WB-1 Spring in the Borderlands

We should be safe now that we've made it into Yumen.

Don't let your guard down.

We will return to the barracks and present the data to the Imperial Astronomical Bureau first, then we will report to General Zuo about the situation outside the city.

Of course.

Hmph, and not a second after I finish.

An ambush! Protect Envoy Lin and fall back!

No need. We're surrounded.

Who goes there?! How dare you intercept a military unit?!

......

Watch out, Envoy Lin!

Arts that turn sand into glass... How quaint.

I've had a feeling things weren't quite right since before we made it into the city...

I take it you're after the Catastrophe observation data? You killed the entire team of Messengers, but you weren't able to find the data, so you had no choice but to arrange the crime scene to look like they were robbed by bandits... How shabby.

Kill the broad first. She must be holding the target. Watch out for her Arts.

You think you have the advantage because you have more men? Hmph...

Impudence!

......

Uncle Meng, I'll go after them!

Yaoye, we must first check on the warriors with all haste.

Okay....

The scoundrels are ruthless with their attacks. Are you alright, my fair lady?

......

They don't have what it takes to hurt me.

Some of the men are injured. Their lives are not in danger, though. Only passed out.

They dare look for trouble with government troops in broad daylight? Makes me wonder where these people came from.

Uncle Meng, what do you say I take one of them back for an interrogation?

We don't know the first thing about the enemy... Yaoye, you must learn not to be so rash.

Judging by your outfit, you are not from Yumen, yet you have the protection of Yumen's forces. I must assume you are no ordinary lady. May I ask why these bandits are giving you trouble?

I'm on official business. Don't ask any further.

You little...!

And who are you? Why are you here?

The name is Meng Tieyi. I run a sword forge in the southern end of the city. This is Du Yaoye. She just came here from Shangshu.

I own Xingyu Logistics, Yumen's top logistics company.

We're heading to the city gate to arrange a welcome.

This is the first time the guys I brought with me from Shangshu are on a Yumen job. It's a huge gig, they're escorting a Catastrophe Messenger, even. Of course I have to be there to welcome them.

Judging by the time, they should be back soon, Uncle Meng.

Catastrophe Messenger...

I have a feeling you don't need to go.

......

Have you taken a fancy to another weapon here in my tent?

It's fine. I have no need of all these weapons. If you'd like, perhaps you could take my army's entire armory with you to Lungmen.

Please, Lord Exorcist. Even if you had no need for all these armaments yourself, Yumen needs them for its defense.

If memory serves me right, you and I made a bet a decade ago, and you made off with a fine blade I had only just obtained. Then, five years ago, you made off with a bow the Tianshi Bureaus bestowed upon me, after a bit of drinking.

Then allow me to invite you to another round of drink today. Please, win if that is your wish. Hold back no more.

I'm joking. All these years, Lungmen has been providing Yumen with the resources we need, and not once have we seen a delay in shipments. Based on this fact alone, I certainly should have sent you a few gifts myself.

It's the least I could do.

But as the Chief of Lungmen, I understand you must have plenty on your plate... Certainly, you must have more important business to attend to than personally visiting Yumen today?

You could say I'm not here for business.

A few days without Chief Wei won't see Lungmen falling into chaos, and it's not so bad if Wei Yenwu finds some time to pay an old friend a visit.

It so happens the Grandmaster's retirement is near, and I will be there in attendance.

His retirement is indeed quite troublesome.

That blade of his requires the most attentive treatment.

Well, it seems in the end, this troublesome topic falls on me to explain.

Grandmaster, Miss Ling. Long time no see.

It has been some time indeed.

Aah!

With so many old friends in attendance, that's reason enough for drink. Have you perhaps prepared some wine for us, General Zuo?

Given your service to Yumen, it would be my honor to share a drink with you, Miss Ling.

That said, I'm afraid it must wait for another time.

I heard you have already made up your mind, and you wish to bestow your blade upon the winner of a kung fu scramble?

Martial arts are merely the first of many ways I will be evaluating prospective successors. I will be judging whether they are worthy of my blade via other means.

And I was under the impression that you would have known this long ago.

The circumstances were different the last time you brought this up.

And if I am to say, although this blade must eventually be given to someone suitable, this is not the most opportune time to do so.

Grandmaster, after all this time, of all the men and women in our whole army, you've never seen a suitable candidate?

......

What a lively gathering.

My apologies for not personally receiving you, Grand Tutor.

It has been far too many years, but you seem as spirited as ever, Grand Tutor.

All of you are outstanding citizens who defend the peace of Great Yan's borders. Your magnificence gathered together in one place is truly a sight for sore eyes.

Alas, we have no time for idle conversation today, for we have urgent matters at hand.

We have all gathered, General Zuo. Send the men away.

On my way here, I just so happened to have come across a returning patrolman. Let us listen to him.

Four hours ago, our men on the city walls noticed a distress signal from afar.

When we got there, we found... the Catastrophe Messenger team that Yumen deployed three days ago... has been wiped out.

......!

Yaoye, did you not design this banner yourself? Why pack it up?

......

Are you perhaps considering making your way home? Are you regretting letting the Qis go on this job?

I'm regretting not going with them.

You heard the envoy just now. Of the team of ten, not one survived. The moment they got the distress signal, they immediately left to give their assistance, but were killed on their way back.

These are not roving bandits we are dealing with. What could you have possibly done to change the outcome if you were there?

Uncle Meng... I'm guessing... you must have seen these things happen many times before?

What do you think?

......

Over a decade ago, the Xingyu Escort Association came to Yumen for a few jobs. That was when your father and I met each. We've had little contact with each other the last few years, but our friendship goes deep.

He often talks about you, too.

Two weeks ago, you came to my forge and told me you wanted to start your own logistics company.

It may only have been a decade or so, but much has changed over the years. It's nothing strange for the youngsters to want to strike out on their own.

On top of that, your knowledge of the escort business and wilderness survival is no worse than any of the old veterans. I should have expected no less from the Asker of the Frost's daughter.

This is why I took you in. I know little about modern logistics, but having spent all these years in Yumen, I could at least find some opportunities for you.

In hindsight, it would seem I led to your friends' undoing...

I was the one who brought them to Yumen. I was also the one to send them on this job.

Their deaths are on me, and I won't shirk that responsibility.

It puts my mind at ease to see you have that resolve.

Be it the Escort Association or a logistics company, things will always be the same. For the sake of our livelihood, we put our lives on the line. If you wish to make a name for yourself in this business, you need to understand how heavy the weight on your shoulders is.

Yaoye, it doesn't matter whether this is the path you will end up taking or not. I want you to remember how you feel this very moment for the rest of your life.

Yeah... Of course I will remember.

But I won't let the culprit here get away with killing them!

Well, this has been another productive day for you, hasn't it? Try to get some rest now.

I've left you two dishes. The cooks have reheated it already.

This inn's has a chef of truly magnificent culinary skill. Makes me want to learn a couple things from him.

I'm not hungry... I can't eat this right now.

You can look for your good-for-nothing father, but you need to eat nonetheless. Without the stamina, how are you going to beat him when you find him?

(Picks chopsticks up silently)

What happened to your hand...?

I scraped myself in a match today... but a wound like this is nothing! Yumen's arena is open all day long, and I was up against lots of tough opponents. And I won in the end!

That explains why the inn keeps so many medicines in stock... Wait here. I'll bring you some.

Show me your hand.

Oof.

It's only in times like these that I remember... you're Waai Tinpui's... or I guess out here he's Huai Tianpei, his daughter.

We're nothing alike!

He's a grown man, but he shirks all his responsibilities, washes his hands of everything.

I've been living a fairly decent, productive life on my own. But him? He was already a lawbreaker back when I was still a kid!

You're exactly right. That's why we should take him straight to the nearest L.G.D. office the moment we find him.

......

Uncle Lee... Do you think he's really here in Yumen?

I heard a rumor that someone saw him here a year ago. It's from your Uncle Liang, and I have no choice but to believe him.

If he's really in Yumen, he has to have seen my name on the rankings at the city gate by now. It's been so many years. The least he could've done was stop by to check on me when he passed through Lungmen.

Does that mean he doesn't care about me? Or is he trying to avoid me?

Now, I can't say how fathers feel about their daughters.

But blood is thicker than water. Nothing changes that.

I have faith that you two will see each other one day. The question is whether the you two will find the answers you seek once you meet.

Actually... I'm still not sure I'm prepared to see him.

In that case, let's say we walk outside right now and we bump into him. What are you going to do?

......

I'm going to break his jaw.

That concludes my summary. The Catastrophe data has been sent to Imperial Astronomical Bureau's Observatory, and a provisional new course has been charted based on the computations' results.

The injured men have all been sent to the infirmary, and Envoy Lin is currently investigating the rest.

Hmm...

Thank you. You are excused.

A Catastrophe is approaching, and I allowed this to happen within Yumen borders at this crucial time. I apologize for my negligence.

You need not belittle yourself so.

The important thing right now is to find the identity of our malefactors. Your thoughts, Lord Exorcist?

...The Shanhaizhong.

They should've been eradicated twenty years ago.

The wild hunt of the Feranmut a thousand years ago ended the era of their rampage across the land of Great Yan, yet this was unable to quell the masses' reverence of those terrible monsters.

There have always been those who've worshipped the Feranmuts' power and revered them as gods. They considered themselves followers of the Feranmuts and banded together to locate any traces of them.

The Sui Regulator has for a long time been tracking the movements of this lawless organization, and ever since the offender's commotion... it's like these rebels have been inspired by something, and they've been growing more and more active.

They call themselves the 'Shanhaizhong.' 'The mounts, seas, and all in between shall be our master's,' or so they claim.

Their motto couldn't be any more absurd, but it attracted a great number of followers to join their cause. Not only do they have adherents from a variety of backgrounds far and wide, they have even been plotting atrocities in the name of the Feranmuts.

Hard to imagine there are those who find it harder to put this thousand-year grudge behind them than us.

It's been two decades. This is their second time making trouble here in Yumen.

Yumen itself is a symbol of Yan's triumph over the Feranmuts. These villains naturally have a reason to do it harm.

And with Yumen set to sail afar, the Shanhaizhong's actions point directly to information regarding the oncoming Catastrophe. I can only assume they've learned of Yumen's destination.

Investigate this immediately and ensure peace in Yumen. I accept no failures.

......

They did not succeed twenty years ago, and they will not succeed this time.

The reason I summoned all of you here today is to discuss what to do with the Grandmaster's sword.

After what happened in Shangshu, there is no doubt that the offender has already made contact with the other proxies.

Sealed with the Grandmaster's sword is one-twelfth of the bestial Sui's consciousness.

Isn't this precisely so why we mustn't underplay the transfer of this sword?

......

As things stand, the other 180 black stones are yet missing. No one knows where his next move will lead us.

Should we treat all the world's affairs as a game of Go, no one can claim to be able to best him in terms of calculations.

There is very little distance between him and the Sui Regulator. To leave the Regulator in charge of the sword would only achieve the opposite of what we intend.

Against such an opponent, an irrational move might actually be the most brilliant one. Finding a suitable outsider to take the blade might be the solution we need.

My little brother has caused all of you much trouble, after all.

If this is both the Grand Tutor and the Grandmaster's intention, I have no objection.

Grandmaster.

Is something the matter?

Assist the Lord Exorcist in suppressing the Shanhaizhong. This is the Sui Regulator's last task for you.

Once a suitable candidate has been found, the court will allow you to roam free within Yan's borders and interfere with you no longer.

Yumen's citizens may not know your name, and even though you and I will no longer live in a hundred years, the scrolls in the Sui Regulator's libraries will record everything you've done for Yan.

With my dream about to be realized, I have no reason to complain.

I simply do not know whether I should lament that... I will not get to stay with this city to its final moments.

Hm...?

Something on your mind, Miss Ling?

Do any of you smell something... floral, perhaps?

I would say it's... peach blossoms?

Peach blossoms...?

Well, if that isn't strange...

––

Watch out!

......

You caught my blade with your bare hands. You can take pride in that.

With your advanced kung fu, why do something as vile and base as ambush us?

I have a question for you myself. With your immense power, why opt for that frail body?

You know me...?

......

Ling.

I follow.

Grand Tutor, General Zuo. Are you okay?

We're fine.

To think someone could dodge a concerted attack from both Lord Wei and the Grandmaster... Unbelievable.

Thank you for your assistance, Grandmaster.

Given her prowess... she must be skilled in more than just melee combat.

Grandmaster, the sentries will be here soon. Let us prioritize capturing the assassin.

Be careful.

What a refined lady. Leaving us already after scattering these petals around us?

If you would disturb our gathering, why not stay for a little longer?

Let's see what you are trying to keep me here with.

A dream?

You can tell this is a dream?

You still have this power... even after dividing yourself into twelfths.

Hoh? You know not only me, but him as well?

I want to see him... and you are not him.

I am I, naturally, and why do you wish to see him?

Even in a dream, I don't want to waste any time on you.

Your fanciful dream cannot keep me here.

It seems you've dreamt for a long, long time yourself.

Now that you've awakened and returned to the mortal realm, it seems hostilities are unavoidable.

If you want my life, perhaps you should tell me what kind of grudge you have against me.

I don't need to have a grudge against you to want your life.

Kung fu is fine in the place of a grudge.

Let me have another taste of your prowess.

You don't deserve it.

The winds are strong here at the city walls. Don't let the sand blind you.

Do all of you have a catchphrase to drop before you attack?

Enough.

You have nowhere to run. Surrender.

You have quite the party here.

But if I don't want to stay, can any of you really keep me here?

Who goes there?

......

Stop right there.

Do you know where you are, and exactly what that sword you're holding is?

It's a sword. The sword that I've been looking for.

......

Let us set aside the question for the time being who it is you are working for and how you made your way in here.

Hand over the sword. I'll take you to the Grandmaster.

A fickle-minded, perfidious man like him does not deserve to keep this sword.

Impudence!

The Grandmaster has defended Yumen's peace for a hundred years. How dare you speak ill of him?!

How pretentious. What do you even know? Out of my way!

I've arrested no small number of criminals, but you are the first one I've met to be so arrogant.

Solemn on the outside, but self-centered on the inside. I've met plenty of men like you!

I see I have no choice but to get you to comply forcefully, then.

Try it.

It's over. You've lost.

This isn't where we settle this.

If you would leave, surely you would leave us with an explanation?

I want answers, but you have none to give me.

You let her get away.

With her injuries, she won't get far.

Wei, your old bones don't seem to be much use here.

My sincerest gratitude, Lin.

You are master of the Chi Xiao, yet you need someone to come to your rescue when your mortal enemies come attacking?

I do not remember having made such an enemy.

......

A feint!

Hmph...!

You're injured. Where can you run?

You...?

......

Watch out, Grandmaster!

......

Grandmaster, what happened here?

This is my fault.

The sword has been taken.

General, the assassin could not be found within five miles of the inner city, and there are no signs of her receiving assistance from anyone.

No one else was ambushed, and neither the inner city core nor the armory show signs of having been infiltrated.

No signs, or has it been confirmed they have not been infiltrated?

We... cannot say for sure at this moment...

How could someone infiltrate the Yumen barracks and roam free... even after facing our four masters here.

Extraordinary.

I was too careless.

Do you have any clues regarding the identity of our assassin, Lord Wei?

Over the years, I've come across many who wanted my life, but I am alive and well nonetheless.

All of them have either given up on the idea or perished long ago.

I am not acquainted with our friend tonight.

......

Zuo Le, any discoveries on your end?

It all happened too suddenly. I wasn't prepared, and I wasn't able to take the assassin in, as a result.

I'm not asking why you were unable to capture the assassin. I'm asking you what you saw.

It was a young female assassin who infiltrated us and took the sword. She was hurt when she made her escape. Aside from that... I'm afraid I don't have anything.

......

Now that it has come to this, talking about it will do us no good.

Send the order out. Seal the city gates immediately, and set up checkpoints between each district. Do not allow unnecessary travel between them.

In addition, send the word to the entire city. At the Hour of Shen two days from now, Yumen will slow and adjust course. Have the masses make ready for this.

Yes, sir.

Zuo Le.

Sir!

Capture the assassin, locate the Grandmaster's sword, and find the Shanhaizhong hiding in the city. Do all three without failure.

You have three days. My personal troops are yours to command.

Keep this secret, and do not disturb the people.

Yes, sir!

Where's Lin?

He left as soon as the soldiers came.

Lin has no standing in the court, meaning he has no right to stand in attendance as you give your orders.

Is there anything I can assist with?

Seeing as the assassin is after your life, your safety should be the top priority.

Once this commotion calms, I will send a battalion to escort you back to Lungmen.

I ask you to stay indoors for the next few days.

May I ask what you mean by that?

Exactly what I said.

Yumen will take care of the rest.

Of course.

Our foe this time is exceptionally skilled. Perhaps I should...

I ask you to stay in the barracks and ensure the Grand Tutor's and Lord Wei's safety.

It is equally dangerous to allow the criminal to roam free in the city.

This affair began because of the Feranmuts. Considering you are who you are, you should not get yourself involved.

After all, the only ones who know your true identity are all here in the room.

Very well...

Do you have any objections to this arrangement, Grand Tutor?

I trust your judgment, Lord Exorcist.

Very well.

Execute these orders at once.

......

Grandmaster, are you alright?

I don't believe there's anyone alive who could do him harm.

It seems you really believe in me...

From the sound of it, you have heard already.

Let us set aside the issue of the soldiers outside the city for the time being. The defense of Yumen was part of your responsibilities to begin with. Considering this arrangement, Zuo Xuanliao clearly doesn't trust you.

Naturally, I understand and empathize with General Zuo's position.

Which is why I have a few things I need you to help me with, over the next few days.

This is highly unusual, and the foe we are up against is especially treacherous. I hope you'll lend Zuo Le a helping hand.

Given how he is, he may not be very receptive to me meddling with his affairs.

In that case, it would seem now is not the time for us to resolve the matter between us.

You need not say any more. I know the score.

With how little I have to do the next few days, I am hoping you will help me finish writing the last few chapters of the Book of Kung Fu as quickly as possible.

It is my duty, as your student.

Thank you.

If there is nothing else, Grandmaster, I will take my leave. Please get some rest soon.

How many more will you drag into this game...?

Once a pure stream of water flows into a polluted lake, you can no longer scoop any clean water from it. Don't you understand that?

Even if you try to replace it, you will never find her in all the chaos.

Why torment yourself with all this?

Hmm?

How could I have failed to realize that you were here as well?

Are you going to stop me?

If that's where we are going, you barely have any time left yourself.

I came here for the one. Why would I be concerned with only one-twelfth?

I could ask you. What makes you think that you can become him?

He and I. We have a score to settle.

That's not for you to decide.

Is that a truce you are seeking?

You really are nothing like your brothers and sisters.

I hope you'll show me something more interesting the next time we meet.

Miss! I heard you—

Keep it down.

I thought I told you not to seek me out in broad daylight.

It's good to see all of you in one piece...

Any progress on your end?

The Yumen markets are open for the first time in years. There are too many wares and people flowing in and out. We have no leads yet.

......

If it's not so convenient for us to look into this, let's have somebody else do it.

What do you mean...?

How many of the merchants at the markets here are locals, and how many are from Lungmen?

How many of the people behind us have missing paperwork at the L.G.D. or are in hock to us? Sift through them, and find someone who'd have an easier time than we would. It's not that hard.

Daai Siu Ze, this... sounds like it could be against the rules.

Do as I say.

......

Feranmut followers?

You needn't know where the intel came from.

Out of all the enemies that Yan has faced in the past thousand years, no small number of them lurked in the shadows.

Yumen may rely on Lungmen for its supplies, but you shouldn't be responsible for security within their borders.

Yumen is an impenetrable shield, but there are pests hiding behind that shield. They need to be exterminated by others.

I want to send you there to take care of this.

You can operate as a special L.G.D. commanding officer. On paper, you will be in charge of security while the two cities are connected, and you will have a certain level of support from me.

I need you to run a thorough investigation into the dangerous elements hiding among Yumen's citizenry and ensure its smooth sailing. Should the need arise, you may resort to the most extreme measures.

......

Why me?

Because you are Lin Yühsia. Because you can take care of this.

I want you to do in Yumen what the Rat King did in Lungmen all those years ago.

Chief Wei... You didn't discuss this with my father before you came to me, did you?

Yühsia.

Dad? You didn't tell me you were coming.

You accepted Wei Yenwu's mission. I came take a look.

So you've heard.

Investigating smugglers, eh?

I didn't want to trouble you.

Look at you, going through all the trouble to hide this from me. It's Wei Yenwu who you should be troubling.

You never considered turning this down?

Somebody has to maintain the peace here...

Wei Yenwu has many a capable character under his wing. Why must you of all people clean up his mess?

I...

Never mind. I could figure out what kind of excuses Wei is making even if I had to think with my tail.

You should know what's happened tonight.

So that's why the soldiers locked the city gate.

So much has happened in the span of a day. If this was really a coincidence, it would have to be a hell of a coincidence.

The Chief of Lungmen finds himself the target of an assassination attempt, the Grandmaster has his sword taken, and an Imperial Astronomical Bureau Messenger was killed. Each of these would make the headlines on its own.

And they all occurred within hours of each other. It's unimaginable what kind of forces are behind them.

When Wei Yenwu came to you, did he explain how dangerous this was going to be?

All I knew was this wasn't going to be a walk in the park.

Yumen is not Lungmen, and you are not me.

I know that well... I will deal with this carefully.

The agents I brought with me from Lungmen are all masters in their fields and have all followed you for years.

Plus, I know the world of jianghu... I've seen enough.

If you know what it is you are doing, then I won't keep rambling.

I just hope this will be resolved quickly without delaying your trip to Victoria.

It's just a study trip. I don't have to go...

You've helped me and the L.G.D. take care of plenty of things the last few years... to the point you haven't been able to do what you truly wanted to do yourself.

I did all that of my own volition, and it was all for Lungmen.

It's not your own choice if you haven't seen another path.

Sometimes I wonder if... perhaps, like Ch'en, you should—

*cough*...

Dad! Are you hurt?! I'll get a doctor!

No need.

It's been years since I've taxed my arms and legs so much. My bones are aching. Looks like taking walks in the park every day isn't quite enough exercise.

I'll take you back to the general's estate.

No need for that either. I'll find an inn nearby to stay the night.

Even getting to meet my old friends once is once aplenty, and I can't stand the atmosphere in that house tonight.

My, what a coincidence.

I heard a commotion at the edge of the city earlier in the evening, and I figured something big must've happened. And now that I find you here, Mr. Lin, I'm sure something big must've happened.

So what you are saying is, an old rat like me might as well be a plague?

Of course not. I was only joking.

Yühsia, let me have a few words with Mr. Lee in private.

Please excuse me.

From the looks of it, your search in Yumen hasn't been too successful?

Don't get me started. The man has been gone for well over a decade, I was never banking on finding him within a month.

But it doesn't matter how long it takes. We still have to look for him.

You are a carefree man. It's only when it concerns this old friend of yours that you burden yourself so much.

Maybe I owe him from a past life...

Since you aren't in a hurry, may I hire Lee's Detective Agency for a job?

How could I refuse a job from Mr. Lin himself?

That gets me thinking though. Haven't I been taking on a few too many troublesome jobs lately?

It goes to show what a capable man you are. We'll say I owe you one, if you do this for me.

Well, with such a generous offer on the table, looks like I really have to think this over and see if I can manage it.

Heh, only a crafty fellow like you could manage this.

One, two... nine, ten...

Urgh... All the names above me on the rankings look pretty tough...

Okay... Calm down... Just do your best...

Why can't I leave the city? Two of my brothers just died out there...

The gate is closed. Please leave.

Hey, be reasonable, can't you—

You?

Whoa, the Forte hunk with the golden mace got kicked right out of the arena.

That Feline girl has won five straight matches now!

Phew—

Hey. Ni hao. I watched all your matches today.

You've got amazing kung fu. Want to come work for me and my escort association?

Escort association?

Not interested.

Don't be so quick to refuse. With your skills, I can give you a more than decent wage!

I'm not planning on making a living with my fists. I have a degree in mechanical engineering, I'll have you know.

Mechanical what...?

Never mind that! That just means you're something of a scientist, right? Yeah, science! The escort association I'm talking about is a new kind of logistics company. Science graduates like you have a bright future with us.

Hey, don't just walk away. I'm serious.

So, that just happened...

It sounds you're going to have to wait till the lockdown is over before you can take your friends' belongings and news of their deaths back home to Shangshu.

I'm the one who brought them here. No matter how, I will bring them home.

Before I came to Yumen, I ran into Mr. Zheng in Shangshu by chance.

He told me that when the day comes that no one needs kung fu to protect themselves, that's when we will finally have true peace.

Dad is right about that, but for now, I'm more fond of another saying. An eye for an eye.

I will find the one who did this.

What are you two doing here?

Yühsia?

The government official lady from earlier?

I thought you said you'd get to the bottom of this? How are you going to get to the bottom of anything now that we're on lockdown?

You two know each other?

There's been a turn of events. Things are apparently trickier than I thought.

Then let me investigate with you!

I-I can help out, too...

It's too dangerous. I can't drag outsiders—

W-What's that sound?

Drums from the outer city district?

Look! The beacons are lit on the city walls.

It's the Wangfeng Festival, one of Yumen's traditions. It's a ceremony held every year at the beginning of spring, and it lasts three days.

The drums at the barracks are beaten for the citizens' benefit. Each beat tells them the city, the lands, and all Great Yan are safe.

As for the signal fires on the city walls, they are lit to guide the soldiers who gave their lives on the battlefield home.

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