Black Pearl Chapter 32

"Hmm, how are you going to open that iron cover above? Besides, who knows, the moment you get out, a rain of weapons might greet you?"

Hauw Lam was startled. The girl's words were reasonable.

"Then... what should we do."

"We wait for an opportunity, and in the meantime, sit and rest here, and you tell me what happened earlier."

Hauw Lam felt a bit ashamed hearing the girl's extremely calm voice. He then began to tell his story.

When he saw Ci-lan Sai-kong arriving, herding the twelve kidnapped young girls, Hauw Lam was furious. However, he restrained his feelings, and after finding an opportunity, he slipped inside when everyone's attention was drawn by Kwi Lan's extremely brave actions. Upon reaching the back room, he ambushed and pressure-pointed a member of the Thian-liong-pang. From this person, he obtained information about the twelve girls who were detained in the back room, guarded by four Thian-liong-pang members. He paralyzed the man with a pressure point strike and continued his investigation.

His resolve was to help and free the twelve girls. With his high level of skill, he easily subdued the four guards, and it was at that moment that a man descended from the roof tiles—who turned out to be Ciam Goan, the former Thian-liong-pang figure who had been expelled by Ma Kiu earlier. Hauw Lam was secretly delighted and admired Ciam Goan's courage. Even though it was clear that the heroic man could not possibly defeat the leaders of the Thian-liong-pang and had already been defeated earlier, the man surnamed Ciam was still brave enough to try and rescue the twelve captive girls.

Without much talk, they entered the room and freed the twelve girls. Hauw Lam entrusted the twelve girls to Ciam Goan to lead them in an escape, while he himself drew attention by setting fire to the rear side building. His plan worked well. Everyone rushed to the site of the fire and surrounded him, allowing Ciam Goan and the twelve captive girls to leave safely. Hauw Lam then lured those surrounding him further inside the building, even joining Kwi Lan, who was already cornered by the Cap-ji-liong, until finally, both of them fell into the trap well.

"That's how it was."

Hauw Lam concluded his story.

"I just hope that man surnamed Ciam succeeded in escaping and saving those twelve girls. And you, what were you doing earlier? Wow, your skill is incredible, Mutiara Hitam. I am completely impressed after witnessing how you fought against the Cap-ji-liong's encirclement."

"Hmm, they are indeed very strong when they advance together. Before you came to help, I was almost defeated."

Mutiara Hitam, or Kwi Lan, then recounted her experience. Hauw Lam was greatly impressed, and secretly, deep in his heart, he felt satisfied and would have no regrets if he were to die alongside this young lady in the well.

"Now what? It's not that I'm afraid of being trapped like this, but we cannot remain idle. We must get out of here, especially you..."

He said.

"Why me? What about you?"

"I must also get out, but the most important one is you, Miss. You are a woman, therefore your safety must be prioritized..."

"Hmph, what's the difference between a man and a woman?"

Hauw Lam did not want to argue about that.

"Let me try to crawl or jump up."

"It's useless, we wait for an opportunity. If someone opens that iron cover above, I have prepared my needles. As soon as someone is up there, I will attack with the needles, and you can jump up using your saber stabbed into the wall for support."

"What if no one opens the iron cover above?"

"In that case, hmm... we stay here forever until we die."

Hearing those words, spoken so casually and calmly, Hauw Lam shuddered. However, his heart warmed when he realized that the girl seemed content to stay there alone with him forever until death. He was deeply moved, and for the first time in his life, Hauw Lam felt profoundly touched and happy. His voice trembled as he spoke, his joking tone gone, replaced by seriousness.

"Miss... I... I am also willing to die here, willing to stay here for the rest of my life, in fact, I would be extremely happy... side by side with you forever..."

"Eek. What is the meaning of these strange words of yours?"

Kwi Lan, who was naturally still naive regarding matters of romance, asked in surprise. The tone of her voice brought Hauw Lam back to reality, making his face flush intensely, making him feel extremely embarrassed. Fortunately, the place was dark, so he did not have to meet Kwi Lan's gaze, and this darkness was what truly emboldened him to continue whispering the voice of his heart.

"Mutiara... even though I haven't known you long, I don't even know your real name yet... but... I don't feel that way. To me, I feel like I have known you my whole life. Previously, I was alone in this world. After meeting you, I no longer feel alone. Mutiara... ah, I must be honest... I... I love you..."

So shocked and surprised was Kwi Lan upon hearing words she had never heard before, and whose true meaning she was only just grasping, that she sat lost in thought, biting the needle she held. She was like someone mesmerized, oblivious that at that moment, a bright light penetrated from above and the well cover was opened by someone. Hauw Lam saw this and quickly jumped up, ready to attack upwards and shouted.

"Mutiara... quickly attack him..."

But Kwi Lan only looked at him and said confusedly,

"What is it...?"

"Shhh... climb up..."

Suddenly, the person who opened the well cover spoke, then a rope slid down from above. Hauw Lam and Kwi Lan saw that the figure who appeared and threw the rope was cloaked in black cloth, but from the voice, they could tell he was a man. As soon as he threw the rope, the shadow vanished again.

"Let's climb up."

Hauw Lam said, and the young man quickly scrambled up the rope as fast as a monkey. Kwi Lan also climbed up, and in a moment, both of them had jumped out of the well. For a moment, Hauw Lam's eyes were dazzled because he had suddenly moved from darkness into light. He blinked his eyes, then when his gaze met Kwi Lan's, the young man's entire face suddenly turned red.

"Get out of here quickly."

Hauw Lam said, and they immediately jumped out of the martial arts room, which was now deserted. However, as soon as they exited the martial arts room and reached the central hall, several members of the Cap-ji-liong leaped out from the left and right.

"Damn it, they escaped. Surround them... capture them..."

They shouted, and four men immediately charged at Hauw Lam and Kwi Lan.

However, the effectiveness of the Cap-ji-liong lay in their combined attack. Now there were only four of them, certainly no match for Hauw Lam and Kwi Lan. As soon as the young pair moved their weapons, the four men leaped back to avoid mortal danger. Hauw Lam and Kwi Lan used this opportunity to keep running. Since members of the Thian-liong-pang were coming in droves from the front, Hauw Lam pulled Kwi Lan's hand, leading her to run through the back rooms. They ran into the inner rooms, continuing to the rear. Several Thian-liong-pang members who encountered them and tried to block their way were knocked down with kicks or left-hand strikes.

Fortunately for them, the leaders of the Thian-liong-pang were busy making preparations to attend a meeting of the figures of the martial world, which was to be held at Cheng-liong-san Peak to select the number one champion in the world. Ma Kiu, the new leader, as well as Sin-seng Losu himself along with his disciples and several important guests, had already left the building to visit the city of Tai-goan to welcome the arrival of a great figure known by the nickname Siauw-bin Lo-mo (The Laughing Old Devil). Since this great figure was considered the martial uncle of Sin-seng Losu, the Thian-liong-pang naturally regarded him as a martial grand-uncle, and they hoped this martial grand-uncle would become the number one champion, thereby elevating the name of the Thian-liong-pang.

Due to this busy schedule, they had only left four head disciples along with lower-ranking disciples to guard the building. They never suspected that their two young captives would be able to escape, assuming they would surely die of starvation in the well. Hauw Lam and Kwi Lan knew that if the Thian-liong-pang leaders arrived and surrounded them, their situation would be dangerous. Since they had only come to this place for "fun" and had no specific business with this organization, they had no intention of continuing the disruption.

Confronted by the lower-ranking disciples of the Thian-liong-pang, they easily knocked down all blockers, continued running to the back, searched for the stable, and after finding the black horse they had "donated" earlier, they rode the horse together and galloped out of Yen-an. The sound of hooves from the Thian-liong-pang followers chasing them could be heard, but no horse could match the speed of the black horse from Khitan. After the city of Yen-an was far behind and no pursuers were visible, Kwi Lan, who was sitting in front, suddenly restrained the horse. They stopped at a four-way intersection.

"We part ways here. You get down."

Hauw Lam jumped down and looked at the girl with a startled expression. He never expected the girl to suddenly suggest they separate. However, the young lady lowered her face, not meeting his gaze.

"Mutiara Hitam... Miss... why must we separate?"

Hauw Lam's voice trembled, unlike his usual self. Kwi Lan's heart pounded strangely. She was angry and also confused.

"Miss, are you angry because of my confession in the well earlier? Please forgive me, I did not mean to offend your feelings or insult you, I was only expressing the truth of my heart. Even if you become angry and kill me, I cannot deny that I... love you, Mutiara Hitam."