Fantasy Novel: Paradise
Hotel 25
【Twenty-Four】The Arduous Mission
With a gentle breeze blowing, it was a midsummer morning. Small boats drifted across Lake Lucerne, with couples sitting together in pairs, their silhouettes reflected against the beautiful scenery. In one of the small boats, Lin Xiaoyang rowed with both oars while Huang Min-hua, wearing a woven straw hat, sat beside him. The two looked completely relaxed.
Huang Min-hua said, “The people who live here wander amid the beauty of the mountains and the water, moving at such a leisurely and unhurried pace. It truly is a paradise on earth! If you let me live this kind of life for the rest of my life, I wouldn’t have a single complaint.”
Lin Xiaoyang said, “That’s right! We only have a few decades in this life. Why wind ourselves up like a tightly wound spring every day and make life so exhausting?”
Huang Min-hua smiled and said, “Originally, after finishing my studies, I planned to return to Taiwan, open an art studio, and teach art. But now it seems that plans can’t keep up with changes.”
Lin Xiaoyang made a playful face and said mischievously, “Paradise Hotel needs a lady of the house! You’re not allowed to run away.”
Huang Min-hua smiled brightly and said, “I won’t! I promised Sister Hui-jun that I would take care of you for the rest of your life.”
Lin Xiaoyang said with satisfaction, “Beautiful scenery means nothing without you by my side.”
Huang Min-hua teased him, “What’s gotten into you? How did you suddenly become so literary and artistic?”
Lin Xiaoyang said, “I’m a travel writer, after all. Writers are supposed to be literary and artistic.”
The two looked at each other and smiled, with everything understood without a word.
87
In the grand hall of the Sky Castle, Rufu and the Dragon Knight stood on either side of Princess Maria.
“Dragon Knight, lead a contingent of the Imperial Guards to Sicily. Completely sweep through Bat Castle and eliminate Anderson’s remaining forces.”
The Dragon Knight clasped his hands in salute and accepted the order. “Yes, Princess! I will eradicate evil to the very end and spare none of them.”
The princess frowned and said, “You misunderstand me, Dragon Knight. I am not asking you to wipe them all out. Those who are willing to surrender are to be brought back here for rehabilitation.”
The Dragon Knight said, “I understand, Princess.”
Rufu said, “Maria, I want to take care of something. I came to report it to you.”
The princess smiled and asked, “You want to recover that Sun Staff, don’t you?”
Rufu smiled. “There is nothing I can hide from you.”
The princess said, “In this world, I understand you better than anyone. Go ahead! If you find any clues or need any assistance, notify me at any time.”
Rufu clasped his hands and took his leave. “Then I’ll be going!” He immediately turned and left the hall.
The Dragon Knight asked, “Princess, Rufu…” He hesitated, unable to finish what he wanted to say. Maria understood his concern.
The princess said, “I know what you want to say. If I did not trust Rufu, I would never have brought him back.”
The Dragon Knight gave an awkward smile. “I was worrying too much, Princess.”
88
In the grand hall of the Sky Castle, Maria sat upon the throne, with Chen John and his junior fellow disciple, Father Shitlong, along with Huang Lihua, Wilson, Adono, Lorna, and Keith standing on either side of her.
Maria said, “In the mission to eliminate Anderson, Father Chen John and Father Shitlong contributed the most. Thank you both for your tremendous assistance.”
Chen John replied humbly, “Princess, you rule the Dark World with benevolence and virtue, winning over the members of the supernatural clans. There is a saying in the East: evil can never ultimately overcome the power of justice. It is only natural that we, as brothers in the same school, should help eliminate evil and injustice and serve as the princess’s right and left arms.”
Maria smiled and said, “Anderson’s remaining forces in Sicily are no longer a threat. I have already ordered the Dragon Knight to lead the Iron-Blooded Imperial Guards there to eliminate them. But now there is another arduous mission for which I will need the assistance of both of you fathers.”
Chen John asked, “What kind of mission is it? Please give us your instructions, Princess.”
Wilson turned toward Chen John and Shitlong and said, “Here is the situation. More than three hundred years ago, Anderson once led his forces in an attack on the Sky Castle and took a Sun Staff inlaid with the skull of Jesus. The staff was originally bestowed by the medieval Pope of Rome upon Hans, the Sky King of the Dark World, as a scepter for ruling the Dark World. After being passed down through three generations, it came into the hands of the princess’s father, Townsend, only to be seized by Townsend’s younger brother, Anderson.”
Shitlong asked curiously, “Why did Anderson rebel and attack his own elder brother?”
Maria sighed and said, “Why else? It was all because of the right of succession to the throne! My parents had only me and no other children. I was in love with David, the captain of the royal guards, and we were planning to marry. Originally, I had no interest in inheriting the throne. But several ministers close to my father believed that my uncle was wicked and violent in both his intentions and his conduct. They strongly urged my father to break with tradition and pass the throne to me, with David assisting me. They also strongly advocated weakening the military power of the generals stationed in the various territories. When this news reached my uncle, he believed that my father had violated the succession law established by our grandfather, Hans. He therefore joined forces with several generals who were dissatisfied with my father’s policy of weakening the regional commanders. While my father was critically ill, they launched a rebellion and attacked the castle.”
Shitlong suddenly understood. “I see! But I heard from my senior brother that there was another complicated love affair involving the princess, David, and Rufu…”
The princess continued, “David was my father’s captain of the royal guards. He led the Iron-Blooded Imperial Guards and fought alongside Rufu’s cavalry. Anderson’s Bat Army laid siege to the Sky Castle for a long time but could not break through. Cunning as he was, Anderson learned that Rufu and David had developed a personal conflict because of me. Rufu was the son of my riding instructor, and we had grown up together. I had always regarded him as an older brother. Anderson saw an opportunity and had people spread rumors throughout the city, saying that after David married me, Rufu would merely become a servant ordered around by the two of us. He sowed discord between Rufu and David, and then sent a secret emissary to Rufu to persuade him to betray us during the battle and assassinate David. Sure enough, when the two armies faced each other, David was ambushed and killed by Rufu, who had betrayed him in the midst of battle. But after Rufu took control of the troops, he still sternly refused to allow the Bat Army into the castle, and he also refused to hand me over. He gave Anderson only the Sun Staff.”
Shitlong said, “From the looks of it, Rufu was not exactly guilty of the greatest of crimes…”
The princess said, “That’s right! But the ministers and the people inside the castle believed that Rufu’s betrayal and assassination of David in the midst of battle were absolutely unforgivable. The commanders of the Imperial Guards also hated Rufu for killing David and desperately wanted to avenge him. To prevent the Imperial Guards inside the castle from clashing directly with the cavalry outside, I had someone deliver a letter to Rufu asking him to leave. Unexpectedly, after Rufu left, Anderson sought him out and placed great trust in him.”
Shitlong said, “Then, this lost Sun Staff…”
The princess said, “After I brought Rufu back to the castle, he personally told me that the Sun Staff had been stolen three hundred years ago by Anderson’s daughter, Tanya. Unable to do anything about her father’s cruelty and brutality, Tanya took the opportunity to steal the staff and left Sicily with several trusted followers and guards. No one knew where she went after that. You did not see Rufu this time because he had already set out half a month ago to investigate Tanya’s whereabouts. Yesterday, he sent me a message by carrier pigeon saying that he had found a reliable lead.”
Chen John asked in confusion, “Oh? If Rufu has found a reliable lead, with his profound magical abilities, why would he still need my junior fellow disciple and me to help?”
The princess said, “Rufu said that Tanya has been living in seclusion in an isolated valley cut off from the outside world. The locals call the valley the Valley of the Underworld. It is said that both entrances to the valley are guarded by evil dragons and peerless martial artists. He is not confident that he can get inside. Moreover, for this mission, the two of you must take David—oh, I mean Lin Xiaoyang—and Huang Min-hua with you.”
At this point, Huang Lihua asked in puzzlement, “Princess, I can understand why you want Xiaoyang to go along. But my granddaughter Min-hua knows nothing about martial arts or magic. How could she possibly be of any help?”
The princess said, “Let me tell you a story from long ago. Your granddaughter Min-hua was actually my personal maid, Irene. She was as close to me as a sister. She had secretly been in love with David for a long time, something I had vaguely sensed. On the day David was ambushed and killed by Rufu, she saw David’s head hanging from the flagpole at the castle gate. In the middle of the night, she rode her horse to the castle gate, drugged the cavalry guards with medicinal wine, took David’s head, and disappeared without a trace. A century later, when Irene was old and white-haired and nearing the end of her life, she personally returned David’s head. Every day, she fed David’s head with blood from her fingertips. When I took possession of David’s head, I discovered that his facial expression was still vividly lifelike.”
Huang Lihua seemed to understand some of the missing pieces. “I see. So that is why the princess deliberately arranged for the two of them to become husband and wife in this lifetime.”
The princess said, “Yes. Moved by Irene’s deep love and loyalty toward David, I specifically had the Dragon Knight deliver a letter to Satan for me, asking Satan to release David’s soul.”
Chen John said in surprise, “Princess, you asked Satan for help? Satan would certainly demand that you pay a price. He never makes a deal at a loss.”
The princess said quietly, “Yes. Satan demanded that I could never become David’s wife for all eternity.”
Huang Lihua asked in astonishment, “You could never become David’s wife for all eternity? Princess, you agreed to Satan’s condition?”
The princess said, “Yes. I did not want David to remain by Satan’s side and be at his command. I would rather have him return to the world of the living, so that I could still see him. And bringing him together with Huang Min-hua could also be considered a way of repaying the debt I owed Irene.”
Chen John asked, “There must be a crucial reason why the princess wants Huang Min-hua to go with them, right?”
The princess said, “Yes, Father. Huang Min-hua and Xiaoyang will serve two purposes by going together. First, by combining their strength, they can break the ancient seal on the staff, awaken it, and restore its magical power. Second, I learned long ago that Tanya once cast a curse of resentment. Unless David is brought back to life and comes to find her with his wife, she will not reveal herself, much less hand over the staff.”
Chen John asked again, “But Huang Min-hua knows neither martial arts nor magic. Can she really help Xiaoyang break the seal on the staff?”
The princess said, “She can. Once Huang Min-hua and Xiaoyang become husband and wife and develop an intimate relationship, the pure-yang magnetic field within Xiaoyang’s body will become harmonized. With their hearts connected, Min-hua will quickly comprehend and learn the abilities Xiaoyang has mastered. With the combined strength of the married couple, together with your assistance, they may be able to subdue the evil dragons and guards and enter the Valley of the Underworld.”
Chen John and Shitlong exchanged a glance. Chen John said meaningfully, “A mission even the Grand Mage Rufu is not confident about completing is indeed extremely arduous.”
The princess said, “Fathers, on this mission, please take Adono, Lorna, and Keith with you as well. The three of them should be able to play an important role at critical moments.”
Chen John looked at the three of them and said, “The three of you should be mentally prepared. This mission may be a one-way journey from which you never return.”
Adono said, “The princess already consulted us about this beforehand. Although we have only now learned the details of the mission, for the sake of completing it, the three of us have already resolved to sacrifice our lives if necessary.”
Lorna said, “Yes! We carry the unjustly dead souls of many innocent people on our shoulders. If our sacrifice can bring lasting peace to the Dark World and allow those wronged souls to forgive us for our sins, then our wish will have been fulfilled.”
Huang Lihua said, “Princess, once we return to the hotel, I will follow your instructions and arrange the wedding of Xiaoyang and Min-hua.”
Maria waved her hand, and two maids approached, each carrying a long saber and a long sword. They came before Chen John and Shitlong.
The princess said, “This matched pair of saber and sword was given to Napoleon by merchants from the Qing Empire in the Far East nearly two hundred years ago. After Napoleon was defeated, a collector gave them to me. I have always felt that these two weapons represent the balance of yin and yang, one hard and the other soft. Please give them to Lin Xiaoyang and Huang Min-hua as my wedding gift to them. On the night Xiaoyang killed Anderson, I personally witnessed his mysterious and unpredictable Eastern swordsmanship. Perhaps the two of them will find these weapons useful on their journey to the Valley of the Underworld.”
Chen John and Shitlong each took one of the weapons. Chen John examined the blade and said, “Even through the scabbard, I can still sense a powerful aura of blood coming from this blade. It must have claimed quite a few lives.”
The princess warned them, “That collector once cautioned me that once these two weapons are drawn, they must taste human blood. So be very careful not to kill the innocent by mistake.”
Chen John said, “Understood. I will pass on your warning to Xiaoyang.”
The princess rose and walked toward the two fathers. She took a kraft-paper envelope from her sleeve and handed it to Chen John. “This contains a map to the Valley of the Underworld. I will leave the mission of recovering the Sun Staff to all of you. Thank you for taking this on. I will see you off.”
Chen John accepted the envelope and clasped his hands in salute. “We will do everything in our power.”
The princess personally escorted the group out of the hall.
89
The wedding of Lin Xiaoyang and Huang Min-hua was held at Paradise Hotel. Huang Lihua represented the bride’s family, Wilson served as the musician, Father Shitlong served as the officiant, and Father Chen John presided over the marriage ceremony. Robert, Margaret, Lorna, and Keith wore their hotel uniforms and served as the reception staff. The wedding was simple yet dignified.
Musician Wilson played the wedding march on the violin. Huang Lihua was in an especially good mood. He escorted Min-hua into the lobby and personally handed her over to Xiaoyang.
Huang Lihua said, “Xiaoyang, I’m entrusting Min-hua to you. I know you will treat her well and give her happiness.”
Lin Xiaoyang said, “I will, old senior—oh, I mean, Grandpa.”
Xiaoyang’s little slip of the tongue drew laughter from the friends present.
Lin Xiaoyang scratched his head and gave an awkward laugh. “I’m still not quite used to it. Heh-heh, not quite used to it.”
Robert suddenly cracked a dry joke. “The painter isn’t even bald yet, and he already has a grandson-in-law. That’s just too much!”
Another wave of laughter rose from the friends watching the ceremony.
Huang Lihua said boldly, “Tonight, everyone drink and dance to your heart’s content. Nobody leaves until they’re drunk, all right!”
90
In Room 504, the newlyweds sat snuggled together by the window. A laptop sat open on the table, its screen displaying Xiaoyang’s writing. Xiaoyang had one arm around Min-hua’s waist and the other on the mouse. A thin mist covered the scene outside the window, and moonlight filtered through it, creating a hazy glow.
“Min-hua, the novel I’m writing is called Meeting in This Lifetime.”
“Oh? When did you start writing it?”
“The night you came back.”
Huang Min-hua deliberately asked, “So who is the female lead?”
Lin Xiaoyang said, “The first part is Hui-jun, and the second part is you.”
Huang Min-hua pretended to be magnanimous. “If it’s Sister Hui-jun, then I don’t mind.”
Lin Xiaoyang whispered into her ear, “A night of spring is worth a thousand pieces of gold. I’ll show you the novel another day. Right now, I want to…”
Two deep blushes suddenly rose on Huang Min-hua’s cheeks. Lowering her head shyly, she said, “Help me take off my clothes…”
91
Early the next morning, Xiaoyang woke first. Resting his chin on one hand, he quietly watched Huang Min-hua sleeping.
Before long, Min-hua slowly woke up. When she opened her eyes, she found a large face right in front of her.
Min-hua stretched and gave a long yawn before asking, “Xiaoyang, how long have you been awake?”
“A little while. You were still sleeping, so I didn’t wake you.”
“Last night, I had such a long, long dream…”
“What did you dream about?”
Min-hua reached out and touched Xiaoyang’s neck. With a sigh of relief, she said, “Thank goodness you’re all right.”
“I dreamed that you were holding my head in both hands, crying your eyes out.”
Min-hua stared at Xiaoyang in astonishment. “So you had the same dream I did?”
Xiaoyang gently stroked Min-hua’s cheek and said tenderly, “All of that is over now.”
Min-hua wrapped her arms around Xiaoyang’s neck and said emotionally, “I won’t let your body disappear again!”
Lin Xiaoyang gently patted Min-hua’s back and said, “It definitely won’t happen in this lifetime! I’ll stay by your side forever, Min-hua.”
