The sedan plunged deeper into a wide, crooked alley shaped like an inverted ‘T’. Before it had even fully stopped, several figures dropped their cigarettes and rushed over.

“Chief Zuo, did it work? “

Zorro handed the document to one man leaning against the car window. “The rest is up to you. “

“Relax, we’ll handle everything. Now go see the Distributor—this is your ticket. “

As Zorro and the driver climbed out, two others slipped into their seats. The new driver donned a beanie handed in through the window, glanced down the road behind them, and began to reverse.

Zorro took the ticket alongside the man beside him. A flick of his wrist made the seemingly ordinary slip writhe and crinkle, vanishing into his palm like plastic enveloped by heat. They raised their heads to gaze at the five-story building at the alley’s end—people streaming in and out as glowing letters above spelled out: “Puxi Fishermen’s Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. “

The two walked through the dim corridor. Just as they approached a heavy, dark brown office door, a man with a thick beard pushed it open and stepped out, glancing at Zorro. “The Distributor was just asking why you haven’t come up yet. “

“I’m here. “

The bearded man patted Zorro on the shoulder and stepped aside to let him pass.

Inside the room.

The man gazing out the window heard the door close, spun his chair 180 degrees to face the newcomers, smiled, and flicked his fingers. A gloomy mist began to seep from the walls, quickly enveloping the room and plunging it into silence.

“You’ve completed a crucial task. Come, as agreed, I’ll still raise the price on this one by 150 percent. “

“Sir, we didn’t use any superhuman abilities to gather this intel. Couldn’t we bump up the price a bit more? “

Mayus Fanye, hands clasped behind his back, flashed a smile at the man who had spoken next to Zorro. “A greater Campfire is about to be lit. Why waste your energy on such a mundane affair? Dear friend, rather than pushing me to offer a higher price for this singular event that holds the key to fate’s future, why not seek out more Campfires to ignite? “

“Sir, do you have any worthwhile intel to share? ” Zorro stepped forward. “From the tone of your voice, it sounds like there’s something worthwhile we can meddle in, right? “

“Mm-hmm. “

Fenny gracefully picked up the nearby newspapers, swiped through them with his thumb, and then handed them to Zorro, who was sitting by the desk.

“After completion, do I still sell it to you first? “

“That’s the rule. “

The young man Ah Ku beside Zorro also approached. As they both examined the freshly dated newspapers in Zorro’s hands, the more Zorro read, the more his smiling eyes grew grim.

“This is… ” A’Ku stammered, surprised. “This guy… of all the nerve, he did up such a spectacle. “

Zorro looked down, his lips pressed tight into silence as his eyes swiftly scanned promising news reporting gained just days ago. His breathing quickly overwhelmed his steady rhythm.

Fenny gave a fond sigh for both, resting palms quietly besides large mess spread across table or deck alike – else unmoved at the verge pointing back at them.

“Already, several Chosen Ones from nations who haven’t yet left are beginning to answer his silent call. “

Zorro’s gaze flickered sharply.

“I have similarly decided we wait for no delay. Tomorrow spica spirit likely swells stirring through hearts outside each tenant-fraught harbor throng; Here is one man already handed route over—Not such wardship destined, probably, by big yield possibility to flash brighter spark. People there somehow rush. That yields boom resoundably; call it what may – However— Their torch should be grand yet. ” Comment perhaps how wise-screamed become sight sound?

A’Ku charged one fast palm upon glass station propped simply. “Maestro – can big? I-I aim maybe to blow a tune trumpet-worthy with equal length of roar then besides crowd always. “

Fenny rose; shifted himself above sculling points fully across bent frame from head downward – over high arcing seat canted easy once again.

“If the singular we perpetuate time’s scythe within are duty given slight so after all, ourselves: The Gleam originally un-struck — outside accidental to schemes shored so many tried deep space, will still unleash such fire within pure — ‘steel’ mark each day fixed here come might pure brightness – then ours too: we choose but that path’s return or next. “

A’Ku nod joy thoroughly fast along himself quite broad form; word faded only pure binding hope arise.

He heads to horizon while past briefly quiet look among those gone, fast scroll gaze; as smile breaks through corners pausing newspaper now across eyes tight bound fully able with name through time their guiding voice came close— a teen light youth named amidst big change from sign birth a new call ascendent all once after, themselves still full question worn upon sign kind light found yet for destiny’s asking never taken asked all free come loud own power arises straight onto big.

“A Zuo, let’s join the action later. Let me think—how about we start by distributing leaflets? “

“Anything will do. These newspapers, one after another, have already begun to stir people’s thoughts. So no matter what we do, we can’t go wrong. “

A’Ku was slightly surprised, then immediately rubbed his hands together with excitement. “Alright, then it’s settled. Hey, that kid is really something. It’d be great if we could bring him into our fold. A Zuo, I’ll take care of finding a printing workshop; you handle gathering the content. Then, later, we’ll find a few more people to join our… “

Zorro placed several copies of the newspaper on the table. He picked up the most recently printed issue, dated April 10th. On it was a reprinted photograph: a bewhiskered Yang Zicang, fist raised high, facing the crowd during his medal-awarding ceremony.

Zorro stared intently at the image.

“I’m not taking part in this operation. You all decide among yourselves. “

“Hey, what are you going to do? “

“I’m going to see him. “

Hearing Zorro’s words, even the distributor was startled.

“Whoa, I suddenly realized your drive has actually reached such a level! What do you want to see him for? To recruit him into our squad? “

“He doesn’t need to join. “

“What? ” A’Ku was taken aback, while a glimmer of insight flickered in the distributor Feng Ni’s eyes.

A faint smile crept across Zorro’s lips.

“He’s already one of us. “

……

Inside a heavily guarded room.

“Hundred Crowns ” Bai Yuxian sat with hands on his knees in an interrogation chair.

The two people who were originally interrogating him at the large table across from him had already left. The person entering now was an older officer wearing a high-level military uniform, accompanied by a lady who walked by his side.

The older man first took a few glances at Bai Yuxian before waving to the guards at the door, signaling them to lock the door tightly, and then he sat down.

“Working for the country your whole life, finally wanting to plan out a future for yourself—I can understand that. “

“Old… General. “

“Good. You didn’t call me ‘Teacher,’ ” said the man across from him, pulling out a rolled cigarette. The lady beside him indifferently extended her finger and flicked it, conjuring a small flicker of flame.

The older man gazed into the distance with a long, deep look at the somewhat lonely middle-aged man before him.

“You still remember what I said back then, don’t you? Go ahead, guess: what exactly is her ability? “

“Intentionally revealing her Fire Element power, she should be a Miasma Pollution possessor with dual elemental abilities. Alternatively, she could have resonated with some other etheric field, using a treasure of a specific element to simulate Fire Element magic, leading me to misjudge her ability and thus gain a certain combat advantage in any potential conflict that may follow. “

“And then what? ” the older man exhaled a mouthful of smoke.

Bai Yuxian’s emotions softened a crack.

“They left; and then you, Teacher, came. For enlightening me, guiding me onto this path, helping me acquire this bloodline, you could say… you are another… father to me. “

Bai Yuxian stared intently at the older man seated across from him.

“For you to come see me in person… or perhaps, for me to come see you. I estimate there’s a forty to fifty percent chance that the head of the Weiting Travel Merchant Association has run into trouble. And based on the coincidences before, I’d say there’s a seventy-five percent chance… that Soldier No. 4’s mission to acquire the Key has failed. “

The woman, who had just flicked a wisp of flame away, flashed a faint trace of surprise on her face.

The old man cast a sidelong glance at her, then silently looked away again.

“Continue. Not good enough yet. “

Bai Yuxian took a deep breath, then exhaled.

“Teacher… are you trying to get me into the Divine Hotel? “

“Without that last question mark, I’d have given you a high score. “

The old soldier snuffed out his cigarette on the table, his gaze growing cold. “A deserter who betrayed his homeland, yet also an intelligence agent who could seize a fleeting opportunity and broker a way into the Divine Hotel. In the end, I chose your identity. “

The room fell silent for a few breaths.

“I… can only take one person in. “

“We already know plenty about the Divine Hotel. Unless you manage to sneak a whole squad in this time, don’t expect to pull off anything meaningful in there. “

Bai Yuxian looked up, a touch of bewilderment in his eyes.

“The ‘Fei Lyu Inn’, also known as the ‘Divine Hotel’, has three tiers within the standard accommodation levels. “

The Old General said, “Relying on you alone, it’s impossible to obtain all its rooms, and that is something I will not allow. As a traitor, my only command to you is this: after Yang Buchen has taken control of at least two floors, pick a room and initiate a bid; you must succeed at it. “

From outside the door came the faint sound of prisoners being escorted past. It was only after their footsteps had completely faded away that the people in the room resumed their conversation.

“Why… “

“You don’t need to know the details. Tonight, around midnight, someone will come to break you out of prison. When the time comes, just leave with them. Once you’ve succeeded, never come back—go to the ‘New World’ you yearn for. “

Bai Yuxian’s instincts told him it wouldn’t be that easy.

“Master, Ang Xi’anin, he is… “

The older man thought it over and decided to reveal at least part of the truth. “Mm, he’s undergoing a small surgery. “

“Surgery?! “

A flicker of unease stirred in Bai Yuxian. After all these years, Ang Xi’anin was the most trusted person at his side.

“What kind of surgery? Yang Buchen is already suspicious of me. If I switch people at the last moment, it’s bound to fail… “

“There’s no need for you to worry about that. “

The Old General’s confidence showed plainly.

“You simply need to bring Ang Xi’anin into ‘Fei Lü Hotel’—the inn of the divine prisoner. That part is what matters. “

Bai Yuxian opened his mouth as if to speak, then closed it again. His breathing unsteady, he slumped back into the chair meant for interrogation.

In the early hours, between three and four in the morning, Bai Yuxian, still in his cell, heard—as expected—the roar of machine-gun fire and the rumble of artillery explosions.

He silently turned his back to the door, pondering what punishment would befall that Crossing Person who was like an adopted son to him — especially when, in the countless futures he had witnessed, they all converged on the same outcome for himself.