Temple of Truth

Chapter 19

As if he'd allow anyone to keep him away from the temple right now. Wu Xi just played the obedient nephew for the moment, otherwise his uncle would pay him enough attention so he wouldn't be able to sneak away in a bit.

Wu Xi waited; his eyes closed. His mind occupied with the temple and its mysteries, wondering what he may find when he searched the walls that were still partly standing. If there would be another inscription? If he could find anything about the life the people lived here. And, how mean was it to hold him back.

He had a feeling, that at least Fatty and Zhang had known exactly that his uncle had held him back, when they had left him behind. They knew he wanted to explore this place and they still had left him behind.

It only took a few more minutes before he couldn't hear Uncle three and Panzi discussing anymore. With his mind occupied by the expedition – and Wu Xi behaving – he had most likely forgotten that he wanted to look after him.

But Wu Xi still keept a low profile for a while longer in case his uncle was also only acting distracted. He only opened his eyes again.

Soon after Wu Xi heard Panzi and his uncle discussing plans, and when he moved his head he noticed they both had their backs on him.

Wu Xi couldn't help himself but grin. You can't keep me here old fox. Then he stood up and moved to the rubble taking the fastest route that was unlikely to be discovered.

He noticed that his body was worn out, but his muscles had not yet started shaking from the strain, so he was still good to go. He carefully climbed the rubble to reach the first still standing parts of a wall.

The stone was cold and rough from the erosion, not as even as it must have been in the past. Some parts of the stones were overgrown with moss and other plants that flourished in the shadow beneath the trees.

In order to find any glyphs here Wu Xi first had to scrape the moss of. Lucky for him he always had a fold-out hunting knife on him when he was on a expedition.

But pulling out the knife was as far as he got.

"You should be resting."

Surprised by the voice behind him Wu Xi dropped the knife and turned only to see Zhang sitting on a stone a few feet away. When did he get there?

He remembered again, how Zhang had went away. Leaving him in the clutches of his uncle. He knew he would never have left Zhang behind when that meant that he would lose out on something he really wanted to do.

And if it weren't Zhang, the notorious mute pokerfaced idiot, Wu Xi would have quietly stared him down. He would have given his best or worst death stare, depends on who you ask and wouldn't have said another word until he had gotten at least an apology.

But it was Zhang, and that means his death probably stare wouldn't even be noticed by the man that didn't even flinch at the sight of ghosts and blood zombies.

And Wu Xi knew he didn't have the patients needed to make Zhang speak up before he had the urge to talk to him. So, he used other means to communicate to him that he wasn't pleased.

"And you shouldn't have left me behind." Wu Xi huffed, more pouting than angry.