They stumbled into the village at the break of dawn. The travellers had not rested and continued to walk throughout the night, ignoring their burning muscles and aching bones to get to the village as soon as possible.

Xiu shouted for help as they entered. Most of the villagers recognised Old Man Xiu. They led them to the village doctor, which both Zen and Lao were happy to find out was also a Wood Elementalist. He gave them some herbs to chew on and applied some energy to their eyes. He promised that they would get their sight back in a few days time. So, it seemed they were stuck in the village for the time being. Zen was given a green leaf to place over his blind eye, while Lao’s blindfold was packed with similar leaves.

The villagers were welcoming. Allowing them to have a house, one for Lu Lao and Deng Dandan to sleep in and another for Chun and Zen.

On this particular day, Zen was the last to wake up. After a quick wash, he went outside. He found Chun, gambling with a few men and kids in the village. Everyone’s attention was on him as he kept winning money from the villagers but with each sip of wine he took, his bets got sloppy and Zen had no doubt that the villagers would win their money back from a drunken Chun.

An old lady, selling peaches oi the side of the road saw him. She smiled and he smiled back. Her wrinkly hands reached for a peach and offered it to Zen.

“Oh,” Zen took and searched for money on his person.

The lady raised her hand in a gesture.

“Oh, thank you.” He clasped his hands and bowed.

He ate the peach while walking around. He saw Dandan in the distance.

“Hey, Dandan!” he said as he stepped beside him. “What are you up to?”

“You’re quite nosy for a man, aren’t you?” she said. “If you must know, nothing.”

Zen looked out and saw Xiu, sitting down on the grass. “Nothing, huh?” He smirked at her.

“Oh shut up, Boy.” She said.

“I thought she was still recovering.” He said. “She or her father never came to saw me.”

“What do you expect?” she said. “They’re piss scared of Captain Lao.”

“Really?”

Dandan nodded. “The Captain is mad. She says they put us in danger by not telling us the full details of the mission. She gave the both of them quite the lecture.”

“I still cannot believe she was part for the Red Dragon Sect,” Zen said. “I mean she can’t throw a punch to save her life, literally!”

“Of course, a brutish man would measure the worth of a woman by how well she does in a fight.”

“What do you mean?” Zen said. “How else would she be useful to the Red Dragon Sect?”

“She is well learned, speaks three different languages and is a skilful cartographer.” Dandan said.

“Hmm, makes sense I guess.” Zen began walking forward.

“Where are you going?”

“I need to ask her a few questions,” Zen said, without turning back.

“Don’t harass her, or else…”

Zen gave her a thumbs up.

Zen stepped beside Xiu, casting a shadow on her half completed map.

She looked up and smiled at him. “Wang Zen! Is your eye going to be okay?” she said, looking at the eye patch made of a green leaf in worry.

Zen touched the cheek beneath the patch. “The healer said I’ll be okay.”

“Thank goodness.” She sighed. “I’m sorry for all the trouble I caused you.”

“Well, I know how you can make it up to me.”

She looked up at him. “Yes, what can I do?”

“I need information on the Red Dragon Sect…”

Team Lao had gathered in the house given to the Captain Lao and Dandan. Lao was sitting on her bed, still with her blindfold on.

“Thank you for coming,” Lao said. “I have some important things to do and tell you. As soon as my vision returns, we will return to back to headquarters. I have been asked to the villagers not to make this place known to the wider public. I want to respect their wishes and I ask you do too.”

“Yeah, I’m not going to tell anyone,” Zen said.

Both Dandan and Chun agreed.

“Thank you,” Lao said, before nodding at them. “Now to move on to the second part of my business. Wang Zen.”

Zen nodded.

Dandan elbowed him, “She can’t see you, Idiot.”

“Uhm… Yes, Captain?”

“Thank you for rescuing me and Old Man Xiu.” She said.

“No problem, Captain.”

“You all did well in that fight,” she said. “Which is why it pains me to do this. Wang Zen, you’re off the team.”