This delayed (and longer-than-usual) section brought to you after a wonderful visit to Japan with friends. Also, if you’ve missed a section or like to read in larger chunks at a time, I shall try to include a link to the Masterlist page with each new post. That will allow you to click “Next post” to read the posts one after another.

Chapter One (continued)

At another equally dim dungeon in Tiandu, a whip cracked without ceasing, followed each time by a sad, shrill cry. In an open space there was a large, spacious writing desk with a writing brush, blotting paper, and inkstone carefully arranged. A very lean hand carefully painted a picture.

The hand’s owner wore oversized white robes and an unusual mask. Completely indifferent to the wretched crying, he spiritedly drew a picture of the God of Fire Zhu Rong. He painted a flame. In the painting, Zhu Rong’s whole body was red with flames. Just as he was about to dip his brush in the pigment again, he realized his small dish of color had already dried. He clicked his tongue in disappointment.

An attentive man named Zhen Mei, a Chongwu Camp general, stood at his side, wizened in stature though young in years. He quickly understood and lifted the small dish. “Advisor, wait a moment,” he said, then ran off with little steps toward the depths of the dungeon.

A moment later, an even more horrible cry sounded. The whipping noise ceased. The terrible shrieking ceased. Zhen Mei soon returned with hurried steps, carrying the small dish. He placed it carefully on the table. It was filled with red pigment.

The advisor dipped his writing brush, smelled it, and was quite pleased. A final stroke, and he lifted the painting to look it up and down. He turned to the man at his side. “Zhen Mei, what do you think?”

Zhen Mei did his utmost to flatter. “A ferocious glare, a body of flames. This portrait of the Venerable God of Fire is very lifelike. Worthy of being called superb.”

The advisor laughed heartily. “The color is key.”

Zhen Mei hesitated, then said, “Master, I heard they’ve captured Zhu Yan… Zhu Yan, the great demon of the Wilderness, is truly assisting the Demon Hunting Bureau. They are our enemy.”

The advisor continued his infatuated admiration of the painting, paying no attention to Zhen Mei’s anxiety. “No need to worry. The Demon Hunting Bureau is nothing but a pack of stray dogs. It’s all but dead. As for Zhu Yan, he’s exactly who I’ve been waiting for. A great undertaking many years in the planning is at long last ready for ink to meet paper.”

Zhen Mei’s face lit up with a pleased smile. “Congratulations, master.”

As they talked, two Chongwu Camp soldiers carried a corpse from the depths of the dungeon. A cloth covered the body, obscuring its appearance. An arm hung heavily down from beneath the cloth. The skin was shriveled and marked by whip scars. On the wrist, a gash so deep it exposed the bone still dripped with blood…

Who this dead person was, no one cared. He was just one of the many demons Chongwu Camp suspected of involvement in the Water Ghost bride kidnappings and murders. Beaten, interrogated, and killed to no result, his life became meaningless.

But his blood was red enough to paint flames, to be delivered to the advisor in a small dish by Zhen Mei. In the end, this was the whole value of his life.

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A long conference table lay in the meeting hall. At this moment, both sides of the table were occupied by eight officials. They leafed through a mound of documents piled on the table before them.

At the head of the table sat the instigator of this search, Demon Hunting Bureau’s Fan Ying. Fan Ying was approaching 40, lean and scholarly, dignified in appearance. He leaned in his seat toward Deputy Commander Situ Ming. Fan Ying picked up a long document to scan through it, neither too fast nor too slow. “The records of every demon executed by Chongwu Camp for the last eight years is here,” he said. “Whether Demon Hunting Bureau can be restored at this time depends on this, so Mr. Situ, I trouble you with this task.”

Situ Ming respectfully answered, “Your subordinate will do his best, only… even if we manage to investigate Chongwu Camp’s every wrongdoing, what’s the use?”

“Hang the bait and cast the line, then we wait quietly for the fish to swallow the hook.”

Situ Ming nodded, then removed a document from the breast of his clothing to hand to Fan Ying. “Mr. Fan, the restoration of the Demon Hunting Bureau demands we select the first elite troops who will charge into the fray and swiftly solve the case of the water ghost kidnappings and murders. The prime minister drew up this alternative list of candidates. Twenty eight of them altogether, each possessing extraordinary skills and unwavering loyalty.”

Fan Ying gave the long list only a passing glance before dismissing it. “Five people will suffice. A jack of all trades is a master of none. Quantity without quality is useless. I have already prepared five tokens.”

At these words, an attendant stepped forward with a tray where three tokens had been neatly arranged. Each bore three characters 缉妖司 (jī yāo sī) – Demon Hunting Bureau.

“The first was given to Zhuo Yichen, Commander Zhuo. It will be his decision who receives the two remaining tokens.”

Situ Ming[1] stared at the tray with some uncertainty. “There…there are three of them…”

Fan Ying lifted his eyes to Situ Ming, his expression equally uncertain, then weakly restrained. This subordinate of his was a generous and loyal person, though he lacked cunning. However, he had an eagerness to learn, so he could only provide the lessons. He closed the prime minister’s document and turned to Situ Ming to patiently explain. “Two are already in their hands. These two people would certainly not be on the prime minister’s list of candidates. Ah, no, not two people. I should say one person and one demon.”

Only then did Situ Ming realize who they were. Chagrined, he shut his mouth and turned his attention back to the case files.

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[1] If you recall an earlier footnote, I was confused about the way in which these characters differed from the versions that appear in the TV series. I now believe the production swapped their names. So, Fan Ying is actually the subordinate of Situ Ming in the show, not the reverse as it appears here in the book. This may lead to some confusing images here and there, but otherwise shouldn’t confuse anyone who hasn’t seen the series. Carry on!

Idioms that appear in this section:

兴致勃勃 (xìngzhì-bóbó) – full of zest; in high spirits

金刚怒目(jīngāng nùmù) – glare like a temple god; fierce-looking; ferocious glare

丧家之犬 (sàngjiā zhī quǎn) – stray cur

喜笑颜开 (xǐxiào yánkāi) – face wreathed in smiles; face lit up with pleasure; beam; radiant

没有意义 (mēiyǒu yìyì) – not to have any meaning; meaningless

相貌堂堂 (xiàngmào tángtáng) – dignified in appearance; impressive-looking

不疾不徐 (bùjíbùxú) – neither too fast nor too slow

冲锋陷阵 (chōngfēng-xiànzhèn) – charge and shatter enemy positions; charge the enemy lines; charge forward

虚心好学 (xūxīnhàoxué) – modest and studious

后知后觉 (hòuzhīhòujué) – to realize in hindsight; to realize belatedly; to be late to the party