Chapter 11: Zhang Liao Unmasked

Zhang Liao walked away from Ping and the noodle shop he had come from. Li Tong borrowed his Sansetsukon today because all of the Bo Staffs were broken and a new supply would not come for another week.
Zhang Liao is nineteen years old. He had enrolled at the local school that focused on Kenpo. When it came to weaponry, Zhang took a liking to the tri-section staff commonly known as the Sansetsukon.
Zhang Liao had obtained an application form to be a guard at none other than the Chor Ghom Prison, the same prison where the warrior Tai Lung was imprisoned. He had requested and got a leave from the place he had learned Kenpo to get a job for the high tuition. However this is just the reason he told them. He never told them his real reason.
Yes he needed money but there was something he needed to do.

Zhang Liao… just who is this mysterious individual? He is identified as a lion, yet he does not have a mane. It looks like his mane was either cut off or burnt off. He covers his face with an iron mask that he never takes off unless he is by himself.

He looks around as he walks. He no longer minds those who look at him and whispers.
He lives in a small house near the marketplace. He had built this himself with stone, cement, and wood. It took four years, yet Zhang had expected it to be done in two years.
It was a two-story building with a few rooms; most of them were used for his studies. He had a small library and a study room beside it. The second floor would contain his bedroom with no bed. He usually sleeps either on the floor or on his desk.

Zhang Liao noticed a few envelopes on his doorstep.
"Hm, I hope I got accepted…" Zhang said to himself as he picked them up before opening the wooden door and going inside. He closed the door and locked it.
Most of the light came from the light outside. He never worried about it even if there was no light outside.

Zhang Liao walked to the study room. He placed the letters on the desk. Light never reached a lot of places in the study room. It was enough for anyone to read.

Zhang Liao then did what he always did when there were no people. He placed his paws on the forehead and chin areas of his iron mask. He tilted it and pulled it apart from his face. He held his mask on both of his paws and placed it beside the letters. He then brushed his face with his paws and moved his pink tongue around his lips.
He had scars on his left eye. There were four. They ran down from the upper-left corner of his left eye down to his left cheek. The scars themselves weren't as bad as his eye: It was blind. Zhang Liao was blind on his left eye.

Zhang Liao let out a grin and a laugh as he looked at the letters.
One caught his attention: It was from the Prison.
He opened the letter and began to read it:

Zhang Liao,
We are happy to inform you that you have been accepted as one of the guards. Very few have been accepted as this job requires full physical and mental attention. Please report in as soon as possible.
Vachir

Zhang Liao smiled as he finished reading the letter.
"Typical for their head hothead to put a nearly-unreadable signature… Ah well, at least I got in," He let out a small laugh.

He took off his white robe to show that he had a good physical build for someone of his young age. He walked over to where he usually hung it and hung it on a hangar on the wall.

"I wonder if Tai Lung is still compatible to Lu Bu. I'll see if he's still a show-off! Tai Lung my friend, the Lion is coming!"