CHAPTER 2: Jackpot.

Meanwhile...

The young boy in a black hoodie who had bumped into Mae earlier on the street arrived at his luxurious apartment that evening. Located on the 35th floor of a high-rise building in the heart of the town, Chen Zhao's apartment was a sight to behold.

As he entered the apartment, the scent of jasmine and sandalwood filled the air. The spacious living room was elegantly furnished with a plush velvet sofa, intricately carved wooden center table, and a Persian rug that added a pop of color to the room. The walls were adorned with traditional Chinese paintings and calligraphy, while the ceiling featured a beautiful crystal chandelier that glittered in the dim light.

The debonair con artist lives a lavish lifestyle by scamming rich folks and pick-pocketing on the streets.

With a lollipop in his mouth, he unveiled his hoodie and shut the door behind him with his foot. Chen Zhao walked straight to the center table in his living room and emptied the sack he was carrying. He put all his weight as he sat his butt on his sofa and drew the table closer, exhaling a deep breath of relief.

"Well.. well.. well.. what do we have here?"

Overwhelmed with his achievement for the day as he had pickpocketed a lot of money and other valuables from his victims on the street without them noticing the theft at the time.

He packed up the bundle of cash, sticking his finger to his tongue as he counted the money.

"Hundred, hundred and fifty.... Two hundred and 50..... Two hundred and fifty-one... Tsk!"

"Who leaves a $1 note in their wallet" he lamented and continued to count.

"850.... 900.... Whoa! Jackpot! A thousand dollar bill made!" Taking out the lollipop in his mouth, he exclaimed, jumping out of his couch.

Chen hurried to the kitchen and poured himself a glass of fine wine and returned to the living room to check out more valuables. He was very much impressed with a job well done as pick-pocketing has been a standard occupation for him.

He checked out the gadgets on the table and dusted off the screens of some smartphones and MacBooks and thought he could put them up online for sale at discounted prices.

He picked up the glass of wine on the table and had a sip as he also picked up a notebook inscribed 'My dairy' on it.

"This would be fun" The corners of his mouth twitched upwards as he crossed his legs on the table, using each foot to take off his boots. He had big hairy feet, hence, boots were his major wardrobe collection.

He flipped the pages, laughing as he got himself entertained with some girl's secret she had written in her diary.

After that, Chen Zhao picked up a piece of paper. A name was written boldly, with a headline underlined in capital letters. "MY DAD, MY HERO."

"Hmm.." he got fascinated, rubbing his chin. Then he decided to read on.

"My hero is my father.

Although I didn't get to meet him, I've heard tremendous stories about him.

Father was a selfless leader. He was a born leader.

He slayed a thousand army with his sword, he is a warrior.

I wish father could hear this, I miss him and hope...."

"Tchew! What a piece of junk" he sighed, squeezing and tossing the paper to one side.

He kept checking out the properties he picked-pocket repeatedly saying "trash, trash... Junk! garbage..." as he tossed empty wraps of sweets, some make-up kits, and ID cards to one side until he got to a suicide note which compelled him to read. Feeling empathetic as he read each sentence, he wiped out involuntary tears pouring out of one eye.

"... I'm sorry Nana, I have to end it all.

I should have texted you but my battery died. I hope you can feel the energy in this paper and read my pain, my anxiety, my frustration and most of all.. How cruel the world is.

I know I have a purpose but I don't see the purpose.

It's funny how the blessed ones had the most curses.

Life is unreal and death is certain.

Why do we live to die, why?

Even if I don't die today, Tomorrow would come for me.

I wish I could use the Amethyst to....".

He paused for a moment, blinking and rubbing his eyes. He held the sheet of paper closer to his face for he could not believe what he was seeing.

"The Amethyst? The Amethyst... Jack-pot. Woohoo! " he clamored, throwing a fist in the air.

His mood died down when he realized he do not know the owner of the property as he got his hands on the majority on the street.

He sat back on the couch, tapping his feet on the ground, and his fingers simultaneously tapping on his forehead, resting his face on his palm. "Think, think.. Think." He said repeatedly, trying to process his thought.

"Lightbulb!" he snapped his finger in an interjection.

"Yes, yesss, yes!" He proceeded to review the papers on his table.

"Bingo!" he let out a triumphant shout when he found what he was looking for. He held both the suicide note and Report sheet, comparing the handwriting and it was the same. He looked deeply into the report sheet;

"Name, Mae... Li. Hmm... Jin Li... where..... did I... hear... that name...?" he counted his words as he drummed on his lips.

"Could she perhaps be Jin Li's offspring." he thought.

He went through the student's identification card he had tossed out. Checking the name tags one after the other, he spotted that of Mae Li having her school address on it.

"This must be it. I should share this with Master Yuze" he said in his thought.

Suddenly, goosebumps appeared on his skin and he felt chills in his bones. He was feeling faint as if his head was spinning in the room. He held his head tightly trying to regain his balance with severe migraine banging the walls of his head; followed by fatigue as his muscles began to spasm violently, causing foam to come out of his mouth. He convulsed, collapsing to the floor with the pain.

Chen struggled to bring out the last pill of the drug in his pocket, and with his muscles contracting involuntarily, he reached out to the glass of wine on the table, swallowing his medicine, as some drops of wine spilled over the glass.

Chen Zhao who is a Wolf-monkey was a loyal servant to Yuze Fang, who had sent him to Earth, disguised in human form to retrieve the Amethyst in return promising to free his parents enslaved in Marinda and grant him eternal freedom.

Few minutes later, he felt relieved. It was the perfect timing to pay Master Yuze a visit since he's run out of medication.

To come to Earth in human flesh, there is a necessity for trade. He unwillingly gave up his health, hence inflicted with the strange flu inside of him. Apart from the promise Master Yuze made to him, he ought to be solely obligated to serve Master Yuze, who was the only source of the antidote to keep him alive on Earth.

That evening...

Chen went to the city library, constantly looking over his shoulders to see if he was being followed. With his right hand stretched out towards the doorknob, he unleashed a magic spell to open a portal that will transport him to Marinda. The knob clicked nonstop as he repeatedly recite an incantation. Soon it was glowing with blue rays rotating along a circular path. Covering the hoodie over his head, he vigilantly looked over his shoulders again and walked through the blue ray with his hands back in his pockets.

He was teleported to a spooky forest in Marinda. It had been where he secretly meets with Master Yuze, Queen Zuki's brother.

Immediately he crossed to Marinda, Chen Zhao transformed from a human to a Wolf-monkey.

He walked deeper into the dense wood, the path becoming narrower and narrower. A dense thicket of trees was up ahead, clouded by shadow.

An owl hooted somewhere in the distance, and the sound was so startling and ominous that he almost jumped out of his skin.

He took the next turn, and there awaits Master Yuze, posing with his hands clasped behind his back as he stood still, backing the woods. Chen walked towards him, bowing his head "Master, master, I bring good news." With his back hunched, his eyes sparked, beaming radiantly.

"Alas, this day is come" Master Yuze responded with his back facing Chen "Why did you summon me at this hour." His tone created a sense of mystery.

"Master, master! we have our answer. The Amethyst master... the Amethyst." Chen spoke light-heartedly as brought out a crumpled paper in his pocket, bowing with both hands stretched out, handing over the paper to Yuze.

Master Yuze's eyes widened and his ears twitched when he heard the word 'Amethyst'. He wriggled and snatched the paper from Chen's hand.

Chen was so jolly, he could lose control of himself.

Master Yuze skimmed through the writing, his eyes rolling from side to side, he flipped out in rage. "What is this!!!"

A strong wind blew through the trees and Chen shivered in the cold of the forest, rubbing his arms to try and regain warmth.

"T-The Ame-amethyst..." He bit his lips with a pause and shook his hand in his other pocket, bringing out an ID card. He pointed to Mae's passport "T-This girl in the photograph... She k-knows about t-the Amethyst". He stuttered, tapping on the ID as he spoke. His hands were quivering and his lips trembling.

Master Yuze snatched the Identification card from him and took a closer look at the image with his hand holding it close to his eyes.

"JM Memorial High...." his lips quirked up and his mouth split into a grin. He barely bit back a laugh, instead settling on a paused smile.

Chen chuckled and Master Yuze followed, both bursting out into boisterous laughter.

Soon, Master Yuze comported himself and Chen Zhao behaved accordingly.

"Indeed, we have our answer. You must enroll into..." he held up the ID card to read the name of the school inscribed on it. "JM Memorial High School" he continued chortling.

"Yes master..." Chen bowed to receive the ID card and suicide note from Master Yuze, reminding him of his medicine.

"My- my me-medi-cine Ma-master" he stammered.

Master Yuze stretched out his hand as a scale detached from his body. He casted a spell on it and the scale turned to a pill.

He waved his hand and the pill floated to Chen Zhao.

"J-just one?" Chen stuttered.

With a disdainful look, he turned to Chen.

Chen hastily went on his knees begging at his feet for mercy.

"Have compassion towards me, My lord. Forgive me Master". He bowed, cleaning his feet with his clothing.

Master Yuze sighed, receding his foot as he walked away.

Chen looked at the one pill in his hand "This would only last for 72 hours on Earth". He gulped, and then proceeded to put the pill in his pocket. He pinched the bridge of his nose, knocking his head repeatedly.

With his hands up cradling his head, "Arghhhhhhh..!!!" he let out a loud wail, growling in rage.