Operation story: WB-2

Operation

Story

Previous WB-1	Next WB-3
Characters
Injured Girl Lee Lin Yühsia Qiubai Waai Fu Zuo Le Burly Man Du Yaoye (Agitated) Hawker Blacksmith Lungmen Agent Shanhaizhong Member Warehouse Guard
Backgrounds
1 2 3 4 5 6

Before operation

“

Zuo Le pursues the assassin, but is unexpectedly obstructed. Lin Yühsia investigates the case in her own way, and finds more than meets the eye.

”

Anasa The word means "one without roots" in an ancient language. My people say that all things are uncertain, except life and death. Trying to cling onto something only brings trouble. That's why we drifted from one place to another, living with the barrenlands. There is always water and game to be found, and at the end of our lives, we return to dust, return to the earth. But a Catastrophe destroyed our camp, and most of us lost our lives in the migration. A woman from a nomadic city happened to pass by, and guided us to safety. She taught us how to fight, shared knowledge, and told us stories of the cities. She said that everyone should have a place to call home.
<Background 1>
[The injured thief wakes up.]
Injured Girl	–!
???	Stay down.
[The burly Feline man walks toward the thief.]
Injured Girl	(Ancient Sarkaz language) Who are you? Why am I here?
Burly Man	Can't understand a word. Not that it matters. You're here to heal your wounds. You'll do exactly as the doc says, if you want to see the sun rise again. If the don't want to die here, do as I say.
Injured Girl	(In hesitant Yanese) Where am I... who are you?
Burly Man	This is an infirmary and you're a patient. I'm a helper at the infirmary.
Injured Girl	Where's my sword?!
The girl reaches around her in a panic, only calming down when she finds the weapon beside her.
Injured Girl	It's there... thank goodness...
Burly Man	We found you passed out at the door of the infirmary yesterday, but you wouldn't let the sword go. Did you get hurt fighting over it?
Injured Girl	...Doesn't concern you.
Burly Man	No need to look at me like that. I could've taken it while you were passed out, if I wanted to. I've seen so many people die over so-called masterwork weapons. Did you really think wielding a weapon like that would make you strong enough to beat enemies you couldn't? I don't trust weapons. The only thing I trust is my fists. A true warrior shouldn't entrust victory to something else.
Injured Girl	You don't understand! I'm not trying to fight with this sword... I... I want to repay a debt.
Burly Man	The sword is a weapon for killing.
Injured Girl	My mentor told me the sword means a lot to her. I promised her that I would bring her the sword, or bring it to her grave at least.
Burly Man	Has your mentor passed away?
Injured Girl	Yes...
Burly Man	Well, I'm not interested in listening to people talk about their debts and grudges. If you say you fought over the sword to repay a debt, I'll believe it. A woman who's almost died has no need to lie. So it means you see your obligations as being more important than your life. That's not a bad thing.
Injured Girl	Why did you help me?
Burly Man	What's an infirmary for, if not to help people?
Injured Girl	But I don't have any money. I know that money is required in exchange for kindness in the nomadic cities.
Burly Man	That's not wrong, but you can work your debt off as well. Why do you think I'm working here for the doc? The difference is that I'm working to pay the medical bills of the people I beat up. I do the heavy lifting at the clinic, so you should learn to do things like drying herbs and wrapping wounds. You don't owe as much as I do. A few months should be enough to pay your debt off.
Injured Girl	No! I will find a way to repay your kindness, but I am in a hurry... I need to get out of the city.
Burly Man	You're not going anywhere. I said, stay down. You're here to get your injuries healed. You managed to survive them. Would be a shame if you died now. Not to mention an embarrassment to the clinic. But... kindness is important too. I'll think about it... once you're healed up and repaid your debt.
[Someone knocks the door.]
Injured Girl	......!
Burly Man	Another patient? I'll take a look. STAY, DOWN.
[The burly Feline walks off.]
<Background 2>
[The Feline opens the door and Zuo Le enters.]
Burly Man	What is it?
Zuo Le	Are you the doctor, sir?
Burly Man	The doc's out. I'm a helper here. I can help you, if you just want meds, but you'll have to wait if you want the doc to look at you.
Zuo Le	I apologize for the interruption. We are investigating a case and pursuing a suspect. Here is my token. We would appreciate your cooperation in answering a few questions.
Burly Man	Ask what you want. I'll decide if I want to answer.
Zuo Le	Has this clinic treated or seen anyone who suffered serious a stab wound?
Burly Man	Nope and nope. Either you're buying, or you go find someone else to bother.
Zuo Le	I would like to take a quick look. It'll only take a minute.
Burly Man	Nope, patients and customers only.
Zuo Le	I have nothing but the greatest respect for the clinic's work. I would rather not have to force my way in. But this concerns the safety of all of Yumen. Your cooperation would be appreciated.
Burly Man	You got your rules, I got mine. You ain't coming in unless I say so.
Zuo Le	Then I apologize.
Zuo Le's movements are swift as a fowlbeast. But he feels a hand on his collar just as he is about to cross the clinic's threshold, throwing him backwards. The burly man continues to stand there, as though he has never moved. It is as though the fowlbeast flew into an invisible and boundless net.
Zuo Le	(This man is no ordinary brute!)
Burly Man	I said, you ain't coming in! You got a death wish, kid?
Zuo Le	...... Do you understand the consequences of obstructing justice?
Burly Man	Don't understand, don't care. Try that again, I dare you.
Zuo Le	Enough! This is not a game.
Burly Man	Huh...?
Zuo Le	There's someone else in there?!
<Background 1>
Burly Man	Hm? Hey, where did the girl go?
[Zuo Le rushes into the room.]
Zuo Le	What the...?
Bandages and cotton balls are scattered on the table, and the bed is still warm. The air smells of blood and herbal medicine.
Zuo Le	You said no heavily wounded patients were taken in lately. How do you explain the gauze and blood?
Burly Man	Aiya! I told her to stay put! She said she needed to get out of the city. She must be headed to the gates! Oh no, I've gotta catch her, or the doc's gonna put her bill on my tab!
Zuo Le	Stop right there!
<Background 3>
Cheerful Shouting	Tea leaves! Shangshu rock tea, Kou-wu flower tea, Jiangqi white tea, Dahuang raw leaves... anything you want, I've got it here!
Lin Yühsia	Two carts of Lungmen green tea.
Hawker	E-Excuse me, miss, but we don't sell tea by the cart...
Agitated Hawker	M- Miss...
[Yühsia walks toward the hawker.]
Lin Yühsia	We meet again. Any updates on what I asked you to look into? We agreed on terms.
Agitated Hawker	I... I don't know what you mean...
Lin Yühsia	How many caravans in this batch are carrying false permits? How did they get those permits? I need to know more.
Agitated Hawker	I-I'll pay the taxes I owe! The whole amount! Please, don't ask any more questions!
Lin Yühsia	We can talk about your previous offenses another day. Answer my question.
Agitated Hawker	...... H-Help! Thief!
Angry Passerby	You've got nerve, stealing in broad daylight!
Helpful Passerby	Grab her!
Lin Yühsia	You test my patience.
Lungmen Agent	Watch out! I saw an accomplice go that way!
<Background 4>
[Lee asks a blacksmith.]
Lee	Excuse me...
Blacksmith	The owner is out. You need something made?
Lee	I just have a couple of questions.
Blacksmith	This is a smithy. The inn's where you go for gossip.
Lee	I hear there are some old jianghu kung fu stories that only circulate here.
Blacksmith	Fine, I guess it can't hurt to have someone to chat with while I work. Fire away.
Lee	I really ought to buy something for your trouble.
Blacksmith	What d'ya want? Frying pan? Kitchen knife?
Lee	How about a sword?
Blacksmith	Sorry, can't do that. Household items only.
Lee	But the sign on the door says "Sword Forge". This is probably the last place in Yumen that still uses that particular wording.
Blacksmith	It's just a name. The owner could change it to "The Tea Parlor" or "The Guest House" if he wanted.
Lee	Fair enough.
Blacksmith	You're not from around here, are you? Tourist?
Lee	I've wanted to see the deserts of Yumen for a long time.
Blacksmith	We get a bunch of tourists every time we link up with Lungmen thanks to the wuxia TV shows. Anyone with half a brain should know that it's all fake. What's so good about this backwater place? Did you want a souvenir sword? Trust me, you're better off getting a pack or two of Yumen jerky.
Lee	Every place has its own unique scenery. It's always worth a look. Setting aside whether the TV shows are fake or not, I'm sure there's a story behind this smithy.
Blacksmith	Sure of that, are you?
Lee	I don't mean to offend, but every shop I passed by on my way from the market was full of people... except this one. Why would a shop with no history or business be on a busy street like this? And I doubt a shop that really has no business would have so many furnaces burning and so many iron ingots lying around.
Blacksmith	This is why I hate talking to smart people. Makes my head hurt.
Lee	I'll take that as a compliment.
Blacksmith	Alright, what do you want to know?
Lee	I wanted to ask you about stories from the world of kung fu... but you've piqued my interest in something else. How did "The Sword Forge" become a smithy?
<Background 3>
A man running for his life can always find an extra burst of speed. Just as he is about to shake his pursuer, a rope appears out of nowhere, tripping him over. He tries to pull himself back up, only to find nothing but quicksand around him.
[Yühsia walks toward the hawker.]
Lin Yühsia	Had enough yet?
Agitated Hawker	(Gasps for air, exhausted)
Lin Yühsia	Good. Now we can talk. What are you afraid of?
Agitated Hawker	This... this group is different...
Lin Yühsia	I know.
Agitated Hawker	T-They'll have my head if I talk... I have a family... they're counting on me to feed them... please...
Lin Yühsia	I'm glad you remember that you have family. Let me remind you... They're all in Lungmen.
Agitated Hawker	You–! Miss Lin, I know how you and the Rat King operate... Y-You wouldn't...
Lin Yühsia	That's up to you. Or do I really need to prove to you what I'm capable of?
Agitated Hawker	I...
Lin Yühsia	Tell me what you know.
Agitated Hawker	The smugglers that make the rounds when Lungmen and Yumen link up are usually pretty consistent. The same groups, working with the same forgers, same suppliers, same fences. This time around, though, there's a new group that nobody knows anything about, not even the oldest crooks. Some tried to pick a fight... and nobody ever saw them again.
Lin Yühsia	The new smugglers disappeared?
Agitated Hawker	No, the ones who picked the fight...
Lin Yühsia	What else do you know?
Agitated Hawker	......
Lin Yühsia	Out with it.
Agitated Hawker	I've heard, well, rumors about where they hide and sell their stuff...
<Background fades out and in>
Lin Yühsia	You took care of things at the market?
Lungmen Agent	Nothing a few coins couldn't fix.
Lin Yühsia	Good.
Lungmen Agent	And this man...?
Lin Yühsia	Take him to the barracks, then back to the L.G.D. after we're done here in Yumen.
Agitated Hawker	I-I told you everything I know! Why–
Lin Yühsia	Quit complaining, it's for your own safety.
<Background fades out and in>
Zuo Le	He just disappeared?
The markets of Yumen are not usually so busy. The streets are packed with people, and parents hold their children's hands a little tighter. It is not easy trying to find someone in this crowd.
???	Are you buying or not?! Get out of the way if you're not buying! You're in everybody's way!
Zuo Le	Sorry...
The noise of people shouting, arguing and bartering drowns out deadlier sounds.
Zuo Le	What the–?!
The sword comes from behind, without a sound. Zuo Le takes a step forward, almost by instinct. The point of the sword tears through his clothes, inches from leaving behind a wound that would have crippled him for life.
Zuo Le	Who's there?!
Zuo Le turns around, but sees only the bustling market.
Zuo Le	(Did he intentionally draw me here?) (A commotion here would...) (Where are you?)
[Zuo Le looks around him to find the attacker, but he failed to identify them among the crowd as Mr. Lee show up by him.]
Zuo Le	......!
Lee	The market sure is busy today, isn't it?
Zuo Le	Mr. Lee?
Lee	Looks like we have some troublemakers in the crowd. Be careful.
Zuo Le	I noticed. Did you...?
[Lee used his tricks to hide him and Zuo Le.]
Lee	Just a little optical trick. Won't last long. It's dangerous here. We should leave.
Zuo Le	No choice, I suppose...
[The attackers, who turned out to be Shanhaizhong acolytes, watch from afar.]
Shanhaizhong Member	......
Lee	Turns out we're the ones who fell into a trap.
Zuo Le	Let's get out of here. We don't want civilians getting hurt.

After operation

“

Zuo Le is attacked in the market, escaping only with Qiubai's help. Lee stumbles across Huai Tianpei's tracks. Lin Yühsia gets intel from the smugglers that convinces her there is more to the Catastrophe Messenger's death than meets the eye.

”

<Background 3>
Mischievous Kid	Ma, look, a fight!
Busy Woman	Happens all the time, haggling turning into a fight. Nothing to see. Stay close, I don't know how I'd find you if you got lost here.
Lee	They won't give up so easily. Protecting ourselves is one thing, but it'll be hard to avoid harming civilians.
Zuo Le	Do you have an idea?
Lee	There's a way out, but you'll have a mess on your hands...
Zuo Le	Wait––
Lee	(Damn, too late–)
The Shanhaizhong dart through the crowds like fins through water. The fins leap from the water en masse. Zuo Le and Lee cannot hope to fend off their attacks without harming the surrounding civilians. Snow falls. Not scattered flakes of snow, but a steady stream of white. The blizzard cuts off the rapid flow, stopping the Shanhaizhong in their tracks.
Shanhaizhong Member	(Groans)
Such a response is more than just talent and training; it is the result of experience accumulated from countless deadly battles.
Qiubai	Leave.
Shanhaizhong Member	......
[The Shanhaizhong acolytes run away.]
Qiubai	Don't chase. There are too many people here. These villains have no qualms about harming innocents.
Zuo Le	(Heavy panting) Q-Qiubai... it's been a while...
Qiubai	It's been a while, but you don't seem to have gotten any better.
Zuo Le	...... Why have you come?
Qiubai	The Grandmaster instructed me to help you. And who is this gentleman?
Zuo Le	A friend I met on a previous mission... and an old acquaintance of Liang's.
Qiubai	Someone without an official position shouldn't involve himself in this–even a friend of Liang's.
Lee	Ah, well, I just happened to pass by. Anyway, someone always tells me not to meddle whenever I'm hired to do something. Guess it's a private eye trope.
Zuo Le	My life would have been in danger if not for your help. But are you really here by chance?
Lee	Would the Sui Regulator believe me if I said yes?
Zuo Le	No jokes, please. This is important.
Lee	I never look for trouble; trouble just has a tendency to find me. I'll leave it that my client is an acquaintance of Chief Wei of Lungmen. You may have already met him at the barracks last night. I guess the ones who attacked you just now were the people he hired me to find.
Zuo Le	What else do you know about what happened in Yumen last night?
Lee	Not much. The ones who hire private eyes aren't exactly the talkative type. You get used to it. Maybe I could help, if you told me more.
Zuo Le	...... I stabbed the assassin in the scuffle last night, so I started my search in the clinics. I searched every single clinic in the city and didn't find anything unusual, until the last one. A man called himself a helper and would not let me in. I forced my way in and found gauze and blood. The man ran off with an agitated look on his face.
Lee	Someone has the nerve to obstruct the Sui Regulator in Yumen?
Zuo Le	I wasn't sure what to make of it. Obstruction of justice is a crime, but I couldn't make heads or tails of what the man was talking about. It didn't feel premeditated.
Lee	Could you describe the man in more detail?
Zuo Le	Let me think...
[Zuo Le tries to remember how the burly Feline man looks.]
Zuo Le	Feline, male. Looks to be in his forties... exceptionally skilled in kung fu.
Lee	...... Could it really be him?
<Background 2>
Waai Fu	We should hurry. Yühsia wants us to visit the deceased bodyguard's family.
Du Yaoye	I'm coming, I'm coming. This is the last house anyway.
Waai Fu	Say, I haven't had the chance to ask you... why did you come to Yumen?
Du Yaoye	I told you, I set up my own logistics company.
Waai Fu	Mr. Zheng told me his daughter came to Yumen too, but I didn't expect to actually meet you.
Du Yaoye	That's how fate works, I guess. Say, since we've worked together on this case, wouldn't it be natural for you to join Xingyu Logistics afterwards?
Waai Fu	You're still talking about this? Anyway, it seems like Yühsia dragged a lot of people she knows into this.
Du Yaoye	I didn't know she was the Rat King's daughter.
Waai Fu	You know Mr. Lin too?
Du Yaoye	Not really. Dad's heard of him on his travels. I thought you would know each other well, being fellow Lungmenites.
Waai Fu	Lungmen isn't exactly one of those small towns where everybody knows everybody... I see Mr. Lin from time to time in the course of my work, but I've only heard rumors about Yühsia.
Du Yaoye	I'm curious... what do Lungmenites think of the Rat King?
Waai Fu	The word "Lungmenite" is way too broad. Some think of him as a benevolent protector. Some want as little to do with him as possible. Others just see him as a kindly old man. Only one thing is certain–he's the key to Lungmen's peace and security.
Du Yaoye	Sounds like someone not to be trifled with... must be hard being Miss Lin.
Waai Fu	Why do you say that?
Du Yaoye	Fathers always want their children to walk the path they paved for them. Especially accomplished fathers.
Waai Fu	Do you not get along with Mr. Zheng?
Du Yaoye	I wouldn't say that... it's more like I prefer some distance between us.
Waai Fu	Some fathers out there don't care about their children at all. They do as they please, leaving their children for somebody else to care for. They disappear for a decade without a word.
Du Yaoye	Do you mean...?
Waai Fu	Never mind, I don't want to bring him up now.
Du Yaoye	If the old man went missing for a decade, I would take over the association and rebuild it in my own image. I would show him that I can do better.
Waai Fu	But what if he never comes back to see how well you've done?
Du Yaoye	...... This is the place.
[Waai Fu knocks the door.]
Waai Fu	Hello? Anybody home? Excuse me. We're–
[The door opens.]
<Background 1>
Waai Fu	Hey, the door's unlocked. And there's nobody in the clinic.
Du Yaoye	This is the fourth place. The guard who died was the son of the doctor here. The doctor's a local who's been running the clinic for decades. No other members in the household. News of the Messenger's death reached the city yesterday afternoon. The doctor should already know.
Waai Fu	But the room is neat and tidy. Not a speck of dust on the furniture. The two bags in the corner look like items from today's market. I don't know Yumen customs, but it's as though nothing happened whatsoever. How would a father react to the news that his child is dead?
Du Yaoye	......
[Yaoye remembers the moment during the Shangshu incident involving Zheng.]
Du Yaoye	Certainly wouldn't act like nothing happened, at least.
Waai Fu	But there's no one home. It's not right for us to barge in. Let's rendezvous with Yühsia.
<Background 5>
[Yühsia and her agent walks through the suburbs.]
Lungmen Agent	The warehouse that the smuggler talked about is just ahead. Strange...
Lin Yühsia	Do you know this place?
Lungmen Agent	I checked out the various depots in the city when I visited last time. This warehouse was used by the South Side Sword Forge for storing metals and Originium fuel. The Sword Forge is a reputable business operation. It shouldn't have anything to do with this. Yau mou gaau coh?! He played us for fools!
Lin Yühsia	Take it easy. We're in no rush. He doesn't have the nerve to lie in a situation like that. We're already here; all we need to do is take a look. You keep watch. I'll check it out.
Lungmen Agent	Be careful.
<Background 6>
Lin Yühsia	......
[A guard shows up.]
Warehouse Guard	Lost your way, miss?
Lin Yühsia	Isn't this the stonemason's warehouse?
Warehouse Guard	......
Lin Yühsia	I'm here to buy stone. Your boss couldn't sculpt his way out of a shoebox, but the stone's not half-bad, so I thought I would buy a bunch. He gave me permission to come to the warehouse. He says you'll show me around.
Warehouse Guard	Zhong's Stonemason?
Lin Yühsia	Think so. The shop at the east end of the market.
Warehouse Guard	Zhong's Stonemason's warehouse is on the west side. This is the south side. So you can stop right there. Look around you. Nothing but iron and scrap metal, not a rock to be found. I'm sure you're lost.
Lin Yühsia	Damn, I even paid a guide to take me here! That fraud...
Warehouse Guard	......
Lin Yühsia	Sorry for the intrusion.
Warehouse Guard	It's fine. Let me see you out.
[The guard takes Yühsia outside.]
<Background 2>
The clouds part to let the bright sun shine through, stinging Lin Yühsia's skin slightly. She subconsciously reaches behind her neck, then looks up at the man. What kind of attire would leave a sunburn on the neck like that?
Warehouse Guard	What are you looking at?
Lin Yühsia	Nothing. Goodbye.
<Background fades out and in>
Lungmen Agent	How did it go?
Lin Yühsia	Stay here and keep a close eye out for nearby movement.
Lungmen Agent	Something didn't seem right?
Lin Yühsia	Don't ask questions. Just keep your eyes peeled, and report anything unusual.
Lungmen Agent	Roger.