Chapter 30 : Hostage

Yuan Sheng watched it in horror with his eyes, how incredible those warriors were ; fighting like demons, beating up his guards in a flash. That makes no sense. How could the experienced guards were defeated easily by these intruders? Everyone could see that these intruders were outnumbered and they were supposed to be defeated instead of his guards.

The prince titled his head, glancing at Po and the others as he gulped, trying to hide his fear, in vain.

"Now." Po smirked at the prince, stepping forth. "We got you."

Yuan Sheng took a back step. Very clearly, this time, he was in unlucky position. Put a prince who never know how to fight up against seven great fighters and you don't expect to see much of a contest.

But no. He could not just give up, especially to these murderers. At least, he would not let himself be killed just like that by them.

He clichéd his palm into fist as he gritted his teeth angrily. The rage was pictured clearly on his face.

"Kiyah!"

He rushed towards the warriors, readying to punch them. Indeed, it was a futile act of him.

Po caught Yuan Sheng's fist easily when that prince was almost reaching him. That panda even was yawning when he did that. But still, Po gave a compliment to the prince's work.

"Nice try, Buddy."

Yuan Sheng growled, facing Po with a deep burning glare at him. He punched the panda in the face with his another hand, with no effect.

"Nice try again. Can you punch me a little harder next time? Because I know a baby who even can punch harder than you did."

The prince was getting furious. But the only thing he could do now was shouting out loud.

"You're going to die, Panda!" he roared.

Po raised an eyebrow. "How?"

"I… I'll make sure you and your friends over there are going to die!" he snarled. "The guards will be coming here and they're going to slash your neck in no time."

Mantis took a look at those unconscious guards with a contemptuous look. "You mean them?"

Yuan Sheng growled. He struggled to get himself free from Po's grasp.

"Hey… hey… easy, buddy." Po tightened his grip, which made him crack the prince's paw accidently.

"Argh!" Yuan Sheng screamed in pain loudly, making Po surprise, with the result that the panda pushed the prince into the floor.

"Ops, sorry." Po apologized earnestly. "I did not mean to hurt you with my dragon warriorness."

Yuan Sheng difficulty tried to get to his feet. He still felt pain in both of his paws as he glared at the warriors with hatred in his eyes.

He hated them so much. He seriously wanted to kill all of them, just like they did to his mother.

But they were way too stronger than him. They were seven experienced warriors and he was just one him.

He breathed rapidly. Once again, he rushed towards those warriors as he swayed his fist.

WHACK

Hai gave his very best kick to Yuan Sheng in the stomach. The prince collapsed down at Po's feet.

"He's so annoying," Hai groaned.

"Yeah, at least you can praise his obstinacy," Po commented.

Viper watched Yuan Sheng try to get up in worry. The prince was really seen in so much pain. Definitely, this tiger was weak and capable of nothing. She just hope that tiger would stop trying to attack because it would just make himself hurt more.

Lee lazily walked towards Yuan Sheng and put his feet on the prince's head, pressing him against floor. He turned to Po and asked. "Can I crush his head, Dragon Warrior?"

"No!" Po resisted. "We're not killing anyone."

Lee growled in annoyance. He lifted his feet up and leant his face close to Yuan Sheng's, whispering in threatening tone. "You are so lucky, aren't you."

Yuan Sheng breathed heavily and repeatedly as gave a mocking smile, gazing at Po. "Why, Panda?" he asked. "Why didn't you just kill me now and go after Tigress? Too afraid of murdering someone else, huh?"

"Just so you know," Lee replied him. "I would like happily killing you right now but thanks to him," he pointed at Po. "You're still alive now."

"Ck," the prince cackled though he had lost. "Then why don't you ask him to kill me?"

"Hm," Lee rubbed his chin. "Good idea." He then turned again to Po. "What do you think, Dragon Warrior? He would be truly honored if you kill him with your own arms."

Po just shook his head, refusing the request.

"You see?" Lee returned his glance to the prince. "He still has mercy to you."

Yuan Sheng tried to get up again. But when he felt the most pain in his stomach caused by the kick Lee just gave him, he could do nothing except dropped himself back into the floor and kneeled down as he held his hurting stomach.

"Do not pity me," he said weakly but still sounded stubborn. "The murderers will show no mercy to everyone. They're… they're ruthless and cruel, just like you are."

"We're not like that," Po denied.

"You are. You killed my mother brutally," he raised his head slightly so he could see Po's face as he cringed in pain. "And you will kill me, eh, won't you, murderer?"

The four stared at each other, puzzled.

"Er… you said murderers?" Crane asked. "You're referring us?"

"Who do you think I'm talking about?"

"But we're not." Po simply replied.

The prince laughed briefly before snarling and yelling at the top of his lungs. "Liar!"

"We are not. I told you that."

"Why should I believe you, huh?!"

"Because… oh, well," Po clapped his forehead, sighing in desperation. "Because that's the truth."

"No one will trust a murderer and a liar. Savages like you should have rotten in the hell."

"Enough!" Lee suddenly yelled as he kicked the prince again. Yuan Sheng bumped down hardly into the floor. "How dare you say such a thing to our honorable Dragon Warrior," and then he kicked him again in the face. "I really have to kill you now."

"Stop it!" Viper exclaimed, stopping Lee from punching Yuan Sheng. "We're not hurting more."

"But—"

"Don't, Lee," Po said. "Stop hurting him."

"But… but… Oh," Lee groaned. "Come on, Dragon Warrior. Don't feel sorry for him."

"Killing him will just make us be the real murderers."

"You are the real murderer already?" Yuan Sheng muttered as he withstand the pain without getting up from the floor. "Well, what are you waiting for, Panda?" he challenged Po and then flinched with pain. "Kill me now, Idiot!"

"Man! He really lost his his mind," Mantis shook his head. As usual, he hopped onto Monkey's shoulder. "That's what I call a pity."

"We are not killing you!" Po said firmly. "Listen up, buddy." He kneeled down facing Yuan Sheng, his eyes met the prince's. "I really don't know who your mother is and we really don't know who killed her. But we are not the ones you think—"

"Silent!"

"Hey. Just let me finish—"

"Stop telling more lies, Stupid Panda!"

Lee elbowed Po. "Seriously, Dragon Warrior. We really must kill him now."

"Or cut out his tongue," Mantis suggested. "His words are getting me annoyed."

Viper slithered towards Yuan Sheng and examined him closely. His face and eyes were bruising and swelling because of the kicks by Lee. "Don't. He's hopeless." She told her friends.

"What an irony," Hai scoffed. "Who says tigers are the strongest creature in the world?"

Yuan Sheng shut his eyes, bearing the pain.

Hopeless.

He hated hearing that word. But they were right. He was indeed hopeless. Even his own father had been telling him so when the first time he broke his legs and got a pair of peg legs. He didn't know Kung Fu and couldn't be trusted to lead a war. And even worse, he was not able to protect himself from any danger. Still and all, he was always trying to earn a proud from his father, which is really difficult to get.

His mother was the only one who always told him that she was really proud of him, which made him love his mother very much.

But his mother had died and he himself was now facing the murderers. Feeling too weak to fight against them, he would rather die. This way, he probably could met his mother again in the nirvana.

Only, this panda refused to kill him. Why?

Was it because he really said the truth that he was not a murderer?

Or…

Was it because they were up to something.

"So," Monkey broke the silence as he gazed at the hurted prince. "What should we do now with him? He's very valuable."

"Kidnap him?" Crane suggested. Soon all eyes stared at the avian with wide eyes and raised eyebrows, asking for a further explanation. "Why? We can use this prince to prevent a war happen in China. Perhaps his father will do anything to get his son back."

"Yeah. Or maybe the emperor will send his battalions to fight us for kidnapping his poor son," Monkey guessed jokingly.

Yuan Sheng just listened them talking about himself in silence.

These warriors were totally wrong. His father would not do anything to get him back. The emperor was not the kind of a loving father. Most likely, he would rather see his only son killed by these warriors' arms than give the war up.

"So, how buddy?" Po turned to the prince. "Would you rather get one more kick or come with us in peace as our hostage?" he asked as if it was only a mild question.

The prince looked away, replying shortly. "I'd rather die."

"Nu uh. Wrong choice."

The next minute later, Monkey picked up a handcuffs from one of the unconscious guards' belt and cuffed Yuan Sheng's arms behind his back. Yuan Sheng was not struggling when that primate put the handcuffs on his wrists.

"Okay. Welcome to our group." Po grabbed the prince's arm and patted his shoulder friendly. "Are you ready for a new awesome long journey with us?"

Yuan Sheng replied it with a growl.

"Alright." Po helped Yuan Sheng stand. "Guys," he said to his friends proudly. "Say hello to our new member here."

"Our new hostage." Hai corrected him.

"Whatever. Anyway," he shifted his glance to Yuan Sheng. "just for your own safety, Junior. Please don't make your seniors unhappy." He gestured to his friends. "Cause they won't like it."

Crane frowned. "Junior?"

"He's a new guy in our group."

The four rolled their eyes. They didn't take Po's statement seriously, not even saying hello to Yuan Sheng cause it was really unnecessary.

The four and the two mountain cats then walked through the palace leaving those unconscious bodies of the guards. And since Yuan Sheng unwillingly moved, Po had to hold his arm and drag the prince with him.

That tiger might seemed awfully quiet and harmless now. But unnoticed by anyone, he was hiding a very sharp knife behind his silk robe.

As they reached the palace's yard, they met an old tigress wearing glasses and holding a walking stick. That old woman looked surprised seeing those strangers taking the prince by force with them.

For a second, Po was thinking that that woman would scream out of panic and call out the guards. But instead of screaming, the old tigress just smiled softly.

"Should we attack her, Dragon Warrior?" Lee whispered.

"No. She's just an old lady," Po mumbled after a second later. "Just pretend she isn't here."

Awkwardly, Po and the others walked past the old tigress as he kept dragging Yuan Sheng with him.

TLoTDaTT

The Great Valley

Dao was walking around his village as he watched the cheerful people at his surroundings. His brother, Liu was not with him by now because he had been leaving for rice field to harvest paddy along with another farmers.

Some children were seen playing with their friends. Some were playing tag and some were playing hide and seek while the adults were busy doing their daily activities.

They all really looked happy.

Dao found a big rock under a tree and sat on it, watching over his people with a happy smile.

It's been a day since Po and his friends left his village in order to rescue mission in Darknest Land ; a very unfriendly place if you're not a tiger. Dao just hoped and prayed the panda and his friends were still alive and would be back bringing the missing friend of theirs safely.

Nevertheless, he doubted whether his two brothers, Hai and Lee were still alive however, he wouldn't be so disappointed if Po came back and brought a sad news and told him that his brothers had died.

"Morning, Dao," an old goat with a hoe on his shoulder greeted him.

Dao replied it after giving his smile. "Morning, Lao Gu."

"What a good day, eh? You're not joining us to the field? There's so many paddy we have to harvest."

Dao shook his head. "No, Lao Gu. Liu has been in there already with others. I doubt he needs more help of mine."

"Okay," Lao Gu said as walked away. "But if you need any help, you know where to find us."

Dao laughed. He waved his hand when Lao Gu left.

All of a sudden, he sensed something terrible would come over after his little conversation ended. Anxiously, he watched at his surroundings again. Nothing had changed. But somehow, the calmness in his mind melted into solicitudes. He had no idea what was going on.

He stood up in panick. Is this kind of a sign? A sign that his village would be…

"Mr. Dao!" a bunny called him out loud as he sprinted anxiously towards him. "Mr. Dao… Mr. Dao…"

"What is it, Shin?" Dao asked, panicking as well.

The bunny panted, trying to catch his breath as he reached Dao. "Mr. Dao… Look!" he aimed his hand to a spot somewhere in Chojiang River.

Dao squinted and noticed at the place he was referring to.

Some black spots from a distance were moving fast approaching his valley. By seconds, that spots were getting bigger and bigger as they were getting closer and closer to their valley until Dao realized what those moving spots exactly were.

The warships.

Dao gasped.

Warships aren't a good thing for his village. This was a bad sign.

"Shin," Dao called, not removing his gaze from those ships. "Get every women and children away from here and warn every tough men to prepare themselves for an attack."

Shin nodded before leaving, sprinting fast to warn everyone.

But they were late.

Way too late.