act40side

Fire! FIRE!

Assassins! Protect His Majesty!

Guards, guards—

Put out that fire! Lock the dining area down!

Take care—

The source of this fire...

Everyone! Stay away from the wine in the cups!

(A fire that does not burn hot...)

(Who did this... and what are they up to?)

Lin Qingyan tries to calm down the panicking crowd, but her voice is quickly drowned out by the shouting and screaming.

In the midst of the chaos, she spots a familiar face.

Their eyes met for only a moment, but she is more sure than anything.

That person saw her, saw her attempt to cross the line of propriety in front of all.

But the target is not her.

Blaze...!

What's going on? What's with all this ruckus?

This is bad! I heard some kind of demonic fire broke out at the banquet! No idea how it happened!

The guards have the dining area surrounded. No idea what's going on inside, or if His Majesty is hurt...

They're talking about... cutting the Feast short...

Lin Qingyan...!

We've been notified of unknown persons infiltrating the Feast. We will now be conducting an inspection.

I ask that everyone stay where they are and not move. Please cooperate.

(Dammit... What the hell happened over where Leizi is?)

(This is bad. I can't leave her to fend for herself. I need to go take a look...)

You there! Stop moving!

(What do I do what do I do? I can't get in a fight here!)

(No time to think, dammit!)

After her!

First Battalion, Fifth Battalion, seal off the southern entrance! Seventh and Ninth, close the northern gate!

Everyone else, sweep the palace from south to north. If you find anyone suspicious, arrest them immediately.

Our intel says there are at least two culprits working together to ruin the Feast, so take care!

So many guards... What a pain.

What kinda trouble did you manage to get yourself into here, Leizi?

Sounds like you haven't gotten caught yet, at least... So where the hell are you?

Tsch... This palace is way too big...

Why're <i>you</i> here?!

Shh—

I thought you two just wanted to ask His Majesty to reopen the case? How did it come to this?

I don't know either! That fire's not our doing!

But the timing...

You need to leave, right away! There's no talking your way out of it if they find you.

What I <i>need</i> to do is save Lin Qingyan!

...Let me go look for her.

How can I ask you to do something that dangerous?!

I'm more familiar with the Forbidden City than you are. Even If I did get caught, I'll have some leeway to explain myself.

Don't worry. I'll find her.

But...

You still don't trust me. What, still angry at me?

Of course not—

Head to the southern exit, before the guards seal it off!

We'll meet up at that restaurant once we're all out of here.

...Okay.

You take care too.

Wait, did the soldiers manage to get a good look at you?

Err... Yeah, I think so.

That's... not good.

Oh, I know! Let's swap clothes. Come on, get them off.

I saw someone running away up ahead! Over there!

*Sigh*...

The dining area's been cleared out... Deputy Minister Lin wouldn't be here.

But who started all this at the Feast...

I hope Blaze managed to make it out by now—

Why is she here?

These two...

Is this fate at work?

Looks like it's not too far away now...

Wonder how things are going over on their side...

Found you...

Who's there?!

So it was you.

Damn... That's one hell of a sword!

You're not dressed like your average soldier. What are you, a general?

Save the chatter.

So you're the one Lin Qingyan has been hiding behind her back... But why would she bring you to the Forbidden City?

Err... So I know it's impolite to barge in on someone else's banquet, but would you believe me if I said we didn't mean anything bad by it...?

What I'm trying to say is that this is all a misunderstanding...

There is no misunderstanding here. The Imperial Guard have been searching for you for forty years.

You are her descendant.

What are you talking about? Whose descendant? Who's 'her'?

You really don't know—

No. It seems you're not lying.

All this time you've been hidden away, and nobody thought to tell you about your history?

Haha, got me there... I'm pretty curious about it, not gonna lie. Anyone I can ask about it?

But seriously, the Imperial Guard? Looking for me?

Forty years ago, only a single child was unaccounted for in the family of a treasonous mandarin.

You... What are you talking about?

Blaze... I need to confirm something...

You were born in 1062, in Victoria, right?

Yes. From as far back as I can remember, I lived in Victoria.

Your father seemed to have been spending a lot of time pursuing a certain 'truth' in the last few years of his life.

What if... you found out everything around you was one big lie...

Wha...?

Y—You're talking nonsense! <i>Bi zui!</i>

You are a person of interest. We'll figure out what to do with you after questioning.

Come with me.

Forget that!

(Gah—!)

You're no weakling, it seems. I might not be able to take you in without hurting you.

If you don't wish to be harmed, then surrender immediately.

I'm not in the mood for jokes right now!