The Solution
Luoyang Central Office.
A thoroughly soaked official burst into the government building.
“Damn it all. What the hell are they doing up there…?”
Even if he had fallen into a yellow mud pit and climbed out again, he would not have been this wet.
The moment he entered the office, he started shouting.
“Why hasn’t the permit to open the water gates come through yet?!”
“The report was filed, all right.”
A fellow official on emergency standby because of the torrential rain merely shrugged at the outburst.
“Then why hasn’t the approval come down?!”
The soaked official stripped off his official robe, wrung it out hard, and vented his rage.
“Do those people up there not realize that if this keeps up, the dikes on the upper Yellow River will burst?!”
“Of course they know. Anyone from Luoyang would know that.”
Just then another official opened the door and stepped inside.
“Has the permit come down from above?!”
The newcomer shook his head.
“The magistrate called in sick today, so everyone’s just passing the buck upstairs. That’s why the approval’s delayed.”
“That damned magistrate sits in his office all day getting massages and never does a scrap of real work—then the one time we actually need him, he’s gone!”
Yet none of them were truly worried about the magistrate’s absence.
“At this point we’ll just have to go to the Luoyang Sword Family for the permit.”
After all, the true rulers of Luoyang were the Luoyang Sword Family.
“I’m already soaked, so I’ll go.”
The official who had been wringing out his robe put it back on and headed for the door.
“Damn it. We might as well report to the Luoyang Sword Family for work instead of the office to begin with.”
The post of Luoyang Magistrate carried immense authority and responsibility on paper. In reality, when it came to any truly important matter, the man was little more than a stamp that followed the Luoyang Sword Family’s decisions.
“Go carefully.”
“There have already been several reports of carriages overturning on the rain-slick roads. Watch yourself.”
“…Damn it.”
And so, until that very moment, not a single person had noticed that the magistrate who claimed to be resting at home with an illness was not at his residence either.
At home they believed he had gone to the office that morning and was still on emergency standby because of the rain, unable to return.
The capital of the Central Plains Empire—the Imperial Capital.
Somewhere along the central thoroughfare of the Imperial Capital.
The Second Young Master’s private lounge.
The strategists directly under the Second Young Master were celebrating their success.
“It’s going smoothly.”
The talks with the heads of the Sixteen Imperial Capital Families had proceeded more smoothly than expected.
“The mere fact that those heavy-bottomed lords accepted our lord’s invitation and gathered at all was half the victory. Now all that remains is to close it properly.”
The family heads had already agreed to accept the Second Young Master’s proposal for an alliance—an alliance formed precisely to counter the union between the previous generation of family heads and the First Young Master of the Luoyang Sword Family.
Only a few minor adjustments to the conditions remained.
The Gong family had not attended, but that much had been within their calculations.
“With this, the First Young Master will no longer be able to lean on the prestige of the Sixteen Imperial Capital Families.”
“It’s obvious what he’ll try. At best he’ll keep mobilizing the Gong family, who have taken his side—that will be the full extent of it.”
The report concerning the First Young Master’s side’s attack on the Yi family around noon had already arrived.
“If anything, it worked in our favor. Because of it, our lord was able to bring the remaining fifteen family heads—the ones who actually hold real power—into the fold…”
“Everything has gone extremely well.”
The strategists under the Second Young Master exchanged sly smiles.
Yet the Second Young Master himself, who had been staring out the window in silence for some time, did not move at all.
“We did have to make some excessive promises so that our lord could lead the alliance…”
“Considering they are the current heads of the Sixteen Families, we got off cheaply.”
Still the Second Young Master gave no reply. Out of habit he simply clenched and unclenched the gauntleted hand over and over.
“…My lord.”
Sensing his foul mood, the strategists began to read his face carefully.
“Is something weighing on your mind?”
Creak—
The Second Young Master opened his mouth.
“…Too smooth.”
At that phlegmy, hoarse voice the strategists forced smiles onto their faces.
“Yes, yes. Your words are correct. Everything so far has been extremely smooth—”
“Do you not see it?”
The Second Young Master turned around. Beneath the golden mask, crimson eyes gleamed coldly downward.
“Everything is proceeding far too smoothly.”
If things were going smoothly, that should be good. Why, then, would excessive smoothness put him in a foul temper? The strategists exchanged uneasy glances.
“…It is true, of course, but is there some problem with that?”
“Please, grant us your guidance…”
The Second Young Master did not answer. He turned back to the window and gazed outside again.
Yeon So-hyeon…
His eyes sharpened.
That brat who caused such a scene on his very first outing has left no pieces in place within the Imperial Capital…?
He spoke.
“…You said the old masters of Mount Beimang still show no movement whatsoever?”
Recalling the regular reports that had come by messenger hawk from the Luoyang Sword Family, his subordinates nodded.
“Yes, my lord. According to the most recent report as of noon today, after everyone returned to their residences last night, not a single one of them has left home.”
“The next regular report is not yet in, but…”
They omitted any report on the Gong family, since the Second Young Master already knew that information.
“There would have been no high-ranking officials willing to cooperate with them in any case, so there is no real need for concern.”
“If anything, the preparations we made in advance against the possibility of those old masters moving feel a little wasted…”
Leaving the chatter of his strategists behind him, the Second Young Master thought.
…Strange.
There was definitely something.
He stared at the nightscape beyond the window where the wind howled. Watching the landscape trees thrash in the sudden gusts, he turned the matter over and over until he arrived at a single hypothesis.
…Could it be?
The reason the old masters of Mount Beimang showed no movement.
The reason the First Young Master had left no countermeasures in the Imperial Capital.
And yet the reason he continued to lock horns with someone whose power far outstripped his own.
Yeon So-hyeon, that bastard…
A single answer that cut through every question rose to the surface.
Has he already achieved, through those old masters, the purpose he set out to accomplish?
The fortified district of the poor laborers.
Headquarters of the uprising forces.
Though they grandly called it a headquarters, it was merely a pavilion that happened to be a little closer to completion than the surrounding buildings.
Even the food the people who made up the headquarters were eating was nothing more than plain white rice ladled into wooden bowls—no different from what the other poor laborers were eating.
“…Now that their surprise attack has failed once, they will not try a second time in this downpour.”
A chivalrous warrior of the Spring of Luoyang tried to break the heavy atmosphere.
“With this, we have bought ourselves another day at least.”
He wanted to say something that would put strength into those around him, to declare that today too had been a success.
Yet somehow even to his own ears the words sounded as if they had merely managed to survive one more day.
They returned to the heavy silence, chewing their rice in silence once more.
“…Damn it.”
Someone muttered a curse, but it was swallowed by the rain and wind and could not be heard clearly.
The leader of the poor laborers—who had cleaned his bowl completely—cleared his throat among the Spring of Luoyang warriors.
“…As you said, today’s defense against the attack was a success.”
Every gaze gathered on him.
A former low-ranking military officer with combat experience, he had taken the position at the urging of the poor laborers. Now he encouraged those around him.
“They will have realized what we are capable of, so they will not charge in lightly.”
One by one the people forced smiles onto their faces.
“…That’s true.”
“Whatever else they may do, they will be terrified of losing the buildings that are almost finished.”
While everyone nodded reluctantly in agreement, the Spring of Luoyang member in charge of the explosives spoke up.
“However. As everyone already knows…”
He avoided the gazes that turned toward him and continued.
“…Today’s explosion was only possible because the rain poured down like this.”
He put into words the fact they had all been avoiding.
“If we set off an explosion like today’s on a day when the rain is not falling this hard…”
He could not bring himself to finish the sentence.
But everyone already knew the result.
In a situation like this neither side would be able to fight the fire; the next explosion would burn the entire complex to the ground. And inside that blazing complex they would all burn to death.
“…That’s right.”
When the laborers’ leader agreed, everyone lowered their heads with bitter expressions.
“Even if they manage to control the fire, once the damage exceeds a certain point they will accept the sacrifices. They will throw everything they have at us just to finish us off.”
At the words “everything they have,” every face went pale.
Even now the only way to describe their situation was that they were barely holding on.
“Therefore…”
The leader spoke to those around him.
“I think it would be best for the chivalrous warriors to withdraw from this place now.”
“What do you mean by that…?”
One of the warriors with unbound hair asked.
“Are you telling us to wash our hands of this after coming this far?”
“The encirclement is extremely tight, but in rain like this warriors of your skill should be able to slip out without difficulty.”
The leader gave a bitter smile.
“There is no need for all of you to meet the same obvious end that awaits us.”
“Nonsense.”
Surprisingly, the one who answered at once was the explosives expert who had just spoken of the bleak outcome.
“From the moment we set foot here after hearing of the laborers’ uprising, every one of us came prepared.”
“Well said.”
The warrior who had failed to lighten the mood earlier grinned broadly.
“We’ve already written our wills, so don’t worry about us.”
The other warriors smiled as well and chimed in one after another.
That was the sort of people who belonged to the Spring of Luoyang.
“The road to the underworld won’t be lonely.”
“We can’t just go by ourselves. We have to drag at least one more of the bastards with us.”
“I still haven’t properly crossed blades with those famous swordsmen of the Sword Family. Pulling out now is out of the question.”
At that, a warrior who had once been a Luoyang Sword Family swordsman snorted.
“Don’t you get smashed by me every single day?”
“…Come on, man. It’s just a manner of speaking. Do you have to embarrass me at a time like this?”
Laughter broke out at the exchange.
And dozens of chivalrous warriors shared genuine smiles that rose from the heart, without anyone needing to speak first.
It was camaraderie. It was fellowship.
It was also the pride and self-respect of those who had decided to throw their lives away to make the world even a little more just.
The laborers’ leader hung his head low. The rims of his eyes had turned red.
“I give you my word.”
Seeing that, the explosives expert spoke.
“I will give them the most magnificent explosion they will never forget even in death.”
Yet the answer to those words did not come from the leader.
“I too am rather looking forward to seeing just how grand that explosion will be.”
It was the clear, ringing voice of a boy. Every gaze turned in bewilderment.
“But for now, it would be best to put that off for later.”
The Spring of Luoyang warriors had all come prepared to die; none of them had brought a youth with them.
“…Who goes there?”
No one had sensed any presence before the voice was heard, so every hand closed around a weapon.
And every one of them felt a chill run down their spine.
Was that chill because a voice had suddenly spoken without any sign of presence, or because of the white mask that now stepped into view?
They decided it was probably the latter.
Even the light of the oil lamps illuminating the space seemed to dim as if it too felt the cold.
Their rain-soaked bodies felt as though they were freezing solid.
“In this place the screams of the innocent pierce the heavens…”
It was a voice like molten metal boiling over—a voice that seemed to contain the resentment and grief of hundreds of people all at once.
“Did you truly believe that I, in the land of Luoyang, would fail to hear them?”
Suddenly, the white-masked figure stepped out from the darkness that had clung to a corner of the room.
Who among those present would not know that presence?
There were even people here who had fought in the decisive battle against the Golden Lord.
“Ah—Amcheonjonza…!”
“Amcheonjonza?!”
Everyone held their breath.
Watching them, Amcheonjonza—Yeon So-hyeon—closed his eyes for a moment behind the mask.
They have shown more than enough resolve.
In the history that remained only in his memory, they too had met a resolute end. Not a single person present had been spared.
“Yes. I am the one called Amcheonjonza.”
Now it was his turn to show his own resolve—the resolve to risk danger, persuade them, and write a new fate.
“And…”
Yeon So-hyeon lifted the mask from his face.
He had worn it only a short while, yet the mask clung stubbornly and tore away a patch of skin as it came free.
Drip—
Ignoring his own blood that fell to the floor, Yeon So-hyeon smiled at the gathered people.
“I am glad to meet you all.”
Though part of the skin of his face had been stripped away and looked ghastly, the appearance revealed under the oil-lamp light was still enough to draw admiration.
“I am the First Young Master of the Luoyang Sword Family.”
The boy smiled as he introduced himself.
“My name is Yeon So-hyeon.”
At those words every eye in the room widened until they seemed ready to tear.
Wider even than when Amcheonjonza had first appeared.