rogue_5

The young man Liu hoists his backpack as he steps into one of Baizao's courtyards. It seems like everyone there had been waiting for him a long time. The moment they see him, they start yelling, quickly dragging him to the master's study. Apparently they take a hard stance against latecomers, even if by only a second.

Through the courtyard and main hall into the study, he finds several people standing. They had been waiting for him. After a few simple pleasantries, Liu opens up his backpack, unwraps a few bundles, and places some scrolls and books atop the desk.

'I bought these in Minos. From what the shopkeeper told me, they were meant to be sold to a Bolívarian warlord who really liked studying Yanese calligraphy, but sometime after they left Lungmen, they noticed huge portions missing, from both the scrolls and the books.

'At first, they were scared the warlord was going to make things difficult for them, but he was ousted by other warlords before too long. Good thing they got a down payment. The traders were out of luck though, so they just threw them into a warehouse. They were clearing out stock when I got there, so they sold them to me for cheap. Good thing too, otherwise I'd have had to come back empty-handed.'

Liu speaks lightly of his trip, but the landlord, Mr. Huang takes the chance to come forward, feeling the scars upon Liu's head.

'You must have endured many hardships this trip, Liu.'

'It's fine, Uncle Huang. Just ran into a pack of a beasts while crossing the wilderness with a Messenger friend, no big deal.'

'You almost lost an eye and you say it's 'no big deal'?! You're going the hospital for a full check-up as soon as we're done here!'

'Yes, yes, Uncle Huang. But let's look through this stuff first.'

With Mr. Huang calmed, Liu turns to an elderly man dressed in the garb of the Tianshis, who is already examining the texts.

'Have you discovered anything, Master Li?'

'I only scanned over them briefly, young Liu. Sit down, catch your breath, and have some tea. After traveling across more than half of Terra, you must be much more tired than us old fogeys.'

'More than half of Terra?!' Mr. Huang has never left Yan. After hearing that this old friend of his had asked the young man who he had cared for like a son for over a decade to take on so much suffering, the old man feels a pang of heartache.

'That's right, Liu, you've been through so much.' The official, Mr. Wang also chimes in, passing a platter of fruit to the young man.

'I could never have made the trip without all of your support, my uncles. Besides, it wasn't just me enduring the journey. Little Li and Brother Wang have also been wandering outside Yan, haven't they? Besides, didn't you yourselves travel Yan seeking books when you were younger, hoping to find anything remaining? Isn't that why we're all here in this seeker's study today?'

'Oh, you have such a way with words. No wonder nobody wanted you to go.' Tianshi Li puts down his magnifying class, beckoning the others over. 'Let us examine young Liu's harvest. These are undoubtedly from the Academy. The writing related to objective facts is intact, but not a single character remains of the educator's opinions. Much like most of the books in this study.'

'Doesn't that mean this entire trip was a waste?' Mr. Huang mutters under his breath.

'Not necessarily. Over these past few decades, have we not managed to deduce a good amount of valuable information from prefaces and afterwords surrounding the missing fragments? So long as a book is not completely blank, it has value.'

'Value, certainly. The coin we've spent all these years is enough to buy a small nomadic city... Never mind, I'm just grumbling. Continue.'

'As for the calligraphic painting scrolls... Most retain the paintings but not the words, with nary a trace of the latter. But this one...'

Tianshi Li pulls a scroll out from the pile.

'It is said that, at the time, there was a reclusive painter who often argued with the one at the Academy over the origin and development of written characters, so people were sure there would be no collaborative works between them, but... everything has an exception.'

'Do you mean the painting <i>Cherished Pen</i> in the master of Garden of Grotesqueries' collection?' Mr. Wang's hand, reaching for a cup of tea, freezes in midair.

'Indeed. That painting of utmost rarity has only a single character for its title and dedication: a cryptic mystery that is still unsolved, often drawing people into an elegant reverie. You've seen it for yourself, Wang. But look here. This painting's title and dedication, does it not appear similar to <i>Cherished Pen</i>?'

'My word... it does! This sense of fluttering half-truths is the same as in that painting. You are certain they are by the same artist, Tianshi Li?'

'Of course I'm not. We must ask a specialist to examine it, just in case.'

'I'll make the arrangements at once.' Mr. Wang's wizened face sports a rare smile. He solemnly packs up the scroll, says his goodbyes, and leaves the study.

'It has taken us generation after generation, but we finally have something to show for it. May the ancestors bless us, for we must show good results this time.' Huang clasps his hands together and prays to the air, then turns to Liu, patting the back of the young man's hand. 'I'm sure Old Liu up in Heaven will bless you too.'

As he looks at Liu, another thought pops unbidden into Mr. Huang's mind, and he turns his head away. 'When the tomes and scrolls of the Academy went blank overnight, countless people saw half their lives' worth of knowledge vanish without a trace. Of those who wished to find the truth of the matter, after so many partings and scatterings, there are only ten or so of us left... and most of us weren't even involved... Those of us left now are... *sigh*...'

'Now's not the time to get sentimental, Uncle Huang. People have dedicated their lives to looking into this mystery. The land is full of doubts. Being able to solve even one is an amazing stroke of luck. It's normal to pass some regrets on to the next generation. I wanted to know the truth myself, which is why I didn't listen when you told me not to come here.'

'Then... Then what will you do next?' Mr. Huang tries to blink away the tears in his eyes.

'Let's wait for the good news from Uncle Wang first. As for what I want to do now...' Liu rolls his eyes. 'A master of any field must first learn to live. Let's get dinner first. What kind of rare delicacies are you getting me today, Uncle Huang?'

'Eat, eat, eat, you certainly are a master of eating.' Mr. Huang gives the desk a smack, yet cannot stop a smile from breaking out across his face. 'We'll have some home cooking today. Come, I'm taking you to Savors at Yu's! How about you, Tianshi Li?'

'If you don't mind the intrusion.'

'Then let's go!'