Snake (2 page)

Seh had overheard Grandmaster mention several times that this clearing was a secret meeting place. Seh wondered if he met anyone here, which side of the shadows they would reside on. He tightened the sash around his orange robe and stepped out into the open. The pit of his stomach immediately began to tingle. He sensed
chi.
Human
chi.
Someone was out there.

Seh spun around and slipped beneath a large slab of stone jutting out from a pile of boulders. He lay on his side, curled into a ball. It wasn't a perfect hiding place, but it would have to do.

Seh rested his cheek on the cold, rocky ground and held his breath. He did not feel any vibrations. No one was moving. At least not yet.

He raised his head slightly and began to breathe… slowly… deeply. He scanned the moonlit surroundings, and his ears strained to pick up any sounds. Nothing. There was still a fair amount of
chi
in the air, but Seh could not pinpoint the source.

And then something stirred in the tree line across the clearing. Seh locked on its position. He hissed softly and compressed every muscle in his body, poised to strike.

“I hope you took your shoes off before crawling into my living room,” a nasal voice said from across the clearing. “I'd hate for you to dirty up the place.”

Beneath the slab of stone, Seh blinked twice. He had a hard time believing what he was hearing—or seeing.

A strange-looking man stepped from the tree line into the moonlight and began to wobble directly toward Seh's hiding place. The man was of average height, but he had curiously short arms and legs. His stubby legs worked double time to move him along at a normal pace, and his long torso swayed as he walked. Though the air was chilly, the man wore only a tattered vest and threadbare silk pants torn off at the knees. He was streaked with dirt from head to toe, and his long, thinning hair was matted with bits of leaves and twigs. A similarly long, thin mustache hung down on either side of his tiny mouth, stretching almost to his chest.

As the man scurried forward, he scratched his extremely wide nose with a dirty fingernail. His nose looked like it had been pounded flat with a hammer.

Seh grimaced. He had never seen a man so ugly or so filthy. The man didn't smell so great, either.

The dirty man stopped in front of the stone slab. He peered into the moon shadows beneath and frowned. “That was a joke, kid. Don't you find it funny?”

Seh didn't reply. He stared hard at the disgusting man.

“My, you're a serious one,” the man said. “Come
on out, then. Let's forget the small talk and get down to business. I suppose you have information to exchange.”

Seh didn't reply.

“People only come here for one reason,” the man said. “Especially in the middle of the night. Do you have information to exchange or not?”

“I might,” Seh replied.

“You might,” the man repeated, shaking his head. He knelt down and leaned toward Seh. “Get out of there.”

Seh compressed his body and sank farther under the slab. He wedged his back between the heavy rock and the ground.

“If you want information, we're going to do things my way,” the man said. “We're going to play a little game. You'll stand a much better chance if you crawl out of there. Trust me.”

“Trust you?” Seh said. “I don't even know you.”

The dirty man sighed and one of his hands shot forward, grabbing Seh's wrist with an iron grip. Seh expanded his body and locked himself into place, but the man was unbelievably strong. Rock and stony earth scratched Seh as he was dragged out from under the slab. He writhed and twisted and tried to pull free, but the dirty man held fast.

Seh grunted as he struggled to his feet. “Don't… make me … hurt you.”

The dirty man laughed. “Hurt me? I'm counting on it!
One new thing you'll know for every solid blow!
That's the name of the game. Understand?”

“No …,” Seh replied, struggling to pull his arm free. “I strongly suggest you release me. This is your last warning—”

“That's the spirit!” the man said. “Fight back, and perhaps I'll answer some of your questions.
One new thing you'll know for every solid blow!
If you land a solid blow, I have to answer one question. Likewise, if I land a solid blow, you have to answer one of my questions. I've been playing this game with travelers for years, which is probably why my nose looks the way it does. Some people think I've been hit in the head a few too many times, and perhaps they're right. But for some reason, I can't seem to stop playing. I love it! I find friendly sparring matches a great way to exchange information with strangers. Why, just the other day, I—
umpfff!”

The man's words were cut short by a lightning-quick front kick to the lips.

Seh returned his foot to the ground and the pressure on his arm released. He jerked his wrist free and took a step back.

The dirty man rubbed his jaw and looked down at Seh's foot. “Very nice kick!” he said with a bloody grin.
“One new thing you'll know for every solid blow!
For that lovely bit of footwork, I'll answer one question. Go ahead, ask me anything.”

Seh stared at the man's happy, bleeding face. “Who
are
you?”

“My name is NgGung.” The dirty man bowed.

“Your name is… Centipede?” Seh said. “That's Cantonese.”

“That's right,” NgGung said. “I have a Cantonese animal name, just like you,
Seh
”

Seh's eyes widened. “How do you know my name?”

NgGung laughed. “Not yet, kid.
One new thing you'll know for every solid blow!”

“But—”

NgGung lunged forward and slammed the heel of his palm into the center of Seh's chest. Seh stumbled backward, certain he'd never been hit that hard before. NgGung's hand was as hard as stone.

NgGung laughed again. “Yes! A solid blow for me! My turn to ask a question. Let's see…. Since you're here, I can only assume something has happened at Cangzhen. Ummm … Did someone attack the temple?”

Seh coughed and rubbed his aching chest. “What? Yes. My former brother Ying, he—”

NgGung raised a filthy hand. “Rules are rules. You just answered my question. More than one, actually. I'm not entitled to any more information. That is, until I hit you again!” NgGung lunged at Seh.

Seh reacted without thinking. As NgGung came at him, Seh spun to one side and dropped low to the ground. He extended all four fingers on one hand and pulled them tightly together, bending his wrist ninety degrees. He tucked his thumb against the side of his hand, cocked the snake-head fist back to his ear, and thrust it forward with all his might straight into NgGung's midsection.

Seh's hand bounced off NgGung's stomach like a spear tip bouncing off a thick plate of iron. Seh felt the reverberation all the way up to his elbow. He scowled and looked at NgGung, who stopped his attack and took a step back. NgGung grinned and opened his vest.

Seh stared in disbelief. Even in the moonlight, he could tell that NgGung's stomach was unlike any he had ever seen. NgGung's abdominal muscles were thick like iron bands and perfectly formed. They looked like the segmented armor of an insect.

NgGung pointed to a red mark just below his belly button. “Look here!” he said excitedly. “Your strike landed right on top of my
dan tien
—my
chi
center. You have excellent aim, my friend. That blow would have brought most men to their knees. However, I'd venture to say that that one hurt you more than it hurt me! Even so, we'll count it as a solid blow because of your amazing accuracy. In response to your question, I learned your name from Mong.”

“Mong?” Seh said. “How do—”

NgGung smiled and shook his head.
“One new thing you'll know for every solid blow!”
He took a step toward Seh, cocking one leg and one arm back.

Seh hissed. It was time to bring this game to an end.

NgGung whipped his body around with amazing speed, extending one arm and one leg. Seh jumped over NgGung's spinning kick and barely raised his forearms in time to block NgGung's spinning arm.
The impact of NgGung's arm against Seh's forearms sent Seh tumbling sideways through the air. Seh hit the ground on one shoulder and tucked into a roll. He popped up onto his feet and turned to face NgGung.

NgGung was grinning from ear to ear. Seh was not. His forearms were killing him. NgGung's arm, like his stomach, was as hard as iron. Seh realized NgGung must practice Iron Shirt kung fu. Hitting any part of NgGung's upper body would be useless.

“Well done!” NgGung said, walking toward Seh. “That was definitely a block on your part. No new information for me from that exchange! Get your hands up. Here I come again!”

NgGung began to spin.

Seh knew he couldn't go blow for blow with NgGung. He would end up breaking his hands—or worse. As NgGung neared, Seh got an idea. He leaned forward as though he were about to counterattack, but the moment NgGung's spinning arm and leg were about to connect with him, Seh launched himself up and backward. Seh easily cleared NgGung's leg, but NgGung's fist glanced off the side of Seh's slick bald head—just as Seh had hoped. Seh slumped to the ground and lay perfectly still.

NgGung stopped spinning and looked down at Seh. “Well, well,” he said, stepping up to Seh in the moonlight. “This is a bit of a surprise. I thought you would have given me a better run.”

NgGung kicked Seh hard in the stomach. It took every bit of willpower Seh had to leave his muscles loose and not tighten them against the kick. Seh
wanted NgGung to be convinced he was unconscious.

It worked. NgGung sighed and straddled Seh to pick him up. As soon as Seh sensed NgGung bending over him, Seh struck.

Seh snapped his eyes open and jammed the first two fingers of both hands into pressure points on NgGung's inner thighs.

NgGung's legs buckled. As NgGung sank toward the ground, Seh rolled onto his back and pulled his knees into his chest. Then he slid his legs along either side of NgGung's body and locked his ankles around NgGung, scissor-style.

Squeezing as hard as he could, Seh twisted sideways, pinning NgGung's arms to his sides and his back to the ground. At the same time, Seh leaned toward NgGung's head. Seh formed a hook with the first two fingers on one hand and slammed his snake-fang fist against the jugular vein on NgGung's neck.

“I've had enough of your game,” Seh hissed. “Answer my questions and I'll consider letting you live to play another day.”

NgGung laughed as he struggled to breathe. “My, my, my… such a serious … young man! No matter … you've tricked me … fair and square. I should have … expected as much … from a serpent. On my honor … release me … and I'll tell you … anything you want to know.”

“Anything?” Seh asked.

“Yes…”—NgGung chuckled as he gasped for air—”… anything.”

Seh unhooked his ankles and kicked NgGung
away. NgGung pushed himself into a sitting position and smiled. Even in the moon shadows, Seh could see that NgGung was missing several teeth.

“Whew!” NgGung said, taking a deep breath. “Now tell me that wasn't fun!”

“Hardly,” Seh said, sitting up. “I nearly broke my hand on your stomach.”

NgGung laughed. “That Iron Shirt training sure comes in handy. So, what is it you would like to know?”

Seh paused a moment. He thought about why he had come to the clearing. He needed information, and he needed help. NgGung had mentioned Mong. Though Seh wasn't crazy about the idea, he realized Mong might be a good person to start with.

“Tell me about Mong,” Seh said. “How do you know him?”

“He's one of my closest friends,” NgGung said. “We grew up together at Cangzhen Temple.”

“Cangzhen?” Seh asked. “Mong was a warrior monk?”

“Of course,” NgGung replied. “Where do you think he got his Cantonese animal name?”

Seh blinked. He had never thought about that possibility before. It made sense, especially considering Mong's skills.

“So, you were a warrior monk, too?” Seh asked.

NgGung made a fist with his right hand and pressed his knuckles into the palm of his open left hand. He raised his fingertips toward the sky and
placed his “folded” hands in front of his heart. This unique hand fold was the manner in which Cangzhen monks greeted one another. NgGung nodded.

Seh nodded back. “I've never heard of centipede-style kung fu,” Seh said.

“We are a rare breed,” NgGung replied with a chuckle. He unfolded his hands.

“How did you detect me earlier?” Seh asked.

“Centipede stylists don't possess an extraordinary amount of
chi,
but we can sense those who do. As you probably know, snakes and dragons have far more
chi
than anyone else. That's how I detected you hiding under the slab, and that's also how I knew you were a snake. No offense, but a dragon would never have hidden. A dragon would have stood his ground and faced me head-on.”

Seh frowned.

“Speaking of dragons,” NgGung said, “you said that Ying attacked Cangzhen. I can't believe he was that foolish. How badly did you beat him?”

“Beat him?” Seh said.

“Yes,” NgGung replied. “The group he led through here yesterday looked pathetic.”

“You
saw
him coming?” Seh said, standing up. “Why didn't you warn us?”

NgGung's dirty eyebrows rose. “I did. Ying's party didn't look too threatening, but I told your Grandmaster nonetheless. What happened?”

“What happened?” Seh said. “Ying destroyed Cangzhen!”

NgGung's eyes widened. “How? Ying only had a hundred or so men with him.”

Seh's jaw tightened. “Ying had far more men than that, and many of them carried
qiangs.”

“Qiangs?”
NgGung said.
“That's
what must have been in that big cart his men were pulling. It was too well guarded for me to sneak a peek. I'm really sorry Seh. How many of you survived?”

Seh lowered his eyes. “I think only five of us escaped. There's a chance Grandmaster is still alive, but I doubt it. He looked exhausted when I last saw him, and he was about to fight Ying. Ying looked ready for him.”

“Ying has been preparing to fight Grandmaster ever since he left the temple a year ago,” NgGung said. “He's still young, but he may be the best fighter to ever come out of Cangzhen. I must find out what happened. You'll have to find Mong and tell him what's going on. Someone will have to warn the monks at Shaolin Temple, too. There might be something bigger going on.”