act23side

He's not here.

So Meng had dealings with the Candleholder. I knew he couldn't be trusted.

He still has the Catastrophe data. Find him.

After dispatching these two kids.

Who are you? Where's Uncle Meng? Did you kill him, or are you working with him?

Where are the Qis?

Not in a talking mood?

Then we can do this the hard way...

A sword flashes past Du Yaoye as Zuo Le steps forward.

He swings his sword without a word, his brow furrowed.

This is the second time that Du Yaoye has been interrupted today.

Son of a—

The old smith told me to stay in the house while I recover from my injuries.

Someone has intruded into the yard. Things are chaotic. Have the mandarins found me?

Jieyun holds the sword tighter in her arms.

Shifu said the Sword Forge would be easy to find.

There are as many sword forges as there are inns in the nomadic city, but you are always pointed towards the same place if you ask for the Sword Forge without specifying which one.

Shifu was right.

She said the Sword Forge was not big or impressive, just a few furnaces and an old tree.

But there are always friends coming in and out, drinking, singing, sparring with each other. They come from all walks of life, but they have fought together and went to many places together.

They take turns fueling the fire, sometimes even grabbing the blacksmith's hammer to bang on the metal for a while. The bright fires keep the night away.

Shifu says there is a place like this in every city.

Inconspicuous, but indispensable.

All Shifu talked about in her last days were these things, these people, and this place.

Who's there?!

This place cannot be allowed to come to harm.

Stop.

You're making a mess of the yard! Go outside, if you want to fight.

So they had help hiding here.

(Tsk—)

Why does she have the sword?

Boss, the girl's injured!

Kill her first.

A gust of wind sends sand flying everywhere, obscuring the figures darting across the yard.

The injured girl steps back, pressing on her wound, and leans against the old tree, panting. She does not notice Du Yaoye's approach.

The masked attacker once again disappears into the shadows.

The young Candleholder steps into the middle of the yard, shielding the two girls behind him. A sword has appeared on his belt, tightly attached to a hidden fastener.

My sword!

When did it...? The impact just now...

A broken leather strap falls to the ground, made by hunters out of the hide of their prey. The tough, durable leather was perfect for holding a sword.

The sword that has never left her side.

This is the Grandmaster's sword.

Now that I have the sword, I won't pursue this particular matter any further, if you're not working with the Shanhaizhong. The matter of your trespassing into the barracks can wait.

Hey...!

Give it back!

Who are you? Let me go!

You're hurt. Stay put.

I don't care about the sword, but you being here at the Sword Forge means you must know Meng Tieyi.

Tell me, where is he? Did you see two young people from Shangshu in the Sword Forge?

I'll rip your wound open if you don't talk.

Looks like they're not together.

Those outside block the exit. Don't let them get away.

Did you hear me?

Hmph.

The sound is very close. He turns around, startled.

The pain increases as he moves, becoming as clear as the communicator that has been cut in half.

He does not have time to regret.

Qiubai.

I took care of the ones outside.

The same group that attacked you at the market. Shanhaizhong?

Yes.

Reckless.

Not only have you failed to improve your kung fu...

I can listen to your reproaches later, after we've taken care of these!

...Wait.

Her palms have begun to sweat, after just a few movements.

The yard... the heat...

It's getting hotter.

It's only March, and it's night. How could the temperature be rising?

Could it be the Sword Forge's Originium furnace...

The fire is out.

Boss, we lost a few guys to her.

Stop wasting time.

So you know you're wasting time.

Do the cicadas sing in March?

The air is so oppressively humid, it almost feels like water. This is no morning dew.

Everyone realizes that something is out of the ordinary.

A drop of water falls on Qiubai's face.

Spring comes late in the north. New leaves have yet to appear on the old pagoda tree.

The water droplets formed on a sword blade!

Master.

Where is Meng Tieyi?

Not here.

We ran into them as we were preparing to leave.

This sword...

You were the one who attacked Uncle Taihe!