Alice stirred in her hotel bed with eyes still closed, her dreams still clinging to her like the remnants of a fading memory, a familiar sensation as the mid-afternoon sun cast fragmented shadows across her face. She remembered when she returned to her hotel, the time was already almost 5 in the morning. After crashed into bed immediately, she slept like baby till the afternoon traffic woke her. As she opened her eyes, she right away felt a renewed energy pulsing through her veins, and her vision became more articulated. Must be the tea the old lady made; Alice concluded. Then she realized her brother had already ventured out without her, leaving her to her own devices.
After a refreshing shower, Alice donned clean clothes and meandered through the streets, the fresh air invigorating her senses. However, the hostility of the passersby was unmistakable, their stares like daggers aimed at her heart. Even at the café where she stopped for coffee, the animosity of the onlookers lingered, casting a pall over her spirit.
Then, as if fate had orchestrated the event, an old man collecting rubbish in front of the restaurant was struck by a sleek sports vehicle. Alice's instincts flared, propelling her into action. She sprinted outside, positioning herself defiantly before the luxury car's imposing presence. Three men clad in black emerged, their baseball bats and knives glinting menacingly in the sunlight as they advanced toward her.
"Lady, it's better you step away! You don't want to get hurt, do you?" one snarled in broken English. A large man, loomed ominously over Alice when a commanding voice sliced through the tension: "Stop what you are doing!"
An Asian girl dressed in regal red appeared, a straw hat perched atop her head and an expensive black leather bag clutched in her hand. The three men, once brazen in their aggression, suddenly wilted like sheep before their master; they became meek and submissive in her presence.
"Sorry, sorry - we didn't know it was you, Lady Fung! We'll leave right away - forgive us!"
The young woman removed her sunglasses, her eyes blazing with indignation, and hurled them to the ground. "Go apologize to that poor old man and that girl!" Fung commanded.
"We beg your forgiveness! We beg your forgiveness!" The men groveled pathetically, their foreheads scraping the ground in abject humiliation and fear. One of them offered a wad of cash to the bewildered old man, who could only stare in stunned.
Alice stood frozen also, like a statue amid the chaos. Suddenly, she felt a hand encircle her wrist. Fung, her grip surprisingly gentle, extricated her from the desperate pleading and tumult of the crowd.
"Come with me, bold girl," he murmured softly. "Let us leave these fools behind and find something more fun to do." She guided Alice through the throng and into the city's most exclusive district.
☆☆☆
Alice felt her heart skip a beat as Fung tightened her grip on her delicate fingers. Though the air was hot and heavy with summer humidity, Fung's hand was chilled as ice. When the city's forest like high-rise buildings reflected the late afternoon sun into the dash window of Fung's Audi R8, the maple tree branches on the roadsides shaded the girls' faces with kaleidoscopic patterns.
"Your name is Alice, am I right?" Fung asked.
"Ye...yes," Alice stammered from the passenger seat, her knuckles white from gripping the door handle. "How do you know my name?"
"You are famous in my world," she replied mysteriously, gesturing dramatically with her free hand. "The girl from the legend who is going to find nomad."
Alice blinked in uncertainty. So, everything the old lady said was true.
"I am sent to protect you," Fung said with a mysterious smile. By whom, she did not say. "Let me take you to get something to eat." She motioned with her chin towards the sunset and made a sharp right turn with her wheels. The car's engine roared loudly while they got eaten alive by the bustling downtown traffic.
Alice peered at the girl called herself Fung from the corner of her eye, who although dressed too sharp that unfit her age, yet she held herself with confident, and clearly was extremely comfortable in her own skin. Where was she from? Where was her family? The wind whipped Alice's hair to hit her face, the mixed emotions of excitement and insecurity made her heart twitched. The car that sped well over limit even on the crowded streets, suggested that the girl behind its steer was no regular girl of feeble.
Fung glanced back at Alice briefly and caught Alice peeping at her, "You were brave facing those men back there," she said admiringly. "They serve only their demon lord and prey on kind souls in their free time. Shoakuma we call them—scum of this city."
With sweat in her palms, Alice watched Fung eased into a narrow alley and parked right in front of an old traditional noodle shop with people sitting outside waiting for seating. This shop was famous among the locals, and they served Raman dishes only. Fung strode in with snug, and the door chimes jingling merrily in her wake, it was apparent that she was a regular. Wide-eyed Alice assumed Fung had already made reservation, so she followed her into the small shop where air was filled with fragrant of spices. While the clatter of bowls and chopsticks filled the restaurant of full costumers, a young chef inside busy cleaning the stove and sink.
"Roman, two bowls!" Fung bellowed at the young chef of barely eighteen – the only cook and waiter in this ramshackle shop that had been around since Fung was five. In less than five minutes, two steaming bowls of Roman noodle soup were set before them.
"The poor family that owns this place used to devote their fate to God in Heaven. But when Hell's demons began ruling these lands, they had to sell their soul to the Devil, yet got nothing in return. My mother loaned some money to help them out, that's why I never have to wait in line." Fung dug into her noodles and smiled. "They sure make the best Roman."
Alice felt her spirits lift as she savored the scrumptious scent of the noodle soup – a bewitching aroma that promised adventure. Once they were done, Alice followed Fung out with newfound excitement to explore the ancient city's night life, the door chimes tinkling a farewell as they left the cozy haven.
"Let me tell you, it's a different world after dark in this city. My sisters will all love you!" Fung ushered Alice into her car, her eyes twinkling with the promise of a good time. The engine roared to life, and with a surge of exhilaration, Fung spun her wheels then faded into the depths of the city, where varying color of lights at its full play promoting its boundless night.