Malao's eyes widened, and he punched Seh on the arm. “What do you know about all of this?”
Seh shrugged. “You and Fu chose not to talk to me. What was I supposed to do?”
Sniff, sniff. “Excuse me,” Gao said. “I suggest you save the arguing for inside the stronghold. Technically, you're not safe yet. From what I understand, Cangzhen and Shaolin have both been destroyed. Shaolin is about a week's travel from here, but Cangzhen is much closer. We have reports of renewed troop activity at Cangzhen.”
“How do you know so much?” Malao asked.
“The bandits have spies,” Seh replied. He looked at Gao. “So, you already know about Shaolin?”
Sniff. “Yes. NgGung returned yesterday and brought the news. He also brought news concerning your … er … brother Hok.”
“What do you know about Hok?” Seh asked.
Sniff, sniff, sniff. “I suggest you talk to Mong about that,” Gao replied. “It's really none of my business.”
Seh's jaw tightened, and Fu growled again.
Sniff. “I'm sorry, but we need to get moving,” Gao said. He turned to the archer. “Gather your things and meet us at the shore. Have a torch ready. Hurry!”
The archer nodded and began to scramble.
Gao turned to the spearman. “What are you waiting for? Get back to work! Go guard something!” Woof! Woof! Woof!
“Y-yes, sir!” the spearman said. He grabbed his spear and ran up the trail.
Gao looked at Seh and smiled. “By the way, nice job disarming that good-for-nothing excuse for a sentry. I appreciate the fact that you didn't skewer him. Good help—or even mediocre help—is so hard to find these days.” Sniff, sniff.
Seh shrugged.
Gao walked over to the unconscious swordsman and squatted on his haunches. He cradled the back of the man's head in his hands. Seh could tell that Gao was massaging pressure points in the swordsman's neck. It was something all Cangzhen monks learned. A moment later, the swordsman regained consciousness.
The swordsman rubbed his forehead. “Oh … I have the worst headache.”
Sniff. “You should be ashamed of yourself,” Gao said. “You were beaten down by a boy. Take your broadsword and your headache and get back to guarding our stronghold from bloodthirsty soldiers, ruthless thieves, and the occasional child. Go!” Woof! Woof!
The swordsman ran off.
Gao's tongue rolled out of his mouth in a sloppy grin and he turned to Malao. He dropped onto all fours. Pant. Pant. Pant. “Follow me!” Gao yelped, and sprang down the trail.
“That guy is crazy!” Malao shrieked. “Come on! This is going to be fun!” He also dropped onto all fours and bounded after Gao, dog-style.
Fu looked at Seh. “This can't be happening.”
Seh shrugged and motioned down the trail. “After you, Pussycat.”
Seh stepped onto a narrow stretch of beach and folded his arms against the crisp morning breeze. The snake around his arm crawled all the way over his shoulder to take shelter among the scrolls in the small of his back.
Seh adjusted his robe and looked west across the wide, circular lake before him. In the center rose a small mountain of jagged rock, sprinkled with patches of evergreen trees. The very top of the mountain was relatively flat and tree-covered. A narrow pathway that Seh took to be stairs ran from the bottom of the small mountain to the plateau at the top.
The stronghold must be up there, Seh thought. It looked impenetrable. Even if invaders were to cross the lake's muddy waters, they would still have to scale the mountain to reach whatever fortress was undoubtedly hidden at the top. It was the perfect stronghold. How are we going to get over there? Seh wondered.
“Fire!” Gao barked.
The archer released a flaming arrow toward the mountain island. Seh watched it arc across the morning sky and splash down in the dark water just short of the island.
Malao looked at Gao. “Now what?”
Sniff. “Watch.” Gao pointed across the lake.
Seh strained his eyes and saw a long, shallow boat slip into the water from the base of the mountain. A man in gray peasant's clothes climbed aboard and stood at the rear of the boat. He grabbed hold of a single large oar that stretched straight out behind him. The oar was fixed to the boat, and as the boatman began to push it side to side, the boat slowly picked up speed. Soon it was skimming across the water toward them.
Seh's stomach turned. He didn't like water, and he really didn't like boats. The snake seemed to sense that Seh was distraught.
Seh glanced around and noticed a collection of low buildings on the northern shore, halfway around the lake. He pointed to them. “What are those buildings?”