Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction Group 3 | Page 238

If I were to directly sell it to the emperor, it would garner me millions, more than enough to buy
me a city, to be richer than any man. I would never give it to those Mings
“Who goes there?” A loud voice rang throughout the room as I heard rushing footsteps on the
corridor outside.
I instinctively hid behind a table and sneaked a glance, and, to my relief, the intruders were none
other than my shipmates. I slowly stood up and greeted them with a wave
“When did you get here, Feng? We thought you were dead. What is that you're holding?” I
quickly put the jewel into my pockets replied with a simple “Nothing”.
I just hoped they wouldn’t be suspicious. This jewel was my ticket to a better life. To wealth. To
opulence. Away. Away from the rise and fall of the ocean and the cycle I found myself in.
“Feng! It's the Mings! They're summoning you!” I was called out by none other than the head
ship. Could they have found out already? I anxiously staggered my way over the planks to the main ship. It
was everywhere on my face that I was distressed, I looked to the heavens for a miracle.
Then, the Ming Patriarch spoke out, “I heard from your shipmates that you entered the ship
before the battle even ensued. And, after examining the ship that they found almost no treasure.” I was
sweating like a pig. “Those pirates weren't normal pirates, they were some of the richest, most skilled
buccaneers in this region. Their invasion was a trap that we set up. All we had to do was simply lure the
idiots to attacking our fleet. Some men will do anything for riches, even if it means risking their own life.” I
gulped hard. I think I may have made a big mistake on my part.
“So do you have any treasure on you? We've already confiscated all the ones you stole and stashed
in your private chest.” The Ming leader was applying a lot of pressure, and I glanced to the imposing figures
beside him. Those pike-men wouldn't give me even a second before stabbing me through the heart and
chopping off my head off with their vicious blades.
“N-no Lord, I-I have nothing else.” I barely managed to get a few words out. Of course, I had
that crimson jewel, but I would never let anyone know of its existence, especially not here
“I see… It’s just that we think that, something else had to have belonged in this small red box we
got here, perhaps an 8-sided jewel, with a side as big as of let's say, the fingertip.” He slowly raised the red
box, levelling it with my eyes.
“I-I assure you, there's nothing else, that box was always empty, I swear!” I was panicking, could
they have known exactly what I had?
“Alright, I'll believe you. Just know, the Mings’ Shadows will discover the truth, whatever that
may be. You're dismissed.” I ran out. The Ming Shadows, a group of famous assassins, watchdogs and
people who meticulously deal with the acquisition of information. They would definitely find I had stolen
the crown jewel.
I snuck back to my junk and slunk to the back of the vessel. I made sure no one else was
looking. Why was I here? The jewel. The cursed jewel. “If I wasn't allowed to have it, no one else would!”
And then, I launched the Jewel into the far reaches of the ocean. The deep blue waves greedily
grabbed the jewel from the sky, never to be seen again.
“Maybe if you hadn't slacked off on all of the work, you would have thrown it far enough into
the sea for us not to be able to get it.”
It was the Ming Shadows.