Trafford's Trading Club

There was no one outside... or it should be said that there were no monsters outside. Iron Whistle was climbing the cement pipes. It observed the surroundings with its eyeballs rolling.

Iron Whistle felt there was something dangerous behind it and turned around... but it couldnʼt see the danger at all. Getting anxious, it opened its mouth and gave a cry... then put out its tongue flexibly just like a scary viper.

Luo Qiu didnʼt care about the fierce Iron Whistle... because he didnʼt think it was dangerous at all. Actually, Luo Qiu didnʼt intend to interfere with Iron Whistle... everyone had their own life and things needed time to be prepared. Luo Qiu was as patient as a customer who was going to taste a good wine. For Luo Qiu, this was a good way to kill time.

As a newly created species, it was a good thing to kill time with... It would be fantastic if Iron Whistle could create a new ideology.

”Donʼt be nervous.” Luo Qiu said to it. But he didnʼt intend to show up---It was not hard for a Black Soul Envoy to tell words in their customerʼs hearts. Let alone him, the club owner.

”I am just a little...” Luo Qiu was considering, ”I am a little bored, can you chat with me?”

Iron Whistle didnʼt know what Luo Qiu meant, but he knew that this language was similar to the words said by Cheese. It could only get the general meaning of Cheeseʼs word. But now, he understood Luo Qiu totally... It sensed something and retracted the horrible expression with a low growl.

--- ʼWho are you? What are you going to do? How do you make me understand you? I think you are dangerous since I canʼt see you... Why canʼt I see you...ʼ The growl contained a lot of information.

”You can regard it as a conscious communication.” Luo Qiu said, ”You are smarter than I imagined. At least, last time, you still couldnʼt express yourself.”

”You saw me before? When? Why canʼt I remember you?”

”I am not sure if it was a coincidence that time in the supermarket....” Luo Qiu was unclear, ”Because I was also confused if that coincidence made sense to me.”

Iron Whistle said, ”I donʼt understand.”

”Me either.” Luo Qiu said, ”Let it be... I am more interested in you. Can you tell me why you would like to stay with Cheese?”

”I have no idea.” Iron Whistle shook his head. It was very rare for it to meet a voice that could communicate with it. It said frankly, ”I really want to eat him but I canʼt open my mouth every time I face him. Something is stopping me.”

Luo Qiu nodded. He felt Iron Whistle was a good guy for its honesty---but not its motives. Maybe it didnʼt know how to hide its intentions. Luo Qiu felt interested, ”How are you feeling?”

”Bad.” Iron Whistle said directly.

”Why?” Luo Qiuʼs words guided Iron Whistle to thinking.

Iron Whistle was thinking in a silence. ”I am not comfortable... I donʼt know how to describe it.”

”Is it a pain?” Luo Qiu asked.

”What is pain?” Iron Whistle asked.

Luo Qiu made a finger snap, which resulted in the cracking of the hard skin of Iron Whistle. Some green liquid flowed out. Iron Whistle screamed... but the wound healed at once.

”This was called a pain. It can happen physically or mentally sometimes. For human beings, mental pain is more serve than physical pain. That inner pain would make people feel sad.”

Iron Whistle was scared and shivered... it was very terrified by the voice, which made it bleed and then healed. It was curious, ”What is sadness?”

”I donʼt plan to let you experience sadness.” Luo Qiu continued, ”Go feel it yourself.”

”I still canʼt understand.” Iron Whistle shook its head. This was the first time it learned to shake its head. Its learning ability was incredible... and it couldnʼt see Luo Qiu.

”I also have some things that are not clear.” Luo Qiu said, ”no one can understand everything. You understand, because you have experienced... sometimes, we can only know it but hardly understand.”

”I have no idea.” Iron shook his head again, ”You can make me understand the way you did just now.”

”Itʼs alright. You learned fast.” Luo Qiu added, ”I am not going to help you anymore.”

”What should I do to make you help me?” Iron Whistle asked.

Luo Qiu didnʼt answer. ”You are going to eat Cheese, arenʼt you?”

Iron Whistle stayed silent for a long time, ”I am going to eat him as my body needs to absorb him inside, even if it will cause me pain.”

”You are honest.” Luo Qiu nodded, ”Thatʼs all for today... thank you for giving me a great time. In return, I will tell you what the state you were in just now when you were silent.”

”What?”

”Hesitation.” Luo Qiu said, ”A thoughtful creature would hesitate when he is going to make a decision.”

”Hesitation...” Iron Whistle whispered after a long silence. It didnʼt hear the voice later... he seemed to have left. It returned back to the cement pipes with blinking eyes. It was not hungry now.

...

...

Xiaojiangʼs father had a good job in the human world---a high school teacher. And his mother was a full-time housewife. They lived in a good place. Xiaojiangʼs father could support the expenses of his whole family even his mother didnʼt work.

Wind-Chasing Wolf knew where Xiaojiang lived but he hardly ever came here... because he knew that Xiaojiangʼs mother disliked him. Wind-Chasing Wolf was squatting in a banyan tree and he was watching the apartment through the interval between the leaves---Xiaojiang had arrived home just now. Wind-Chasing wolf showed a coldness in his eyes.

In the apartment, Xiaojiang lowered his head due to his plump mother. He seemed much more smaller than usual. Maybe because that his father was always absent... Xiaojiang was more fearful of his mother.

”Why did you come home late? Did you go out to play again?”

”No...”

Xiaojiangʼs mother frowned and smelled him, ”Did you play with Cheese? Why are you smelling like a mouse? I have told you that you are forbidden to play with him as he is the lowest kind of monster. You can go find master Long if you are free. She would do you a favor when you grow up.”

”Mommy, Cheese is a good friend...” Xiaojiang whispered.

”How could it be. He is just a small mouse at the bottom.” His mother snorted, ”Mice are disliked by humans. And in the monster world, they hide in the sewer and live a hard life. How sick they are! I heard that his father died days ago. You canʼt play with him anymore, or you will bring bad luck to our family! Understand!”

”Mommy, you canʼt do this!” Xiaojiang raised his head.

The mother stared at him, ”Have you heard my words?”

”Yes... I got it.” Xiaojiang didnʼt dare to add more.

His mother sat down, ”I am doing this for you! Letʼs talk about Wind-Chasing Wolf... your grades became worse since you started playing with him. Have you met him recently? Tell me the truth.”

”No.” Xiaojiang shook his head, ”I wonʼt play with him in the future.”

His mother was surprised at his obedience, ”OK, my boy, you have made a correct decision. Wind-Chasing Wolf has no family. He was so wild that he would cause trouble and even involve you in it.”

”Mommy, I donʼt want to talk about him.” Xiaojiang shook head, ”I am tired. Can I go to my room for a rest?”

”Go ahead... wait. Let me check your homework first.”

Xiaojiang had no choice and took out his homework---but found that one was missing!

”I may have lost it at school, I should go to get it back now.” Xiaojiang said to his mother upon seeing her impatient expression---He pushed the door and left in a hurry.

...

Xiaojiang kicked a can... but he failed to kick it to the trash bin. He frowned and became even unhappier.

”It was not in school... where did I lose it?” He remembered that he waited for Cheese for a long time when he finished half of the homework...

”Maybe it was there?” Xiaojiang sighed. He thought that things would be better without Wind-Chasing Wolf. He stepped forward to that open space quickly.

”Cheese! Cheese, are you here? Cheese? Did you see my homework here? Cheese... isnʼt he here?” Xiaojiang walked into the cement pipes himself. ”It was here!” He picked up the homework and sighed at his carelessness... but he heard some noise behind him.

He turned back and found a huge black shadow, which scared him to death. A big head was reaching to him. He calmed down when he saw clearly, ”Iron Whistle, you scared me!”

Xiaojiang didnʼt fear Iron Whistle as he had touched it before because of Cheese, ”Iron Whistle, do you know where Cheese went... Oh, I forget you canʼt speak.”

Iron Whistle blinked his eyes. Xiaojiang said, ”Iron Whistle, letʼs go out. I can play with you before Cheese comes back.”

Iron Whistle was considering the proposal by tilting its head. Xiaojiang had been out of the pipe and waved his hands to Iron Whistle, ”Letʼs go out, I bring you to find some food... I remember that you like raw meat, right? If you play with me, I can buy meat for you with my pocket money.” Iron Whistle climbed out from the pipe then.

Xiaojiang looked at Iron Whistle, ”Iron Whistle, what are you? How were you born?” It didnʼt move at all but only shook its tail. Xiaojiang felt bored. He imitated Cheeseʼs gesture waving hands to it, ”Iron Whistle, squat!” It still didnʼt move. ”Iron Whistle, squat!”. Iron Whistle was still frozen.

Xiaojiang frowned, ”Iron Whistle, there will be no food tonight if you donʼt squat.”

Iron Whistle blinked.

Xiaojiang was unhappy and rode on Iron Whistle with his legs holding its neck. He patted its head and said, ”Iron Whistle, fly! Fly!”

He kicked it by feet when seeing Iron Whistle didnʼt move, ”Damn you! Are you also scorning me!”

He struck its head heavily.

At this moment, Iron Whistle impaled Xiaojiangʼs stomach by its tail quickly.

Ah---The blood was shooting everywhere.