Translator: Misty Cloud Translations Editor: Misty Cloud Translations
When the young man smiled, two dimples appeared on his cheeks. The excitement in his eyes obvious as he spoke: “This game is called ‘Ghost Is Here’, bet you’ve not played it before. I will be the ghost, if you keep yourself hidden well enough and don’t get caught by the ghost, you get to live. If you get caught by the ghost, then well, you don’t need me to tell you what happens do you?”
The ten people stared in disbelief. When they were taken out of prison, they had thought that was the end for them. They never thought that this Tenth Prince would use them to play ‘Ghost Is Here’ with him. It’s a child’s game and he expected them to play with him?
“As long as we are not found, we can live?” A death row prisoner asked incredulously, unable to believe that this opportunity to live was right in front of them.
“Yes, of course! As long as you don’t get caught by the ghost, you may live.” The young man looked at the prisoners happily as he memorised their faces. The next moment, he took the sword from his waist belt and cut the ropes that tied the prisoners together: “Okay, the game has begun, you better run! I won’t look and I will count to one hundred before I start the chase!” When he finished speaking, he leant forwards and lay on the flame lion. He even covered his eyes with his hands.
“One, two…..five….”
As they listened to the counting, the ten men were excited and ran hurriedly in all directions. After a while, they all disappeared without a trace.
The guards behind the youth looked on unwaveringly, as if accustomed to the ridiculousness of the youngster. They all stood guard and listened to the youngster counting as he lay on the flame lion. However, when he counted to thirty, he stopped.
The youngster on the flame lion lifted his head and squinted as he looked ahead in the different directions. A weird smile appeared on his face: “Playing ghosts in bright daylight. Where is everybody? It will be even more fun when it gets dark.”
As he spoke, he stretched his back. He had intended to wait for the prisoners to become frightened before he started the hunt. Just then, he smelt a faint scent drifting close.
“Who brought barbequed meat? Why is it so fragrant?” The youth looked back at the men.
“Tenth Prince, subordinates have not brought any.”
The youngster patted the flame lion’s head and headed forwards saying: “You wait here! Don’t go anywhere without my orders.”
“Yes.” The guards responded respectfully and watched as he rode forwards on the flame lion.
“Is it okay that no one follows him?” One of the guards asked.
“Do you dare disobey the Tenth Prince’s orders? If you have the guts, then you follow him.” Another guard replied and sat down to wait. However, shortly after he sat down, he did indeed smell the fragrance of barbequed meat, and so asked: “Who is barbecuing meat in here? The ten prisoners don’t have enough time to do anything like that. Is there someone else in the forest?”
When he thought of this possibility, the man could not help but frown as he looked anxiously towards the youngster’s direction.
The youngster followed the scent of the barbequed meat and came to find a youngster dressed in red, sat crossed legged under a tree. He was eating something in his hand and there was a pile of smashed mudin front of him. There was a fragrant chicken on top of the pile of mud with its legs torn off. The fragrant smell alone made him want to leap forwards.
“Who are you?” He asked loudly as he stared sharply at the boy in red.
