Half-Dead

Chapter 6: The Tam Cúc set

Phượng Ngân stood straight, with her sword's tip resting on the ground. She pushed her own chin up and asked defiantly:

"Do you also think me a damsel in distress?"

"Nope. Not even remotely. Do I look like a blind man to you?"

He chuckled, before continuing, "But, sometimes, the fist isn't the answer to everything. Come, sit down for a bit, and have a drink. I'll explain everything."

Điền Quý pulled out a chair for Phượng Ngân and pointed at the teapot on the table. Only after she had poured herself a drink did he continue:

"You know, the age we're living in is different from the past. Better location technology, compasses and mapping, and better roads, too. There aren't many people who get lost and die in the jungle anymore. And there are even fewer of those whose bodies couldn't be found and buried properly. As a result, Ma Rừng has become an endangered species, listed in the Red List."

"Even if they are endangered, my actions last night had been righteous self-defense." Phượng Ngân argued.

"I'm not saying it wasn't right. However, the authorities are trying to convince these Jungle Spirits to cooperate with us completely." Điền Quý replied, "With their help, intelligence gathering will take a giant leap, not to mention logistics and other advantages. All in all, yesterday wasn't just a random skirmish; there are politics at play here."

"So, that's why you said this had nothing to do with how strong I am."

"Oh, you're not just strong, but too powerful. If they take it as a challenge, the consequences will be dire."

Điền Quý poured himself a cup of tea and took a sip.

Phượng Ngân gritted her teeth:

"But then what? Are we just supposed to watch them kidnap babies?"

"Of course not! How could you even think that? Ma Rừng's lives are precious, but that doesn't lessen humans' lives value, does it? But these kinds of complicated things have their procedures and regulations. We can't simply do what we feel is right and burn through the necessary steps."

Điền Quý waved his hand before tapping his fingers on the table

"What do you mean?"

"Generally speaking, the first thing we have to do is give these spirits a warning and convince them to retreat. If they don't heed that warning, then we can go for non-lethal capturing. If they resist capture, then killing a few off would still be easy enough to explain away with their King. But last night, I was barely setting up step one, nowhere near step two, yet you were already slicing them into pieces. That's what made it complicated."

He then shrugged:

"I don't like all these bureaucracies, either, but there's no way around them, is there? We're living in a new era; it's better to have the laws on our side..."

"So, then... yesterday... I implicated you?"

"Well, not entirely. I mean, to be fair, I made the conscious decision not to stop you sooner, so technically, I'm your partner in crime."

He laughed, lazily stood up to stretch, then jerked his head toward then door:

"Let's forget about all these macro stuff for now, though. Someone will be taking care of it. I've already located the man we're looking for. You still coming or nah?"

***

After carefully locking their rooms behind them, Điền Quý and Phượng Ngân walked out of the Inn. It was around noon; the sweltering early summer sun had dried up the entire road, erasing every trace of last night's thunderstorm. Quý glanced at his wristwatch and said: