Daomu Biji: The Southern Archives

Zhang Haiyan had seen many particularly intense scenes.

Anyone who had combat training knew that if you had learned the basics, you would look at ordinary people differently.

Even if your opponents were much taller than you, the difference in behaviors would make them seem like three-year-olds in front of people who knew how to fight. This sense of difference would bring you considerable confidence.

For the first time in a long time, Zhang Haiyan’s confidence disappeared in the face of these people. Although they seemed relaxed, their gestures didn’t reveal any flaws like ordinary people’s would.

Zhang Haiyan knew he wouldn’t stand a chance if he got within three feet of someone like this and they raised their hand. And the room was now full of these kinds of people, which was why he didn't attack.

As soon as he hesitated, Zhang Haijiao, who had followed behind him, was pulled away by a young man who took her out and closed the door behind them.

Zhang Ruipu sat down by Zhang Haixia’s bed and motioned to his men to give Zhang Haiyan a rattan chair. He then looked at the simple room. “Killers in poverty, huh?”

“Mr. Zhang, if you want to kill or fight, just do it. Why bother mocking us?” Zhang Haixia said.

“I just think that your spirits are commendable. You’re already living in poverty, but still choose to be killers.” Zhang Ruipu paused briefly, and the young man next to him took out a large paper bag and placed it next to Zhang Haixia’s pillow. “To make a long story short. I already checked your backgrounds when you tried to kill me the first time. But with your abilities, I didn’t think the two of you would be able to kill me in this lifetime, so I didn’t bother killing you. If I did, the Southern Archives might actually send some reliable ones to kill me, and then I wouldn’t find any peace in Penang. In the end, you’ve lived up to my expectations. You’re even more incompetent than I predicted.”

“Actually, our main job in the Southern Archives is investigating cases. The killings are just incidental.” Zhang Haiyan explained. “We’re not professional in that regard.”

“What do you know about this plague?” Zhang Ruipu sat on the bed cross-legged. “Don’t waste my time, Zhang Haiyan. When you came to Penang, you acted like it was nothing to walk among the dead. As far as I know, only people who have had wudou disease and survived it were able to do such a thing. And wudou disease had disappeared for hundreds of years. How did you get infected with it?” With that said, his subordinates turned Zhang Haixia over and revealed his back.

His back had a huge wound that looked like a butterfly. It was a pattern that had been formed by countless burns and blast marks. Zhang Ruipu accurately touched his spine in the middle of his scapula. The vertebrae below had almost been completely shattered by the explosion.

“I know the Southern Archives doesn’t allow you to reveal any information, but your friend became disabled because of you. You’ve been taking care of him until now, but if there’s an accident—say for example, if I help you kill him—will your life be easier?” Zhang Ruipu looked at Zhang Haiyan’s expression as he spoke.

Zhang Haiyan slowly fiddled with the blades on his tongue, trying not to reveal any expression. Or so he thought.

Zhang Ruipu looked at him for a moment and then laughed. “How touching!” He said to Zhang Haixia. “Your friend does care about you. Then I can force a confession out of him.” With that said, he touched Haixia’s spine. “Make it short. You’ll answer my questions, or I’ll start to crush his spine all the way up. If you answer even a minute late, I’ll crush an extra piece. Right now he can feel his hands, but seven minutes later… he won’t be able to move except for his head—“

“There’s no need. I’ll tell you. It was a cold, dark night—” Zhang Haiyan lit a cigarette, and quickly revealed everything that had happened on Flower Reef before Zhang Ruipu could even react.

Zhang Ruipu was a little surprised, and started frowning after listening to the story. “You didn’t put up a struggle.”

“Well, killers in poverty have very flexible principles.”

“So, the plague in Penang really is man-made?”

“You’re the only one worth attacking in Penang. It’s not worth it to attack anyone else there. You might as well think about it. Have you offended anyone?”

“What you know is only one aspect of it. After the wudou disease outbreak in those three villages you investigated, there was an outbreak in fifteen villages throughout Malacca one right after another. I was already being careful at that time, and had arranged people in each village. Those who were infected have been taken care of. The villages have also been disinfected several times, so there’s no outbreak in those areas.”

Zhang Haiyan sat up straight and looked at Zhang Haixia, who was lying on his stomach. “You mean to say this attack was aimed at the whole of Malacca, but Penang was chosen first by accident?” Zhang Haixia asked.

“The outbreak occurred in Penang first because it was the closest to the port, but fortunately, I’m in Penang. I have people stationed in the villages and junctions around it. That’s why you’re all fine in Perak. But I find something odd. You say that the people who spread the disease are warlords from Guixi, but what’s their purpose?”

“We don't know.” Zhang Haiyan said. “If you already know so much about it, then you should also know about the Nan’an ship. We haven’t had the opportunity to investigate it. Mr. Zhang Ruipu might as well concentrate on fighting the plague. Give us a few days. We’ll have someone send a telegram to you when we find out what’s going on.”

“This is precisely why I’m here.” Zhang Ruipu picked up the paper bag next to Zhang Haixia’s pillow and threw it to Zhang Haiyan. “My clansmen and I have vowed to never set foot in China again, but someone has to help me investigate this matter. Seeing how you’ve even had to set up a stall to make up for the money you haven’t made from killing people, I bet you’re not able to get onto Nan’an. Here’s the remuneration, as well as a ferry ticket. Go and investigate the case, and I’ll help take care of your friend. If you can’t find anything within half a year, your friend will become fertilizer for my rubber trees.”

Zhang Haiyan opened the paper bag, which contained a letter of invitation, a ferry ticket, and a stack of money.

Zhang Haixia looked at Zhang Haiyan, who put away the paper bag and glanced at him.

Zhang Haiyan said to Zhang Ruipu, “I know it's easy for you to kill us, so what you said should be true, but I have additional conditions.”

“Like what?”

“My friend needs to rinse his mouth with shark fin soup in the morning. During lunch, he’ll have eight dishes and a bowl of soup. In the evening, he can eat something that is a little under seasoned, so he’ll have five dishes and white porridge, but the porridge must contain cordyceps flowers and Jinhua ham slices. You need to massage his legs three times in the morning and at noon. He’s afraid to sleep alone at night, so it’s best to have three or five girls with him. Also, you have to tell me why the Southern Archives wants to kill you. Who are you exactly?”

Zhang Ruipu smiled, stood up, and walked to Zhang Haiyan.

“Were you brought up by a woman named Zhang Haiqi?”

Zhang Haiyan was stunned. Zhang Haiqi was his godmother’s name. How did this old scoundrel know?

Zhang Ruipu said, “I’ll take care of your friend better than you can imagine. If you want to know who I am, you can ask Zhang Haiqi.”

He then looked at the serious young man beside him, who clapped his hands.

The door opened, and someone came in carrying a military uniform. It seemed that Zhang Haiyan needed to leave now.

“The ship won’t arrive until next week.”

“The ship’s reached land ahead of time. It’s in Malacca now. There’s a plague in Penang, so the ship won’t stop there this time. That means you only have a day to catch up with it.”  Zhang Ruipu said. “Go, Zhang Hailou. My people will take you to the dock.”

Zhang Haiyan didn’t want to leave at all, and couldn’t help but worry about Zhang Haixia. Zhang Haixia’s eyes were also full of very complicated emotions, but he didn’t speak.

“I’ll come back.” Zhang Haiyan put on his military uniform and cap, and turned to leave, escorted by two young men.