The Tale Never Ends Chapter 150 The Fox and the Weasel

I had thought that my companions and I were the only ones who were aware of the weasels' escape from captivity. So we were beyond shocked when the young hireling confessed that he too knew about what happened. Rather, he even knew who it was who had helped them.

"So who was that?" I pressed immediately. I could feel the sinews on my neck taut anxiously. He looked at me, his eyes steady and firm, saying grimly, "My teacher!"

I lighted a cigarette for myself and took a puff. "Do you mean to say that your teacher has communicated with you via dreams again?" "No," he answered to our amazement. "Then how could you be sure that it was your teacher who had helped the weasels?" I asked again, the hint of apprehension clear as day in my voice.

The man revealed that he came here with the weasels from Yizhou City in search of a suitable hideaway here. But the name of Yizhou City did ring a bell; Zhang Zhigui and his companions were all natives of Yizhou City themselves.

He was tasked to scout for a suitable site between Yizhou City and Qinhuangdao City, as bidden by his teacher through a dream. He was instructed to search somewhere between both cities, but he was not told specifically where, and the weasels have been moving with him. When they passed by Wu Zhong, some of the weasels were caught trying to steal chickens. Being a beast known to be notoriously vain and spiteful, the weasels returned that night, littering the fields of the farmer with tiles and bricks, and thinking that it would give him much trouble. But being beasts, they lacked the intelligence to pit wits against Chongxi and was tricked. The weasels would not have returned. But it was this young man who had tipped them off to Chongxi's ruse. That paved the way for what happened later.

Never had the weasels suffered such reprisals and humiliation. They were more than angry when they realized that they had been hoodwinked. But the boy was nothing but a half-witted and incompetent hireling. Hence he had to, again and again, look for outside help to deal with us.

Finally, he confessed that he knew nothing about the weasels' escape, although he was aware of me using evil spirits to maintain Ghost Barriers around their lair to prevent them from leaving. But he was adamantly certain that it could only be the work of his teacher when I told him about the weasels' flight to freedom.

The interrogation continued with a few more questions, but the young man could not give any concrete information, leaving me confused and distraught as we watched him being returned to his cell. We could not tell if he was feigning ignorance, or he was simply a fool in the greater scheme of things.

We dragged dejected selves out the police station in the end, utterly devastated by the lack of information gleaned from the young hireling. The time was already five in the evening. But he and his confederates would be detained until the end of the New Year season, Zheng Shuang pointed out, hence there was no need for us to worry about them disturbing us during the festive seasons. But there's no need for that, I said to Zheng Shuang. There was no bad blood between us and I did not believe that he would have the nerve ever again, after our last showdown against him.

Edelweiss had been watching the Center in our stead during the time we were at the station. But she realized the forlorn and grim looks when we returned. I told her a summary of what happened and was met only by a blank look from her. But she knew better than to prod further. She looked at her watch and saw that it was almost time for dinner. Trying to raise our spirits, she suggested, "Let's have something to drink tonight! Come on, let's frown no more!" With no objections from any of us, we immediately went out, heading straight to the barbeque hawker stalls.

Most of the shops in Wu Zhong were closed for the cold season as the New Year approached, never mind barbeque restaurants or hawkers, especially those outside. Then again, even I would refrain from eating open air in such chilly weather. That left only one option: the barbeque restaurant we usually frequented. Not only because it was near my home, but the proprietor, having known us for quite some time, have always been friendly to put up with our brouhaha and loitering.

We stepped into the restaurant to find it completely empty. The proprietor was on the verge of falling asleep if not for our timely entry. He sprang to his feet when he heard the doors swung open and rubbed his eyes before he could clearly see it was us. Without even taking any orders from us, he barked with brimming fervor, "There're fewer people today! It'll be quick, just right up!" After coming for so many times, he already knew our usual orders without showing us the menu.

A minute barely passed before the proprietor returned with a bucket of beer bottles. "I'm afraid we have been out of lamb entrails these few days. This means that we're out of clay pot lamb stew. So perhaps you might like to try something else..." He muttered candidly as he unbottled our beer.

As always, Edelweiss inhaled bottle after bottle of beer with as much ease as drinking plain water. I remembered the first time I brought her here. She was also drinking like a fish then that even the proprietor was astounded then. I bet it was the first time he saw a girl who could drink so much. Before we got engaged, my companions and I rarely drank much during our barbeque meals. Our usual number was merely half a dozen, until Edelweiss joined us and our number skyrocketed drastically.

With the lack of customers, the proprietor drew up a chair and sat with us. It was frequent of him to join us, although we rarely found it easy to chat, given the large age gap between him and us. But this time, the things we talked about were different.

"Look, this might interest you guys!" He fished out his handphone, swiping along with the screen as he looked for something. We stretched over his shoulders and peered at his phone. It was a video clip on a video-sharing app. At first glance, I saw two yellow-brownish furballs were prancing and pouncing at each other. With another closer look, it was two beasts fighting and tearing at each other. One was a large weasel, and the other was a fox.

A sudden dread filled me; for the past few days, we have been busy dealing with weasels, that the video clip of another weasel gave me the jitters. I averted my gaze from the playing video footage and flushed a mouthful of beer down my throat while muttering with annoyance, "For the love of Heavens, of all things!" As if oblivious to my frustration and irritation, the proprietor continued explaining, hardly tearing his eyes off the screen, "Did you not see this? It's a fight between a weasel and a fox! You guys are too young to know, I think. No weasels would dare fight against a fox. But it's normal, I guess. None of these beasts live around here anymore. When I was young, we have lots of these vermins around here. We've even hunted them as boys. If only you know how stinking these creatures can be! But what do you think? I've never seen such a fight before; these two kinds usually keep to themselves!"

You must mistake us for kindergarten kids, I almost blurted aloud. But instead, I asked, "Who recorded this?" "Some fellow Internet users, of course!" he replied. Of course, I know it's an Internet user, but I want to know who specifically! I almost groan with frustration. It was truly difficult to communicate with the man.

But the proprietor clearly detected no problems with the way he talked to us. He continued to drone on absentmindedly, "The user who posted this lives around here. The Yellow Soil Ridge, it says here. Look here, it's posted just this afternoon!" I tore a piece of flesh off my barbequed chicken wing, shaking my head. What's this with weasels lately! We seem to find them every day and every corner! I had not the slightest fancy for vermins of this ilk. But I supposed it was because of the Leader of the Creed of the Eight Trigrams who was a weasel demon itself. But what is it with weasels and us? Almost every case that we have encountered in Wu Zhong recently was perpetrated by weasel demons! Can't these creatures just take a break?!

I was so deeply in thought that I didn't see how Edelweiss was staring at me chewing at my skewers strangely. Handing me another fresh pick of meat skewer, she curled up to me, chirping playfully into my ears, "What are you thinking about, Husband? You seemed so detached. Which girl are you thinking about? Tell me, and I'll nab her for you!" That made me giggle. But I know she was just trying to cheer me up. "I wouldn't dare," I whispered back, "I'm afraid my betrothed would skin me alive if she were to catch me eyeing some other lass."

Our barbeque repast finally came to an end as the time neared 10 PM. We did not drive, knowing that we would be drinking. But it was quite a walk to get back to the Center and the freezing weather hardly seemed appropriate for an after-dinner walk, hence we flagged down a taxi.

We got back to the Center and I got down, starting to dig through my pockets for some change for the fare. Then a surprised yelp came from Lin Feng who was behind me, "What in the world is this?!" Yuan Chongxi turned to his direction and blurted himself, "What the?!"

I slammed the door of the taxi shut and looked back only to be equally astonished as how my companions were! It was dark outside the Center, for the streetlamps were not working, but we could make out a row of hounds sitting on their haunches just outside the Center!?

Chapter end