Revenge

Han Jin put the army calling charms on the table and looked up. "What happened to you?" he asked with a smile.

 "Nothing." Sunier strode to the front of the table. Her movements were rushed and her eyes glanced at the puppets as if she was trying to hide something. Maybe she was just interested in the army calling charms made by Han Jin. There were a total of four puppets on the table and all of them looked the same. She pointed at one and said, "I can feel some strange energy inside it."

 "Well, this one has been finished but the others still require one last step." Han Jin nodded.

 "Can you demonstrate it for us?" Sunier asked.

 "It would be a waste." Han Jin shook his head. In fact, to make a paper charm required only around two hundred yuan's energy, but a wooden puppet cost him over six hundred yuan's energy. That was why he had only finished one.

 "Show it or our waiting would be in vain," Moxinke begged.

 "Maybe sometime later. I'm not very skilled at it right now and can only make one puppet with two days of time." Han Jin smiled and changed the topic. "By the way, what happened with your visit to the Morgan Commercial Corp? Did you find the members?"

 "No, we were told that they'd left the town during the night," Sunier answered in a low voice while Miss Keeley's face showed a dejected expression.

 Han Jin fell into silence for a moment, then he said slowly, "Don't worry, Miss Keeley, we will help you!"

 Miss Keeley looked at Han Jin and forced a smile. Though his promise was somewhat inane, she till felt content; at least she was not alone in this world.

 Han Jin pointed at the iron bucket and Steelberg brought it over to him. He picked up a piece of cassava and chewed on it slowly.

 "It's cold, isn't it? Do you want me to heat it up for you?" Michelle asked.

 "It's all right." Han Jin smiled.

 Just then, the door was pushed open. Cessacioun came in with his face ghastly pale and his eyes filled with anger. His lips were also trembling. It looked like he was pissed off at something. 

 They were all astonished. Besides Han Jin, who was gentle and smiled all the time, the second most warm-tempered one among them was Cessacioun. He was always polite and never got angry no matter how much Moxinke provoked him.

 "What's wrong?" Han Jin asked curiously.

 Cessacioun glanced at them and gritted his teeth. "I'm sorry."

 "What on earth happened?"

 "The magic crystals... were confiscated." Cessacioun lowered his head to avoid looking into their eyes.

 "Confiscated? Who dares to confiscate our stuff?" Moxinke jumped up due to fury.

 "It was the security team."

 "You're... afraid of the trash from the security team?" Moxinke nearly roared.

 "Calm down, Moxinke!" Han Jin stopped him. Though Moxinke said this unintentionally, his words would make Cessacioun feel worse and even affect the unity of the group. Cessacioun's face that was becoming paler and paler was the proof of that.

 "What's going on, Cessacioun?" Sunier asked in a soft voice.

 "Not only the security team, but also some soldiers from the Garrison came as well," Cessacioun paused, "I... I really had no other choice."

 "The Garrison? Why would they confiscate our things?"

 "They made a deal," Cessacioun said angrily. "When I was in the Bazaar trying to sell the magic crystals, a merchant came and talked to me. He wanted to buy them all with only fifty golden coins, but how could I sell them at such a low price? I rejected and he threatened me, saying that if I refused, he would make me get nothing. I didn't talk to him anymore after that. But after he left, he came back with the security team along with some of the soldiers. They threatened me, demanding that I pay twenty golden coins as taxes. Where would I get the twenty golden coins? So they…"

 "Cessacioun, is the merchant you mentioned 50 years of age or so, lean, and has a long bushy beard?" Michelle interrupted him.

 "Yes, do you know him?" Cessacioun was dumbfounded.

 "He bargained over the price with you and talked mess of everything, didn't he?"

 "Yes..."

 "You got screwed." Michelle sighed. "His name is George, an absolute bastard. He is always up to such things even before this incident. Do you know why he chatted with you? He did it on purpose. He wanted to check your background and when he was sure that you had no support in this town, he would threaten you. If you refused what he wanted, he would bring the security team. There was a businessman deceived by him last year, and George even got him sent to jail. I heard... that the businessman even committed suicide in prison."

 Cessacioun was stunned. He was just a magician and bardlet. As the old saying goes: 'The difference in professions makes one feel worlds apart.' He had never done business before, so he didn't know the tricks behind it. The only thing he knew was that they were in need of money, so he desperately wanted to make a deal. 

 Moreover, the merchant was initially kind to him. Who knew that such a kind man turned out to be a bastard.

 "Michelle, since you know him, could you please help us get our crystals back?" Sunier asked.

 "It's no use. George's son-in-law, Laphar, is the mayor of this town. I am just a nobody in his eyes," Michelle forced a bitter smile, "and George will have to share his loot with the security team and the soldiers of the Garrison. Do you think that he will spit out the meat that's already in his mouth and use his own money to pay them?"

 Moxinke picked up his sword and intended to go out, but was stopped by Sunier. She shouted at him immediately, "Moxinke, Stop!"

 "Why?!" Moxinke was enraged.

 "What are you going to do?"

 "It's none of your business!" He was really pissed off and didn't want to give in to anyone.

 "If you really want to die in this town, then go ahead," Han Jin said coldly.

 "You mean we'll just sit here and do nothing?" Moxinke replied in a loud voice. About half a month ago, he said that Han Jin was a brainy man with a good heart, so he wanted to be friends with him and he meant it. The only one now that could persuade him was Han Jin.

 "Can you get our things back if you go like this?"

 Moxinke fell into silence, but his expression was still very stubborn.

 "Since you can't get them back, what's the point of you even going? Tired of living?" Han Jin sneered. "If you are tired of being alive, tell us! I might not be able to do anything for you, but maybe Sunier can help you end yourself!"

 Hearing these sinister and vicious words, Moxinke blushed with anger.

 "Yes, Moxinke, we can't afford to provoke them," Michelle persuaded.

 "We can't rush when it comes to getting revenge," Han Jin slowed down his tone. "We must do it neatly. We shall not only put our enemies down, but also trample on them to make them bow down forever. If you are not sure that you can do this, you'd better do nothing instead of being reckless and getting yourself beaten black and blue."

 "Then what should we do now?" Moxinke asked back loudly.

 "Eat, sleep, and leave tomorrow's things for tomorrow."

 "But... but I can't bear this insult…"

 "Who else can?" Han Jin asked expressionlessly. "The most painful one should be Cessacioun, not you!"

 Moxinke looked at Cessacioun, who forced a bitter smile again. Han Jin was right, the others were just angry because they lost the magic crystals, but Cessacioun was the one who was really humiliated.

 Han Jin picked up a piece of cassava and gulf it down. Then, he grabbed a piece of wood and concentrated on his engraving as if nothing had happened.