level_act23side_07_beg

One, two, three.

The hammer swings.

For over seven thousand days and nights, he swung the hammer just like this.

How he wished the hammer was not falling on an unformed iron billet, but on the blades and heads of his enemies.

Just like right now!

The rest of you, retreat.

Your hammer is heavy, but not fast enough.

As long as it's heavy enough to break your blade and smash your head in!

Oh, no. I planned a much better death for you. I wanted to stuff this warehouse full of explosives, and when the Catastrophe arrived, to give your lives as an offering to Yumen!

Of course, mine would be in there too.

So that was your plan?

Why would I have taken the initiative to seek your cooperation otherwise?!

I don't see why we should have such enmity between us.

Maybe it was how you somehow managed to sneak into Yumen, somehow disguised yourselves as martial artists to gain the trust of the guards, and then somehow caused chaos all over the city, turning Yumen into what it is right now!

My memory's not that bad yet!

The day you first showed up in the city, I recognized you right away.

I've waited twenty years for you to come!

Such a pity that with just a little accident, everything was lost...

Lucky I still have this hammer of mine!

The warehouse is dimly lit, and the glass blade in Lin Yühsia's hand turns more and more transparent.

The Shanhaizhong seem fearful of her exquisite Originium Arts, and instead of swarming her, they coordinate and slowly begin to encircle her.

(For such a group to hide in the city for so long and stay undiscovered...)

(Their fighting style doesn't seem to come from any common school or military, and yet they're fierce and unrelenting, but also disciplined and highly organized... where exactly did they come from?)

(If only I had Ch'en's sword here to better deal with them...)

(What am I daydreaming for...? My top priority is to break out of here and bring the data with me.)

Hey, let me help!

What are you still doing here?

I got the Qis out and heard a fight over this way. Sure enough, it was this bunch again.

Your friends...

They're fine.

The Messenger and the escorts are all fine—Meng Tieyi had them locked up, but didn't harm a single one of them.

Don't look at me like that, you haven't been forgiven yet. After we clean up these guys, I'll settle the score with you.

Then it's best you start thinking how to survive this, they won't be easy to deal with.

You don't need to remind me.

Yaoye?

You're not allowed to call me that!

Sounds like you know.

Distracted?

Shut up.

Why should I shut—

I wasn't talking to you.

Anyway, I'm glad you're alright.

I will make my apologies after defeating my foe with my own hands.

Heh.

Why do you sound so relieved, speaking to me?

Because no one actually lost their lives, because everything is still in your hands?

If you had always planned a fake death for the Messenger team, why did you ask me to put the Qis on the job?

Everyone in the city holds you in the highest regard, and you play games with their lives!

To be honest, it's not like I've never wavered...

But when you showed up at my door so enthusiastically, saying you wanted to open the first modern logistics company in Yumen and told me not to consider your father, Zheng Qingyue's reputation...

Oh, how I miss the times when we were young!

The force of each blade on him increases, as does the ferocity of the girl screaming at him.

Meng Tieyi stops talking, grits his teeth, and swings his hammer.

I remember you telling me that you were a well-known figure in Yumen for all the right and wrong reasons.

In your day, you trained with the Grandmaster to kill your enemies, and quick to exact revenge. In order to exact justice for the people who were robbed, you chased the bandits for more than a hundred li out in the desert and destroyed their stronghold.

You know exactly how many streets, shops, and tents there are in the city. You know every part of Yan that your sworn-brothers in the army hail from.

But right now, do you even care about Yumen anymore?!

You're way more pedantic and muddled than my father who refuses to let go of his old ways!

Times change, and so will we!

Escorts will turn into logistics companies, and the Sword Forge will turn into a regular workshop. No one can stop this, and you shouldn't even try.

No matter how much you hate, how much resentment you hold in your heart, you have no right to test Yumen with a Catastrophe just to see if it can hold a candle to its old days!

How dare you?!

Are you even worthy of this city?!

Meng! Are you even worthy of yourself?!

Du Yaoye, watch out!

Huh?

Meng Tieyi has never once looked back.

A duel between masters does not tolerate even the slightest distraction, let alone an enigmatic like this woman.

He isn't sure if he fully comprehends exactly what little Du Yaoye has been scolding him over, only that it is loud and muddled with a lot of emotion.

But he hears Lin Yühsia's warning loud and clear, and turns his head on reflex.

Meng Tieyi throws the hammer in his hand, knocking away the enemies enclosing onto Du Yaoye's back.

At the same time, a long and narrow blade cuts his spine open.

Uncle Meng—!

Xingyu Logistics... is a good idea...

But I, won't get to see the seeds sprout myself...

Have you never considered... the jianghu you speak of is still here, just in a different form?

The rest of you are next.

The woman steps over the body lying on the ground.

Blood drips down the extremely long blade.

She's coming.

I can see that.

Since escorting the Messengers was a trap, that means Xingyu Logistics has yet to really open.

I'm not sure if you be willing to accept my request to deliver something?

Right now?

This box holds the true Catastrophe data that must be handed over to the Lord Exorcist. Take my token with you, and he will let you in.

And then what?

Then you start hoping that it's not too late.

Don't give me that, you'll have me run off while you stay and play the hero?

You should know very well, I'm not that good of a person.

But someone has to get the data out.

This woman is so unfathomably powerful, she even killed Meng Tieyi.

With my Arts, I might be able to hold them back and create a quick opening for you.

What about you?

Who knows.

What are you talking about?!

If you think you can hold them back for me, then we'll switch roles.

I'm sorry, for lying to you about your friends.

You're not the only one who has lied to me. When I was yelling at Meng Tieyi earlier, that was all for you, too.

Right, I forgot to tell you this. Honestly, I think it is impressive for someone to travel so far and work so hard to make her living.

Now's not the time for—

Remember this. If you don't make it out, Yumen won't make it through the Catastrophe either.

This is a tall order, but Xingyu Logistics accepts.

Close your eyes.

Lin Yühsia shakes her hands, and the glass shards fall to the ground, instantly turning to quicksand.

Streams of fine sand flow from the corners and ceiling, quickly converging as one.

Still feel like putting up a—

The sand rises.

In the cramped warehouse, a sandstorm forms.

Did something catch fire over there?

Could it be arson? Let's go take a look.

The sand sluice?

Who would even come here?

True.

The military whistle sounds from the top of the city. The sky is already pitch black, and the outline of the full moons can be vaguely seen through the clouds.

If the old smith has finished his work and returns to the Sword Forge to find her missing, he could probably figure out that he should look for her over at the sand sluice.

The nomadic city foundations chew through the ground, the high-speed turbines grinding up oversized obstacles along with tons of sand and gravel, spitting them out with a deafening sound.

The old smith was right, there are no guards posted here, because no one would ever want to leave the city this way.

(It's almost time...)

(Violent braying)

Three times you've gotten away from me. And lucky enough, you've once again walked yourself into a dead end.

I don't know you.

The sword on your back has nothing to do with our plans, but an object hiding one-twelfth of the bestial Sui's consciousness is of great interest to someone.

Bestial Sui? What are you talking about...?

Sounds like you don't know anything. That makes you even less worthy of holding that sword.

Hand it over.

A black halo behind your head... an Anasa?

So what if I am...?

An Anasa actively mingling in a Yanese nomadic city? How ridiculous.

Have you forgotten where you came from? Forgotten what happened to your people? While you were suffering out in the wilderness, aimlessly looking for food and shelter, did Yan ever help you?

Anasa, you should join the Shanhaizhong organization.

All I see is the terrible things you've done in the city.

Then you're a fool.

(The sand will soon disperse.)

(There's no way I could match the woman Chief Wei and Dad couldn't beat together.)

(But I can at least delay her for a while longer, to buy Du Yaoye a little more time to make her way out...)

You're scared of me, but you gave another the opportunity to escape.

It seems that after all these years, you people have not changed a bit. Consider it an honor to die a brave death.

Gallantry isn't exactly my style, and I'm not about to let you kill me.

A crunch sounds, and within the next second the yellow sand condenses into a glass blade.

Trying a sneak attack?

You lot really enjoy your cheap tricks.

To try and sneak an attack while ignoring the disparity in strength is just asking to die.

In the end, so many 'means' were employed to force Meng Tieyi out, and obtain the Catastrophe data.

I guess I could count this... as having done a good deed?

Oh well.

The glass sword crumbles inch by inch, the long blade already falling on her brow.

<color=#ff0000>Chi Xiao, Rouse Qi—</color>

A crimson sword tears through the airborne sand and dust.

Swords clash, the sound rings through the air wrought by friction. Lin Yühsia's sword shifts its form between sand and glass, countless shards in the air reflecting a silhouette within.

The figure stands before her, tall and straight as a poplar.

How did you know I would be here?

What are you talking about?

I saw your Arts in the distance, I figured you were asking me to come save you.

Don't flatter yourself, I had no idea you were coming to Yumen—

So why <i>are</i> you here?

Just passing through.

Did you follow me here, like you did in Dossoles?

Wasn't that <i>you</i> following <i>me?!</i>

You must've heard about the assassination attempt on Wei?

If you've got time to talk at me, you've got time to explain. What exactly is going on here?

The sand and dust have dissipated completely. Not a soul remains in the warehouse.

I <i>don't</i> have time, we have to get to the city gates!

Du Yaoye has been in the city for a while, but she never realized the streets went on for so long.

Just a hundred meters feels more difficult than traversing the mountain roads of Xunri Peak. The small box in her arms feels heavier than any quarry shouldered by the mountain pole-carriers.

Be it the Escort Association or a logistics company, things will always be the same. For the sake of our livelihood, we put our lives on the line. If you wish to make a name for yourself in this business, you need to understand how heavy the weight on your shoulders is.

I'll never forget all the stories about escort missions Dad would tell me, even if he kept repeating them over and over again. Or maybe because he did.

The principle is the same every time, but you only really understand it after experiencing it for yourself.

(Faster, faster...)

(I can see the gates!)

They've almost caught up to me?!

Du Yaoye is skilled in the art of using the wind to anticipate danger. If she focuses without distraction, she could absolutely dodge this arrow.

The arrow pierces her right shoulder, causing the box to slip out of her grasp. She hastily reaches out with her left hand to catch it, but ends up falling to the ground, along with the box.

Silence her and retrieve the object.

Miss Du!

It's you...

I was chasing another group of bad guys and ended up here.

Last night, when I hurried over to the Sword Forge, I saw the mandarins taking you away with them... What's going on here...?

Don't wanna talk about it...

Help me out, let's take care of these guys first.

Good plan.

Loose your arrows.

Impudence.

A stretch of silk, a patch of snow, or perhaps the gleaming of a sword.

The arrows fall to the ground, neatly sliced in two.

You're... the one who saved Zuo Le last night...

Help me. I have something very important to deliver to the Lord Exorcist.

He's at the outer city tower, and you're seriously wounded. Can you still run?

Save the goods, then the men.

Very well, then leave them to us.

Right, that Envoy Lin of yours is still holed up in the warehouse fighting some evil woman...

Go help her.

Yühsia!

Right. You get moving.

Again with public acts of violence. You Shanhaizhong have gone too far.

Master.

Where's the girl?

I almost got her, but these two stopped me.

Useless.

Hurry after her and get the data.

You shall not pass.

You think you can stop me? Let's see if you can dodge my blade another time.

So she's the evil lady Du was talking about?

If she's here, then that means Yühsia is...

I'm fine.

Finally caught up.

Yühsia... is that... Superintendent Ch'en?!

That's her alright. Where's Du Yaoye?

She's already on the move.

Good. Then there's only one thing left to do here.

Stop that woman.

Boring.

It seems that after all these years, you people have not changed a bit. You don't know how to respect power.

A colony of ants, is still just ants.

The wind blows away the clouds, and moonlight shines on the long and empty street.

The road is clean, save for a few yellow leaves swirling around the stone bricks.

It's the kind of cleanliness that comes after the decline of prosperity.

Like a bleak autumn night.

It all ends here.

Autumn night...?

So she's behind all the chaos that's been plaguing the city?

It's time to put an end to her troublemaking.

Be careful. Her Arts are extremely strange.

Even my father and Chief Wei working together couldn't capture her. She's got a lot of tricks up her sleeve.

You're telling me that this woman, talking all that trash, is the one who tried to assassinate Wei Yenwu?

You scared?

You've got to be kidding me.

Sounds perfect. We'll knock her out right here and I'll get to shove it in Wei Yenwu's face.

Alright.

Let's settle this here and now.