Hibiskus als Gemälde

Kapitel 35

"Mang, Mangsa, do you...do you know where Chen Caihua is?" Dudu asked anxiously.

"Chen Caihua? Who is Chen Caihua?" Mangsa asked, puzzled.

"It's...it's that little boy you guys chased last time, the one who was with...the monks," Dudu replied.

"Oh, I remember now, the bamboo raft capsized, the child fell into the water, and it seems he drowned," Brigade Commander Mangsa recalled.

"No!" Dudu cried out in pain, then flapped its wings and soared into the air, tears welling in its eyes, flying away into the distance.

Chapter 49, Part 1

The Enmei River in the rainforest rushes on relentlessly, a testament to the relentless flow of time. Dudu stands alone on a protruding boulder on the bank, the spot where Chen Caihua drowned, and the last place it saw its young master. Since their first encounter in Nanzhuang, Miaoli, Dudu had felt an instant connection with Caihua, spending the happiest years of their lives together. It was Dudu who encouraged its young master to run away from home, tragically costing him his life in the turbulent river. Dudu could not face Hansheng, nor could it bear to see Lan'er again…

A gentle breeze brushed past the parrot's tearful eyes, and the tears fell silently into the river. It no longer wanted to fly; it decided to stay there silently, neither eating nor drinking, letting its life flow away with the river, perhaps its soul would be reunited with its young master...

The sun rose and set, night passed and dawn broke. Time seemed to stand still, and Dudu could no longer stand. It collapsed onto the rock, its head bowed, lying askew to one side. Only its eyes remained open, hoping for a miracle, though it knew it was impossible…

Daylight broke again. Dudu was on her deathbed, her eyes closed, her paws slowly straightening and stiffening, and a single, glistening tear hung by her eye...

Two dark brown rainforest vultures, who feed on carrion, spotted the large parrot lying on the boulder. They circled it a few times before landing on the rock and slowly approaching the dying blue bird. They poked their heads, which were covered in small pink fleshy growths, out to observe their prey's movements, their eyes gleaming with greed.

The two vultures, certain that the giant blue bird was utterly helpless, hopped onto its body and began to peck fiercely at it with their hook-like beaks…

"Hehena, jajie tingtingpo..." A childish incantation rang out in the air. The vulture's sharp beak had just touched the bluebird's feathers when it could no longer peck, as if an invisible wall of air blocked its way.

As Dudu lay dying, it seemed to hear that familiar voice again. It knew it was its little master…

Under the golden sunlight, Shen Caihua walked slowly with his hands clasped in front of him, chanting the incantation of the first move of Zhuyou, "Ghost Wall". Not far behind him stood a Hakka old woman, watching them silently with a smile on her face.

Upon seeing someone approaching, the two vultures took flight and circled in mid-air. Finally, finding no opportunity to attack, they flew away dejectedly.

With tears in his eyes, Shen Cai gently picked up the emaciated Dudu, murmuring, "Dudu, you've suffered so much..."

The Hakka woman stepped forward, examined Dudu carefully, and sighed, saying, "It's exhausted and its body is too weak..."

"Will it die?" Shen Caihua asked, his eyes brimming with tears.

The Hakka woman silently took out the small blue-and-white porcelain bottle from her bosom, pried open Dudu's large, curved beak, poured a few drops in, and then said, "'Hanqing' does indeed have the effect of bringing the dead back to life. The rest depends on Dudu."

Shen Caihua gently stroked the large parrot's dull feathers, murmuring, "Dudu, you must come back to life. We still need to find Momo together."

The Hakka woman looked up at the sky and couldn't help but sigh, "The bond between humans and birds is so deep... Alas, this old woman should send Li Dishui back to his hometown in the Northeast."

"Master, are we leaving?" Shen Caihua asked in surprise.

“Yes, we’re taking Dudu with us, heading north together,” the Hakka woman replied.

Chapter 49, Part 2

Deep in the tropical rainforest, the light is dim, the air is humid, and the ground is covered with slippery moss. The buttress roots of the tall Hopea trees are like walls, and vines hang haphazardly from the air. Drought leeches stretch and contract their dark red bodies on the tips of grass blades, ready to attack any passing creature. The rainforest is full of danger.

Old Ao led Huang Jianguo, following behind Shanni. The rainforest was dense and impenetrable, and they were already drenched in sweat. Just then, they heard the gurgling sound of flowing water ahead; it was a stream in a valley.

"Stop, Miss Shanni, let's take a rest," Elder Ao said to Shanni.

Sunny stopped and turned around, saying solemnly, "Elder Ao, once you cross this stream, you'll be outside the Mae Salong border. You can head north to Kokang. I'm going back now."

"No, no, Miss Shanni, 'If you're going to help someone, help them to the very end,' please give us another ride," Old Ao earnestly pleaded.

"Elder Ao, this is what we agreed upon." Sunny remained unmoved and turned to walk back the way she came.

"Stop!" Elder Ao shouted sternly. "Now that you're out, don't even think about going back."

"You...you're not keeping your word?" Sunny asked in surprise.

"Haha, you think I'm going back on my word? For the sake of the revolutionary cause, a little white lie is acceptable," Old Man Ao chuckled sinisterly.

"...You arrested me for the 'revolutionary cause'?" Sunny was stunned.

“That’s right, we need young people like Shanni in our area. Come with me to the liberated area and join the revolutionary ranks. I believe you will make something of yourself. Why spend your days in the Golden Triangle with drug traffickers?” Old Ao said.

Sunny glared at him, then turned and left without saying a word.

With a sudden whoosh, Old Man Ao leaped into the air, blocking Shanni's path, and kindly advised, "Young lady, to tell you the truth, the Vice Chairman of the Communist Party of Burma, Deqin, is currently single. He's not very old, and his figure and appearance are top-notch within the party, but he just doesn't have anyone to take care of him. In my opinion, Miss Shanni is the most suitable..."

"Dream on!" Sunny spat and turned to leave.

"Then don't blame me." Before Ao Lao finished speaking, he thrust out his index finger to the left and right, hitting the giant bone numb point in the bone seam where the shoulder bones and upper arm bones of Shan Ni meet.

Sunny froze on the spot, unable to move her hands or feet, only cursing incessantly.

Old Master Ao chuckled and said, "Miss Shanni, I'm determined to be your matchmaker. But your status will be different from now on. Don't make things difficult for me in bed, 'Vice Chairman's Wife'."

"Dad, what are you doing?" Huang Jianguo asked with a silly grin.

"Son, carry Miss Shanni on your back," Old Ao instructed, lifting Shanni up with both hands and placing her on Huang Jianguo's back.

"Dad, it's so heavy," Huang Jianguo said, pouting.

"Alright, son, let's get out of here quickly. Once we're in a safe area, I'll roast some wild birds for you," Old Man Ao coaxed him. This was the border of the Mae Salong region, still under the jurisdiction of the 93rd Division. The farther they went, the safer they would be.

Old Ao led the way, with Huang Jianguo carrying Shanni on his back and following behind, heading into the heart of the northern Myanmar rainforest.

Chapter 49, Part 3

As dusk approached, the rainforest grew shrouded in mist. Old Ao decided to spend the night under the buttress roots of a towering tree by the stream. Huang Jianguo put Shanni down, clamoring for dinner.

Old Man Ao gathered some dry branches and lit a campfire. Fire was essential for their camping in the rainforest; it not only dispelled the poisonous miasma but also deterred wild animals like jackals, leopards, and venomous snakes. True to his local heritage, Old Man Ao only needed to circle the area briefly before catching a large, fat pangolin, weighing a good twenty or thirty pounds. He squatted by the stream, used a knife to peel off the pangolin's hard scales, cleaned it in the stream, and then skewered it on a stick, roasting it directly over the fire. Soon, the pangolin's melting fat sizzled, and a rich aroma of roasted meat filled the rainforest.

Huang Jianguo sniffed, and a string of saliva dripped from the corner of his mouth. Although the "Pure Yang Curse Lock" on his neck had been removed, his facial features had not been fully restored, and he was far from the handsome young man he used to be.

Once the pangolin was cooked, Old Ao broke off two hind legs, handing one to Huang Jianguo and presenting the other to Shanni.

Sunny kept her lips tightly pressed together, her angry gaze fixed on him...

Old Ao chuckled and said nonchalantly, "Miss Shanni, you can't go without eating. We still have several days' journey ahead. Here, let me feed you." With that, he tore off a strip of tender, oily meat and held it to Shanni's lips.

"Pah!" Sunny turned her head away and ignored him.

"Delicious, hehe, delicious..." Huang Jianguo wolfed down his food for a while until his belly was bulging. Satisfied, he lay down behind the roots of the Hopea tree and yawned. He fell asleep soon after.

"Hmph, if you're not going to eat, then shut your mouth, lest you spoil my enjoyment." Old Ao gently tapped Shanni's speech impediment with his finger, then sat down by the campfire and began to savor the fragrant and tender pangolin hind leg.

Suddenly, Old Man Ao stopped chewing and listened intently...

Footsteps crunching on fallen leaves echoed from the depths of the dark rainforest, followed by the appearance of two figures walking straight toward the campfire.

“Fellow villagers, we saw a campfire over here in the woods, so we came over,” one of the older, thin men said, sniffing the fire as he approached. “What kind of meat are they roasting? It smells so good…”

Another kind-looking young man stood with his hands behind his back, his clear eyes scrutinizing Old Man Ao, Shanni, and Huang Jianguo lying in the shadow of the campfire, a hint of curiosity showing on his face.

Old Ao watched the two uninvited guests warily, secretly speculating in his heart that, judging from their attire and demeanor, they were definitely not soldiers from the 93rd Division of the National Revolutionary Army, but anyone who dared to traverse the rainforest at night must be no ordinary person.

"Judging from your accents, you're from the Central Plains, aren't you?" Ao Laopan asked.

“That’s right, we are from Wuyuan, Jiangxi,” the gaunt old man replied.

Chapter 50, Part 1

With the campfire blazing, Elder Ao looked at the gaunt old man with a puzzled expression and said, "The people from the Central Plains have ventured into the rainforest without a guide. They certainly have quite the courage. May I ask how you are addressed?"

“The Hermit of Wu Chu Mountain,” the gaunt old man replied, then asked, “May I ask your Dharma name, Master?”

"My Dharma name is Ao Lao," Ao Lao said, putting down the roasted pangolin leg he was holding.

Wu Chushan smiled slightly and said, "Master, you're probably not a monk, are you?"

Old Master Ao was taken aback, and asked warily, "How do you know?"

“How can a monk eat animal meat? Doesn’t that involve killing and breaking the precepts?” Wu Chushanren said, glancing at the pangolin roasting on the wooden rack.

Master Ao smiled dismissively: "That's the precept of your Central Plains Mahayana Buddhism. We Southeast Asian Theravada Buddhism don't have such a saying."

“Theravada Buddhism only allows eating ‘three kinds of pure meat’: meat that is not seen, heard, or thought of. But you personally killed wild animals and ate them. Isn’t that breaking the precept?” Wu Chushanren said aggressively.

Old Ao was speechless for a moment, thinking to himself that although these two uninvited guests were physically strong, especially this old fellow, whose every move seemed to be martial arts, he definitely did not have internal strength. He was just an ordinary person in the martial arts world and was definitely no match for him. If he was unhappy, he could take him down at any time.

"Hmph, didn't the monk Ji Gong from the Central Plains also drink alcohol and eat meat? Does that mean he broke the precepts?" Old Ao retorted.

Wu Chushanren smiled and said, "The Buddha Ji Dian used illusions to save people, so it cannot be generalized."

Old Man Ao nodded and chuckled slyly, "Isn't this old man also ferrying this pangolin across?"

"Then why did the master capture a young woman and seal her acupoints to paralyze her?" Wu Chushanren said coldly.

This guy is indeed a martial arts expert. He was able to tell at a glance that Miss Shanni had been paralyzed and rendered mute by acupuncture. He is definitely not an ordinary person. Old Ao was startled.

"This..." Elder Ao didn't know how to explain, and a murderous intent began to rise in his heart.

Wu Chushan was originally an aloof and proud man. He saw through the monk in front of him at a glance. He was a fake monk who ate meat and kidnapped women. He was definitely not a good person. His chivalrous heart was suddenly aroused. He decided to expose the fake monk's true colors and save the girl.

"Who exactly is this old man Ao? How dare he impersonate a monk and abduct innocent women? This is outrageous!" Wu Chushanren saw the murderous intent in the old man Ao's eyes and became wary, but he still spoke provocatively.

"Hmph, minding your own business..." As Ao Lao spoke, he suddenly made a move. Sitting cross-legged on the ground, he was able to suddenly spring into the air, and his index finger struck Wu Chushanren's chest acupoint with lightning speed.

Wu Chushan was taken aback, never expecting this fake monk to possess such formidable martial arts skills. His speed was far beyond that of ordinary martial arts masters. Unfortunately, he had lost all his internal energy, absorbed six years ago by the powerful Huang Jianguo. Although he still possessed some techniques, they were ultimately just empty gestures. He hurriedly tried to dodge, but before he could, the fingertip was already poised to strike his chest…

Standing beside the mountain man, Han Sheng's Corpse Soul suddenly activated between his brows, his fly-eyes opening instantly. He saw Ao Lao slowly leap up and then slowly poke his finger towards Wu Chu Shan Ren... So he rushed forward, grabbed the roasted pangolin from the wooden rack, and went to meet it...

With a muffled "plop," Old Man Ao's index finger had already pierced into the pangolin's burning belly...

Chapter 50, Part 2

"Ouch..." Old Ao cried out, pulling his finger back and stepping back. Looking down, he saw that his finger had been burned.

Han Sheng stood by the campfire with a smile, tore off two pieces of fragrant pangolin meat, and handed them to Wu Chushanren, saying with a smile, "I'm hungry, let's fill our stomachs first."

Old Master Ao was utterly astonished. He hadn't even seen what happened clearly at the time, but he felt a figure flash by, and in the blink of an eye, he had been struck. It was simply unbelievable that such a miraculous movement technique existed in the world.

"You...you all..." Old Ao stammered, speechless.

Wu Chushan ignored the fake monk and walked to the girl's side, saying, "Don't be afraid, I'll release your pressure points."

With a series of forceful taps, the mountain man released the girl's pressure points.

"Hansheng!" Sunny cried out, tears welling in her eyes.

Han Sheng was taken aback. He looked at him carefully, and the face seemed familiar. So he hesitated and said, "You are...?"