"The Little Things"

The ancient symbols

"I prepared your next lecture for you."

The silence that followed lasted a couple of seconds when Zhao looked expectantly, and Shen Wei just stared at him wide-eyed.

"Zhao Yunlan," he finally spoke in a cautious voice. "One of us must have sustained a severe head injury. Either it was me, and I'm hallucinating, or it was you in which case-"

"Hillarious." Zhao leaned over the desk. "But look," he took out the first page from the folder. "Here you have a translation of an ancient text saying about a God's true power. It's very vague, basically doesn't say anything other than the fact that it existed, got sealed away, but may be awakened at the end of the days. Now here," he produced another paper. "Here is a description of that mighty power and its correlation with gods such as Nuwa and Kun Lun. And here-"

"Wait. Where did you find all this I don't remember..."

"I made it up, obviously. I used some of your books as a reference, added some original findings of archaeological teams, and, well, my imagination. I'll make Lin Jing post those findings on some sketchy websites obsessed with paranormal."

"I can't be speaking about some made-up stories during my lectures."

"Aren't all legends made up?"

"Well, no, most of them are based on some kernels of truth. For example..."

"Not the point. Now here is a real treasure. This text clearly points to Mt KunLun as the burial site of that power."

Shen Wei's eyes grew wider as he finally understood. He looked at Zhao Yunlan in awe. "You are setting up a trap," he whispered.

„Yup." Zhao's grin was back. "I'm setting up a trap."

Shen Wei looked again at the documents and began sifting through them, learning every detail of Yunlan's work. His eyebrows knitted when he took out what appeared to be an old text, written in a long-forgotten language. "How did you manage to..."

"What? Oh, that thing. Yeah, that took me a while." Zhao, who was half sitting on the desk, nodded several times. "I got the symbols from that heavy book and combined them with the chicken scratches in that one. They looked roughly the same to me. Then I kinda just wrote random things hoping that it would be mystical enough. What? Does it look too fake?"

"No," Shen Wei Said slowly. "It looks like... Pass me those two books, please." He took out a piece of paper and opened the first book. Then quickly checked some symbols and started translating. "The ancient source of power.... awakened.... is it the future tense you used here?" He looked ad Zhao's confused face and returned to the text. "Never mind. Hmm... the forgotten mountain of the lonely God... hides the mystery... lying deep under the hard rock ...unable to move under... him?" Shen Wei checked the word twice. Then he read the last sentence and his ears started to get red. He slowly straightened his back and looked ad the sitting man. "Where did that dirty mind of yours go while you were writing this?"

"Wait, you are saying that the text actually means something? I swear, I thought that I was only copying some characters. Seriously, right now, I thought you were making up the translation. So... What does it say?"

"Nothing that can be used. I will tear off this part."

"But what is it, come on Shen Wei." pleaded Zhao, intrigued.

"No, it's gibberish."

"Your burning ears are telling a different story. Seriously, what did I write?"

"Read for yourself." Shen Wei tossed him the paper. Zhao took it but had no clue how to decipher the two lines. The symbols looked familiar but brought more of certain feelings than the actual meaning. His mind went back to the previous night and to the moment when Shen Wei was kissing him. He suddenly felt very hot, and he threw the piece of paper back to the desk.

"I told you, I can't." They looked at each other for a while. The intensity of Shen Wei's gaze made Zhao laugh nervously. "So, you think it will work?"

"I don't know. That man does spy on people, uses them too. But will he randomly stumble upon this information? He would have to be looking for that source of power in the first place."

"Oh, but he is!" said Zhao gleefully. "I might have mentioned it to him during our short conversation."

"When did you get the idea?" Shen Wei was again impressed by the cunning wit Zhao Yunlan possessed.

"On the spot, really. I was thinking mostly about how to prevent him from attacking Haxing in the first place. I mean with the endless amount of beasts at his disposal..."

"I know. That worries me too. I first thought that the numbers were limited. But they just kept coming, the snakes, the Shadow Beasts. But the most troubling part is that I hadn't even once fought any intelligent creature. And we know he has them."

"Perhaps not in the numbers the rebel is willing to sacrifice."

"Let us hope so." Shen Wei looked miserable at the leather suitcase on his couch. Zhao followed his gaze.

"Sorry, no school for you today. I had Zhu Hong explain that your assistance was required in the SID."

Shen Wei lowered his head. "I need to go there tomorrow. I should be strong enough by then."

"I know. But today I'm gonna feed you and keep you in bed."

"Let me work on these some more. It must look like my research. I will get lost in this mess."

"Hey!" Zhao looked offended. Shen Wei pointed at the small pile of empty wrappers and lollipop sticks. "Oh, right," he took them, smiling sheepishly. "I'll get that Fat Cat to order us some food. Can I leave you alone for a minute?"

"Don't worry. I'm already better. Give me an hour to work here." He was already up to his nose in the books, checking the notes, lost to the world. The moment Zhao Yunlan left the flat, however, Shen Wei sat up straighter. He unfolded the sheet of paper with the ancient inscription written by the detective. The professor looked at the last sentence, then folded the paper vertically and tore away the bottom part. He looked at it, feeling that his body was getting hotter. Then he folded the note several times and put it in one of the drawers.

"Held in your mighty hands, bound and defenceless, I beg for your mercy, as your desire devours my soul. "