A couple days after being rescued from the Seven Zhounesee
Brothers, Bug began talking about “Bunko,” a “very nice man” who had visited
the brothers at their house when he was a captive there and, taking pity on
him, shared his food, including some very delicious sweet buns.
Bo Jing was intrigued and agreed to go with
Bug to meet Bunko, who lived in a large house near the brothers. They arrived at a peculiar moment as Bunko’s house seemed to
be on fire. Bo Jing wanted to help, and a woman came running out with her
children and asked him to rescue her servants. At this moment, the front door
to the house next door opened and a squat man with twinkling eyes appeared. He
was Bunko. “Don’t listen to her, she doesn’t even have servants? Why not come
inside where it’s cool?”
Bo Jing and Bug accepted his invitation, and were treated to
a delicious meal featuring lots of sweet buns, and many hilarious stories about
Bunko’s life of heroic deeds, one-of-a-kind artifacts, and a string of
fair-weather friends who one after another had betrayed the trust of the
all-too-trusting Bunko. “But I know you won’t be like that, right Bo Jing?
You’re a real friend, aren’t you? Because I don’t think I can take any more
heartbreak.”
The party was interrupted by repeated knocking at the door.
Finally Bunko answered it. Bat Bo Jing
could hear the sounds of crackling flames outside but as Bunko told the fire
brigade, he was quite comfortable inside his house. “You have better things to
do than interrupt my party.”
Bunko showed his visitors around his house, showing off many
interesting curios before arriving at an empty pedestal. He had owned a
statute, of a beautiful hunter goddess, but some of his so-called friends had
stolen it. And the local watch, known as the “Brothers of Pasar” were of course
“useless, or worse than useless, someone suggested to me that they’re probably
in league with the criminals. I never
would even think of that because it’s not my nature.”
Bo Jing agreed that would help
Bunk retrieve his statue. Bunko was very grateful. “But now, you must be tired,
and you’ll have a big day tomorrow.”
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