******* Intimate *********
Yesterday was a rough day, and it's clear that it's affected me. Even Liang asked me if I was fine. Then, she saw the bruises and freaked out. I had a hard time calming her down, assuring her that they weren't a big deal. In fact, it's the truth. Internally, there's no problem. I think I convinced her when I had sex with her normally. Maybe, it was a little more intense to prove to her that it was true.
In the workshop, everything is going well, as always. I've collected all the notebooks that were in the trash, though I still keep them there, organized. Somehow, I've managed to take charge of the discard warehouse. That way, I can decide which ones to burn when it's time to empty it a bit. And check when new ones arrive, and maybe get a complete one.
I'm also collecting some incomplete notebooks with the end missing. Those that are missing the part of high realms. If one day I get to those realms, I'll worry about it. For now, they can be useful.
The collected notebooks are within reach of Shi and Song. I left them in case they wanted to look at them. Song has chosen "Tiger Fist," not that I'm surprised. And Shi, "Heron Dance," which is based on dodging, on agility. Neither of them practices it much. Conserving qi is important to improve. They only practice if there's some left over. If they know they'll recover it in time for our "sessions".
When I go out and check the next tasks, I get a chill. Not that I didn't expect it. I go to the slave control. Unlike the other time, there're several slaves waiting. There're also some students and servants in other rooms. I ask around. I want to know what's being said about what happened. What they know.
I find out that two students have disappeared. That something was discovered in the "Emerald Garden." There're rumors of violence, jealousy, murders, escapes, forbidden love... But not much else is known. Those who've entered don't return through the same path, so they can't tell us anything. I'm trying to calm down.
The "Emerald Garden" is a place next to a stream, with many green flowers. Many students usually go there in the morning. At that hour, the sun creates a rather intimate, romantic light effect. Or so they say. It's the place where we took Bang Rui. Where we leave the "clues".
Finally, it's my turn. I get up. I stand in front of two servants and an elder. He's a low-ranking elder. That's good. They give it the minimum value, no more. The problem is that I can't lie.
"Name."
"Kong."
"Were you chopping wood yesterday afternoon?"
"That's right."
"Did you see the students Bang Rui or Jiang Shang?"
"Yes."
They raise their heads and look at me. I guess they didn't have many witnesses until now. Then, they look at their papers again.
"Tell us where and when you saw them."
"About twenty minutes into my shift. I was chopping wood. About two hundred meters from the red stone, heading towards the Labyrinth. Jiang Shang appeared. He was looking for me. He hit me. He was angry because a slave had said that sex with me was better than with him. Luckily, he didn't hit hard enough to cause serious damage, just pain. Shortly after he was gone, Bang Rui came. She was looking for Jiang Shang. I told her what I knew. I guess the two of them would end up in the 'Emerald Garden'."
Well, I've explained the story we'd prepared. With all the truths chosen. Hiding the rest. Jumping in time when it was convenient. Trying to create a fake story, but telling only the truth.
"Any more information you can give about the students?" the elder asks after a brief silence.
A cold sweat runs down my back. I'm obliged to give more information that may be relevant, if I know it. And I can't lie. I went blank for a moment, so the seal begins to burn me. If I tell them what happened yesterday, I'm dead. And I can't keep quiet.
"Jiang Shang is a violent student, at least with the slaves," I finally begin. Describing them is the only thing I can think of. "Not only did he hit me, but a few days ago, he sent that slave to the infirmary for telling him that sex with him wasn't that good."
They look at me for a moment. It seems that this is information they didn't know. Normally, nobody cares about the slaves. And the students can do whatever they want as long as they follow the rules. Of course, killing other students inside the sect and outside controlled duels is prohibited. And severely punished.
"Bang Rui is jealous and violent. She wanted to kill Shi, a slave, because Jiang Shang had sex with her. The slave ran away, I think nobody knows where. She deathly beat another slave, Song, for the same reason. Apparently, Jiang Shang is her fiancé or something like that, and she can't stand him having sex with slaves."
They look at each other, and I remain silent.
