Captain Shen clicked “Complete,” marking the end of another centurion’s paper.

  Another 55 out of 70. I get the feeling this cycle’s batch won’t do as well as the last one.

  The captain opened the next paper. Centurion Su Li. Smart girl. Hopefully she’ll pull the average higher.

  The glow of the double-monitors lit up his face, lines of texts flickering in his dark eyes as he started marking her paper.

  It was the late hours of the dimming. He sat alone in the captain’s lounge on the 16th floor of Yu Tower, counting the minutes until he could leave. Captain Aiguo had finished marking his own cohort’s papers almost an hour ago and headed back home to the Kingmaker Cantonments. With a sigh, Shen started ticking questions correct.

  Buzz buzz buzz. Buzz buzz buzz.

  Shen looked down at his right wrist. His holocommunicator was ringing.

  Yu Tower Front Desk, the hologram read.

  What could they want this late?

  He tapped the prompt to answer.

  ‘Captain Li Shen speaking.’

  A weary voice crackled through. ‘Greetings captain. This is Legate Ya-Ting from the tower’s front desk. Do you have some time for a quick chat, sir?’

  He tried to place the name Ya-Ting with a face.

  Oh, right, I remember. She graduated from Captain Tien’s cohort eight annui-cycles ago.

  ‘Of course, Ya-Ting. How can I help you?’

  ‘I’m a moderator for the online Kingmaker forums. I’m currently looking at a pending forum post awaiting approval. It was submitted by Centurion Wong Baoyan, a student from your cohort. Am I correct?’

  The captain clenched his jaw. What’s he done now?

  ‘Yes, he’s one of mine. Go on.’

  ‘It looks like he’s tried to post an excerpt from some history book. Tried searching for it on the Kowlooni Network but couldn’t find any matches.’

  Light, Baoyan! Why would you post your book on the Kingmaker forums?

  ‘Do you know where he could’ve found such a book, Captain?’

  Shen hesitated. ‘I’m not sure.’

  ‘No matter,’ Ya-Ting replied. ‘The centurion’s post breaks two forum rules. The first being that it’s riddled with misinformation. Almost none of its facts are verifiable. And the next violation is more serious. The tone of his post is undeniably provocative, it rings suspiciously close to recent anti-Kingmaker sentiments.’

  ‘Then why don’t you just reject his post?’ Shen asked.

  ‘I would, but General Qin Shi made a recent new directive for the forum moderators. Any post falling into that category must be reported. You know, Yang talk amongst Kingmakers. If I don’t flag it, someone else will.’

  ‘Right, I understand. Thank you for calling me straightaway. I’ll head over to Baoyan now.’

  ‘Sir, just to be clear, General Qin Shi has laid out protocol in these types of situations. You have to convince the centurion to take the post down himself. If he shows signs of defiance, I’ll have to escalate this to the Dragons.’

  ‘That won’t be necessary, Legate. I’ll make sure he understands. Consider the matter handled.’

  ‘Thank you, Captain. Goodnight.’

  As the holocommunicator flickered out, Shen hurriedly switched off his desk computer and headed for the door.

  You better still be awake enough to explain yourself, Baoyan!

  The captain stepped into the nearest lift, his jaw tight with frustration, and pushed the button for level 19. It was the floor for the Kingmaker dorms. Those who could not afford lavish cantonment accommodation slept here.

  He better not have posted anything from that book.

  Captain Shen kept his face calm as he waited silently in the lift. Unbidden, his mind returned to the pages Baoyan had once read aloud to him.

  A history written by an Easterner, for Easterners. That was how Baoyan had framed it. The intention had been earnest. Even admirable. But the impact was something else entirely.

  The manuscript was already veering into dangerous territory. Kingmakers cast as murderers of Eastern people. Northern elites accused of colluding against Eastern leadership. Western powers portrayed as conspirators intent on erasing an entire regions legacy.

  It wasn’t simply that the narrative contradicted official history. That alone could be managed. What unsettled Shen was how closely it mirrored Yang rhetoric. The same social grievances. The same historical language. The same propaganda stories the Yang circulated across the Kowlooni web to drive recruitment.

  A Kingmaker can’t be seen saying the same things.

  If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

  Stepping out of the elevator, he walked past and scanned the door numbers for the character ‘41’. But as he turned the corner, he realised he wouldn’t have to look long.

  At the other end of the hallway was a metal door bearing crude white graffiti of a skinny rodent’s tail.

  The captain approached it with a disappointed frown. The mockery’s becoming loud.

  He wiped at it with the sleeve of his trench coat, but the mark refused to smudge. With a sigh, he finally pressed the buzzer. He could hear light footsteps approaching the door.

  Moments later, the door slid open, and Baoyan appeared in his night garments – satin blue shorts and a loose, white tank top.

  ‘Captain?’ Baoyan’s tone held a hint of surprise. Shen noticed his hair was neatly combed; he was still up.

  ‘Hey, Baoyan. Sorry for the late visit. Just wanted to check in on you.’

  The centurion frowned. ‘Is everything okay?’

  ‘Everything’s good. Mind if I come in?’

  ‘Of course not,’ Baoyan said, stepping aside. Shen entered and slipped off his boots.

  The centurion’s room was dimly lit. Icy blue strip lights, tucked behind furniture, cast eerie glows up and across the walls, making for a moody ambience. The walls had framed photographs of family and quotes written in unfamiliar East Kowlooni scripts. The space was minimalist – beanbags in place of couches, a single bed and a study desk stacked with books on the shelves. On the desk was an idle computer, and in front of it lay a thick, open book.

  Baoyan gestured to the chair by his desk, while he settled on the edge of his bed.

  ‘Any idea who did that to your door?’ Shen asked as he turned the chair around and sat down. ‘Graffitiing tower walls isn’t exactly overlooked here. It’s punishable by beatings.’

  Baoyan sighed and looked down. ‘I think it’s some of the tribunes from the other units. Don’t know their names, though.’

  ‘Why not clean it off?’

  ‘Those tribunes are clever,’ Baoyan chuckled softly. ‘They used a special ink, seshwan ink. It’s from Pik, my native district. And it only comes off with a solvent that’s made there, too. I think it’s their way of telling me to go back.’

  Shen’s frown deepened. ‘Can’t you order delivery for the solvent?’

  ‘No, sorry. All deliveries out of Pik are halted. Light knows how those tribunes even got their hands on seshwan ink. Best bet is to paint over it.’

  ‘I’ll ask around, see if there’s any way to get something that’ll work.’

  ‘Thanks, Captain.’ Baoyan pursed his lips. He kept looking past Shen and at the computer screen behind him.

  ‘What are you checking? You look uneasy,’ Shen said.

  ‘Just something that isn’t loading for some reason. I think my network connection has been acting up.’

  The captain took in a deep breath. ‘Are you checking if your forum post is active?’

  Baoyan looked at Shen sharply and frowned. ‘Huh? How do you know?’

  ‘I got a call. They flagged and reported your post to me.’

  ‘What the hell?’ Baoyan’s back stiffened up as his face scrunched in disbelief. ‘Is that why you came to see me? Aren’t the forums anonymous?’

  ‘Nothing’s anonymous in the tower. Baoyan, what in Dong’s holy name were you thinking? An excerpt from King in the East? Do you have any idea how something like that will be received in the forums?’

  ‘But—’

  ‘And do you think it’d take a detective to figure out which of the countless Eastern Kingmakers here would post something like that?’ The captain said sarcastically.

  ‘What happens when people figure out who posted it?’ Baoyan asked. ‘What should I fear for speaking my mind, sir?’

  ‘Are you trying to get everyone to mock you?’ The captain jutted his finger towards the front of the room, ‘Does the state of your front door not tell you what to—’

  The captain stopped himself from continuing further.

  ‘You think I’ll get treated worse by the others?’ Baoyan answered. ‘That’s great, because I’m not scared of that at all.’

  ‘No, forget about the other Kings. It’s also the bloody times we’re living in, kid! The Yangs gaining a foothold across all districts, suspicions of a southern betrayal! We could be on the brink of a second rebellion and you’ve somehow lost all common sense about how the Dragons could percieve such a message! How the Emperor himself could view your post!’

  ‘So it’s not just ridicule I must fear. It’s persecution.’

  ‘Get a bloody grip, Baoyan! If you want to spread some sort of awareness for your people, being forced into a Kingmaker re-education course is not the way to do it!’

  Baoyan locked eyes with the captain. He slowly nodded his head. ‘I see how it is. I write a book about how the Kingmakers have silenced my people, and now I get to watch a live demonstration of how it happens. You think I’m not learning from history as I record it?’

  ‘Okay, so let’s hear your plan. I walk out of here and let you do what you want. This is brought to General Qin Shi. Instead of me knocking on your door next, it’s him, and you pull the same “martyred soldier” act. What then?’ The captain was irritated, but he tried to stay composed. I’m here to help Baoyan, not punish him, he reminded himself.

  ‘I’ll ask him what his problem is with my book, sir. If he thinks it’s all lies, I’ll have my list of sources and citations ready.’

  ‘What if he thinks its blatant Yang propaganda?’

  ‘He’s going to have one hell of a trial proving it.’

  ‘He’s the Elder Dragon. You think he needs a trial to discipline his own Kingmakers? He’ll make an example out of you, kid. You’ll guarantee another Easterner will not step in this tower again for a long, long time! Including yourself!’

  ‘Maybe then I’ll be free to share my book to whoever will listen. I’m ready to face the consequences of telling the truth. My personal safety means nothing compared to what I am working towards.’

  Captain Shen stood up. ‘Baoyan, I am telling you one last time. If you do not remove your post, I will escalate this matter to the Dragons. Please don’t make me.’

  The centurion stood up as well. ‘Everyone ends up on a side, even if they don’t realise it. It’s a privilege to be able to pick which one, sir. One I never had.’

  Shen swallowed hard. ‘Please, Baoyan.’

  ‘Was that all, Captain?’

  Shen’s response faltered as the room seemed to tighten with tension. The captain knew Baoyan’s agitation was deeply personal. To exert his authority risked putting a permanent strain on their growing relationship.

  ‘Baoyan… the tower may not take kindly to your truths, but I’m always here for you.’

  ‘Sure, Captain.’ He stared at Baoyan for a long moment, then turned and walked towards the door. He wasn’t sure what to do anymore.

  As the door closed, Captain Shen was confronted with the white rodent’s tail graffiti. As pity for his student swelled within him, a new conviction rose. Baoyan deserves better. He began walking back to the elevator to return to the captain’s lounge. He activated his holocommunicator and logged onto the Kingmaker forums with his personal profile.

  I’m sorry, Baoyan, I really am.

  Shen opened the accounts directory for all the centurions in his cohort. As captain, he had admin roles for his students. He searched the index for Bayoan’s family name.

  Wong… Wong Baoyan. There.

  He pressed on a bubble beside his name: “Password Reset.”

  A new window opened showing his current password blacked out.

  You don’t know General Qin Shi’s wrath like I do.

  The Captain uncensored it.

  星矢88@黐線9龍珠

  Captain Shen copied the password and logged out. Next, he entered the centurion’s credentials. First the username – WBaoyan0125. And then he pasted the password.

  He was now logged into his student’s private account. Shen went into Baoyan’s posting history and found his most recent post, still waiting aproval from the moderators.

  And now, you’ve got tribunes and praefects mocking you. But once the legates and lieutenants start…

  The post’s title stared back at him as if daring him to act: ‘King in the East’.

  He hovered over DELETE. It felt like he was killing something sacred.

  Forgive me. Your truth will come out one day… Just not like this.

  Post deleted.