Chapter 12: The Surface

Gently placing the empty cup back on its shelf, Yutai hoisted the straps of his rifle over his shoulder. It nestled into place, comfortable and familiar against his back. The cooling vents were on full blast, just as his parents liked it while they slept.

Yutai crept out of the refreshment room and down the silent corridor. He felt guilty about his short time at his family's home, barely a night's stay. But it had become the norm for him.

On the left was his parents' bedroom. His fingers brushed over the sleek control panel beside the door, expecting it to slide open with a familiar hiss. Instead, it flashed red. Locked.

Neither of his parents were awake. No goodbyes this time.

Pressing his ear against the cool surface of the door, Yutai heard the low rumble of his father's snores. A small smile tugged at his lips as he continued his journey down the dim corridor.

The living space was next - an area filled with entertainment screens and plush sofas, currently steeped in darkness. He moved through it with practised ease, careful not to disturb the furniture. The front door was just ahead, but there was one more room he wanted to check before he left for the tower. He tapped on a little panel by a door to his right, and it slid open with a whisper. Warmed air spilt out, caressing his face with a comforting heat that was a welcome respite from the chilled air his parents favoured. Pangfua had the heater turned on overnight in his room. He was cocooned in a blanket, soft snores escaping his lips.

Yutai offered a silent prayer, a plea for the Light to protect his brother before he closed the door once more.

Turning his attention to the front door, he opened it and stepped outside. The satisfying buzz of the locks engaging behind him echoed in the early hours of the coming work-cycle.

Though Yutai usually stayed in his own home in the Kingmaker tower, he still recalled the route from his academy days, when he lived in the quiet suburbs of Yu with his family.

As Yutai trekked toward the towering silhouette of Yu Tower, always present above the tops of Yu's short groundscrapers, the narrow, pristine streets of the fourth level stretched before him. The smooth sandstone walls of the streets were adorned with intricately designed window frames at regular three-metre intervals. Between every few windows was a sliding door that led to apartment units, where most residents were still sleeping in the early hours of the work-cycle.

The day lamps on the left wall of the street flickered to life, their soft glow signalling the end of the sleep cycle and the start of a new day. The inner-west end of District Yu was home to most of its citizens, families of respectable wealth and status. Unlike the wealthy families of the northern districts, these citizens had generational ties to the Emperor's royal family. If they didn't have a son or daughter currently serving as a Kingmaker, someone in their family once did. Once their Kingmaker connection either died or retired, these families were allowed to remain in Yu indefinitely.

At a fork in the corridor, Yutai walked right and ventured into the heart of Yu's financial district. The corridor gradually broadened and the ceiling rose and arched into multi-levelled sides, revealing a plaza where people walked back and forth. Offices and corporate buildings lined the corridor, interspersed with a variety of shops yet to open. The smooth sandstone underfoot gave way to grey-tiled cement slabs, the timbre of his steps shifting subtly with the change. The atmosphere was slow and tranquil, with early risers preparing for the cycle's business in the heart of the district's commerce.

Yutai moved unnoticed through the sparse crowds of half-asleep Yu residents. For a Kingmaker, this anonymity was a rare luxury, but in District Yu, it was the norm.

Here, the fascination of the Kingmakers was stripped away; many citizens had immediate relatives within their ranks. This personal connection demystified their status. However, outside of Yu, encountering a Kingmaker was a rare and extraordinary experience. Most Kowlooni's lived and died only hearing legends of the golden-striped Kings. They were not just seen as highly-skilled militia capable of shifting entire political landscapes with their unique talents; they were also viewed as wealthy, eccentric playboys. Whether making appearances as team sponsors in high-stakes zuche games, or found on the top floor of the Mazu City Star Casino, dominating tables with smug confidence, where fortunes were won and lost in the blink of an eye. They were the living, breathing essence of Kowloon's legends and myths, as ancient as the city itself.

Yutai's mind replayed images of his fight against the Ibilis as he journeyed towards the tower, his sleep stolen by an urgent summons from the Emperor. He was certain it had to do with his involvement in the events of two nights ago, when he'd had an unexpected showdown against the Ibilis.

If that's the case, then surely the rest of the detachment is on their way, too.

A mild headache pulsed in sync with the rhythm of the fight replaying in his mind. His left arm still ached from when the Ibilis almost snapped it in half. He remembered how it had felt pushing against the relentless tide of the masked man's blows, predicting Yutai's every manoeuvre perfectly.

He retraced the entire fight in his mind, seeking a crack in the inexplicable flow of the Ibilis' movements. A rationale that would satisfy Yutai's intuitions; how did he hold me off for so long?

He tried to connect the style to different schools of martial arts, but nothing came to mind. Even the question as to how the Ibilis escaped while avoiding the gunfire in the room, and then ran past the Tien Tao Rioters who were storming the building at that time, burned in Yutai's mind.

It's as if The Ibilis had already choreographed his fight against me. Did I show my hand too early? Unlikely …

Every Kingmaker was a master of misdirection in combat, their moves as unreadable as an encrypted code. The training was rigorous and secretive, taught by living legends in the martial arts scene. The average Kingmaker knew more fighting forms than the average person could name. Yet, the Ibilis seemed to predict Yutai's strikes as if reading an open book. It hinted at something more sinister. Some sensory-base cybernetic implant that was capable of outperforming even the best fighters, a completely new fighting style, or perhaps something far more frightening … Kingmaker training itself.

Knowing that the Ibilis came perilously close to death multiple times throughout the whole ordeal, Yutai felt a surge of frustration. He was the loser while the Ibilis claimed victory in the night's battle. Until he knew why that was the outcome, his mind would not rest.

Would I have survived the fight if General Denzhen hadn't intervened?

Yutai never imagined there could be anyone in Kowloon capable of killing a Kingmaker in single combat. The mere possibility unsettled him deeply.

Before long, the mouth of the Yu tower loomed before him, a colossal portal that was always open, ingesting and releasing a constant flow of Kingmakers and students headed towards the Yu Library on the second floor. The ground floor lobby was a sprawling nerve centre that branched into the lifeblood of their Kingmaker gang - offices, classrooms, weapons vaults, research laboratories, server rooms, dojos, and dormitories.

Yutai wove his way through the lobby, a solitary figure among a sea of Kingmakers walking in pairs.

Navigating into a corridor, Yutai greeted almost every face that waved at him, but no one noticed his uncharacteristic lack of interest in conversation. His journey ended at the eastern set of lifts, where he hailed one and waited. The bustle around him seemed unusually vigorous.

I bet it's because of what happened in Ho Man Ting. All these lazy Kingmakers who haven't seen a day of action since graduation are probably answering calls from the Dragons now.

With a ding, the elevator doors slid open, releasing three large Kingmakers. Yutai deftly slipped inside the metallic chamber before any others had a chance to share the ride, his finger stabbing the button for the 28th floor, the sanctum of the Emperor himself. This was his first direct summons. Usually, it was the generals who dealt with them on his behalf.

Reaching the 28th level, Yutai stepped into the lobby of the throne room, where the grand double doors welcomed him with open arms. As he walked down the narrow, red-carpeted hall, he could see Emperor Puyin atop his throne with three other men standing before him. His footsteps echoed off the walls and jade pillars, and as he got closer, he saw the backs of the three men more clearly - they were wearing green trench coats, the attire of the Dragons. He clenched his jaw as the magnitude of this meeting dawned on him.

Rows of the Emperor's elite Manchukuo guards stood rigidly at precise intervals down the hall, their imposing figures casting massive silhouettes against the dark walls. Overhead, additional guards glared down at him from the balconies. These Manchukuo guards were Kowloon's most esteemed warriors, their skills unquestioned, forming the steel backbone of the royal family's protection. They were former Lieutenant Kingmakers, hand-selected by the Emperor for his royal guard.

Yutai's reverie was broken by a clearer sight of the Emperor, sitting regally on his throne. His lustrous red Hanfu robes cascaded down the throne steps, their silken waves converging on the sprawling carpet that stretched down the hall.

At the foot of the throne steps, the three esteemed figures turned their heads at Yutai's approach. Generals Denzhen, Han Xi, and the seldom-seen General Cao.

But even rarer than seeing Cao was the sight of three Dragons in one room. Yutai felt the gravity of the moment; something was unfolding, something significant, and he was standing at its epicentre. Among the three generals, however, the eldest was missing - General Qin Shi.

'Shehui Yutai!' General Han Xi softly called out as Yutai came to a stop next to him on his right side. 'It's good to see you.'

General Han Xi was Yutai's favourite general out of the four, but that was considered the basic preference amongst Kingmakers. Everyone adored the man. He was an old-timer who had remained young at heart and never lost his sense of humour, despite going through the hell of the District Rebellions.

'Likewise, General,' Yutai stepped forward and bowed deeply to the Emperor, and then to all three generals.

Yutai noticed Emperor Puyin's face was scored with deep lines of worry. His long, dark goatee was unusually unkempt, betraying a rare lapse in his meticulous grooming.

Strangely, the Emperor's advisor, Grand Chancellor Lin Zexu, was absent. It was most suspicious as he seldom left his master's side.

The soft chime of the elevator echoed down the hall and broke Yutai's train of thought. The low hum of conversation slowly descended into the hall. Yutai turned his head and spotted the figures of Keung, Cheng, Ushi, Tao, and Shing, accompanied by General Qin Shi leading them.

So, all four generals ARE here, Yutai thought, his skin prickling with nerves.

The new entrants lined themselves up in a neat row next to Yutai, while General Qin Shi stood beside General Denzhen at the other end. Bowing in unison before the Emperor, the throne room fell into an expectant silence.

Emperor Puyin's chin remained propped on his hand, an unreadable expression drawn over his face.

He looks more worried than I thought he'd be. Perhaps this is about something else? Yutai thought.

Usually, Keung's team didn't attend important meetings with the Emperor. Ever since the team had assembled last after the Yau Bombings, their sole task had been to hunt the Yang.

'I bear unsettling news,' the Emperor's voice suddenly filtered through the room. Its timbre, heightened by concern, sent a shiver of trepidation down Yutai's spine. 'Earlier yesterday, a few hours before the work-cycle started, we received a message … from the surface.'

A collective gasp rippled through the room. Eyes widened, breaths hitched. Yutai could hardly even begin to fathom this news. This was enormous, apart from Dong's miraculous journey, there has never been any confirmations of life on the surface. Many Kowloon's secular scientists believed that it was desolate and inhospitable, no different from No Man's Land, leaving everyone to speculate what mysteries awaited them up there. The room felt as though it had plunged into a deep, icy abyss, silence ringing in his ears as his mind struggled to comprehend the enormity of the news.

The Emperor continued, 'The surface has contacted us for the first time in history. Neither of us was aware the other existed until very recently.'

'How can we know for certain they're from the surface?' General Cao asked.

'We traced the source of their communications signal coming from eight-hundred kilometres above us. They also allege an attack from Kowloon, a plague they believe is of our doing.'

'But … Your Grace, how could we have attacked them if we didn't know they existed?' General Han Xi's query sliced through the stunned silence.

'I don't know,' The Emperor said. 'But the city above us has the very name that Dong talked about in the Book of Lumen: Hong Kong.'

Yutai could hardly believe it. According to scripture, Hong Kong was the first mythical city Dong had entered on the surface. One of Dongism's greatest criticisms was the supposed impossibility of the prophet's journey to the surface. Even though his four-year pilgrimage was thoroughly journaled, sceptics claimed he simply hid for four years and then reappeared, telling everyone he'd returned from the surface. If people from Hong Kong had contacted the Emperor, it would be the first concrete evidence supporting a key narrative from Kowloon's most dominant religion, breathing literality into scripture.

The Emperor continued, 'Their leader has told me that diseased corpses have flooded their lakes and rivers. Tens of thousands of them. And they were tracked to here.'

'Of course …' General Qin Shi interjected. 'We have never truly known where our Memorial Pipes go. Dong claimed they lead to some mythical body of limitless water, where departed souls eventually float to the Light. If they led to surface civilisations this entire time, it would've happened a millennia ago. Why now, is the question.'

'I could take the Ditu and investigate down the Memorial Pipes,' General Cao suggested.

'That isn't necessary, at least not yet, Cao.' The Emperor sat up straighter on his throne. 'For the time being, we've managed to quell suspicions of malice on our part, but their leader has made a list of demands. They want to better understand Kowloon. Our manpowers, our population sizes, our cultures and beliefs. We hope to maintain peaceful coexistence, and so we will comply. Chancellor Zexu is already compiling the requested information.' The hint of strain in the Emperor's voice suggested he was wrestling to maintain his composure amidst the escalating crisis.

'Emperor, why is my team here?' Keung finally voiced the question that had been simmering in Yutai's mind.

'If the Yang find out about this, there's no telling what they will do. I am making a new demand of your team, seeing how reluctant the six of you are with making progress.'

What reluctance? Yutai thought. Didn't we just catch Jian for him?!

'Forget any lead you have on minor Yang targets. That masked fool from Ho Man Ting has my city in an uproar. I want his head within the next 100-cycles! All your team has done is kill Jian and turn every goddamned King in this tower sour! I want his mask hanging in the Yau Museum of History before my Zhaisheng reaches its zenith, do I make myself clear, son of Denzhen?'

'Yes, Emperor,' Keung gave his uncle a deep bow.

An internal knot of apprehension formed within Yutai as he grappled with the enormity of the Emperor's demands.

100-cycles? He's asking for the impossible.

Looking at his generals, the Emperor continued, 'In these turbulent times, it's crucial that we present an image of unwavering strength, at least until my Zhaisheng is complete. Then, everything will gradually align. As some of you may know, the lord of district Pik recently passed away. His son is being coronated as the new Lord. Normally, this would not concern me, but the East has a track record of forgetting who their Emperor is. Denzhen, I want you to ensure there is a Kingmaker presence at the ceremony. Make it clear that our attendance sanctifies the coronation.'

General Denzhen nodded. 'Yes, Your Grace. It will be done.'

'Thank you, brother. When Dong returned from the surface 600 annui-cycles ago, his revelation of people on the surface scared Emperor Hongwu into creating defensive outposts around key points of entry between Kowloon and No Man's Land. These were manned for about 200 annui-cycles before being deserted. Now that we know the surfacers are a threat once more, we need to reestablish the Hongwu Outposts. Cao, go to the records and find out where these outposts were. Take Kingmakers and local gangs and bolster these locations. General Qin Shi, you are to meet with the Southern Warlords and get them to secure their Wildlands border. Kowloon is under secret lockdown - no one enters or leaves my kingdom. I don't want to stress about infiltration while I am in talks with their leader.'

General Cao and Qin Shi both bowed. The Emperor turned his gaze to General Han Xi.

'Han, assist Zexu with compiling the data requested by the surfacers. We don't have everything they want right now. Contact census organisations, data centres, any group or company with statistics on Kowloon. Ignore any pleas for privacy, this takes precedence.'

'Noted, Your Highness,' General Han Xi bowed.

Yutai tried to imagine the thoughts swirling underneath the Emperor's grim countenance, but realised he would probably never understand the tensions of a ruler protecting almost a billion people.

The meeting ended with tensions in the air. Keung's team formed a single line and vacated the throne hall, with the generals trailing behind.

Outside, the generals took the lift down, but the rest of Keung's team lingered in the waiting room near the couches.

'What now, sir?' Tao asked Keung. All six had formed a rough circle, awaiting orders from their silent lieutenant.

'Sir?' asked Yutai. 'What's the plan?'

'100 work-cycles?' Ushi said frustratedly. 'The Emperor must think we are the granter of miracles!'

'I can't believe it,' Cheng remarked. 'The surface … they're actually up there. Not some Dongist metaphor for heaven. There are actual civilisations above us.'

'Next, it'll be dancing sewer rodents,' Shing snarked.

Keung activated his holocommunicator and initiated a call. All six pairs of eyes hovered over the holographic display that shimmered above his wrist. It was a call to Han Shizhou, the Tai Li commander from Yau.

'Lieutenant? How did the meeting go?' A digitised voice crackled through the tiny speaker on the holocommunicator strapped to Keung's forearm.

'Could've been better. Meet me in lecture room 40 on the 13th floor of Yu Tower, an hour before the daylight lamps dim. And bring Jin with you; we have a lot of work ahead of us.'

'Sounds good, Lieutenant. We'll see you there. Good day.'

The comms line was cut, and Keung looked up at everyone else who had listened to the call.

'You all heard me. We're meeting to follow up on this lead in Ho Man Ting an hour before the dimming. Let's pray to the Light that it actually leads us somewhere,.'

'Yes sir,' said Cheng. 'You heard the Lieutenant, everyone. Get some rest, I want no late comers to the meeting!'

With that, they all dispersed towards the various elevators at the end of the hall, some in pairs, others alone, each wrapped up in their own thoughts about the daunting task that lay ahead. But right now, they all wondered how they might kill time until the meeting started, an hour before the dimming.

Before Dong's birth, Kowloon had never slept. The hundreds of thousands of lamps strung across buildings never turned off. People would sleep whenever they felt the need to and stayed awake for as long as their jobs and daily needs demanded.

When the great prophet and philosopher Dong Songzhu returned from the surface, he spoke of their universal sleeping times, dictated by a single holy light that shone on the world. And Emperor Hongwu fell in love with the idea.

He was fascinated by the enchanting tale of an omnipresent and divine Light governing the rhythms of life. No company-mandated sleep cycles for workers, no cultural and tribal sleep times, no longer sleep cycles for the rich and shorter sleep cycles for the poor; just one single cycle for all. A realm where all beings would rest and work in harmony, unencumbered by the whims of status or circumstance.

And so, Emperor Hongwu set out to bring this vision to Kowloon, replacing discord with unity and cohesion. Within an annui-cycle, all lamps were programmed to turn off after a full waking sixteen-hour work-cycle, and turn back on after a ten-hour sleep-cycle.

In 626 A.T. 3, not long after Dong's great return from the surface, all of Kowloon had their eyes open at once and gathered below the thousands of hanging lamps throughout every district. Every level of every street of every groundscraper in Kowloon was filled with people, everyone looking up at the lamps that always shone constantly.

They witnessed it dim to a soft orange light, and Kowloon experienced its first twilight. The cityscape, a hive of relentless activity, was now suspended in hushed silence. As the lamps dimmed, so too did the world, its vibrancy giving way to a serenity that seemed almost foreign. It was a major turning point in the public perception of Dong, who was now taken seriously as someone who could potentially transform Kowloon forever.

Everyone made their way back home that night, and for the first time ever, all of Kowloon slept together.

****

'Have you searched the homes of her immediate family? In-laws, cousins?' Yutai held his wrist near his mouth for clear communication. Opposite him, Shing lounged, his outstretched legs crossed atop the table of the smoky dama den. He toyed with the smoking pipe in his hand, exhaling slow rings of smoke that danced in the dim light. In the middle of their table was a slim glass fixture. Smoke spiralled upwards from a clear liquid in the bottom, feeding into a flexible pipe.

'My Black Jackets have turned every district and sub-district upside down. I'm up to my neck with these bloody doctors.' Shing listened to Yutai and Aunt Tong talk about another scientist from the late Dr Chinh's team, who had vanished from her detention cell.

'You said she was the scientist who went completely mad during the expedition. Maybe she just ran away.'

'I'm certain the Yang got to her, Yutai,' the Aunt continued. 'Dr Chinh went missing the exact same way until he was found the way he was.'

'Well, I went through some of Dr Jode's research notes that I found back at Chinh's place. I get the feeling it wasn't just Jode's calculations he disliked?'

'Dr Jode was Chinh's harshest critic during their time at the dam. Recall how I mentioned he thought the dam might fail within a few annui-cycles? Well, Dr Jode's calculations made her believe they had at least a hundred annui-cycles. This difference led her to sway many others in the team against Chinh. In the end, only Chinh believed his own calculations, while the rest of the camp rallied behind Jode. But there was another problem: Jode stopped taking her medication during the expedition. It kept her schizophrenia in check. God knows why she did that. When she returned, she was on the verge of stage five No Man's Paranoia, and unfortunately, her mind has been resistant to therapy since then. After Chinh died, she became convinced she was next, that my Black Jackets couldn't protect her. One of them said she screamed and shouted every day from her room about needing Kingmaker protection. Then, poof. Yesterday, she went missing during a guard change.'

'Ask her if a Black Jacket could've helped her,' Shing mouthed to Yutai, barely above a whisper.

Nodding, Yutai fixed his gaze on Shing as he relayed over the line, 'And you're absolutely certain none of your Black Jacket's helped her escape?'

'Yes,' Aunt Tong explained over the line. 'I'm not saying my ranks are immune to bribery, but if there's someone Dr Jode wouldn't trust, especially in her paranoid state, it would be one of her Black Jacket guards. She never hid how incompetent she thought they were. She practically hated them!'

'I see …' Yutai responded while Shing was deeply absorbed in the fragrant smoke from his pipe. Shing met his gaze briefly, shrugged non-committally, and then tilted his head back to release another plume of smoke into the air.

'I have one other question, about Dr Chinh,' Yutai said. 'Did he have any connection to district Ho Man Ting? Or more specifically, Ho Man Ting University? A professor friend, a former student, colleague even?'

'Chinh had connections to professors in his field from every major university. I can't say who he specifically knew from HMTU.'

Yutai sighed. I don't think the Aunt will know much more.

'Very well, Aunt. Thank you. We'll be back in Kam Shan very soon to track down Dr Jode. If she's alive, she may know the answers to some questions we have.'

'My best bet is that she was headed towards District Yu to search for your tower. She really wasn't joking about needing you Kingmakers,' Aunt Tong said.

'It's been less than a work-cycle since she vanished, so I don't think it'll be too hard to catch up to her. We'll see you soon, Aunty.'

'Lovely. Thank you, handsome.'

The holographic image on his wrist flickered and compressed back into its small recess. Yutai sighed, his arm dropping to rest on the table as he extended his other hand to receive the pipe from Shing. Yutai pulled deeply from it, his lungs expanding with the fragrant smoke and his head momentarily spinning. He exhaled hefty plumes of smoke through his nostrils and mouth and leaned back.

'So,' Yutai began. 'A group of scientists go into No Man's Land to investigate Chuan Wan Dam. They come out with fractured minds, everyone seemingly in conflict with Dr Chinh. Why? Because they all thought his calculations about the dam collapsing were crazy. Impossible. Scientist-turned-doomsday preacher. Does something sound familiar about this?'

'No.' Shing shook his head as gestured with his fingers for the pipe.

Yutai handed it to him, resting his head on his fist, deep in thought.

'Dong's mythical lost canon. What do you know about it?' Yutai asked.

Shing glanced at him with a raised brow and took a pull from the pipe. 'Dong's lost canon?' He replied after a brief exhale. 'I know that it's a myth. A legend that many adventurers have perished searching for. Supposedly, he wrote a new trilogy of Holy Texts before his death in which he renounced everything he wrote in the original Holy Canon. The legend says the manuscripts were hidden deep in the Huang Wildlands, where the Yang found them after the rebellions.'

'Precisely, my friend. This mythical canon is said to be nothing like the Book of Lumen, the Book of the Redeemer, and the Book of Memory. The trilogy we know speaks of optimism and hope, that God will one day forgive us and return us to the surface. However, the Lost Canon, speaks of Dong's hopelessness and God's abandonment. We are condemned to darkness until we venture to the surface ourselves and show God we've changed.'

'Yeah, so what?'

'Come on, Shing. Haven't you figured it out?'

Shing took another drag from the pipe, blowing the smoke straight into Yutai's face. 'Nope.'

Yutai crinkled his nose, waved the smoke away, and leaned over the table.

'Shing, you dumbass. These are the myths the Yang obviously believe. And one of them is Kowloon's eventual destruction as a civilisation. They believe we're on a sinking boat. They believed that Dong's final commandment was Kowloon's immediate exodus. No prayers, no spiritual enrichment, no waiting on God for forgiveness. Straight action. That's what the Yang have been running around telling people.'

'Okay, I'm starting to see what you mean. The Yang believe we must escape to the surface to fulfil Dong's true prophecy. Okay, I'll bite. It does seem like Dr Chinh and the Yang have common motivations. So, are you saying the Yang didn't kill the doctor? Because that doesn't sit right with me.'

'It's too early to write anyone off our suspect list. But I don't think what happened to the doctor is as straightforward as we thought. Whoever picked up my call obviously thought I was Dr Chinh, which means they knew him. They even expected him at Ho Man Ting Square. But the doctor had already been dead for almost a cycle.'

Shing stayed silent for a moment.

Yutai's holocommuncator's timer rang. It was an hour from the dimming of the lamps for today's work cycle.

'All right Shing, let's go meet Keung. I hope he's cooked up some strategy.'

'If he has and it's actually good, we'll know it was Cheng's idea.'

****

'Shit! My finger!' shrieked Tao for the fourth time.

'You okay up there?' Ushi asked. Tao stood on the top rung of the ladder, the top half of his body above the ceiling and inside the attic. The tile panel Tao had removed to gain access to the space above the ceiling stood leaning against the bottom of the ladder.

'Oh, thank the Light for you two beautiful souls!' gushed the young store owner. 'It's been so hot since the cooling systems stopped working! I am glad you Kingmakers passed by when you did. I thought I'd just about start melting,' She clasped her hands together as she stood beside Ushi, watching Tao's lower half standing on the ladder. Sounds of metallic banging came from the darkness.

'FUCK! My finger!' Tao shrieked again, his voice echoing from within the attic.

'Quit your squawking and get on with it, Tao!' Ushi reprimanded. 'If it weren't for the fact I'd probably get stuck climbing through that hole, I'd be up there myself.' He tossed a sideways glance at the young woman to see her reaction, his muscles flexing in a somewhat exaggerated display of strength. However, the store owner missed his theatrics as she remained looking up.

'Whatever, brother,' came Tao's muffled retort from above, punctuated by clanging noises. 'I doubt you have the cognitive capacity to comprehend, let alone repair, a G53 cooling system. These machines are ancient! No offence, Miss.'

'Actually, the Emperor has offered all the shops free upgraded cooling systems. But since we're on the 8th floor, the terrace above needs to be taken apart to install the new one. The cooling company quoted me 100,000 Hongs for the installation. I can't afford that!'

'Bastard cooling companies …' Ushi muttered, just loud enough to make sure it was within earshot.

'AH!' Tao shrieked again. Ushi rolled his eyes. 'What is it this time?'

'I-I think there's a nest of sewer rodents up here!' Tao's voice stuttered, disgust palpable in every syllable. 'I touched something furry!'

'Yeah right! We're not in Eastern Kowloon, fool. You probably just found a mirror.'

The young shopkeeper couldn't help but stifle a giggle, her eyes gleaming with amusement. Seizing the moment, Ushi turned his charm to full throttle. 'Apologies, I have no clue how my friend here sees sewer rodents in the cleanest shop in the district. I swear, the only sewer around here is his mouth, and the bullshit factory inside it!' His words were met with a chorus of laughter from the shopkeeper. A sense of satisfaction unfurled in Ushi's chest.

However, their momentary mirth was abruptly cut short. A strangled cry from Tao filled the room, this time tinged with genuine fear. Ushi's heart leapt as he watched Tao snatch his holstered hand cannon and hop into the inky blackness of the attic.

Ushi's brows pressed together as the store became quiet. 'Tao?'

The shopkeeper took a step back. 'Is your friend okay?'

As they both stared within the void of the removed tile panel, bursts of white light erupted and pulsed from above; the familiar silent discharge of Tao's RS4 hand cannon. Ushi grabbed for his hand cannon and lunged for the ladder, his free hand seeking purchase on the cold rungs. 'Tao! What's going on?! What the fuck are you shooting?!'

Ushi had ascended half way when Tao's head emerged from the darkness above, looking down at Ushi with a mischievous smile. The light from the visor of his cap shone brightly into Ushi's eyes, blinding him. 'Fuck, man! Turn those floodlights off!'

'Oh, sorry,' Tao tapped on the side of his cap.

'Sorry about that, brother, but there really were sewer rodents. Freaking huge ones, too! Here, look,' Tao reached out his arm somewhere from the darkness and dragged out a dead sewer rodent the size of two dusk-cats by the tail, waving it near Ushi's face. Smoke trailed from the cauterised wound on its now almost non-existent head.

'Get that thing out of my face!' Ushi recoiled, gagging. He jumped off the ladder as the shopkeeper noticed the rodent and squealed from her hiding spot behind the counter. Tao chuckled from the attic. At last, he stopped waving the massive rodent and studied it, his delight at his discovery incongruous with the grim nature of the find.

'Look at this thing; it's huge! I've never seen rodents even half its size in East Kowloon. Even in Tai Sheung, rodent central!' Tao's voice dripped with morbid fascination. But Ushi wasn't sure if this was cause for intrigue or worry.

'But we're not in Tai Sheung. We're in Yu, the Emperor's district, away from that shit. This isn't meant to be here, Tao. Let alone something that size. Yezu Christ, what have they been eating?!'

'I don't know, but I've worked out why the cooling system is busted.' Tao vanished once again into the abyss, which was followed by the rhythmic pounding of his tools on metal.

The young woman was peaked from over the countertop warily while Ushi stared up at the black void blankly, ready to suggest calling an actual G53 technician. But then, the comforting sound of the cooling system turning on silenced him.

kkkzt … MMMMM …

A low, grumbling purr reverberated through the tiny shop as the cooling vent spluttered to life. Ushi expelled a sigh of relief, feeling the tension bleed from his shoulders. Tao's head reappeared through the opening of the ceiling.

'Rodent was jammed in one of the gears at the back,' Tao explained to his partner as he descended the ladder. 'I've cleared out the nest, but it's too cramped for me to check for openings. Best to call a professional about this,' Tao projected his voice to the counter where the shop keeper was still hiding. 'Or else the shop may have more unwanted guests.'

When his head was just below the ceiling, Tao gestured to Ushi for the ceiling tile and softly dropped it back into place. He hopped off the ladder and brushed the palms of his gloves, creating a small storm of dust in front of him.

'Ma'am, it's safe to come out now,' Ushi announced. 'Your cooling systems are working. And damn, are they loud! If you do get a new system, try the Hiyazaki models. They don't rumble as these do.'

'Okay, calm down you salesman,' Tao said. 'Look at the time, we're five minutes past the dimming. Let's get to the tower before Tribune Cheng loses it.'