~~~

“Eastern Port City, you say?”

Lady Pan frowns as she turns to her bookshelf. She is one of the four leaders of the Brotherhood of Thunder. Her job is to coordinate the efforts of the Brotherhood’s various informants across City Lord Lei’s territory.

She is also in charge of much of the Brotherhood’s records and bookkeeping.

“The name sounds familiar,” she says, as her fingers brush over the spines of the books one by one. “The date’s curious too. Considering when the attack happened, any record should be… here.”

Lady Pan takes out a large, leather-bound volume and places it over her desk.

“Do not get your hopes up,” she warns Liu Jin as she turns the pages. “Not all prisoners that pass through City Lord Lei’s territory are saved by us. That is true now and even more so back then. The Brotherhood was much smaller during those days.”

She pauses before adding, “Besides, some people simply weren’t worth rescuing. No one was crying when the blood-thirsty murderers were being taken off the streets. In some cases, we even helped the City Lord’s men locate the more dangerous bandit groups.”

“Interesting,” Liu Jin says, stroking his chin. “And because you did such a good job helping the City Lord eliminate the other bandit groups, he turned his eyes to the people. Is that it?”

“The irony is not lost on any of us,” Lady Pan says darkly. She jabs her finger at a page. “Here.”

Liu Jin is instantly at her side, his eyes devouring the words written there.

“It seems we rescued some people who claimed to be from Eastern Port City,” Lady Pan says. “Not many. Just one group. We helped them sneak back to the Crimson Cloud Empire, and we have not heard from them since. Their names are–”

“I don’t know them,” Liu Jin says, having already finished reading. He sighs and goes back to his seat. “However, it is nice to know other people from Eastern Port City survived.”

Lady Pan gives him a sympathetic look.

“I am sorry,” she says, closing the book. “I know it is not what you hoped to hear, Doctor Qing. Considering how much Elder Liu’s health has improved thanks to you, I wish I had better news to tell you.”

Liu Jin smiles sadly.

“Lady Pan, I used to think everyone from Eastern Port City died that night. Now, I know that night was not an utter tragedy, and I have the Brotherhood of Thunder to thank for it. Believe me when I say that is enough.”

And yet, despite knowing how unlikely it would have been, a small part of him had been hoping to find a name he recognized. A friend.

Su An’s face flashes through his mind. It has been such a long time since he last thought of her.

How horrible of him.

“Even so, I wish I could have done more for you, Doctor Qing.” Lady Pan purses her lips. “Considering the timeline, I had also been hoping for more. It was a very eventful time for the Brotherhood.”

“Eventful?” Liu Jin blinks. “How so?”

“It was only a few weeks later that we found this city,” Lady Pan says. “It all began when Brother Sou, that’s the oaf with the ax, found a woman with violet hair lost outside the Whispering Depths. He assumed she was an escaped prisoner and tried to help her, but she took his money and food when he let his guard down.”

Lady Pan snorts in an unladylike way, showing her opinion of her fellow leader.

“Whether there really was a woman or not, it is a fact he spent a long time looking for her. First, he tried the nearby villages. Then he turned his eyes to the Whispering Deaths. That’s how he found this city. Considering the dates involved, it just occurred to me... Perhaps the woman was also from Eastern Port City?”

“A woman with violet hair?” Liu Jin frowns. “I am sorry, but I do not recall anyone like that, though I cannot claim to have known everyone in the city.”

Lady Pan smiles sadly, showing the wrinkles on her face.

“No, you do not have to pretend, Doctor Qing. I know what I speak of is incredibly unlikely. Please, forgive an old woman for her flights of fancy.”

~~~

City Lord Lei Jihai will never forgive Commander Qing!

The City Lord marches down to his study, a single letter clenched tightly in his hand. Everything about him-–from his clenched jaw to his flaring Qi-–screams anger.

“Out!” he yells as he throws the door open, startling the two servants there. “You can clean later! out!”

The servants run out of the room so fast one can be forgiven for thinking they used a movement technique. The City Lord slams the door shut and throws the letter over his desk. Then he thinks about it some more and throws it at the wall.

Watching it noiselessly fall to the carpeted floor brings him no satisfaction.

That seems to be the running theme when dealing with Commander Qing Jin. Nothing is ever satisfactory. His long-thought-dead cousin appears, but he has become too strong for him to kill with his own hands. A skilled cultivator is sent to help him deal with his bandit problem, but his attempt at an ambush fails miserably!

Now, Commander Qing is just roaming the countryside doing nothing!

City Lord Lei grits his teeth and punches his desk in frustration, glaring at the letter on the floor with all the fury he can muster.

It’s another one of Commander Qing’s “reports.”

The letter is written with impeccable calligraphy. Each word is carefully chosen, and each paragraph is full of riveting detail. Reading it is such a lovely experience that it would usually take someone a while to realize there is nothing of worth written there. It is just a lot of nothing masquerading as something. It had been a somewhat amusing trick the first time, but City Lord Lei’s patience has long since vanished.

Something must be done, but what?

Someone knocks at his door. The City Lord’s Qi flares up. It should have been enough to scare away any of his servants, but the person behind the door is not a servant.

“What is it?” He barks out.

“City Lord, the day is far too bright to be in such a dour mood,” She says as she enters his office without waiting for his permission. “You should try smiling more. It will make you younger.”

Lady Lu. She is yet another one of Commander Qing’s jokes at his expense.

The City Lord obviously hadn’t taken Lady Lu’s desire to stay in his city at face value. Clearly, the whole thing had been a performance she and Commander Qing prepared in advance so she could stay behind and gather information for him. Those had been his thoughts back then.

The more he learns of Lady Lu, the more he begins to doubt his initial assessment.

In mere days, Lady Lu ingratiated herself with the daughters and wives of many influential officials. It seemed suspicious at first, but Lady Lu has only used that bond to get herself invited to various parties and celebrations. When Lady Lu is not at some party, the girl is often shopping or going in and out of the casinos, always making unreasonable demands of everyone around her and acting like an overly pampered lady.

Additionally, the number of public duels between young men, some of them his officers, has curiously increased since Lady Lu started living in Rainstorm City. No one can prove she is the reason behind those, but the City Lord is reasonably certain that she is. A spoiled girl like Lady Lu would obviously enjoy toying with male attention.

No wonder Commander Qing did not argue much against leaving her behind. Lady Lu might be a beautiful flower for a young man like him to have at his side, but like all young men eventually do, Commander Qing has clearly learned the benefits of distance.

“I am a busy man, Lady Lu,” he says. “State your business and leave.”

“Is it not obvious?” she asks him, putting a hand on her hip. “I heard that news of my Jin had reached the city. Surely, there is a letter for me this time.”

City Lord Lei sighs. This is a conversation they have had several times.

“No, Lady Lu,” he says. “Once again, there is no letter for you. I am afraid Commander Qing is busy with other affairs.”

The way the smile falls from her face brings him no small amount of satisfaction.

“Busy with peasant women, more like,” she says with heavy disdain. “I suppose that’s what men do when they’re left alone. My mother always warned me about such things.”

“I wouldn’t know,” City Lord Lei says with thinning patience. “Now, if you would excuse me, I have other matters to attend to.”

“Of course. Of course,” she says, waving her hand dismissively as she walks to the door. “I will leave you to your thoughts, City Lord. I suppose it is no surprise my Jin has not yet dealt with your bandits. Considering the rules General Murong laid out for him, it is only natural.”

“The rules?” City Lord Lei cannot stop himself from asking. Commander Qing mentioned something to that effect in the past, but he hadn’t pried too much out of fear of being seen as questioning General Murong. “What rules?”

“Oh?” Lady Lu stops and turns around. “You do not know?”

City Lord Lei recognizes the glint in her eyes. Those are the eyes of a woman whose patience with her man has run out and now seeks retribution. Commander Qing’s naiveness concerning the wild temper of women has just become an opportunity.

“I am afraid I do not, Lady Lu,” he says, his voice much more polite. “If you would please enlighten me, I would greatly appreciate it.”

Lady Lu makes a show of thinking about it. “I am not sure if I should. After all, that matter is between General Murong and my Jin.”

“Please, it would mean much,” he says, his smile becoming a little stiff. “I could see about having a few more jewels imported.”

The bait works. Lady Lu’s face brightens, and she takes a seat in front of his desk.

“Well, I suppose there is no harm in letting you know a little,” Lady Lu says in that tone women always use when gossiping. “As I am sure you know, General Nie Dan is busy preparing to fight those from beyond the Dead Plains, and General Murong Bang has agreed to a temporary truce.”

“Naturally,” City Lord Lei replies, deciding not to mention that he had initially thought the whole to be a hoax and that he had to be briefed on the existence of those from beyond the Dead Plains by his clan. Apparently, his uncle had not considered him important enough to know about it before.

“Originally, my Jin was supposed to go to the frontlines after the negotiations with General Murong. He might not look like it, but he’s a very skilled doctor.”

The City Lord frowns as he tries to imagine the young commander as a doctor. No matter how much he tries, the City Lord cannot picture him as the type who’d take care of a sick person.

“See?” Lady Lu says, clearly having guessed where his thoughts went. “However, it is true. As a doctor, he’s valuable enough that General Dan would miss his presence. Perhaps that’s why General Murong did things the way he did. Or maybe he just took offense to my Jin. I lack the wisdom to discern his thoughts.”

City Lord Lei doubts there is anyone who can decipher Murong Bang’s thoughts.

“Regardless of why, General Murong decided to take Qing Jin into his army by force, knowing that General Dan is not likely to risk the truce for a cultivator in the True Realm. General Murong told Qing Jin that he would not be able to return to General Dan’s side until the issue with the bandits is dealt with. I am sure Murong Bang thought this was a decent enough insult for General Dan, but…”

Lady Lu shrugs her shoulders.

“When you think about it, this arrangement suits us just fine, doesn’t it? We will not be sent to fight the monsters from beyond the Dead Plains as long as your bandits are around. It is a very convenient position. I am sure my Jin has started to think like that. Who wouldn’t?”

City Lord Lei does not reply immediately. If there was a glass in his hand, he’d have shattered as all his muscles coil at once and his blood pressure rises.

Suddenly, everything makes sense.

“I see,” he says at last, his jaw barely moving because of how tightly he has it clenched. “You have given me much to think about, Lady Lu.”

~~~

A glass hits the wall and shatters. It is the twenty-seventh one this afternoon.

“Another one!” City Lord Lei roars at the servant standing by the door.

“But my lord, I…” the servant looks haplessly at her empty tray.

“Well, what are you waiting for? Bring more!” He yells at her. “Glass, plates, vases! Anything that can break!”

The servant is already running away before he finishes speaking. City Lord Lei is left alone in his office, his body heaving with rage! It is all clear to him now. It was never incompetence that hindered Commander Qing.

That bastard never had any intention of helping him!

The man is simply trying to avoid being sent to the front lines. The coward. No wonder he failed to capture anyone during the ambush. His promises of offering his cousin to him after he was done with the bandits now ring false.

And yet, what can he do?

The City Lord frowns. There is a reason why the Lei Clan has yet to take direct action against Lei Kong. It is the same reason why he tried to negotiate with Commander Qing for his cousin, and why, even though Commander Qing essentially handed him a hostage by leaving Lady Lu in his city, he still hesitates to act.

That reason is General Murong.

Han, a man greatly favored by General Murong, attempted to attack Commander Qing, and the general sided not with his loyal subject but with the messenger of General Nie Dan.

That is dangerous. Far too dangerous.

The Lei Clan have been stalwart allies of General Murong for many years. It should be unthinkable for the general to side with a stranger over them. However, the years have taught them how unwise it is to get between General Murong and that which interests him. As long as Commander Qing holds General Murong’s interest, they cannot act rashly when dealing with him.

“City Lord!” A soldier hurries into his office. “There is someone at the gates! He says you need to meet him there!”

“You imbecile!” the City Lord yells with so much force the soldier falls on his back. “Do you think you can just barge into my office and tell me somebody demands my presence in my city? If someone wants an audience, they should come here and wait for my attention!”

“B-but he said it would be better if he’s not seen entering the city,” the soldier says, scrambling away from the City Lord. “He said-”

But City Lord Lei is no longer listening. He has finally started to pay attention to the world around him. He can feel the strong Qi just outside the city. More importantly, he recognizes it. In the blink of an eye, the City Lord disappears from his office and moves all the way to the city gates.

As soon as the City Lord lays eyes on the man waiting for him there, he knows his senses did not lie. It really is him.

The man who tried to kill Commander Qing.

“Commander Han,” the City Lord says. “I must admit this is a surprise. I thought you’d still be at Cloudburst City.”

“Greetings, City Lord Lei,” Han says, offering him a small bow. “An opportunity presented itself to me.”

Han takes out a golden emblem from his robe and holds it for him to see.

It is the emblem of the Lei Clan.

City Lord Lei smiles. There is only one way Han could have gotten it. To think his uncle in Thunder Blade Fortress had already foreseen his need. Truly he is a man worthy of leading the Lei Clan.

“As I understand it, you have been having a bit of trouble with a wayward member of your clan. I happen to have a problem with that man’s master. I believe we are in a position to help ourselves.”

~~~