At midnight, Lin Qi left the dormitory.
The campus was quiet. Only now and then did a bird, chilled to the bone in the treetops, give a few indistinct chirps. Snowflakes whispered as they fell to the ground, their muffled sound strangely grating. Lin Qi walked across the snow without making a sound. He carefully made his way toward the faculty dormitory, avoiding several guards on their rounds.
The darkness and cold gave Lin Qi the perfect cover. Without alerting anyone, he slipped into the shadowy depths of the faculty dormitory and, knowing the way by heart, walked down a clean, polished corridor until he reached a dorm room at the far end. After cautiously glancing to either side, he used a piece of wire to pick the lock.
Lin Qi had learned this lock-picking trick from Vik. Vik, who was determined to become a master thief, had a unique talent for such petty thieving skills. Lin Qi and his brothers had all picked up a few tricks from Vik to protect themselves.
He pushed open the door without a sound. A big, pale backside was facing him.
Father Balin sat naked on a round stool, muttering as he counted the Copper Coins in his money pouch. An assistant priest was supposed to be impeccably dressed and solemn at all times. If one of his superior priests saw Father Balin in this state, he would surely be sent to the Church's Disciplinary Office.
A huge bottle of liquor and a small cup sat beside Father Balin. Chuckling softly, he counted ten Copper Coins from his pouch and placed them in a cashbox. Then he poured himself a drink, raised the cup, and murmured, "May my god protect me," before draining it in one gulp.
Drinking was also a grave sin in the Church, but Father Balin was enjoying himself immensely. His plump, fair face was dominated by a fat, red nose that looked ready to burst. He happily counted his money, drinking a little cup for every ten Copper Coins. He even hummed a tune, now and then swaying his ample body until the pale flesh rippled all over.
"Praise my god!" At last, he had put the few Silver Coins and large heap of Copper Coins from his pouch into the cashbox. Father Balin gave his backside a playful wiggle, then let out a loud fart. Delighted, he knelt on the floor and clasped his hands before his chest in fervent prayer. "O revered god, my father. The gods watch me from the heavens. Please bless faithful Balin!"
With a heartfelt sigh, Father Balin prayed with utmost devotion. "Just today, faithful Balin sold another three hundred and seventy-five Atonement Talismans. The Church has gained more funds, and its strength has grown. This is all thanks to faithful Balin. Great god, all you gods, please let the Bishop of University City ascend to heaven soon to serve you, and let faithful Balin take his place!"
He rubbed his red, bulbous nose and sighed. "That greedy, lecherous Bishop doesn't deserve to be a servant of the gods. He should go to Hell, along with those lackeys of his. Faithful Balin is the best candidate to become Bishop of University City!"
Bowing low to the floor, he reverently kissed it. Half drunk, Father Balin brought his evening prayers to an end.
Lin Qi closed the door behind him, walked up to Father Balin, and gently tapped him on the shoulder.
Father Balin shrieked. Flailing his arms and wobbling with every fold of fat, he rushed to the corner of the room and yanked a heavy Battle Axe from an enormous, unremarkable porcelain vase. Enraged, he turned around and swung the axe at Lin Qi before he even got a clear look at him.
"No one's taking a single Copper Coin from me. This is all Church property!" Father Balin's eyes were bloodshot. He lunged at Lin Qi like a starving wolf robbed of its meal.
Lin Qi raised his right hand and caught the Battle Axe by its handle. Then he kicked Father Balin away.
"Good grief, Father, you're a priest of high standing. How can you go around chopping people with an axe?" Lin Qi weighed the single-bladed horn-handled Battle Axe in his hand, then tossed it onto the bed in disdain. His gaze couldn't help drifting to the bronze cashbox on Father Balin's table.
Father Balin, who was just as passionately greedy for money, spotted the trace of avarice hidden in Lin Qi's eyes. Nervously, he said, "Mr. Lin Qi, if you dare so much as touch one of my lovely coins, I swear I won't let you get away with it!"
Lin Qi had known Father Balin for three years and knew exactly what kind of man he was. He glanced regretfully at the cashbox, smacked his lips, and sighed in mock injury. "Come now, what kind of person do you take me for? We're old friends, old friends! How can you doubt my character like this? That's your money. I won't touch it!"
Rubbing his hands together, Lin Qi narrowed his eyes with a smile. "How much did Mr. Grong give you, revered Father?"
Father Balin regarded Lin Qi warily and hurriedly grabbed a robe to wrap around himself. He muttered in an unusually cautious voice, "Oh, that's none of your business, my dear Mr. Lin Qi. I'm only a middleman. Mr. Grong makes a request, I pass it on to you, and you help him get what he wants. It's that simple, isn't it? That's all there is to it!"
He held a finger to his lips and quietly warned, "I take the share I'm due, and you get your cut. We've worked well together these past three years, haven't we?"
Watching Father Balin's anxious expression, Lin Qi nodded thoughtfully.
Father Balin was a scoundrel who prowled the Church and served as a go-between for many of University City's powerful figures. The powerful had all sorts of desires and demands, but they were important people of noble birth who couldn't deal directly with those from the lower classes. That was how Father Balin, an oddity, came to be. The influential figures of University City discreetly brought their requests to him, and he contacted people like Lin Qi to resolve their problems.
These shady dealings had their own rules. Lin Qi really shouldn't ask how much Father Balin made from them.
With a helpless shrug, Lin Qi reluctantly tore his gaze from the cashbox and muttered, "All right, all right. Lend me an Atonement Talisman. A real one, one that works. Once I get my hands on some money, I'll pay you back double!"
Father Balin's eyes shifted, and his eyebrows quickly jumped. "The price of materials for making Atonement Talismans has fluctuated recently. Each one costs three Silver Coins more now!"
Lin Qi glared at Father Balin in annoyance. "Fine, I'll give you six extra Silver Coins! But right now, this instant, hand me an Atonement Talisman! A powerful one, an effective one, one that can withstand all kinds of attacks. Don't try to palm off the junk you sell to the common folk on me!"
Father Balin grinned and swiftly pulled a small white scroll from his sleeve.
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