Operation story: IW-5

Operation

Story

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Characters
Blacknight Kroos Lee Mr. Nothing Zuo Le Boatman Innkeeper Zheng Liang Xun Miss Du Miss Ning Pole-Carrier Taihe Startled Customer Strange Object (Waregeist) Teahouse Assistant
Backgrounds
1 2 3 4 5 6

Before operation

“

Innkeeper Zheng preemptively intercepts the thief known as Blacknight, only to be accosted by the pole-carrier Shang Zhong, who snatches the goblet. Kroos's party finds the boatman, and looks to link up with Lee.

”

<Background 1>
The breeze in the mountains is ever crisp and cool. And mornings as refreshing as these are always fine for settling muddy, murky matters. In a mountain-sat village, when kitchen's smoke has just sprung up, the snow still unreceded in spring, one old and one young stand off against each other. The only sound, the single strike of a faraway gong.
[Zheng the innkeeper stands before Blacknight...]
Innkeeper Zheng	You've kept me waiting.
[...forcing her to stand down.]
Blacknight	Tch. Bloody lout... Light, stay cool for the moment.
Innkeeper Zheng	I've seen you before. Hmm. So it was you. Unexpected, for sure. A Rim Billitonian, silently lurking in Shangshu since the very beginning.
Blacknight	I can't understand you, sorry.
Innkeeper Zheng	Hmph.
Blacknight	Light! What—?!
Innkeeper Zheng	A snare? You train these slumberfoots well. An ordinary woman would be headfirst in the ground by now.
Blacknight	(He didn't just notice the snare behind him, he stepped on the rope without hesitation... Bastard...)
Innkeeper Zheng	Don't worry, I won't make this hard for you, girl. Do you know what that goblet you're holding is?
Blacknight	It's not my concern, or my interest. It's newbie bounty hunters that ask too many questions.
Innkeeper Zheng	Then you have only yourself to blame.
Blacknight	Don't get so full of yourself! Helmet! Drill!
[Blacknight commanded her slumberfoots Helmet and Drill to attack Zheng, who easily punches them down.]
Blacknight	—
Innkeeper Zheng	If you don't know what it is, then be wise and hand it over. Don't be used for nothing.
Blacknight	H-How dare you do that to Helmet—! You asked for it!
[Blacknight fires her crossbow at Zheng, who catches its bolts mid-air.]
Innkeeper Zheng	...A headless bolt.
Blacknight	(H-He caught it barehanded? At this distance?! And I *just* changed the string on my crossbow—!)
Innkeeper Zheng	Fine. Seeing how you're unwilling to take my life, I'll give you one chance. Hand over the goblet to me, and then tell the one instructing you: Tread carefully. Don't be selfish.
Blacknight	Hmph. You know who hired me?
Innkeeper Zheng	Whether I know or not doesn't matter. What matters is I can stop you, right here.
Blacknight	Why should I listen to you?
Innkeeper Zheng	You have no choice. Maybe you can run, but you could never bear to see these beasts of yours meet a sorry fate.
Blacknight	You're threatening me?
Innkeeper Zheng	You have skill. But aside from your crossbow, you've got nothing in a fight. You can pull out before you're in too deep. You need a good eye and the right people, if you want to survive here.
Blacknight	True. They never told me someone as capable as you would get in the way.
Innkeeper Zheng	If I had someone do something dangerous for me, I wouldn't give them the whole picture either. It's just a job to you, stranger. Why stake your life on it? Give the cup to me, and I vow on the Escorts' name that whatever they're paying you, we'll double it.
Blacknight	Hah, I was taking a loss anyway with all my volunteer work. Call this a favor for a friend.
Innkeeper Zheng	A friend. So even you bandits of the wild don't mind a sacrifice for a friend.
Blacknight	Sounds like you've got something against us.
Innkeeper Zheng	No... not at all. The longer you do business, the more fine people you meet, the less friends you end up with.
Blacknight	Then be smart, and go back to your business.
Innkeeper Zheng	Yes, business is always easiest done in the mountains. Three Mounts, Seventeen Peaks, hundreds of passes. Is there any road without a teahouse and station for travelers to rest their feet? Is there any road... without our people?
Blacknight	......
Innkeeper Zheng	I hope you see clear now, girl.
Blacknight	You really don't think anything of me. A direct confrontation might not be my style, but you've pissed me off just far enough... isn't that right, my darlings? (Rim Billitonian) The old todger wants to have a go, let's give 'im a go! We've been around the paddock a few times, we're no strangers!
Innkeeper Zheng	*Sigh*... Some just refuse to learn. If that's your answer, then you'll pay the—
Even if a third party was stood there watching, they wouldn't have a clue just how the coming step came to land. Simply put, the man is adept in walking passes, in climbing mountains. The steps he lifts and places, day after day after day, are truly too many to count. In one clean noise, clay bricks shatter in the ground. Before him, dust drifts down. By his gaze is a simple, common bamboo-wood carrying pole. His gaze itself, faint rage. Far away, the gong strikes again.
Innkeeper Zheng	......
Blacknight	—H-How... Where did he come from... Wait, Light, calm down! And Drill! Back to me...!
Innkeeper Zheng	...It's you.
[Shang the pole-carrier joins in.]
Pole-Carrier	You finally came to the mountains. So I came to find you.
Innkeeper Zheng	*Sigh*... What comes will come. Nothing's avoidable forever. Is there a need to be so hasty?
Pole-Carrier	Hey. Miss.
Blacknight	...Are you talking to me? (His movement—is that wooden stick one of their carrying poles? What did he do just now... to shatter bricks made of stone?)
Pole-Carrier	Do you know him?
Blacknight	No.
Pole-Carrier	Then there's some problem between you.
Innkeeper Zheng	I only see you between us.
Pole-Carrier	You're right. I'm your problem, then.
Innkeeper Zheng	When I'm done here, I'll come see you. But not now.
Pole-Carrier	Miss. Does this relate to the item in your hands?
Blacknight	Uh... it does...
Innkeeper Zheng	This is personal business. And major at that. Stay out of it.
Pole-Carrier	How major?
Innkeeper Zheng	The safety of the nation is at stake! Life and death!
Blacknight	......!
Pole-Carrier	Since that rainy night those years ago, I've rarely heard you use such a tone. I see. How could you be the villain here? What a chivalrous swordsman. What a dutiful innkeeper.
Innkeeper Zheng	Then get out of the way—
Pole-Carrier	—But I know just who you are, and that's why you'll never see me. And if you won't, then it changes nothing if I find you. That's why I never came down from the mountains. So. If...
[Shang grabs the cup from Blacknight.]
Blacknight	Hey! You—!
Pole-Carrier	......
Blacknight	Give that back!
Pole-Carrier	...... ...... It was ten years. Ten years ago, you watched as my son died... so you could protect this goblet.
Innkeeper Zheng	Shang Zhong!
Pole-Carrier	Miss. This is nothing to do with you now.
Blacknight	You steal my things while I'm not looking, and then tell me it's not my business?!
Pole-Carrier	This was never yours.
Blacknight	Hmm...
Innkeeper Zheng	Shang Zhong, have you lost it?!
Pole-Carrier	You're free to go now.
Innkeeper Zheng	Shang Zhong!
Pole-Carrier	Leave!
Blacknight	Grr...! Mark my words, you two... I'll be back for it!
[Blacknight runs away.]
Pole-Carrier	Zheng Qingyue... Where's your blade?
Innkeeper Zheng	At home.
Pole-Carrier	I see. At home. That rainy night, in the escort, over a dozen lost their lives. There was a boy among them, and a father. The boy was a Shang. My boy. The father was a Du. Du Yaoye's father. That's why you don't carry your blade. What a tremendous joke.
Innkeeper Zheng	You still hate me to this day.
Pole-Carrier	I don't hate you. I know you didn't mean to. The blame lies with you, but no fault. "Save the goods, then the men," hm? Yet the goods are gone now, and so are the men. Am I still not allowed to condemn you? I must ask you give justification, or else I cannot live on.
Innkeeper Zheng	I will. Give me the goblet. Do you know what it entails—
Pole-Carrier	No. He died for this cup then. I'll bury it beside him today. I'll be waiting atop the mountain, for you to fetch your blade.
<Background 2>
Kroos	Master Shen!
Boatman	Mm? What brought you over here? I was about to look for you at Liang's. Where's young Lee?
Kroos	The goblet got stolen. Mr. Lee sent us to fetch you. Did he tell you anything about this?
Boatman	He asked you to come get me, but not to first find Mr. Liang? To be clear, you came from the Liang residence?
Kroos	Er... yeah.
Boatman	...*Sigh*. The fact he didn't send you to find Liang Xun means deep down, he already knows... Gifted, how gifted. How truly gifted.
<Background 3>
[Taihe walks to Zuo Le.]
Zuo Le	You're back, Uncle? How were things?
Taihe	In regards to her, thoughtful of etiquette, true as can be.
Zuo Le	If she was so ready to display etiquette, that shows there's still room for mediation. This is regardless of how she acts, or what intentions she harbors. Master Tai's instructions lie here, and they can't be false.
Taihe	She's clever. Since I visited in an official's capacity, she should have realized to some extent.
Zuo Le	Very well.
Taihe	Both sides are now strained to breaking point. We stand on a hair trigger. We can only resolve this incident before we draw even more dispute.
Zuo Le	If we really do want everyone to trust that our methods can forever rid Yan of the sword hanging over her head, then we naturally must obey those magic words— —Frank and forthright.

After operation

“

The spirits, dubbed Waregeists by Zuo Le, begin besieging the masses. Liang Xun has sought out Miss Ning due to the goblet affair, and is deeply concerned. Mr. Nothing suffers an attack from the rear, and who should come to his rescue but Zuo Le?

”

<Background 4>
Pole-Carrier	One noon tea.
Teahouse Assistant	Alright! Take a seat, Master Shang! Why so late to work today?
Pole-Carrier	Met an old acquaintance in the morning.
Lee	Which acquaintance?
Pole-Carrier	Lungmenite.
Lee	Fine day. Fancy meeting you again, Master.
Pole-Carrier	What, still looking for that pavilion?
Lee	You helped me considerably by narrowing things down, but I'm still meant to find a person and not just a pavilion, so there's yet more to do.
Pole-Carrier	Is that your sweetheart, sitting over there?
Miss Du	What...?!
Lee	Ahem. No, I'm not that brave...
Pole-Carrier	Oh, your daughter, then?
Lee	I hardly seem the fathering kind, don't I?
Pole-Carrier	That's true.
Miss Du	Hey, what did you just say?! Me and that Lungmenite conman are what?!
Pole-Carrier	A man and woman going up the mountains at this hour, in early spring. Nothing else to do, probably.
Miss Du	I—
Teahouse Assistant	Master Shang, your noon tea.
Pole-Carrier	Thank you.
Lee	Noon tea? Not sure if it's noon yet.
Pole-Carrier	Every Shangshu pole-carrier gets two free servings of tea in the mountain teahouses. A noon tea in the morning, a sunset tea in the afternoon, each with some small sides.
Lee	The taste of a free tea is always fine.
Pole-Carrier	It's tea, nothing more.
Lee	But it's in the mountains, see. Mountain tea's always a bit more expensive. And if it's complimentary, you've made out like a bandit.
Pole-Carrier	You manage your books well.
Lee	Are the shopkeepers really that kind, though? Is it all out of benevolence?
Miss Du	The authorities subsidize it, duh.
Pole-Carrier	...And you'd know?
Miss Du	My home happens to be a food service establishment too. Of course I've got some idea.
Pole-Carrier	...I see.
Lee	Are you close with the Shangshu authorities?
Miss Du	Have been since Mr. Liang took up office. The last few Shangshu governors were about construction, civil projects, developing the mountains and forests—not just recovering the city from all its troubles, but breathing even more life into it. Maybe Governor Liang Xun thought the city was renewed enough when he came in, because his agenda was peace and love for the citizens instead... Whatever you think of this, you've seen nothing yet.
Lee	......
Pole-Carrier	You're wise, for your young age.
Miss Du	My dad does business. It's all just osmosis.
Pole-Carrier	You have a fine father. I've finished my tea. I should be on my way now.
Lee	See you again, Master Shang.
Pole-Carrier	See you again.
[Shang leaves.]
Miss Du	—Hey! Lee, what's he doing with the goblet?!
Lee	Not sure. But he's got no motive to hide, hanging it off his belt for anyone to see. It's like...
Miss Du	He's asking for someone to come at him?
Lee	Ignore it. Let's have some tea ourselves, and see how this plays out. Waiter! Two pots of tea, and two of the shredded meat noodles.
Miss Du	I'm not having anything.
Lee	I'll be eating them both.
Teahouse Assistant	Your two pots of tea, sir. The noodles will be a bit longer; we're busy today.
Lee	Thank you...
[Lee noticed a creature that followed him before.]
Strange Object	Ao?
Lee	Why follow us all the way here?
Strange Object	Phhh... ao!
Miss Du	Hey. Lee. I'm going to ask you something, and you can't laugh. Did that teapot—just move by itself...?
Teahouse Assistant	Shredded meat noodles— Whoa! Mind it, sir, I'm carrying your noodles here!
[Suddenly the objets in the teahouse turned into creatures.]
Strange Object	Aoww?
Teahouse Assistant	What the hell is this?!
Lee	Careful!
[Lee swiftly jumps to Du...]
Miss Du	Huh?
[...and is struck by a creature in the process.]
Lee	Urgh!
Miss Du	—Hey, are you okay there? The stuff in the kitchen, the cloth and the brushwork... they're all... jumping out!
Startled Customer	Yaaagh! What is that?!
Teahouse Assistant	Fire! Fire, this monster's on fire!
Lee	They're charging at us.
Miss Du	Hey, Lee! Tell me what the hell's going on?!
Lee	So the rumors about that goblet were true... There's too many people in here, let's move!
<Background 2>
Boatman	How do we reach young Lee?
Kroos	He told us in the letter he left. After we meet up, we find him at the summit of Qujiang Peak. If he's not there yet, we wait until sundown.
Boatman	Good. We'll stick to it. We can't let the goblet fall into anyone else's hands.
Mr. Nothing	Benefactor, how should we respond to those Ink Spirit-esque manifestations from earlier?
Kroos	Chances are it's linked to the cup... We'll rendezvous with Mr. Lee first. Oh!
[Waregeists show up before Kroos, Mr. Nothing, and Shen.]
Strange Object	Aoww—
Mr. Nothing	Benefactor, would you say they've—er—proliferated?
Boatman	Hm? What breed of beast is this? Why have they been everywhere for the last two days?
Kroos	We've been surrounded, haven't we...
Strange Object	Ao!
Boatman	Oh, you're feisty ones.
Mr. Nothing	—There's no other way! Benefactor, you and Master Shen take your leave for now, and I'll handle these miscreants!
Kroos	—You alright with that?
Mr. Nothing	They act more or less as the Ink Spirits do. Reason says I should cope.
Kroos	Master Shen! This way!
<Background 5>
Liang Xun	......
Miss Ning	What troubles you? You seem so ill at ease.
Liang Xun	Nothing.
Miss Ning	Your brows always wrinkle when you worry for people.
Liang Xun	Do they?
Miss Ning	They do. Who garners such concern from you, my Lord?
Liang Xun	I'm worried for that friend of mine.
Miss Ning	What has become of him?
Liang Xun	He's gotten into a gamble.
Miss Ning	One you asked him to take.
Liang Xun	...True.
Miss Ning	Are you now remorseful?
Liang Xun	I still believe this was the best option. I'm simply not sure...
Miss Ning	You are very clever, my Lord.
Liang Xun	I wouldn't claim to be.
Liang Xun	I just chose a stupid method.
<Background 6>
Blacknight	Is every beast in Yan like this?
Strange Object	......
Blacknight	......
Strange Object	Ao?
Blacknight	Hm? Light? Oh, don't worry... mm, I'm happy as long as I have you all with me. Still, though...
Strange Object	...?!
Blacknight	Drill! Keep a hold on it, now! Completely new Yanese beasts... you might just make for some unexpected traps!
<Background 2>
[Mr. Nothing fights off the creatures.]
Mr. Nothing	Dear me! What's going on? Did I offend some horror in recent times? Why are my days filled with contesting these menageries of creatures?! —Oho?!
Strange Object	Wrrao!
[One of the creatures reverted to what they transformed from.]
Mr. Nothing	...On closer inspection, these things are...
[More creatures show up...]
Strange Object	Wrr—
Mr. Nothing	(Damned—)
[...but they are slashed down by Zuo Le.]
Zuo Le	Close call. Are you hurt, sir?
Mr. Nothing	You must be... from the other day—
[Taihe joins in.]
Taihe	Don't ask.
Mr. Nothing	......!
Zuo Le	No need to be so cold, Uncle Taihe...
Strange Object	—!
Mr. Nothing	Would you know where these things arose from?
Zuo Le	Wherever the goblet goes, Waregeists spring up. Ironically, it's proving the Sui Regulator's conjectures. Does this mean...
Taihe	Mind your words, young man.
Zuo Le	As you instruct, Uncle Taihe.
Strange Object	Wrrao—wrr!
Mr. Nothing	(These sprites—er, Waregeists... are they scared of these two? No, is it specifically the boy that cowers them...?)
Zuo Le	*Sigh*... Take a look at these Waregeists. How many incidents like this have we had?
Taihe	Ten, twenty-five, and a full sixty years ago, with several more still.
Zuo Le	While we have wrongdoers wreaking havoc with Originium Arts on occasion, things really don't come any better than this. But Sui in the end is Sui, and a beast in the end is a beast. If your people carry intent to harm the realm, then Heaven knows how great the disaster will be.
Waregeist	Ao—
Zuo Le	The Sui Regulator has no desire to see such things come to pass. Which is why we need to settle this millennium-long mess swiftly and cleanly.
[Zuo Le uses Arts on the creatures, now known as Waregeists...]
Waregeist	—
[...reverting them back into inanimate objects.]
Zuo Le	...No more than detritus.
Mr. Nothing	Those things... reverted back into common wares...
Zuo Le	Mr. Nothing.
Mr. Nothing	...Hmm.
Zuo Le	Please, convey this to Ms. Kroos for me. I want her to reconsider what I've said. We can be on good terms regardless. Even if she should ultimately have her own considerations, my side still has a matter it wishes to entrust to Rhodes Island irrespective of position.
Mr. Nothing	I can assent to passing it on, but why didn't you convey this to her yourself when the moment was ripe?
Zuo Le	Haha... well, at that moment... I was a little tensed up. I didn't get everything out.
Taihe	Lord Zuo.
Zuo Le	Well, then... It seems we can't delay any longer. Mr. Nothing, we bid you farewell.
[Zuo Le and Taihe leave.]
Mr. Nothing	Seems tense? So a young nobleman who scampers about with the Deputy Imperial Censor in tow has a case of the nerves?