The Poppy War, #2
The Dragon Republic
by R. F. Kuang
Contents
Chapter 32
Overview
Cast into the river by Feylen’s storm, Rin confronts him alone, lures him to the cliffs, and detonates fuses that collapse the mountainside, burying the Wind God’s vessel. Struck by a javelin, she plummets and nearly drowns before Nezha rescues her and subdues his Dragon with opium. A massive fleet appears on the horizon, shifting the battle’s stakes.
Summary
Torn from the ship by an unnatural gale, Rin fights free of wreckage and reaches shore amid Feylen’s devastation. Recognizing no one else can stop him, she takes to the air with her wings and fire, confronting the Wind God’s vessel despite his overwhelming control of the winds and her own fear.
Rin probes Feylen’s lingering humanity and exploits his fear of Daji to close distance. Remembering Kitay and Ramsa’s plan, she ignites hidden fuses along the cliff. The triggered charges shear the mountaintop, and thousands of tons of rock cascade down, burying Feylen despite his desperate tornado.
As Rin falters from exhaustion, enemy javelins find her; one pierces her shoulder and her flames cut out. She plummets into the river and begins to drown until Nezha reaches her, shares air, and uses his bond with water to carry them to cover.
Onshore, Rin struggles with a mangled wing harness while Nezha loses control to the Dragon, sending the river into dangerous convulsions. With no other option, Rin forces opium smoke on Nezha until the god recedes and the water calms.
Believing the fight still raging, Rin prepares to return, but Nezha points to the horizon, where wave after wave of white-sailed, blue-flagged warships—some airborne—advance, threatening to transform the battle’s outcome.
Who Appears
- RinProtagonist; fights Feylen in the air, triggers cliff collapse, is wounded by a javelin, nearly drowns, and survives.
- FeylenCike wind shaman possessed by the Wind God; devastates fleets until Rin collapses the cliff and buries him.
- NezhaWater-bonded prince; rescues Rin underwater, then is subdued with opium to suppress the Dragon’s destructive surges.
- KitayStrategist and tether; his and Ramsa’s explosives plan enables the cliff collapse that traps Feylen.
- VenkaAlly on the cliffs; signals Rin mid-battle as the explosives detonate and aftermath unfolds.