Chapter 49: First crack
Moon, a vengeful mistress, shone with a renewed passion once the dark clouds glided away after having their way with it; the brightness worthy of such a romantic night embraced the world, the edges of many leaves of the forest were gathering the silver moonlight like raindrops. Stars joined that symphony, and the camp of the beasts below the high mountain Ying Zheng was standing on became clear as during the day.
"What a view!"
He split the smoking tube as the kid named it, rounded his lips and breathed out a formless mass of smoke.
"Some things you just can't do."
He said while making a reverse smile.
"Making a ring out of the smoke is a hard stuff, you see?"
He said toward the little black silhouette hung on the tree behind him. It swayed slowly but did not answer.
"Like making bubbles with a bubblegum. You either can do it or cannot. Same goes for raincoats; only chosen people can look good in them, like me."
Suddenly he turned and stepped toward the dark silhouette.
"But enough of that third-rate-villain act; I'm the hero here, and you are a captive of the hero that gonna start talking soon no matter how much he resists now."
He walked toward the poor mole and gave him several pats.
"You human bastard, gh, don't hope I tell you anything!"
Said the mole and tried to bite him; unsuccessfully, for Ying Zheng pulled his hand in time.
"Well, at least you're talking now. I thought I'd get crazy with all this polemics I have been doing for, an hour I guess? Die-hards like you are annoying like hell."
Ying Zheng scratched his chin.
"Your words won't sway me, infidel! Gh!"
"They will, little mole, they will. You know, there's always a right approach, for every person; I knew a guy who was forced through a literal hell of tortures and still refused to say anything, but do you know how they cracked him? Threatened not to kill, but to rape his wife. Apparently, he was okay with her death but not rape; anyway, what I'm getting at is that there are always right buttons to push. Here's yours."
Ying Jing rummaged through the pockets of his black garb and took a sheet of paper out; he showed it right before the Geng's eyes.
"What human, whatever you show it will never break my loyalty!"
"Stupidity, not loyalty, and will break, I hope; but anyway. This papers."
He gently shook them in his hand.
"Are the data on you, fresh from the headquarters of that army below."
"Wanna know what it says? Mole, age seventy-three, name Geng, mutant."
On the last word, the mole's body slightly trembled.
"A special case, I'm reading here, can be used in espionage, doesn't have mates, family or friends…"
Ying Zheng put the paper down and gave the mole a pitiful look.
"We're bros in that matter!" His said passionately.
"Gh, like you like, anyway, "because of all these factors can be used in the most dangerous situations and trusted with most valuable knowledge" and before you'll get wet…?"
Once again Ying Zheng put the paper just before the mole's little black eyes, now with his finger under a particular word.
"De-plo-rable", see? Higher-ups of your animal kingdom or whatever trust you so much because they know there won't be any problems if they simply get rid of you. If you hear something too important, they will just fry you and feed to other animals. Sad but true."
He put the paper back into his pocket. Then stretched.
"So, mole, still gonna work for these bastards? I want to add that you aren't the only one used like that. This kind of deplorable agents they mark by a little tooth in their files. I've seen at least two more while rummaging through them; have to admit, for a tribal nation your country stole Han's bureaucracy system well; also very good in protecting knowledge, I couldn't find anything on these two midgets I'm searching for."
The mole's face darkened as if that was even possible. He fell into silence.
Ying Zheng snapped his finger.
"Don't ignore me, say something."
"Yes."
Suddenly the mole opened his mouth.
"Yes, you tell me what I want to hear?"
"Yes, gh."
Geng closed his eyes, for a moment looking at the complete darkness, the opened them, observing the vague silhouette of the human before him.
"You human, I thank you for telling me that. I didn't think this Mo gang, they..! Gh!"
Suddenly two long bunny-like ears spurted on the Geng's head.
"They will be this rotten! Mongrels, what else expect of wolves!"
"Of course, of course, so, about these two shorties…" Ying Zheng rose his finger, however…
"Used me, me like a pawn! Unforgivable, but they will pay for that, they will feel the rage of a Heavenly Divine mole, I will hang their skins in my cave!"
"Good luck with that, so about…"
"Human!" The mole tried his best to concentrate his eyes on Ying Zheng.
"I was a good mole, I have lived to a venerate age, gh, heard so many things, and somehow my proud spirit was made into a dog of the regime. These bastards, Mo! Curse their tribe name; human, they will know that when you betray a dog, it can turn in a wolf. A cannibal wolf!"
"I thought it was my thing to give silly monologues, but go on, please."
"Human!" Geng clenched his claws.
"Please, I see you wish to destroy these criminals."
"Not particularly."
"I have the same intentions; let us unite! We will bring them and their rule down; the old rebel craves to hear his bones ringing once more. Let's do it together, human."
"Old rebel?"
Suddenly, Ying Zheng face froze. Slowly, he closed his eyes and crossed hands; the wind blew, bending his hair.
"Old rebel… you know, mole. Let's, let's rang our old bones." Gradually, a smile appeared on his face.
"Let's!"
Geng raised his face to the sky.
With a move of his hand, Ying Zheng cut the rope hanging him and before the beast could fall caught him and placed on his shoulder.
Then both of them turned toward the moon and the camp of the beasts down the mountain. The mole tried to raise his face even higher.
"So human, how should we name our case?"
"Leaving that to ya."
"Then it shall be Heavenly Divine Rebellion, as the name of my kind."
"Heavenly rebellion. Ha!" Ying Zheng suddenly laughed toward the countless stars on the bright night sky. Was these bastards toying with him, or it is a simple coincidence? Who cares.
"So be it; some things really never die!"
With passion in their eyes, a man and a mole were standing at the edge of a cliff. One looking into his future, the other into the past.