"Which thief in Kaifeng City would dare come to our place? The sound of my Big Gong is louder than any real go…
"Which thief in Kaifeng City would dare come to our place? The sound of my Big Gong is louder than any real gong!"
Jin Que, the Jewelry Store Shopkeeper, always says this with a face full of pride.
It's true; not the slightest rustle in the night escapes his ears.
But Big Gong wasn't always like this. This is his sickness. When night falls, Big Gong seems to return to a decade ago. In his dreams, people run through the streets. He panics, weaving between their legs, hiding in a tree hole, too afraid to move as he smells that choking, bloody scent. The clanging of swords jolts him awake again.
Just then, a wind blows, and leaves rustle down. Big Gong can't help but bark.