“Do it.”

The minute Ruri deactivated her Masking skill on us, the man’s mouth widened. I told her to turn it off in front of the Guild itself. I knew it was impulsive, but I needed to prove whether this guy from the Wawaqi revolutionary group was honest or not. If we let him go now, he could disappear into the crowd and we would never find him again. So I had to gamble. Take the risk.

“Oh, oh! There’s a good restaurant I know over here.” He went behind us and pushed us two down the street, before sharply turning into an alleyway. The man gave us some space as he wiped his forehead. “Now you’ve really done it.”

“Done what?” I decided to play dumb. I needed to know.

He sighed. “Doesn’t take a hard stare to figure out that you’re the people with a bounty on their heads. Looks like your Masking is the only saving grace from being arrested anywhere.”

“So you really do know who Sorah is?” Ruri stepped forward with a hand on her chest. The man sighed again, and fixed his shirt.

“The Kokmin are spread out, and a large diversity of people are in it. But there are few left who follow the path of pacifism. Sorah Totshigui is one of ‘em, ‘Disciples of the Pacification’. He’s always been against overthrowing the Imperial Court back home, even when the others are bent on revolution.” He pointed at Ruri and I. “You two. I take it you’re in for the same exact thing we’re doing right now? Searching for his family?”

Finally, we were making some sort of breakthrough. For once, the association with the Kokmin had come around instead of hurting our chances. “We are. We want to find them as soon as possible and bring them to safety. However there’s the problem with traveling…”

“Don’t worry too much. Like I said, if you two find the Kokmin in Xanton down south of the Grand River… They can pretty much offer you lodging at a cheaper price. And they got the latest scoop on the Totshigui family’s whereabouts than us members in Port Lungchiang or Shih-ch’eng. Piyüeh to boot. And with that Masking skill the girl has, you can get around anywhere in Great Zhou. Except…”

Ruri’s eyes stayed attentive. “Except?”

“Some people got a mad skill that overrides Masking, Foresight. I’d avoid people from the Royal Marshal or else they’ll see right through ya.”

“Thank you so much for telling us about this.” I bowed to him deeply, and Ruri did the same. In one day, we’d gained so much intel in our short arrival in Great Zhou. “If I may ask, what is your name?”

The man grinned, and placed his hands on my shoulder. “Friends of Totshigui are friends of mine. I’m Naqata Tshiqara. Whenever we meet again, how about going for a drink sometime?”

After the exchange with Naqata in Port Lungchiang, we prepared ourselves for the Zhounese capital, Xanton. The sun still hung high, so I believed we could make it in time. The only hurdle in trekking was crossing the delta of the Grand River, apparently the largest one on the continent. A ferry counted as public transportation which meant we would encounter many people, and possibly members of the Royal Marshal. Luckily they were easily spottable. I remembered Officer Guiral’s attire.

As Ruri and I walked to another dock on the other side of the port, I breathed in relief at the sight of no white coats. Along the way we ate at some obscure Wawaqi restaurant, and managed to exchange the rest of our mon currency into ch’ian coins threaded onto a string. Although the amount of ch’ian didn’t compare to the yuan-tael bounty on our heads.

From the ferry, we could already see the medieval skyline of Xanton unravel in the horizon. A myriad of taller buildings, albeit not as tall as modern skyscrapers, dominated the riverscape. Settlements of Port Lungchiang, Shih-ch’eng, and Xanton spread to the river banks with their urban sprawls, the common gabled roofs and beige colors a leitmotif of the national architecture.

A few hours passed as the sun began to fall. Upon departing from the ferry we immediately headed over to the local Guild. All we had to do was to check the board again, and a Kokmin struck up a conversation with us. I showed them the red charm Naqata gave me, and they soon took us outside. As soon as Ruri took off the Masking skill they soon recognized us as the people Naqata had described. How good were the Kokmin’s method of communication?

“Tshiqara told me that you guys needed a place to stay.” The Kokmin member, this time a woman, guided us along the quieter parts of the city. “Here in Laolu Fang, the shikumen are excellent places to lie low. There’s a place for you to occupy with subsidized rent, owned by a Kokmin that bought the entire neighborhood for our personal use.” She showed us a solemn terrace house, surrounded by other derelict townhouses. The style gave off a sense of Zhounese-Aquitani syncretism, resembling something of an oriental-occidental blend. “We can give you any information we gathered regarding the Totshigui family, but first I recommend that you two search for stable income in Xanton.”

[System Announcement]

Lingual Cognizance UP

1595 >> 1602

+7

And so, the next day Ruri and I decided to go find jobs. The money from that obscure tournament in Han’ei couldn’t last forever. While strolling along the adjacent burrows of Laolu Fang, I managed to find a tenant. So I thought, because I was completely illiterate in Zhouhua. I asked a pedestrian to read the giant sign in front of the building. After that I pulled open the doors.

“Huanying lai tao Yang Lienhua Kungszu!” Out of complete nowhere, a girl’s voice jumpscared me as she came flying into my view. I reeled by head back as I processed who startled me.

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

It was a younger woman with short pinkish silver hair, her eyes sparkling with every single kind of excitement and enthusiasm. She wore a traditional robe with heaps of equipment and pouches dangling on her waist. She twirled around again as her hair ornaments reflected in the light.

I couldn’t understand anything she said, so I bowed. “I’m sorry, I don’t speak Zhouhua well—”

“Hah? You’re Wawaqi?!” She bounced and leaned forward. She spoke Wawaqi? Then cleared her throat. “Welcome to the Yang Lianhua Pharmaceutical Company. I’m Kang Yuanyuan, what can I do for you today〜”

This girl… was too overbearing for me. I scratched my cheek. “Actually, I was thinking of applying here—”

“You want to work here?!”

I lifted my hands with my palms faced towards her. “Okay, please calm down. My name is Quirisaqui Saqui. If you have open positions, then I would like to apply.”

She wagged her finger at me. “Heh, heh, heh. Well you’re in luck, Saquisaqui.”

Maybe Ruri was right about my alias being redundant. “Wait, that isn’t my name—”

“Our clinic is local-run right here in Laolu Fang of Xanton, and since we’re pretty low on staff, we could use a hand or two!”

I fixed the uniform I wore from the hostel in Han’ei. First impressions were important. Kang gestured me inside and I caught a glimpse of the building’s interior. Hundreds of bookshelves were stacked with various potions and vials, books toppled on top of each other as files and desk cabinets crammed themselves into any space available. I spotted a few people working at several desks as they reared their heads. Kang took me to the only office on the left, simply barging in without knocking. I tilted my head in confusion.

“Doctor Yang, a guy named Saquisaqui is here!”

In the corner of the office, stood an older man who wrote nonchalantly on a scroll. Thousands of them piled onto the desk, as he set down his brush and took off his glasses. “Yuanyuan, please knock. And address the guest by his actual name.”

“Heheh.” She turned to me and winked. “‘Quirisaqui Saqui’.”

“It’s nice to meet you. You are Doctor Yang?” I stepped forward and bowed. If he was the one that ran the business, then I had to be extra. They were speaking Wawaqi to each other. I concluded that both Kang and Doctor Yang were fluent in Wawaqi and Zhouhua.

“My name is Yang Lianhua. Please, sit. What brings you here? Ailments, illness? Medicine?”

I sat down on the long couch in front of his desk. “Miss Kang informed me that you have a few positions available.”

“That, we do. For that matter, what languages can you speak?” He propped his arms up for his head and leaned forward on the desk. My eyes widened, knowing I should’ve learned more Zhouhua. I could hide that weakness, but lying wouldn’t earn more.

“To be honest, I only know Wawaqi.”

“Hm? And?”

“Come again?”

“You clearly speak Wawaqi, but you have a noticeable accent. Besides Wawaqi, what other language can you speak?”

“I…” I scratched the back of my head. This was a lot harder than the food vendors in Han’ei. Depending on how I answered this question would jeopardize my chances. I balled my fists. If I messed up, then they might also find out who I really was. And the Royal Marshal would know. Doctor Yang raised an eyebrow.

Kang slammed her hands on his desk. “Forget about that already! We need a data entry clerk, right? He’s the right guy for the job. I recommend him.”

“Yuanyuan, when did you meet this gentleman?”

“Um… Just a minute ago.”

The doctor facepalmed and exhaled with a deep sigh. Then his gaze went to me. “No more interviews today, Mister Quirisaqui. And I won’t press you again on the language matter. Yuanyuan here can teach you Zhouhua on the job. I trust her, and you seem to be an upright individual.”

“Thank you… Doctor.” My shoulders fell down as they cracked. All the tension left my body at that moment. For the first time, I finally acquired a desk job. I’d never attained one back in the original world, after failing a number of times in interviews.

“Woohoo!’” Kang said to me after we hustled out of his office. She patted my back. “Welcome to the team, Saquisaqui. Come on, say it with me. Yay! T’ai hao le!”

“Yay. T’ai hao leHow great.”

[System Announcement]

Lingual Cognizance UP

1602 >> 1604

+2

“C’mon you gotta give a little more than that. The data entry clerk requires you to learn to speak and read a bit in Zhouhua, sorting scrolls, you know, just putting them away. And Doctor Yang is nice enough on pay!”

I didn’t understand how this girl could be so gungho and upbeat. Let alone someone she’d just met. If Kang always behaved this way towards her other colleagues and clients… it would be tiring.

I caught myself before my mind automatically judged her and placed bias. I needed time to understand her. To think rationally. If I got a job to pay for the townhouse plus a good work environment, then it was a win-win. Although I had never encountered a place where the owner was lenient.

Kang told me to come back tomorrow, so having the day off I walked back to the terrace house. Laolu Fang truly was a place no one would trek over to, run-down buildings and obsolete shikumen structures stood waiting for the day to be demolished.

When I arrived at our townhouse, it was dead quiet in the foyer. The sun shone through the top skylight and marked noon. Dust particles floated solemnly with the beam of light, as old tables and pottery lay dormant for years. Up ahead was a flight of stairs, extending to more bedrooms decorated with dark wood and Zhounese paraphernalia.

The door rustled behind me and opened, showing a tired Ruri come in and shut it. She slid off her shoes and began walking inside. I decided to do the same.

“Ruri, you find a job yet?”

“After going a bit out of my way in Laolu Fang, yes.” She slowly made her way to a chair near the wall. “You?”

“Found one near here. Yang Lianhua Pharmaceutical Company.” I stretched, taking in the view of the large open space above me. The flight of stairs felt as if it extended to the sky.

Ruri smiled and leaned her head against the wall. “Good for you, Kawari. We can rest a bit for now. Aymy said that they’ll give us the information on Sorah’s family in the afternoon.”

“Aymy? That woman from the Kokmin that led us here?”

“Yeah. So there’s a bit of time to wind down,” Ruri explained, staring at the ceiling. “To think we’re far away from Waqwaq, Itogutshi, home… I don’t know what to feel except uneasy.”

“... Hm.”

And so, we relaxed in our new residence, waiting for the intelligence drop. Everything was going smoothly.