Contents
Chapter 10: You Can’t Win
Overview
Shae travels to Lukang to flip Six Hands Unity and learns the Mountain is importing black-market jade through the city. As the deal is struck, Jio Somu betrays his uncle and Nau Suen leads a Mountain ambush, killing Jio Wasu, Tyne Retu, and Luto. Shae is wounded but spared, and the Mountain consolidates control of Lukang.
Nau warns that Ayt Mada cannot be beaten, raising the stakes of No Peak’s campaign against the Mountain’s black-market empire.
Summary
Shae rides to Lukang with new chief of staff Luto Tagunin, privately missing Woon Papidonwa’s steadiness and recalling their unresolved feelings. En route and by phone, she finalizes plans to court Six Hands Unity into No Peak’s fold.
At a discreet meeting with Pillar Jio Wasu and Weather Man Tyne Retu, Shae learns why Six Hands seeks a new patron: the Mountain tolerates and partners with barukan, importing black-market jade from the Uwiwa Islands into Lukang to stockpile wealth and inflate illegal prices. Shae recognizes Ayt Mada’s shadow cartel strategy and offers alliance; envelopes are exchanged signaling intent.
Before terms are finalized, Horn Jio Somu enters with Mountain Horn Nau Suen and armed Fists. Exposed by his nephew, Jio Wasu is accused of treachery. Tyne lunges at Somu and is immediately killed; a volley of gunfire follows, riddling Jio Wasu. Shae forces an opening with Deflection but Luto is shot dead and Shae is hit in the thigh, then slammed into the wall by Nau’s Deflection.
Nau’s men strip jade from the corpses and remove Somu to safety, declaring him the new Pillar under the Mountain. Nau spares Shae’s life to avoid open war, tourniquets her wound, and dismisses Luto’s death as Shae’s carelessness. Shae vows to stop Ayt Mada’s scheme; Nau replies that she cannot win.
As he departs, Nau recounts Ayt Mada’s ruthless consolidation of the Mountain after Ayt Yugontin’s death, underscoring her resolve. Shae is left injured amid shattered hoji and fallen allies, understanding that the Mountain has secured Lukang and that its black-market jade pipeline must be broken.
Who Appears
- Kaul Shaelinsan (Shae)No Peak Weather Man; seeks to flip Six Hands, uncovers Mountain’s jade pipeline, survives Nau Suen’s ambush wounded.
- Nau SuenzenMountain Horn; leads ambush, kills Jio and Tyne’s efforts, spares Shae, asserts Ayt Mada’s inevitability, secures Lukang.
- Jio SomuSix Hands Horn; betrays his uncle to the Mountain, positioned to become Pillar under Ayt Mada’s control.
- Jio WasuSix Hands Pillar; seeks No Peak allegiance to protect Lukang, slain in Mountain’s ambush.
- Tyne RetuSix Hands Weather Man; shares intel on Mountain’s smuggling, charges Somu, and is killed.
- Luto TaguninShae’s new chief of staff; assists negotiations, is fatally shot during the ambush.
- Woon PapidonwaFormer Shadow, now Sealgiver; maintains professional distance after mutual feelings, advises Shae by phone.
- Ayt MadaMountain Pillar; orchestrates black-market jade import scheme and consolidates control via Lukang.