Bu Kek Siansu (The Demigod) Chapter 27

Suddenly, the Chief of Pulau Neraka burst into booming laughter, laughing with such joy that tears streamed from his eyes! "Huah-ha-ha-ha! Ha-ha-ha, how hilarious! Taste this now, Han Ti Ong, you bastard King! Feel the pain of a man struck by calamity because his family is ruined. Haha-ha!"

Everyone who saw and heard the words of the Chief of Pulau Neraka immediately burst into laughter, mocking the Raja Pulau Es! Even though they hadn't yet managed to take revenge on the Raja Pulau Es, hearing the King's misfortune was a great and heart-warming entertainment for them. Only the young girl did not join in the laughter, as she seemed not to understand anything, and at that moment, she merely exchanged glances with Sin Liong, who was also bewildered.

"Hey, Kwa Sin Liong! Your story is excellent, but I still won't believe it unless I see Han Ti Ong's daughter come to this island myself. We shall wait and see. After I see Han Ti Ong's daughter here on this island, only then will we talk again. Capture him and put him in the detention chamber while awaiting the appearance of Han Ti Ong's daughter!"

Si Bre-wok and several men who seemed to be the Chief of Pulau Neraka's main assistants stepped forward, approaching Sin Liong with threatening stances. The young man realized there was no other way but to surrender while awaiting the arrival of his Sumoi, because before he met his Sumoi, resisting would only cause meaningless hostility. Thus, he raised both hands and said,

"I will not resist, unless you use force. I surrender and am willing to wait in the detention chamber until my Sumoi appears."

Seeing this calm demeanor and authoritative speech, the dozen or so men who had surrounded Sin Liong with threatening stances looked hesitant. However, Sin Liong then stepped forward and said,

"Come, take me to the detention chamber."

"Do not disturb him. Let him rest in the detention chamber and treat him well until Han Ti Ong's daughter appears. If he is lying, hmph, then we shall have a feast killing him!"

The Chief of Pulau Neraka said, chuckling, because his heart was extremely pleased to hear how Han Ti Ong had thrown his own wife onto Pulau Neraka, and now his daughter was throwing herself onto Pulau Neraka. Although he didn't fully believe the story until he saw proof, the news alone brought joy to his heart. With a dignified and calm attitude, Sin Liong was escorted into the detention chamber, followed by the worried gaze of the young girl. After the group vanished, the girl criticized the Chief of Pulau Neraka,

"Kong-kong, why is he detained? He is extraordinary, brave, and very clever!"

"Hushh! He is a person from Ice Island, he is a disciple of Han Ti Ong, therefore he is our enemy. Understand?"

The young girl pouted, then left her grandfather while grumbling, while her grandfather laughed boisterously, his heart content.

He then signaled, calling one of his confidantes, and whispered while smiling. His assistant also laughed, nodded, and then left. This old man, the Chief of Pulau Neraka, who possessed high martial skill, was completely unsuspicious of his own granddaughter, unaware that she had just sneaked in and listened to the command he gave to his confidante. Sin Liong was a young man who never harbored ill will toward others. He had not yet learned much about the falseness of human nature, and even toward the people of Pulau Neraka, he maintained trust.

Thus, he fully believed the words of the Chief of Pulau Neraka and willingly surrendered, not resisting when he was escorted into the detention chamber! Once inside the narrow underground room, with steel windows and strong steel bars filling the window as ventilation, he immediately sat cross-legged. He was not worried about his own condition, but he felt uneasy about why his Sumoi had not yet arrived at Pulau Neraka? He believed that the Chief of Pulau Neraka was not lying to him. If it were true that Swat Hong was already on Pulau Neraka, their attitude toward him would certainly not be like this.

If so, it was clear that his Sumoi had not yet arrived at Pulau Neraka, even though she had departed earlier. Where had his Sumoi gone? Midnight had passed and the detention chamber was completely silent. There were no guards outside the door or window, but he knew that at the entrance to the detention corridor, there were several guards always ready with weapons in hand. Suddenly, he heard the voice of an angry woman outside and the frightened voices of the guards.

"You dare forbid me from entering?"

The woman's voice was heard.

"Miss, this prisoner is an important person! and..."

"And you think I am not an important person? What do you think I want? I want to mock him and curse him, he is my great enemy. Do you dare forbid me? Try to forbid me and I will tell Kong-kong that you dared to be insolent to me, trying to flirt with me—I want to see if your heads will still be attached to your necks!"

"Ah, no... it's not like that..."

"Forgive us, Miss..."

"Please enter, please."

"Beware if anyone follows me or spies on me, it means they intend insolence and I will inform Kong-kong!"

Sin Liong had already guessed who the woman speaking outside and arguing with the guards was, but as the young woman appeared under the lamplight outside his window bars, he almost cried out, thinking that Swat Hong had appeared. Under the not-so-bright lamplight, the granddaughter of the Chief of Pulau Neraka indeed looked almost identical to Swat Hong. After clearly seeing that the visitor was the granddaughter of the Chief of Pulau Neraka, and recalling the girl's words outside that her intention was to mock and insult him, Sin Liong remained seated cross-legged and even closed his eyes, pretending to sleep.

"Ssssttt..."

Sin Liong did not answer, nor did he move slightly. What was the point of entertaining a child who only came to mock and insult him? That was what he thought, even though he felt uncomfortable having to ignore someone who had gone to the trouble of coming, even arguing with the guards. She would surely be disappointed, Sin Liong thought, and secretly peeked from behind his slightly parted eyelashes.

"Pssstttt... you're not sleeping, your eyelashes are twitching, don't try to fool me..."

The young girl said again in a whisper, pouting her lips between the window bars. Sin Liong took a deep breath and opened his eyes.

"Hah, you may mock and insult as you please, then leave so I can truly rest," He said.

"Hi-hik!"

The girl suppressed her laughter, covering her small mouth.

"It seems you are just as foolish as those guards, believing everything I said outside just now!"

Sin Liong stood up and approached the detention chamber window. They faced each other and exchanged glances through the window bars.

"What do you mean, Miss?"

The smiling mouth now pouted, and her voice sounded spoiled, "You called me 'sweet Little Sister' earlier. Why 'Miss' now? You are truly skilled at disappointing people!"

Sin Liong couldn't help but smile. This child was spoiled and lively, reminding him of Han Swat Hong. There were many similarities between the two women.

"Very well, sweet Little Sister. Truly, why have you come here if not to mock and insult me, whom your grandfather considers an enemy?"

"I came to chat."

"Hmm, the time and place are not suitable for chatting. I am a prisoner and you are the To-cu's granddaughter here, this place is a dirty and cramped detention chamber, and it is now past midnight. Please return to your room and sleep soundly. Lest your Kong-kong scolds you."

"I am not afraid! I deliberately came here to chat with you. Who dares forbid me?"

Her attitude became fierce, her eyes shining, and Sin Liong sighed deeply. For a long time, he had realized how strange the nature of women was. He had seen strange and incomprehensible natures in Sia Gin Hwa, who betrayed her husband and committed adultery with Lu Kiat; in Liu Bwee, Swat Hong's mother, who was initially cheerful but then became melancholic and so patient and yielding toward her husband who hurt her; in The Kwat Lin, who also changed greatly after becoming the king's wife; and in Swat Hong, who had recklessly thrown herself onto Pulau Neraka.

And now he faced a girl whose nature was also extremely strange.

"Very well, don't be angry, because no one is forbidding you here. If you want to chat, well, chat, and I will listen."

The girl gaped.

"Chat about what?"

Secretly, Sin Liong felt amused. She truly was a girl who was still like a child, and perhaps all her previous attitudes, when joyful and when angry, were not entirely sincere, thus changing so easily.

"Chat about anything you like, for example, what your name is, what your Kong-kong's name is, and the situation on this island, and so on."

Her face brightened again, joyful after remembering that there was actually a lot of material to discuss.

"My name is Soan Cu, Ouw Soan Cu...."

"Your name is beautiful."

Sin Liong praised her to please her heart. And indeed, Soan Cu's heart was very pleased to hear this compliment.

"Really? Is my name really beautiful?"

With great enthusiasm, she then briefly recounted her history.

The Chief or Master of Pulau Neraka, named Ouw Kong Ek, was not an exile from Ice Island, but a descendant of exiles who had been the chief there for hundreds of years because he possessed high martial skill. Ouw Kong Ek's grandfather, a highly skilled exile from Ice Island, was the first person to become the "Chief" on Pulau Neraka, then passed this position down to his son until it reached Ouw Kong Ek. Ouw Kong Ek himself took an exile from Ice Island—a former servant of the Empress of the Raja Pulau Es who was sentenced to exile due to slander, and who truly did not want to serve a prince who was infatuated with her—as his wife. They had one son named Ouw Sian Kok.

However, his wife died when Ouw Sian Kok married a girl from Pulau Neraka, and the Chief of Pulau Neraka remained a widower. He poured his hopes into his only son, who inherited all his skills and was expected to replace his position when he retired. But bad luck struck the Ouw family. When Ouw Sian Kok's wife gave birth to a child, namely Soan Cu, the young mother died. Ouw Sian Kok was so grief-stricken that his mind became disturbed, he went mad and fled Pulau Neraka; no one knew where the madman went.

"That is my unhappy history," Soan Cu concluded her story. "Since childhood, I have never seen the faces of my mother and father. Father has not returned until now, and no one knows where he is. I was raised and educated by Kong-kong, who hopes that I will eventually replace the position of chief here. But I am unwilling!"

"Why are you unwilling, Soan Cu?"

"Who would want to take care of those mad people! They are all mad and wicked, that is why I like you, Sin Liong. You are different from them, you are brave and kind. That is why I came to help you. Know this: soon, when they think you are asleep, you will be killed!"

Sin Liong was startled but remained calm.

"Really? Why would I be killed? Didn't your Kong-kong promise that we would wait until my Sumoi arrived at Pulau Neraka?"

"Uhh, you believe Kong-kong! Hmm, he was only lying."

"Ah, why is that? As a chief, it is improper for him to deceive."

"Lying and deceiving are actions that are beneficial and even considered good and proper here! It is a sign of a person's cleverness!"