Snake (Five Ancestors #3)(4)
Author: Jeff Stone

“Well done!” NgGung said, walking toward Seh. “That was definitely a block on your part. No new information for me from that exchange! Get your hands up. Here I come again!”

NgGung began to spin.

Seh knew he couldn’t go blow for blow with NgGung. He would end up breaking his hands—or worse. As NgGung neared, Seh got an idea. He leaned forward as though he were about to counterattack, but the moment NgGung’s spinning arm and leg were about to connect with him, Seh launched himself up and backward. Seh easily cleared NgGung’s leg, but NgGung’s fist glanced off the side of Seh’s slick bald head—just as Seh had hoped. Seh slumped to the ground and lay perfectly still.

NgGung stopped spinning and looked down at Seh. “Well, well,” he said, stepping up to Seh in the moonlight. “This is a bit of a surprise. I thought you would have given me a better run.”

NgGung kicked Seh hard in the stomach. It took every bit of willpower Seh had to leave his muscles loose and not tighten them against the kick. Seh wanted NgGung to be convinced he was unconscious.

It worked. NgGung sighed and straddled Seh to pick him up. As soon as Seh sensed NgGung bending over him, Seh struck.

Seh snapped his eyes open and jammed the first two fingers of both hands into pressure points on NgGung’s inner thighs.

NgGung’s legs buckled. As NgGung sank toward the ground, Seh rolled onto his back and pulled his knees into his chest. Then he slid his legs along either side of NgGung’s body and locked his ankles around NgGung, scissor-style.

Squeezing as hard as he could, Seh twisted sideways, pinning NgGung’s arms to his sides and his back to the ground. At the same time, Seh leaned toward NgGung’s head. Seh formed a hook with the first two fingers on one hand and slammed his snake-fang fist against the jugular vein on NgGung’s neck.

“I’ve had enough of your game,” Seh hissed. “Answer my questions and I’ll consider letting you live to play another day.”

NgGung laughed as he struggled to breathe. “My, my, my… such a serious … young man! No matter … you’ve tricked me … fair and square. I should have … expected as much … from a serpent. On my honor … release me … and I’ll tell you … anything you want to know.”

“Anything?” Seh asked.

“Yes…”—NgGung chuckled as he gasped for air—”… anything.”

Seh unhooked his ankles and kicked NgGung away. NgGung pushed himself into a sitting position and smiled. Even in the moon shadows, Seh could see that NgGung was missing several teeth.

“Whew!” NgGung said, taking a deep breath. “Now tell me that wasn’t fun!”

“Hardly,” Seh said, sitting up. “I nearly broke my hand on your stomach.”

NgGung laughed. “That Iron Shirt training sure comes in handy. So, what is it you would like to know?”

Seh paused a moment. He thought about why he had come to the clearing. He needed information, and he needed help. NgGung had mentioned Mong. Though Seh wasn’t crazy about the idea, he realized Mong might be a good person to start with.

“Tell me about Mong,” Seh said. “How do you know him?”

“He’s one of my closest friends,” NgGung said. “We grew up together at Cangzhen Temple.”

“Cangzhen?” Seh asked. “Mong was a warrior monk?”

“Of course,” NgGung replied. “Where do you think he got his Cantonese animal name?”

Seh blinked. He had never thought about that possibility before. It made sense, especially considering Mong’s skills.

“So, you were a warrior monk, too?” Seh asked.

NgGung made a fist with his right hand and pressed his knuckles into the palm of his open left hand. He raised his fingertips toward the sky and placed his “folded” hands in front of his heart. This unique hand fold was the manner in which Cangzhen monks greeted one another. NgGung nodded.

Seh nodded back. “I’ve never heard of centipede-style kung fu,” Seh said.

“We are a rare breed,” NgGung replied with a chuckle. He unfolded his hands.

“How did you detect me earlier?” Seh asked.

“Centipede stylists don’t possess an extraordinary amount of chi, but we can sense those who do. As you probably know, snakes and dragons have far more chi than anyone else. That’s how I detected you hiding under the slab, and that’s also how I knew you were a snake. No offense, but a dragon would never have hidden. A dragon would have stood his ground and faced me head-on.”

Seh frowned.

“Speaking of dragons,” NgGung said, “you said that Ying attacked Cangzhen. I can’t believe he was that foolish. How badly did you beat him?”