Disclaimer:
You will need to skim through my lore 6 on celebration in order to understand the context of the 雪红日.
The head attendant beckoned the both of you to come closer, all the while wearing that impish smile on his face. You had both expected to hear something terrible, but what he told you far transcended anything that you can imagine.
“Why, the both of you are the blood banks for our lord. The kungfu they are practicing, which will give them unimaginable power, is too unorthodox. It poisons the blood of our lord. That’s where the both of you and the rest of the sacrifices come into play. Your pure blood is transferred into their body to replace their poisoned ones.”
Your eyes widened. What kind of a person would execute such a cruel act all for the pursuit of power? To treat humans worst than animals, to see them nothing more as disposable objects, indeed, only the person who gave innocent folks false hope just to smash it into bits is capable of such cruelty.
“Now enough chit chat.” The head attendant suddenly snapped. “I may like you now but I have no need for useless people. 雪红日 is coming soon. Earn your survival by helping the sect members to complete their errands. Do not say that I didn’t warn you, if I hear even one complaint against you–”
He tilted his head and the both of you can see death pooling in the silver of his eyes.
“I will make sure you leave here as dead bodies. ”
Objective:
You’ve successfully convinced the head attendant to let the both of you stay. Now, it is time to prove your worth to him by helping him to prepare with the upcoming 雪红日 (xue-hong-ri; Red Snow Day, also has a double meaning of Blood Red Day). Be careful not to make a single mistake or you risk falling out of grace.
I’m relieved that I still have a chance to avenge my master. But at the same time, I’m concern with the challenges ahead of me.
I collected my mind and said to him, “I’m grateful for your mercy head attendant. What can I be of use to you?”
“Well, the both of you can start off by asking the senior attendant if he needs any help. He is located at the east side. You will have to pass through the Sleepy Woods to get there. I’m only giving the both of you a map because I like you. Be there by 6 tomorrow morning. If you are late, you are out, if you are lost –”
He gave a terrible smile.
“If you are lost, well, your fate is pretty much sealed.”
The head attendant threw the map at your feet and left the both of you to decide the next course of action.
“That was polite” I thought to myself in my mind.
The head attendant left the room. The other servants followed whilst bringing their empty dishes.
Both me and Sheng en are left in the room.
Sheng en seemed to be enjoying his meal to much.
“Oi concentrate!” I grunted at him whilst hitting his head.
“Remember what he said. We need to meet up with the senior attendant at six. We’ll depart 2 hours before. So that if we get into some sort of trouble we still have time to reach there. Agreed?” I looked at Sheng en with a stern face.
He just nodded and ate away.
Grabbing the closest Drumstick and the map as I finish my apple, I sit up and walk out of the room.
“I’m gonna snoop around a bit to see if i can find out more about this poisoned blood and how the other slaves are doing.” I whisper to Xiu Yu. “You can join me if you like, I bet they have cake in the other rooms. Maybe a weapon?”
“I agree on the weapons” I said to Sheng en
“But make sure we’re done snooping before midnight. The head attendant might check our rooms”
While we were snooping around the rooms, listening to what they we’re doing (some we’re eating and laughing, others had more “suspicious” activities.
a thought suddenly occurred to me and I ask Sheng en “Does this mean the leaders whoever they are has a disease?”
“I mean it’s a crazy ritual, but why do it so often?”
The both of you suddenly hear loud footsteps coming down your way and you quickly retreated behind the walls and held your breaths. The footsteps are nearer and nearer before they stopped at where the both of you are.
The both of you looked up. Flickers from the candle illuminated a familiar face.
“What are the both of you doing?” The head attendant asked.
“Are you asking for death?”
From behind him came two other sect members who moved towards the both of you at his command. They grabbed you by the arms and dragged you for a distance before coming to a room at the dead end. There, they shoved you in.
The head attendant silently closed the door.
“Now tell me, what exactly are the both of you up to.”
I silently break off a piece of the drumstick i brought along with me in my mouth and smile at the head attendant.
“We were just looking for the bathroom.” I say, hiding the sharp end of the drumstick under my tongue just in case.
“Besides, we missed your great presence in the room.”