The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water - Zen Cho Page 0,38

with me, brother,” he said.

He’d acted on a mere suspicion, but it coalesced into certainty when Ah Yee yelped, “What for? What did I do?”

“Guess we’ll find out,” said Tet Sang grimly. “Come on.”

* * *

There were five bandits, all armed. One of them was holding his gun to Ah Hin’s jaw.

“So, there are more of you,” said the bandit. “Where’s the nun?”

Tet Sang said, “What nun?”

The bandit who was holding Ah Hin hostage looked like someone’s little brother—his moon-shaped face seemed too youthful for a life of armed aggression. His scowl made him look petulant rather than menacing, but there was nothing childlike about his gun or the way he yanked Ah Hin’s head back. Ah Hin whimpered.

“There is a corrupt nun who plans to sell looted tokong treasures to the Yeoh family,” said Little Brother. “The Yeohs are collaborators with the imperialist oppressors—running dogs of the Protectorate. Those treasures belong to the people. We’ve been asked to save the treasures and exact justice.”

“Who asked you?” said Tet Sang, glancing at Ah Yee. Guilt was written clear across his face.

Even to vent his lingering spite against Guet Imm, it was a bizarre thing for Ah Yee to have done. He must have known that the bandits would not approve of Lau Fung Cheung’s group either, as contractors who accepted jobs from both sides of the conflict. The Reformists hated businessmen.

“It wasn’t me, brother!” gasped Ah Yee.

“We have people everywhere,” said Little Brother. “We know everything the Yeoh family is doing.”

Tet Sang thought of the servants who had poured tea and served kuih at Yeoh Gaik Tin’s house. He should have thought of the risk of being overheard. If he hadn’t been so taken aback by being recognised …

“That brother,” said Little Brother, nodding at Ah Yee, “just told us where to find the nun only. And he lied! She wasn’t there!”

“I didn’t,” said Ah Yee, wincing. “I won’t dare to lie. It was a mistake!”

“Give us the nun and the treasures, and we’ll let you go,” said Little Brother to Tet Sang. “The brother explained the nun misled you. In the new republic, the people’s faith in the gods will not be exploited in this way. To ensure this, corrupt monks and nuns must be punished.”

“We will cooperate,” said Tet Sang. “But we haven’t seen the nun since last night.” He was watching Ah Hin’s face and saw the flicker in his eyes. Luckily, the bandits wouldn’t have seen it, since Ah Hin was facing away from them. “She took the treasures with her.”

“Really?” said Little Brother sceptically.

“Yes,” said Guet Imm.

She dropped on Little Brother’s head, flicking the gun out of his hand. Both went down together in a confusion of robes and limbs, from which Ah Hin was ejected. He crashed into the undergrowth, crying out.

Tet Sang grabbed him, but, “I’m okay?” said Ah Hin, feeling himself for any injury. “I’m okay! Help sister!”

Ah Yee had vanished, but Tet Sang had no time to worry about that now. He wrenched the gun out of the nearest bandit’s hand, kicking him in the stomach and using the gun to clock the next man over the head.

“Take that fellow’s gun,” Tet Sang said to Ah Hin. That was three bandits dealt with, including Little Brother, and one gun … “Where’s your friend’s weapon?”

While Ah Hin scrabbled around in the undergrowth, Tet Sang turned to check how Guet Imm was doing. She had managed to pin Little Brother to the ground.

“Bitch,” gasped Little Brother. “The deity will punish you for betraying your Order!”

“Brother, you have misunderstood,” said Guet Imm, with an extreme mildness that spoke of profound annoyance. “I am the Order—and all others like me.” She looked up, meeting Tet Sang’s eyes. “What do you think the deity bequeathed her relics to us for, if not for us to benefit?”

She was holding Little Brother’s arms down, but she must have relaxed her grip briefly. He lunged out of her grasp and scooped up the gun Ah Hin had failed to find. He wriggled around, cocking the gun.

“Guet Imm!” shouted Tet Sang—too late, he thought, but time had taken on a curiously elastic quality. By rights, the gun should have gone off even as he yelled.

But Little Brother froze. As Tet Sang blinked, the gun went flying.

Guet Imm laid her hands on Little Brother’s head, as gently as though she were giving him a blessing. There was a loud crack.

It was a sound Tet Sang had heard before—the unforgettable, final crack