I Ching and Murder: Sextant Collection, #5

By Cèdric Daurio

If you love psychological thrillers, this novel will cut your breath from the beginning.

An old Chinese scholar living in Buenos Aires instructs a young niece and her boyfriend to interpret the I Ching (the Chinese oracle and book of wisdom).

In China a powerful drug dealer weaves a complex plot to oust his competitors from world markets from his new base in South America. The Chinese triads and the Japanese Yakuza get entangled in this complex weft.

For obscure reasons their actions seriously endanger the whole scholar´s family. I Ching guides them to face the threat.

Vibrant thriller in its entirety.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Cedric Daurio
• Release date: Jan 26, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386286912

Cèdric Daurio

Cedric Daurio es el seudónimo adoptado por un novelista argentino para cierto tipo de narrativa, en general thrillers paranormales y cuentos con contenidos esotéricos. El autor ha vivido en Nueva York durante años y ahora reside en Buenos Aires, su ciudad natal. Su estilo es despojado, claro y directo, y no vacila en abordar temas espinosos. Cedric Daurio is the pseudonym adopted by an Argentine novelist for a certain type of narrative, in general paranormal thrillers and stories with esoteric content. The author has lived in New York for years and now resides in Buenos Aires, his hometown. His style is stripped, clear and direct, and does not hesitate to address thorny issues.  

Book preview

PROLOGUE

THE CROWD OCCUPIED several blocks from the Tokyo side street. The organizers had negotiated with the authorities and were committed  to minimize disruptions to the countless pedestrians, drivers of cars, motorcycles and bicycles and neighbors. The vast majority of attendees were young men dressed in black or dark suits using generally no tie, although there were some in leather jackets; there were many veterans, eager to remember the glorious hours of the organization occurred of course when they were active. There were even some women, though rare.

The outfits were then varied but generally sober. What was common to all attendees was that under those clothes all had complex designs of rituals tattoos; also, designs  had been changing over time, becoming more widespread, polychrome and abstract.

At last the procession was approaching very slowly due to the number of people who fought to give a final farewell to their mate, although not all of them had known him when he was alive. What had transpired was that he had given his life in an act of exemplary voluntary sacrifice the details of which they would learn during the ceremony. The car moved forward preceded by two veterans who held in their hands white ribbons attached to the vehicle and were opening the way in the middle of the respectful crowd. Once they arrived at the site where the highest rank officials of the organization were waiting the car slowed and finally stopped; six strong men lifted the coffin and placed it on a carriage.

Hayashida, the old chief of the entire organization, dressed in a formal suit and notable for his erect position stared with glassy eyes at the crowd. He had arranged a funeral similar to the service granted to the maximum hierarchy although the range of the fallen man was far lower. Apart from recognizing the act of sacrifice of the colleague he wanted use the event to re-temper the old spirit of the brotherhood that modern times had softened to some degree.

Hayashida and the maximum chieftains bowed respectfully in front of the coffin, and at his signal, his deputy Ashikaga prepared to testify about the circumstances in which the man had fallen, to offer him as an example whose memory would endure in the minds of those young members who witnessed the ceremony.

CHAPTER 1

NANCY TOOK HER BACKPACK, waved her mother and sister Ju who watched her from the kitchen window and left the house closing the door carefully, as theft in the neighborhood and indeed around Buenos Aires had increased in recent months, including armed robberies in family homes. She walked the blocks that separated her house in Belgrano to the nearest line D subway station. The boy’s face appeared briefly in her mind but she shook her head to chase that thought away. The young woman was however in good humor and in the depths of her mind she knew the  reason. In class she would likely find him and no doubt he would find a way to sit beside her, though pretending to do it casually. Nancy watched her skirt and managed to pull it up so as to leave her bare knees. She could not leave her house that way because her mother would reproach.

The girl entered the Faculty of Economics and went to the classroom where she had classes on Tuesdays. There she took a seat making sure that there was another free place beside her. As she waited  Nancy peered with the corner of her eye the entrance of the classroom, while growing impatient. At last she saw him coming and swallowed a sigh. His tall although somewhat lanky silhouette, his tousled red hair and his several days beard of the same tone caused her some emotion she tried to hide. He kept his eyes straight ahead pretending not to have seen Nancy, performance that caused her some tension.

Lucas stared around like looking for site in several seats, but finally sat down beside her.

Hi! greeted he feigning surprise. We seat together once again. Nancy ... if I remember correctly.

She nodded confirming her name, but she knew he remembered it perfectly. Immediately the professor of Financial Administration entered the classroom and the conversation stopped.

As she was leaving the Faculty building Nancy looked around her and checked that Lucas walked a few steps behind her. Walking along the Córdoba Ave the boy could catch up and obviously making a decision asked her bluntly.

Wouldn´t you like to have coffee with me? I know a place a couple of blocks away.

I’m afraid it´s getting late. My mother worries if I delay.

It won´t take long, I promise.

They sat in a corner of the coffee shop, away from the door and bustle of the street and people coming in and out of the room. Since they sat they had been talking about  two subjects who were studying together. Lucas suddenly changed the topic of conversation.

What’s your last name? I did not understand it in the roll call.

Zhang, with a Z. Said Nancy.

Is it a common surname in China?

It is common in the province of Fujian, where we come from.

"Then you were born in China? I never would have guessed, your accent is porteño as if you were born and raised in Buenos Aires."

When we came I was two years old. I attended both primary and secondary school in this city.

And at home you speak Chinese?

Actually a dialect called Shao Jiang. I am privately studying Mandarin Chinese, which is the standard language with which nearly all Chinese can communicate.

It must be very difficult, with the writing system. It sounds good idea to keep your Ethnic language ..., to call in some way. I’m always thinking about learning Italian.

And why do you not? It is important to reconnect with your roots.

My roots are more distant than yours, my grandparents immigrated to this country. I also prefer to concentrate on studying English. ¿Nancy is your original name?

No, it is Liang.

Does it have any meaning?

All names mean something.

¿Well, and what does yours mean.

The girl blushed slightly, then recovered and answered.

Brilliant.

I think it´s an appropriate name for you. This time her cheeks were stained pink.

So  your name is Liang Zhang?Continued Lucas.

Zhang Liang.

What do you do when you are not studying for the faculty?

I help my parents in the store, study Mandarin Chinese as I told you and ...

And yet something else?

In my spare time I study I Ching.

I heard about that book. What is it really? An oracle, something equivalent to the Tarot or horoscope?

There are those who use it that way. It is the most popular use, but has other higher functions.

Like what?

As a wisdom book, as a source of sapience."

And is this use within reach for anyone?

It´s best done under the direction of someone seasoned.

And you have that someone?

It´s an old man whom I call Uncle Cheng, although he is actually my mother´s uncle.

And how does  that distant relative teach you I Ching?

We meet every so often and make questions to the I Ching.

You make questions to a book? And does it answer them?"

In its own way. That´s what I Ching is all about. And Uncle Cheng helps me interpret what the book says ... But I have to go home now.

How will you return home?

In the subway.

I´ll go with you.

All the way in the subway they were exchanging life experiences and getting to know each other´s tastes. When descending Lucas accompanied the girl to the door of her house, to which she agreed in a somewhat reluctant way. Just at the moment in which they arrived at the threshold of the old house the door opened and a girl -with oriental features with great resemblance to Nancy but with a few years younger- appeared. The latter blushed as was her