Contents
Chapter Forty-Three: Zero
Overview
As the Black Tortoise crushes the Bird, Li Shimin flatlines and the White Tiger is ordered to abandon rescue. Overwhelmed by guilt and rage, Zetian nearly snaps but reframes her grief into resolve. She decides to cure the Emperor’s flowerpox to locate the Yellow Dragon, seeking overwhelming power for revenge and survival.
Summary
Amid battlefield chaos, Zetian and Yizhi stare at a flatlined zero as the ground shakes. Through torn slits in the cockpit’s armor, they witness the Bird slump in dust and smoke while the Black Tortoise crawls over it and smashes its head, extinguishing Li Shimin and the Chrysalis. Chief Strategist Zhuge orders the White Tiger to stand down and focus on the larger fight.
Shock gives way to an unbearable surge of rage and guilt in Zetian. She replays her harsh words to Li Shimin and blames herself for not ejecting him first. Her body trembles and she struggles to breathe, nearly unraveling as the White Tiger reenters the fray and the strategists’ chatter fades into static.
In this spiral, Zetian considers a reckless rampage—ripping Qieluo from her seat and draining Yang Jian—but recognizes the White Tiger cannot defeat both the Water Emperor and the Black Tortoise. With no viable path through the current forces, she grasps for another way.
A sudden idea strikes: cure the Emperor’s flowerpox. If the legend is true and Qin Zheng preserved himself with Water qi, then the Yellow Dragon must be with him. Yizhi silently tracks her movements and understands. Zetian resolves to find and cure the Emperor to access the Yellow Dragon—power great enough to turn the tide and avenge Shimin.
Who Appears
- Wu Zetian (Zetian)Protagonist; witnesses the Bird’s destruction, battles grief and guilt, then resolves to cure the Emperor to reach the Yellow Dragon.
- Gao YizhiIn the cockpit with Zetian, stunned by Shimin’s flatline, understands her plan to cure the Emperor.
- Li ShiminPilot of the Bird; crushed by the Black Tortoise as his signal flatlines to zero, catalyzing Zetian’s resolve.
- Chief Strategist ZhugeOrders the White Tiger to abandon rescue and focus on the main battle, denying aid to Shimin.
- Black TortoiseEnemy Chrysalis that crawls over and smashes the Bird, decisively ending Shimin’s fight.
- White TigerAllied Chrysalis; rushes in, then halts under Zhuge’s orders, unable to change the outcome.
- Qin Zheng (the Emperor)Target of Zetian’s new plan; curing his flowerpox may reveal the Yellow Dragon’s location.
- Yellow DragonLegendary Chrysalis believed to be with the Emperor; Zetian seeks it for decisive power.