The Hunt

The Battle of Talents continued.

Based on the number of wins gained, Yuqui was on top followed by Lu Wang and third was the contingent from Duo Xing.

The Jawbreakers have become wildly popular, the young pugilists winning everybody's admiration by playing their matches beyond expectation. Each of them just about dazzled everyone with their skills and graceful pugnaciousness that reminded An Ning of a TV documentary she had once seen about Mohammad Ali.

The grace and style of the Jawbreakers were eerily similar, especially the fancy footwork, except that the Jawbreakers were more taciturn and not as brash as Ali. The Jawbreakers won all their fights, winning ten pennants for their school, more than any in the history of the games.

Wu Xiang Yun meantime showed why she was supreme in her own category. She and a young girl from Lu Wang out-tricked each other during their almost two-hour battle. They used magic, combining it with the science of alchemy, to confound and amaze their audience. Xiang Yun won only by a nose, cunningly tricking her opponent by using a life-like mirror image of herself to confuse her opponent while hunting for a magical dragon.

Mu Xing was a total wreck watching his newly-wedded wife compete in her category. He actually thought of using his new status as her husband to disqualify her from competing. He and she were married. They had consummated the marriage in a toe-curling moment of passion that still left Mu Xing wanting for more. He would at times look at Xiang Yun and something inside his belly would ignite like a flame.

It was embarrassing, it was ridiculous, it was glorious. He was practically a drooling idiot when it came to his wife...so, he didn't like to see her in danger, didn't like to see her in an unsafe environment where he couldn't come to her rescue because the rules of the games forbid it. So, he had to endure and wait, his heart in his throat the whole time.

When Xiang Yun triumphantly bounded to his side grinning after her win, Mu Xing had the urge to pick her up and carry her away but he controlled himself. Despite her young age, Xiang Yun was a girl who knew her own worth. She had disobeyed all rules to follow her dreams. All she wished for in a husband was that he supports these dreams and watch by her side as she makes all of them happen.

So, he merely gave her a lingering kiss, his hand gently fondling her waist, and kept in his heart the worry and fear.

The Chengdi contingent won two pennants in archery and martial arts, all of them won by the youth in the black mask. The ambassador was on hand to award the winner. There was a moment of confusion when the Ambassador was about to give the pennant to the winner and he disappeared. The crowd gasped because it was unexpected but it turned out to be another trick since the boy reappeared again beside the empress who appreciated the trick by laughing.

The hunt for the white tiger that afternoon will cap the end of the Games. The hunt was open to all and can change the status of the winners and losers because of its high value. The hunt was an individual rather than a group effort. The best warrior pitted against a much stronger and more lethal opponent. The glory of winning was guaranteed to the victor. He takes away not only money but fame and a special spot at Yuqui's prestigious school.

The white tiger was to be let lose inside a contained semi-jungle environment designed for a much more special purpose during Gu Fang's father's time. It featured a large lodge beside a flowing fake waterfall where young women used to frolic and bathed, watched by a pair of hungry eyes hiding behind the man-made garden.

Everyone participating in the hunt left early that morning.

Mu Xing, who was scared to say anything about it to Xiang Yun for fear of being accused as a control freak, heaved a sigh of relief when Xiang Yun herself told him she was not participating in the hunt. She already achieved some feat by winning in her category. Besides, she was already assured of a place in the school. As for the fame and money, she didn't need both. In short, there was nothing in it that could tempt her to take part in it except perhaps watch it unfold closely by her husband's side.

Hearing her words, Mu Xing pulled the bedclothes off his wife's naked body and proceeded to kiss and taste and ravish her sweetness once again, not caring about Xiang Yun's protests about being late and to stop because she was a little sore.

Mu Xing was deaf to her words and her pleas. His strong arms snaked around her hips and lifted her open thighs to the slow penetration of his hard cock. Their breathing became soft and ragged. Mu Xing's lips captured Xiang Yun's tongue with a loud moan as his hips began its deep thrusting rhythm between her legs. As she neared her peak, Xiang Yun tilted her hips higher to meet his downward thrusts, her legs tightening sweetly around his gyrating hips as she screamed and shouted her pleasure.

"You're mine, Xiang Yun. You're mine," Mu Xing rasped as he emptied himself into his wife's tight, little body with a breathy moan.

Xiang Yun pressed her sweaty and tired body against him, falling asleep before he even got off to pull the blankets around them both. Mu Xing gazed tenderly at his wife's passion-blushed face before he kissed her cheek and pulled her warm and delicious body into his tight embrace as he fell asleep beside her.

When they woke up, Mu Xing again seduced his little wife into doing another quick round with him before taking a bath and riding with Ling Wan to the lodge.

When they arrived, the emperor was already in the midst of a little speech, welcoming participants to the hunt. Everyone wore the same look on their slightly apprehensive faces: each one expected to kill the white tiger and win the money and fame that went with it. One of them will succeed while the rest will only have lingering memories of trying but failing to accomplish greatness.

Winner takes all. That has always been the purpose of the Battle of Talents. The friendly games between teams and partners before the main event were only the precursor of what was going to be the primal battle between ultimate rivals. This was the fight to the finish round that will separate the weak from the strong. The child from the adult. Winner takes all.

The emperor gave the signal and five hundred bodies surged forward, disappearing in mere minutes into the jungle beyond. The silence they left was strange and somewhat uncomfortable.

The emperor turned to look at the empress but her gaze was still focused on the trees that hid from sight those eager youngsters hurrying forward towards doom or triumph. How many of them will return alive? How many bruised and torn? How many dead? Only one winner out of five hundred. Who will it be, she wondered?

"I'm told there is a pond on the other side filled with fish. We could stay there if you like and just while away the time fishing and napping," Gu Sheng said, his smooth forehead glistening with sweat.

"Anything just to get out of this heat," An Ning agreed.

They moved to the pond, the two servants with them following behind in the carriage.

The pond was surrounded by lush trees and shrubs enclosed within a landscaped lawn beautifully manicured it could be used as a flyer for an advert of Shangrila.

The servants spread a huge picnic rug on the grass under the shade of a tree and took out plates of finger food which they laid down on a small table near the rug.

An Ning and Gu Sheng shared a companionable silence. An Ning laid back on the rug, her hands underneath her head, looking upwards at the branches where a sliver of light peeked through the leaves

A low and menacing sound suddenly broke the silence.

The servants screamed.

An Ning sat up, instinctively grabbing Gu Sheng and shielding him with her body.

The white tiger was enormous. As big as a small elephant and fast. It silently stalked forward, the pads of its enormous paws leaving imprints on the flattened grass. Its body slithered under the sun like a sinuous striped anaconda, the beautiful pelt soft and thick.

The big yellow eyes stared balefuly at them, pinning them on the spot as it continued to growl.

"An Ning," Gu Sheng whispered.

"When I make my move, I want you to take the servants and run."

The big cat moved to attack.

"Now!"

An Ning shouted then jumped high above the cat's head, tapped its back then landed on the ground behind it with her arm firmly gripping the long bushy tail. She pulled hard, abruptly stopping the cat's forward momentum so that it growled angrily, turning its massive head to throw An Ning a baleful glance.

The long and massive body turned around, leaping as it did so, the clawed paws bared and glinting menacingly. Still holding its long tail, An Ning braced herself on one foot then started to spin her body around, faster and faster, the tail still clasped in her hand, the growling growing mightily above her, loud and furious.

With one mighty throw of her arm, An Ning sent the tiger flying through the air, the speckled body crashing against a clump of trees. With a shake of its mighty head, the tiger got up and again charged at An Ning. An Ning, however, had already taken off after it and with fists flying sent it crashing again and again on the ground.

The tiger growled and tried to swipe at An Ning with its bared claws but An Ning jumped on its neck, her hands gripping a handful of its hair before she sent it crashing in a dead faint with a mighty blow on its head. The tiger went out like a light, whimpering through its mouth, before sprawling on the ground sound asleep.

An Ning jumped down and flicked the tiger's eye open with one hand. There didn't seem to be any damage. The poor animal was just exhausted after the workout she sent it through but when she examined the body, she frowned when she saw traces of blood on the back of its left leg.

The back leg had been nearly hacked through, the wound so deep the skin was flapping open and the bone showing through. No wonder the poor animal was incensed. It was nearly insane with the pain and when it saw them, its primary instinct was to save itself so it attacked.

"Why didn't you kill it?" Gu Sheng who had silently approached them asked.

"I couldn't. It reminded me of a cat I once had," An Ning said, grinning reluctantly. "It felt wrong somehow to just kill it in cold blood."

"But people are looking for it now. It will end up dead whether you like it or not," Gu Sheng pointed out.

"I don't think this is the cat they're hunting though."

Gu Sheng frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"Look at its color. You don't see any speck of white on it, do you? It's a beautiful, tawny shade of red. Somehow, I think this cat was already here long before the games started. I wouldn't be surprised if it belonged to your grandfather who probably left it here by mistake. But it was attacked and when it saw us, it got angry."

"Attacked?" Gu Sheng was surprised.

"The left leg. The bones are showing through. And the wound is fresh."

Gu Sheng turned around and examined their surroundings.

"I think you're right. This area doesn't seem to be part of the contained jungle where the white tiger was let loose. And if this cat was really the bait, then where are the hunters? I don't see anyone here but us. Strange," Gu Sheng frowned.

"Let's worry about that later. For now, this tiger needs our help."

"What are you going to do?"

"Help it, of course," An Ning quipped, then proceeded to take out the medical kit from the ring.

An Ning injected the creature with pain killer to make it sleep some more then cleaned the wound and stitched the skin together. An Ning chuckled when Gu Sheng flinched at the sight of her with the thread, sewing the flapping skin shut.

"Big baby," she teased.

She then tied a big band of cloth around the wound then sat back, watching the cat's breathing settle back comfortably.

"He'll be okay now," she said turning to Gu Sheng who frowned at her.

"That's well and good but what are we going to do to him when he wakes up?"

"Leave him here, of course."

"But what if those guys who tried to hurt him come back? Wouldn't it be more dangerous for him then?"

"You're that worried, huh?" An Ning chuckled.

"I'm not," Gu Sheng said, a faint blush of red on his cheeks. "But if they did and we're not here to help him this time....," his words trailed off.

"You are worried," An Ning looked at him seriously this time.

"I just find it strange that a big ferocious cat whose been living peacefully in these woods for years and years would suddenly find himself suddenly attacked just as we arrived to officially open the hunt. Don't you?"

"I don't know. I guess I'm just used to people hunting and killing animals for fun than find anything suspicious about it. People are greedy for trophies, Little Gu. All kinds of trophies, be it women, heads, skins or treasures. Collecting make them feel worthy somehow. Maybe somebody found this animal here and couldn't resist the temptation."

"I'll have this investigated before we leave," Gu Sheng said, his lips tight with anger. "This land is imperial property and anyone hunting here should have registered for a license before doing so. This is tantamount to stealing from the emperor."

"You do that," An Ning said, looking at the tiger, who's head was beginning to twitch. "I think he's starting to wake up. Stand back a little and wait for my signal before coming nearer. He and I need to get re-acquianted before we do anything else."

The tiger groggily sat up then growled half-heartedly at An Ning, who gently swatted the big paw coming at her before putting it down and petting the big head with one hand. It growled and bared its fangs at her but An Ning merely petted its head and talked and shushed its grumblings in a gentle voice. The tiger finally laid down and allowed An Ning to rub its stomach.

An Ning wasn't surprise when her hand came away with blood. The wound was not as bad as the hind leg but the cut was vicious enough to continue its profuse bleeding. An Ning cleaned then cauterized the wound, causing the big cat to growl and yelp in pain. But it did not struggle even when An Ning finally sutured the cut.

Deep within the woods, a pair of cunning black eyes watched the woman as she tended to the wounded cat. This part of the plan didn't work. Who would have thought that she would fought the cat instead of killing it. The leverage it would have given them would have been enough to keep her out of the kingdom for years.

But no matter. There was a second phase to the plan which if done correctly would ensure that she will never set foot in Yuqui ever again. It was just a matter of time. And time has always been on their side.