The Poppy War, #3
The Burning God
by R. F. Kuang
Contents
Chapter 9
Overview
The Republic and Hesperians bomb Tikany, then flood it with opium to neutralize Rin. Rin lures Nezha into a confrontation; he commands rain, she loses the Phoenix, and they battle hand-to-hand. She briefly downs him but cannot deliver a killing blow as his wounds heal rapidly. A dirigible extracts Nezha, leaving Rin injured and alone.
Summary
Bombs strike Tikany without warning, scattering revelers and shredding unprepared troops. Amid the chaos, Souji mercy-kills a maimed officer and drags Rin toward the forest. Realizing the Hesperians aim to capture her alive, not kill her, Rin understands Nezha must be leading a ground assault.
Opium bombs release a cloying haze to cut Rin off from the Phoenix. To draw Nezha, she ignites a flame; in response, unnatural rain hammers down. Recognizing his expanding dominion over water, Rin orders nearby recruits to evacuate civilians while she faces Nezha alone.
Nezha arrives, rain parting around him. Rin’s fire is smothered; she closes to grapple, briefly burning his face before a surge of water douses them both. When the opium severs her link to the Phoenix, the fight shifts to blades and fists. Nezha disarms her and brutalizes her, intent on capture, not execution.
Rin claws free, stones Nezha’s temple, and mounts him with his sword, only to find herself inexplicably unable to strike the killing blow. Before she can try again, a dirigible descends. Rin flees into the trees; the soldiers neither find nor pursue her. The airship departs with Nezha, whose wounds have already knit closed in seconds.
Alone, battered, and powerless in the aftermath, Rin realizes she squandered a rare chance to end Nezha, while the Republic’s tactics—bombardment, opium, and swift extraction—prove terrifyingly effective.
Who Appears
- RinSouthern Army commander; survives bombing and opium gas, confronts Nezha, loses her fire, fights hand-to-hand, and escapes injured.
- NezhaRepublic’s Young Marshal; commands rain, overpowers Rin, heals instantly from wounds, and is extracted by dirigible.
- SoujiFormer Wolf leader; helps Rin during the bombardment and mercy-kills a grievously wounded officer.