Chapter 96: Sister

This black cloak was undoubtedly a "tough woman" just like Old Lover. That kick sent Tie Guai Liu, a seasoned martial artist, flying more than a dozen feet away. The force was on par with an unexploited Ghost Face Zhang, and in no way inferior to him. Truly, a woman who does not yield to men.

After Tie Guai Liu landed, he rolled several times across the floor before coming to a halt. Without hesitation, he executed a carp flip and rose from the ground. He staggered sideways several times before bracing himself with a hand on the earth. His eyes were bloodshot, the whites streaked with red and his pupils clouded.

Black Cloak watched and let out a cold laugh. "Cripple, stop holding back. If you push yourself any further, you'll only end up with internal injuries." She hummed once more. "Good. Saves me the trouble." With that, she shook out her black robe and draped it over the unconscious Ghost Face Zhang.

"You... you...!" Tie Guai Liu leaned on the two of them, his frame trembling with the weakness of an old, frail man. He managed to form the word "you" for a long time without finishing a sentence. After more than ten seconds he suddenly clutched his chest and spat a mouthful of blood with a muffled "ugh." He then sank to the ground. He did not faint like Ghost Face Zhang, yet the injury from that kick appeared serious.

I thought, oh no. Could this fellow be the vanguard of the opposing faction? But the vanguard's strength was terrifying. The most troubling point was that this black cloak seemed to know Ghost Face Zhang well, at least as an old acquaintance. If he were the vanguard, he could have finished Ghost Face Zhang on the spot. Yet instead of killing him, he let Ghost Face Zhang's injuries drive them all to the brink. That made him sound like a negotiable neutral force. But then again, a neutral faction had just appeared here, and the situation was growing far more complicated.

"Woo..." As the standoff continued, Ghost Face Zhang's resilience proved true. At that exact moment he awoke from his deep coma. He struggled to raise a hand toward Black Cloak and muttered something in a slurred, barely intelligible voice. Only then did she nod and lower him gently to the ground.

Black Cloak drew the dagger still sheathed at her boot and whispered, "Endure it." Swift as a whip, she pressed the blade against Ghost Face Zhang's gunshot wound. With a flash of steel she withdrew the dagger. Three bullets clattered onto the stone.

Ghost Face Zhang panted for a moment, his breathing gradually easing. He reached into his pocket, took out a small bottle of white powder, poured some into his palm, and pressed it without a word against the bleeding cavity of his wound.

We rested there for ten minutes in silence. During that time Ghost Face Zhang had managed to rise. He looked at the weakened Tie Guai Liu, then glanced sideways at Black Cloak beside him. "You did this?"

"Mm." Black Cloak spoke with a faint nasal twang. "I feared they would harm you, so I struck first. Now that you're safe, I can relax."

Ghost Face Zhang nodded. From his pocket he drew a white jade medicine bottle and tossed it to Tie Guai Liu. "Tie Guai Liu!"

Black Cloak watched Ghost Face Zhang recover, then nodded. She smiled, stood, turned, and without another word slipped into the abyss. "Goodbye. Goodbye." The voice carried a lingering affection, bittersweet and heart-piercing.

"Sister!" Ghost Face Zhang roared. His body tilted sideways and he nearly collapsed beside the iron pipe.

"That person can't be...!"

"Shut your mouth!" Wan Huatong's face filled with alarm. Before the words had left his lips, Ghost Face Zhang roared behind him, crushing the sentence back into silence.

"It can't be that...?" Dragon King Lord stepped up beside him, voice lowered in shock.

Wan Huatong nodded, glanced sideways at Ghost Face Zhang as if afraid his brother might see them whispering.

"Tie Guai Liu!" Ghost Face Zhang suddenly spoke. "Are you recovered? Ready to move?" He walked to the iron pipe, retrieved his upper garment, slipped it on, lit a cigarette, and placed it between his lips as though returning to normal.

"Third... third brother, are you all right?" Wan Huatong asked with an obsequious smile.

Ghost Face Zhang waved a hand in dismissal. He took a deep drag and said, "The sheet music has finished. Look, there's no change in the tomb passage."

Wan Huatong smiled. "Third brother, watch my hand." He pointed to the flat stone before the three pipes.

Ghost Face Zhang frowned, retrieved the long sword sheath, slid the blade home, and slung it across his back. He steadied himself, cigarette in mouth, and walked to the flat ground ahead of the pipes. The rest of us followed.

At some point a black stone turntable had appeared on the ground, its form vaguely resembling a modern spiral buckle.

"Third brother, try it." Wan Huatong stepped to the buckle, bent down, and placed both hands on it. He braced with all his strength, face flushed crimson. The buckle remained motionless.

After a long struggle Wan Huatong let go, rubbed his lower back, and sighed. "Third brother, you'll have to do it. I really can't."

"Useless!" Ghost Face Zhang cursed. He approached the buckle, drove his right fist into it, and heard a metallic "ka-cha." Three beams of fresh red light suddenly shot down from the cave ceiling.