A Pair of Eclipse Swords
Chapter : 23 – Silat Show
The village is quite large for the size of the village, even arguably as a small town. Surrounded by forests and mountain slopes, making the main livelihood in this village is as a farmer or herder.
Acres of rice paddies spread across the mountain slopes north of the village. While in the south, gardens of various kinds of vegetables and fruits appear to decorate the region.
In the north there is also a small river used for irrigation of rice fields. It was at this place that Yu Ping or Yu Ceng usually shopped for groceries.
On the outskirts of the northern village that borders directly with the rice fields, there seems to be a bustle of some people. No less than twenty people.
While some other people go around the village to distribute leaflets in the form of a notification if the day after tomorrow will be held a silat performance whose stage is built on the outskirts of the rice field.
All the villagers seemed enthusiastic, so before the day after the day came, many traders or children who came to visit the rice fields to look around.
This great event would be a field of gold and silver for the village merchants. They slightly raise the trading price by a few percent to make a bigger profit.
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"Where's the place?"
"Ah, look at that. On the paper it is written to be held on the outskirts of the village to the north. Come on, brother, let's go there!" Yu Ping looked enthusiastic after seeing the leaflet affixed to the wall of one of the buildings.
He tugged at Sung Han's arm excitedly, making the young man only able to shake his head. But after a few steps, Sung Han managed to stop the little girl's pace with a short reprimand.
"Shopping your sister's seat?"
Said Sung Han shaking his hand and weighing the weight of his hand, making the thirteen-year-old Yu Ping was not strong enough to pull anymore.
He turned his body and puffed his cheeks, "Later it could. After all with a big event like this, maybe the grocery store will be open until night."
Sung Han pulled Yu Ping when the girl tried to pull him again, "Can't! Buy some groceries first or I'll take you home!"
"Alright.." with a lazy face Yu Ping nodded and escorted Sung Han away to one of the grocery stores in the village.
After a few minutes, they had bought various needs and it was time to go see the show. But it was still too late, so Sung Han said.
"Yu Ping, it's still daytime and scorching. How about we go to the river for shelter?"
The girl quickly looked over and looked sharply. "Where could that be? This is a big event and rarely held. There must be a lot of sellers. Let's go and buy something there, there's gotta be a lot of cotton candy or some really good peanut bread."
"But.our money...."
"Huh, our money? Heh, you accompany me, use your money!!" reply the girl quickly and do not want to know.
"Where can it be, I don't have any money."
"Don't lie! You think I don't know? Every time you buy groceries in the village, you're more than his money and the rest of your share isn't it?"
"But...."
"That's it, come....!!"
This time even Yu Ping did not pull Sung Han's hand at all, because if it was done then it would be impossible and Sung Han would forcefully pull it. Therefore, because there was no other choice, Sung Han was forced to follow.
That afternoon, Sung Han screamed in his heart because when the show began, his money bag contained only one copper coin, three silver coins and a gold coin that had been damaged was only half a piece.
"Fate...."
...****************...
Yu Ping and the audience were unceasingly shouting in admiration for the silat performance on that stage.
There were seven people on the stage and about thirty people under the stage. Rather than being called a silat show, this is more inclined to a dance performance.
Thirty-seven people play silat simultaneously and compact. After silat, proceed to swordsmanship and spearmanship. For women, while playing silat they appear the sweetest smile. As for men, displaying a crybaby and dashing expression, also accompanied by loud snares.
Undeniably, Sung Han managed to be amazed by such a graceful silat game. Similarly, Yu Ping who with his right hand holding cotton candy, he was unceasingly amazed. Even those wide eyes widened so much that he was amazed by the show.
A great thing happened, seven women on stage made a jumping gesture. While jumping, they swivel their swords in front of the body. Then at the same time, seven men who were just below the stage, sprinkled a kind of red powder towards the seven women.
The roar of cheers was immediately heard to be followed by a standing ovation. It was amazing that the performance, just as the red powder struck the sword, the powder turned into fire. And as the swords in the hands of the seven women were spinning, the flames arising from the red powder also went round. Seen some kind of person turning a red umbrella with a burnt edge.
Until here, Sung Han unconsciously clapped.
The show continues to be more exciting and thrilling. Even this time it goes to the event pibu–adu silat– which is very stressful. It was as if they wanted to slit the opponent's throat, even though the audience knew that this was just a game.
Because his body was only as tall as Sung Han's stomach, then just a few steps disappeared already the boy was among the horde of many spectators.
When Yu Ping was already separated from Sung Han, and the young man was completely unconscious, there was suddenly one woman on the stage shouting. But strangely, the eyes of the woman were tightly shut.
This makes the audience more boisterous because they think there will be great attractions again. And that's true, but not entirely true.
Shouting and eye tightness is a form of "sign" for someone to be able to immediately carry out their duties.
As Yu Ping tried hard to reach the front row, suddenly from behind there was a smothering of his mouth and his hand was pulled to the side violently.
Surprisingly, when the two fingers of the smothering man moved, he was completely unable to move or speak. So one of the two people immediately carried Yu Ping and acted like his parents. While the woman who had pulled to the side also displayed a smile in such a way but her eyes glanced at the woman on the stage.
The woman who had been exclaiming while closing her eyes smiled faintly and raised her head. While looking up at it, he let out a long screech. This call was followed by thirty-six others.
A sign for some people on the roof there. A sign that the task is done!
...****************...
"Yu Ping!"
This young man ran around the silat stage which is now being cleaned up. A few hours after sunset, this silat show has finished.
"Hey uncle, did you see my sister who bought cotton candy at your place?" Sung Han frantically asked that to the cotton candy seller he had bought for Yu Ping.
The middle-aged man seemed to frown in confusion, like trying to remember Sung Han. It observed the face of this young man's past-goals before jerking off.
"Ah...you came this afternoon, didn't you?"
"Yes!"
"Hem...let me remember." though he said so, but for a long time he did not give an answer.
"What's wrong?" a middle-aged woman came over. Sung Han remembered that this was the man's wife.
"Ah, this young man lost his sister who had bought cotton candy here. You know where he is?"
The woman looked at Sung Han and asked for the characteristics of Yu Ping that Sung Han allowed. Then he laughed as he flicked his hands forward.
"Hahaha, don't worry young man. Your sister was taken by two men, a boy and a girl. Your mother's father isn't he?"
Sung Han's heart was beating hard, his face paled. But all he could do was put on a smile and sigh like he was relieved.
"Where did they go auntie?" ask Sung Han later.
"In that direction." point the woman west.
Sung Han observed that direction which was also connected to the exit of the village. His heart felt bad and his hunch said this was not a good thing.
Sung Han turned towards the two married men before rushing off to get there.
Moments after Sung Han's departure.
"Hm...hm...Young man who lost his sister? Hahaha, funny.." the man laughed while packing things.
"Hm....just so is our job?" wife asked.
"Then what's more, we wait for–ah she came." her husband's words stopped when he saw someone in black robes coming over.
"How's it?" ask the cloaked man briefly.
"As you wish sir, we have told the young master where the little brother went." replied the seller's wife, "Emh? Why do we have to play like that?" continued.
"You don't need to know. Here's the payoff." he said briefly. Before leaving, he threw a gold coin that was immediately received with great joy.
The two married men did not know that they had just dealt with the messenger of one of the feared heretical societies. And they also do not know, if only their actions this is a form of harming children.
The cloaked man smirked, "Heh, primitive village people! Time for the next plan."
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