So: with a damsel to rescue and a pile of ninjas about to descend on them, the heroes split up. Mr. Jin and his men are to go down the tunnel and rescue Wanwan, while the Bros cover their escape and SC & HR chase Sneaky Guy. They must be very careful, because he’s extremely competent and good at his job. So they split up.
Wanwan is chained up in a dungeon….with a ton of black powder on the floor/around. Hitting the chain throws off sparks…but Mr. Jin is intent on saving her and whales on the chain like he means it. Fortunately, it breaks before the fire gets too dangerous, and by the time they get outside the Bros have taken care of the ninjas. And Mr. Jin gets to what technically counts as first base when he shields Wanwan from the explosion.
Back at the Chase for Sneaky: HR and SC has split up and are, well, sneaking around the woods. Sneaky only has three arrows; and after he looses one at them, he’s down to the last. SC decides he’s going to play bait and let HR take him out…..with a knife in her slingshot. SHE DOES IT! SC tries to deflect the arrow with his sword, but it splinters and one sliver goes directly home. He collapses!
Hua Rong goes immediately to pieces….Ah, hah, I thought so. It’s just his revenge for her faking him out earlier. He is wearing body armor and fine. And then the rest of them arrive. Oh, Sneaky isn’t actually dead? They’ve caught him, but he is killed by a mysterious dart before he talks. Not that he probably would have, you know. The Bros are detailed to investigate who Sneaky was.
Mr. Jin checks out the dart, however…and doesn’t look happy. We get direct confirmation of this in the next scene, as a henchman reports to the Prince. The Prince decides that he’s ready to directly reveal that the white jade is at Mengdi Villa. OK, this Prince is Mr. Jin’s older brother, right?
Anyhow, Wanwan is back at home and her father is pouring drinks. And everyone is advancing the idea that it was the handsome Mr. Jin who did saved the girl! Mr. Jin is pretty awesome! They should have a date night! Anyhow, the girls have a little back and forth about who likes who and ought to wear the pretty pink dress. HR promises to help her Lil’ Sis look great! And meanwhile, Shang Cheng is playing Go (?) with Mr. Jin and advancing the idea that Wanwan and her father are pretty OK with the idea of there being a Mrs. Jin. Mr. Jin denies all this–he’s barely known Miss Wanwan for a month! And please don’t embarass her when she comes down by saying all these th—
Wanwan gets one of those Stunning Staircase Reveals in slow-mo (minus the face tattoos she’s had for a while), and Mr. Jin is stricken. (LOL, HR and SC grinning smugly at him.) So on date night, HR and SC slip off to give the kids some alone time. SC points out that alone time is alone time for them too, rrrrriiiiiiight? (Settle down, boy.) But between the two of them, Wanwan and Jin seem to be hitting it off quite well.
With our main couple, things are also going so well that HR is getting nervous–this can’t possibly keep going on, can it? But, as terrible things happening to happy people, having the Bros come crashing in isn’t actually the worst ever. Y’know. Considering.
Shaggy has found out about the Three Arrows Sneaky Guy.–he’s from Mengdie Villa. Also: the word is out that the white jade is at Mengdie Villa. Well, obviously there’s a connection, but is there also a trap? HR suspects so; but they still need to go investigate. Right away! (Or, at least, after breakfast.)
Mr. Jin and Wanwan extend their goodbyes (and some final insults…and a handshake. Good boys!)
Heh, HR goes off and buys all the Yun He dolls. A girl shows up who wants a doll. HR gives her one and is invited to go watch a theatre performance of Hero Yun He and his partner. So off she goes. There are two girls there, and they start swooning at the thought that their new friend has actually met Hero Yun He! SC, meanwhile, is waiting impatiently for her to show up again. HR is trying to leave, but the girls tell her that Tang Chudie is going to show up–the first woman kung fu master in the district, and Hero Yun He’s Partner! HR sits back down, and SC arrives to find her pouting over the existence of a Tang Chudie the heroine…OH MY GOSH HE PUT THE STUPID MASK ON AND WENT ON STAGE TO DECLARE HIS LOVE FOR HUA RONG. How cheesy can a man get? Sheesh. What’s more, it works. Waaugh, cheesy. Get back to the plot, already.
So. They reach the foot of the mountain where Mengdie Mansion is. They still need to find it….There are a lot of adventurers there, including Eyepatch Guy from the marriage contest. He tries to insert himself into the situation, despite SC’s pointed rudeness and lack of interest. But he does have information!–Mengdie Mansion is owned by Tang Chudie! And surely a handsome guy like Mr. SC can finagle what’s needed out of Miss Tang Chudie?
At this point, another young guy intervenes. His name is Mr. Ye. He supports Eyepatch’s idea of them joining forces: several other adventuring parties have gone up the mountain already and not come back down. And possibly also seducing TC….?
Blue Bro thinks that telling HR about TC will just upset her; SC says that he has no idea why this would be the case, while Shaggy, with uncharacteristic intelligence, points out that being honest and aboveboard is going to work in their favor. Blue Bro seems to win the point, though.
So the expanded party heads off in the morning. They follow a map, and it’s the only way up the hill, but the mist is dense and Eyepatch Guy boldly sets off in the lead….
Rated: the cheese is delicious but also gooey and we need to have another fight scene soon. Like, an actual one that isn’t off-screen.
Riders of Skaith 