Chapter 16

Rin’s party reaches a silent Baolei front and discovers a siege: the Southern Coalition is trapped against the mountains by layered Republican forts. Jiang outlines a breakout using river infiltration and the old mining tunnels, while Venka is identified as the best contact to rally troops.

Rin and Kitay swim in, find Venka underground, and learn Souji and Gurubai’s failing plan to bargain for a southern corridor. Kitay proposes the mines instead. Hearing Vaisra will inspect the front at dawn, they decide to break out then, forcing the Republicans to defend him and split their focus.

At dawn, when parade music starts, Rin sends up a towering flame to trigger mobilization. The Republicans array overwhelming artillery and dirigibles—until Jiang strolls into the dead zone and tears reality open. Shadow beasts from the Emperor’s Menagerie rip through archers, cannons, and airships, opening a corridor. Venka and Kitay drive the southerners toward the mines while Rin supports.

A second wave of airships aims for the evacuees, so Rin unleashes vast columns of fire and brings them down. Spotting a retreating dirigible carrying someone important, Rin signals Jiang; the ship crashes. Inside, Rin finds the injured President Vaisra, frees him from wreckage, then kills him by forcing flame down his throat—both revenge and a decisive decapitation of the Republic’s leadership.

Moments later a surviving dirigible guns Jiang down; his beasts vanish. Rin destroys the airship and, with Daji, drags Jiang to the rear where Venka’s defenders hold. Jiang, giggling, suddenly goes rigid and whispers that Riga is here before collapsing, leaving the breakout in motion but shadowed by the terror of Riga’s presence.