Chapter 31 - The General's Enemy (End of Book 1)

Jin Sidao:

I was in the council room, observing the old men making their typical decisions while holding a tray as if I were some kind of furniture. Boredom reigned within me amidst the chaos. Ever since the Emperor died in battle five years ago, we've been like this, and to make matters worse, our Empress heir was just a few months old at the time. Now, the child is five years old and starting to learn the nature of this world, but it will be a long time before she's ready for what I want to do... everything will go exactly as it should.

I hope those idiots return with that bird!

The one making decisions for the Song Dynasty is the Chancellor. This position is the second in command, only below the Emperor... in this case, our Empress. Since she is just a child, my old teacher acts in her place as a provisional Emperor and meets with a small council of politicians. The Chancellor is the current leader of the Song Dynasty.

"We need to do something! Our wall is being invaded on one side by the Theocracy, and we still have to deal with the chaos generated in the cities near the border with that continent!" said the Chancellor.

"We must stop attacking the Human Changelings of that demonic magical continent and focus on dealing with the Theocracy," shouted one of the old men.

In the background is my 'adversary' Yu Xin. He was better than me and got the position of Advisor to my teacher. According to the old man... my ambition was my downfall.

I ate street garbage. If not for my ambition, my sister would still be a prostitute, and I would be a thief who would have died in some alley. My ambition brought me here... and it will take me much further...

"What should we do?" asked the Chancellor.

I yawn.

"We've already withdrawn more troops from there; if we simply pull everything from the Changeling continent's border, it will look bad for us," said one of the old council members.

I sighed deeply, looking out the window. Not believing the view I saw, that same blue sky as always. Many times, that sky was what I saw... after staying up during lonely nights. My sister returned with the little food she could get, injured in various places... only I know what she went through to bring me food and pay for my education.

"Are you bored, Sidao?" the Chancellor asked me.

"I was just reminiscing a bit about my life, master," I replied with a smile.

"We're in the middle of an important meeting, and that's what you're doing? Thinking about life?"

I placed the tea tray on the table and stretched.

"There's nothing more to do. If I recommend something, you won't follow my advice; if I disagree, you won't listen to my opinion; if I agree, you'll be suspicious of me. What should I do if I'm trapped in a cage?" I asked him.

"What are you talking about, Sidao?"

"Wrong answer. You should have responded with 'you get out of the cage.' You are my cage; this pathetic council is what's holding the Song Dynasty back."

"HOW DARE YOU!?" the elders shouted.

Yu Xin:

I was in the council room, watching the elders have their usual discussions. It seemed like nothing was leading anywhere. Everyone argued their ideas and plans, and gradually we pulled our military forces back within our walls. We needed to deal with the Theocracy, which had decided to betray us.

The Song Dynasty is an Empire that dominates half of our continent, and we have a massive wall that they still try to breach. The problem is that the Theocracy is somehow getting stronger after allying with the Changelings' mages from the demonic continent, and now they are trying to set their sights on us. Not to mention the beast-human slaves they've captured from various tribes to use in battle.

We pure humans cannot reproduce with the demonic humans, and even if we could, we wouldn't. I don't hate the people of the other continent; in fact, I even feel a bit sorry for them.

The Song Dynasty only agreed to act alongside the Theocracy to try to expand our lands and seize the riches of that civilization. We never aimed for species superiority... but now that our Emperor has been assassinated, we are unsure how to proceed.

I hope this meeting ends soon.

I never wanted to be involved in this kind of decision-making. When I was recognized as a good student at the University, I was so happy, but I knew I could only progress if I chose to advance into the political arena.

On the other side of the table is the person who competed with me for the position of Advisor to my teacher... his name is Jin Sidao. That guy scares me, and I can't explain why. He won everyone's hearts with his smile and charming words.

Jin Sidao gives me a bad feeling. On the day we graduated, and I found out I had won the position of Advisor, which we competed for, he came to thank me personally with a genuine smile.

A genuine smile, but his eyes were terrifying...

"What should we do?" asked the Chancellor, my former teacher.

I am in the background just observing; my teacher doesn't like it when I give my opinions.

I think he believes it undermines his authority.

"We've already withdrawn more troops from there; if we simply pull everything from the Changeling continent's border, it will look bad for us," said one of the elders.

I look at my teacher, who is staring at Sidao.

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"Are you bored, Sidao?" asks the Chancellor.

"I was just reminiscing a bit about my life, master," Sidao replies with that twisted smile.

"We're in the middle of an important meeting, and that's what you're doing? Thinking about life?"

Sidao places the tray on the table. His lips smile, but his eyes don't.

"There's nothing more to do. If I recommend something, you won't follow my advice; if I disagree, you won't listen to my opinion; if I agree, you'll be suspicious of me. What should I do if I'm trapped in a cage?" he asks, opening his hands.

"What are you talking about, Sidao?" my teacher inquires.

"Wrong answer. You should have responded with 'you get out of the cage.' You are my cage; this pathetic council is what's holding the Song Dynasty back."

"HOW DARE YOU!?" the elders shout.

"I'm rephrasing things. Ever since you made that pathetic mistake, it has cost the Song Dynasty dearly. You brought about the downfall of our Emperor," Sidao said firmly.

"WE DID!?" my teacher shouted. "YOU, SIDAO! YOU PUT CRAZY IDEAS IN HIS HEAD! Your damn tongue convinced him to go into that battle."

Sidao yawned.

"If he hadn't died... he would have been like the hero I heard about in my childhood, the former Song Emperors. But his mistake was growing up in a cage with you."

"HOW DARE YOU INSULT US?"

"I just mentioned the death of the Emperor. Shouldn't you be questioning me about the disrespect I showed him?" Sidao continued, unfazed.

The elders fell silent, their faces showing a mix of confusion and anger.

Sidao, are you out of your mind? You're going to lose your position!

"See what pride has done to you," Sidao said, his voice dripping with disdain.

"You are just a simple servant who brings us tea! You can't understand the complexity of what we have to do," one elder retorted.

Sidao laughed. "The tea I serve, which you so disdain, is worth a month's food for a poor family," he said, taking a sip from a cup.

"What are you doing, Sidao? You have no right to touch that tea! It's reserved for high-ranking officials," another elder snapped.

Sidao threw the tea on the floor. "It really is crap..." he muttered.

Sidao, you come from a humble background too. What are you doing, throwing everything you've achieved away like this?

"I've been in wars and seen battles, many battles and terrible nights. And I'm not talking about the Red Frontier War. What do you think happens to street kids living near the wall? The girls are forced to entertain soldiers, and the boys, if they're not used as punching bags, are 'volunteered' to help defend. I grew up among the poor and made my way to where the rich live. And when I got here... I saw that you are just a bunch of old fools filling your guts with tea... idiots," he said, laughing.

"YOU'RE THE TEA BOY!" an elder shouted.

"GUARDS! ARREST HIM FOR DEFYING THE SONG DYNASTY!" another commanded.

"You are making a grave mistake... I am the Song Dynasty," Sidao said, still laughing.

Soldiers entered, armed, and surrounded him.

"I thought the top of our Song Dynasty would have the best warriors... I was wrong. The higher you go, the more useless people are. They sit around, eat, and argue... living off the glory of the true Emperors."

A guard approached him.

"This ends here. Today you fall."

"DEATH PENALTY! FOR DARING TO DEFY THE EMPRESS!" another elder screamed.

Sidao laughed again. "Defy the Empress? Never! I will guide her to the true path that will elevate the Song Dynasty to another level."

As the guard reached him, Sidao moved his hands. Grabbing the soldier's arm, Sidao broke it with a swift motion.

"AAAAAHHH!" the soldier screamed, collapsing to the ground.

Another soldier thrust a spear at him, but Sidao stopped the spear's tip with his finger.

"Pathetic!" he sneered.

Sidao spun, his clothes swirling around him, and punched the soldier's skull, sending him crashing lifeless to the floor.

A soldier behind him slashed at his shoulder with a sword, but the blade didn't cut him.

"Is that the best you can do with Aura? Even when I give you an opening, you can't harm the 'tea boy'?"

Sidao struck the soldier with two fingers, piercing his armor. The soldier screamed and fell back. Sidao's fingers emerged bloodied.

He pierced his heart through the armor!

I looked at the elders, who were now in a panic.

"Guards! Guards! Call the Commanders," my teacher yelled.

Sidao walked toward the elders, who huddled together in fear. One tried to draw a knife, but Sidao grabbed his wrist and broke it, the bone jutting out.

"Ahhhhh!" the elder screamed.

I stood paralyzed, in shock, watching the scene unfold.

Sidao struck the elder's neck with his hand, and the man fell dead. One by one, I watched as Sidao killed the elders, their screams echoing through the room. I stood frozen in place, witnessing the blood splatter against the walls.

"You're the last one, Professor. Any final words?" Sidao asked.

"You snake! You damn snake!"

"Wise words for a foolish old man. Do you know how snakes kill their prey?" Sidao threw the master to the ground, forcing him to his knees. He whispered in his ear, "Snakes coil around their prey slowly, tightening their grip until the victim is completely suffocated, their bones crushed. You've given me the greatest compliment I've ever received. I was the snake that coiled around you... but don't think I've always been a bad person to you. The Emperor fell just as I intended. With his fall, you, my professor, became the Chancellor. Remember, it was I who put you there."

Sidao tightened his grip on the professor's head.

"Goodbye, Professor! Feel the squeeze of the snake!" Sidao crushed his skull, causing his head to explode in a shower of blood.

I stood in shock, blood covering Sidao as he smiled at me. He sat down in the chair and picked up another cup of tea.

"What have you done, Sidao!?" I asked, panic rising in my voice.

"I served tea for the last time."

As I tried to run, the curtain moved and wrapped around my neck.

"Ah!" I collapsed to the floor, choking, and then realized the curtain was transforming into a geisha.

"You took your time, Sidao! And what do you think you're doing, letting him escape?"

Sidao just laughed at the woman strangling me. "I didn't take long; I just wanted to enjoy the view of the sky. It was really beautiful... and as for this person, he won the position of Chancellor's Assistant fairly. I value that. He will continue being the Assistant Chancellor he always wanted to be."

Still being strangled, I glanced at my professor's body. The grip around my neck loosened.

"Sidao! What Chancellor!? You killed the Chancellor!" I said, struggling to catch my breath.

"I am the Chancellor now! I am second in command, just below our little Empress... and you will be my Assistant," he declared to me.

"Be happy with that. Welcome to our team," Sidao said, laughing with those terrifying eyes staring at me.

The geisha began walking out, opening a door. More geishas entered.

"And my sister?" Sidao asked.

"She is completing her training to become a Witch," one of the geishas replied.

"Still?" Sidao asked.

"The path to awakening forbidden magic takes time. Soon, she will be one of us."

Sidao stood as several soldiers entered.

"What happened here?" they asked.

"Unfortunately, they all succumbed to a severe illness at once. How tragic..." Sidao said, looking at the bodies. "Do you disagree with my judgment?" he asked the soldier, and the geishas stared at the men.

"No!" one of the soldiers said, kneeling.

"Good... he recognizes our old organization," said the geisha.

"It seems there are no pathetic people left in this place," Sidao remarked, walking out.

"There's a problem, Sidao..." another geisha said.

Sidao sighed deeply.

"Did someone escape?" he asked.

"No... it's related to that phoenix hatchling."

Phoenix!? That thing exists? I thought it was just a story for children.

Sidao became furious.

"WHAT HAPPENED TO THE PHOENIX?" he demanded.

The woman looked down.

"We don't know... it disappeared. They were supposed to arrive after that two-year journey to the island... the ship went off course four months ago. One of them returned recently and reported that something happened, and the ship carrying the phoenix took a different route... we don't know its destination."

Sidao sighed heavily and rubbed his temples.

"Failure! Count on the damned failure! We've lost the phoenix, and it probably died in that sea! I can no longer continue with that plan," he said.

"So it's over? The plan to give it to the Empress and control the power of that bird... everything we fought for was in vain?" the geisha asked.

Sidao let out a laugh.

"Who said I rely solely on my success? Unfortunately, this defeat was bitter, but now I am the Chancellor... I'll have to execute my Plan B since we've lost the phoenix..." he said, leaving the room.

I just listened, unsure of what to do, fearing for my life.

"And what is your Plan B, Sidao?" the geisha asked.

He laughed.

"I will create a gigantic army of skilled Aura users!"