There are too many loose ends now. Ming and Wei are dead and I have their funerals to plan and words to say-I must find the words-but the only words I know how to say are about fairies-and their tales. Xiao is still hiding somewhere and I don't know how much I should tell the villagers about him. Everyone knows I'm looking for him, but I'm sure they know why. Do they suspect I love him? No . . . no one knows that. But they know I want him. They know the government wants him. But who do I trust? Should I do this on my own or involve my friends? Should I tell everyone we must end the perversion and capture Xiao or do it all by myself? And then there's that damned lion-what do I do about him? If I call in the soldiers, the government will find out about Feng Xiao and, eventually, they'll find out about me, and then-Sung Li didn't want to think about "then". Either he was in charge or he wasn't. If he abrogated his authority and if Beijing got involved, he knew he'd end up in prison. And now there's Man-Ho-what an ass! Falling in the river, almost drowning. I'm surrounded by imbeciles. Everyone's going to think it's my fault; they'll all blame me. How can I get out of this? How can I survive? Sung Li paused. Never at a loss of command, he knew his strengths but he also knew his weaknesses. I must prioritize and handle things one at a time. First, I'll send out a hunting party: that lion must be killed. Then, I'll give my condolences to Ming and Wei's families. I'll have to write something. God, I hate to write. Then, I'll arrange a community memorial service. Then, I'll reprimand Man-Ho for being such an ass. I should put him on the God damned table! Then I'll find Feng Xiao, but I mustn't let the trail get cold. I must still speak with Coach Luo; he knows more about this than he's willing to admit. Finally, there's Jiang, I'm sure he knows everything, but one thing at a time, one God damned thing at a time.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Three of Sung Li's men searched the mountains, looking for the great lioness, and each time they were certain they had tracked her down, each time they smelled the fresh feces, or spotted her in the distance, she escaped.

"We cannot return to Shuxian without the lion's pelt. I don't know what Sung Li will do if we return empty handed."

"I'm not afraid of Sung Li. I've known him since we were boys. I know more about him than anyone else in the village."

"We can't give up. We can't return to the village with our heads hanging down and our hands empty."

"We will do what we must do and I'm not giving up. We'll continue the hunt until it is hopeless or until we kill the beast."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The lioness looked down at the three men, wondering if she should attack them all at once or pick them off one at a time, wondering how much she and her cub needed to eat, wondering why the men were so stupid to follow her into her part of the mountains.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Sung Li approached Ming's house pensively, although he didn't know that Ming had committed suicide, he felt there was something wrong, something he had done that caused Ming's death. Now he knew he had to be considerate and careful. If he said the wrong thing, or gave the wrong look, he would give himself away. Meanwhile, his deputies organized the funerals. Both Ming and Wei would be honored as if they were city officials and the town would close for the rest of the week while everyone mourned their passing.

"Ming was my closest friend. He gave his life for our village and for our country. I will always honor his memory and his soul will live in my heart forever."

Ming's mother sobbed too loudly to listen to Li's words, but Ming's father saw right through him-he had heard about Sung Li's treachery for many years. My son is dead and Sung Li is responsible for his death. I will get retribution, not now, not yet, but soon, I will get retribution.

Sung Li bowed graciously to Ming's mother as the tears enveloped his face. "I had no one as close as your son. He can never be replaced."

And as Sung Li turned and headed toward Wei's parent's house, Ming's mother cried and Ming's father plotted, as Ming's soul hovered over them, begging for retribution.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The funerals were the most glorious remembered in that part of China; it seemed as if Chairman Mao, himself, had chosen Shuxian in which to for them to die. The fireworks, the feasts, the celebrations, continued for eight days before the people's sadness began to dissipate, but Ming's soul lingered-as did Wei's-lingering for the moment when they would reveal Sung Li's sinful sorrowful soul to the rest of the village, waiting for the opportunity to expose Sung Li for the murdering child molester he was.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Han, who had worked with Sung Li for only a few months, was next in line to succeed Ming and Wei, and even thought he had had his differences with his supervisor, he was indispensable because Sung Li realized that without Han's help, he would never be able to track down Feng Xiao, but he also realized that without Han's help, he could end up vulnerable if anything ever went wrong. As much as I dislike Han, as much as I don't want to work with him, he'll make an excellent scapegoat. I'll see to it that he takes the fall.

Han accompanied Coach Luo Cong to Sung Li's office. It was time for the policeman to follow another lead-it was time for Sung Li to learn what Jiang was doing and what he and the coach knew about Feng Xiao.

"Jiang and Xiao are close friends and Xiao has disappeared. What do you know about it? What has Jiang shared with you?"

"I don't know anything. My boys come to me every morning and swim all day. What they do in their private lives remains private. You must understand that, Sung Li, you, no doubt have a private life of your own to protect, do you not?"

Sung Li's ears wriggled to fan his reddening face. He tried to keep his secrets hidden from the rest of the villagers; he tried to be circumspect, but now it seemed the entire village knew about his nightly forays. "Men are men," Sung Li said as he tapped a heavy folder in his hand, "Even you have secrets, like we all do. . . don't we?"

Coach Luo Cong backed down as quickly as he did when confronting his wife. He knew when to choose his battles, "Well said, my friend, well said. I'll speak to Jiang and report back to you, but let's not make this a police matter. Jiang is our star athlete and could become the greatest swimmer in the entire history of China. I'll discipline him in my own way, but in the meantime, let's just treat him as a boy out on the town."

As soon as the coach left, Sung Li ordered Han to put a twenty-four-hour watch on him. "Make sure you know everything he does, everywhere he goes-but don't be seen. Let him think he's going about his life as normally as possible. Watch his family, as well. There's something strange about all of them; they're planning something with Jiang and I want to find out what it is . . . and while you're at it, get someone to follow Jiang's family, too."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Han spoke privately to Man-Ho, the lowest policeman in the town. "The coach's daughter has a boyfriend. I wonder who else knows that."

"Everyone knows, but he's a good boy, leave him alone. Besides, boys and girls make love all the time; that's the most natural thing in the world."

That evening Sung Li moped around town-too evil to return to his wife and children-brimming with lust for something soft and warm and deep. He watched the young women's asses-and he stared at the young boys. Turning from one to the other, unable to decide which direction he should choose, ultimately letting his dick rule, ultimately followed the boys.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The next day, when Han reported his findings, Sung Li said, "Let the coach see you now and let his daughter see you as well. Be everywhere and anywhere. Let them all cower in fear, afraid of what I will do. Let them fear me and soon, one way or another, we'll get Feng Xiao . . . even if we have to arrest everyone in the province.


On to Chapter Twenty-Three
Two Warm Hearts
Back to Twenty-One
A Changed Life
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