Chapter 9: Turning Point

  The streets of Jinlun were a chaotic mess of voices and crowds. News flyers, hastily printed, fluttered through the air like panicked birds, passed from hand to hand as people gathered in small, gossiping clusters.

  In the warehouse district, Jack shoved his way through a throng of anxious workers, his massive frame easily parting the crowd. He snatched one of the flyers out of the air, his brow furrowed in confusion. He smoothed out the cheap, wrinkled paper and read the bold, black headline.

  TERRORIST KUN ADMITS FOUL PLAY! PUBLIC EXECUTION IN TWO DAYS! HIGH NOON! DON’T MISS!

  Underneath, in smaller print, it continued: Reason: For the crime of bewitching the Snow Flower, the pride of Jinlun, with dark arts.

  Jack's eyes went wide, his face a mask of pure, unadulterated disbelief. Kun? A terrorist? It was impossible.

  Meanwhile, inside her grand room in the Amber Palace, Lin Meihua kept banging on the heavy, locked door, her fists bruised and raw.

  "Let me out!" she screamed, her voice hoarse from hours of shouting. "I demand to speak with the King! You can't do this!"

  She knew they could hear her. She knew there were guards stationed just outside. But they remained completely, unnervingly silent, their presence a quiet, unyielding wall. She wouldn't let Kun be executed for something he didn't do. For something that was entirely her fault. She banged on the door again, and again, until her voice was gone and her strength gave out, leaving her to slide to the floor in a heap of helpless tears.

  Back in the throne room, the King's laughter boomed, echoing off the high, marble walls. "Hahaha! Great job, Xiang Feng! You managed to make that criminal talk!"

  Xiang Feng knelt before the throne, his head bowed. "It is nothing, Your Majesty."

  "It was only natural he would break," Xiang Feng said, looking up, a corrupted, zealous grin spreading across his face. "It took longer than I thought, but he did eventually break. He admitted to everything—using alcohol to drug Senior Lin, using dark arts to brainwash her, everything. His corruption knows no bounds."

  "Great, great!" The King leaned forward, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction. "Name your reward, Xiang Feng. For your hard work and loyalty, anything is yours. Do you want fame? Riches? A position as a high commander? Name it."

  "None of those, Your Majesty," Xiang Feng replied, his voice a low, chilling whisper. "All I want is for you to grant me the position of executioner. I want to personally behead that despicable villain myself."

  He looked up, his eyes twisted with a dark, possessive light. "I will fix the Snow Flower.”

  ”Very well, that position is yours.” The king blessed the young council member. “Make sure you deliver the most painful blow possible. He will understand what it means to go against the might of Jinlun.”

  Meanwhile, Lin grew more and more restless. The more time she spent trapped in her own opulent room, the less time she had to save Kun. But she was forced to admit her newfound powerlessness. She looked at the Frost Core on her bangle; its usual brilliant, diamond-like light was now a dim, flickering glow. It was weakening by the day. Without it, she had no chance of fighting her way past the numerous guards stationed outside her door. She could hear their heavy, armored footsteps, the rhythmic shifts as they changed patrols under her window and behind her door. She would be caught in an instant.

  She was trapped in a dilemma that her centuries of tactical training had not prepared her for. But just as despair began to form a cold, heavy knot in her stomach, she heard something outside.

  "I'm sorry, but this room is not accessible for visitors," a guard's voice said, sharp and official.

  Then, a muffled arghh, followed by a heavy thud.

  "What—" another guard started to say, but his voice was cut off by a similar, sickening sound.

  Then, silence. A moment later, she heard the distinct sound of the multiple locks on her door being disengaged, one by one.

  "Who's there?" Lin called out, her voice a hoarse whisper as she scrambled to her feet, her body tensing for a fight she knew she couldn't win.

  No one answered.

  With a final, loud click, the last lock came undone. The heavy door swung open with a soft creak. Lin stared out into the empty, ornate hallway. The two guards who had been stationed there were now lying on the floor in a crumpled, unconscious heap.

  She didn't know who had saved her, but she wouldn't miss this chance.

  With a newfound sense of urgency, she rushed past the knocked-out guards, her soft slippers making no sound on the marble floor. She had to find a way out of the Amber Palace, and she knew just the route. The secret back entrance she had used during the banquet, the one meant for servants and discreet deliveries. It would be her best chance.

  She moved through the labyrinthine corridors like a ghost, her heart pounding in her chest. She avoided the main halls, sticking to the shadows, her every sense on high alert for the sound of approaching footsteps. Finally, she was there. The small, unassuming door at the end of a forgotten hallway.

  Without a second's hesitation, she pushed it open and slipped out into the night, avoiding the eyes of the remaining guards and melting into the darkness of the city.

  The dungeon prison was located deep beneath the Amber Palace, but its main entrance was separate and heavily fortified. A direct assault now, in her weakened state, would be suicide. She needed to regroup, to make a proper plan, and she knew just the place.

  Her steps were clear and certain as she ran, the path one she had taken routinely for the past year, a secret map carved into her memory. Finally, she was there, standing in the familiar, grimy hallway in front of Kun's apartment complex. His room should be safe enough, she thought. I can make a quick breakout plan here. She had no time to waste. Fortunately, the dungeon was not a place she was unfamiliar with; she had delivered a few criminals there herself.

  She stood in front of the door, the faded "#4B" staring back at her. The memories started to flood her mind—their first awkward meeting, their shared laughter, their silly fights, the comfortable silence. There was no going back.

  She reached for the handle, expecting to use her spare key, but the door swung open at her touch. It was unlocked, the new, sturdy lock she had installed now broken, splintered by the force of the guards' entry. The room was ransacked. The new bed was overturned, the ornate table was smashed to pieces, and the book he had bought her was torn, its pages scattered across the floor. Even the custom utensils she had brought, much to his initial dismay, were bent and broken.

  She clenched her fists, a cold, hard rage building in her chest. How could they? How could they tarnish the one place she cherished so much?

  "Hey, who are you?"

  A deep voice from behind her made her freeze. Did they catch me already? she thought, her heart sinking. She spun around, her body falling into a defensive stance, her silver eyes blazing with a desperate, cornered fury.

  A massive figure emerged from the shadows of the hallway. It was the buff, kind-faced boy from the warehouse, his long, fluffy white rabbit ears twitching with concern.

  Lin's defensive posture dropped. "Jack?"

  "Lady Meihua? Is that you?" Jack’s eyes were wide. "What are you doing here?"

  "You know me?"

  "Of course," Jack replied, a sad smile on his face. "You were the one who showed up at the warehouse in that blonde disguise. And... you're the only person Kun wouldn't stop talking about."

  A small, sad smile touched Lin's lips. He never stopped talking about me, she thought. "You knew about the disguise, Jack?"

  "Yeah. Your face is still the same as it is on the posters." His expression turned serious, his voice dropping to a desperate plea. "Anyway, Lady Meihua, please tell me it isn't true. Kun is not a terrorist. He's the kindest, most gentle person I know. Please tell me he won't be executed. It has to be a mistake."

  "I know, Jack. It is a mistake." Lin’s voice was full of a new, hard resolve. "The Kun you know is the real one. And I won't let him die. I will save him. I promise."

  "Then if you need anything, please let me know, Lady Meihua." Jack’s own voice was now a low, determined growl. "I'm willing to help. I won't let my friend die, either."

  "I respect your decision, Jack," Lin said, a flicker of warmth in her eyes. "But it's too dangerous. I will do it alone. I don't want you to become an accomplice; you still have a long life ahead of you."

  "But I'm strong enough," he continued to plead, taking a step forward. "Please, let me help. I'll do anything."

  "No, Jack. Kun wouldn't want to put you in danger." Her voice was firm but gentle. "This is my burden to bear. Don't worry. Just stay put."

  Jack looked dejected, but at the same time, he knew he had to trust her. Kun was his best friend. He was lonely and distant, sure, but he wasn't a heartless monster. Jack looked at the determined woman in front of him, then thought back to the past few months. She had changed Kun, for the better. His friend, who had always felt like a nobody, a failure, had started to smile more. Jack was happy he could see Kun smile like that. And he knew, looking at the fierce resolve in her silver eyes, that she had changed, too.

  "Lady Meihua," Jack said one last time. "One more thing."

  Lin turned, confused by what else he could possibly want to say.

  "Everyone at the warehouse... we know Kun is not a terrorist. And no matter how much this city paints him as one, we will always believe in him. Please, tell him that." He bowed his head. "I'm praying for your success, Lady Meihua."

  Lin nodded, a single tear escaping her eye. "Actually," she said, a new plan beginning to form in her mind, "there is maybe one thing you can help me with, Jack."

  In the darkness of the night, a lone figure in a ragged black cloak raced through the quiet streets of Jinlun, their movements a silent blur. The figure stopped, hiding in the thick bushes across from the heavily fortified entrance to the Amber Palace dungeon.

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  Four guards stood watch, their armor glinting in the torchlight. A diversion, then, the figure thought.

  With a flick of their wrist, they threw a small, wrapped object into the shadows on the far side of the guards. It exploded with a sharp crack and a shower of sparks—a simple firecracker. As the guards instinctively turned their heads toward the sound, two arrows flew from the bushes. They were not tipped with sharp blades, but with smooth, heavy rocks. They struck two of the guards squarely in the temple, knocking them out cold before they even knew what hit them.

  Before the remaining two could react, the figure was upon them. They moved with a brutal efficiency, using a powerful shoulder throw to send one guard crashing into the stone wall and a sharp, precise jab to the jaw to incapacitate the other.

  In mere seconds, all four guards were down. The figure stood over them for a moment, the hood of their cloak falling back to reveal the determined, silver-eyed face of Lin Meihua. She was ready to fight the very city that had raised her, if it meant saving the one person she held dear.

  She took the keys from one of the guard's hips and quickly unlocked the heavy entrance door, heading deep into the darkness below. Even if she knew the dungeon well, she still had to find the specific cell where Kun was being held. Time was running out, especially if another patrol discovered the four knocked-out guards outside. There was only one way in and one way out.

  Level one... not here. Level two... not here. She moved like a ghost through the damp, torchlit corridors, her heart pounding. She kept traversing deeper, past the cells of common criminals and political prisoners.

  Finally, she reached the bottom: basement level seven. This was where the worst of the worst were kept, a place of absolute despair. There's no way he's down here, she thought, a cold dread washing over her. But there was only this level left.

  She scanned the cells. Some of the prisoners were people she herself had captured over her centuries of duty. But at the very end of the corridor, she finally found it. A lone cell door, thicker and heavier than the rest. This had to be it.

  With trembling hands, she used the key she had taken. The lock turned with a heavy, grinding sound, and she pushed the door open. What awaited her inside was a vision of pure, frightful horror.

  It was Kun, but it was a version of him she barely recognized. His already thin frame was now skeletal, his skin pale and waxy. He was starved. His lips were cracked, his body was a canvas of dark, ugly bruises, and his legs were bloodied and raw. His fingernails were gone, his fingers bent at unnatural angles.

  No... no, please be alive, she thought, a choked sob escaping her lips as tears filled her eyes. She rushed towards him, desperately fumbling with the heavy chains that bound him to the wall.

  "Kun, please," she pleaded, her voice a desperate whisper. "Please, can you hear me? Wake up, please." She kept her voice low, terrified of alerting the guards, but the panic was making it hard to breathe. She pulled a small water container from her pouch and gently forced it to his cracked lips, hoping he would wake up.

  Kun finally stirred, his eyes fluttering open. They were dull and lifeless, as if he were just a husk of a person. "No... no way," he said, his voice a weak, dry rasp. "There's no way she's here. I must be dreaming... or I must already be dead."

  "No, please, it's me! I'm real!" Lin cried, the tears now flowing freely down her cheeks. "Please, wake up. I'm saving you. Let's get out of here." She tried to lift him, but he was dead weight.

  "You... you're actually real?" Kun's hand, bruised and broken, slowly lifted. He touched her cheek, then pinched it weakly.

  "I am, you idiot!" she sobbed.

  "No... why are you here?" he whispered, trying to push her away with what little strength he had. "Leave me behind. You shouldn't be here. I already admitted my sin... I made a contract."

  Contract? What does he mean? The thought flashed through Lin's mind, but it wasn't the time. They needed to go. She lifted his arm, draping it over her shoulder. He was clearly unable to walk, his legs a bloody mess.

  Suddenly, a loud, blaring alarm echoed through the dungeon, its sound a deafening shriek. Red lights began to flash, illuminating the horrified faces of the other prisoners.

  They found the guards outside, Lin thought, her heart sinking. She had found Kun too late. With him in this state, a quiet escape was impossible. She had to improvise. She looked at Kun, then at the rows of cells filled with criminals. There's no choice, she thought, a new, desperate plan forming in her mind. Prison riot it is.

  She lifted Kun, not with the gentle care of a lover, but like a sack of potatoes, heaving him over her shoulder.

  "Hey, hey, what are you—" Kun protested, his voice weak. "Isn't there a better position you can lift me? Or better yet, just leave me here."

  "Shut up," Lin said, her voice now a low, determined growl. "There's no time. This will have to do. Your dignity is a small price to pay for your life."

  And with that, she ran. Even without her full power, she was still a master martial artist, and Kun's starved frame was a light burden. She sprinted back up to level four and, using the keys she had taken, began unlocking every cell door she passed. Then she moved to level three, then two, then one.

  Just as she had predicted, the lowly bandits and rebels, seeing their chance, all started to riot, pouring out of their cells and running towards the entrance like a wave of humanity with a single, common goal: freedom. As the first wave of guards came pouring in through the lone entrance, they were met not by a single escapee, but by a tide of desperate prisoners. A full-scale fight broke out, and using the chaos as a distraction, Lin managed to slip out.

  But the danger was not over. As they emerged into the night, a horn blew from one of the high guard towers. They had been spotted.

  "Arrows! From the towers!" Kun shouted weakly, his face pressed against her back.

  "I see them!" she yelled back, her voice strained.

  She kept running, her feet pounding on the cobblestones. An arrow whizzed past her ear. She dodged another. But a third, fired from an unexpected angle, lodged itself deep in her shoulder from behind.

  "Ughhh!" Lin grunted, but she bore the pain, not even slowing down.

  "Where are we going?" Kun asked, his voice full of panic.

  Lin had no answer.

  "Don't tell me you don't know," he groaned.

  "I didn't think I would get this far!" she admitted, her voice a frustrated shout.

  "Aren't you supposed to be a general or something? How can you not have a plan?" Kun sighed.

  "Well, do you have a better idea before we become pincushions?" Lin shot back.

  "Sewers!" Kun yelled. "Yeah, sewers! There should be a sewer grate near here! It connects to another grate just near the south gate! We can use that!"

  "What's the downside?" Lin asked, her breath coming in ragged gasps.

  "No downside! I promise!"

  Trusting him, Lin spotted the heavy stone grate just ahead. With a final burst of speed, she slid to a stop, lifted the grate with one arm, and jumped down into the darkness below, just as another volley of arrows rained down on the spot where she had been standing.

  Moments later, the stone grate near the south gate of the city slid open. Two eyes peeked out from below. "Coast is clear," Lin said, lifting herself and then the injured Kun out of the sewer.

  "I trusted you," she hissed at him, her voice a mixture of relief and disgust. "That was disgusting. The smell... the leeches... the snails!"

  "Sorry, sorry," Kun said, his voice still weak. "I had to, otherwise you wouldn't have gone in there.”

  “How did you even know the sewers connected to the south gate?”

  “I'm a janitor, remember? One day, Mr. Zhang told me to clean the sewers below our warehouse. From there, I kinda developed a fascination with finding where they all led."

  "How did you even survive down there?" Lin asked, wiping grime from her body and gritting her teeth as she pulled the arrow from her shoulder.

  "You just get used to it," Kun said, giving her a weak thumbs-up. He looked at her, his expression turning serious. "Anyway, are you crazy? A prison break? You threw away everything you have just to break me out. I already made a contract to save you."

  "Yeah, this 'contract'," Lin said, her eyes narrowing. "What is it about?"

  "It's about me beheading that man, so his influence will no longer grasp you, Senior."

  The voice came from behind them. It was cold, hard, and terrifyingly familiar. They both spun around to see Xiang Feng standing there, his shortsword drawn and his black shield in his other hand.

  "I suggest you walk away from him, Senior," Xiang Feng declared, his eyes devoid of their usual warmth. "It's for your own good."

  He's alone, Lin thought, her mind racing. Is he really that cocky?

  "This is me, Xiang Feng," she pleaded, her voice soft. "The real me. Not the mask called the Snow Flower. Trust me, you've misunderstood. He is innocent. Please, let us go."

  "Enough!" Xiang Feng's voice was sharp. "It seems his influence still seeps deep within you, doesn't it, Mr. Kun?"

  When Lin looked back at Kun, she saw him shivering, not from the cold, but from pure terror.

  "You," she said, her voice a low growl as she turned back to Xiang Feng. "What did you do to him?"

  "Not much," Xiang Feng replied, a chilling smile on his face. "Just what you see right now."

  "You tortured him," Lin stated, her voice shaking with rage. "It’s inhumane. He is a normal, innocent person."

  "Don't worry, Senior Lin." Xiang Feng’s face twisted into a mask of corrupted adoration. "I will fix you. You will return to us, just like you always were."

  Even this is my fault, Lin thought, a wave of despair washing over her.

  "You'll have to go through me," she said, actively shielding Kun with her own body.

  "Don't," Kun tugged on her cloak. "Don't worry," Lin whispered, setting a plan in motion. "I know how he fights. He can only use his Core three times a day. If I can force him to use his power, he'll be too fatigued to chase us." Easy, she thought. No need for me to use my own Core.

  She readied her bow, nocking one of the rock-tipped arrows. She reached into her pouch and threw a firecracker at Xiang Feng, hoping he would raise his shield. He did just that. As he deflected the sparks, Lin moved to the side and launched two arrows in quick succession. Xiang Feng had no choice but to use his Spark Core, sending a jolt of electricity from his sword to deflect them.

  That's one, Lin thought. She quickly closed the distance, preparing to shoot at close range. As Xiang Feng brought his shield to the front, she moved to the side once again and launched another arrow, which once again forced him to use electricity to shoot it down. Two.

  "One more," she muttered. Lin jumped onto a nearby balcony and launched a final volley, mixing in the last of her firecrackers.

  "Enough!" Xiang Feng yelled, coating himself in a crackling aura of electricity to neutralize the barrage. That's three.

  Now was her chance. Lin slung her bow over her back and drew a small dagger. "Sorry for this, Xiang Feng," she whispered. She jumped from the balcony, landing silently on top of his shield, her dagger poised to plunge into his shoulder.

  But then, he spoke. "Countershock."

  A massive jolt of electricity erupted from the shield, knocking her back and sending a paralyzing current through her entire body. "No..." she gasped, her muscles locking up. "How...? You can only use it three times."

  "Surprised, Senior Lin?" Xiang Feng’s voice was cold and triumphant. "I managed to get stronger. Just for you. I doubled my usage since last year. But you would know that, if you had ever bothered to oversee my training." He shook his head, a look of pity on his face. "That's how much this man has bewitched you."

  He stepped over her paralyzed form and walked toward Kun, who was cowering in fear. "So, you stay there while I finish the job."

  Lin tried to stand, to move, to do anything, but her body wouldn't respond. She could only watch, helpless, as the boy who once adored her walked toward the man she now held dear, his sword raised to strike.

  "No! Please, someone save him!" Lin's hands outstretched as she pleaded for Kun's safety.

  Just as Xiang Feng brought his sword down, a crimson blur shot down from a nearby rooftop. There was a deafening CLANG as a flaming gauntlet intercepted the blade, sending sparks flying. The figure landed between Xiang Feng and Kun, their powerful straight punch sending Xiang Feng's shield—and Xiang Feng himself—flying into a nearby building with a sickening crunch. He was knocked out cold.

  The figure turned, and Lin's eyes widened in shock. "Ma... Master?"

  "Can you stand, Linlin?" Zhu Lihua asked, her voice a mixture of exhaustion and profound relief as she reached out a hand.

  "Why... why are you here?" Lin asked, taking her master's hand.

  "I... I want to make things right," Zhu said, her voice cracking. "For your mother, and for you. I'm sorry. I finally realized I wasn't the best stepmother for you growing up. I want to make amends. I want to learn more about you... the daughter I raised. Please." To Lin's absolute shock, Zhu Lihua bowed, a deep, formal gesture of apology.

  "Master..." Lin whispered, awkwardly trying to stop her.

  "Hey! There they are!" The voice of a guard captain echoed down the street as a platoon of soldiers began to close in on them.

  "It appears it's not the time," Zhu said, her expression hardening. She snapped her fingers, and a massive wall of fire erupted from the ground, separating them from the approaching guards. "Go! I'll hold them off!"

  She tossed a heavy satchel to Lin. "Rations and medicine. It should be enough to get you to the next safe place. Courtesy of your rabbit friend. Did you know he's only fifteen?"

  Lin caught the bag, a small, watery smile touching her lips. "I know. Big world, isn't it?" She moved to Kun and, with a grunt, slung him over her shoulder like a sack of potatoes once more.

  "Not this again," he shrieked weakly.

  "Master," Lin began, her voice thick with emotion. "I know we... didn't get along much. And I know I shouldn't have said those words back then. For that, I'm sorry. This is the real me. I want you to know that. And despite everything... I am proud to be raised by you." She took a deep, shuddering breath. "So, Master, please be safe. And if we can meet again one day... let's finally talk. Not as master and disciple, but as mother and daughter."

  Zhu Lihua was shocked into silence for a moment, and then a genuine, beautiful smile spread across her face. "I would love that, Linlin. Now go."

  Lin nodded and started to run.

  "And you!" Zhu pointed at Kun, who was still draped over Lin's shoulder. "If you make her cry, I will hunt you down!"

  Kun gulped audibly at the threat.

  As Lin disappeared past the south gate, Zhu Lihua looked up at the moonlit sky. Lei, she thought, a single tear rolling down her cheek. It appears your daughter has truly grown.

  Linlin... spread your wings. You are now truly free.

  And with that, Zhu Lihua disappeared, vanishing like a flicker of flame that had just been extinguished.