Contents
Chapter 30: The Bad Keck
Overview
Hilo and Anden attend Dauk Losunyin’s funeral in Port Massy, then back Dauk Sana and Cory’s plan to found a national association to legitimize jade and curb illegal activity. Jon Remi defies them and storms out. To avoid public fallout, Hilo promises no intervention, but later declares Remi no longer an ally.
Summary
Anden and Hilo travel to Port Massy for Dauk Losunyin’s funeral, reflecting on Dauk’s influence and the uncertainty his death creates for Keko‑Espenian Green Bones. At the reception, Jon Remi—the “Bad Keck” of Resville—arrives swaggering, testing boundaries. Hilo keeps decorum and defers business to the next day.
Back at the hotel, Anden secretly calls his boyfriend, Jirhuya, revealing his guardedness about sharing personal life with Hilo. He downplays risks, then returns with token gifts to maintain his cover story.
The next day, Dauk Sana hosts a strategy meeting with Green Bone leaders from multiple cities. Hilo outlines No Peak’s PR and legal push to normalize jade; Anden details the growth of jade medicine clinics. Sana and Cory propose the Kekonese Association of Espenia (KAE) to unify advocacy, curb illegal activities, and reform grudge halls to reduce police scrutiny.
Debate erupts: Sammy and Migu Sun support reform; Hasho Baku doubts it; Jon Remi denounces No Peak’s motives and refuses to change his criminal operations. Hilo replies that jade cannot be hidden if used for criminal ends and stresses shared long‑term goals, but Remi rejects any constraint and exits. Hasho, politely dissenting, also departs.
Fearing escalation, Sana pleads with Hilo to let locals handle Remi to avoid backlash against the nascent KAE. Hilo publicly promises No Peak will stay out of Resville. Later, in private, he reassures Anden about past choices and, concluding Remi won’t compromise, states that Remi is no longer an ally.
Who Appears
- Kaul HiloNo Peak Pillar; honors Dauk, supports forming KAE, avoids public confrontation with Remi, promises nonintervention, then privately ends Remi’s ally status.
- Kaul AndenRepresents No Peak in Espenia; delivers funeral speech, outlines jade-medicine progress, distrusts Remi, calls boyfriend Jirhuya discreetly.
- Jon RemiResville’s “Bad Keck”; defies reforms, insults No Peak, refuses to curb criminal enterprises, walks out, becoming a looming threat.
- Cory DaukDauk’s son and lawyer; co-leads meeting, proposes KAE and grudge hall reforms, mediates tensions.
- Dauk SanaWidow and de facto organizer; champions legitimacy strategy, implores Hilo to let locals handle Remi.
- Migu SunSenior Green Bone from Adamont Capita; supports reforms on moral grounds, offers to persuade doubters.
- Etto Samishun (Sammy)Southtrap Green Bone leader; backs stricter standards, criticizes criminal image harming the community.
- Shun Todorho (Tod)Orslow grudge hall manager; veteran turned mentor, supports KAE and de-escalation.
- Hasho BakuEvenfield representative; skeptical of legalization odds, declines involvement without open opposition.
- JirhuyaAnden’s Abukei boyfriend, a film artist; concerned for Anden’s safety during clan business.
- Kelly DaukCory’s sister; Anti-Corruption Panel chair, keeps distance from clan figures at the funeral.
- Mr. HianElder from Southtrap; reminisces with Anden, reflecting community change.