Disclaimer: I do not own Hero: 108.
Characters such as Hu Sanniang and Lin Chong belong to Shi Nai'an, "Outlaws of the Marsh".
Chapter 9:
The group headed out silently. The thoughts were still running through their head. Lady Green and Lin Chung, who had already reached this conclusion a few days ago, were quiet as they thought about it.
This only proved it.
No matter how noble people had claimed both to be, they had had an affair.
And why not? Lady Green thought. Hu Sanniang was being abused by Wang Ying, her husband. Lin Chong had happened to fall into the equation, with his wife having hung herself.
Something still grated at her, though, and she joined Lin Chung at the back. "Lin Chung." He turned to her, eyes distracted. "This still doesn't solve any questions we had about how Lin Chong died."
Lin Chung nodded. "That was what I was thinking." He paused for a moment. "Should we head back to the caves? If we can go in deep enough, we might be able to find a body at least to prove that Lin Chong had died. It's impossible for anyone to escape the cave, especially since he was alone."
Lady Green nodded. "Do we tell them, though?"
"I don't know." Lin Chung told her honestly. "We worked out the affair between the both of them…but now?"
Lady Green frowned. "Maybe we should. If we happen to get stuck, we can get help."
Lin Chung shook his head at that moment. "No. We shouldn't have them worrying. We're more than capable of taking care of ourselves."
"What's this about?" Lady Green demanded.
Lin Chung looked worried as he told her. "I spoke with Lina not too long ago. She mentioned about some danger near the caves."
"We never saw any danger." Lady Green reminded him.
Lin Chung looked at her. "That's what worries me."
Lady Green finally nodded. "Very well." She turned to the group, who were still quiet. "Guys!" They turned, looking at her. "I just realised I left something at the caves. I need to go get it."
As usual, Lin Chung spoke up, playing his role. "I'll go with you."
"Wait." Kowloon frowned. "Shouldn't we stick together?"
Lin Chung shook his head. "Go back and tell the others what we have found out. We'll rejoin you not too soon afterwards."
They nodded, and turned to continue as Lin Chung and Lady Green turned into the forest.
After much walking, they eventually decided to stop. Lady Green turned. "I should go and refill my water bottle. What about yours?"
Lin Chung shook his head. "I'll be fine."
Lady Green nodded as she headed to where she heard a creek running. She moved to bend and get some water, but a reflection stopped her. She moved out of the way just in time as a large hand shoved downwards where her head had been not too long ago.
Her eyes widened as they fell on the giant.
He was three times her size, with pointed ears and slanted red eyes. His skin was grey, and he was dressed in nothing but a loincloth. His expression was the ugliest Lady Green had ever seen, and she suddenly felt a jolt of fear go through her.
If he had succeeded in pushing her into the river, he would have crushed her head against the rocks and killed her. She watched carefully, drawing her two blades.
The giant lunged towards her, but she leapt backwards, slicing his arm. He bellowed in pain, and Lady Green's eyes widened once more as he swept towards her. She leapt back once more, but wasn't fast enough as another hand swept her behind, sending her smashing into his chest.
"Lin Chung!" She normally wouldn't be this scared - she had faced waves almost 4 times her height to defeat Highroller's army, but something about the creature and his inhuman speed and silence scared her.
The giant didn't understand, and sent her crashing into the creek. She groaned as she stood up, wiping water from her face, and barely leapt back in time as the giant came crashing into her.
Her blades had been lost in the creek somewhere when she had crashed, and she growled in frustration, before backing away as the giant got hold of her. He grinned, teeth yellow and crooked.
Suddenly, a staff from behind slammed against the giant's shoulder, and he dropped her. The giant turned, growling as he swiped at Lin Chung.
Unlike her, Lin Chung didn't leap back, only leapt onto the arm, and flipped himself in the air, sending several devastating bamboo shoots into the giant's head. He bellowed and swiped at Lin Chung, who went stumbling into the creek.
Lady Green stood up, ready to defend him, before the giant turned and slammed his hand onto her skull, sending her flying into the tree and landing dazedly.
She rubbed her head, trying to focus.
Her vision was blurry, and she could barely make out Lin Chung blocking one of the giant's attacks, before his staff was violently ripped out of his hands and sent crashing next to her. Lin Chung looked around, quickly diving for a blade, rolling out of the way as the giant's hand flew in that direction.
Lady Green barely registered that the twin blades that Lin Chung was now using were hers, and she tried to focus, before her eyes widened as she heard a muffled yell, before Lin Chung's head was forced underwater.
The giant was watching, satisfied as Lin Chung struggled to get out.
And the struggles were getting weaker.
Lady Green grabbed Lin Chung's staff, and aimed the weapon at the giant, before throwing it like a spear. It caught the giant in the head, shooting right through it.
He collapsed next to Lin Chung as Lin Chung submerged onto the bank, coughing up water as he supported himself on his elbows, drenched to the bone.
Lady Green hurriedly rushed to him. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah." Lin Chung nodded, looking at the monstrosity as it lay, dead, in the creek. "I understand what Lina meant now. The giant lived around this area, I suppose. This is the path that Lina and the villagers use to get around. The giant must've gotten to them, but not the villagers from Huangchun, since they use a different route. That's why we didn't see him before."
"We should've brought the others."
"No use now." Lin Chung noted as he offered Lady Green her wet blades.
Lady Green accepted them, watching as Lin Chung walked over to the giant and stood on him, pulling his staff out. "I apologise for killing him with your weapon."
Lin Chung smiled faintly as he shook his head. "Thank you for saving me with my own weapon."
Lady Green returned the smile, before both straightened up and headed towards the direction of the caves. They remained silent, the only sound being Lin Chung's shoes, which were slowly drying as they walked.
They stopped suddenly as they looked. Horse-tracks were clear in the dirt. A camp had been disassembled recently - smoke was still curling up. Blood was splattered around, and Lady Green shot Lin Chung an alarmed look. Lin Chung was frowning, before turning back to Lady Green.
"We have to go on. They should be able to defend themselves."
"The blood?"
Lin Chung hesitated. "I suppose the giant had gotten to them before us."
By the time they reached the cave, Lin Chung was half-dry. The camp had been disassembled.
"I guess they returned."
The hole was still there, thank goodness, and both crept into it, landing neatly. Ignoring the bodies as they waited for their eyes to get accustomed to the dark.
They headed inwards, weapons already out should they encounter any beings.
Quietly, they moved, before they discovered a tunnel leading inwards. Seeing some darker stains, both looked at one another and nodded, moving as one as they went inside - Lady Green led while Lin Chung covered their rear.
After a few minutes of walking, Lady Green smelled something familiar. "The sea?" she asked. Lin Chung heard her, and looked at her curiously.
They moved onwards, before the tunnel became lighter. "This seems like the right direction." Lin Chung noted. Lady Green nodded, blades still out.
Just then, she tripped over something, and would've fallen flat on her face had Lin Chung not caught her. She looked up, seeing Lin Chung just a few inches from her face. They stayed silent, before both broke away at the same time.
Lin Chung looked down at what Lady Green had tripped over previously.
He picked it up. It was a cloak with a hood attached to it. He looked at it, frowning. It seemed so familiar, but from where?
Lady Green looked at it carefully. "Is it…Lin Chong's?"
"Yes." Lin Chung nodded, finally remembering. "The picture."
Suddenly, even inside the cave, they felt something rush past them. They turned instinctively in that direction, stumbling as the same rush returned. Then…a scream.
Both turned to each other, startled, and sprinted out in the other direction.
Still holding onto the cloak.
Lin Chong held his ground as he looked at the raiders. They may have the advantage in numbers, but he wasn't going to let that faze him.
He held his ground, spear held ready in his hand. His eyes glowed in the dark.
The raiders instantly attacked as one.
They were well-trained, that he could admit. They moved in synchronisation and speed, and had clearly trained alongside each other with a good instructor.
He had used to teach the Imperial Army troops to fight like this as well.
He dodged a spear, and struck another down quickly. He dodged another blade, but blocked the third spear, before plunging his spear into the last man. Two down, two to go.
The raiders seemed to realise that they weren't going to win, going from the depressed slump in their shoulders. But they still raised their head high and attacked. They had honour - that he could also admit.
He dodged one blow and stabbed at the other.
The last one did one final charge…right into Lin Chong's spear.
And he fell too.
Lin Chong turned to look at the avalanche of rocks. He sure as anything wasn't going to be able to get out of this. He had to get out by another way.
Entering the inside of the tunnel, he moved quickly and on sure footing, before he finally removed his cloak as the air became too humid for him. He had never been used to such humid weather - he had been raised in the Capital, where the dry north air bit into you viciously. Liangshan had been the same.
He ignored the cloak as he continued on, spurred on by the thought of the village, of his brothers at Liangshan…and Hu Sanniang.