"Youngster...! In terms of sin-kang power, you have inherited an extraordinary power, Tan-sicu Pinto admits defeat." Suddenly, Im Seng Cu laughed. "Ha ha, you so young have successfully subdued us three elders, Tan-sicu. But if we had not realized our mistakes and we three advanced together, you would surely lose and perhaps you could die at our hands. We admit our mistake, and we concede defeat, farewell, sicu. Continue your struggle to free our homeland and nation from the invaders." After saying this, the three tosu jumped away without looking back and they went straight north, not stopping at the residence of Prime Minister Jin Kui. The event was spied on by Jin Kui's spies who immediately reported to the Prime Minister, making him even more furious and bitter towards Tiong Li.
Meanwhile, Tiong Li and Siang Hwi also left the place to continue their search for Ban-tok Sian-li.
0odwo0
On the slopes of Thai-mu-san hill, there's a village that serves as the center of the Pek-eng-pang (White Garuda Association). This association is quite large, with more than two hundred members. In addition to being a martial arts school, they also run a piau-kiok (cargo escort) company feared by criminals, hence they have many clients shipping goods through this piauw-kiok. Just by displaying a flag with a white garuda image on their cargo wagons, robbers dare not disturb. Their piau-kiok company is located in the city of Nan-king, not far from the hill, and in Nan-king, they also run a fee-based martial arts school. From the school and piauw-kiok revenues, the association is quite prosperous.
The Pek-eng-pang is led by their leader named Thio Cin Kang, a mighty warrior. The leader is around forty years old, tall and robust, and his face is very gallant. A manly face and authoritative yet gentle demeanor. In addition, Thio Cin Kang's martial arts skills are also high. He was once a student of Kun-lun-pai, but he also studied various martial arts styles, making him a formidable martial arts expert. However, despite his prowess and large, manly stature, Thio Cin Kang has a gentle and wise personality. It's no surprise that all his subordinates submit to him and are very obedient.
However, even though his life is well-off due to his business, his domestic life is truly tragic. After being married for many years, his wife didn't have any offspring and just a few months ago, his wife, who was finally pregnant, had a miscarriage which resulted in her death! He lost his wife and still didn't have an heir. This incident greatly affected Thio Cin Kang, making him thin and gloomy.
Half a year after his wife's death, his assistants subtly tried to persuade him to remarry to continue his lineage, but he always refused and said that he couldn't possibly live happily with another woman because their characters certainly wouldn't match. And since then, he has held a grudge against robbers.
He considered his wife's death to be the result of the robbers' actions. In fact, while pregnant, his wife made a trip back to the village to visit her parents. Because the journey wasn't too far, and he had many responsibilities, Thio Cin Kang didn't accompany her, only sending his assistants to escort his wife's departure. On the way, the group was ambushed by robbers!
Apparently, the group of robbers was new to the area, so they weren't familiar with Pek-eng-piauw-kiok. The robbers attacked and managed to set the cart on fire, causing Thio Cin Kang's wife to quickly get off the cart and take cover. Eventually, the group of robbers was defeated and fled. However, Thio Cin Kang's wife experienced shock, and this was considered by Thio Cin Kang to be the cause of his wife's miscarriage. And since then, he often went out alone to punish groups of robbers!
Thio Cin Kang also sympathizes with the struggle. He advised his subordinates to help whenever they saw fighters fighting against the Kin troops violating the border. Although not directly active in the struggle, Thio Cin Kang supports it and is ready to help at any time. Therefore, his name is also respected among the fighters and because he is not active, the government does not consider him a rebel.
One morning, as usual, Thio Cin Kang, still grieving over the loss of his wife, with a sword on his back, wandered down Thian-mu-san hill. Suddenly, he heard a commotion and saw that a fight was taking place in a forest. When he rushed closer, he saw a beautiful woman being besieged by more than twenty tall and menacing men.
Observing their behavior, the experienced piauw-su (cargo escort) understood that he was facing a gang of robbers harassing a woman. The woman was incredibly beautiful, graceful, and also skilled in martial arts. With a saber in hand, the woman fought fiercely, having already knocked down several men. However, her many attackers tightly surrounded her.
Seeing this, without much ado, Thio Cin Kang shouted, "You damned robbers!" As if he saw his own wife being surrounded and threatened by robbers, after drawing his sword, he rushed in! He didn't introduce himself because he indeed wanted to eliminate those robbers.
The woman is none other than Ban-tok Sian-li Souw Hian Li. As a proud and powerful woman, she felt unhappy to see someone helping her, especially someone who fought so fiercely that he had knocked down five men in a short time. She didn't want to be outdone and wielded her Mestika Golok Naga fiercely so the two of them seemed to be competing in knocking down the gang of robbers besieging them. And in not too long, all thirty robbers had collapsed, fell in disarray, and bathed in blood! Ban-tok Sian-li sheathed her saber, as did Thio Cin Kang who sheathed his sword. They stood facing each other. Thio Cin Kang did not hide his admiration, not only amazed by the woman's beauty but even more so by her bravery. Ban-tok Sian Li also saw a manly and gallant man, but his eyes were gentle. Nevertheless, she frowned and felt displeased.
"Why did you help me?" she asked unfriendly.
Thio Cin Kang quickly approached and raised both hands in front of his chest. "Please forgive me, miss. Seeing a woman surrounded and besieged by these damned criminals, I had to step in to help, even though now I realize that even without help, you could have defeated them." The leader's words were gentle and friendly.
"I don't need your help!"
"I know, miss. But I only knew this now. Earlier I was worried that you might be in danger, so I helped. Please forgive me once again."
The man's attitude was indeed pleasing, and because she felt pleased, Ban-tok Sian-Li became even more angry. She was angry at herself for being attracted and liking the strange man!
"You just apologize. You deliberately showed off your skills to me! You look down on me. Well, I want to know how high your skills are!" After saying this, the woman attacked with a right-hand slap without saying much else.
Thio Cin Kang was surprised and quickly dodged. However, the miss of her slap made Ban-tok Sian-li even more eager and thought that the man was challenging her, so she kept attacking relentlessly! Thio Cin Kang was forced not only to dodge but also to block because the attacks became increasingly fierce!
Joy began to rise in Thio Cin Kang's heart. As a high-level martial arts expert, he too had the same disease, that is, he loved to compete in martial arts, especially since he was very attracted to this woman and wanted to test how skillful she was. He regarded this woman as other kang-ouw people, wanting to test him. Thus, he began to retaliate fiercely! However, of course, it was only for testing, not to harm the woman who had attracted him so much at first sight. He had never met a woman so beautiful and also so skilled in martial arts in his life.
While Thio Cin Kang only wanted to test the woman's skills, on the other hand, Ban-tok Sian-li, feeling challenged, attacked in earnest and she began to get annoyed after making fifty moves and she still couldn't defeat him. Having realized that the man was quite tough so that it seemed if she only relied on martial arts she wouldn't be able to defeat him, she began to exert her power so that her hands contained a very evil toxic aura! Thio Cin Kang was extremely surprised when blocking the woman's hand, feeling the skin on his arm hot and stinging, and when the woman's hand managed to scratch his skin, it felt itchy and hot as if burned! He was surprised and his reflexive movement made him unleash his powerful kick, the Thai-lek-tui kick (Lightning Kick), making Ban-tok Sian-li unable to dodge and her thigh got kicked. Luckily for her, Thio Cin Kang limited his power so she only staggered.
"Ah, forgive me, miss ... ! " he said.
"I'm not defeated yet!" Ban-tok Sian-li shouted furiously and she was already pressing forward again and her left hand struck towards the chest. Thio Cin Kang dodged, but suddenly he felt his chest extremely painful and he was thrown back, his chest was wounded when his clothes were pierced by Ban-tok Sian-li's needle! While clutching his chest he tried to get up and looked at Ban-tok Sian-li.
"You…..you're really powerful, miss. I admit defeat!" he said admiringly, not regretting at all having been wounded so badly by her.
"Hmm, you've been injured by Ban-tok-ciam and in twenty-four hours you will die. No medicine in this world can save you."
However, this threat didn't make the man fearful, he even smiled while wincing in pain. "If so, goodbye to this world full of sorrow and falsehood. Goodbye to grief and suffering!" Ban-tok Sian-li was taken aback. She had never seen someone face such horrifying torment and death in this manner.
"You're not afraid and not sad facing death?"
"Why should I be afraid and sad? Death is a liberation from the world of suffering for me. I even thank you, miss. You freed me from grief. Dying at your hands doesn't bring resentment, for me. You're so beautiful, you're so skilled."
"You will die and your children will cry for you. They will mourn and be sad. Don't you feel sorry for your children?"
Thio Cin Kang smiled again and Ban-tok Sian-li found it strange. This man was facing death with a smile! "No one will cry for my death, miss. I don't have children and my wife died half a year ago. I just ask you, if you would kindly fulfill my last request."
Ban-tok Sian-li furrowed her brow, she found it strange why she hadn't left the man alone like she usually did when she killed someone, but instead, she was talking at length with him, even now the man was making a request and she was still entertaining him!
"What request is that?"
"On the slope of this hill, there's an association called Pek-eng-pang. I am the leader of the association and please...
...inform them that I died here so they can know and bury me. Would you, kind miss?"
Ban-tok Sian-li was even more startled. She had heard about the great reputation of Pek-eng-pang as a mighty association that liked to help the fighters. She was even more annoyed because the man didn't curse her, didn't insult her, but even called her a kind miss!
"I'm not a kind miss! I'm cruel, I've poisoned you, I've killed you. Have you forgotten this fact?"
"I've said, I don't hold a grudge. I even thank you, miss. Would you...would you "
fulfill my earlier request?"
A strange person! A gallant man! A manly man who dares to die. A miserable man living alone without a wife, without children, no one to mourn
his death.
Glossary:
- Tan-sicu: An honorific title used for a younger man.
- Tosu: A term referring to the elders of a martial arts sect or association.
- Sin-kang: A term used to refer to inner power or strength in martial arts.
- Pek-eng-pang (White Garuda Association): The name of the martial arts association led by Thio Cin Kang.
- Mestika Golok Naga: A powerful weapon used by Ban-tok Sian-li.
- Thai-lek-tui (Lightning Kick): A powerful martial arts move used by Thio Cin Kang.
- Ban-tok-ciam: A type of poison used by Ban-tok Sian-li.