haak

(I got it!)

(Wait, no, if I do that... my identity's gonna get blown.)

Hey, what are you doing over there, all quiet?

I'm... thinking hard about how to get the meds your brother needs since you won't let me place a call.

Your brother's lying there and he's not getting better without drugs. You're not just gonna wait around and let him die, are you?

(Ugh... I can't think too far down the road. I need to make it out of this alive first.)

How about this? One of you can go to buy the medicine while the other one stays here. Don't worry, with a twiggy body like mine, what's the worst I could do to your dai lo?

Hmm... What do you say, Yu?

Ah Jun, go get the meds. I'll keep an eye on this kid.

What if he pulls something?

What are you worrying for? You think this kid's gonna be able to pull any funny business with me around?

Diu... This pharmacy's out in the middle of nowhere. You're really not making this easy for me, aren't you?

Excuse me, anybody home?

Coming, coming. Give me a second, I'll be right out.

I have a prescription here. do you have all the meds on THIS sheet?

I do, but...

But what? If you have 'em, just bring 'em out. My brother needs 'em badly.

Your brother... is going to use them? If you don't mind me asking, friend, what kind of work does your brother do?

Look, if you know what's good for you, you'll stop prying into our business. His work isn't something for people like you to ask about.

Right, right... The stuff you wanted is, ah yes... I'll have the clerk bring everything out shortly.

Hurry it up!

Miss An, please. Pull the medicines here as they appear on the sheet. Don't get anything mixed up.

(Also, I need to make a phone call to that gentleman... The man's not dead. He's back.)

Hey, could you stop pacing back and forth? It's making me dizzy.

Hmph. If he doesn't come back, you're gonna have hell to pay.

Don't worry. I sent him to a well-hidden pharmacy. Nobody's gonna know.

Looking at the time, he should be back any minute now...

See, there he is.

Ah Jun, did you get the stuff?

Yeah. How's the dai lo?

Not dead yet. Just waiting for you to bring the meds.

Here's the stuff you wanted.

Excellent. Everything here's good stuff.

Yu, we need to grab the dai lo and get out of here ASAP. While you were on the way back, I heard L.G.D. sirens in the distance. Looks like they've already started searching this neighborhood.

Wait a little. Let's leave after we grab the meds.

Hey, what the hell are you doing, you little shit? What are you making a ruckus for?

Have your bro take this wound-dressing medicine three times a day. Then, there's this dose of tonic. Have him take it every day before going to bed. The wound should be fully healed in a couple weeks.

Also, this is the savings I've accumulated over the past six months. Take it.

What are you doing, man...?

Spending money to buy some peace of mind. You don't want to talk about where you came from, so you must not want anyone asking about where you're going either. I can only do the sensible thing and send you off respectfully.

All I ask is that you spare my life, and if fate happens to bring us together again in the future, you can come to me if you ever get a headache.

(*sticks his hand in hand in his pocket again and brandishes something*)

(Is he still not satisfied? I've already coughed up everything I can.)

How about this, then? I'll lure away the L.G.D. so the three of you can get away safely.

Your dai lo can put on my clothes, and I'll put on his bloody outfit. The two of you swap too.

I'll head out the front to attract the L.G.D.'s attention, then you guys can slip out through the back. How about it?

(Why's this little shit being so cooperative all of a sudden? He was so difficult earlier.)

(Who wouldn't wise up after getting a taste of your fists?)

(Good point. Now that the kid knows his place, we know where to come whenever we're short on money.)

(Heh...)

Ahaha, I never thought you'd to be such a loyal little buddy! We appreciate the favor!

Ah Jun, Yu, make sure to express your gratitude to the gentleman here.

Hah. Didn't think the kid was actually telling the truth, but he really went to lure the L.G.D. away from us.

Uhh... Where are we?

Once we get out of this alley, we'll be on the Rat King's turf. The L.G.D. isn't gonna set foot there, so we can lay low for a while.

Did you hide all the money?

Yup. Buried it all under the pine tree in the yard. When things calm down later, we can go dig it out. It's enough to... Well, dunno how much exactly, but we'll never have to worry about money again for the rest of our lives.

When it's time to dig up our loot, if your injury's healed by then, we'll head out to the gambling den and play to our hearts' content.

Wait, hold on...

Who the hell are you people?

Grab them. Don't let them get away.

Hey, you. Get your hand out of your pocket.

What do you want?

What's in your pocket? Show me!

Nothing.

What are you fidgeting with then?

Talk, now!

Th-There's a loose thread in my pocket, and I was just trying to pluck it out...

You gentlemen look like Triads... I'm not sure what we did to provoke you.

Are you the one who sent him to buy meds from Shum's?

Yes, I got hurt and urgently needed medicine, so I sent my younger brother.

Well, would you look at that. So you're the poison-dealing rogue doctor. You've been hiding for over half a year, but we've finally found you.

Get your hands off him!

Aaaargh!

Making this hard on yourself, huh...? Beat the shit out of him.

Stop, stop! Look, Yu's the one who protects the dai lo, and he got hurt, so he's kind of out of it.

We don't know anything about this rogue doctor, but I'm sure this is all some sort of misunderstanding.

Hmph. Save it for our dai lo and see if he cares to hear you out. Take them away.

Urgh...

Dai lo, dai lo! Are you alright?!

Urgh, where are you dragging us off to?

Grab that guy and take him too.

Let go of me! I can walk by myself!

Haha, looks like it was one big misunderstanding.

Kid, you showed up in the middle of the street in those bloody rags. How could our officers not be suspicious?

Understandable, understandable.

Alright, this is as far as we can take you. Hurry on home now.

Uhh, I'm afraid I can't go back at the moment.

Haha, don't you worry. We've already taken the robbers into custody.

Already? Didn't I just tip you off?

We tracked them from an underground pawn shop not long after the robbery and located them not long after.

A pawn shop? If they went to a pawn shop, the guys who showed up at my place yesterday were...

Probably just some petty thieves. Someone filed a police report that someone broke into their home, and I guess there were bloodstains on the railings.

Oh, I thought...

(They didn't lie to me after all. That guy really did get hurt hopping a fence.)

Thought what?

Nothing.

Too bad...

What do you mean by that, young man?

Officer... There's something I was trying to do, but it didn't work out in the end.