“So, you’ve finally decided to show up then?” Detective Kato said, frowning. Beside him, Officer Usui let out a biting ugh, amused. “You stood us up three times in the same day, that must be a new record.”

  “Sorry about that.” I apologised, genuinely sorry. “It couldn’t be helped though, things kept happening oer the other. On the bright side, we’re taking steps so that a Kyoto i will be much less likely to happen again.” Behind me, Daiyu nodded, havihere as Haru-san’s Territory reached Rank 3.

  “Well, that’s good.” The Detective sighed, pulling out some chewing gum and popping it in his mouth with a sigh. “Damn, I miss smoking, especially at times like these.”

  “Well, your wife and kids probably appreciate you quitting.” Officer Usui snorted. “So, no Suzuki-san today?”

  I shook my head. “No, she’s overseeing matters in Kyoto. Instead, Karen- will be taking notes for us.” I gestured to my secretary, who was carrying a ptop puter.

  “I’m nervous.” She admitted. “These people will be murderers, right? So many people died…”

  “Well, that remains to be determined. Not… exactly, I’d say.” The Detective was troubled. “Though hang on, they don’t speak Japanese, so how are you going to take notes?”

  “I’ll transte for them if necessary.” I said. “I think that the Gover has sent trustworthy transtors as well, right? I’ll hahe more… esoteric… matters.” Well, with Daiyu’s help. I’m not great with Cultivation terminology.

  “Esoteric. Right.” With that we were escorted by a number of Special Forces soldiers who were doubling as guards at this military detention facility, passing through bare, whitewashed corridors lined with bleak metal doors, until we reached o the far end, guarded by one of the military Chosen who I wasn’t particurly acquainted with. After he saluted us, the door ened, and we filed inside.

  The room was simirly bare, a pial table set up with a number of chairs arranged around it. Seated across from us was a young ese woman, whnised as Nie Ling, the one who had given up herself and the location of the other ese invaders, buried deep uhe ground. She was looking pale and haggard, her bck hair loose arouhe pins that were holding her hair-bun in pce removed from her, as was anything else she could use as a on or to harm herself, her nails cut brutally short, her clothes now a featureless grey prison smock without buttons, toggles, belt or ties. On seeing us her brown eyes held a flicker of i, before despair took over her again and she bowed her head.

  There was another oct in the room, a female interpreter. On seeing us she stood politely. We took our pces in the room, and soon I felt a little bad, as it seemed that the six of us were ganging up on a young woman, before I hardened my heart. The civilians were i. I know she was under duress, but… nearly a thousand dead.

  “Well, shall we get this started?” Detective Kato said, his face set professionally. “If you would transte for us.” he gestured to the interpreter, who agreed. “I am…” he introduced us all, befetting to the point. “You are Nie Ling, age twenty-two, from Shaoshan in Hunan Province. Is this correct?”

  After hearing the transtion she agreed. “Yes, I am Nie Ling.”

  “Good. Now… you stand accused of illegal entry to the try of Japan, as well as… aiding and facilitating nearly ohousand ts of premeditated murder.”

  Yes, it’s hard to accept, but Nie Ling hasn’t actually murdered anyone. None of the captured ese citizens have directly killed ahat doesn’t lessen their crimes though. It was still like bussing out a thousand people to a death camp where the executioners awaited. That’s not innoce…

  “I firm that.” She said slowly, eyes damp. “I called upon the Duke of Dreams, Zhōu Gōng…” the transtor looked surprised at that. “… and pulled the i citizens of your Kyoto into the sleep where we waited.” Her face was so pale as to be bone white. “Then Luo Jiahao did give the order and…” she covered her face. “… there was killing, so much killing.”

  “That’s a clear fession.” Officer Usui noted. “A life sentence, for sure. You’ll likely never be released.”

  “What my Officer says here is right.” The Detective agreed. “But… cooperation would go a long way to seg some leniency. Prison is still iable, of course, but if you ever hope to be released, or still be young enough to get married, start a family when you finally are… I suggest you answer holy all our questions.”

  Yeah, since she’s not actually itted multiple murders herself she’s not subject to the death penalty by Japanese w, but life impriso is a given for crimes of this magnitude. “I would sed that.” I said in Mandarin ese. “We talked briefly in Kyoto, but… we would know more of your circumstances.”

  “I see. So… you survived. And… mao defeat it? I am impressed. Luo Jiahao, he said even the piece of it torn from itself was a frightening mohat would have troubled even those of Kunlun, whoever they might be.”

  Daiyu reacted at that, eyes narrowing. Before she could speak, I pressed on. “Well, we talked briefly before, and you’ve honoured your end of our bargain by allowing yourself to be taken. Now… we need information. Just how did you all end up in this state? I get that you are rebels in a, but…”

  “I do not know how the Gover found out about me.” she sighed. “I was very careful, I did not talk to anyone about the visit from the Duke of Dreams. Nor did I use my phone or the i.” She sniffed. “The Party is always watg, so they say. I did not believe it, being a woman of sce, of reason, but… it turns out it was true. I received a summons, with failure to attend being seen as a political transgression against the People. I sidered running then, but… I am a woman with few funds, and little influence.”

  As the transtor spoke, Karen- was typing away, her expression sympathetic. She too had suffered at the hands of authority, even if the scale was hugely different. Though sidering the es, any sympathy for Nie Ling is hard to find…

  “… were thousands of us gathered.” Nie Ling tinued. “The leader of the new Department for Managing Divine Mysteries, as they called it, Qin Wang lei, was a General uhe unist Party. At that point going against it was futile.”

  That tallied with what Daiyu had told us, but firmation was always nice, and it boded well for Nie Ling to be telling us the truth. Daiyu was uo keep her sile this. “Those snakes, betrayers… g Gui, Xiao Xia… how could they abandon truths we have guarded since Kunlued, toss away their pride to the dogs?”

  Talk turo the way that the ese were managing their Chosen, and while it retty much what Zhao Daiyu had already told us, that Chosen were forced to effectively relocate to where the Party advised them to go, so that they could doo adjat rger Territories, fuelling them, which had led to a number of Rank 3 already, she had some additional insights. Though her Daiyu nor Nie Ling had been involved, rumour amongst the Chosen was that further development towards Rank 4 was taking p Shanghai, Beijing and other major poputiores, and I held in a sigh of relief in that it didn’t seem they were using any sort of vassal system, merely moving resources in a simir mao Ixitt, by having eg Territories so ether could flow between. That is hardly all, though… with the ese having tister their abilities, as much as they uood it, the ese were a step ahead of our Ministry, and were able to e up with teams that could be each other and synergise well.

  “Those who did not sent were… dealt with.” Nie Ling said ftly, and we needed no further eboration. “Examples were made, and we were all cowed. But my abilities were to be used for… well, assassination.” She swallowed, clearly upset, her throat hoarse. I sigo the camera, and a guard brought her some water, which she took gratefully.

  “My thanks. Well, most dissent was crushed, but there were a few of us who wished to flee but were too afraid. Then, rumour reading through those that called themselves Cultivators, like Luo Jiahao, that the one who could find us for the Party was dead. The purges were stepping up, and even some of the i were dragged away…” She put down her pstic bottle, hands trembling. “… I didn’t want to kill, or to die. Sooner or ter, I’d be forced to use my abilities for the Department, the Party, so… it seemed time to flee, despite the risks. But it was all useless.” Her words were bitter.

  “Useless? How?” the Detective pressed, getting to the heart of her story.

  “I abandoned my post, the area of the nd of dreams that I had fed, destroying it behind me, for I felt whispers withihat leaving it behind would prove gravely dangerous.”

  Daiyu that. “Leave nothing for enemies and traitors. Best to destroy it with one’s own hands. Let the monkeys feast on scraps, it is all they deserve.”

  “Well, I was going to take a boat to the Republic of a, the Party has no influehere yet. I gathered all the money I could to pay smugglers, and… then I was caught.”

  “Caught?” I asked, and she nodded.

  “Yes, I was captured by several others like me, as well as Luo Jiahao and his group. He… he was kind, yet even he would not allow my escape. I was… hat was what he said. And that I would have a ce to strike back at the try that had betrayed me, tried to use me, killed so many who wouldn’t sve away for them.” Her hands crushed the bottle, a little water spilling onto the bare metal table. “I don’t care about revenge, I never did. I just wao live my life. But it was clear they would kill me if I didn’t ply. I had no choice.” She repeated. “They took me to a location further up the coast, and wheered the realm of dreams… I met it.” She shuddered, remembering.

  “The golden-eyed devourer?” I asked, and she agreed.

  “Yes, an apt was massive, corpulent, and the world around it screamed in pain, slowly starting to break down. The power of dreams around us was so oppressive I could hardly breathe… it was a huge toad-like creature, all clear jelly, slime and yellowing bones. On seei ughed, tongue protruding, saliva falling like rain. One nearby Cultivator was touched by it and started screaming, only to have the tongue scoop him up and ferry him into that awful mouth. Death… death was ohing, but su end… I am not a religious woman, no, I believe in sce, but these events… I wanted my soul to go on, even if the me right now perished. So I submitted.”

  I leaned forwards, eager for more information on an oppo we must surely face sooner rather than ter. “ you describe it for me? Any weaknesses, anything at all?”

  She sched up her face, thinking. “It was wounded, surely. Many deep fissures were torn into the body and a number of bones within were broken. One eye was gooo, though the remaining one was… ugh, it stared deep into my soul. Before it I was a helpless quivering ant. It then tore a small amount of flesh off with one finger and …” she suddenly vomited, only a little, the water she had drank ing back up. Officer Usui, the transtor and Karen- backed off, but the rest of us were too focused on her words.

  “It was inside your Astral body, right?” I said, remembering. “That was why you couldn’t go against it.”

  “Yes. Every piece is part of that beast. Lou Jiahao said something, but at the time I was too distraught to remember. Something about Laws…”

  Daiyu stood, peering at her intensely. “Remember. I o know this!” she said coldly. Taken abaie Ling thought deeply, wiping at her pale, vomit-flecked lips until she suddenly spoke.

  “I remember, he said that the creature was a being of Laws, that opposing it was useless, unless like whatever had i, we had equal prehension, but that his Dao was far inferior. Though he believed that when the creature removes part of itself, while it is still the same Laws that govern it, the lesser parts are far less potent than the whole, the Laws diluted, so that we should bide our time, seize our ce for prolonging our lives, and search for a ce to free ourselves. And if our causes cided, that what the creature wanted would allow him his revehen… all the better.”

  “What an old fool.” Daiyu said solemnly. “Reve is ihe Cultivator way, for waiting on the Heavens to hand down punishment is folly. But… that is past now. In time, I will restore the glory of the Incorruptible Jade, and bring him his justice, his vengeance.”

  I see. Well, Foehn is merely a Rule, far from a Law, but… if the e was merely a part of the greater whole, weakened… I had a lot to think about, as well as many unanswered questions.

  “I would like to know why Japan? That doesn’t make sense.” Detective Kato had homed in orue heart of the matter, his instincts keen as ever. “The revenge… well, even now, the protests are tinuing, but it won’t force over into a erhaps it might have, but we know too mud prevented worse.” He looked at me gratefully. “But this creature, whatever it is, how does it be?”

  “Lou Jiahao and a few others knew more than me.” she said in respoaking a fresh bottle of water I handed her, washing off the vomit and taking a sip, grimag. “There is a lot of hatred for Japan historically in a, so many of the others had no issue in trying t you into a war to satisfy their reve should have worked. We would have killed not just those that died, but would have tinued… until it became impossible for Japan to remain silent. I never wao though… never.”

  “And the golden-eyed devourer… it had some way of knowing what abilities the Chosen had and where they were, right? Sounds very simir to who Daiyu’er tried to assassinate.” I pointed out.

  “Yes, it… was responsible for dev the Vice-Minister, which triggered the purges, I was told. It was behind everything!” she cried. “It wanted us to find it prey to eat. It was looking for certain kinds of prey, and it happehere was a number all in Kyoto.” At her words, I saw Daiyu stiffen.

  “So, why its fill in a?” I mused. “It seems easier than sending you out, even if it expected to still eat you all in the end via the pieces of itself that went with you.”

  “I don’t know. I really don’t. Maybe… it has others serving it, or it doesn’t want to for some reason?”

  “Well, ecute, but we are just ied in facts.” The Detective tinued, and from then, she narrated how it separated out a e of itself and that produced the horrible bone bdes, also a part of it. The a detailed list of her participation, interspersed with guilty apologies.

  “I appreciate your cooperation.” Detective Kato said in the end, after Karen- had taken notes. It was being recorded as well of course, but anising data for the Ministry was still an important job. “As for a trial… you uand right now that’s not appropriate, so you will have to remain here.”

  She nodded, and it was time for my final request. “Nie Ling, your ability is too precious to be wasted as you nguish in prison. You o answer for what you’ve done. I agree it was under great duress, and you have good cause to ask for mercy, but even so, so many dead… but I think if you are prepared to give up yift, the good that could be doh it be weighed against your sins.”

  “I know. You told me you could take this burden from me whe. I am prepared. It has brought me naught but grief. I was an ordinary woman, living my life. I… well, I will never have that back again, will I? Even were I released, I still have to live with the guilt that my as killed so many. But… I’ll make what amends I .”

  “It will be painful and dangerous. You could die or be crippled.” I warned.

  “At least I know there is more to life than this.” She sighed. “Now I believe, even if I don’t know in what. Not Zhōu Gōng, though. Such a God has dotle for me.”

  “Good. Well, the time isn’t right now, so… I’ll be back.” At her nod, the Detective asked her a few more questions on the more mundane, criminal side of things, before we ehe interview. As the door closed behind us, I heard several of us letting out sighs, tension released.

  “So, that left a lot of unanswered questions.” I mused, and Officer Usui spoke up, annoyed.

  “It doesn’t sit right with me that so many people died, yet all she’ll get is life in prison. Maybe even less.”

  “The w is the w. It serves the people and what they wish for.” Detective Kato lectured her, causio scowl in displeasure. “And we… we are at the forefront of a new paradigm, where neill be needed. How would we expin this to the Saiban-in, citizen judges, and make them uand? It’s not impossible she could be found i in that case.”

  “Even though she fessed?” she tered.

  “Well, she was clearly distressed and under duress. Obviously, crimes under duress are still crimes, but … well, it seems to me the duress here is more than a threat of physical harm or eveh. I’m not a religious man, Officer Usui…”

  “Nor am I. I mean, I attend all the normal ceremonies, but it seems so old-fashioned…” she agreed.

  “But it seems to me, that if we do go to an afterlife after death, even that was threatened for her. I don’t know about you, but that thought chills me. Who among us would risk that?”

  I had to agree. “There’s certainly a life after death in some sense, as Haru-san proves. Kioration as well. I don’t excuse her as at all, and I’ll risk her life to take her Favour, but… there was definitely more to this.” I turo Daiyu. “Daiyu’er, your thoughts on what she said about our enemy?”

  She frowned. “My father, the Patriarch… he might have known more. I may be a prodigy, a Heave genius…” she said, self-depregly, a slight, almost unnoticeable bitter smile on her face. “… but I am still young. Father had many more years of experiend learning, and while my Cultivation exceeded his, my knowledge of history, politics, other Sects, Kunlun… it is rudimentary, only what I read in our archives.”

  “But…?” I pressed. “I’d love to hear your opinion.”

  “Laws. The Heavens and The Earth are ruled by Laws. Laws are not Dao, but Dao are also Laws. I find it hard to uand, but I am merely Foundation realm. That creature, it surely does not follow a Dao, but it does and Laws. To defeat Law… it is far from simple.”

  “Whealk about the Law, we mean human structs, such as it’s wrong to murder.” The Detective mused.

  “There are stific Laws too.” Karen- spoke up. “Like Thermodynamics. But I’m guessing that isn’t what you mean, is it?”

  “No. A Dao of the Sword… well, it tains all the Laws that make up a sword and the will to use it as a sword. Physical force, cutting, sword i, metals… a simpler example might be the Dao of Lightning.”

  “I see. So it would be Laws g Eleagism.” I mused. “And also whatever spiritual aspect there is. Shaeu would know better than us. A Dao isn’t a Law, it’s a cept that collects Laws, thus is itself also a Law. It’s plicated as you said. But that was helpful, Daiyu’er.”

  She nodded, face slightly tinted pink.

  “So, what Law would this creature be? I don’t envy you having to fight such, Akio-kun.” The Detective smiled. “Much simpler to fight thugs and even US agents, right?”

  “Some sort of Spatial Laerhaps… hunger?” As I said that, everyone shivered, thinking of a greed that had driven it to send an army of sves to our shores, to prey on us as if we were cattle fattened fhter….

  ********

  “Patriarch Lin, we have e.” Daiyu said, as we ehe interrogation room he had been moved to. The old man looked up at us, his expression rather pleased.

  “Ah, Daiyu’er, you have e at st.” He leaned ba his chair, pointing to the stack of papers on the desk. “All our Sect Secrets we could remember, as promised. Diamond Mountain now lies in your hands. I hope you remember us.”

  “I shall remember all the Sects that fell foolishly. Though fools will be remembered, while traitors… when those Sects are destroyed, they shall be expunged even from history!” Her dark eyes were fierce.

  “Excellent.” Lin Ming said, despite his obvious despair, his eyes were clear, and he managed a smile. “Seeing that bastard g Gui and the bitch Xiao Xia pay would be all this old mao soothe his path towards reination.”

  Daiyu picked up the papers, sing through them. “I thank you. Should any of you remember anything more, we shall take it.”

  “So, have you bee panio?” the old man asked slyly, and Daiyu dropped the papers. As she reddened, bending down to gather them up, she shook her head.

  “In due course. There… there is much yet to do.” She said, and exged a look with me.

  “Yes.” I came to her aid. “It’s a big step, o rush.”

  “The young often think that. But disaster es unbidden. Look at us now.” he gestured to himself. “Do not make the mistake this old fool did, and assume that there is always more time. Live with s.”

  Wise words. Well, I know we are on a tight timescale. Less than five years before one of the major disasters that Tsukiko-san prophesised hits. I want Rank 4 before then… “Well, if you don’t mind, the Detective here has some questions for you, about your crimes, and… other matters.”

  “Of course. I have nothing to hide about my guilt. I have handed over my treasures and my knowledge. All that waits for this old man now is the end.”

  As Detective Kato and Officer Usui began their questions, the transtor narrating to Karen-, I looked at the papers with Daiyu.

  “Calmed down?” I asked, and she nodded.

  “I am resolved. I grow more so every day. A Dao panion, an anchor to this empty world for me, someone I rely on with my life… it appeals, no, it is a y for me now. And before you say something foolish like… it does not have to be me…” I swallowed my words, surprised. “… I know it does not have to be. I may be young, but I am not a child. I am a Cultivator, one of the greatest prodigies in geions, Peak Foundation Realm. It does not have to be, but I am vi should be. I have been your iions with those around you, and I am satisfied. I wish a Dao panion who pete with me, who wishes to uand their Dao, the Laws that govern the Heavens and the Earth, and will… never leave me.” She shuddered, so I put an arm around her.

  “You’re still hurt by the loss of your family. I get it. But… you’re our friend now, Daiyu’er. You’ve fought with us, shared knowledge with us. And none if us will abandon our friends. And as for us dying… well, that’s why I’m here to prevent that.”

  “I know. But there are no guarahe full might of the golden-eyed devourer, or a Saint from old Kunlun… could you face them and live? I worry…”

  “Well, isn’t that why we are growing stronger? I have pns, and so do you.” There’s still a number of skills to test with Shiro’s buffs, such as my Eye. Well, week, I have too mu right now…

  “I do. Though I would greatly appreciate more spirit water. And the ability to use the Spiritually Pure Physique. My Invincible Jade Yang Teique, or even these…” She poio the papers, where several other teiques were listed, “… or the lesser Foundation Teiques I am aware of, should not be able to pare. And if I am to Cultivate together with you…” she paused, squirming in my arms. “… I wish my Foundation to be as solid as it be, for if I am to reach Accumution, Perfe and even beyond, my Foundation must be firm.”

  Cultivation is plicated. We’ve talked about it a bit, but it might be a good time to crify some points. “So Qi Refining is turniher into aether and then that to Qi, right? There doesn’t seem much differeo me, though I tell there is some.”

  “All beings possess Qi. Though it is in small amounts and hard to use.” Daiyu agreed. “The very fuals is taking the internal energy of Earth and growing it. But no human ever tain enough to reach the level of a Saint. Therefore we must take the energy of Heaven ah and refi. Qi is the form most suited for the Teiques honed over the years, and the Six Noble Pursuits.”

  “I get Earth energy, but Heavenly Qi… it isn’t simply Astral ether, is it? After all, the density may be lower oerial and acc to my Eye, it’s… lower quality, for want of a better term, but… it’s the same thing, right?”

  “Heavenly Qi… is powerful, but I ot cim to uand it or have seen any. Well, I am merely at Foundation Realm.”

  “Foundation is f your Astral body and honing your Material body, right?”

  “Yes. The meridians, chakras, acupoints and Dantians must all be prepared, fed and strengthened, and Teiques to do this are a kind of blueprint, that will also allow the body to acclimatise and wield Yin, Yang or elemental energies. My Invincible Jade Yang Foundation requires earth and Yang energies, and strehose within me. Spiritually Pure Physique is water, and I believe likely both Yin and Yang.”

  “I see. So it’s not too much different to what we do, via learning new elements or strengthening our Chakra works. I’d be curious to see how it all pares, since your Chakra work looks nothing like mine.”

  “After that, is Accumution. Qi must be gathered in the Dantians. Well, actually, most Teiques only require a single Dantian. Using two or all three is lost knowledge. The Lower Dantian must be flooded with Qi and the relevant energies. The greater the Accumution, the greater the potential.”

  That’s around the root and sacral chakras, so should take earth and water element. Is that why most Foundation Teiques use earth and water? Or is it ce? But how would you gather Yin and Yang energy, which seems to be darkness and light element, there?

  “Then, when one has Accumuted, the Perfe of Self begins, both the Physical and Spiritual body being improved, impurities and imperfes purged, meridians, acupoints and chakras opeo their fullest, Dantians prepared for the mysteries ahead. It is there our knowledge grows foggy, for this Realm has not been reached for mauries, as the Qi around and within us has diminished. Perhaps only departed Kunlun holds the true secrets of realms such as Golden Core and Saint. Although, it is not impossible for one of the new Five Great Sects…” her voice trembled faintly, remembering her ow’s fall. “… holds some a knowledge. We have crumbs, certainly, which states turning the Accumuted Dantian into a mythical Golden Core is , but as to how…” she shrugged.

  As we tio talk on the subject, keeping an eye on Lin Ming as we did so, the Detective still asking more questions, I sidered my move. I o create more High Moonlight Spirit Water, and not just for Daiyu. The amount my body produces has certainly increased, especially under buffs, but pared to what we’ll need…