The Cursed One : The Darkside of The World

A Bond Of Fate 2

Leaving the gate, Jin and Kang Ling walk inside En City to find the food tavern that they want. Out of many choices available, Jin chooses to go to En City Valley tavern, the food tavern that he and Hyung Jae ever visited many years ago. He feels nostalgic when he enters the building, not many changes inside the En City Valley food tavern, pretty much similar to 6 years ago. "You'll like the food here." Jin said to Kang Ling as both of them started sitting on the empty table on the second floor, right beside the windows.

"I am glad to be able to meet a genius like you, Jin." Kang Ling opened the talks when they wait for the servant to prepare the food that they have ordered.

"Don't praise me too much, you yourself are a brilliant one. Your sect had trusted that special weapon to you, that's mean you are one of the best warriors that they have. Only a special person can achieve a level as high as that at your age."

Kang Ling smiles, "So, would you tell me about yourself? Which sect you are coming from? To be honest, I am a little surprised after knowing you don't have the plaque amidst your high skills.

"I am just a wanderer and I don't have any sect."

"That's impossible! From where did you learn your high-level technique? Your energy shield back there belonged to the Baek Mountain sect. Don't tell me if you learned it by yourself." Kang Ling asked with a high enough voice as he is surprised by Jin's answer.

"Of course I didn't learn martial arts by myself. I have a teacher," Jin replied. "But, he didn't bring me to his sect. We always wandered all the time until he passed away a few months ago."

Kang Ling can see the sadness in Jin's face, he immediately regrets his curiosity. "I am sorry, Jin. I don't know if your teacher has passed away. Please accept my condolences."

"Never mind. He is in a better place now."

"You are right, I believe he is happy to see you become a great warrior from the other side." Kang Ling has lost his curiosity about Jin's origin, he thinks if Jin is trying to hide it.

Kang Ling knows several warriors that raised students outside his sect for various reasons, in Jin's case, Kang Ling thought if Jin's teacher possibly didn't bring Jin to his sect formally because Jin is a poor one and doesn't have the fund to pay all the cost. Nowadays, people have to pay a lot of money to enter and learn in any martial arts school, moreover a big one like his Red Dragon sect. It's almost impossible for the poor family to enter his kid into a good martial arts school because of the fund problem, no matter how talented the kid was. He has a dream to change that system, but, he knows if he still has a long way to go and won't be able to do it by himself as it has affected the whole martial art world.

Jin and Kang Ling enjoying to chat each other as if they are an old friend. After enjoying the food, the time for them to split away has arrived. "Hey, you will pay for the food, right? I don't have any money at all." Jin asked once again to make sure.

"Yeah, leave the bill to me." Kang Ling said and gave a hand code to the waiter to come close, he wants to ask for the bill. "Where are you going after this?"

"I want to meet someone in the Golden Flame sect. How about you?" Jin asked back.

"I will keep trying to find my grandpa, I have some clues but it is still not clear enough."

"If only I don't have a promise to someone important, I will come to help you." Jin said.

"Nevermind, Jin. I will try to find it by myself, maybe, my grandfather just wants to hide for a moment.".

"I hope so."

The waiter comes with the bill and Kang Ling pays it with a gold coin. "Keep the change for you."

"Are you sure, young master?! It's only 5 silver, still 5 silver left." The waiter still does not believe what he heard, he is afraid if he heard it wrongly.

"Yes, I am sure."

"Thank you very much, Young Master." The old waiter bows and smiles wide. With 5 silver coins, he will be able to buy a present for his only granddaughter who turns 12 today. Her parents were died because of being killed by a horde of robbers when she was 8 years old. The old waiter keeps saying thank you to Kang Ling even after Kang Ling asks him to stop. He just stop bowing after his boss called him to serve the other customer.

"Okay, my friend, I go first. I hope you can find your grandpa." Jin said farewell.

"Thank you, Jin. See you again."

"See you again, my friend." Jin left the tavern while Kang Ling still sit on the desk.

Both of them still don't know if fate will bond them in an adventure to unveil the darkest secret of the world.

***

EN CITY BORDER

Jin walks with a full stomach, his energy has refilled. He feels lucky to meet Kang Ling today and hopes he will meet him again in the future to pay Kang Ling's kindness. Jin planned to directly go to Sinmu city, but, he has to go through Baika Forest first, the forest where he had a terrible memory of Jung Kook's death. This time he is certain if he won't get lost because he still remembers the direction to Sinmu City.

Outside the En City border, Jin turns his head in all directions and doesn't see anyone else in the road although it's midday. The hot atmosphere makes the people choose to wait in their house or the tavern until the temperature lowered down a little bit before traveling or doing any activities outside. Jin squares off and runs very fast towards Baika Forest until his movement can not be seen by normal human eyes.