Do you like stories with mystery and suspense? Strange and “wyrd” ones? Well, if you do, keep reading and enjoy Eggcentricsagas. If you are just joining Eggcentricsagas, you might want to start from the beginning: A La Mano: Part 1-The Treasure
It was roasting hot, so Long stopped digging in the wealthy businessman’s retreat. Resting on the shovel, he wiped his handsome face and brow with a rag pulled from the pocket of his pants. He surveyed the opulent surroundings with statues placed throughout landscaped tiers of flowers, rocks, and bushes. Why a pagoda? Doesn’t the garden have enough? He wondered before focusing on an elaborately carved stone bridge spanning the koi pond. Draping willow branches over it billowed in the slight breeze. Their beautiful coral blooms resplendent, Long admired the peony bushes that he had planted the year before against the carefully manicured pine trees. Then stripping off his shirt, he returned to his digging.
As he continued his efforts and deepened the posthole, Long reminisced about his life for the last eight years. Over time, he had stopped missing his old family and being called by his given name, Lei. He focused on the memory of the fateful day when his eldest brother had been paid money by Master Li, the alchemist, who then took him away from the life of farming. His mentor called him Long, meaning Dragon. Lei had become Long and was the alchemist’s apprentice.
Sweat coursed over his tan, muscular upper body as Long dug; years of discipline, hard labor as well as martial arts training with his mentor had made him into a strong, yet lithe, young man. One that Master Li hired out for menial tasks when they were in Shanghai. His teacher had told Long that he needed to earn his keep too and would leave him at day jobs while he went off to peddle his elixirs and fortune-telling. Long always wondered where else the sorcerer went on his excursions. Lately, as an inquisitive sixteen-year-old, he yearned to follow his laoshi into the exotic city.
When Long had removed enough earth, he lay down his tool and went to stand in the shade of the trees. He was drinking from his water gourd when he heard a noise come from beyond. Glancing over, he saw a gorgeous girl walking on the covered veranda that overlooked the garden. When his eyes fell upon her, she modestly cast her glance downward. Having drawn his attention, she descended the steps to the garden path. Keeping her face coquettishly hidden behind her fan, she moved gracefully in her orange-colored, embroidered Cheongsam dress. Long appreciated her silk-draped curves as she positioned herself on one of the stone benches across from him in a seductive, leonine manner. Beginning to fan herself, she looked away and pretended to ignore him. He noticed her shiny, sleek, dark hair, the color of magpie feathers, bound in a bun at the back of her long, elegant neck.
“Mingzhu!” A sharp voice called out. Both Long and the girl looked up to see a stern, middle-aged woman glaring down at her. Rebuking her with a disapproving tone, the matron ordered her back into the house. Mingzhu got up quickly to comply with her unpleasant supervisor but not before giving Long Wu an alluring gaze, the barest smile playing upon her full, ruby lips. Embarrassed by his naked chest and her approval of it, Long searched for his rag and wiped his sweaty brow once more as he watched her disappear into the house. Glancing over at the bench where she had been, he spotted a colorful item on the ground next to it.
Making his way over, he discovered her coral bracelet. Assuming that it had fallen off in her haste, he reached down to retrieve it. Just as he touched the bracelet, a foot stepped hard on his hand, smashing it against the ground. Long grunted in pain and looked up at his aggressor.
A sneer on his unlined face, the tall, beefy bully spoke contemptuously to him. “A toad lusting after a swan’s flesh.” Applying more pressure with his foot, he directed, “Forget it.”
Long dismissed this advice as well as quickly neglected the years of Master Li’s prudent counsel to learn to control his anger and impetuosity. Instead, his humiliation brought forth his knowledge of inducing rapid pain. Slamming his free hand into the older teen’s knee, Long jammed it sharply backward. The young man squealed and pulled his leg back quickly. Long straightened and took up a fighting stance against his larger adversary.
This action awakened the beast. The burly adolescent lunged and began to take swings at Long’s face. The tall boy continued to miss making contact with Long. Instead, the smaller teen deftly danced around the lumbering bear evading his blows and furthering his rage. Tiring of his game of taunting the other youth, Long maneuvered them next to the koi pond. When the boy came closer and threw another ill-aimed punch, Long grabbed his wrist and pulled down as he nimbly side-stepped. This move, taught to him by Master Li, not only took the oaf off-guard but off-balance and, the thug stumbled headfirst into the water.
Long grinned as he watched the stocky delinquent resurface and splutter out water and curses. A harsh cackle from above drew Long’s eyes upward. Standing now on the porch was a short, thin, swarthy, well-dressed man with a malicious grin. Delighted and entertained by the fight and its outcome, he surveyed Long from head to toe with black, soulless orbs underneath freakishly arched eyebrows.
Then he locked eyes with Long, his stare mesmerizing. In a bizarre, gravelly voice, the man said, “We could use someone like you in our business.”
Next: The Mysterious World of Dr. Wu: Part 7-The Three Friends of Winter
