A Gatekeeper & The Celestial Sovereign - Chapter 55

REALM 145, XILING HOTEL

They all finished their meal rather awkwardly. What was meant to be a rather fun dinner had become extremely frustrating. Zhao Detong had developed doubts about Chàng Bo, and Mao Lu’s mood was at an all-time low.

When they paid for the meal and exited the restaurant, no one to spoke to each other.

As Mao Lu and Chàng Bo headed towards their car, Lee Heri stopped them. She pulled Mao Lu aside. “Tonight, was fun Lu. I’m glad that you’re so mature and can forget the childish things of the past. You’re much better than the company you keep.”

Mao Lu glared at her, she was really testing his patience, “What do you want to say Heri?”

She smiled as she looked Mao Lu up and down, “I just think wealth looks good on you. I can tell that you’re not the bankrupt boy anymore. Did you run into some good fortune?”

“That’s really none of your business Heri.”

Lee Heri continued as if she hadn’t heard Mao Lu speak, “You know I never could meet another person like you Lu, so now that we’re adults I give you the permission to officially date me now. I think we look good together, and my Father has been pressuring me to get married lately, and the candidates he’s picked out are all pretty detestable. Running into you today must be like fate, and I can tell you’ve changed a lot. So, what do you say?”

Mao Lu’s eyes were round, and his expression filled with disbelief. “Wow. just wow Heri. After everything you’ve done to me you say this.”

Lee Heri’s smile didn’t drop, “It would be a convenient relationship and it would give you a lot of status. I might even tell you a little secret that you’d love to hear.”

Mao Lu laughed. Was Lee Heri crazy? Was she so egotistical that she saw everyone around her as pawns at her disposal?

“Lee Heri, I don’t care what secrets you have to tell me, or what you can offer me. I don’t need it. Our lives went on their separate paths a long time ago. I am not a tool for your convenience. This entire evening, I have been extremely polite to you. Don’t force me to stop being civil.” Mao Lu turned away from her and headed towards Chàng Bo.

“So, I guess you don’t want to know why your Father’s business went bankrupt, or why you were given so much debt.” Lee Heri shouted.

Mao Lu’s steps faltered. His eyes turned bloodshot as he turned back towards Heri, “What-what did you just say?”

“Did you never think it was odd Mao Lu. All that debt, just from a bankruptcy. Did your Father really not make a contingency plan, did he really have nothing to fall back on if he fell into debt? Why did everyone, including Zhao Detong’s and Fei Bing Bing’s families turn their backs on you? You must have had doubts all these years. You must have suspected that there was so much more to all of it, right? Well I know the answer. And I might just tell you it if you decide to date m-”

Mao Lu’s speed was unprecedented, he was next to Lee Heri in a second, his hands gripping her shoulders tightly, his nails digging into her skin. Lee Heri was shocked, “How fast.”

He shook her. “And what is the answer, who is it. Why! Why did they destroy my family!? WHY!?”

Several seemingly casual bystanders at the front of the hotel, suddenly brought out guns. Pointing them at Mao Lu. One man wearing a tuxedo yelled, “Let go of the Young Mistress.”

Mao Lu didn’t let go, his grip only got tighter, his eyes filled with desperation. In the past all this doubt and conspiracy hadn’t mattered to him, since no matter who caused his family to collapse, he had neither the power of influence to do anything about it. Revenge was something that was better left in the movies or in the books. He had wanted to live his life and put all of it behind him. But now everything was different.

Not only had Lee Heri confirmed all the suspicion that he’d had over the years, but he now had the ability to get justice for his family.

“WHO DID THIS TO MY FAMILY HERI? WHO?” he shouted, his spit going on her face.

Lee Heri quivered, she’d never seen Mao Lu like this before.

The man wearing a tuxedo, inched closer to Mao Lu, and said in a low threatening voice, “If you don’t let go of the Young Mistress, I will shoot you in the leg.”

Zhao Detong and Fei Bing Bing, who had exited the hotel restaurant at the same time as them, could only watch this scene in horror.

“Mao Lu! Let go of Heri, she’s not worth it. Ignore her, she’s just antagonising you for no reason other than her own warped fun. She probably doesn’t even know what she’s talking about. Don’t stoop to her level.” Fei Bing Bing called out.

The man with a tuxedo, was rather tall, his mostly handsome face was covered in scars. He stood next to Mao Lu, pointing his gun at his knee. “Let go of her. At this proximity if I shoot now, I will disable you, and if you try to take this to court you are the one that will lose. Think wisely and leave now while I’m giving you a chance.”

“Who do you think you’re threatening?” Chàng Bo asked darkly. No one had noticed him come behind the man with the tuxedo. And in his hand was a gun, actually it was the gun that the Tuxedo man had been holding mere seconds ago.

Chàng Bo looked at the weapon inquisitively, “What is this thing?” he wondered. He pointed it towards the Tuxedo man out of curiosity, and pulled the trigger.

“BANG!”

The loud shot rang through the air. The bullet grazed against the Tuxedo man’s neck, narrowly avoiding burrowing itself into him, leaving a bloody wound. As the bullet hit the ground behind the man, Chàng Bo smiled. “Wow what a fun little toy.” he muttered.

Everyone was silent. Lee Heri’s security that were pointing guns at them, stared blankly. That had all happened too quickly.

The Tuxedo man screamed, and grabbed his bleeding neck.

Mao Lu was startled, he stared at the scene in horror and quickly let go of Lee Heri, “Chàng Bo!”

Chàng Bo was still admiring the gun, “Yes.” he said casually.

Mao Lu didn’t know what to say. He looked at Lee Heri and wanted to question her more, but as he saw a growing crowd and noticed people calling the police, he decided that he could interrogate Lee Heri another time. “Chàng Bo let’s go, put the gun down.”

Chàng Bo pouted a little as he heard Mao Lu say this. “Fine.” He said obediently as he placed the gun next to the Tuxedo man who was glaring at him.

“Lee Heri, we’ll discuss this another time.” Mao Lu said coldly as he pulled Chàng Bo towards the car, he flashed Bing Bing and Detong a rather helpless look as he disappeared into the driver’s seat and drove off.

Lee Heri’s guards crowded around her, “Young Mistress are you okay? Do you want us to chase them?” A female guard asked.

Lee Heri collapsed to her knees, her shoulders were red and bleeding from where Mao Lu had grabbed her. Her pale face was covered with a red blush. “Lu has become so much more exciting then he used to be. He’s so attractive when he’s angry.”

The female guard gave Lee Heri a puzzled look. “There is seriously something wrong with this girls head” she thought

“Let’s just go, there’s no reason to give chase to them. It was Ki Bae’s own fault for being careless and getting shot.” Lee Heri said as she stood up.

In seconds, a large limousine and several black cars pulled up in front of her. As she was escorted towards them, she turned around and gave a large smile to Daniel Xu, Fei Bing Bing, and Zhao Detong. “Thanks for the great evening guys.” she said as she disappeared into the black limo.

“That girl is definitely crazy.” Daniel muttered as he watched her leave.

_________

“Why would you do that Chàng Bo?” Mao Lu asked as he weaved through the Beijing traffic.

“Do what?” Chàng Bo asked rather cluelessly as he loosened his tie.

“You know what I mean, why did you shoot that man?”

“Ohh you’re referring to that gun you made me put down. I was only testing it out, I’ve never seen a weapon like that before. And I didn’t shoot him, I aimed it away from him and only gave him a little cut. I knew you’d be mad if I killed him.” Chàng Bo answered flippantly, “He deserved it for talking to you that way.”

“You shouldn’t have resorted to violence.” Mao Lu lectured.

“Huh, aren’t you being a hypocrite Lu, I wasn’t the one gripping that mortal tramp by the shoulders, now was I?” Chàng Bo laughed.

Mao Lu gripped the steering wheel, “That was due to a temporary lapse in judgement. Next time I face her it will go down very differently.” he said seriously.

“Oh, well that’s all good, but it would be easier to just use violence. You wanted to get information out of her right? For a mortal like that just a light slap should have her begging at your knees.” Chàng Bo said maliciously.

“That isn’t right, violence isn’t what you should use to get what you want.” Mao Lu argued.

“Of course, you shouldn’t use violence to get what you want, but sometimes violence is necessary and a very efficient tool. Especially against people like that Heri girl.” Chàng Bo retorted.

Mao Lu stopped at a red light, “Violence isn’t something that should ever be justified. It just causes an ongoing cycle of hate and pain. It causes chains of revenge and strife; It causes the loss of so many lives. Violence is something that never should be justified.”

Chàng Bo looked at Mao Lu and sneered, “Do you actually believe that pacifist bullshit? Do you think without violence you would have been able to get rid of that irregularity?”

“That situation was different, and you know it.”

“No, that situation was not different Lu. It wasn’t. The 400 Realms, no matter where you go it’s a matter of survival. The predators eat the prey. For you to be on top of the food chain you need to be strong, you need to be violent when the time calls for it. Pacifists like you are always the victims that get used by others. You are a Gatekeeper, not some random mortal in a mortal realm anymore. You need to change that weak mindset of yours.” Chàng Bo said.

“You are the weak one if you generally think that violence is the only thing that makes you strong.” Mao Lu said coldly.

“I know violence isn’t the only thing that makes someone strong, but it is a necessity to strength, especially in the world of practitioners. Just because you’re a Gatekeeper don’t think you’re exempt from that, you are now a part of this chaotic community. You’re not an ignorant mortal anymore.” Chàng Bo said just as coldly.

Mao Lu didn’t know how to respond, “Let’s just stop this arguing, I don’t want to fight with you.”

“I don’t want to fight with you either Mao Lu. I’m only telling you these things because that’s how I was raised to think. That’s how I see the world. I have trained in martial arts since I could walk, I killed someone for the first time before I was even ten. I wasn’t raised in an environment that is as relaxed as this one. To me violence and strength are linked.

My action earlier and my future actions may use violence, but you should know that I did that to help you. And I will continue to help you whether you want me to or not. Not just because you’re becoming my Fate Companion, but because I see you as someone important. Because you are someone, I’m comfortable with, someone I can talk freely with. That’s why if you are threatened like that I’m not just going to idly stand by and let them do it. Because…because I’ve grown fond of you.”

They stopped at a red light.

Mao Lu stared at Chàng Bo, “What does that mean?”

“It means what it means, I’m fond of you.”

“Then…” Mao Lu’s voice trailed off as he looked at Chàng Bo cautiously.

Chàng Bo looked Mao Lu in the eye, “Then…I don’t know. Honestly…before I just wanted to use you for my own means. I took advantage of your kindness and I wanted your fate companionship so that I could improve myself. I wanted to abuse all of your self-sacrificing kindness towards me. But at the same time…I don’t know. I find myself considering your feelings. I find myself growing fond of you. I dislike when people treat you rudely, and I want to protect you. I’m not sure if these are the feelings you want from me, but for now they’re all that I can give you.”

Silence fell on the two of them, that was only disrupted by the loud hooting of cars behind Mao Lu. The traffic light had turned green.

Mao Lu drove onwards.

“I see…well I’m glad that you are being honest with me… And for now, those feelings are enough for me.” he said slowly.

Mao Lu turned his head toward Chàng Bo, “But, you should know that in the future I aim to make you fall madly in love with me. I want your feelings to be much stronger than just fond.” he smiled.

Chàng Bo didn’t know what to make of this statement, he only laughed softly “Then I await the day when my heart is filled with you.”

Mao Lu blushed.

_________

The mood was rather bittersweet as Mao Lu parked his car in front of his house.

It was only when he climbed out of his seat, the car door slamming behind him, that he felt something strange. A weird feeling was coming from his house.

He put his finger to his lips, signalling to Chàng Bo to be quiet, as he inched closer to the vermillion doors. He swung them open and was stunned as he looked into his courtyard.

Argenti and Obsidian were sitting there, drinking a red tea, sitting there peacefully like they owned the place.

“Ah you’re back Mao Lu, we were waiting for you..” Argenti said gently, a smile blossoming on her face.