Big G: "That's right, we should go and ask him for the antidote."
Swally sighed, "I don't think that's possible."
Asking the Crimson Snake for an antidote was like asking a tiger to peel off his skin and hand you his fur.
Big G clearly understood this.
The Red Women's breathing was becoming weaker and weaker, but she was still calling out softly for Dash, "Dash... Dash..."
The sound of her voice became weaker and weaker, Big G's heart was about to shatter. He couldn't help from yelling out, "Since you can't save her, and you aren't willing to ask the Crimson Snake for the antidote, are you really just going to sit there and watch her die? Are you even human?"
Swally sighed again, "What do you think we should do?"
Big G: "Even the Crimson Snake wouldn't sit back and watch her die, you all..."
Forest was sitting there in a daze the whole time, but he suddenly interrupted them, "That's right, the Crimson Snake wouldn't let her die, so we should send her back," he said loudly.
It wasn't the best solution, but it appeared to be their only option.
Swally frowned, "Now the question is who should send her back?"
Big G: "Huh."
Although he didn't say anything, he was glancing out of the corner of his eye at Dash.
Obviously, Dash was the one who should send her back.
Anyone with half a conscience wouldn't just stand there and watch her die.
Who would have thought that there was no reaction from Dash, it was as if he didn't hear them talking at all, he was just standing there like an idiot.
Dash obviously wasn't an idiot.
He was playing dumb.
"Fine, none of you will take her, then I will send her back," Big G couldn't help himself from yelling out.
He used all of the strength he could muster to jump up.
Swally instantly grabbed him.
Dash looked back, watching them, he looked sad and sympathetic.
Nobody could have guessed what was going through his head in that moment.
After some time, he finally stomped his feet, "Fine, I will send her back."
He turned around and was just about to pick her up.
Forest shot forward quick as an arrow, he crashed into Dash sending him flying back nearly ten meters into the corner.
By the time Dash fell to the ground, Forest had already picked up the Red Women.
Dash instantly looked angry, "What do you think you're doing?" he asked loudly.
Forest didn't allow him to finish, "It has to be me, Swally needs to take care of Big G, and you're the one they are after, there is no way they will let you go."
He rushed out before finishing his sentence.
Dash jumped up and charged over, "Put her down, now..." he yelled loudly.
Forest suddenly screamed out in surprise.
The Red Women who had been on the verge of death suddenly sprang from his chest like a venomous snake, she flipped through the air several meters, and disappeared into the dark forest in the blink of an eye.
All they could hear was the distant sound of her laughter ringing like silver bells, "You King of Bastards, you wouldn't even save me when you thought I was dying, you truly have no conscience you piece of shit."
By the time she finished speaking she was already far beyond their grasp. All that remained was the sound of her enticing laughter blowing in the wind.
The wind was cold.
It pieced your soul like her intoxicating voice.
(2)
Forest fell in the snow, there was a bloody black mark on his chest.
They just stood there speechless.
The last echo of her sweet laughter was gradually extinguished by the wind.
After who knows how long, Dash finally slowly walked over and picked up Forest.
His face looked colder than the wind, and it was darker than the night.
Big G was already shedding tears.
Swally looked at him, his face was covered in tears as well, "Don't take it so hard, it wasn't your fault," he said gently.
It would have been better if he hadn't said anything at all, it only reminded him of what he had said.
He suddenly lost control, sobbing uncontrollably as if he were a child.
After who knows how long, Dash slowly raised his head, "He's still alive."
Swally was pleasantly surprised, "Can you save him?" he gasped.
Dash nodded.
Swally: "How are you going to save him?"
As soon as he finished asking, his facial expression suddenly changed.
Because he already knew, there was only one way to save Forest now.
The only option left was indeed frightening.
He looked at Dash, his face revealing how terrified he was, because he knew what Dash was thinking about doing.
Dash obviously knew what he was thinking as well, but he looked at peace, "You can probably guess what I have to do in order to save him," he said casually.
Swally shook his head sternly, "There must be another way."
Dash: "There isn't."
"Absolutely not," Swally said loudly.
Dash: "It has to work, because I don't have any other choice."
Swally instantly collapsed into the chair, as if he could no longer support himself.
Big G stared at them eyes wide, streaks of tears were still fresh on his face, "What option are you guys talking about?" he had to ask.
Nobody answered him, their mouths were sealed.
"Why aren't you telling me?" Big G asked anxiously.
Swally finally let out a gentle sigh, "Even if you knew it wouldn't do us any good."
Big G: "Why not? If it wasn't for my crazy idea to bring her back, this wouldn't have happened to Forest, and it's eating me apart, I need to save him."
"There is only one person you can save now," Dash said coldly.
Big G: "Who?"
Dash: "Yourself."
"You are seriously injured, if you don't calm down and rest, you're not going to make it either," Swally added gently.
Big G glared at him, "The weapons that hit me were they poisoned?" he said quickly.
Swally: "Yeah."
Big G: "Who rescued me?"
Swally: "Old Mr. King."
Big G: "Since he could save me from my poison, why can't he save Forest?"
Swally didn't want to say anything.
Big G: "The poison from those projectiles should be the same type of poison, right?"
Swally stayed silent for a long time, "Why must you ask such detailed questions?" he finally said softly.
"Why can't I ask questions? If you don't tell me, then I'm... I will..." Big G yelled.
He was pounding the bed with his fist, he was so angry he couldn't even get the words out.
Swally was biting his teeth, "Fine, I will tell you. The poisons were both special formulas made by the Crimson Snake, so only the antidote prepared by him can save Forest."
Big G: "But Dash..."
Swally: "When Dash was preparing to slip away from them, he secretly hid some of Crimson Snake's special remedy just in case."
Big G: "Where is the antidote now?"
"He used it all to save you," he said, one word at a time.
"Used it all?" Big G gasped.
"Not a drop left," Swally said. He bit his lip, and gradually continued explaining, "He had been planning on using the antidote on himself; however, he used all of it to save you. I thought he had kept some, but he was afraid that the poison was too much, that a smaller amount wouldn't be enough, so..."
His eyes started to go red, he couldn't go on—he was the only one who knew, because Forest was outside at the time, watching out for the enemy.
Big G clenched his fists, beads of cold sweat were coming down his face, "It's my fault, and then I used all of the antidote that could have saved him, I'm really something, incredible me," he muttered after a long pause.
"You couldn't have known, you weren't the one who..." Swally said dejectedly.
"You're right, you guys were the ones who insisted on saving me, but didn't you think of what that would do to me, how can I live with myself?" he said hoarsely.
"You have to go on living now, since I saved you, don't even think about dying," Dash said solemnly.
Big G: "But Forest..."
"Don't worry about him, I thought of a way to save you and I have a way to save him as well," he said intently.
Big G clenched his teeth, "I know now what you have to do to save him."
Dash: "Oh?"
Big G: "You're planning on asking the Crimson Snake for the antidote, aren't you?"