Chapter 429 A Little Competition, Part 1
The next day came and Keng was woken up by the noises of Jacob putting on gear. He groggily lifted himself up and rubbed his eyes as he registered where he was.
'Oh yeah, I'm at Lily's house now.' Keng reminded himself.
"Sleepy beauty's up." Jacob turned and looked at him. He gave Keng a smile and turned back as he strapped the last piece into place. He wore brown leather armor and dark clothes underneath.
Keng hadn't noticed it before, but Jacob has small Fox ears that were poking out of his hair. It matched his hair so Keng hadn't even second guessed anything until now.
"Wash up and get ready. We'll leave as soon as everyone's done." Jacob told Keng. Keng pulled the sheets off of him and stood up. He was wearing a shirt and boxers.
"Everyone else up?" Keng asked, yawning and stretching.
"My brothers are all up. My dad is waiting to send us off. I told him he didn't have to do that. We're not 8 anymore, but he insists on sending his sons and our guest off, himself." Jacob explained.
"Alright. I'll get washed up. Do I just go out back?" Keng asked.
"Yeah. If you need to relieve yourself, the bathroom is around the back of the hut. L"
Keng nodded and left the room. He made his way to the back door and slipped on some sandals he was told to use whenever he needed to go outside. Keng followed Jacob's instructions and rounded the hot spring hut and noticed a door. He opened it and listened to the sounds of talking.
"Dude, you're old enough to know how to do this right. Why do you always get this part wrong?" Bright asked as he fixed Philip's strap. "You're a hunter like Dad and you still don't do this correctly."
"Cause I don't – Ahhh! Bright that hurts!" Philip winced. Bright tugged on it more and patted Philip.
"You'll be fine now. Probably why you get hurt in that spot so much." Bright turned and greeted Keng. "Hey, you're up. Guess Jacob woke you up?"
"I heard him pulling his armor pieces together." Keng yawned. He moved over to the toilet and put up the toilet seat. He relieved himself as the two brothers did their final checks.
"Lily said to let you rest cause you've been on night duty the whole time with her." Philip remarked. "You know she's more than experienced to do that too, right?"
"Yeah. She seemed to be tired at the end of the day because she was excited to come home and see you all." Keng pulled his bits back and pulled up the boxer. He set the toilet seat down and listened to the dings of runes as he moved over to wash his hands. "I don't mind it."
"Well, better wake yourself up, Keng. We're gonna do some good hunting today!" Bright patted Keng on the shoulder.
"I guess we're including him in the competition?" Philip asked.
"Yup." Bright nodded. Keng splashed his face with water and wiped his neck. Bright cocked his head towards Keng as he leaned forward, looking at Keng as he washed his face. "How bout it?"
"Sounds like fun." Keng touched the rune and wiped his face. He looked at Bright and Philip and smiled at them. "What does the winner usually get?"
"Bragging rights and some coin usually." Bright replied with a big grin. "Do you even got coin?"
"I'll have to check but I'm down for that. Can't wait to see your faces when you lose."
"Oh, our guest is so big and might now." Philip grinned.
"What're you guys still doing in here?" Winn asked, stepping through the door. He looked over at Keng and noticed his brothers and the guest were all grinning.
"Keng wants in on our bet and thinks he can beat us all." Philip answered.
"Cocky." Winn nodded. "You'll fit right in with us. Come on. Jacob is calling for us. Get dressed, Keng, alright?"
Keng followed the brothers back and went back into Jacob and Isaac's room. He changed into his outfit and fished for the strap that his bow and quiver could be attached to. Keng checked the strap and nodded, grabbing his dagger and pouch belt and strapping it across his waist.
"All right. All done." Keng nodded. He grabbed the bag of coins Zixin had given him and left the room and moved into the living room where everyone was waiting.
"Oh, looky here!" Winn grinned as he pointed at Keng.
"Don't look half bad, Keng." Bright complimented.
"Yeah, but where's your protection?" Philip asked. Jacob and Fan'r studied Keng as the other Wang men complimented Keng.
"I don't have enough money for armor. Don't worry about me, I can take hits." Keng replied to Philip.
"So you're all ready?" Fan'r asked standing. The boys all turned to look at Fan'r, nodding. "Let's go then."
"Hold up, Father." Bright interrupted. "We gotta throw in the coin."
"I told you to save it for later!" Philip swatted Bright. "Not in front of Dad!"
"You're betting, again? Why do you guys always do this?" Fan'r turned and asked. His children looked at each other, giving off awkward chuckles as Fanr shook his head din disappointment. "How much are you doing?"
"How much do you have?" Bright looked over at Keng. Keng opened the bag of coins and pulled a golden coin out.
"How much is this? Zixin explained to me the coin values but it's hard to keep up."
"You're carrying gold coins?" Jacob asked.
"No, some silver. Why? Is it a lot?"
"A gold is 10 silvers. Silver is the base. If you got platinum coins, that's 100." Jacob explained.
"How much do you usually bet?" Keng asked. Fan'r shook his head.
"I see you're adamant about this, Young Keng. You should learn to not be like my sons. Always betting and making things a competition…" Fan'r sighed.
"Usually 100 silvers." Winn answered. "Got what it takes to go through with it?"
"Y'all really that rich?" Keng raised an eyebrow.
"Enough." Philip pulled out ten gold coins and set them on the table. One by one, the Wang brothers all dropped their coins. Keng grabbed his ten gold pieces and set them on the table.
"Winner gets all of this and bragging rights." Bright reminded everyone.
"Let's go." Jacob motioned. Fan'r sighed and led the young men out to the forest.
"You'll have until sunset like normal." Fan'r started with his hands behind his back. The young men followed behind him, catching eyes from the village as they passed. They all seemed to be fawning over the Wang brothers and when they saw Keng, they stopped and… Stared.
"He's new." One whispered.
"Who's he?" Another asked.
"Didn't you see him come with Lily yesterday?"
"No, who is he?"
They whispered his name and Lee Seng's name together. The news had certainly traveled far and wide.
"Remember, you're hunting for anything that could be sold or eaten." Fan'r turned around and stopped. Keng almost ran straight into Jacob at the sudden stop. "So I want all of you to come back alive and not bite off more than you can chew."
"How's the forest since the curse is gone, Father?" Jacob asked.
"The forest is calmer now that the curse is gone, but we've been getting tons of reports about Hobgoblins and goblins coming into the area." Fan'r replied.
"I guess they're valuable then?" Winn asked. Fan'r turned to look at the twin and nodded.
"Do you not pay attention to anything I say?" Fan'r eyed his twin son. Winn gave a toothy grin before Fan'r waved at them. "Keng, does everything make sense?" Keng's eyes shot up and he looked at Fan'r.
"Y-yes, sir. Everything's fine." Keng nodded. The brothers all looked at him. They all wanted to see him in action and the hunt would obviously be an interesting time.
"Good." Fan'r nodded. "All of you go then. Come home before sunset."
"Yes, father." The Wang brothers all spoke in unison. They all darted off as Fan'r simply waited.
"Be careful, Keng. My boys have learned well. If you aren't used to what's in the forest, take it easy." Fan'r warned.
"Don't worry about me, sir." Keng smiled. "I've been living in the forest for quite some time. I've seen plenty of goblins and hobgoblins. The curse disappeared and many things came to replace it."
"Alright. Will you be able to find your way back?"
"Mmmm, it might be hard to figure out my way back… I could mark some trees to know I'm close." Keng brushed his chin.
"Don't worry about that, then." Fan'r raised his right hand. Pink energy swirled around him. "I'll make it possible for you to find your way back. You can just focus on your hunt. Go, I've wasted enough of your time. My boys will probably outdo you if you waste anymore time." Fan'r motioned at him to leave.
"Yes, sir. I'll see you later." Keng gave Fan'r a bow and disappeared form his spot. Fan'r wrote in the air and lowered his hand. Pink aura writing flew in different directions as he slowly turned and looked in a random direction.
'He's quick.' Fan'r chuckled.
'Oh yeah, I'm at Lily's house now.' Keng reminded himself.
"Sleepy beauty's up." Jacob turned and looked at him. He gave Keng a smile and turned back as he strapped the last piece into place. He wore brown leather armor and dark clothes underneath.
Keng hadn't noticed it before, but Jacob has small Fox ears that were poking out of his hair. It matched his hair so Keng hadn't even second guessed anything until now.
"Wash up and get ready. We'll leave as soon as everyone's done." Jacob told Keng. Keng pulled the sheets off of him and stood up. He was wearing a shirt and boxers.
"Everyone else up?" Keng asked, yawning and stretching.
"My brothers are all up. My dad is waiting to send us off. I told him he didn't have to do that. We're not 8 anymore, but he insists on sending his sons and our guest off, himself." Jacob explained.
"Alright. I'll get washed up. Do I just go out back?" Keng asked.
"Yeah. If you need to relieve yourself, the bathroom is around the back of the hut. L"
Keng nodded and left the room. He made his way to the back door and slipped on some sandals he was told to use whenever he needed to go outside. Keng followed Jacob's instructions and rounded the hot spring hut and noticed a door. He opened it and listened to the sounds of talking.
"Dude, you're old enough to know how to do this right. Why do you always get this part wrong?" Bright asked as he fixed Philip's strap. "You're a hunter like Dad and you still don't do this correctly."
"Cause I don't – Ahhh! Bright that hurts!" Philip winced. Bright tugged on it more and patted Philip.
"You'll be fine now. Probably why you get hurt in that spot so much." Bright turned and greeted Keng. "Hey, you're up. Guess Jacob woke you up?"
"I heard him pulling his armor pieces together." Keng yawned. He moved over to the toilet and put up the toilet seat. He relieved himself as the two brothers did their final checks.
"Lily said to let you rest cause you've been on night duty the whole time with her." Philip remarked. "You know she's more than experienced to do that too, right?"
"Yeah. She seemed to be tired at the end of the day because she was excited to come home and see you all." Keng pulled his bits back and pulled up the boxer. He set the toilet seat down and listened to the dings of runes as he moved over to wash his hands. "I don't mind it."
"Well, better wake yourself up, Keng. We're gonna do some good hunting today!" Bright patted Keng on the shoulder.
"I guess we're including him in the competition?" Philip asked.
"Yup." Bright nodded. Keng splashed his face with water and wiped his neck. Bright cocked his head towards Keng as he leaned forward, looking at Keng as he washed his face. "How bout it?"
"Sounds like fun." Keng touched the rune and wiped his face. He looked at Bright and Philip and smiled at them. "What does the winner usually get?"
"Bragging rights and some coin usually." Bright replied with a big grin. "Do you even got coin?"
"I'll have to check but I'm down for that. Can't wait to see your faces when you lose."
"Oh, our guest is so big and might now." Philip grinned.
"What're you guys still doing in here?" Winn asked, stepping through the door. He looked over at Keng and noticed his brothers and the guest were all grinning.
"Keng wants in on our bet and thinks he can beat us all." Philip answered.
"Cocky." Winn nodded. "You'll fit right in with us. Come on. Jacob is calling for us. Get dressed, Keng, alright?"
Keng followed the brothers back and went back into Jacob and Isaac's room. He changed into his outfit and fished for the strap that his bow and quiver could be attached to. Keng checked the strap and nodded, grabbing his dagger and pouch belt and strapping it across his waist.
"All right. All done." Keng nodded. He grabbed the bag of coins Zixin had given him and left the room and moved into the living room where everyone was waiting.
"Oh, looky here!" Winn grinned as he pointed at Keng.
"Don't look half bad, Keng." Bright complimented.
"Yeah, but where's your protection?" Philip asked. Jacob and Fan'r studied Keng as the other Wang men complimented Keng.
"I don't have enough money for armor. Don't worry about me, I can take hits." Keng replied to Philip.
"So you're all ready?" Fan'r asked standing. The boys all turned to look at Fan'r, nodding. "Let's go then."
"Hold up, Father." Bright interrupted. "We gotta throw in the coin."
"I told you to save it for later!" Philip swatted Bright. "Not in front of Dad!"
"You're betting, again? Why do you guys always do this?" Fan'r turned and asked. His children looked at each other, giving off awkward chuckles as Fanr shook his head din disappointment. "How much are you doing?"
"How much do you have?" Bright looked over at Keng. Keng opened the bag of coins and pulled a golden coin out.
"How much is this? Zixin explained to me the coin values but it's hard to keep up."
"You're carrying gold coins?" Jacob asked.
"No, some silver. Why? Is it a lot?"
"A gold is 10 silvers. Silver is the base. If you got platinum coins, that's 100." Jacob explained.
"How much do you usually bet?" Keng asked. Fan'r shook his head.
"I see you're adamant about this, Young Keng. You should learn to not be like my sons. Always betting and making things a competition…" Fan'r sighed.
"Usually 100 silvers." Winn answered. "Got what it takes to go through with it?"
"Y'all really that rich?" Keng raised an eyebrow.
"Enough." Philip pulled out ten gold coins and set them on the table. One by one, the Wang brothers all dropped their coins. Keng grabbed his ten gold pieces and set them on the table.
"Winner gets all of this and bragging rights." Bright reminded everyone.
"Let's go." Jacob motioned. Fan'r sighed and led the young men out to the forest.
"You'll have until sunset like normal." Fan'r started with his hands behind his back. The young men followed behind him, catching eyes from the village as they passed. They all seemed to be fawning over the Wang brothers and when they saw Keng, they stopped and… Stared.
"He's new." One whispered.
"Who's he?" Another asked.
"Didn't you see him come with Lily yesterday?"
"No, who is he?"
They whispered his name and Lee Seng's name together. The news had certainly traveled far and wide.
"Remember, you're hunting for anything that could be sold or eaten." Fan'r turned around and stopped. Keng almost ran straight into Jacob at the sudden stop. "So I want all of you to come back alive and not bite off more than you can chew."
"How's the forest since the curse is gone, Father?" Jacob asked.
"The forest is calmer now that the curse is gone, but we've been getting tons of reports about Hobgoblins and goblins coming into the area." Fan'r replied.
"I guess they're valuable then?" Winn asked. Fan'r turned to look at the twin and nodded.
"Do you not pay attention to anything I say?" Fan'r eyed his twin son. Winn gave a toothy grin before Fan'r waved at them. "Keng, does everything make sense?" Keng's eyes shot up and he looked at Fan'r.
"Y-yes, sir. Everything's fine." Keng nodded. The brothers all looked at him. They all wanted to see him in action and the hunt would obviously be an interesting time.
"Good." Fan'r nodded. "All of you go then. Come home before sunset."
"Yes, father." The Wang brothers all spoke in unison. They all darted off as Fan'r simply waited.
"Be careful, Keng. My boys have learned well. If you aren't used to what's in the forest, take it easy." Fan'r warned.
"Don't worry about me, sir." Keng smiled. "I've been living in the forest for quite some time. I've seen plenty of goblins and hobgoblins. The curse disappeared and many things came to replace it."
"Alright. Will you be able to find your way back?"
"Mmmm, it might be hard to figure out my way back… I could mark some trees to know I'm close." Keng brushed his chin.
"Don't worry about that, then." Fan'r raised his right hand. Pink energy swirled around him. "I'll make it possible for you to find your way back. You can just focus on your hunt. Go, I've wasted enough of your time. My boys will probably outdo you if you waste anymore time." Fan'r motioned at him to leave.
"Yes, sir. I'll see you later." Keng gave Fan'r a bow and disappeared form his spot. Fan'r wrote in the air and lowered his hand. Pink aura writing flew in different directions as he slowly turned and looked in a random direction.
'He's quick.' Fan'r chuckled.
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