The Great Worm Lich

Tiffany was with a white man outside the door. The man looked like he was past 30 years old, he wore a suit and tie while his smile that showed eight teeth looked like it was stuck on his face with glue. They were talking softly. Hearing the door opened, the smile on the man’s face was even wider now. He handed Zhang Lisheng a name card courteously.

“Hi Mr. Zhang, my name’s Charles Dutnan. I’m Sterling Insurance Co.’s claims adjuster. I’m glad to serve you today. Your car is fixed, you’ll be able to bring it back after signing a few documents for me. It looks exactly like a new one.”

“Thanks, Mr. Charles. So what are we waiting for?” Charles took out a few documents and a pen from his briefcase, “You should’ve signed this page and this page last night but I didn’t want to bother you since you weren’t feeling well.”

“Thanks,” Zhang Lisheng took over the documents and the pen then began signing against the wall pretending it was his desk.

“Mr. Zhang, I see that you have a slaughterhouse that’s doing well. I wonder if you’ve thought of making your property more insured?” Charles seized the opportunity when Zhang Lisheng was signing.

“That’s a great idea but I’m currently low on fund because I’m planning on getting another slaughterhouse after Christmas. Why not I give you a call two months later, I’ll let you know by then,” Zhang Lisheng said and handed the signed documents back to Charles.

“Oh, you’re ambitious and high spirited, you’ll be a remarkable man in the future, Mr. Zhang,” Charles complimented Zhang Lisheng realizing that he might close the case with Zhang Lisheng. After taking over the documents, he handed the Explorer’s key and his name card with both hands, “Let me bring you to take a look at your car.”

“Sure,” The business at the slaughterhouse did not stop, the fixed Explorer remained parked outside the fence. The exterior looked brand new, it was shining under the sun. As he opened the door, the interior looked brand new too with a light, refreshing scent. After the special deodorizing treatment, one could not tell that this car went through an unusual disaster last night.

“The car’s good, thanks,” Zhang Lisheng took a good look at the car and spoke as he winded down the window with his head in the car. Charles watched Zhang Lisheng checking the car and smiled with his head low noticing that Zhang Lisheng did not even start the car engine to check if everything was alright, “Please call me anytime if there’s something wrong when you’re driving. Goodbye Mr. Zhang,” He then shook Zhang Lisheng’s hand and left.

Naturally, Zhang Lisheng did not plan to stay at the slaughterhouse doing nothing since the car was fixed. Watching the claims adjuster left on the bumpy road, he got into the Explorer’s driver’s seat and chanted wizard incantation softly. He summoned Island Dragon to get on top of the car and turned his car around and drove into New York City. That was the magical part of the inheritance from the ancient spirit’s bloodline of the Chinese. The enormous wizard worm changed its skin color with the surrounding on the top of the car and it hid perfectly from the public’s eyes.

It was already 7 p.m. when he parked his car at the parking lot. The entire New York City was brightly lit while the chilly wind was blowing. Zhang Lisheng got off the car and walked around at the corner of the parking lot with his invisible Island Dragon. He had an unknown excitement growing inside of him all of a sudden. Although he had been independent since young whereby he was much more stable and reliable than people his own age, he was a young man after all. He hesitated for a moment and made Island Dragon laid on the ground. He then climbed onto the wizard worm’s back strenuously and sat with his legs crossed.

“It’s so dark here and it’s the surveillance blindspot, nobody would see me…” Zhang Lisheng encouraged himself by mumbling while controlling the giant lizard to straighten its body. He felt like he was hovering high in the sky, it was wobbly. Although he looked like there was nothing under his butt, in reality, there was great friction between his canvas pants and the wizard worm’s scales that seemed slippery but actually rough. He would not fall at all.

A strong wind was whistling tens of meters above the sky, it messed up the young man’s hair. He was just thinking how much he would make during Christmas and whether it would be enough for him to purchase another small slaughterhouse to feed his giant lizard earlier. He felt the liberation that he had not felt for a long time all of a sudden.

The plan to break through in witchcraft deep in his heart, the concern he had for the enemies he made in the past, his worry for his hectic life compared to people his same age were all gone. The gratefulness he had the first time he flew across the ocean was rumbling in his chest once again. He recited out loud softly, “Travel to Mount Penglai when the sun rises, stay on Tiantai Mountain when the sun sets. What a free life, a life that ordinary people desires…”

As he recited the Chinese old poem, Zhang Lisheng who was initially planning to enjoy the breeze riding on Island Dragon’s back controlled his wizard to jump all of the sudden when he snapped back to his senses. He relaxed his body while gliding out of the parking lot lightly.

At that moment, a fat police officer in the parking lot’s surveillance room was shoving a six-layer beef burger into his mouth in satisfaction. He saw half of a skinny silhouette flashed before his eyes on the cheap infrared monitor screen. He could not help but be stunned.

“Jimmy, can you believe that I just saw a ghost with no legs flew above this parking lot? It might be a handicapped alien wearing some anti-gravitational equipment on its body…” The fat police officer snapped back to his senses a few seconds later. He said to his colleague behind him after munching half of the burger.

His thin colleague did not even look up. He scoffed and said while making coffee, “Damn, the weather’s so cold. Omi, I’m sure that’s not some ghost or a handicapped alien that flew before you but your fats and cholesterol affecting your vision. If you replace your dinner from Big Mac to cucumber sticks, I believe you won’t see them for two months, ugh, half a year later.”

As the police officers were chatting at the parking lot, Zhang Lisheng arrived at the lawn outside his house sitting on Island Dragon while grabbing its neck. That replaced his usual five to six minutes of walking time. The lights were dimmed on the road, the giant lizard that was walking in the concrete jungle of New York retreated the nails on its claws that were as sharp as metal hooks into its flesh. It opened up its huge webbed claws to balance its body weight. It ran on the trees and houses lightly and quickly. Miraculously, it ran through two streets without getting any attention.

It messed up a big piece of grass when he landed on the lawn eventually. The empty space around the house was sufficient for the giant lizard to curl its body to rest. Zhang Lisheng panted and hopped from the wizard worm, he regained his usual calmness and realized someone would find out about his wizard worm if he was to leave it there.

With the help of the dimmed lamps on the street, he looked around the tall trees both side of the streets. He recalled the wizard worm’s body that was flying like a bird and attempted to control Island Dragon to hop onto the thickest tree on the street. The branch shook for a while. Fortunately the leaves were long gone, otherwise, it would look like it was raining. Zhang Lisheng bent his body to stabilize the situation after watching the branch shaking for a moment in fear. It did not break eventually.

He was relieved, he walked into the house in a relaxed manner. It was Sunday whereby the family would gather for dinner, everyone was there. Seeing that Zhang Lisheng was shuddering in cold but looking psyched as he dashed to the dining table while removing his jacket, Lili said while feeling pain, “Baby, you’re home. You must be famished.”

“Lisheng, it was your first time working overtime last night and you even stayed outside. How was it?” Sullo asked while smiling.

“It’s not too bad, Uncle Lavin. The biggest reward was that I found the right tool to dismember a cow without putting in too much strength,” Zhang Lisheng said casually while getting himself a seat in the dining room.

“Ugh, Lisheng, we’re eating,” Riley put down the cutlery feeling disgusted.

“It’s just a cow, you’re eating beef now,” Randy munched on the beef ribs as he said, “Now what bothers me more is that why Lisheng could stay outside when he’s only 16 while I can’t do that despite me being almost 18.”

“Because he was thinking of sharing the workload with his workers when he was dating while you had your head occupied with the cheerleaders’ long legs when you play basketball.”

“Oh really, dad? Do you really think that their legs are the only thing I look at while ignoring other ‘good sides’ that they have? You’re so wrong…”

“If you still want your allowance for this week, shut your mouth Randy,” Sullo screamed at his son which was the most efficient way of stopping him from saying anything inappropriate.

“Sullo, don’t scream at him. Randy’s just kidding,” Lili brought a plate full of pasta and beef ribs to the table, “Randy, the jokes that you tell are inappropriate to your brothers and sisters. Especially your two sisters, please watch out. Kids, we’ll be decorating the hospital ward with Christmas decoration tomorrow as a family. Please come back early. Baby, since your car could fit seven people, could we drive your car to the hospital this time?” Lili put down the plate with hot food before Zhang Lisheng as she spoke.

“Of course we can, mom,” Zhang Lisheng was stunned for a moment before nodding.

“I heard that you got a great car, brother,” Randy said pretending it was unintentional, “Only real men could handle a Ford Explorer. So when should I show you how to tame this horse?”

“Like how you tame your rabbit, Randy?” Harry who was sitting across asked in a quirky tone.

“Shut up you little sh*t…” Zhang Lisheng finished his dinner quickly as Randy and Harry were fighting. After returning to his room, he replaced his sleep with secret method cultivation, as usual, to get over the long night.