Chapter 19: THE PASS

The chirping crickets and crackling sound of their campfire was drowned out by the melancholy song of Sun Xin's flute. Even the sound of Buff Baby's constant bickering with Zuo Shilong was calmed as he continued with the song. Music cast a spell of its own- one that calmed the spirit and soothed the soul. Though Sun Xin played a harmonious song, his face maintained an emotionless expression. The music also put his thoughts into perspective and told his story through a melody that only he could understand.

He needed to stay distracted from the pain of losing his Master Lo, but it was in such idle moments that the pain further intensified. He could not even begin to think what he would say to poor Meiling. Her grief would tear apart his own heart. Sun Xin could not afford to let these feelings fester, for a distraction was the worst thing could befall him on an operation.

As the Academicians that accompanied him rested by the fire, he tuned his flute with a knife, shaving away the holes that produced tones that had become either too flat or too sharp. Such activities were therapeutic and helped put his mind at ease.

In the background, Buff Baby told stories of his exploits throughout the provinces. He took great pride in recalling his days with his band of rogues adventuring and fortune hunting into the unknown, many times getting into trouble and spending days evading the authorities. Zuo Shilong was intrigued by the stories but hesitated to believe if they were all true. He even pretended not to show much interest. Xin approached them by the fire and glanced at Buff Baby.

"Now I realize that I have heard of you. You're that sellsword fortune hunter that calls himself a bandit lord. Your exploits made some news in the central provinces," he said looking him in the eye.

"Ha! So you have heard of me, eh, Master Swordsman. Told you I was famous," he said with a satisfied grin.

Zuo Shilong restrained himself from laughing at Buff Baby's childish disposition by disguising it with a snort and a cough.

"The name 'Furious Tigers' has come up over the years. You and your gang have appeared in many notice boards, but I didn't give them much attention. Some of the local lords and merchants have placed a pretty heavy price on your heads because of your... meddling," Xin said as he leaned against a tree stump. "My hit list was long enough. And I don't do it for the money."

"Such speech is dark even for me," commented Zuo Shilong.

"You guys live needlessly complicated lives," said Jirgal as he sat lazily by the fire. "What is there in life to pursue other than good food, drink, nice clothes and a comfortable abode?"

"Hahah! I'll have you know, there were more than a handful who tried to claim the bounties. I personally delivered them to the gates of hell. Let's just say that if you had the stones to confront me back then, it may have not ended well for either of us, mate," Buff Baby said with his arms crossed. "Well... mostly for you."

"If that belief puts your mind at rest, then keep believing it," yawned Sun Xin as he lay on his back and rested his head on a log.

"I have been meaning to ask, master swordsman, how you managed the Pale Foreigners' swordfighter. I felt his power from afar. It was qi unlike anything I have ever felt. I did not think he could be overcome," said Zuo Shilong.

Sun Xin opened his eyes and sat up trying to recollect his experiences in combat against Kurr. "I don't know. I can't even figure it out. It was strange. Something came upon me that I've never felt before. I meditated the previous night and sought 'Heaven' like the sage had suggested. It may have altered my state of mind. I don't know."

On the other side of the camp fire, Big Bang mostly kept to himself and stayed occupied fiddling with his gear and cleaning the barrels and chambers of his heavy, cumbersome weapons. One could say that he was easily the most mysterious member of the company, locked in his own little world. None of them, except perhaps the Academicians, had any idea where he may have come from or what it was that caused him to become so eccentric. Every now and again he would mutter to himself concerning things that were of little sense, and then in the next moment, he would seem to be completely coherent, only for an instant. Everyone else simply shrugged at his peculiar ways.

The sounds of the wilds at night were alien to Zuo Shilong who had still not grown accustomed to living away from the Shaolin monastery. He would turn his gaze to the slightest noises and sounds that did not resemble the chirping of crickets and cicadas or the hooting of owls.

"Calm your nerves, monk. There's no around but us for one hundred li," said Wen Ping, who could not help but notice his uneasiness.

"That is simple for you to say. You were not there when the beast attacked us," said Zuo Shilong. He slid his hands into his unrolled sleeves, suddenly feeling chilly.

"'Beast'?" questioned Wen Ping.

"Yes, it was massive. It was larger than an ox, had the face and mane of a lion, and had a set of horns longer than an antelope's!"

"Don't forget the thick hide that my hunting arrows couldn't even penetrate," added Jirgal. "You should have seen it! The thing tore apart my wagon like it was made of paper. I lost everything!"

"What, a nian? You're describing something that isn't supposed to exist. Were you two drunken by midday?" said Wen Ping.

"What? No, I do not drink. We are telling the truth," said Zuo Shilong.

"And how is it that you managed to survive this 'monster'?"

"The old man who was with us... he stood up to the creature after we crashed. He just walked up to it and told it to sod off. I was like, 'What on earth?' I could not believe it. I thought that would was going to be my deathday," said Jirgal.

"The beast had knocked me unconscious so I missed the mentor's interaction with the creature. I can neither deny nor affirm Jirgal's story, but I do believe him," Zuo Shilong added.

Wen Ping facepalmed and massaged his eyebrows. What a bunch of uneducated country bumpkins, he thought.

"Don't be so quick to discredit such claims, Academician," Sun Xin interjected. "What they saw was, indeed, a nian. On my way north to the capital I saw such creatures amassing with the Underworld. If anything, they may have been the very same kind of beast these two are describing."

Wen Ping just sat for a moment glancing at them blankly as if unsure of how to react. "Welp... I suppose if there's any time such imaginary creatures would emerge to confirm their existence, it would be now, wouldn't it?" Wen Ping uncorked a calabash bottle and chugged down its contents. "And you said that hermit whom you call mentor drove the beast away by just speaking to it?"

"Yes," they both said.

Wen Ping chugged down more wine.

"I wish he were here. The mentor is very wise and wields a great power that he does not claim as his own. I feel at peace when I am with him," said Zuo Shilong.

"You have nothing to worry about. See, I wasn't there when the beast attacked you. But now, I'm here," bragged Buff Baby. He too unfastened a bottle gourd full of wine which hung from his belt pack. "I drink to my brave and fallen comrades, my brothers and sisters in arms. I pray that they are at peace wherever they are, dead or alive. If I don't see them again in this life, I will surely find them in the next!" he exclaimed before he chugged down the wine. He flopped onto his back and fell asleep but not before shedding a tear for his lost comrades.

The team continued their journey tirelessly throughout the next two days stopping only to feed and water the horses. Their southwestward direction deviated little as they cut through fields, rocky terrain, and the bush, being careful to avoid the main roads and trading routes. It was when the sky had turned gray and thunders rolled that the rugged trail led them to a remote and eerie pass at the foot of the mountains where the hills met the cliffs. Unusual stone structures and tall statues were lined along the narrow pass which cut through the steep rock faces and impassable hills. It was remote and secluded.

"I am not a stranger to this province, but this is the first time I've actually arrived at the Pass or at least have come this close," thought Sun Xin aloud.

"Were you too afraid to enter?" asked Zuo Shilong innocently.

"Fear is never a reason I refrain from entering a place. No other operation has ever brought me this way and thus I had no reason to come," Sun Xin said plainly.

"And of course, the skies obliged to dress accordingly for the momentous occasion," added Jirgal as he pointed to the sky. They proceeded to enter the pass as he continued to survey his surroundings. They were barely twenty paces in and Jirgal could already feel the chill of the air in his bones. The surrounding area was dry and dreary. Even the vegetation seemed to struggle to grow there.

"I guess this is really it. The Pass of Ill Return," Wen Ping thought aloud. The others pulled on their reigns and turned to listen to what he had to say.

"It's more like 'gloomy' to say the least. You want to know scary? On my thirtieth birthday, you should have seen me and the boys when we raided the tombs and crypts of... never mind," said Buff Baby, trying to be careful with what he revealed. He shuddered at the memory. Sun Xin dismounted and observed the trail that led deeper into the entrance. Tell-tale prints of all sorts had made their way toward the entrance. Most were from animals except for a few that had managed to imprint deeply into the dirt. They were several days old and were made by human feet. Neither wind nor rain had managed to disturb them.

"These belong to Bai Lang. Only he leaves this type of cleated boot tracks... makes it easier to navigate wilderness terrain. The old huntsman didn't even bother to hide his tracks, and they only go in but never come out. They're a few days old but he remains in the pass," Xin said to himself. "We should proceed."

"This looks like an accursed place. No wonder so many claim it is haunted. If anything, it looks like the perfect place for an ambush," commented Wen Ping.

"Indeed. Keep your eyes peeled and stay close. Minimize chatter. I'm talking to you, Bao," Xin said to Buff Baby.

"I bet he's lots of fun at parties," Buff Baby whispered.

"I do not believe he has ever had the pleasure of being invited to one," Wen Ping replied.

"Oooh, now that's savage," chuckled Buff Baby, chewing on a mouthful of betel nut.

The air that proceeded out of the pass was stale and smelled like a bog. It made the place seem all the more uninviting.

"Good grief. This is just what we need," commented Jirgal as he tried to blow out the smell from his nose.

"Whatever the case, something about this place has inspired those stories from more than just its ominous appearance," said Zuo Shilong.

"I don't know," shrugged Wen Ping.

With caution the team rode deeper into the entrance as Jirgal surveyed his surroundings anxiously. Wen Xiao shook her head, and Big Bang stared blankly ahead before unleashing a loud, obnoxious yawn.

"There's no time for stories. Our mission is under the heavy pressure of time. We must make haste, and that means we're going to explore this pass in its entirety," said Sun Xin in an authoritative tone.

"What's to fear? Right now I am probably the most dangerous creature for many leagues," bragged Buff Baby.

"You just volunteered to be my meat shield," said Jirgal.

"Do you not do anything other than brag about yourself, Buff Baby?" Zuo Shilong said under his breath.

"You are most dangerous? Hahaha," laughed Big Bang as he juggled a grenade in the palm of his hand.

"Cut the senseless chatter, all of you. Academicians, take positions in the left and right flanks. I'll ride fore," Sun Xin ordered.

The chilly winds began to pick up speed and the Academicians lowered their cowls over their eyes. Xin tightened the strap of his broad-brimmed hat and secured his long, dark blue scarf around his neck. A towering stone arch with ornate carvings of images marked the entrance to the pass and a set of ghastly stone statues welcomed them in. The air smelled stale even as the wind blew through. Wen Ping whispered a prayer and instinctively felt for the sword slung to the left of his hip, and rested a hand on the bow holstered onto the right. The horses became even more agitated when lightning danced through the darkened sky.

"Am I the only one who finds it comical that a thunderstorm rolls in just as we make our entry?" asked Jirgal.

"My compass hasn't stopped spinning erratically since we passed beneath the stone arch at the entrance," said Wen Ping. Xin gave no reaction to the Academician's statement. He did not want to admit that he was also quite bothered with the place. Strange noises resounded from the crevices of the stone hills and cliffs that lined up along the path. Ancient stone carvings and statues covered in weeds and creeping vines continued to appear at random all around the pass as a light mist began to envelope the ground and the air around them suddenly grew eerily still. Even the sparsely populated trees looked diseased, their trunks were disfigured and leaves unevenly scattered.

"We should have not come here. This whole place feels unnatural," whispered Wen Ping.

"Relax, I'll protect you," whispered Buff Baby with a chuckle.

"Keep your eyes peeled," Xin said, after being distracted from his focus.

The otherwise broad path continued to cut through vegetation, and the pass narrowed as the steep mounds of dirt and stones seemed to close in on them. The path would broaden yet again as it wound through the uneven terrain. Though the thunder and lightning had subsided, the sun continued to hide behind the overcast, and the light that bathed this part of the wilderness was foreboding and gray. The rocky pass had now led them to a vast opening where a large collection of ruins rested upon an elevated area not far from the path. The ruins lay beneath a canopy of trees in a lightly wooded area. Crumbling stone steps led toward the remnants of great stone pillars spread across the ground where dusty old bones of both man and beast lay half-buried in the ground. Dilapidated walls once so high and mighty, now fallen and barely taller than a man, snaked around the area of the ruins.

"Amazing. These are Yin Dynasty ruins. They must be over three thousand years old," observed Wen Ping. Sun Xin and the rest of the Academicians surveyed the area. Beyond the ancient ruins and into the distance, the path led to steep, rocky, and treacherous terrain that not even the horses could traverse. An alternate route snaked away from the original path that led into a deep canyon that meandered toward a mountain.

"We must settle here for the night. It will not be long until the entire valley becomes dark," said Xin. All trace of Bai Lang had disappeared but Xin nevertheless searched for signs of his passage in the area.

The group continued to scout the ruins' premises finding nothing but bones and a few isolated remains of animals. Some of the bones were human and lay scattered and half-buried in the dirt.

"How unfortunate it was for these wanderers to have found their way here only to die. I find it rather suspicious," thought Wen Xiao aloud. Skeletons of horses in various stages of decay were also found not far from the final resting place of the men.

"Even my kin have attempted to come through here. They carry the banner of the great Khan from their campaigns a few hundred years ago," Jirgal observed. "These must have been from that renegade squad looking for treasure."

"This place is not what it seems," commented Sun Xin as he picked up a skull and a large bone. "These remains tell us that these men were killed, possibly fighting for their lives. Cracks, slashes, and holes riddle these bones."

One large bone in particular caught Sun Xin's attention and the others gathered to have a look. Wen Ping cupped his hand over his mouth.

"That strange marking upon the femur looks like it was-"

"Made by teeth," said Xin finishing the Academician's statement. "It does not match the tooth patterns of wolves or even tigers. It is human." Sun Xin was familiar with wildlife from being accustomed to living in the frontier. Jirgal and Zuo Shilong looked at each other concernedly. Big Bang continued to scour the ruins on his own, rummaging through old iron and bronzewares some stone's throw away from the group.

"I think I found something. Look here," called Wen Xiao. She stood over a spot where rusted swords and shields lay broken in the dirt. He bent down and picked up one sword in particular. It was evidently ancient but not damaged, and it was shorter than most current swords and sported a hilt forged in the pre-Qin style. Surprisingly, the sword maintained an unusual luster. It was made of a metallic sort of steel- extremely rare for that time since most swords were of iron and bronze.

"How very interesting," she muttered.

Sun Xin glanced over to where she stood. "That is an artifact from the Warring States era. It's rather strange that it has not rusted out completely. It even looks battle-worthy. Maybe there really is treasure hidden here. The Khan's warriors were definitely on to something."

"Many secrets have been lost over time. They ancients knew things we did not. They forged blades that were even superior to our own, which probably explains the sword," said Wen Ping.

"We will make camp amongst the ruins," Xin said with a sigh.

He and the crew continued to scour the area out of sheer curiosity, though, making sure to keep one eye and ear open to anything out of the ordinary. Wen Ping was visibly most apprehensive in the group, and became restless as the sky grew darker in the late afternoon. When night had fallen, the crackling of the fire was all that could be heard, save for the snorts and whinnies of the horses. Xin and his company fell silent, pensive from the journey, or from the depressing place where they had set up camp. Sun Xin stared blankly into the darkening sky, questioning whether he had made the right decision to cut through this pass. Then again, had they taken the main trade routes, they would have surely have encountered complications. The roads were becoming more dangerous day by day. Travel time would have been extended for no less than two more days. The group sat quietly by the fire. A few hours passed peacefully, and the team fell into a slumber while Xin kept watch. The silence of the night was, all of a sudden, disturbed by the faint sounds of shifting feet, and the distant hammering of falling stones. The noises persisted and Sun Xin stood to investigate. He drew his sword and quietly drifted into the darkness where the light of the campfire could not reveal his position.

As he walked away from the reach of the campfire's light, he heightened the sensitivity of his ears... and his instincts. His eyes adjusted to the darkness as he approached the source of the noises. Wen Ping sat apprehensively, waiting for the worst to occur. Zuo Shilong crouched as if ready to pounce, and had one hand touching the iron rod strapped to his back.

"Something is not right," Zuo Shilong whispered to himself. Buff Baby immediately reached for his Guan Dao while the others stood at the ready. Even the horses were startled by the commotion.

The distinct sound of steel and several slashes burst from the darkness, and bone-chilling screams echoed from it. Several moments of silence had passed before Sun Xin came rushing back toward the camp site, his sword stained with something that was not blood.

"We're surrounded. We must go now!" he shouted to them. In a scramble, the team gathered their belongings and mounted their horses. Xin grasped a torch and flung it into the darkness where it landed amongst a grotesque horde. The Academicians gazed at them as the flames of the torch simmered down and died. When the darkness resumed, the creatures unleashed an ear-piercing cry.

"Come at me, you sniveling little runts! I'll blow you all to Hell!" shouted Big Bang as he lit a match and fired his hand cannon into the darkness. The thunderous sound echoed across the valley's pass as the slug shattered chunks of dirt and stone. With one hand, Buff Baby grabbed him by the collar and tossed him onto his horse.

"Get out of here, you crazy little runt! Leave this to me!" he said, still grasping his oversized glaive.

"So they finally make their appearance," whispered Wen Ping.

"I knew it! I knew we shouldn't have come here," Jirgal cried as he scrambled to mount up.

"Go, go, go!" Sun Xin shouted to the team.

"Let them come! I dare them to come! Raaah!" Buff Baby stood to confront them like a bear before a pack of wolves. He became excited in the face of danger but Zuo Shilong grabbed him by the shoulder.

"This is no time for foolish bravado, Bao!"

"Mount up, Bao. That's an order!" Xin commanded. Buff Baby growled and spat at the direction of the incoming horde before mounting up.

The creatures charged with great brutish intensity, flailing their arms and hurling rocks blindly into the darkness, narrowly missing the heads and backs of Sun Xin and his team. They pushed their horses into a gallop and raced into the canyon which glowed with a cool gentle gray beneath the moonlight. Strangely enough, the creatures did not sprint, but leaped distances too great for any human to accomplish. Like a massive swarm of locusts, they bounded very quickly, pushing off against the overhead rock faces and cliffs that surrounded the pass, easily able to match the pace of the galloping horses. They closed in from all sides, narrowing the team's escape through the canyon. They were very quick and relentless, and it seemed that no matter how hard they pushed the horses to gallop, the devils closed the distance.They rode hard and fast, pushing deeper and deeper into the canyon. Jirgal held tightly to a large torch in his left hand, which Wen Ping used to light a trio of arrows. He fired them far ahead to illuminate the rugged path that cut through the rock formations. Wen Xiao and Jirgal drew their bows and fired into the leaping horde pursuing close behind. Though every arrow had found its mark, it did nothing to discourage the creatures' tireless onslaught. Thundering hooves battered the rugged trail, kicking up plumes of dust and dirt. Solid ground quickly turned to mud and when the horses attempted to leap over it, they landed in a broad pit of muck that swallowed their legs. Sun Xin and the team jumped from their saddles and waded through the muck to get to the other side. They cast ropes onto the horses in an attempt to harness them out of the pit but the freaks on the other side were rapidly closing in.

They were tenacious and primitively intelligent, successfully bypassing the mud pit by hugging the canyon rock face that meandered over their heads. They traversed the canyon walls by the handfuls even as Jirgal and the Academicians loosed arrow after arrow and while Big Bang fired his multi-barreled hand cannons into the wave of creatures.

"Save your shots, it will do little to hurt their numbers," said Xin. He drew his sword and viciously cut them down as they leaped from the canyon walls and unto the ground as the company still attempted to pull out their mounts. When he cut down one, two would take its place. When he cut down three, four others would leap out to attack him. There were too many even for Sun Xin.

"Leave them or we will become routed!" ordered Xin. The relentless horde continued to pursue them as the team was forced to flee through the rest of the canyon on foot. They passed yet another monumental ancient stone archway.

"Hand me your torch, Menggu man!" shouted Big Bang.

"Don't call me that," said Jirgal with a frown. Big Bang unclipped two grenades dangling from his belt, lit the fuses, and tossed them at the base of the archway. They detonated with tremendous force and a deafening boom that could be heard echoing for many leagues. The archway collapsed upon the pursuing creatures just as they passed beneath it. Dozens were instantly dispatched by the shrapnel and concussive blasts while many more were crushed beneath the rubble. Boulders resting upon the edge of the canyons were also shaken loose then rolled down the steep rock faces, crashing onto the incoming horde. It was no time to celebrate, however. The devils leaped over the mountain pile of rubble and debris like frogs, evidently unfazed by the deaths of the others. Under the illumination of full moon, the creatures' appearance was clarified. Gray skin and a face with the appearance of death was enough to startle even Buff Baby. Some had rotting flesh dangling loosely from their bones, had missing jaws, or had eyeballs dangling from their sockets. What was most astonishing of all was that many of them were clad in armor or brandished swords and dagger-axe halberds crafted in the style of the Warring States era. Some of the armors were rusted out and crumbling, testifying to their age of two thousand years.They continued to leap and hop with their arms reaching out for the warriors, eager to dig their vile fingers into living flesh. They were by all appearances, an army of undead.

"Oh crap, I think these guys already dead! I'm so outta here!" cried Jirgal, hanging on to his furry hat as he turned to run.

"Dead!? Well here's a present that'll make you feel aliveeee!" shouted Big Bang as he tossed another grenade into their midst. The fiery blast incinerated several more, sending chunks of rotted flesh and bone splattering in every direction.

"Do not stop running! We need to keep pushing until we find a tactical advantage," barked Sun Xin. He was the fastest sprinter and pulled ahead of the group with ease.

"We cannot outrun them for long. We must make our stand against them," cried Wen Ping.

"Hasten your pace until we find a clearing!" Xin ordered.

It was not long until the end of the canyon narrowed then widened abruptly into a clearing. Sun Xin unhooked the crossbow from his back strap and the rest of the team took up positions outside the narrow mouth of the canyon with weapons at the ready. As soon as the devils came within range, Xin, Jirgal, Big Bang, and the Academicians unleashed a barrage of arrows and iron rounds. Shot after shot, the team utilized their weapons with expert accuracy and a swift rate of fire. Dozens upon dozens of the creatures fell before them, many being merely an arm's reach from where they stood. The narrow exit of the canyon funneled the incoming horde to near single file, making it easy to control their assault. Those who managed to evade the projectiles were immediately cut down or smashed by Buff Baby and Zuo Shilong.

Zuo Shilong maneuvered through the horde with the renowned agility of a Shaolin monk, spinning and twirling his iron rod at the creatures. He utilized his weapon to maximum effect with blows powerful enough to shatter rock. With efficiency, the warrior monk reduced heads to pulp, and bodies into twisted deformities.

Buff Baby charged at them full speed, using the heavy bulk of his large frame to crush, trample, and smash into them. One pounced at him but was cut completely in half with one swing of the Guan Dao glaive. He unleashed a thunderous roar as he grabbed another by the head and slammed it against the wall with its limbs flailing like a stuffed dummy's. He proceeded to rip off its arm then used it to beat the creature down. He ripped off its head with the spinal column still attached, just for good measure. With his strength, it was as easy as plucking a radish from the ground. He spun around to confront another with an uppercut so powerful that his arm tore right through its abdomen and caused the creature to be thrown to the other side of the pass.

As the horde drew closer and closer, Xin and the Academicians holstered their ranged weapons and unsheathed their blades.

"Now this is getting more and more interesting!" roared Buff Baby with his war face.

"No, this is when I think I'm going to puke," cried Jirgal as he holstered his bow and struggled to unsheathe his old saber. Big Bang maniacally laughed to himself as he methodically fired each barrel of his hand cannons. "You want to be everywhere at once, do ya? Well let me help you with that!" He lobbed another bomb into the midst of the undead, and it detonated with satisfying force, sending countless limbs and body parts in every direction.

"Go scatter, you ugly, smelly bastards!" Big Bang shouted.

The next wave of creatures pushed through the bodies that had piled at the canyon's narrow entrance and charged at the squad. The narrow passage did much to control the outpour and helped prevent the team from becoming overwhelmed by sheer numbers. Nevertheless, they charged by the handfuls with mindless determination, and engaged them in close quarters combat. The creatures relied solely on their savagery and tirelessness to overwhelm their prey. However, they fell to the combined efforts of the team and to Sun Xin's swordsmanship. With grace and fluidity, he combined kicks, sweeps, and throws with the deadly efficiency of his sword style. The heads of the creatures were pierced, sliced, or sent rolling down the hill. Wen Ping and Wen Xiao viciously cut down each devil with their Academician blades, and connected each solid stroke with precise technique and grace. Even Jirgal found himself making a few 'kills'. His old saber still managed to chop and hack its way through rotting flesh.

"I think I can get used to this!" he exclaimed. One of the undead, snarling and gagging,pounced right at Jirgal. It grabbed him by the collar and tossed him like he was a small child. Jirgal shrieked as he flew toward Buff Baby. "Oh, crap!" he screamed with a high-pitched tone. Slamming into Buff Baby was like hitting a brick wall, and Jirgal hit the ground with a thud. Buff Baby charged at the undead creature that threw Jirgal, and swung the blunt side of his glaive into its body. It flew high over their heads and smashed against the rocky cliff face with such force that its body splattered like rotted fruit.

Despite the team's valiant efforts, the horde continued to pour out from the canyon pass forcing the team to slowly retreat as they fought. They would tire out before they could dispatch the last of them, however. They just kept coming, making the most unnatural sounds akin to choking, gasping, growling, and wheezing. "Come on!" roared Buff Baby, openly challenging them to take him on as he continued to violently swing at the horde. His glaive dispatched handfuls of them at once with each swing. He continued to chop and hack at the undead, severing limbs and heads and splitting entire bodies in half like they were firewood. Soon the smell of rotting flesh became so pervasive that it made even Sun Xin gag. It became altogether worse when Big Bang fired an explosive round from his cannon into their midst and smoldering flesh rained down upon all of them.

"Gee, that suuure was a great idea, Bang!!" gagged Jirgal. He nearly vomited in his own mouth. Big Bang laughed maniacally at the reaction.

"We cannot keep fighting. They will overwhelm us at this rate," yelled Xin as he shredded through three more without even looking. "Everyone retreat!" Just as the team turned to flee, a large downpour of acidic liquid showered all around the incoming hordes, melting and vaporizing flesh upon contact. The smell was immediately familiar to the team-vinegar. To their relief, it quickly overpowered the stench of death and decay.

"Fall back to the cave in the cliff to the west! It's atop the hill. Go!" shouted a new voice from above the nearby rock formations. "Hurry! I do not have much vinegar left!" The man tossed and overturned barrels worth of vinegar between the retreating team and the incoming horde. It prevented the undead from proceeding any further without causing themselves to disintegrate. Sun Xin lagged behind to watch the rear as the rest of the group made a beeline toward the steep hills that led to the caverns some distance away. The man tossed the last bucket of vinegar at the horde and made his way toward the team by bounding and striding over boulders and large rocks. He grabbed on to a rope attached to a log delicately holding back large stones. He heaved with all his might until the logs gave way, causing the stones to fall and trigger a chain reaction that created a massive pile up of rocks that even the devils could not leap over. Nearly a hundred had been instantly crushed by the rubble. All became suddenly silent.

After the dust had settled, Sun Xin, the team, and their apparent savior gathered at the cave's entrance. They fell to their knees gasping for air and breathing sighs of relief. Sweat dripped from Sun Xin's chin but he otherwise seemed unaffected by the physical strain. He remained standing as he swiped away the filth from his blade and casually slid it back to the scabbard hanging from his hip's rear. He unfastened his broad-brimmed hat and let it hang behind his neck before directing his gaze toward the man who rescued them. The man chuckled and shook his head.

"Should have known it was you causing that entire ruckus in this gods-forsaken place, Sun Xin," the man said as he removed his hood.

"Only you could have pulled off that sketchy rescue, Bai Lang," replied Xin. The two exchanged salutes and a quick brotherly embrace. "It is very good to see you, old friend." Bai Lang was a rugged, hairy man of above-average height. He wore robes of thick cloth and leather and boots lined with fur. A bulky satchel was slung around his chest, and two belts lined with compartments large and small hung loosely over the red sash wrapped around his waist. Two large hunting knives were sheathed around his hips, and what looked like a blow pipe was snugly slipped underneath his belt. He was, in his own way, quite mysterious for an outdoorsman.

"We made it! I can't believe we actually made it!" expressed Jirgal. He unfastened his heavy back pack and flopped to the ground and lay on his back still trying to catch his breath. Big Bang immediately proceeded to reload and rearm his weapons as if he was still in combat.

"We owe you our lives. Without you we would have surely perished," said Zuo Shilong is in his usual formal fashion. He bowed deeply before Bai Lang.

"Gah, I could have slain a thousand more of those disgusting freaks. I would have done it all day for seven days!" exclaimed Buff Baby with clenched fists. He bared and grinded his teeth. Large veins throbbed beneath the thick skin of his massive biceps and forearms.

"You're all fortunate that I happened to be in the area when I saw you fighting. That rubble should keep them at bay for some time, but I cannot guarantee that they won't try to come at us again," said Bai Lang.

"What were they?" asked Xin as he stared at the rubble.

"They were horrifying, I tell you! They were like living corpses. I've never been so terrified in my life!" Jirgal sat up in a curled position and hugged his knees as he rocked back and forth.

"That's because they are corpses brought back to life," Bai Lang replied. The rest of the team froze in shock at Lang's confirmation and were not sure how to accept such a fact, except for Sun Xin who simply lowered his gaze and crossed his arms.

"How is such a thing possible?" he asked.

"Ever since those foreigners arrived, many unnatural things have been occurring in the Middle Kingdom. Yes, I really mean the supernatural. What is not supposed to happen is, well, happening," said Bai Lang. "Much has been put into motion these days, and I am trying to witness it all unfold... like... a part of me wants to participate in all of it." Bai Lang was speaking with what was perhaps a hint of childlike wonder and fascination that did not go unnoticed by Sun Xin.

"Can you just please tell us how corpses have come back to life? That is supposed to be completely impossible!" exclaimed Wen Xiao. Her fists were clenched as well and they shook with the continuing rush of adrenaline. Her brother, Wen Ping, gently rubbed her back trying to calm her.

"I loved them!" Big Bang exclaimed. "I fire just one shot and twenty of them go bye-bye. You're all fancy-schmancy with your kung phooey, but I took out more than any single one of you," expressed Big Bang as he reloaded his weapons.

"But in the end you still needed me to save your skin," remarked Bai Lang. "I have always wanted to venture into this pass, but I never found myself able to actually get here. Rumors of paranormal events stirring in these parts started to spread in the Underworld. Naturally I was compelled to investigate," shared Bai Lang. "As for the corpses, rumor grows of a powerful necromancer who has made this pass his domain and has been practicing his dark art for some time."

"A necro-what!? Well this just keeps getting better and better doesn't it?" whined Jirgal.

"In the Underworld, he's known as the Puppeteer. They say he is very tall and slender, and that his body is wrapped tightly with cloth, covered in loose robes. I cannot confirm this for I have not personally laid eyes on him." His left eye twitched almost indiscernibly twice or thrice but he quickly turned his gaze away from Xin who had surely caught the faint signs.

Tong was right, thought Xin. My old ally seems odd... more than usual.

"So those things were the handiwork of a necromancer? I never would have guessed," commented Wen Ping.

"Yes. The Underworld calls them Jiangshi, leaping dead," replied Bai Lang. "Come, let's go into the cave so we can talk. I have food and drink." The team proceeded into the darkness of the cave with nothing more than a lit torch Bai Lang had grabbed from the floor.

"It smells damp in here, but better than those freaks outside," commented Jirgal.

"Watch your step. Dang-near sprained my ankle first time I settled down in here," said Bai Lang. The cave opened up into a cavern where Bai Lang had set up camp. Directly above was a circular opening that cut through the rock layers and allowed the morning light to provide limited illumination. "You'll have to excuse the mess. I wasn't expecting visitors." He gathered a length of rope and an empty canteen from the ground that led into the dim cavern.

"Nyaaaah!" screamed Jirgal effeminately. A colony of bats fluttered past the team as he dove for cover. "Ugh, first it was the hopping dead, now it's bat droppings," he moaned, brushing away chunks of droppings from his boots. Zuo Shilong kneeled beside a spring running through the cavern to rinse off the filth from his iron rod. Buff Baby sprinted at the chance to drink some water and happened to have dunked his face downstream from where Zuo Shilong was cleansing his weapon. He immediately regurgitated the water when he came to the realization.

"You careless, insensitive bald-headed simpleton!" he spat as he wiped his mouth with his wrist bracer and stomped toward the monk. Zuo Shilong fought the urge to snicker at the mishap but positioned himself to prepare for the barbarian's bullying.

"That's enough, Bao!" barked Sun Xin. "Take a seat and calm yourself. We are no longer in combat." Bai Lang laughed in amusement at the altercation.

"That's quite a following you have there, Wolf," chuckled Bai Lang. "I've never known you to travel with companions. I'm guessing you're here on urgent business? Some high-priority mission?" He took a seat on the cold hard ground. He rubbed his hands and placed them over the fire.

"Is it so obvious?" Xin replied.

"Hah. Is that sarcasm I am detecting?"

"Yes, yes it is. If I had come alone I may have not survived the Jiangshi," Xin said, nodding to the rest of the team. "We came out here, Lang, looking for you." Sun Xin looked him in the eye as if ready to interrogate him.

"Uh oh. Don't tell me I'm on the wanted list... again," laughed Bai Lang.He un-wrapped a skewered rodent from his knapsack and roasted it over the fire.

"The Jianghsi, how long has that been possible?" Xin questioned Bai Lang. He himself could not fully accept what he had just been through.

"The arts involving communication with the dead or even the reanimation of corpses is as old as civilization," Bai Lang answered.

"That looked a heck of a lot more than just communication," Buff Baby commented.

"Many who delve into the arcane arts have tried to raise corpses. It looks like someone has succeeded," said Bai Lang.

"That's crazed talk. Jiangshi are supposed to be just stories! Tales for the campfire, or to scare the children," Wen Xiao said.

"Yeah, well... not anymore, it seems," Bai Lang replied. "Want some? There's more where this came from," he said, offering the roasting rat.

Sun Xin declined the offer with a hand gesture. "No. I'm fine. In truth, we're here to seek your expertise on Wulin. Lang, the Underworld is amassing and uniting. The Pale Foreigners are gathering them to attack the empire from the inside and prepare the way for a massive invasion from the sea. This business with the Jiangshi-it's just a symptom of everything that's happening and will happen."

"And you're all here so you can find a way to stop them. I already know what's going on with the sects. I've had nearly thirty years of experience dealing with them, but I'm not exactly on the friendliest of terms with the sect leaders these days." Again, Sun Xin caught the faint twitch in his left eye even in the dimness of the cavern.

"You seem undismayed by these events, comrade," observed Xin.

"Eh, what happens to the nation is of little concern to me. I'll be out here in the wilds, content and unbothered," he replied callously.

"Yes, perhaps. But this is of great concern to me. I've spent ten years taming the sects of the Underworld, Lang, and I'm not going to let all of that come undone with the scheming of the Foreigners. I... we need to know who is amassing them and from where it is they receive their command." He removed a small capsule from his belt pack and tossed it to Bai Lang. "That is a concoction the foreigners are brewing to feed to the rebel sects. It enhances speed, strength, and stamina to impossible limits. It's not perfected but when it is... and when they distribute it to the rebel armies, fighting them would be suicidal. But I'm guessing you already knew that." Sun Xin's eyes narrowed as he strengthened his gaze at Bai Lang.

"Yes, I know. But there's nothing we can do to stop what has already been put into motion," he answered, tossing back the vial to Xin.

"Yes, they can be stopped. I can stop them... and I will. I always have" Xin shot him a fiery glare as he clenched his jaw.

Bai Lang scoffed and sighed. "What is it like to always be looking over your shoulder? You always were stubborn, Xin. Always fighting for some righteous cause, like you can change the crooked path the world has been treading for thousands of years. All I know is several of the heavily robed and masked foreigners were dispersed to contact the leaders of the prominent sects in the Underworld: Crimson Moon, Serpent Eye, the Shan Gui or Ghosts of the Mountain, Iron Dragon clan, and so on. From what I can tell, they're doing a good job rallying them up. The sects are being given a chance to participate in the making of some new world where they will reign alongside the foreigners if they succeed in their conquest. He paused for several moments to check on his roasting rodent. The rest of the group was seated in a circle around Bai Lang, listening intently to what he was saying. "As far as the leadership is concerned, I am not sure who is calling the shots. I can tell you less about the where, for they congregate in various places. It's not like Wulin has a history of cooperation and friendship. I'd start with the Shan Gui. They have the most members."

"What about monsters? Did you happen to witness monsters emerging from the wood? One of them attacked me on my way north with Jirgal and Mentor," Zuo Shilong cut in.

"Aside from the Jiangshi? Yeah, I think I prefer that monster over those freaks behind those rocks back there," added Jirgal, shaking his head with the traumatic memory. "I miss my wagon and two horses. Dumb animals they are."

"I've seen a lot of things recently, kid. But yes, there are some unusual creatures making themselves known around here. If I'm not mistaken, they're being herded within the Underworld too." He chuckled and shook his head.

"First it's mythical creatures and now an army of undead. I can barely wait to see what happens next," muttered Jirgal as he buried his face in his hands.

"You there. You're are a monk. Just what are you doing so far from the Shaolin Temple?" Bai Lang asked, trying to be more conversational. "Your people don't really like me, just saying."

"They are not really my people anymore," muttered Zuo Shilong. He frowned, lowered his gaze, and ran his fingers across the busy designs running along the length of the iron rod.

There was a prolonged and awkward moment of silence within the group. The crackling fire and the nearby stream echoed.

"Tell me, Lang, why are you really out here?" Xin questioned.

"I'm always out. What are you talking about?"

"Here in this pass-why here? What is it you're looking for?"

"Ah, there it is-your masterful ability to read faces and body language. Never ceases to amaze me." He chuckled then stopped as soon as he saw the cold seriousness of Sun Xin's facial expression. "You know, they say your cold, hard stare is legendary. Could intimidate anyone."

"Listen, Xin. Truth be told, I wanted to see if the rumors were true. Up until recently I only saw evidence of the Jiangshi and the necromancer. Now, with my tracking, I've confirmed what the evidence has long revealed. I don't know anything about the potion. They could be brewing it anywhere or in many places, but I'm sure it would be not far from where they gather. Like I said, start with the Shan Gui," Bai Lang said staring into the fire.

Sun Xin was not satisfied with his answer. There was something Bai Lang was not telling him but he did not want to further agitate the man who appeared to already be somewhat disturbed. The group fell silent and the only noise that could be heard was the spring flowing through the cavern and the crackling of the fire not far from it.

"So... how are things for the Wandering Wolf?" Bai Lang asked in an attempt to shift topics. "How is the world of men?"

"Filthy. Only a few bother to sweep away the mess," Xin answered plainly.

"What is the government doing about the Foreigner threat?" he continued.

Sun Xin hesitated for a moment to give a detailed answer. "The Ming army is preparing as we speak, retraining troops and making fresh supplies of weapons and armor. The Imperial navy is being refurbished, being the first line of defense against the maritime invasion." Xin was sure to keep the information unspecific.

"I see. That makes sense to me. I sincerely hope they make it, though I've never been the patriotic type. Ming soldiers are no pushovers," said Bai Lang.

"With the government focusing on preparing for the invasion, there are not enough resources to answer the domestic threat rising in the Underworld. This is why we are here," Xin emphasized.

"There's not much else I can tell you, friend. I wish you the best on your mission. In the meantime, you are all welcome to stay here for as long as you like. It's good to wait another day before heading out. Those Jiangshi could be lurking about, and it takes a day before they give up their pursuits. Don't ask me how I know that. I just do."

"Tell us more about the necromancer, Lang," said Wen Ping leaning against the cavern wall with his arms crossed. "Why were you searching for him?"

"T'was just curiosity that mostly brought me here. I've been meaning to investigate this part of the province and find proof of the necromancer's existence. I guess I've pretty much found it," he said.

"Now what?" asked Wen Ping.

"Now I'm going to try to learn his secrets. Such things are the underworld of the Underworld... and a bit of my specialty," he said with a sly smile.

The team rested in the cavern for the rest of the day until night had fallen. Sun Xin grew increasingly restless, and he found himself pacing back and forth in the cavern, waiting for the next day to arrive already. The eagerness to see the mission through was beginning to increase his tension. Maybe if he lay down he can sleep away the time until dawn arrived. Bai Lang was already asleep, carefree as he was. Someone with no attachments had very little trouble sleeping. Sun Xin wished the same for himself often times. Before he knew it, he too dozed off.

Faint echoes resounded through the cave walls and bounced around the cavern in such a way that it sounded close by. The sounds of thumps, rattles and clatters joined in soon after as Sun Xin opened his eyes slowly, but they immediately glared with focus. The echoes had quickly turned into very audible shrieks and snarls, and in moments, the cavern air was saturated with noise. Sun Xin jumped to his feet with a kip-up.

"Wake up! We've uninvited guests," he barked. The two Academicians rose to their feet without hesitation, and Zuo Shilong instinctively grasped his iron rod as he awoke with a start.

"Bao! It's time to move. Wake up or stay here to die," Xin ordered the sleeping giant.

Buff Baby scoffed and laughed at the remark. "I won't be in this cave with them. They will be in the cave with me."

Wen Ping and Wen Xiao gently kicked Jirgal to wake as Big Bang scrambled to gather his weapons and equipment. Sun Xin poured oil onto an arrow head and shaft and set it aflame. He fired it deep into the pitch-black tunnel that led to the cavern, and the arrow penetrated the soft cave rock. It illuminated the portion of the tunnel that curved toward the cavern, but dozens of shadows blotted out the yellow-orange light. The shrill shrieks and growls grew ever louder.

"Oh no, they have found a way to reach us and now they are coming to finish us off," thought Zuo Shilong loudly.

"Not at all, Captain Obvious! They're coming here to tell us they want to make nice and be friends," cried Jirgal who shook as he scuttled to slip into his boots and gather his gear.

"We can't fight in here. In close quarters we will be overrun," said Sun Xin. He grabbed a torch and rushed to scour every nook and cranny of the cavern, seeking an alternate exit.A small opening in the darkest portion of the cavern revealed itself in the torchlight. Bats flew to and fro the opening. Peering through it, Sun Xin tossed the torch through and saw an even larger cavern revealed in the light.

"Fung! Toss an explosive into the base of this wall, right beneath the bat hole!" Xin barked.

"With pleasure!" Big Bang reached for his backpack and pulled out a lemon-sized grenade. He lit the fuse with a match strapped to his thumb. He threw the grenade at the base of the bat hole as the team dove for cover. It detonated with a thoom that echoed in the cavern for several moments. Their ears blared and rang with pain, but the wall did not crumble. It cracked in several places, and several chunks of stone simply fell off its face.

"Hurry, toss another one," yelled Xin. The detonation had alerted the incoming horde, and immediately they could be heard quickening their pace toward their location.

"No, let me handle this," said Buff Baby. He planted his feet firmly into the ground and charged at full speed. He slammed into the wall with enough momentum to make it shatter and explode to the other side of the opening. The Academicians rushed through the new opening first as they each grasped a torch to light the way. The rest of the team followed closely, except for Big Bang, who had been setting two grenades lined with trip wire at the cavern's entrance.

"That should even the odds!" he giggled to himself. "Those suckers are gonna looove that!" He ran with a waddle as he made his way to catch up to the rest of the fleeing team. The weight of all his gear severely impeded his speed and challenged his endurance. He watched the torchlights become smaller and smaller in the distance. The rocky surface became rockier and, in the darkness, he stumbled over the increasingly uneven surface. His face wiped the ground as he skidded to a halt. The passage began to wind, and the torchlights disappeared around the bend. Big Bang was, all of a sudden, alone underneath the faint light of the moon.

"Well, phooey," he said to himself, spitting out some of the dirt from his teeth. He struggled to stand underneath the weight of his gear until a bright torchlight reappeared from above his head. Before he could react he was abruptly lifted off his feet and swiftly carried down the rest of the passage toward the team.

"I knew there was someone missing from the pack!" said a giant voice.Buff Baby briskly jogged down the passageway with ease, even with Big Bang slung over his shoulder. Several moments had passed when a duo of thunderous booms like thunder echoed down the passageway and was followed by the violent sounds of a massive cave-in.

"Bahahaha, I told you the suckers would love it! They can't get enough of getting blown up and squashed like insects!" Big Bang exclaimed with his arms raised even though he hung over Buff Baby's shoulder.

"Ho-ho," laughed Buff Baby like a giant. "Just how many bombs do you carry? If I just dropped you on the ground like a rock, would we die?" he asked.

"If I fell on your torch, yes, and we would be in several places all at once, and this entire mountain would collapse into itself. Isn't it awesome?" he shouted excitedly. Buff Baby did not respond. He readjusted his posture and tightened his grip on Big Bang, and was more careful to watch his footing. He gulped and lowered the torch to better illuminate the passage. "Why do you ask, eh? Eh? Are you a fire powder enthusiast too?" he asked innocently.

"Let's just say little crazy one, that I prefer my fire and my powder separate." The duo managed to catch up to the rest of the team as the passage way ended to an opening which revealed a valley located at the opposite end of the pass. The team proceeded to descend the terrain to reach the valley below, and took shelter in the thickness of the bush. The team was silent as they caught their breaths and took a moment to regather themselves.

"Do you think those things are gonna find us again?" asked Jirgal with a frown. "I'm getting tired of running."

"No," said Xin with a cold, hard stare at the mountain from where they had escaped. He suddenly spun and punched a tree with enough force to splinter and shatter its bark. "Bai Lang has betrayed us. He gave us up to that necromancer." The rest of the team was speechless and in shock of the realization.

"What are we going to do? We cannot keep fighting or running from those undead," said Zuo Shilong.

"I will have to hunt down Bai Lang. I will make him tell me where to find the necromancer and reveal everything he really knows about the rallying Underworld. All of you stay here where it is safe. I will return soon," said Xin. "It is time to hunt the hunter." He secured his broad-brimmed hat and pulled on his scarf to mask his face.

"You can't go alone," said Wen Ping. "We can find him more quickly if my sister and I join you."

"I said stay. Bai Lang is far too dangerous for you to hunt. I know how he thinks. I know his secrets. He shared them with me years ago. I will return soon." Sun Xin enunciated each and every word with a cold, hard tone that intimidated the team. His eyes sparkled with an unnerving stare that even unsettled Buff Baby.

"Just listen. Do as he says," said Buff Baby. Sun Xin turned and sprinted deep into the bush and disappeared out of sight. Tong was right about Bai Lang all along. "I should have seen this coming from a bloody merc," Xin growled.

His rage caused him to race through the trees and the bush more quickly. He rounded the rock formations at the foot of the mountain back toward the cliffs above the relative area of the pass. The terrain was steep and treacherous and it would have caused even the monk and the Academicians some difficulty without extensive training in urban or environmental acrobatics. It was commonly known as light body because of the swiftness and grace the runner utilized in traversing and overcoming environmental obstacles. A large plateau stood out from the terrain and it stood tall over the treetops of its surroundings. He would begin his search there.

"I need to get to the high ground," he muttered. Sun Xin made a quick ascension over the terrain by bounding and striding over large rocks and fallen trees then leaping onto a cat stance on the side of a shallow cliff. He shimmied to the very top like a spider by hugging the cliff's face, and exploited every nook, crack, creeping vine, and protruding stone to grab hold. After he had made it to the top, he scanned the area of the large plateau covered mostly in trees. The morning sunlight shone through, but the overcast sky had blocked it once again. Once patrolling the plateau's edge, he extended the monocular spyglass Tian Qiu had given him from his travels abroad. He lay prone and peered through the lens, scanning the forested area below the plateau. All seemed peaceful from the elevated perspective. The land was lush and boasted many features. No signs of clearings, no smoke, no disturbances in the vegetation, no startled birds taking flight, nothing. The beaten paths, roads, and trails along the edges of the landscape exhibited no signs of activity either.

However, the sound of approaching footsteps emerged from his rear, and in an instant, Xin turned to face the source of the sound with his crossbow ready to shoot. There was nothing- nothing but the wind and the sounds of nearby wildlife. He lowered his guard and slung the crossbow onto his back holster.

"Maybe I really am losing it. Might be the sleep deprivation," he said to himself.

He turned to redirect his attention onto the landscape below but met face to face with a ghastly figure covered head to toe in loose cloths and bandage wraps of brown, red, and white. The faceless figure grasped Xin by the face and threw him onto the ground with enough force to cause stars to explode in his eyes. The figure crawled over him, its wrapped head positioned directly over his face. It placed a bony hand upon Xin's neck and wrenched it. Xin chocked and gagged but combat instincts triggered him to kick the faceless figure away and out of arm's reach. The two rose to their feet as Xin unsheathed his blade. It was the Puppeteer. The necromancer.

"Your head is mine, necromancer." The faceless figure gave no reply. Its breathing was not even discernable. Sun Xin resumed the fight with a forward sword thrust and sideward slash but was only able to cut the cloth and bandages. The necromancer unfurled a long strand of cloth that wrapped itself around his wrist and yanked upon it violently to make him drop the weapon. The sword clattered to the ground and slid off the ridge but managed to get caught in the tangled vines dangling off the cliff face. Xin flung three small knives at his attacker, but they were swiped away by a wave of the creature's long cloth. Sun Xin followed through with the attack using a jumping side kick, followed by a four-punch combination into its ribs, face, and abdomen. He finished off the combo with a spinning wheel kick into its head-a blow strong enough to crack skulls and break necks. The necromancer staggered and lost his balance, but did not make a sound. Xin maintained his fighting stance as he observed the effects of his blows on his opponent. It stood slowly and hauntingly without showing any discernable hint of pain or injury from the attacks. It was very thin, almost like a corpse, with arms dangling in front like it were an ape and it stood with an awkward inhuman posture. Its very presence was menacing and unnatural. In all his years as a knight-errant, Sun Xin still found it disturbing. He scowled and spat as he watched the creature rise to its feet.

Before it could fully recover, Sun Xin pushed through with his attacks to keep the pressure on the necromancer. He threw jab–cross and hook combinations so quickly, his fists appeared to never have left form. He then swung a wide arcing hook into the abdomen and the jaw then locked him into a clinch to ram two powerful knee strikes into the face. The blows were some of the hardest he had ever thrown. The necromancer took the full force of each strike- strikes which would have broken many bones, and would have brought the strongest men into unconsciousness or even death. The necromancer stumbled backward and fell. Without warning, it unfurled two lengths of cloth from its arms and wrapped them around Xin's neck and chest; it lifted the swordsman up and off his feet. The wrappings tightened with every passing moment, inhibiting his ability to breathe and he felt his ribs were on the verge of breaking. He struggled to reach for the dagger tucked under his belt. It should be able to cut the cloths but he was on the verge of blacking out. His vision blurred and narrowed. Before he completely lost consciousness, he cut across the lengths of cloth just as another figure appeared from his peripheral view.

Bai Lang, wielding Sun Xin's sword, leaped into the scene. He swung downward on the cloth that was crushing Xin and completely severed it with a clean cut. He swung wildly at the necromancer but every strike fell short."Raah!" Bai Lang tackled him head on, but it managed to hold its ground. He slammed an upward elbow strike into its jaw, then unsheathed his knives to stab the creature several times in quick succession at the neck, head, and chest. The blades penetrated deep beneath the wrappings and cut several layers worth of the cloth, but no blood could be seen pouring out from them. He attempted a round kick to the head but the necromancer ducked low and grabbed Lang by the waist straps. With a full rotation and maximum centrifugal force, it tossed him violently into a nearby tree. The force of the impact knocked the wind from his body, crushing several ribs which pierced his lungs. While still gasping for breath, he tossed several incendiary pellets into the necromancer's feet, and they popped, sending up clouds of black smoke and sparks that ignited the body wrappings. The flames engulfed the Puppeteer's body instantly, causing it to berserk and retreat. Covered in fire, the necromancer immediately leaped off the edge of the plateau and landed into the trees with a controlled descent. It disappeared deep into the bush where the terrain was impassable. Black smoke could be seen rising out of the foliage but it vanished within moments.

Bai Lang slumped against the tree, coughing blood and wheezing. "Didn't think I'd come back for you?" he said, as blood oozed out of his mouth.

"Shut up and lay still," said Xin rushing to his side. He pulled out herbal capsules from his belt compartment. "This will help with the pain."

"No, it doesn't matter. It's-it's too late for me. Forgive me. I tried to use you to draw out the necromancer. It seems that I deserve my fate," he gargled and coughed. "Did your team make it?"

"Yes. They await my return," Xin answered.

"The Underworld has gotten stronger than it has ever been. They're staging their operations from the Shan Gui. You must go there quickly and do what you do best." He grabbed Xin by the collar and leaned toward his ear. "Don't underestimate the Pale Foreigners. They are powerful. Man's wars are but child's play in comparison to the destruction and fury they will leave in their wake. When winter comes, they will stage their invasion, and without a miracle, the Ming Dynasty is doomed."

Sun Xin turned his gaze away from Lang, finding it difficult to see him in such a condition.

"Your sacrifice will not be in vain," Xin said.

Despite his pain, Bai Lang managed a smile. "The Puppeteer... there's a reason why he has emerged from the shadows. The Pale Foreigners seek to use him for their cause cough, cough. They'll want to make use of his powers. I have no doubt about this. My map, take it and see your mission through like you always have. I have several documents in my pockets. Take it back to the capital and have them decrypt it for study. I'm sure you'll find it useful for what's ahead." his voice trailed away as he gagged and choked. His lungs continued to drown in blood.

"Go in peace, brother. I will not forget you have done here. The Ming will remember you," said Xin. With those words, Bai Lang breathed his last breath and his lifeless eyes stared blankly into the gray sky. Sun Xin laid him down gently and shut his eyes. After a moment of silence, he gathered Bai Lang's knives and remaining supplies and unfolded a small map that detailed the quickest route to reach the Shan Gui stronghold located southwest of the pass.

To his pleasant surprise, it also outlined key points of interest which included the strategic positions and secret locations from which the Underworld operated. Included with the map was a small journal stuffed with written accounts and folded sheets of encrypted messages related to happenings within and without the Underworld and the empire. He reached into the chest pocket and found papers and a small notebook full of notes and etchings.

Well, old friend, you will never know how you're helping save the world with these. I do not know from where you acquired them or by what means, but only you could have done so. The wealth of information found here could very well determine the fate of Middle Kingdom's travails and the outcome of the impending great war. The Martial Scholars and the imperial court would make great use of this to turn the tide, Xin thought to himself, glancing at Bai Lang one last time. He stood and sprinted back to his waiting team.

****

"The rest of the team stood at attention when Sun Xin returned. He walked slowly, his face emotionless yet focused.

"Welcome back, Xin," said Wen Ping.

"So, it is done then? Bai Lang is no more?" Zuo Shilong asked.

"He's dead. The necromancer killed him." Sun Xin kept his gaze low and he sat on the ground with arms and legs crossed. He stared blankly into the dirt as the team gasped and murmured to each other. Not but one moment had passed until Zuo Shilong asked another question.

"Whoreson got what he deserved!" Buff Baby commented.

"Don't be quick to judge. He came to my aid when the necromancer challenged me one on one."

The team gasped.

"So, you saw him then? The Puppeteer? Did you kill him?"

"It fled when Bai Lang set fire to its robes. But I do not think we have seen the last of it. Bai Lang came to his senses and died fighting to come to my aid."

"So he was not a bad man after all," Zuo Shilong said. "We have judged him prematurely."

"Well, I say he paid the price for his treachery against us," said Buff Baby.

"What was this necromancer like? How dangerous is this Puppeteer?" Wen Xiao asked.

"It's hard to describe. Its appearance is even more outlandish than the Jiangshi themselves. He... or it was covered in robes, wrapped head to toe in long sheets of cloth. Fights in a way I've never seen or faced before. In any case, I'm sure that isn't the last time it will surface."

"I'll be looking to see how it eats a bullet or three," Big Bang commented out of the blue.

"You'll get your chance. You all might. In any case, we have to keep moving. The mission isn't over."

"So... where do we go from here, chief?" asked Wen Xiao.

"I hope it's as far away from this place as possible. We have to warn the capital about this Jiangshi threat. What we discovered here changes the course of history forever. It changes everything! Who knows when until we're all like those leaping corpses!" her brother Wen Ping said. "The empire needs to respond to this."

"No, we must continue with the mission together. If you go back to Beijing now, you may never make it. The game has changed now. We don't know enough about the Jiangshi or the necromancer to be heading back so soon. Our next destination is the Shan Gui stronghold. Bai Lang said that the Underworld is coordinating under their banner," said Xin.

"Whoa, whoa... One does not simply go to the Shan Gui, mate. One avoids them at all costs," said Buff Baby. "Dealing with the Shan Gui is asking for death."

"I know the one who now leads their clans."

"How do you know him?" asked Zuo Shilong.

"I know her," corrected Xin.

"A woman is leading the deadliest and most shadowy underground organization in the Middle Kingdom?? And here I thought I've heard a few things." Buff Baby raised an eyebrow.

"I ran with them once... some years ago. She and I were not on the best terms when I left. It's a long story. I barely got out of there alive."

"Wait, wait. I keep hearing this Shan Gui. What is that? Why are they such a threat??" Jirgal asked.

Zuo Shilong and Big Bang were also quite curious about the secretive order and were visibly ready to listen to an explanation.

Sun Xin turned to Jirgal to answer his question. "Ghosts of the Mountain-they are believed to be responsible for many mysterious high-profile assassinations in recent years, some of which include high-ranking officials across the empire. They are a sophisticated and highly-skilled underground group that has long-sought the formation of a 'new world'. They are involved in black market trade and are not above the use of kidnapping, extortion, and arson to reach their goals. They're practitioners of the arcane arts and the dishonorable skills of war. Local governments have wrestled with them for a long time and have struggled to equalize their activity and influence."

Wen Ping was leaning against the tree with his arms crossed, hood covering the upper half of his face. He continued to add to Sun Xin's response.

"Exposition time, Jirgal. The rest of you listen up. Want to know something you won't find in textbooks and official records? The Ming Dynasty wasn't just simply the result of a successful revolt. It is an era founded by an underground organization called the White Lotus Society, and it was powerful and influential enough to rival even the emperor and the entire imperial bureaucracy. The White Lotus was a rebel empire, a parallel state hiding within the state, and was run by a few extremely wealthy men who had kept the true magnitude of their wealth a secret. They're the reason we were successful in overthrowing the Menggu Yuan Dynasty. A sect under their command was the Red Turbans. They're the ones who sparked and fueled a massive rebellion against the Yuan government. As you can recall, a peasant monk led the rebellion, and when he had succeeded in ousting the Menggu... surprise, surprise, the White Lotus enthroned him as the first Ming emperor and thus called himself Hongwu. He and his successor, the Jianwen Emperor, including their many officials, served as White Lotus puppets. It wasn't until the oh-so-great warrior prince Zhu Di, Hongwu Emperor's fourth son, usurped the Ming throne that the influence of the White Lotus sect came to an end. Being crown prince of Yan, his rise to the throne was swift and shrewd, but in order to legitimize his reign he ordered a great purge that caused the deaths of tens of thousands, comprising mostly of mandarins loyal to the Jianwen Emperor. Not even their families were exempt from the purge."

Wen Xiao continued her brother's history lesson. "The truth goes well beyond the histories, Jirgal. Here is the kicker- Emperor Zhu Di's Great Purge wasn't just a nationwide manhunt for loyalists. It was an offensive campaign against the White Lotus Society. The bad news is that some of the key members survived and went into hiding. Some assumed leadership of other underground organizations. One of those organizations is the Shan Gui, which was also instrumental in the formation of the Ming Dynasty. They were secretly employed by the White Lotus Society to do their dirty work and were mostly the ones responsible for assassinating and eliminating many key Yuan Dynasty officials."

"I already knew all o' that. Showoffs," Buff Baby snorted.

"Good heavens, I shouldn't have asked. My head is going to explode," said Jirgal as he massaged his temples.

"How do you know such things?" Zuo Shilong asked.

"We're senior Academicians, monk, Secondary Martial Scholars. We're supposed to know," answered Wen Ping with a casual wink.

"And you said you've worked with them before? I bet that was rather engaging," Buff Baby said to Sun Xin.

"It was only a temporary alliance with their previous leader, Bao. I was never one of them. Like I said, it's a long story."

"You've got some serious stones to play with that kind of fire, mate," said Buff Baby.

Xin simply shrugged. "In any case, I am not surprised that the Shan Gui is fully on-board with the Terukk agenda. Their numbers have bloomed in recent years, and the Pale Foreigners are providing ideal conditions that the White Lotus Society and all the other orders have long awaited. If we are unsuccessful in our mission, the Ming Dynasty is doomed." The team fell silent and looked to each other. "If you do not want to follow me, I understand," said Xin. "You have my permission to depart and I will not think less of you. If not, then pack up. We must leave immediately and complete the mission to warn the capital of the Foreigners' arrival."

"What about their arrival?" Wen Ping asked.

Sun Xin paused for a moment before answering. "They're coming after autumn has taken its course. That isn't a lot of time. The necromancer is still at large and we will have to deal with him too." The rest of the team looked to each other without saying another word. Not wanting to encounter the necromancer or his puppets again, they moved, picked up their belongings, and stood ready to proceed with the operation.

"Very well then... let's depart, shall we?" said Xin.