The Whispering Wind Sword
53. Chapter 53's
X. Playing with death
For several days Ding Tao's journey to Songshan Hill went without much hindrance. Whenever passing through a small town or village, or walking with another entourage, Ding Tao remained with the same disguise. Only while walking alone did he walk as usual.
But it was wrong if Ding Tao thought he was safe with that simple disguise. Ding Tao's disguise might be able to deceive those inexperienced. But the watchful eyes of those who were already full of eating the salt acid of the martial world, could sniff out that simple disguise of Ding Tao.
Ding Tao who was careful in work was not easily lulled by that calm state. Although Ding Tao was lacking in experience, but his meticulous nature made the young man not negligent in observing the circumstances around him, as well as the people he met along the way. After walking for a few days and passing through two three cities, Ding Tao began to realize that he was being followed by people. That thought began to arise when he realized that there were similar people, whom he had met a few days before, surprisingly reappearing in the city he was in. He had left them a few days before.
Since then his observations have been improved, especially towards those he suspects. Deliberately Ding Tao took a detour, the young man did not take the path that would directly lead him towards the center of the Monastery
Shaolinic. Slightly distorted, Ding Tao passed through first some small town.
His intelligent brain, his watchful eyes and his determined nature, worked hard. One day, Ding Tao deliberately lingered, unwinding at an inn. From the results of his observations there were three different groups that were following him.
The first group, consisting of about 11 people, worked in small groups alternately.
Sometimes two people would follow Ding Tao up close, until he rested in a certain city. Then in order to disguise their reconnaissance, different groups would instead follow Ding Tao. According to Ding Tao's estimation, of course the other small groups, followed from a further distance, where Ding Tao did not see them, but they can still be related through abandoned codes or signs.
In this alternating staking manner, Ding Tao did not feel being followed, until the same group returned to duty following him. If only Ding Tao had not carefully observed the people he met, of course their deception would have been unknown to him.
This was one of the mistakes of many people in judging Ding Tao. Often people interpret Ding Tao's honesty as foolishness. Ding Tao was honest and often easily deceived because of
truth be told, but he's not stupid. Moreover, he had just gotten tricked by Tiong Fa, an elder who caused admiration in his heart, turned out to be a two-faced traitor. Honest Ding Tao became more cautious in acting, let alone facing people he did not know.
The second group, is a field of men and women who are experts in disguise. One day they would walk near Ding Tao as a pair of merchants, with women disguised as men. Then after arriving in the city, they changed guises to become a pair of grandparents. They were disguised as a father with his daughter.
Their disguises are really good. If only Ding Tao had not become more vigilant after the revelation of the deception of the first group, perhaps he would have never realized the deception of this pair of men and women.
Since Ding Tao suspected that he was being followed, his observations of his fellow travelers have been heightened. When Ding Tao came to his senses, on his way, whenever, at all times, there were at least two people of the same height, who were within range to follow him. There is also a sense of curiosities.
The height of the two men became more visible, because the two were always together. Of course Ding Tao was aware, it could be that the feeling arose because of his fear. It's a common thing, when a thief wants to act, as if the road is filled with police. Or when a married couple wants offspring, suddenly the streets seem to be filled with mothers who are pregnant. Ding Tao realized, his observation was certainly influenced by his psychological condition that felt threatened by the spread of news that he had the Whispering Wind Sword.
Therefore Ding Tao also prepared one test. He deliberately pretended to have rested in the room, but from a small gap in the window he observed the couple he suspected. When they passed, then replace Ding Tao who quietly followed them. Until he got a statement on where the couple stayed and in what room number.
The next morning, early in the morning, Ding Tao had already gone to watch the room where the couple was staying and it was true that a different couple had emerged from the room.
Unsatisfied, Ding Tao followed the couple silently and correctly too, the pair waiting in a strategic place, lurking, ready to follow Ding Tao back in the day. Not wanting people to know that his deception had been uncovered, Ding Tao reentered his inn at the back door and only after sunrise was long enough for him to continue his journey.
The third group of scouts, accidentally uncovered.
he's headed. Post pigeons are often used, but again for people in situations like Ding Tao, anything can be a sign of a threat to him.If only this young man was not someone with a strong character, he said, maybe his nerves have become too tense and gone crazy.
Or so squeezed in fear, despair and then suicide.
But Ding Tao meticulously and calmly tested every strangeness he caught. So seeing that, the question arises whether the dove flew to signal the person in the next destination city that he was heading there?
Then Ding Tao deliberately turned around, reentering the city he had just left. His watchful eyes scanned his surroundings, sure enough, a postal pigeon was again released.
The next morning Ding Tao pretended to be about to continue the journey, his eyes carefully observing until he saw the person who yesterday released the carrier pigeon, it was ready again there. Calmly Ding Tao walked towards that person. The man looked a little nervous, but pretended to be busy with his pet. Ding Tao did not reprimand the person, but he passed by close enough to observe the person more clearly.
Every unnatural trait, stuck in his mind. That day Ding Tao returned not to continue the journey.
The next morning Ding Tao chose a different destination, and went out from the other gate of the city. His eyes were once again watching around the exit of the city and sure enough, there were those ready to release the pigeons. Pretending to be asking the way, Ding Tao went to rebuke the man, asking all sorts of questions about the path he was about to take. After being satisfied to wonder, Ding Tao took the path and a pigeon was released leading to an intersection that he was about to cross.
But one thing made DIng Tao smile, two different people, both carrying carrier pigeons and on their wrists, the same tattoo.
A seven-legged spider-shaped tatoo.
Thus every suspicion he tested and finally after being satisfied testing Ding Tao came to the conclusion that there were 3 different groups that were following him. After coming to that conclusion, Ding Tao took a break to think about what steps he should take.
Some questions he asked himself.
What is the purpose of them following him? This question was quite easy to answer, the answer was the Whispering Wind Sword.
If so, wouldn't he be able to free himself from the threat of danger by revealing the truth, that the sword had already been stolen by Tiong Fa? Shaking his head the young man threw the idea out of his mind. In the first place, it would be troublesome for the Huang family, even if it was Tiong Fa, but until now Tiong Fa was still part of the Huang family.
The second, the less people knew that the sword was within Tiong Fa's grasp, the greater the chance for him to reclaim it from Tiong Fa's hands.
And the third, there was no guarantee that they would let him live after he revealed the true existence of the Whispering Wind Sword. What was more likely was, they would silence his mouth for good in order for as few people as possible to know the last traces of the Whispering Wind Sword.
The next question, why did they not also move to capture him, snatched the sword. Or if they get Ding Tao not to carry the sword, at least trying to extract the existence of the sword from him, why? Ding Tao thought for some time before he replied. The answer is because the three groups are aware that there are other groups who are also following him. Surely when one moves the other will not be silent.
If so, what would they do?
Sighing Ding Tao tried to imagine himself being in a situation faced by his scouts. First, he would wait, if two parties fought over him, then a third party could take advantage. But that also caused the three to wait for each other until now. There must be another step taken.
