CHAPTER 7

"you remember me?" he said with a chuckle as he stood up and walked towards Zhang Chen.

Zhang Chen let go of the man who fell to the dust ground before quickly scurrying away.

Zhang Chen looked at Red as he stood in front of him.

"What are you doing here?" he asked as he walked past Red towards the food that was laid out. He grabbed a chicken leg and started nibbling at it.

"apparently saving you once again." Red said boldly as Zhang Chen gave him a glare. Red let out a slight chuckle as he watched Zhang Chen take a plate and place more food in it.

Feng Li was seated near the extinguished fireplace eavesdropping while giving them a slight side eye.

"I don't need saving." Zhang Chen tried to defend himself as he sat on a large table.

"you basically collapsed on the side of the road. "

"You could have left me I would have taken care of myself," Zhang Chen murmured trying to save himself along with his pride and dignity something he was recently losing every time Red was around.

"cant you just accept help."

"I can but yours come with strings attached. "

"What stings I am currently doing you a huge favour taking in someone is not easy especially the expenses that come with it." Red said taking a piece of meat from Zhang Chens plate earning a glare from him.

"I will pay you if that's an issue." He said pushing his plate away from Red.

"You don't have to but you owe me a favour. What are you doing here anyway?" Red asked sitting upright.

"I was investigating something. " he said curtly.

"What?"

"nothing that concerns you," Zhang Chen said drinking some water.

"it's about the girl Tein mentioned." Zhang Chen froze at his words. "So it is." Red nodded as he sat closer to Zhang Chen who moved away. "Why don't I help you."

"why it's not like we are friends. " Zhang Chen questioned.

"True we aren't friends but I believe we aren't strangers anymore either." With that Red stood up." I will give you until dawn to give me your decision." With that he left.

Zhang Chen looked after his retreating form his eyebrow crunched in confusion. Red was acting quite odd as opposed to the first time they met there was something certainly going on.

****

Zhang Chen sat at the porch early the next morning even before the sun rays hit the rooftop of the house.

Feng li had just woken up and was stretching herself when she suddenly jumped back at the dark figure sitting near her entrance. She quickly composed herself after cursing out a little.

"What are you doing so early in the morning?" she asked breathing heavily. S

Zhang Chen took a glimpse of her before going back to his previous position

"I thought Red would pull something and you would leave without me,"

"But its too early," she gasped as she stepped back and leaned on the wall.

"But you are awake," he said.

"To check the patrol." She said with a sigh as she bent down beside him. "go back to sleep I will wake you up when we have to go." She said her voice holding concern.

"I will sleep when we are done." Zhang Chen said as he stood up and walked towards the room Red was sleeping in before loudly banging on the door startling the guards. He continued banging loudly before the door suddenly bust open and an annoyed Red was gripping onto the door handle. He only had pants on revealing his chest.

"What!" He demanded he glared at Zhang Chen.

"Its morning. " Zhang Chen simply answered as if it was common knowledge.

" the sun is not up."

"it's morning," Zhang Chen said pushing Red into the room not flustered that Red was half naked at the moment. He grabbed Reds clothes and threw them at him.

Reds eyes crunched in confusion as he caught the clothes and watched as Zhang Chen walked out of the room closing the door behind him.

They quickly got ready and got on their horses. They would move forward with only Zhang Chen, Red and Feng Li to make the journey faster. The sunlight rays had already set in making it easier for them to navigate.

"where is the woman who was staying there?" Zhang Chen asked.

Feng Li and Red exchanged a knowing look but no one said anything.

"we didn't find anyone." Zhang Chen looked at Red at his answer he could sense there was something but he decided against asking.

They rose through the days only taking short breaks before they finally arrived at a small town.

The two looked abandoned and there was hardly any soul around the night was setting in and the streets were empty. Zhang Chen got down from his horse as they stopped at what looked to be the city center.

He looked around but there was no one.

The night was setting in so they had to find a place to stay..

They walked around trying to find a suitable place but to their surprise they food almost all the doors locked.

They exchanged suspicious looked as they continued looking around.

The wind blew against the houses creating an eary feeling..

Zhang Chen looked around when he caught sight of a gilr peaking at them through a small opening he slowly approached the house but she quickly closed the door.

"Hello can you hear me?" Zhang Chen called out softly Red kept his eye on him making sure there wasn't any imminent threat.

"We are looking for a place to stay could you help us." He asked softly. "I promise we aren't bad people. " he said softly. He was sure she wouldn't open the door but he heard a lock turn before the door opened slightly.

Zhang Chen waved for Red and Zhang Li to come in they quickly tied the horses and got into the house.

They stood at the door way looking around at the house.

The house was simple with simple standard furniture. It had an upper deck with a bed. The young girl was standing at the farthest corner looking at the unwanted guests wearingly.

"thank you," Zhang Chen said with a smile. The young girl only nodded before the house fell into silence.

"Why is everyone hiding?" Red asked getting close to the girl but Zhang Chen held him by his arm stopping him on e he saw the young girls panic.

"The ghost," she mouthed her words barely audible.

"what ghost?" Zhang Chen asked getting on his knees as he whispered creating am air of understanding and sooth around him.

"She comes at night," the girl whispered as she also got lower and closer as if not wanting someone to hear her.

"to do what?"

"To take beautiful women?" she said as she got closer to Zhang Chen as she felt a sense of comfort from him.

"to where?" she shrugged her shoulders.

Zhang Chen looked through his pocket and brought out a piece of bread. She looked at it suspiciously for a moment contemplating whether to take it or not. Her yes deviated to the door sensing nothing she got closer to him and took the bread from him.

They thought she was going to start eating it seeing as she looked malnourished and underfed but instead she walked up the fleet of stairs. They slowly followed behind her and that's when they saw the old frail woman laying on the bed.

She dipped the bread in some water and slowly helped the old woman up and brought the wet bread to her lips. The old woman ate slowly her eyes closed. She spilled some of it but the small girl quickly cleaned her up. It took a while before she finished. They had given her some space to not make her feel uncomfortable by their presence.

She came down the stairs and found her guests seated silently around their table. She went into the attached kitchen and came back with three cups and a jug. She set them up on the table.

"sorry I don't have anything to offer you." She said softly laced with sadness.

Red was about to protest on the girl pouring him some water but Zhang Chen quickly closed his mouth. The girl looked at them but thought nothing of it as she continued pouring the water.

"Are you taking care of her alone?"

"my mother went to look for food she will be back after three days." She said meekly.

"and how long has it been?" Feng Li asked her voice concerned as her full attention fell on the girl.

"Six days." She said her eyes tearing up.

" have you been eating?" Zhang Chen asked.

"I only have enough for grandma left," she said softly.

Silence filled the room. Zhang Chen removed a pouch from his side and stood up heading to the girl. He bent down before her and handed the pouch to her. She looked down at her tiny hands her eyes widened at the realisation of what was in her hands.

"I can't " she said shaking her head as she tried to step back but Zhang Chen held her by her hands firmly but still making sure to be gentle.

"Take it as a form of gratitude for letting us in." Zhang Chen said with finality as he stood up.

"thank you," The girl bowed low her eyes dripping tears that stained the floor.

"it's fine." Zhang Chen said as he held her by her shoulders helping her stand up and lead her to sit. "So this ghost how is she like?"

"She comes every night at midnight, it started a the last season. Women started disappearing, young women, the village head said we had to stay inside from now on."

"Does it only take women?" Feng Li asked.

"Yes mostly but a few men have gone missing mostly those who are young too. I don't want it to take me," she said with a pout.

"it won't," Zhang Chen reassures her as he hugged her.

Feng Li put her to sleep later leaving them up.

"Why don't we figure out what is happening here it may provide some clues on what we are looking for." Zhang Chen suggested. He was seated opposite Red.

Red looked up at him without a word before nodding.

They waited till midnight.

The breeze of the cold night hit against the windows making them sway slightly but silence filled the whole vicinity. No one not even the cats of the night were in sight.

Zhang Chen say on the opening of the village well that sat in the middle of the village. He had his arms crossed before letting out a yawn.

He looked on either side but there was nothing, he was tired and they still had a long journey ahead the following day if he was to finish what he started in time.

He stood up straight feeling frustrated.

"There is nothing. Maybe it's a stupid folk...."he hadn't finished when suddenly he felt a pair of hands on his neck squeezing his neck as he struggled to breeze.

Ge hadn't had time to recover when he felt the person kick his legs forcing him to the hard ground but the grip of his neck was still tight he suddenly felt something like a rope quickly tied on his neck.

The actions were so swift he didn't have time to react. He felt his head being squished against the hard ground making him groan as he winced at the impact.

He tried to look up but he was pinned further into the ground. That's when he felt it. The sensation he felt when he was at that lonely woman's house, it wad the exact same.

These were the same people!!!

"we meet again." The voice said he was already too familiar with.

He tried to get up but the sensations were even more intense than the last time.

He felt his hands form fists at the situation.

Lately he had been in bad luck he cursed out as Reds smug face appeared in his train of thoughts. That was the only connection he had since things started going against him.

He knew Red was watching but as per their agreement they would hold off until they got more clues.

For some reason despite cursing him out Red being there reassured him.

They had first thought to let Feng Li act as the bait but Zhang Chen thought since she was a woman she may be prone to assault while she was unconscious so Zhang Chen decided to go instead.

Zhang Chens eyes closed as he felt someone pick him up and draped him on heavy shoulders.

The village was finally cleared when Red and Feng Li came out of the house.

"follow them and make sure to report everything," He instructed Feng Li nodded her head and left accompanied by one of Reds other men.

Red let out a breath as he looked around the village before returning to the house.

The next morning the girl rubbed her eyes as she slowly got down the steps. She smelt something in the air and excitement filled her as she rushed towards the kitchen her lips curved in a smile but it quickly disappeared as she laid eyes on the figure.

He looked up for only a second before resuming his work. He held the knife with such intense precision as he cut some more ingredients and put them inside the pot of boiling soup.

"Not who you thought it would be." Red said as he cut through another ingredient.

Her frown morphed into a questioning look as she went into the kitchen.

"Yes I thought....."

"I know you don't have to explain. "

"I didn't think you could talk." She teased as she sat on a bench in the corner.

"Why not?"

" the other guy did most of the talking."

"he talks a lot doesn't he." He said with a slight smile.

"Yes he does," she chuckled.

She sat silently as she watched him prepare some food.

"Are they still asleep?" she asked.

"No they had a special assignment to do so they left early." He answered.

She only nodded. She knew better but she didn't ask any more questions her mother had warned her about being overly curious.

They sat in silence and later sat around the table to eat before the girl went to feed her grandmother. This was the happiest she had been in a long time. Having delicious home cooked meal was definitely heart-warming.

Red later left after making sure their granary was full and would sustain them for quite some time. He also left a few fish to dry before giving her instructions on how to preserve them. She hugged him much to his surprise. He wasn't much of a skin-ship person.

He followed the trail Fang Li had left. There had been an unexpected occurrence. They were moving Zhang Chen to an unknown destination. He hurried on his horse making sure he didn't lose any more time than was necessary.