Chapter 53 The Ninth Son Part 5

Early in the morning, the five Tanzanies woke up to look at the mountain lake, only to find that the people from yesterday were gone.

U-ri said, "The mountain lake is not far from here. It's just ahead."

Michio muttered, "Where did those people go?"

"Why are you curious about them?" Abrafo asked. "Whether they live or die, that's not our problem. Our biggest issue now is whether we will have enough food to sustain us before we continue our journey."

"I agree with some of what Abrafo said," Yul said.

Abrafo turned to look at Yul. "Are you still angry about what I said last night?" he asked. "If you're still angry, just tell me."

Yul said, "I'm not."

Abrafo said, "If you're not, then why do you only agree with half of what I said. When those people drew their swords against us yesterday, it seemed that you protected Hajime more than anyone else, so... what changed your mind?"

Yul said, "If you didn't mention what happened in the past, I wouldn't have remembered it. For me, it's a small issue. There's nothing important for me to remember."

Abrafo asked, "Then why do you only agree with half of what I say?"

Yul said, "If we have enough food to last a few more days, that part I agreed. I don't agree on the part that we shouldn't worry about other people's safety."

"So, are you really going to risk your life and the lives of our people for a stranger?" Abrafo asked.

Yul said, "I didn't say that."

Abrafo said, "But you are thinking about it."

Yul said, "If we can help people avoid dying, then we should do what we can to help them, and maybe one day when we are in trouble, someone might do the same for us."

Hajime turned and looked at Yul and Abrafo. "I agree with Abrafo," he said. "I hate to say it, but I'd rather live to see the end then die trying to save someone else that is not one of you."

Michio said, "No… you and Abrafo shouldn't think like that. If we see someone die in front of us, we need to help them. Buda taught us to love all creations, from the smallest ant to the largest elephant. Saving lives should not be discriminated against because of gender, social status, or if the person is good or evil. Love your neighbor as yourself and treat others as yourself; this is the law of nature."

U-ri stops abruptly as he sees a woman pull a man out of a mountain lake. The four of them were not paying attention to U-ri who was walking a few steps ahead, and paying more attention to their quarrel, when they bumped into U-ri back suddenly.

Michio asked, "What's the matter?"

U-ri pointed to the mountain lake not far away. "Look over there. Is someone drowning?" he said. "I wonder if they are the people we met yesterday?"

Abrafo smiled, seeing the woman trying to drag the man out of the mountain lake, feeling a little proud in his heart. He folded his arms across his chest. "I won't help." He looked down at the mountain lake.

Michio shook his head and rushed down the small cliff. U-ri turned around and said, "Let's go and see why the brothers and sisters threw themselves into the mountain lake."

Michio rushed up quickly and grabbed Baishui's arm. He said, "Miss, let me help you." He turned to look at Jiāo. "Uh...you're not lady Kexin."

Jiāo said, "I am not, please help me pull him up."

Michio picked up Baishui, carried Baishui to one of the flat boulders, and put Baishui on the boulder.

Hajime looked at Baishui, thinking that he had seen this man before. He asked, "What happened to him?"

Jiāo said, "He drowned."

Hajime was in shock. "Drown? Michio you are not supposed to put him on that boulder. Put him down to the ground."

Jiāo said, "But the ground is not clean."

Hajime said, "It's kind of dirty, but his life is saved, which one do you choose?"

Michio grabbed Baishui and put it on the ground. Hajime jumped onto Baishui and began doing CPR. After the first set of thirty chest compressions, he raised Baishui's head and gave him two breaths.

Jiāo said, "Hey, you can't violate him like that."

Abrafo looked at Yul and said, "Are you going to stop your husband from kissing that man?"

Yul said, "I don't even know what he's doing. I can't interfere with him by stopping what he's doing. Let's watch it first."

After Hajime finished three sets of thirty compressions with two breaths, Baishui began to cough.

Jiāo pushed Hajime aside, rushed over and hugged Baishui. "I'm glad you're not dead," she cried.

Baishui chuckled. "I'm not dead yet. The old man won't let me die." He pushed Jiāo away and looked at the five people standing beside him. He stood up slowly and smiled at Hajime. "It's you... I finally saw you in person."

Hajime looked at Baishui strangely. "Do we know each other?" he asked. "I don't believe I've seen you before."

Baishui said, "We met yesterday. I've never seen anyone look so much like me. White hair, white eyelashes, white skin."

Hajime said, "You must still be hallucinating. You look nothing like me."

Baishui looked at Jiāo and asked, "Jiāo, do I look like him." Jiāo shook her head. "How could it be?" He hurried back to the mountain lake.

Abrafo sneered, "Hey, you don't look like Hajime at all, you don't have to kill yourself for just that simply reason. You're pretty good looking yourself, so don't lose hope."

Baishui looked down at his own reflection in the water and found that he no longer had white hair or horns. "Did the old man really turn me into a mortal to prove his point?" He frowned. "I won't let the old man succeed."

Jiāo stood beside Baishui and asked, "Ninth Prince, are you really going to jump back to the magic realm?"

Baishui turned around and saw five people standing behind him staring at him. He whispered, "Don't call me prince again."

Jiāo asked, "Then what should I call you?"

Baishui said, "Baishui…"

Jiāo said, "Huh… Well... I don't think I can do it."

Baishui said, "The old man took away my divine power and turned me into a mortal just to prove his point. You are the only one of the two of us who can still use your power, so don't let other people know who we are. Call me Baishui and if they ask you just say that we are classmates who like to take long journeys together."

Jiāo said, "If we are both men, it's okay to say it, but we are not. I'd rather be your maid."

"Okay..." He had no choice but to quickly agree to Jiāo's statement, because the more he talked with Jiāo in private, the more he found that the five people were still staring at them, and the more suspicious they became.

Abrafo shouted, "Hey, are you two done talking?"

Baishui said, "It's decided, if they ask, we will be master and servant, I will speak for you, don't say anything that is not necessary, because when you say too much, you always leak secret." He waved to Abrafo. "We're coming." Baishui and Jiāo walked back to the five Tanzanies.

Yul asked, "So, where did you two come from?"

Baishui looked at Yul with a smile, and asked, "Where are you from?"

U-ri said, "We are from Tangzang."

Baishui said, "Welcome to Heaven Mountain."

Michio said, "You sound like you know the mountain well."

Jiāo said, "You have slept in my lord's cabin for two days, you should show more appreciation towards him."

U-ri said, "So, this is your house?"

Baishui said, "Yes, we were out for a two-month journey. As soon as we got back and saw you were still there, we decided to stay in one of the caves." He pointed at the mountain behind the cabin and looked at Hajime. "We met by the lake yesterday."

Hajime said, "I saw you, but I thought it was a mirage."

Yul said, "Since this is your home, we can live in one of the caves. We need a place to rest and heal our wounds before we continue our journey."

Baishui said, "You go ahead and stay inside. What kind of host would I be if I kicked you out of my cabin as soon as I returned." He smiled and looked at the men standing in front of him. "Although this is a small log cabin, I believe it will suit all of us."

Hajime rushed to Baishui's side and murmured, "Who was buried in the woods?"

Jiāo laughed and said, "There are no corpses buried there. The master was afraid that someone would steal from the cabin when we went out, so he buried pots, pans, and other things there."

Abrafo asked, "So that is not a grave?"

Jiāo shook her head. "In that so-called grave, there are medicines that can heal your wounds." She said with a smile. "You go; I'll get our bags."

Michio asked, "Do you need help?"

Jiāo shook her head. "I can handle it. There are not many."

Baishui smiled at Jiāo and said, "I forgot to take my bag when I came up, please make sure."

Jiāo said, "I understand." Jiāo starts to walk away.

Hajime asked, "Why did you decide to build a house here? Is it far away from the people in the village?"

Baishui said, "I like this mountain. It's nice and quiet."

Hajime looked at Baishui and said, "You are very strange, unlike other human beings I have met. I cannot see your source of life."

Baishui smiled at Hajime and said, "Aren't we very similar? I can't see your source of life either. The dark source of life in this body does not belong to you." He smiled at Hajime. "If you don't expose me, I won't expose you."

Hajime scoffed, "Are you threatening me?"

Baishui said with a smile, "No, I'm just black mailing you."