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Malao leaped straight into the air, his ankles tied together with a length of rope about half as long as his arm. He tucked into a tight forward flip just as the soldier began to stand and completed his improvised maneuver by thrusting his legs forward, spreading them out as far as the rope would allow, and slamming the taut rope down against the back of the soldier's neck. The soldier's head snapped down and his torso followed, his body going limp after his face ricocheted off a fallen tree. Malao tucked his chin to his chest as his upper back hit the ground smoothly. He rocked forward, popping up onto his feet. Then he turned to face the second soldier who had been guarding him.
The second soldier carried a qiang. Malao stopped his attack. Fu, however, did not. He had retrieved the dagger from Tonglong's sash and was about to throw it at the soldier when the soldier suddenly turned the qiang toward Fu.
“Put the dagger down, monk,” the soldier said. “Now.”
Fu hesitated. He glanced across the clearing and saw that the two soldiers guarding Hok had knocked him to the ground. They stood over Hok with their spears raised, ready to thrust. Malao stood uninjured, but he was securely bound and quite some distance from everyone else.
“Drop the dagger,” the soldier with the qiang repeated. “I will count to three.”
Fu stood there, thinking.
“One … two …”
Suddenly there was a loud CRASH! as something exploded from the brush behind the soldier. Startled, Fu looked toward the sound, expecting to see a white monkey flying through the air. Instead, a large tiger cub slammed into the soldier with the qiang. The cub's front claws sunk deep into the soldier's shoulder blades, and the man fell forward, screaming. The cub raked at the man's back ferociously, all the while staring at Fu.
Wide-eyed, one of the soldiers standing over Hok shouted, “Look! That tiger is protecting the large monk! Just like the monkeys fought for the small monk earlier!”
“You're right!” the other soldier replied. “I'm not going to lay a hand on any of them! Let's get out of here!”
Both men ran, and the tiger cub jerked its head in their direction. Then it turned back toward Fu and blinked three times before instinctively giving chase. The cub left his victim in a state of shock, lying flat on his stomach with his arms outstretched.
Malao and Hok stared at Fu. Fu stared back. He shrugged his shoulders and a small drop of blood fell from the corner of the cut across his cheek.
“What was THAT all about!” Malao shrieked excitedly as he hobbled over to Fu, his arms and legs tied.
“Oh,” Fu said casually as he wiped the drop of blood with his thumb and popped it into his mouth. “It's a really long story.”
Malao giggled. “Good one, Fu!”
“I can't wait to hear it,” said Hok as he approached, still bound.
“You can't wait to hear my story?” Fu said to Hok. “What about your story? Never before have I seen a crane hanging from a trophy pole like a deer!”
“I suppose I do have a story or two to share,” Hok said. “But not right now. Would you be so kind as to cut us loose? We need to leave as soon as possible.”
“I'll cut you guys loose,” Fu said as he went to work on Hok's ropes, “but I'm not going anywhere. Not without those scrolls.”
Hok shook his head. “It's not worth it, Fu. Ying is too strong.”
Fu stopped cutting and glared at Hok. “What do you suggest we do instead, run away? Look where that got you.”
“Hey, hey, hey!” Malao interrupted. “Be nice, Fu.”
Fu grunted and got back to work.
Malao watched Fu cut Hok's ropes. “How did you get free, Fu? I mean, one moment you're tied up like me and Hok, and the next you're not. What happened in that bush with Tonglong?”
“Who?” Fu asked.
“Tonglong,” Malao replied. “You know, Ying's number one soldier? The man with the long pony-tail?”
“Is that his name?” Fu asked. “‘Praying mantis'? What kind of name is that?”
“I don't know,” Hok replied. “Cantonese, I suppose.”
“No kidding,” Fu said. He finished with Hok and walked over to Malao. He started cutting and said, “I spared Tonglong's life back at Cangzhen, and he repaid the debt. That's all. He let me loose, and now we're even. If he ever stands between me and the scrolls, he'll taste my fist!”
“Let it go, Fu,” Hok said, rubbing his pale, chafed wrists. “Ying and Tonglong are far too strong. You won't have a chance.”
“I have to get the scrolls back!” Fu said, holding up Tonglong's dagger. “I refuse to let Ying win.”
