Sin Liong shook his head, increasingly unable to understand the attitude of women in general, and at that moment, Swat Hong's attitude specifically, as well as Soan Cu's extremely strange behavior, considering she was the granddaughter of the cruel and eccentric leader of Pulau Neraka. Everything happened as if planned by Soan Cu. After the maiden claimed to be completely healed and Sin Liong, along with Swat Hong, faced the leader to request their release, Ouw Kong Ek shook his head and said,
"Kwa Sin Liong, we are deeply grateful for the healing of my granddaughter's illness, and for that service, we will not trouble you, but rather regard you as meritorious individuals. However, we are forced not to release you because we desperately need you as a medical expert on this island. Therefore, please understand our need. Stay here and become honored people, my best assistants."
"Tocu, I understand the needs of the Tocu and the inhabitants of Pulau Neraka. However, it is truly unfair to order us to stay here forever, especially highly unfair to my Sumoi. Nevertheless, because I understand the needs of all of you, let us arrange it this way for now. I will temporarily stay here to teach medical knowledge to the Tocu, but I request that my Sumoi be released immediately, given a boat so that she may leave Pulau Neraka first. As for myself, once the Tocu is familiar with all the medicinal leaves and ingredients, only then will I depart from here. How about that?"
The leader of Pulau Neraka furrowed his brows, then glanced towards his granddaughter who was sitting beside him, merely bowing her head.
"Hmph, your Sumoi may leave. Even though she is the daughter of Han Ti Ong, considering your service, we shall release her. But you.... ah, I greatly hope that you will become.... part of our family, young man."
Again he winked toward Soan Cu, and the girl lowered her face further, which had turned very red.
"That's right, he is perfectly suited to be the match for Miss Ouw!" Several assistants chimed in, laughing, their manner free and open.
"I don't want to go!" Swat Hong suddenly said loudly.
"If Suheng stays here teaching medical knowledge, I will stay here too until the lessons are finished. And if... if there is an engagement here, if Suheng is taken as a son-in-law, I must also be the witness!"
That statement was actually uttered with a surge of anger and heat in her heart, but Ouw Kong Ek's assistants greeted it with laughter.
Of course, Sin Liong was extremely shocked to hear his Sumoi's words. A very good opportunity had opened up for Swat Hong to free herself from that dangerous island, and Swat Hong simply threw that opportunity away! He knew Swat Hong's character. Once she said no, even if forced to death, she would not submit! Thus, he became utterly confused.
"Tocu, since Sumoi does not want to leave first by herself, let our agreement be changed. I will give lessons in medical knowledge to the Tocu, and once the Tocu is familiar with the medicinal ingredients needed to protect the inhabitants of this island, Sumoi and I may leave freely."
The leader of Pulau Neraka stroked his chin and his eyebrows furrowed; repeatedly, he glanced toward his granddaughter.
He was an old man; although he had never ventured into the bustling world, he knew that his granddaughter had fallen for this formidable young man. And he did not see any other young man on Pulau Neraka who was worthy of becoming his granddaughter's husband! Naturally, his heart was unwilling for the young man to leave the island because he knew it would surely disappoint his granddaughter. So he merely shook his head, unable to answer. Seeing his leader's hesitation, an old man over fifty years old stepped forward. This man's head was bald, but his face was covered in a thick beard, his body was small and thin, and a red snake was coiled around his neck.
He was Ouw Kong Ek's chief assistant, a man whose martial arts skill was *lihai*, named Lo Thong. Unlike the Master of Pulau Neraka, who was a descendant of exiles, Lo Thong himself was an exile from Pulau Es; thirty years ago, he was banished from Pulau Es because, as a young man, he committed many crimes. After arriving at Pulau Neraka, he deepened his skills and became the second strongest person after Ouw Kong Ek, especially after Ouw Kong Ek's son, Ouw Sian Kok (Soan Cu's father), went mad and left the island. Thus, he was appointed as Ouw Kong Ek's chief assistant.
"Twako (Elder Brother)," Lo Thong said, and unlike the other inhabitants of Pulau Neraka who called their leader *Tocu* (Island Master), he called him Elder Brother,
"Why is Twako confused dealing with the matter of these two youngsters? Regardless, they are on this island, and they should submit to all of Twako's commands, which are law here. If they wish to make their own decisions, they may, but they must first be able to defeat us!"
Ouw Kong Ek looked at his assistant with a beaming face, as if he had been freed from a complicated situation.
"In that case, what is the best way, Lo-tee?"
"In my opinion, it is better to hold a match between this young man of the Kwa Clan (*She Kwa*) and Twako. If he loses the match, then he and his Sumoi must stay here forever and become inhabitants of this island like all of us."
"Hey, Baldy! How easy it is for you to talk! Who says my Suheng will lose to your leader? And what if your leader loses instead?" Swat Hong shouted sharply.
"Twako loses? Ha-ha, how is that possible?" Lo Thong replied.
"However, if Twako loses, let this young man of the Kwa Clan teach medical knowledge until Twako is proficient, only then may both of you leave this island freely."
"An excellent proposal!" Ouw Kong Ek exclaimed happily.
"Kwa Sin Liong, I hear that in the bustling world, on the mainland, heroic individuals use skill to settle complicated matters. I believe you are certainly a hero as well, so let us resolve this matter by measuring our respective skills, as suggested by my assistant Lo Thong."
Sin Liong shook his head. "Tocu, I do not like using the knowledge I learned for violence. Why does Tocu intend to use violence to detain both of us forever on this island? I have already agreed to teach medical knowledge, so it is only proper that Tocu repays this by freeing us."
"No, we must measure skills first!" The leader insisted. Suddenly, Swat Hong leaped into the middle of the field, puffing out her chest and raising her head.
"Come on! If Suheng refuses, let me serve you! Who is afraid of the people of Pulau Neraka? I will enter the match, and if I lose, you may do whatever you please!"
"Sumoi...!!" Sin Liong admonished.
"Suheng, I am not afraid!" Swat Hong retorted. Ouw Kong Ek furrowed his eyebrows.
"Soan Cu, you deal with this arrogant, wild brat!" he said.
"Understood, Kong-kong." Soan Cu stood up and stepped forward, but immediately stopped when she heard Sin Liong's voice.
"Soan Cu, please do not fight. There is no enmity between us, is there?"
Soan Cu hesitated, looked at her Kong-kong, then at Sin Liong, and finally returned to sit in her previous spot.
"Soan Cu...." Her grandfather admonished.
"Kong-kong, I do not want to fight. They are not my enemies."
The old man's eyes widened, but he was not angry; instead, he burst into roaring laughter. "You... you are more obedient to him? Ha-ha-ha-ha!"
He laughed because his granddaughter's attitude clearly proved how she had truly fallen in love with Sin Liong! She even dared to defy his command simply because Sin Liong wished it so. Swat Hong's heart grew hotter. She had been ready to defeat the granddaughter of the Pulau Neraka leader, not only to win the match but also to show her Suheng that she was more skilled than Soan Cu. However, it turned out her Suheng forbade Soan Cu, and the princess of Pulau Neraka was so obedient!
"Ouw Kong Ek, if your granddaughter dares not step forward, then let yourself step forward! Come on, fight me, the daughter of the King of Pulau Es!" She challenged repeatedly, her voice full of anger. Sin Liong merely shook his head, utterly confused about how to stop his Sumoi. Again, the old man grew angry. The challenge that came out of Swat Hong's mouth made his face red and his ears hot. But how humiliating it would be if he had to fight a mere girl who was the same age as his own granddaughter!
"Twako, permit me to discipline this insolent brat," Lo Thong said, and Ouw Kong Ek nodded, but still remembered to instruct. "However, just give her a lesson, do not let her be killed."
"Understood, Twako." Lo Thong replied, and with a single movement of his foot, his body shot forward in front of Swat Hong. Witnessing this formidable *Ginkang*, Sin Liong was secretly very worried, but he also could not stop her, knowing that if he forbade her, his Sumoi would only become more reckless. So he merely stood up and watched, his heart pounding tensely. Swat Hong looked at the bald old man standing before her, then spoke, her voice mocking.
"Will this match decide the agreement we made earlier—that if I win, both of us may leave here?"
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