Chương 71: Unlucky number eleven

On the upmost floor of the Stargazer, the highest tower in Omond, a hoarse, severe voice rises. “Are you finally going to take care of that issue you told me about?”

Seated behind my wooden desk, I sigh. “Yes, Grandfather, I scheduled an appointment.”

The old man in front of me, the previous Banta, rolls his eyes. “Even though you became the Banta, you are still acting like a child in some regards. How many times did I tell you to get rid of the bothersome things quickly?”

I shake my head softly, making my earrings chime. I always liked the soothing sound they make. “You are right, Grandfather, but this time, I had more urgent matters to attend to.”

“What’s more important than the discovery of an unlisted Tiban? The protection of our blood and culture should be your utmost priority.”

My Grandfather is an intelligent, tall man with few wrinkles on his face, a deep voice and long straight hair, tied in a bun. He wears our usual Tiban dress, the Suninketam; clothes that have been brought by Indonesian and Malay merchants, long before the European invasions. His looks almost identical to mine, except he doesn’t wear as much makeup nor as many ornaments as I do. Of course, like many others from the older generations, he is afraid of seeing his culture disappear, as he notices that more and more natives are ‘mixing’ with foreigners, and adopting their way of life. I personally don’t see things as being as doomed as he makes them appear, but it is my responsibility as the Banta to secure and promote the Tiban rights which are in dangerous decline.

“I unfortunately had an urgent issue to take care of beforehand. But don’t worry, Grandfather, this is now my priority.”

“Good.” He nods, walking around my desk that is bathed in a dim green light.

He raises a hand to his chin and smiles. “The Banta looks great today too.”

“Thanks, Grandfather.” I smile mischievously.

The old man cracks up. “I’m not talking about you, imbecile, I’m talking about him!”

He’s looking at the large window behind my back, that doesn’t show the exit, but the other part of the building, where a gigantic palm tree is standing.

Towering over the entire island, it has been defending us from evil spirits for over a century. It is our most beloved and powerful guardian, and the headquarters of the agency, which aims to be the arms of the Banta, has been built all around it even before it fully reached maturity. The tree might technically be located ‘inside’ the building, but there is no roof on that aisle, so it has the same access to the sun and air as it would outside, and anyone can get close to it to admire it, say prayers or make offerings-though fewer and fewer people are doing so. Of course, the title I bear is also based on that tree.

Honestly, the tree doesn’t look so great under this torrential rain, but my grandfather’s opinion of it is unshakeable.

“You know, Grandfather, I thought of something.”

“Hm?”

“How about we make the Banta a tourist attraction, with paid tickets to see it, and goodies shops all around? I have many ideas of design…”

“What did you just say about our national treasure?! A tourist attraction?!” The old man doesn’t seem to like the idea.

“I’ve actually done some research and there are examples of young natives gaining a new interest in their own culture and religion once it has become commercially promoted, and then both natives and tourists can be more effectively targeted to build an attractive economy that leads to a virtuous circle for the whole island.”

The old man shakes his hand before walking away. “You’re being ridiculous. Our economy is already flourishing amazingly compared to our size and population. Not a single country in the Pacific can beat our trade, and don’t forget our mines.”

“Mines are bound to be depleted, one day. The Earth’s resources aren’t infinite.” I respond before he exits the office, but he suddenly stops his walk and turns over to me.

“As I said before, you are still acting like a child. The Banta, like any of us, is also bound to die.” He finishes before leaving for good.

 

---

 

“TIAN HUO.”

I turn around and greet my previous teacher, the Master of Defiance who walks up to me with a shidi. His black Shaolin uniform and his short black hair give him a strict and ruthless aura. “How may I help you?”

“The Dong Huong still won’t pay their tribute.” He snaps his fingers.

“The Master of Intelligence has informed me. I am going to send a shidi.” I respond.

“Are you going too?”

I don’t answer.

“When was the last time you went on a mission? You think you can keep acting depressed like this forever? You’re one of our most promising agents. I had planned to recommend you for the next master until you came back with no more ambition!”

“I…” I bow to hide my head behind my arms. “TIAN SHUI…”

“What about him?! He’s gone!”

“He has been captured… To save me!” I clench my teeth. “I need to find a way to save him…!”

“That’s a great idea, TIAN HUO, but you haven’t done a thing worth mentioning since then.” He signs the shidi to leave. “… And the Japanese probably are the reasons for the rise of insubordination.” He pronounces in my ear.

“How do you know?” My eyes widen. It’s not the first time a big shop or restaurants decide to stop paying the tributes, and the Master of Intelligence hasn’t mentioned anything of the sort.

“Just a hunch. Trust a warrior’s judgement, would you?” He finishes, walking away.

I take a whole minute to ponder while standing dumbfounded in the second floor’s corridor.

“Shixiong?”

XIAO SHUI suddenly appears in the staircase and waves at me.

I walk past him without saying a word, but when I am a few metres away, I finally respond: “Come.”

He happily hops behind me, and, even though I can’t see him, I can tell he’s making an absurdly large smile, showing his missing tooth to everyone he meets.

He abruptly walks past me and shamelessly shows this smile I was thinking about. “Hey, Shixiong, what are we gonna do?”

“A new mission.” I respond, knocking on the door that leads to our first destination.

“Come in.” A light voice responds from within.

A shidi opens the door and signals me to walk in. Inside the Master of Intelligence’s office, five or six other shidi are ardently working, sorting and arguing about different folders.

In the middle of it, the Master himself is signing for me to approach, and I nod at XIAO SHUI so he follows me in.

The Master of Intelligence is a soft man with a voluptuous hanfu and glasses. “Second time we see each other today, TIAN HUO. Did you forget something?”

“Do you think the yakuza might be the reason for the insubordination?” I bow.

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The Master looks at the folder a shidi handed him while responding. “That might be the case, indeed.”

“Why didn’t you say anything about it?”

He removes his glasses and sighs before answering. “I wouldn’t be the Master of Intelligence if I gave fake intel. As such, I only share information once I’m asked, so I can tell how certain of it I am. I didn’t plan to deceive you or anyone else. I just don’t mention things that aren’t worth mentioning.”

“It was worth mentioning.” I respond.

“What does it change now that you know it?”

I start walking away while signing for XIAO SHUI to follow me. “I’ll make a team, and I’m going to capture them.”

The Master of Intelligence rises from his chair. “Are you mad? We don’t have enough men to allow a mission this dangerous with so little preparation! Stay here, TIAN HUO! I won’t give you permission!”

 “I already have permission from the Master of Defiance.”

“This is the second time you’ve ignored my orders, TIAN HUO! I won’t let this go unpunished! You still haven’t given me a proper report for that cadaver you cleaned with our services! Want me to tell the Master of Finance about it?” He threatens me.

“It’s a good thing you only share knowledge once you’re asked.” I respond as the door slams behind me.

Slightly startled, XIAO SHUI’s eyes seem to be sparkling. “T-that was so cool, Shixiong!!”

I shake my head, smiling beyond my control. “Don’t you have a bunch of friends we can count on for a mission?” I ask him.

“Yeah, I have three, but one or two of them probably are in another mission now…”

“We’re going to need eight. Can you find them?”

“Yes! I’ll try my best, Shixiong!” He exclaims before running away.

Two hours later, XIAO SHUI has finished gathering them, and we’re now waiting for the last members of our team in one of the conference rooms of the first floor.

With the eighth shidi, XIAO SHUI and I, and the other two, we would be the holy number twelve… Unfortunately, only one of them opens the door, and our lucky formation is ruined.

 

---

 

“Hey babe, is the Banta here?”

“I’m sorry, Miss SIRONA, but the Banta has an appointment in ten minutes.”

“Tell him I need to speak with him now! It will only take five seconds!” I slam the desk in front of her.

“I’m sorry but the Banta must be busy right now, they won’t respond to my phone calls.”

What a stupid bitch, I don’t have time for her antics!

I bend onto her desk, mischievously. “Hey sweetheart … this is a life-or-death situation, okay? If you’re a good girl, I’ll let you catch a glimpse of Shangri-La later tonight, okay?”

“Miss SIRONA, please understand that I’m doing my best here. I can’t do anything if the Banta doesn’t respond!”

Pissed off, I snatch the phone from her hand and start yelling over the girl’s outraged screams: “HEY, YOU USELESS PRETTY BOY, STOP IGNORING ME!! YOU PUT ME IN SOME REAL SHIT, JUST NOW!!”

“Stop shouting, idiot.” The Banta’s voice rises from behind me, and his princess-like attire is still as amazing as ever. “And I’m not a pretty boy.”

“More like you would be the prettiest boy, if you decided to be a boy, but you would also be the prettiest girl if you decided to be a girl.” I throw the phone back to the secretary and jump from her desk.

“What do you want?” He sighs. “I’m in a hurry.”

“You sent me on my most dangerous mission so far, and you don’t care if anything goes wrong? What a terrible boss you are!”

“You seem fine.”

“I’m only fine because I have the best team in the world.”

“Good for you.”

I approach until I’m only one metre away from the Banta, so only we can hear. “Hey, who are these guys exactly? Where do they come from? The army? Spec ops?”

“Most likely.”

“Why didn’t you tell me that?!”

“You didn’t ask.”

“Because every mission you gave me before was so easy I could do them asleep!”

“Of course, your team is doing everything in your stead.”

“I’ll have you know I’m to be praised for gathering such competent people under the same banner! That’s how we recognize great tacticians!”

“Well, how are they doing against the spec ops?”

“Terribly! We’re under equipped! I need four jet packs, a helicopter and gas masks! A bunch of gas masks and oxygen tanks! These guys are using chemical weapons!”

“Don’t you think you’re asking for a lot…?”

“You’re the Banta! If you can’t give me what I need, I can’t continue the mission. It’s too risky and I’m not going to have my team get killed.”

This pretty boy shakes his head, making his earrings chime, without saying a thing in response, but before I can go on with my demands, his attention is grabbed by the two people who enter the building.

I turn around and discover, enraged, that the people he is going to meet instead of speaking with me are none other than that whore who stole my sister, and the Tiban she probably kidnapped.

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