Chương 31: Chapter 30

He Jin was beside himself. As the Head Cook of the Sable Lotus Palace, he took the greatest pride in his work. It was more than employment; it was a vocation. His father had filled the role, and his father before him, and his father before him, and his father before him. His apartment in the palace was filled with notes on how to braise phoenixes to perfection and the best type of Jingzhi apples for pie fillings.

Handcrafted family recipe books were stacked to the ceilings, beside wetstones brimming with Qi for perfect sharpening. Certificates of merit from Deputy Masters and paintings taken during or after memorable banquets covered the walls. If the He family had a shrine, it was the painting where his glorious grandfather was immortalized alongside Lord Xin, Prince Xi Menshu and Immortal Sun-Eclipse Mushroom-Head.

He Jin had dedicated his life to the craft, as proper to the family, and brooked no interruption nor tardiness. Even during the worst moments of the Siege, after he gave the lion's share of his personal garden and enclosures – only amateurs bought ingredients. A true chef farmed his own – to the war effort, he had taken the utmost pride in the fact that the Master and Sect Elders' table quality never fell. Food, sophisticated, well-cooked, perfectly sourced food, was refined culture.

The Godless Night, surrounded on all sides by barbarians, was tied to it; its very identity was refined culture. Upholding it was more than mending mind and body; it was refreshing memory, it was reminding all of what world they belonged to, of its beauty and heightened complexity. Lose that memory, that awareness, and you'd invite chaos, betrayal, division, and, worse, the fall of standards, of civilization.

In his own way, the He family was a pillar of what made the Sect what it was, and he, He Jin, had never stopped believing in it. Certain of the mission, he had defended his pantry and services with the same zeal as the Shadow Warriors manning the Ring's ramparts. His wife, Immortals bless her, had continued serving at the table with impeccable manners, and his three children to work the family farm and study the family techniques. He had held the line, for his, his family and the Sect's pride. And now, this.

Another crash came from inside the kitchen, making him wince. He Jin had to be held by his two sons to avoid collapsing. Goosebumps ran across his skin, and he felt faint.

"The spice rack!" He moaned. He'd be able to recognize what was what in his kitchen with his eyes blindfolded. The cascade of broken glass that came from behind the heavy door felt like someone was stabbing him in the heart.

"Golden Sun Pepper, thirty-six measures. Dragon Clove, twelve measures. Heavenly Garlic, twenty-four measures." He grabbed at his son, pawing at his flour-stained apron.

"Gao! Do something! Call the guards! Call the Elders! Bring down that door! Save the kitchen from that barbarian! String her up!" Gao, having heard full well the threats barked from inside, dithered. Another crash set loose a keening wail from his father. Sun Mei, doing her best to go unseen, was beside herself in another way entirely. First of all, she felt very, very bad for the poor man. Would they punish him for this? The Godless Night was such a scary place that part of her couldn't but fret for him.

Her heart ached for him and his family, but she couldn't offer comfort. As an outsider, she didn't think it would be welcome. And then, there was her and that… that blockhead behind that door. Would they punish them? She still had nightmares about the… the Ancestor. Would… would she come for them? Biting her lip, she decided. Leaving the wailing cook behind, she walked to the big kitchen door and splayed her hands on it. It was heavy, built to be swung easily by Foundation Establishment.

For her, it took some huffing and puffing to crack it wide enough to slip through. Sun Mei stopped to catch her breath, guilt coiling in her waist as she smoothed her dress with trembling fingers. She was so weak. So, so weak. The kitchen must have been a paragon of order and organization once. A great stone counter loomed at the center, as weatherbeaten as a millenary dragon and as royal as an old emperor.

Its court was composed of fireplaces, one large enough that you could have cooked an elephant on it, Qi-gathering altars, ornate stoves and delicate cabinets. Tools of any sort, many of which she couldn't guess the use, hung from hooks in the wall, as orderly as a formation of soldiers and just as shiny. Glass instruments made convoluted loops, beakers dripping concentrated essences into vials. The place reminded her less of a kitchen and more of a temple crossed with an alchemist's laboratory.

The ceiling arched like a cavern, and even the floor was decorated with a mosaic, something about food. Well, it was lost. Many of the shelves had been overturned, covering the floor with a mess of broken baskets, powders and preserved ingredients. Drawers, pulled out from their place, lay in pieces on the floor. The cauldron waiting on the fireplace had been cracked open, freeing a small river of soup, while all the pots had been massed in a corner to form a small mountain.

Eggs, whole chickens and was that a crocodile? Had been launched upward and now decorated the ceiling as so many splatters. A blackened stain covered a patch of wall, glass and wood fragments radiating from it like the aftermath of an explosion. Holding the hem of her kimono, Sun Mei picked her way through the chaos, looking around with wide eyes. She winced at the destruction, her skin crawling with sympathy for the cook. What punishment would the Ancestor visit on the poor man?

The Immortal was as ruthless and terrifying as a storm cloud. Sun Mei bit her lip, frantically pushing the thought away. She may hear. Pushing deeper, she found the culprit, headfirst in a basket like a raccoon looking for food.

"Where is it?" Fan Yu growled, pulling her head out. Flour covered her head and neck, making her look like one of those masked actors Sun Mei had seen in theatrical productions back home. It was so comical that she had to cover her mouth not to hiccup. Then Fan Yu's blazing eyes snapped on her, and it wasn't so funny anymore. She had to pull deep from the lessons her mother had drilled into her to keep her composure. Courtesy and property are our shield, little moon. Sun Mei felt her chest grow tight at the memory.

But her lessons covered that too, and so she kept her poise. Until the other girl started roaring.

"Where is the damn food?!" A basket filled with potatoes flew. Promptly forgetting property, Sun Mei squeaked and ducked, just in time to avoid getting hit in the head. Another projectile – was that a melon? It was gigantic! – darted toward her chest. If you come across this story on Amazon, it's taken without permission from the author. Report it. If courtesy fails and it comes to violence, put something between yourself and danger. Sun Mei obliged, ducking behind the big counter.

Gripping the edge, she peeked over it, then promptly pulled back down to avoid a flying plate.

"I said, where is the food?!" Fan Yu roared, throwing plates with one hand and digging in an half overturn cabinet with the other. Sun Mei's thoughts whirled. Madness? A sudden Qi Deviation? The Devouring Horde's methods were so barbaric she heard both could happen. Maybe being brought to the Godless Night made her erstwhile companion snap?

"Erm, it's… here?" She tried, voice turned into a squeak. Bad idea. A shadow fell over the counter. If your barrier isn't enough, trust in speed and distance. Sun Mei moved without thinking. The whole cabinet crashed where she had been a moment later. Priceless china and wood carved with loving detail flew everywhere. She flew, yelping, hit the ground, rolled and ended in a poised landing position, her kimono puffing and falling around her.

"Please, stop," she begged, wincing at the destruction. Outside, she could hear He Jin's laments.

"You'll get us in trouble!" If she heard her, Fan Yu didn't show it. The girl stomped through the destruction, bare feet crushing sharpened wood and porcelain like paper.

"I know it's here!" She howled.

"I can see it! You think I'm blind? Uh? You think that?" She grabbed the counter, fingers scoring the ancient stone. The tendons in her neck bulged as tremors shook the room. With a groan, the board left its foundations. Face beet-red, Fan Mei held it against her chest, before her strength gave way and she slammed it back down. The blow shook the kitchen like the inside of an upturned toy. For a moment, Sun Mei felt weightless, ingredients and containers forming a galaxy around her.

Then everything crashed down, and she had to duck and roll again to avoid getting run over by a rolling shelf.

"The pantry!" Fan Yu had jumped on the counter, and was stomping. Her bare feet came down like a drumbeat, cracking and scoring the stone.

"I want the pantry! This is nothing! I thought it was the pantry because there's food, but it's nothing! Where's the pantry?! Tell me!!!" Her eyes blazed red, and her expression was pure, maddened hunger. Throwing herself down, she started gnawing at the counter's edge. Madness it is then. Sun Mei hid behind a cauldron, struggling to think. The kitchen likely needed to have more than its average amount of ingredients on hand to keep up the demands of cultivators.

But the Devouring Horde cultivators weren't easily satiated. From her studies, she knew that their methods limited what they could eat and be fed from. At some point, only high-quality spirit-beasts could fill their stomach. The rest was, as Fan Yu said, nothing. She felt a rush of compassion. No surprise the poor girl had lost it. She must be dying of hunger. A conflicting mix of sympathy for her fellow prisoner and disdain for the Sect welling in her chest, Sun Mei looked around. The pantry had to be close.

It was just common sense. In her state, Fan Yu could have easily overlooked it, but she… Look. Watch. Learn. Those are the weak's tools to survive. And we are weak. Sun Mei found it. It was barely visible, little more than a glimpse in a wall section, now half-hidden by a broken worktable. Sun Mei sprinted for it. Keeping her head down and covering it with her hands, she braved a storm of flung baskets and cooking tools.

A pot bigger than she was crashed right in front of her, making her yelp and swerve, her robe flapping around her. A skewer whooshed two inches away from her head, and she lost two decades of life when a jar of virulently hot sauce hit the floor right beside her foot and promptly started to eat in the mosaic. But she made it. Rushing behind the shattered table, she pawed at the wall, looking for a latch. She didn't need to seek long: she knew this type of lock.

The Delightful Retreat made ample use of them back home. Making her Qi hum, she pushed it into the wall. Instantly, the fissure widened with a soft crack. Sun Mei pushed her fingers into it and pulled. A door taller than she was swung soundlessly on invisible hinges. The pantry was large, cold and well-stocked. Rows of shelves filled it from top to bottom, some reaching so high that she had to crane her neck to take them all in.

Bundles of all sizes and shapes crowded them, their contents kept fresh by paper talismans. Pots filled the floor, and hunks of preserved meat, dozens of them, hung from the rafters. Sun Mei had seen the hunger ravaging the city, but now it was no time for disbelief. She rushed for the food with the biggest Qi signature. Her choice fell on a hunk of beef, the meat all but sparkling in the gloom. Going on her tiptoes, she detached it from its hook, and stumbled when the weight settled on her. It was heavy!

She swayed, panic rising with the certainty she was going to fall. But she didn't. Suddenly, the hunk of meat didn't feel as heavy, settling on her shoulder like nothing. No time for questions. She huffed hair off her eyes. She stumbled toward the door, hefting her burden before her. Fan Yu was right outside, attracted by the smell. The girl roared, raging against the collapsed table. One punch splintered wood like paper, sending splinters flying. Sun Mei hesitated.

She really didn't want to risk getting one in the arm. She was still weighing her options when Fan Yu whirled around, as though something attracted her attention. Sun Mei didn't waste her chance. Pulling the food after her, she sneaked from beside the table and kicked it toward the crazed girl. It felt a bit like throwing a piece of meat to an angry dog, and she felt bad doing it, but it worked. Fan Yu turned, and her eyes went wide as they saw the piece of Qi-infused meat.

What followed was visceral enough that Sun Mei had to turn away, covering her grimace with a sleeve. Offer courtesy when you can. Goodwill is money to be treasured.

"Finally!" Fan Yu said triumphantly. Lying on the floor, she threw her head back and let loose the equivalent of a waterfall backing up. Sun Mei tried her best not to show what she felt about it. Not so easy, considering she felt a bit faint. She didn't know when she had sat up. Her legs were jelly, her fingers trembled and she was covered in sweat. Without thinking, she hid her hands in her sleeves. There are times to show frailty. And there are times to hide it. Choose which is which carefully.

For a while, neither spoke, the silence broken only by Fan Yu's satisfied purrs while Sun Mei tried to still the heart hammering in her chest.

"Hold on a moment, was someone here just now?" Fan Yu said suddenly, sounding perplexed. Frowning, she looked up, and met her gaze. Sun Mei waved, trying to smile. Fan Yu's face fell.

"Oh, the weakling," she said, already bored.

"You fed me, haven't you? What a waste. You should have just let yourself be mauled to death." For a moment, Sun Mei was too stunned to speak. But then, she bristled. She had helped her! Her protest died in her throat when Fan Yu opened her mouth wide and burped, investing her with a blast of air that almost had her choke. The girl laughed.

"Not dainty enough for you, flower-girl? Really, what makes you think you'll survive here?" That hit a nerve. Sun Mei turned away, biting her lip. She and Fan Yu had met once before, when the Ancestor bade her new Disciples introduce each other. They were in the same situation, two hostages ripped from their families and given to a wicked Sect. They should have gotten along. Sun Mei had even looked forward to knowing her new friend.

But Fan Yu had quickly cleared what she felt about the Delightful Retreat and all its members. Bunch of weaklings. Sun Mei didn't bother correcting her. Her mother was the epitome of strength. As for her, the judgment couldn't have been more spot on.

"What are you crying about?" Fan Yu snarled. Sun Mei started. She hadn't noticed: her eyes had gotten wet. She tried to wipe them out, but the tears came without stopping.

"Stop crying, weakling!" The bigger girl said coldly. Her expression was filled with contempt.

"Gods, that's why I can't stand you flower-girls. You're disgusting." Sun Mei wanted to argue. She wanted to shoot back. But words failed her. All she managed was to cover her face with both of her sleeves.

"Are you two just about done?" They both froze. Alien Qi, cold and heavy and oppressing, coiled around Sun Mei's throat. It suffused her world for a moment before steadying into a low, ever-present hum. The Ancestor filled the kitchen with her presence. Tall and terrible, the clone wore tattered shadows for a robe and a faceless mask for a face. Slowly, a pale hand reached for it. It pulled it aside, revealing the real Founder, there in the flesh. Sun Mei's body moved on its own.

Before her mind caught up, she was already kowtowing, shivering like a leaf on the wind. Fan Yu had her head lowered, her upper lip curled to reveal sharpened fangs. Apart from a distant, animal alarm, Sun Mei couldn't bring herself to warn her. Under the Ancestor's gaze, everything, her guilt, her homesickness, her loneliness, her desires; it all became irrelevant. All that remained were the torturous images of what happened when her wrath was aroused and a mad scramble to survive the next moment.

And the Founder watched, her expression indecipherable.

"Come." Sun Mei gasped when the Ancestor left the room. She threw a glance toward Fan Yu. The taller girl sneered, and prowled after their benefactor. Sun Mei swallowed, smoothing her robes. When strength is against you, adapt. So shall you live. Trembling, she followed.