Chapter 1: Assassination

Chapter 1: Assassination

Bang, bang—the sharp crack of gunfire shattered the stillness of the night.

“There! After her!” Teams of heavily armed soldiers from Country R surged forth, rage blazing in their eyes.

A girl, looking every bit a student, darted through the darkness, her steps erratic as she fled her pursuers. She clutched her bleeding shoulder, clearly badly wounded.

The trail of blood she left behind betrayed her position, and with each drop, her strength waned further. At this desperate moment, her exhausted body nearly collapsed.

She gasped for breath, trying to clear her mind, but it was of little use. Her vision swam, her legs grew weaker; running any farther was almost impossible.

Yet, in the face of certain death, the girl showed not a trace of fear. Instead, a faint smile played about her lips—a smile that, in such dire straits, took on an eerie, almost sinister quality.

Unaware of the chilling effect, she murmured to herself, “If I can’t escape, so be it. Killing Yamamoto was worth it. At least I did my part for this country. It’s just a pity… I won’t live to see it rise again.”

As she spoke, a look of melancholy crossed her face. “I’m sorry, Mother, Father… Your daughter can no longer fulfill her duty to you…”

While she whispered these words, her pursuers closed in. The girl, now so weak she could only lean against a wall, looked up—only to see a grenade hurled her way.

***

“Extra! Extra!” A newsboy, no more than seven or eight, waved his papers and shouted at the top of his lungs.

Recalling the melody she’d just heard, she smiled and said, “Maybe try repeating the last phrase of the section as a transition. It might sound smoother.”

She had been here a week now, and though she was no longer as shocked as when she first awoke, she still found it all rather unbelievable when she thought about it.

Xu Qiao settled herself casually, savoring the coffee and breakfast her aunt had prepared, listening to the now-familiar strains of music.

Boom! The explosion echoed, and the resolute girl, that faint smile still on her lips, took her leave of a world she was loath to part with.

No one knew, on that fateful night, a young girl had paid with her life.

“Extra! Extra! Commander Yamamoto of Country R assassinated—Country R’s forces forced to retreat…”

Sure enough, she saw the body’s younger brother, Xu Gao, seated at the piano, deeply absorbed in playing his own composition.

***

The morning streets bustled with the usual sounds—tram bells, vendors hawking their wares. The city’s prosperity seemed unchanged.

Lost in thought, Xu Qiao was brought back to herself when the music abruptly stopped. She looked up to see Xu Gao frowning over his score, clearly stymied by some difficulty.

***

The graceful sound of piano drifted up. Xu Qiao smiled faintly and walked downstairs.

She had thought that grenade had claimed her life, but fate had granted her a second chance. When she awoke again, she was Xu Qiao—a girl injured in a car accident in these peaceful times.

This safe, tranquil life was everything she had once dreamed of, and for which she had even sacrificed her life.

Xu Gao paused, but quickly scowled and said coldly, “Mind your own business…”

Yet even as he spoke, his hands did not slow, and he played the passage as Xu Qiao had suggested.

Watching her awkward, stubborn younger brother, Xu Qiao couldn’t help but laugh in exasperation.

The music started again, and this time it flowed much more smoothly. Xu Gao looked up at her in disbelief.

(End of Chapter One)