Next morning, Chen and Princess Fragrance awoke tofind the Twin Eagles gone, and were puzzled.

　　"Look, what's that?" Princess Fragrance askedsuddenly. Chen turned and saw several huge charactersdrawn on the sand: "Your evil deeds cannot beforgiven. You will have to die." The characters werefive foot square and looked as if they had been drawnwith the tip of a sword. Chen frowned, wondering whatthe message meant. Princess Fragrance could not readChinese and asked what is said.

　　"They had some other business and went on ahead," Chenreplied, not wishing to worry her.

　　"Sister's teacher and her husband are really nice..."Suddenly, she stopped in mid-sentence and jumped up.

　　"Listen!"Chen had also heard the distant, blood-curdling howl,and having lived in the northwest many years,instantly recognised it.

　　"There's a wolf pack coming," he said urgently. "Wemust go quickly!" They hurriedly packed up their tentsand provisions and galloped away just as the wolf packclosed in on them. Luckily, they were both ridingextremely fast horses and the pack was soon left farbehind. But the wolves had been hungry for a long timeand having glimpsed them, continued to track them,following the hoof prints in the sand.

　　After half a day of hard riding, they dismounted torest, but just as they had prepared a fire to cooksome food, the wolf howls neared once more, and theyhurriedly re-mounted, and rode off again. Only whendarkness had fallen and they estimated the wolf packto be at least thirty miles behind them did they stopand rest. Around midnight, the white horse began toneigh and kick about, waking Chen. The wolf pack wasclosing in once more. With no time to pack theirtents, they grabbed up their rations and water bagsand jumped onto the horses. They travelled a great arcthrough the desert, never managing to shake off thewolves. The chestnut horse could finally take no moreand dropped dead of exhaustion, and they had tocontinue with both of them on the white horse. Theextra weight slowed the horse down, and by the thirdday, it was no longer able to outrun the wolf pack.

　　They spotted a clump of bushes and small trees andwent over.

　　"We'll stop here and let the horse rest," said Chen,dismounting. With Princess Fragrance's help, he builta low circular wall of sand and placed some deadbranches on the top. When lit, the branches became aprotective ring of fire for themselves and the horseinside.

　　Not long after, the wolf pack raced up. Afraid of theflames, the wolves milled around outside the circlehowling, not daring to get too close.

　　"We'll wait for the horse to recover its strength andthen break out," said Chen.

　　"Do you think we'll be able to?""Of course," he replied. But he had no idea how.

　　Princess Fragrance saw how thin and emaciated thehungry wolves were. "The poor things," she said. "Iwonder how long it's been since they last ate?"Chen laughed shortly. The long, sharp fangs of thewolves gleamed through the flames, the salivadripping, drop by drop from their mouths onto thesand. They howled angrily, waiting from a slightopening in the flames through which they could leap.

　　Princess Fragrance knew the chance of them getting outalive was very slight. She moved closer to Chem andtook his hands.

　　"When I'm with you, I'm not afraid of anything," shesaid. "After we die, we will live happily together inheaven forever."Chen pulled her towards him and embraced her. Shesighed, and was just about to close her eyes, when shenoticed the flames were dying down in one section ofthe circle. She screamed and jumped over to add morebranches, but three wolves had already slipped inside.

　　Chen pulled her behind him. The white horse kicked itshind legs up and sent one wolf flying back out of thefiery circle. Chen grabbed another wolf by the scruffof its neck and slung it bodily at the third, a hugegrey beast which dodged out of the way, then openedits mouth and reared up on its hind legs to go forChen's throat. Chen picked up a burning branch andrammed it down the wolf's throat, and the animal leaptback out of the circle and rolled about on the groundin great pain.

　　Chen added more branches to the gap.

　　After a while, their reserves were getting low, andChen decided he would have to risk going to get morefrom some bushes about one hundred feet away.

　　"I'm going to get some more wood," he told PrincessFragrance, taking out his shield and Pearl Strings.

　　"Build up the fire a bit more until I get back."She nodded. "Be careful," she said, but did not addany more wood to the fire. She knew that the brancheskept the two of them alive, and that when the flameswere extinguished, they would be too.

　　Chen leapt out of the burning circle and raced offusing Lightness Kung Fu, fending off the wolves as hewent. The wolves surged at him, but in three leaps hewas already beside the bushes. He quickly collectedfirewood with one hand while protecting himself withthe shield in the other. Several dozen wolvessurrounded him, snarling fiercely, but the flashinghooks on his shield kept them at bay. He collected alarge pile of wood and was leaning over to tie thebranches up when a large wolf lunged forward. Heswirled the shield, and the animal died instantly. Butits carcass was caught on the hooks, and the otherwolves barked even more frantically as it swunglifelessly before them. He dislodged the body andflung it to one side, and the wolves charged forwardto rip it apart. He took advantage of this diversionto pick up the firewood and return into the ring offire.

　　Princess Fragrance ran forward and threw herself intohis arms. Chen smiled and embraced her, then threw thefirewood on the ground. As he looked up, he startedinvoluntarily: there was a third person in the circle,a large man whose clothes had been ripped to shreds bythe wolves. In his hand was a sword. His whole bodywas covered in blood, but his face was calm. It washis enemy, Zhang Zhaozhong.

　　The two gazed at each other silently.

　　"He must have seen the fire and run over this way,"said Princess Fragrance. "See how exhausted he looks."She poured a bowl of water from the water bag andhanded it to Zhang, who grabbed it and slurped it downin one draught. He wiped the blood and sweat from hisface with his sleeve, and Princess Fragrance gasped asshe suddenly recognised him as the Manchu officialChen had fought with.

　　Chen rapped his shield with the Pearl Strings. "Comeon!" he shouted.

　　Zhang's eyes glazed over and he fell forward onto hisface.

　　He had been tracking Chen and Princess Fragrance withPrince Herda when he had met the wolf pack. Herda hadbeen devoured, but with his superb kung fu, Zhang hadmanaged to escape after killing several dozen of theferocious creatures. He had fled across the desert fora day and a night, but finally his horse had droppeddead under him. He had no alternative but to continueon foot and kept going for another day without food orwater. Finally, he had spotted the flames in the fardistance and had fought his way over.

　　Princess Fragrance moved to help Zhang up, but Chenstopped her.

　　"This man is extremely dangerous. Don't fall for histricks," he warned. He waited for a while to make sureZhang really was unconscious before going closer.

　　Princess Fragrance wiped some cold water onto Zhang'sforehead, then poured lamb's milk into his mouth.

　　Zhang slowly revived, drank half a bowl of the milk,then fell back onto the ground, sound asleep.

　　Chen wondered what sort of devil's emissary haddelivered this traitor into his hands. Killing Zhangnow would be as easy as blowing away a speck of ash,but taking advantage of another's hardship was not amanly thing to do. What was more, Princess Fragrancewould certainly be unhappy to see him kill adefenceless man. He decided to spare Zhang once more.

　　In any case, he thought, Zhang would be a great helpin killing wolves. Perhaps the two of them togethercould save Princess Fragrance. He knew he would neverbe able to do it alone. He drank a few mouthfuls oflamb's milk, then closed his eyes to rest.

　　After a while, Zhang woke again. Princess Fragrancepassed a piece of dried mutton to him, and helped himto bandage several wolf bite wounds on his legs.

　　"Brother Zhang, all three of us are in great danger,"Chen said. "Let us temporarily put aside ourdifferences and cooperate."Zhang nodded. "Yes, if we fight now, we will all endup inside a wolf's stomach." Having rested for morethan two hours, his strength had partially returned,and he began to consider how he could kill Chen andescape with the girl.

　　Chen wracked his brain for a way out of their presentpredicament. He saw the many piles of wolf droppingsoutside the circle of fire, and remembered how HuoQingtong had used them to fuel signal fires. Using hisPearl Strings, he dragged some of the piles over,formed them into one heap and lit it. A thick pall ofsmoke rose straight up into the heavens.

　　Zhang shook his head. "Even if someone saw it, theywouldn't dare to come to help us," he said. "It wouldtake an army to chase away so many wolves."Chen also knew it would probably do no good, but itwas better than doing nothing.

　　The daylight faded, and the three gradually added morebranches to the ring of fire and took turns to sleep.

　　"He is a very bad man," Chen whispered to PrincessFragrance. "When I'm asleep, you must watch him withespecial care." She nodded.

　　Towards midnight, the moon rose and the wolves beganto howl mournfully, a sound which made their skincrawl. Early next morning, they saw the wolves werestill pacing around outside the ring with obviously nointention of leaving.

　　"The only thing that would draw these devils awaywould be a herd of wild camels passing nearby," saidChen. Suddenly they heard more wolf howls from thedistance.

　　"It looks like more of the devils are coming," Zhangsaid.

　　A cloud of dust arose, and three riders gallopedtowards them with several hundred wolves on theirheels. The wolves on that side of the ring of firespotted them too, and surged forward, encircling thethree riders, who fought them off frantically.

　　"Help them!" Princess Fragrance shouted.

　　"Let's go," Chen said to Zhang. They charged out ofthe ring, carving a path of blood through the wolfpack and led the three back into the circle. Theynoticed one of the horses was carrying a secondperson, apparently a Muslim girl, lying limply acrossthe saddle with her hands were tied behind her back.

　　The three riders jumped off their horses, and one ofthem pulled the girl down after him.

　　"Sister!" Princess Fragrance screamed, and threwherself onto the girl.

　　It was Huo Qingtong. She had run into the Three Devilsagain while searching for Chen and her sister and hadhad no strength to resist. Hahetai had wanted to killher immediately to avenge the death of their brother,but Gu overruled him saying they should take her backand kill her in front of their dead brother's grave.

　　They started heading back east, but after a day or so,they found themselves being chased by a wolf pack. Asthey fled, they happened to spot the column of blacksmoke started by Chen and rode towards it.

　　Huo Qingtong began to regain consciousness. PrincessFragrance looked at Chen beseechingly. "Tell them tolet my sister go," she implored.

　　Chen turned to Gu. "Who are you and why have youseized my friend?" he asked. Tang strode in front ofGu and coldly sized up Chen and Zhang.

　　"We thank you two gentlemen for saving us," he said.

　　"What are your names?"Before Chen could answer, Zhang said, "He is the GreatHelmsman of the Red Flower Society, Chen Jialuo." TheThree Devils started in shock.

　　"And you, sir?" Tang asked.

　　"I am Zhang Zhaozhong."Tang gasped. "It's the Fire Hand Judge. No wonderyou're both so capable." He told them his name andthose of his two colleagues.

　　Chen's anxiety immediately increased, and he wonderedagain how they were going to escape. With four toughopponents to deal with now, it would be even harderthan before.

　　"Let us forget our differences for the moment," hesaid. "Do any of you have any idea of how we mightescape?"The Three Devils looked at each other. "We wouldwelcome your suggestions, Master Chen," said Hahetai.

　　"If we face the wolves together, there is a chance wewill survive. If we fight amongst ourselves, they willeat us all." Tang and Hahetai nodded slightly, but Gujust glared at him angrily. "Therefore, I ask BrotherGu to immediately release my friend, following whichwe can together work out a plan to beat the wolves.""And what if I won't let her go?" Gu shouted back.

　　"Master Gu, if we start fighting, it doesn't matterwho wins or loses, we will all die. Pleasereconsider.""You'd better let her go," Tang whispered to him." Guhad gone to considerable trouble to capture HuoQingtong and he was extremely loath to give her upagain. "Brother, if you don't let her go, I won't beable to help you," Tang added.

　　Hahetai walked over and cut the bonds binding HuoQingtong. As Chen walked over to her, Huo Qingtongsuddenly shouted: "Watch out behind!" and he duckeddown just as a wolf swept over him. It charged atPrincess Fragrance, but Chen grabbed its tail andusing all his strength pulled it to a halt. The wolfwhipped its head round, snapping and snarling, andwith a single blow, Chen broke its neck. Another wolfleapt towards him, and he quickly drew his dagger andthrust it at the beast, a huge, cunning animal whichdodged the blade with ease.

　　Three more wolves jumped into the ring. Hahetaigrabbed one by the neck and slung it back out, Zhangcut the second in two with his sword, while Tangfought fiercely with the third. Hahetai stoked up thefire to stop other wolves from entering.

　　On the other side, Chen feinted with the dagger to theleft to throw his attacker off guard, then plunged theblade down towards its head. Unable to avoid thestroke, the wolf opened its huge mouth and bit hardonto the dagger. Chen pushed the blade in with allstrength, but despite the pain, it hung ondesperately. Chen tried to pull the dagger back outbut the beast refused to yield. Increasingly anxious,Chen mustered his strength once more and punched thewolf right between its eyes, smashing its skull. Thewolf fell back dead and the dagger came free, theblade glinting coldly as it reflected the flames.

　　But the dagger's blade was also still firmly lodgedbetween its teeth. They were all perplexed at this:

　　the dagger was obviously in Chen's hand and had notsnapped. Where had the blade in the wolf's mouth comefrom?

　　Chen bent over and tried to pull the blade out of thebeast's mouth, but although the wolf was dead, itsteeth was still clamped tightly shut. He used thedagger to slit open the wolf's jowls, and the musclesand tendons on its face collapsed, freeing the blade.

　　Chen examined it closely and saw that it was hollow,like a scabbard. He stuck the dagger blade inside, andfound it fitted perfectly. Huo Qingtong had said whenshe presented the dagger to him that it was said tocontain a great secret. If it had not been for thiswolf and its strong teeth, who would have guessed thatthere was a blade within the blade?

　　Princess Fragrance took the dagger from Chen andexamined it, marvelling at the design of the secondscabbard and the precision of the workmanship. Sheturned the hollow outer blade upside down and a smallwhite pellet rolled out. Chen and Huo Qingtong bentdown to get a closer look and saw it was a small ballof wax.

　　"Let's open it," Chen said. Huo Qingtong nodded. Hepicked the ball up and lightly squeezed it, crackingthe wax open, revealing a small piece of paper inside,which he spread out. On the paper was a map drawn asdensely as a spider's web.

　　Zhang had seen them discover the piece of paper, ............