Under The Lake

5. In Which Wangji Meets A Rather Peculiar Individual

Wangji's eyes lit up with a strange fear and excitement about them. The thumb ring was the only thing he could see, everything else was a massive blur. He looked at it so hard, he was surprised it hadn't melted under his stare.

The man seemed to take notice of Wangji staring as he shifted in his chair a little and glanced at Wangji's shoes once or twice. Wangji used this technique whenever someone was staring at him as well, and he immediately looked away.

This man was the key to it all, he was sure of it. But how would he approach him? He was terrible at conversing with people, he knew that.

He looked up at the man again, only to find that he wasn't there. He looked around, but there was any trace of him in sight. It was like he was never there in the first place.

He moved fast for someone his age. Wangji didn't like that very much either.

Unsure of what to do, his feet did a tiny indecisive shuffle, deciding on whether to go or to stay.

Eventually, he thought it would be best to just finish patrolling and head back home.

Walking with an extremely unapproachable look on his face, he half-heartedly finished patrolling.

It was too good to be true, he thought to himself.

Maybe he just imagined the man. Perhaps he got too excited at the prospect of finding the arrow and his brain just cooked it up. It was probably just a normal pattern on the thumb ring.

Ah, but we both know that's not true, the nagging voice whispered.

Obviously, I know that, he bit back at the oh-so-irritating voice.

Instead of heading straight back home, he found himself walking along the bustling riverbank instead as vendors tried to sell him things and people walked past going about their day.

He was so immersed in his aura of disappointment, that he didn't notice the man was following a few steps behind him.

With every step he took, the man stared at him with a peculiar kind of curiosity that one might associate with a child enraptured by a puppet show or fireworks.

Eventually, Wangji noticed that he was being followed. Feeling particularly gutsy today, he decided to just turn around mid-walk and stare directly at the person.

His eyes widened for a millisecond as he realized who it was, but he went right back to his usual stoic visage while the man gave him a weird smile that looked both aged and infantile at the same time.

"So, I see you've noticed me." The man proclaimed, puffing out his chest like a bird, as though Wangji should be proud that he noticed him.

Wangji responded with an annoyed raised eyebrow and a slight twitch of his eye, while the man just carried on grinning, nonplussed by Wangji's obvious irritancy towards him.

"Or should I say that I noticed you before you noticed me? Hmm, come to think of it, I wonder who noticed who first. Perhaps we both did? Who knows, I sure as hell don't" The man thought out loud, much to Wangji's headache.

He wasn't sure whether meeting this man was a good thing after all. Prompting the man to get the point, he took a sharp breath in and crossed his arms, hoping the man would get the message.

He didn't.

"So, I'm sure you must be wondering why I've approached you. I can tell at a first glance that you're a person who comes from the finer things in life. Fine robes, fine temperament, fine sword." The extremely irritating man gestured to Bichen while Wangji territorially moved it behind his back as he clenched it.

"Ah, " The man recoiled his hand a little, before giving Wangji an over the top bow that gave Wangji a case of second hand embarrassment.

"But anyway, I'm sure you're wondering who I am, The name's Li ChouJiao, member of the Flame Chamber"

That seemed to get Wangji's attention, and the man noticed it as he gave another weird smile as he looked Wangji up and down.

"I see you're rather curious about just what the Flame Chamber is, young man. It's the finer things in life, young man, and as a cultivator, I'm sure you know all about the particular finer things I'm referring to."

Wangji didn't, but he didn't need to ask, as the man went on gibbering about it.

"Phoenix feathers, nine-tailed fox fur, the fangs of a dire wolf! The cultivation world is filled with rare and valuable materials, so why should a cultivator only get to be privy to them." The man puffed out his chest again, while Wangji slowly but surely connected the dots.

Ah, it was an organization of poachers. Crap.

That... didn't sound good for him.

"As a young master, I'm sure you agree."

Wangji didn't, and he felt an unusually Un-Lan urge to punch this man square in his face.

Pushing these uncharacteristically violent emotions aside, he now pretended to be interested in this bothersome harlequin and what he had to say.

"My young man, in this world, martial artists and cultivators have it all. you should be grateful, really." The man ushered Wangji to walk with him, and Wangji begrudgingly did so. He just hoped that no one he knew saw him.

" But it is really enough? Kicks and sword swings don't help you attain the finer things in life, now, do they? "

Wangji hated the tone in which he spoke. Like a slithering snake whispering in his ear. Once again, the urge to punch him resurfaced, but Wangji pushed it right down.

"Young man, I've decided I like you, so I'll let you in on a little secret." The man said, and pulled out a small fancy-looking, elaborate gold pendant with a shocking pink tassel hung from the end. The flame emblem was carved onto the front.

Wangji focused his eyes on it as it swung in the man's grasp. The man swung it from side to side as if to toy with Wangji like how one would play with a cat.

"Young man, I suggest you enjoy some Sichuan chicken and steamed eggs while I'm still in Gusu. Sichuan should be enjoyed with the sunlight fading across the lake." The man cryptically spoke.

Sauntering off, he left, leaving Wangji rather confused and unbelieving. Wangji had a myriad of thoughts swirling in his head.

But if we had to briefly sum up what he was thinking, it would be along the lines of 'What on earth just happened?'.

Did that even just happen, or did my brain cook that up as well? Wangji thought as he stared at the place where the man once was standing.

Don't be a moron, his inner voice drawled.