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ASTG: Chapter 25
🕑 Added 2022-05-25 18:52:22 +0000 UTCAfter a little chat at the food stall, Beifong Toph took Fong and his group to her residence. Zuko was having his head covered in a cloak while Josh was having his face hidden by a bamboo hat. Fong, since his face was covered in bruises, seemed unrecognisable. It seems that Toph had done them a favour already.
Raoh showed his amazement as he saw the place where Toph lives. He wished, by the end of this journey, to have a mansion like this. It would be good to have people serve you, while you don’t worry about what you eat tomorrow. It may get boring, but sex should take that away.
“Never been in such house,” Toph said in a somehow teasing tone. “Don’t get used to it, it’s really suffocating to live here.”
“Try living outside by the river, or in a mine,” Raoh said.
“Try living in a ship your whole life with people that resent you,” Zuko commented. “People that chase you all the time, and want you dead.”
“I can relate,” Raoh said.
“Try living…” Fong said, then he stopped, not knowing what to say next. “Hah… guess my life as a General wasn’t suffocating.”
“Shut up…”
The three glared at him before Toph went to a near butler, who bowed to her. Toph talked to him a bit, saying that these guys helped her outside and saved her from the bandits and guided her home, and one of them got injured, so he needs help.
Raoh was amazed at how she can lie with such a straight face.
It reminded him of the colleagues of his previous life.
‘Still, her acting isn’t at Neymar's level. Only then one can become a real lawyer.’
Fong soon was taken to the family’s doctor. It seems that rich people have everyone they need living with them. They have doctors, butlers, farmers, and even musicians living on their lands.
Raoh and Zuko were taken to a small room to rest, where they had been offered food. Zuko refused, as he had just had dinner. Raoh, on the other hand, seemed to still have his appetite.
“You never get full?” Zuko asked.
“I’m already full… but I need this food.” Raoh reached the meat, and without table manners, held it by his hand and started eating.
“For what?” Zuko asked, his face drawing a weird expression.
“Have you seen my speed, my physical power?” Raoh stopped and picked up the bowl of soup, and drank it.
“I know, it’s amazing,” Zuko said. “I guess they are right. You are a supreme martial artist. But weird, someone with your power should be famous, even as an assassin.”
“Who knows?” Raoh said.
“So, how did you become a slave in the first place.”
“I don’t remember,” Raoh said. “It started when I found myself naked in nowhere, got attacked by a wolf, and ate it. Some of the Fire Nation troops found me in the hunting lands. They assumed I was a running slave, and since I was in need to find a city and a place to stay, I decided to go with them. Before breaking free.”
“Wait, how do you know that the Avatar is in the South…”
“Hush….” Raoh put his hand on Zuko’s mouth, shutting him up. “Someone is coming here. He will enter after 8 seconds. This is the same ability that made me know where the Avatar is? Also, three people. ”
The door was opened, and on its side appeared two girls. From the middle entered a middle-aged man who was dressed in fancy clothes. The golden lock on the top of his hair showed his status as a noble.
Zuko lowered his head and gave a slight bow.
Raoh lifted his hat and gave a small nod.
“Greeting. I’m Lao Beifong, it’s needless to say you heard about me. I’ve heard an interesting story, from my daughter, that you saved her from bandits. Mind me If I stay and ask a few questions.”
Raoh let an internal sigh.
Toph’s story, at the begging, was only believable because that girl knew how to lie.
But in fact, it was full of loops. Raoh’s experience as Josh told him so.
First of all, how did she know that they saved her from bandits? She is blind, and she can’t be a witness.
“Please, we’re honoured to have you here,” Zuko said, not lifting his head.
Raoh only smiled.
Lao sat in front of them. His eyes, for a second, glanced at the katana on Raoh’s waist.
“So, did you save my daughter from bandits and guided her home.” He said in a threatening tone, like a worried father.
“I know. You are wondering, how did my blind daughter, found out that there were actual bandits, and that maybe we fooled your naive daughter to
“Yes. Thank you for addressing my concerns.” He replied, not a single smile on his face.
Raoh moved his eyes left and right.
There were Earthbenders, making stone arrows floating around them, and they were ready to shoot at them.
Sometimes, honesty is the best thing to solve conflicts.
“To be honest with you, your daughter was eating with us. Our friend, who had been injured, was there. She came over, and she offered us to get treated, and she asked us to be silent at the entrance.” Raoh said. “We didn’t know she was a part of the famous Beifong family. At best, we thought it was a trap to ambush us. But we had no choice.”
“Ambush you?” Lao raised his eyebrow. “You think we would ambush you?” he sounded offended.
“Listen, we are wanderers. We are familiar with blind, deaf kids approaching us, or guiding us to specific places before we get attacked.”
“I see…” Lao sighed. “My daughter grew up enough to lie straight to our face”
“Also, Mr Lao. Who do you think is faster. My sword, or your Earthbenders. I don’t need to dance to get you.”
Zuko, upon hearing Raoh’s words, jumped and took his dual Dao swords from his back and flipped them.
Lao held his breath for a second, his heart skipping a beat. Raoh was staring at him with a smile. But he was imitating a blood lust aura.
It wasn’t something you can feel consciously. It was like the charisma. Except that Raoh’s aura makes you know that you are about to die.
“I see.” Lao raised his voice. “Lower your weapons, no need to treat our guests like this.”
He then gave the man with dual swords a glance.
Zuko hid his weapons and sat down.
Lao smiled. “I apologise for my behaviour. You can stay here for the night.”
“No need for an apology. You are just a worried father, and I get it, somehow.” Raoh said as he picked up some alcohol.
“Hahaha…” Beifong feigned a laugh, stood up, and turned. “Please, rest well for the night. Until your friend is healed, you are welcome to stay as long as you want.”
He then left.
Raoh lowered his head.
After some time, Zuko whispered to Raoh. “Are they still around us?”
“There is one to spy, just lower your voice. Raoh said. “Also, I guess he found out about your identity.”
“What?” Zuko said.
“You don’t underestimate rich people. Their eyes are trained to see the most little chance, let alone a detail about a prince like you. I guess he is trying to remember who you are.” Raoh could tell that because he had sensed it with his Observation Haki, which also allows him to see the feelings. Lao was feeling quite familiar and confused when he stared at Zuko’s sword, and he tried to take a glimpse of Zuko’s face.
For a worried father like him, he will try to take dangerous people from his weak blind daughter.
“We’ll leave by the dawn, and take Fong with us. He can heal on the way.”
“If you say so.” Zuko took a deep breath. “But tell me, how could you tell that there are hidden Earthbenders behind the walls.”
“I can,” Raoh said. “Assassination is one of my specialities, you should be familiar.” In the show, Zuko was shown to have very good physical abilities and high agility. While being masked, he could sneak to save the Avatar, and he didn’t rely on his bending.
“I was only trained on the assassination, and I only have a very small experience,” Zuko said.
