Глава 7

Maybe you don't give him enough, Ch'en.

If he wants to die, he's welcome to it. But what will that get us? What's the point? Will it prevent a war? Will it get Lungmen out of this mess?

If he dies, it'll get some of the blame off Lungmen. I think all the blame will pretty much vanish into thin air, actually.

You really think it'll be that easy?

Nothing's ever that easy. That's why he wants you running the L.G.D.

You'll get his job and be Chief of the L.G.D. sooner or later. After that, you'll become the boss of the entire city.

There's been a lot of rot left behind, and you should be the one to clean it out.

I get what Mr. Wei wants from you. Though he's been waiting for a long time, I can tell that his beliefs and methods haven't changed from the day I met him.

Lungmen still needs you. And she doesn't want you in danger.

I'm just so disgusted.

Mr. Wei's death may not matter to you. But once he's gone, you can change this city.

I have to tell you something, Hoshiguma. It's the reason I don't belong here.

Don't mess with me, Ch'en. No one's more Lungmen than you.

I'm an Infected.

...What?

...Since when...?

Three years ago.

You've been hiding it from me?

I didn't mean to...

How come you didn't even tell me...?

Wei Yenwu didn't want anyone to know. We couldn't have an Infected in the L.G.D. So I couldn't be Infected.

Hoshiguma, there is no place for the Infected here. Or anywhere else in the world.

I've had enough of Wei Yenwu controlling us. I'm not going to be his tool anymore.

No. I get it.

I finally... actually, really get it, Ch'en. I know exactly why you can't leave Lungmen.

...What?

If you leave and go to that core city, Mr. Wei would have to brand you an enemy. Not just an enemy, but a dangerous Infected enemy working against Lungmen...

The whole city would know you're Infected. They might even think you're working with Reunion.

And that'll be the end of it. You'll never be able to come back.

I don't care.

That's my line.

'You're Infected? I don't care.'

I don't care. Missy doesn't care. Nine doesn't care. The L.G.D. doesn't care.

Not even Mr. Wei cares. He wants you to change this place. He doesn't want you gone.

You didn't see how ruthlessly he treated the Infected. I did.

And Nine? She's already gone. She quit the L.G.D. because she was Infected too.

...Nine too...?

You know, Nine and I might've contracted Oripathy on the same mission.

She went undercover for me in Reunion... And then, because of Reunion, she abandoned Lungmen.

Because she saw the truth of this city.

But you didn't betray Lungmen. I'm not letting you take the fall for a crime you didn't commit.

Hoshiguma, why do you think... I'm going to the core city?

I've never been good at guessing games. Just get to the point.

Heh...

Do you know who's leading Reunion?

I forgot her name.

Talulah.

Missy didn't tell you?

Tell me what?

Talulah is my sister.

Oh. Ohhh... Hah. I get it.

Ch'en, you're not going today.

...Why...? Is my sister, my family... not important enough?!

That's why...

That's why I can't let you go.

Even if I have to die here. I'm not letting you go.

That's not for you to decide, Hoshiguma.

Hannya can decide.

—No matter what stands in my way, whether it's a Catastrophe, a shield, or an Oni, I'm not giving in!

The blacksmith who cast this shield had his whole family killed by a gang of wandering Onis. His fury is much more toxic than any Catastrophe.

The blood that stains this shield, and the tragedy it represents... is much more wicked than any Catastrophe.

Ch'en, Mr. Wei isn't a good man. We can kick his ass together.

Whatever you want to do, I'll do it with you. You want my Columbian Big Single 70 vv? It's yours.

Ch'en, now's not the time. Don't go. Don't force me to do this. It's all I ask.

Force you? Why are you talking like Wei Yenwu...? I don't like it.

When Wei did what he did... no.

When he betrayed his brother, failed my mother, and put this city to sleep under his cloud of wickedness, that's when I decided to do this.

You might think that stuff has anything to do with you, but I don't think so.

What do you mean...?

What he did, what he did for you, and what you should be doing, none of it is connected.

That's what Mr. Wei was hoping for. He didn't want to play the bad guy. He's not power-hungry...

He gave you the sword.

...You don't get it.

Understand what?

It wasn't just one time. It happened again, and again, and again... I destroyed my home, I destroyed my family.

Covered horn to toe in blood every time, I fought to the bitter end, until I was the only one left standing.

Because that's what I thought was right. And they were wrong.

I found myself asking a lot if I really deserved to live.

I don't. But I lived anyway. I just can't live for myself anymore.

Putting yourself out because of some concept of right and wrong... that's the dumbest thing a person can do.

And I've dealt with the regret my whole life.

You think you're the only one who's got a lot of baggage, Miss Ch'en?

Stop talking like that!

...So why can't you understand me, even a little bit?

We've been through so much together, all these years. There's still something you can't tell me?

I've got my baggage and you've got yours. We both know that. Even so...

What is there you still don't understand? I never pulled any of you into this! How can you say I don't understand you?!

Because I've seen too many people die for nothing.

I don't care who you are. I just care where you're going.

I'm not letting you go. This is all on the leader of Reunion. You can't change the situation. You'll just die for nothing too.

No one wants to see that. Not the L.G.D., not Lungmen.

—Thank you, Hoshiguma.

But I'm still going.

Really?

If we have to fight, you should know I'm not scared of you.

You really have to go, huh? You feeling like your heart is hard as iron right now?

I told you before, you're lost in your own thoughts, you lost sight of everything around you, of everything everyone's done for you.

Your stubbornness is only gonna get you hurt.

Hmph.

Fine. I guess you'll have to take a beating before you can learn, like a young Hoshiguma, that being a stubborn ass is just a stupid impulse.