Blades of Secrets: The Endless Night

CHAPTER 44

Li Ming woke up to see Cheng Xing lying on his arm. Li Ming slowly removed his arm from under Cheng Xing and walked out the room. Cheng Xing followed him out to see Li Ming in the kitchen, putting the stove on.

"What are you doing?" Cheng Xing asked rubbing his eyes.

"Well, getting ready for work. We're going to be late."

It took Cheng Xing a moment to realise.

"WE'RE!?"

Cheng Xing walked into the prefect.

"You're back!" Wen Zhang exclaimed as he came up to him.

"I half expected you to tell everyone."

"Why would I? Besides, Li Ming would've killed me," he said, chuckling.

Cheng Xing walks into Li Ming's office and sees the necklace on his desk. He picks it up, looking at it carefully Li Ming stood at the doorway.

"What are you doing?"

Cheng Xing puts down the bracelet.

"You don't wear it?"

Li Ming closes the door and walks towards his desk. "Have you thought about which side you're on? I mean, if you're helping them or us."

Cheng Xing looks at the papers and files on his desk. "I'm willing to help the police on a few conditions.

"1. Fen Yuhang will be let free

2. You will not kill or harm any assassins

3. That you have full trust in me, no grudges

Deal?"

Li Ming looks at him. "I'll think about it and give you an answer after lunch."

Li Ming indicates for him to get out. He takes the hint and walks out, closing the door after him.

"Cheng Xing, what are you getting for lunch?" Wen Zhang asked, eyes still trained on his computer screen. Cheng Xing stares into space. "I'm not hungry."

Li Ming walked into the prefect with plastic bags.

"My office, now," Li Ming said as he walked past Cheng Xing.

Cheng Xing watches as Li Ming walks into the office. Wen Zhang nudges him gently.

Li Ming shoves the food in Cheng Xing's hands. "I'm not hungry," Cheng Xing said.

"If you don't want to eat it, then leave it."

Cheng Xing takes out and opens the box. Li Ming looks up as Cheng Xing starts eating the sweet and sour pork.

"I agree to your conditions, but you must co-operate with us. And I will put behind what happened for now."

Li Ming opened a file. "Is there a leader for the academy?"

Cheng Xing says nothing.

"Cheng Xing. I need your help."

After some hesitation Cheng Xing nodded. "Yes."

"What's their name?"

"We call her master. The academy is separated in districts. The Monkey, Snake and Tiger."

Li Ming motioned for him to elaborate.

"The monkey districts are the thieves. Fen Yuhang's a part of that district. They collect expensive and rare things to be sold on the black-market and to other clans for trading money and weapons."

"The snakes have two sub-districts in one, one learns about the human body, and they learn from poisons and chemicals, the others learn about technology. And lastly are the Tigers- which is what I am. We're the assassins of the academy. We get lists and we have to kill or capture the people. They could be wanted dead for many reasons which we don't know."

Li Ming nodded and asked, "How long have you been in the academy?"

"For as long as I could remember. I never actually knew my parents. From a young age they start teaching you through the different divisions. You would have a test each year to see the progress on each division. Then at a certain age they decide which division is your strength, that then becomes your division for the rest of your life. You could get promoted if you did an excellent job at something."

Li Ming nods.

"There are also other clans, like the Yanima clan, which is a Japanese clan, although not all of them are Japanese. They tend to have what we call 'spies' which can speak both Japanese and Chinese. They blend into society. The Yanima clan is the biggest and the strongest out of all clans."

"Can you lead us to the academy?"

Cheng Xing didn't know what to say.

"I agreed to all your conditions. I won't hurt any of them. I want to end suffering for both sides."

Cheng Xing took a deep breath. "Ok."