Survive By Stealing

Not being able to process everything I just heard, I didn't know how long I was staring into nowhere. I just knew that when the rays of the sun shone on my face, and when a walking man approached me, I didn't slept.

I cleared my throat and stood up while the empty book was still at my hold. My eyes then met the guy who my grandmother­- no, the deity, named as Jun Li.

"Good morning Wang! Are you fine already?" he asked me, lips stretched into a wide smile.

Remembering the deity's words, I just smiled at him for I didn't know what else to say.

"You are currently on the Zhou Dynasty, my dear and the real Li Wang entrusted you to save Wang Kai and let him live. The moment you do, you'll be back on your feet as Li Huang Jia, daughter of Zhong and Wang Fei," she said.

"But grandmother, I don't understand! Why should it be me and not someone from Li Wang's bloodline?" I asked.

She laughed and said, "Well it's because fate chose you and no one knew about it but you, me, and the moon,"

Jun Li's eyes then went down on the book I am holding. He tilted his head, as if curious about it.

"I see you found yourself a good company too, eh?" he mocked a smile and placed both of his hands on his waist as he looked above. "The ruthless warrior Li Wang turned into a lover of books! I didn't know a time will come!" he said.

"What about Jun Li, grandmother? What is he to Li Wang? Does he know anything about this?"

"Jun Li was killed by the order of the Empress, my dear, including your other men and in fact, you were the only one who was spared," she answered. "But to answer your question, he is your closest friend and at this day and time, he's training you martial and sword arts,"

He snatched the book from my hold and scanned it with wrinkled nose, as if engrossed that his 'friend' is away from violent weapons but then his expression enlightened when he realized that it was empty.

"But what about the book, grandmother? I could not understand why it is now inkless!" I whined.

"I wrote that book years later after Li Wang died, my dear one. It's for you to rewrite it now," she laughed as she explained.

"Oh, I guess you're not going to read, eh, Wang?" Jun Li returned me the book as I remained speechless. "Now put that down for we have training to do."

With that being said, he didn't gave me time to do what he asked me and immediately pulled me by the wrist as he walked north, near the hill.

Although confused by what he said, I didn't dared to speak for I might say something that grandmother forbids me to spill.

"In this lifetime, little one, everybody knows you as the great Li Wang. The moment you said any truth about your real self, everything might be ruined for your mission and if that happens, you know you won't be able to come back as Li Huang Jia," she warned me.

"I will be trapped as Li Wang forever?" I whispered, mimicking her words if I failed to keep this Wang Kai alive.

"In a worst case scenario, you might also die," she added. I sobbed as I remembered the nightmare I had. The familiar flower fragrant and the smell of blood and dead bodies resurfaced my mind.

"Isn't that a possible case too, if I succeeded on saving the nobleman?"

"Wang Kai's supposed death is on the night of sixteenth November at 10:47. You should live, my dear, until that day because for you, this is also a matter of life and death," she spoke.

I didn't complain even though I am almost tripping, trying hard to keep up with Jun Li's fast pace as we climb on top of the hill.

"Remembering your horrible aiming yesterday, I figured out I should focus on training you too with that," he said as he handed me a dagger.

Without asking him, I immediately know what he was talking about. I was never a sport type person so I couldn't deny his harsh statement.

I watched him as he carved an X mark on the tree with his own knife and as soon as he was done, he showed it to me.

I arched my brows, as if asking what he means.

Upon seeing that, he chuckled. "I assume you haven't eaten breakfast, light head," he then walked towards me and positioned behind me.

He then held my hand with the dagger and placed it in front, aiming for the 'x'. "Imagine a specific point, Li Wang, and if you aimed perfectly, you'll succeed," he said.

His hot breath tickled my ear and it sent shivers down my spine but never shown any affection, nevertheless. He then let go of my hand and let me do it by myself.

Absentmindedly, I followed his words and attempted a strike but just like the first time, I failed. I watched the dagger flew pass the tree and disappeared beneath the hill.

Jun Li chuckled and ran down the hill to get the knife for me. "Imagine a specific point," I whispered.

Thinking about myself, who sucks at these kinds of thing, I feel like it will take a lot of time before I get a hang of whatever Li Wang's training for.

And the fact that this mission slash punishment tasked for me includes blood and death, which are the things I fear the most is a big challenge for me to overcome.

Because if I don't do this, I'll either be doomed here forever or I'll die in the hands of the Zhou people.

I don't exactly know how long this will take me but it's only May and my mission supposed to end in November 16th.

"Six months, huh? I think I can do this," I mumbled.

Panting, Jun Li returned with the knife. He handed it to me as he spoke. "Think of a representation, Li Wang. Hmmm… How should I explain this," he trailed.

"Like two things that supposed to collide each other?" I said out of the blue.

He snapped his fingers as he smiled at me. His energy reminds me of my cousin Ling. "Exactly, Li Wang! Imagine two things colliding with each other, focus, and you'll aim successfully,"

"Okay, like a meteor hitting the earth," I nodded as I tried to concentrate on learning ancient darts.

"That's a harsh representation but whatever you like, Li Wang," Jun Li laughed as he watched me.

Throwing the dagger towards the target, I watched it travel towards it. But of course, as expected, I failed again but Jun Li clapped his hands which made me confused.

"That's better compared to the flying knife a while ago," he laughed at his joke but I gave him a frown, feeling insulted by his words but Li Wang seems to have a similar personality to me so he wasn't fazed or something.

He let me try again and it went on and on until afternoon came.

"Hey, you two! Might want to grab a drink here!" I turned to where the unfamiliar voice came from and saw that it was from the wooden cabin.

Maybe I was too preoccupied with what Jun Li and I was doing that even the footsteps of horses and voices of men was like wind to me.

"Jin!" Jun Li exclaimed as he climbed down the hill.

Not wanting to be left alone, I trailed him. I didn't know how they knew this place or where they came from because the house was isolated and I couldn't see any more infrastructures nearby.

I still have so many questions I wanted to voice out but grandmother faded like a popped bubble ever since after our talk.

As we approached the men, the one named 'Jin', who looks just as old as Ling, handed us a container made of clay or something.

"Where did you get this drink?" Jun Li asked joyfully after taking a sip on his bottle with a carved character of his name.

Upon seeing that, I scanned the bottle I am holding to see if there was any sign of possession but I only saw a crescent moon.

Jin laughed. "A reward from Mr. Ching," he answered.

Jun Li flashed a shocked look. "Mr. Ching? The wealthy drug dealer?" he asked.

Oblivious of what they were talking about, I just remained staring at them as I listen.

Jun Li then whined as soon as Jin nodded at his question. "I should have been there with Li Wang too!" they both looked at me.

"Well what's important is she's healthy," Jin said. "What really happened yesterday, anyway?"

"She wasn't feeling well. A panic attack perhaps," Jun Li answered for me.

Jin nodded as he patted my shoulder. "Seeing your condition now, maybe you and Jun Li could come with us tomorrow now,"

I tilted my head, wondering what he was talking about but as if reading my expression, Jun Li voiced out my query.

"What's for tomorrow, Jin?"

"Well we heard from the guards on Mr. Ching's mansion that piles of gold are located beneath a civilian's house," he explained.

"Pots of gold?! But how could we manage to steal if it's hidden under a house?" Jun Li said excitedly.

I wasn't born a slow person or a girl who lacks common sense to not get what they mean but…

"Why would we steal it?" I asked, growing more curious about who really Li Wang is.

"Why? We're thieves, Li Wang, you know that!" Jun Li laughed, as if ridiculed by my statements.

That answered my question. I have committed rebellious acts and broke rules of our household but I never tried breaking the law and be a criminal.

"Six months of surviving by stealing? Can I really do this, though?" I whisphered.