Chapter 12 - Young and Dangerous

[Streets of Xinjiang, China]

The air in Xinjiang was thick with tension as the group of seven moved swiftly through the bustling streets, their eyes scanning every corner for signs of danger. The streets were packed with people, some hawking their wares from makeshift stalls, others hurrying to and fro on errands, and still others simply enjoying the lively atmosphere.

Eventually, they found their way to a dimly-lit alleyway, and huddled together as their breaths become visible in the chilly night air. Jack was still keeping his cards close to his chest, refusing to share any details about their next move.

Yukie was the first to break the silence. "Jack, what's going on? Who are these people you're taking us to meet?"

Jack just smiled enigmatically. "You'll see soon enough," he replied.

Takamura scowled, not liking the uncertainty. "We're trusting you with our lives here. The least you could do is give us some idea of what we're about to do next."

"Calm down, children." Lady Enki interrupted. "I have a rough idea of where Jack might be taking us, so even if you can't commit to that idea...at least believe in the confidence that I have in him instead."

Connor and Ethan nodded, firmly believing that Lady Enki's words were always gospel.

Jack's expression softened, and he turned to face the group. "Look, I know you're all anxious, but we need to trust each other. These guys I'm taking you to, they owe me a favor. They're the best chance we have of getting to Hong Kong safely."

Professor Shiva spoke up. "Why are we going to Hong Kong? Is this place not secure enough?"

"What kind of favor?" Ethan couldn't help asking as well.

Jack hesitated and exchanged looks with Lady Enki. "Let's just say they need something from us in return. It won't be anything dangerous, but it will require us to be discreet."

"Hong Kong, hmm...I guess we're headed to one of the decommissioned safe houses? That's not a bad idea." Lady Enki made a guess while rubbing her chin lightly, deep in thought.

The group exchanged wary glances, but they had little choice. They had come too far to turn back now. They continued to follow Jack through the winding streets of Xinjiang, the sounds of the city echoing in their ears. The closer they got to their destination, the more nervous some of them became. The crowds thinned out, and they found themselves in a quiet corner of the city.

Upon arriving, Jack broke his silence. "We're here. Let me handle things alright?"

They approached a nondescript storefront that appeared to be an ordinary tea shop. Jack motioned for the group to stay back. He walked up to the side door and knocked twice, then twice more, followed by three quick taps. A slot in the door slid open, and a pair of dark eyes peered out.

"What do you want?" a gruff voice demanded.

"I'm here to look for Liang dà gē (big brother Liang). Tell him it's Jack."

The eyes studied Jack for a moment, then the slot slammed shut. There was a sound of bolts being drawn back, and the door creaked open. Jack motioned for the group to follow him inside.

The room was thick with smoke, tendrils of gray swirling in the air like lost spirits. It was also dimly lit, dyed with a reddish hue due to the red paper lanterns that were scattered across the room. The walls were adorned with ornate calligraphy, ancient scrolls, and intricate carvings. The smell of stale alcohol permeated the air, mixed in with the oppressive and pungent scent of tobacco.

Some men full of bodily scars and oriental tattoos sat huddled together drinking and playing cards, their faces obscured by the smoke they exhaled, whispering in hushed tones, while others sat alone, lost in thought. They all looked up as the group entered, eyeing them suspiciously and full of antagonism. Their sharp gazes were particularly directed at Ethan, who looked completely out of place among the group.

It didn't help that Ethan was the only one reacting adversely to the smoky room. He could feel the smoke seeping into his clothes and hair, the bitter taste of it coating his tongue. He started to cough, his chest heaving with the effort and discomfort. The sound of cards shuffling and poker chips clinking against each other plus the rasping of the smokers' breath, and the occasional sharp intake of air as they drew on their cigarettes made this place truly seem like a den for the dishonest sort to gather.

The group finally realized why Jack kept silent about his local contacts. They were the Chinese triads. Not exactly the kind of crowd that they would normally be comfortable around. The triads were an organization that had existed way before the existence and emergence of relics in the world. According to legend, they had been formed centuries ago as a secret society, born from the ashes of dynasties and empires, a symbol of resilience and defiance in the face of oppression. Over time, their influence had grown, and they became known as the guardians of the underground, feared and respected by all who crossed their path. And yet, despite their power and reputation, they remained fiercely loyal to their own, bound together by the unbreakable ties of brotherhood.

Jack walked up to the largest of the men, a burly fellow with a scar across his cheek and whispered a few words. He was then led to another table which sat under a single red lantern, where a handsome man in his thirties, wearing a suit adorned with dragon symbols was sitting. A scar ran across his forehead, giving him a grim and devious look despite his sharp features.

Behind him stood a towering statue of legendary Chinese hero Guān Yǔ (famous military general during Chinese three kingdoms era), standing at nearly eight feet tall. His armor gleamed in the dim light, intricately crafted with fine details etched into every piece. His expression was stern, a symbol of his unwavering loyalty and bravery. The guān dāo (a type of Chinese glaive) he held in his hand was imposing, its blade glinting ominously.

Jack saluted the man, who turned out to be Liang dà gē and exchanged a few hushed words with him. While Jack negotiated the group's safe passage with Liang, Yukie and Ethan were having a conversation of their own in whispers.

"Ethan," Yukie whispered, her voice barely audible over the chatter of the other triad members. "Do you think we're safe here?"

「Wow...her face is really close...and she smells so nice.」Ethan thought to himself, his face calm and collected as Yukie stood close to him, causing his heart to beat rapidly inside his chest.

Connor who noticed this exchange in the corner of his eye snorted to himself, but was happy Ethan was still keeping his cool under the combined pressure of being in a den full of potentially deadly triad members and being approached by his crush.

Ethan sighed, his shoulders slumping as he cleared his throat. "Ahem. But we don't have any other options. We have to trust Jack and Lady Enki's decision on this."

"I'm not fond of triads, mafias, mobs and gangsters...they remind me much of the yakuza from Japan," Yukie whispered.

Ethan tried his best to sound reassuring, although his voice trembled slightly, betraying his emotions. "W-We'll be okay. We're Heaven's Watch, remember?"

Yukie nodded, but her anxiety didn't abate. They were in the heart of the triad's den, surrounded by unknown dangers. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was bound to go wrong.

Jack and Liang had finished their private conversation as Liang stood up and took several steps closer towards the group, but still maintaining a safe distance. It was a habit he had developed, to be prudent of both friend and foe in uncertain circumstances.

"Welcome," a cold voice boomed out, sending a shiver down Connor's spine. "I am Liang. You must be the ones Jack spoke of." Liang said as he exchanged a furtive glance with Jack.

"That's us," Lady Enki said, stepping forward. "Jack must have told you what we're here for."

Liang stroked his chin thoughtfully. "I can indeed provide safe passage to Hong Kong," he said. "But it won't be for free."

"What do you want?" Takamura asked, his hand drifting over his relic. Jack shot him a look and raised a hand, as if asking him to calm down.

Liang chuckled. "Nothing so dramatic, I assure you. I am in need of a team to retrieve something for me. There is a relic that I would like you to retrieve from a nearby temple. Bring it to me, and I will provide you with safe passage to Hong Kong."

"What kind of relic?" Yukie asked, her eyes narrowing.

Liang leaned forward, his eyes glittering in the dim light. "You see...I am particularly fond of good craftsmanship. And there has been a rumor circulating about a specific piece of porcelain known as the "Teapot of Eight Immortals" hidden within the temple. However, I must add - this matter cannot be traced back to me...for safety reasons of course."

"That sounds easy enough," Connor said, trying to hide his skepticism. "Where is this temple?"

Liang handed him a slip of paper. "The location is marked on this piece of paper. But be warned, the temple is guarded by some...unsavory characters. You'll need to exercise some caution."

"How bad can the security be for a place of worship?" Ethan questioned with an eyebrow raised.

Lady Enki chuckled lightly as she remembered some incidents from the past and said, "Trust me. You'd be surprised. There is a reason why the Vatican is one of the most guarded places on earth. I can imagine any place with secrets to hide would have some form of top-tier security."

Liang nodded and added on, "I would like to add. You may take your time...as the passage to Hong Kong will only be ready within a period of 3-5 days. However, the sooner you bring me what I ask for, the more I will be inclined to expedite this safe passage you seek."

"Hmph, you'll do well to keep your promise, Liang." Lady Enki stepped forward and released a bit of her oppressive fiery energy, which instantly increased the temperature in the room.

The triad members who were relaxed and left to their own devices earlier all tensed up once they sensed their leader becoming the target of hostility. Each of them stood up and drew their relics and weapons, pointing it at Jack's group of friends. Nobody had gotten out unscathed after insulting or being hostile to Liang dà gē.

"Jack, what is the meaning of this?" a bald headed triad member with a tiger tattoo on his face questioned as he spat out his cigarette in rage.

Another triad with a bulging belly pointed his blade at Lady Enki and bellowed at her, "Nǐ tā mā de kàn shén me?!" (What the hell are you staring at?!")

Jack stepped in between and tried to calm the situation, knowing how deadly Lady Enki's temper could be. He recalled the incident at Karakoram several days back, with all the burnt up corpses strewn across the front of the cottage.

Lady Enki ignored Jack. She didn't care about his relationship with these triad members, and released an even stronger oppressive energy, which bent every single standing triad member except Liang down to their knees. Most of them could not resist and collapsed immediately, the force of Lady Enki's telekinetic powers too heavy for them to handle.

"Wǒ cāo!" (Damn it!)

"Gah!!"

"Aghh!"

"Gàn!!!" (F*ck!)

The large scary triads who looked like they could raze the city of Xinjiang to the ground started grunting and cussing out in pain. Lady Enki's eyes glowed and her crimson hair fluttered as she stared at Liang intensely.

"Enough." Liang raised both his hands in surrender. "I am not foolish enough to gamble the lives of my brothers in front of the Witch of Scarlet Flames. I will keep my promise, should you be able to keep yours."

With a snort, Lady Enki released and withdrew her telekinetic energy, looking more relaxed than before.

Connor and Ethan practically had stars in their eyes as they were awestruck by Lady Enki's show of force. Ethan especially, in a corner of his heart, full of regret, wished he was able to wield relics.

Jack gestured for his group to leave as he bid his farewells awkwardly to Liang and the other triad members.

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[Outside the triads den, Xinjiang, China]

"So we're pulling off a heist now?" Professor Shiva questioned the entire group that consists of Heaven's Watch and a singular Enforcer. She crossed her arms, unable to grasp how she landed in this situation in the first place.

"It's either that or get killed by HADES, Professor." Connor quipped. He wasn't too fond of the idea either, but he knew it was the only way out of Xinjiang right now.

"Very well...but might I suggest we do this carefully?" Professor Shiva said, extremely concerned. "We still need to track Adrian down..."

"I will look into news about Professor Adrian," Lady Enki said reassuringly to her client. "The rest of you guys can focus on the heist in the meantime."

"I've always wanted to plan a heist," Ethan said jokingly. "If we do it right, we don't even need to fight anyone..." he started to trail off as his mind jumped between ideas and how to execute them.

Jack shrugged and said, "Let's find a place to turn in for the night and plan our next move. We'll need to do this carefully and not draw any attention."

Lady Enki chuckled. "It reminds me of that old movie, 'Young & Dangerous.' You remember that one, Jack?"

Jack nodded, grinning. "Of course, Lady Enki. But this isn't a movie, this is real life. And we need to do this if we want safe passage to Hong Kong."

"But how are we going to pull this off?" Yukie asked. "We don't even know what the relic looks like."

Takamura shrugged. "We could always sneak in and inspect every single teapot," he suggested.

Yukie scoffed. "And what? Get caught by the monks? I don't think so."

Ethan spoke up, brimming with confidence in the area of his expertise and of course not wanting a chance to show off to Yukie. "I may be able to help with that. I've studied Chinese myths and legends extensively. Perhaps I can identify the relic if we spend some time hitting up the local libraries for a bit."

Yukie nodded. "If the temple has any type of security, I try to disable it with my relic."

Lady Enki smiled mischievously, striking a seductive pose. "And I can distract the guards with my feminine wiles."

The group chuckled, the tension in the room easing slightly. "Alright then," Connor said, standing up. "Let's make a plan and get to work. We have a relic to steal. It's time to live young and dangerously!"