_*]:min-w-0 !gap-3.5" style="border:0px solid">Two years ter

  The prisoner's face contorted in pain as Nine applied precise pressure to the nerve cluster beneath his ear. Sweat beaded on his forehead, running in rivulets down his dirt-streaked face. He was a smuggler captured at the northern border—or so Nine had been told. In truth, she suspected he was an actor hired for this training exercise, but she proceeded as if he were genuine. In the Shadow Guard, one never assumed; one simply executed the task at hand.

  "Tell me again about your contact in the pace," Nine said, her voice eerily calm for a thirteen-year-old. She maintained steady pressure, careful not to cause permanent damage. The goal was not to maim but to extract information through calcuted discomfort.

  "I... don't know any pace officials," the man gasped. "I'm just a trader. The contraband wasn't mine—I was only carrying it for—" His words dissolved into a grunt as Nine shifted her fingers slightly, targeting a different nerve pathway.

  Master Crane watched from the corner of the small, windowless room, his ancient face impassive. Of all the Shadow Guard instructors, he was perhaps the most feared—a specialist in what the training regimen euphemistically called "information extraction." Now in his seventies, Master Crane had served as Shadow Three to the previous Emperor, and stories of his accomplishments during that time were whispered among the candidates with equal parts horror and admiration.

  "You're hesitating," Master Crane observed, his soft voice filling the stone chamber. "Why?"

  Nine maintained her grip on the prisoner but turned slightly toward her instructor. "His pupil dition and micro-expressions indicate he may be telling the truth about his pace contact. I'm reassessing my approach."

  Master Crane's eyebrow lifted fractionally—the closest he ever came to expressing surprise. "Expin."

  "When I mentioned the pace, his confusion appeared genuine," Nine eborated. "However, when I pressed about the contraband, there was a subtle shift in his breathing pattern. I believe our information may be incomplete. He's a courier, not a primary smuggler."

  The old master stepped closer, examining the prisoner with narrowed eyes. Then, without warning, he jabbed a bony finger into a point at the base of the man's throat. The prisoner gasped, his eyes widening in shock.

  "Please," he wheezed. "I was hired at a tavern in Fenglin District. Man called himself Bai. Never saw him before. Said he'd pay silver for a simple delivery to the garrison town. I didn't know what was in the package!"

  Master Crane turned to Nine. "You perceived correctly. The intelligence was deliberately fwed to test your judgment." He gestured for her to release the prisoner. "Never proceed on assumptions. The false path is fatal in interrogation—it wastes time and damages potentially valuable assets."

  Nine stepped back, bowing slightly in acknowledgment of the lesson. The prisoner slumped in his restraints, relief evident in his posture.

  "What do we do with him now?" Nine asked, her expression neutral.

  "That depends on the mission parameters," Master Crane replied. "If he has served his purpose and poses a security risk..." The old master drew a finger across his throat in the universal gesture.

  Nine nodded, understanding the implication. Though she had not yet been required to take a life as part of her training, she knew that day would come. The Shadow Guard existed to protect the Emperor and the Empire by any means necessary. Sometimes those means required finality.

  "However," Master Crane continued, "in this case, our friend is indeed an actor, hired specifically for training purposes." He produced a small silver key and unfastened the prisoner's restraints. The man immediately rubbed his wrists, the fear in his eyes repced by professional assessment.

  "She's good," he commented to Master Crane. "Didn't leave any permanent damage. Better control than the st one you brought in."

  Nine watched this exchange with mild surprise. It was rare for the masters to reveal the artifice behind their training scenarios.

  Master Crane gestured for the actor to leave, then turned back to Nine. "You've progressed sufficiently in basic techniques. Tomorrow, we begin specialized methods." He handed her a thin scroll sealed with bck wax. "Study this tonight. Be prepared to demonstrate the first three pressure sequences at dawn."

  Nine accepted the scroll with a formal bow. "Yes, Master."

  As she left the interrogation chamber, scroll tucked securely in her sleeve, Nine passed Ten in the corridor. He was being led to his own session with Master Crane, his face set in grim determination. Their eyes met briefly, a silent acknowledgment passing between them. This phase of training had begun three months ago, and each candidate was progressing at their own rate through increasingly difficult scenarios.

  The compound was quieter now than in their earlier years. Only eight candidates remained from the original twelve. Six had been dismissed after failing a crucial loyalty test. Three had been permanently injured during a mountain training exercise when an unexpected rockslide crushed his right hand. The masters had determined his diminished physical capacity made him unsuitable for continued training.

  Most recently, Twelve had simply disappeared. The others specuted that he had attempted escape, though Nine suspected something more complex. Twelve had been excelling in his training; his sudden removal suggested political considerations beyond their understanding.

  Nine made her way to the small meditation garden where candidates were permitted during their rare moments of personal time. She found Five already there, kneeling beside the small stone pond. At thirteen, he had grown tall and lean, his movements possessing an economy of motion that made him nearly as silent as Nine herself.

  "Interrogation training?" he asked without looking up from the pond's still surface.

  "Yes," Nine confirmed, settling beside him in a matching posture. "Master Crane seems satisfied with my progress."

  Five nodded slightly. "He dismissed me from the program yesterday. Said my techniques were adequate but my perception was cking." There was no bitterness in his voice—only factual assessment. "I've been reassigned to combat specialization with Master Iron."

  This made sense to Nine. Five's fighting skills had always been exceptional, his strikes precise and devastating. What he cked was the intuitive understanding of human psychology that interrogation required—the ability to read microexpressions and detect deception that came naturally to Nine.

  "We received our assignment for next week's field exercise," Five continued. "You and I will infiltrate a merchant's compound in the lower city. Apparently, he's suspected of corresponding with northern spies."

  Nine absorbed this information with interest. Field exercises beyond the compound walls were rare and significant markers of progress. That she and Five had been paired again reinforced Three's earlier observation about the masters' preference for their complementary skills.

  "Have you received the mission parameters?" she asked.

  Five shook his head. "Only the target location and basic intelligence. Full briefing comes three days before deployment."

  They sat in companionable silence for several minutes, each absorbed in their own thoughts. Their retionship had evolved over the years into something unique within the training program—not friendship exactly, as personal attachments were discouraged, but a kind of professional symbiosis. They anticipated each other's movements in combat, communicated with minimal signals during stealth exercises, and compensated for each other's rare weaknesses.

  Eventually, Nine rose. "I have materials to study before tomorrow."

  Five acknowledged her departure with a slight nod, remaining by the pond in meditation. As Nine walked toward the candidates' quarters, she noticed Eight watching from a nearby balcony, her expression unreadable. Of all the remaining candidates, Eight remained the most enigmatic, her skills impressive across all training areas without showing particur specialization.

  Later that evening, behind the privacy screen of her sleeping area, Nine carefully broke the seal on Master Crane's scroll. The techniques described within were more advanced than any she had previously studied—precise methods for extracting information through pain without causing permanent damage or unconsciousness. Detailed anatomical drawings showed specific pressure points, nerve clusters, and vulnerable areas of the human body.

  Nine committed each diagram to memory, mentally rehearsing the sequences until she could visualize performing them fwlessly. This had always been her approach to training—perfect visualization before physical practice, ensuring her body would follow her mind's instruction precisely.

  As she resealed the scroll, Nine became aware of Master Hawk standing in the dormitory doorway. Unlike other instructors who announced their presence, Master Hawk often appeared silently, testing the candidates' awareness even in supposedly secure locations.

  "Nine," he called softly. "Come."

  She immediately rose and followed him into the corridor. Master Hawk, now in his fifties, remained one of the most physically imposing instructors despite his age. His specialty was what the Shadow Guard termed "final solutions"—the art of efficient killing.

  "You're progressing well with Master Crane," he observed as they walked toward the western training hall. "He reports your intuitive understanding of interrogation techniques is exceptional."

  Nine inclined her head slightly at the rare compliment but remained silent.

  "However," Master Hawk continued, "information gathering is only part of a Shadow's duties. Sometimes, information is not the objective. Sometimes, the objective is silence."

  They reached a small, dimly lit chamber Nine had never entered before. Inside, a life-sized human model constructed of yered rice paper and bamboo stood in the center. The figure was marked with red dots at specific locations across its body.

  "Thirty-six vital points," Master Hawk expined, gesturing to the model. "Thirty-six ways to end a life." He moved to a wooden chest against the wall and opened it, revealing rows of slender metal implements—needles, thin bdes, and wire garrotes of various designs.

  "The Shadow Guard does not execute," he said, selecting a needle approximately the length of Nine's finger. "Execution is public, ceremonial, a demonstration of the Emperor's justice. What we do is more... precise. When we take a life, it is done without audience, without announcement, often without the target even realizing their final moment has arrived."

  He handed the needle to Nine. "This evening begins your training in the final discipline. You will learn to bring death with minimal effort, in complete silence, leaving little or no evidence of your involvement."

  Nine accepted the needle, feeling its perfect bance between her fingers. This moment had been implicit in her training from the beginning—the logical progression from combat to killing. Still, facing it directly brought a momentary hesitation she quickly suppressed.

  "The ideal elimination appears natural," Master Hawk continued. "A sudden illness, a heart failure, an unfortunate accident. When such subtlety is impossible, speed and silence become paramount." He pointed to a specific red dot on the model's neck. "Here. Show me."

  Nine approached the model, needle held precisely as Master Hawk had demonstrated. With a swift, controlled movement, she inserted the needle into the marked point, angling upward toward the brain stem.

  "Good," Master Hawk nodded. "With a living target, death would be nearly instantaneous. Minimal blood, no sound beyond perhaps a slight exhation."

  For the next two hours, Master Hawk guided Nine through basic techniques using various implements. The precision required was extreme—a millimeter's difference could mean the difference between instant death and a prolonged, noisy struggle that risked exposure.

  "Your hands are naturally steady," Master Hawk observed as Nine demonstrated a particurly difficult wire technique. "A valuable trait in this work."

  As the session concluded, Master Hawk presented Nine with a small wooden box containing a selection of the implements they had practiced with. "These are now yours to maintain. Practice the forms I've shown you using the training models in the east courtyard. In one month, we will assess your progress."

  Nine bowed deeply, accepting both the gift and the responsibility it represented. She understood the significance—not every candidate received personal weapons at this stage of training. It indicated the masters' confidence in her progression toward eventually becoming a full Shadow.

  "There is one more lesson tonight," Master Hawk said as they left the training room. "Perhaps the most important."

  He led her not back to the candidates' quarters but toward a section of the compound Nine had never entered—a small, isoted building near the northern wall. Inside, the air was cool and scented with medicinal herbs. An elderly woman Nine recognized as one of the compound's healers nodded respectfully to Master Hawk before withdrawing through a side door.

  On a simple pallet in the center of the room y a man Nine had never seen before—gaunt, pale, his breathing bored. Even in the dim light, she could see that he suffered from some wasting disease.

  "This is Wei Zhen," Master Hawk said quietly. "Once, he was Shadow Four to the current Emperor. For thirty years, he served with distinction. Now, he suffers from a lung affliction contracted during a mission to the western deserts. The physicians have done what they can, but there is no cure. His pain increases daily."

  Nine remained silent, understanding now why she had been brought here.

  "He has requested the final mercy," Master Hawk continued. "As is the right of any Shadow who can no longer serve. Normally, this duty would fall to a fellow Shadow." He turned to Nine, his expression solemn. "Today, it falls to you."

  Nine felt her heartbeat quicken slightly but maintained her outward composure. This was not a training exercise with an actor or a paper model. This was real—her first taking of human life.

  As if sensing her thoughts, Master Hawk added, "You may decline. Another will perform the task if you are not prepared."

  Nine considered this for only a moment before shaking her head. "I will do it."

  She approached the pallet slowly, kneeling beside the dying man. Wei Zhen's eyes opened slightly, focusing on her with effort.

  "A candidate," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "They honor me by selecting one with promise."

  "I am Nine," she said simply.

  A ghost of a smile crossed the man's cracked lips. "I was Four. Served... two emperors. Good years." His breathing became more bored. "Do not... hesitate. It is a kindness... you do me."

  Nine removed the finest needle from her new set of implements. "Is there anything you wish me to know before you join your ancestors?"

  The dying Shadow considered for a moment. "Remember why... we serve. Not for power. Not for glory. For the dynasty's... continuity." He closed his eyes. "I am ready."

  Nine took a deep breath, centering herself. With perfect precision, she inserted the needle at the exact point Master Hawk had shown her—the junction where skull met spine. Her movement was swift, controlled, and utterly certain.

  Wei Zhen's body rexed immediately, his bored breathing ceased, his expression smoothing into peaceful repose. It had been exactly as Master Hawk described—silent, instantaneous, merciful.

  Nine withdrew the needle and wiped it clean with a cloth from her sleeve, then returned it to its case. She felt strangely calm, neither proud nor disturbed by what she had done. She had ended suffering; she had honored a fellow Shadow's request; she had performed her duty with skill and compassion.

  "Well done," Master Hawk said quietly. "Many candidates hesitate their first time, even in circumstances such as these."

  Nine rose from beside the body, bowing respectfully to the deceased Shadow before turning to her instructor. "He desired release. I provided it precisely. Hesitation would have been selfish—prioritizing my comfort over his need."

  Master Hawk studied her for a long moment, his expression unreadable. "You understand the essence of our duty better than most candidates twice your training." He gestured toward the door. "Go now. Meditate on what you've learned today. Tomorrow, your regur training resumes."

  As Nine left the building, she felt a subtle shift within herself—not a dramatic transformation but a crystallization of purpose. The Shadow Guard's duties included interrogation and killing, yes, but these were means to an end, not the end itself. The true purpose was protection—of the Emperor, of the dynasty, of the empire's stability.

  She returned to the candidates' quarters, passing Eight and Ten engaged in quiet conversation. They fell silent as she approached, both noticing something different in her demeanor though they couldn't have known what had transpired.

  That night, Nine slept deeply and without dreams for the first time in years. The path ahead was clearer now, her purpose more defined. The girl who had been Mei Lin of Lihua vilge was truly gone, burned away like morning mist in the rising sun. In her pce stood Nine—observer, interrogator, and now, when necessary, bringer of death.

  The following weeks intensified Nine's training across all disciplines. Mornings were spent with Master Crane, refining interrogation techniques on increasingly resistant subjects. Afternoons belonged to Master Hawk, who taught her the subtle art of killing—not just the mechanics of death but the strategy of elimination, the psychology of the approach, the critical importance of timing and opportunity.

  Five remained her primary partner for field exercises, their complementary skills making them the most effective pairing among the candidates. Their upcoming mission to infiltrate the suspected spy's compound would be their most challenging assignment yet—the first involving a genuine security target rather than a training scenario.

  Nine applied herself to each lesson with focused intensity, absorbing knowledge with the same efficiency that had once helped her survive alone in the wilderness. The masters noted her progress with approval, though such acknowledgment came rarely and indirectly.

  "Your needle technique has proper depth control," Master Hawk might observe after a particurly precise demonstration. Or Master Crane would simply nod once after Nine extracted a hidden detail from a subject without requiring escated pressure.

  Nine understood that such restrained comments represented high praise in the Shadow Guard tradition. True mastery was expected, not celebrated. Excellence was the minimum standard, not a special achievement.

  One evening, as Nine practiced poison identification in the compound's boratory under the supervision of Master Yi, the compound's primary physician, an unexpected visitor arrived. Lady Fei, elegant as always in robes of midnight blue, entered the boratory with her customary silent grace.

  "Continue," she instructed when Nine and Master Yi moved to acknowledge her presence. "I wish to observe."

  Nine returned her attention to the array of powders before her. The exercise required her to identify twelve common poisons using only her senses—sight, smell, and in some cases, the most minimal taste applied to the tip of the tongue. Such knowledge was essential for both applying poisons when needed and recognizing when they had been used against imperial interests.

  Working methodically, Nine identified each substance, expining the key indicators to Master Yi as she progressed. "This is white jade powder—fine crystalline structure with a slightly bitter aftertaste. Fatal in quantities as small as a grain of rice. This one is serpent venom from the southern marshes, dried and ground—distinctive yellow undertone and faint metallic odor."

  When she had correctly identified all twelve samples, Lady Fei stepped forward. "Impressive retention of details. Has she begun practical application yet?"

  "Not with live subjects," Master Yi replied. "She has prepared theoretical formutions only."

  Lady Fei considered this, then turned to Nine directly. "You have advanced more rapidly than anticipated in several disciplines. Master Hawk reports your understanding of elimination techniques is intuitive. Master Crane finds your interrogation skills exceptional for your limited experience."

  Nine bowed slightly at this assessment, maintaining the proper humility expected of candidates.

  "The Crown Prince has requested an update on the most promising candidates," Lady Fei continued. "Your name will feature prominently in my report."

  This was significant news. The Crown Prince's interest in their cohort had been mentioned occasionally over the years, but direct attention to specific candidates was unusual and potentially consequential for Nine's future.

  "Your field assignment next week has been modified," Lady Fei informed her. "You and Five will still infiltrate the merchant's compound, but your objectives have expanded. Beyond surveilnce, you are now tasked with retrieving specific correspondence from the merchant's private study and, if the intelligence proves accurate regarding his treasonous activities, eliminating him."

  Nine absorbed this information without visible reaction, though internally she recognized the significance. This would be her first assigned elimination of an actual target—not a mercy killing like Wei Zhen or a training exercise, but the removal of an enemy of the empire.

  "You believe I am prepared for this responsibility?" Nine asked, her tone respectful but direct.

  Lady Fei's lips curved in the barest suggestion of a smile. "I would not assign it otherwise. This mission will test not only your technical skills but your judgment. The decision to eliminate the target will be yours, based on the evidence you discover. Choose correctly."

  With that cryptic instruction, Lady Fei departed as silently as she had arrived, leaving Nine to contempte the implications of her new assignment. Master Yi regarded her thoughtfully.

  "Lady Fei rarely takes such direct interest in candidates at your stage of training," he observed. "Her attention is both an honor and a burden. Many promising candidates have faltered under the weight of her expectations."

  Nine understood the warning beneath his words. "I will focus on the mission requirements, not on expectations."

  Master Yi nodded approvingly. "A wise approach. Now, let us continue with the more complex compounds."

  Three days before the scheduled mission, Nine and Five received their formal briefing from Master Lin. They knelt before him in the strategy room as he unrolled a detailed map of the merchant's compound in the lower city.

  "Merchant Liu Fang-Zhi presents himself as a dealer in silk and spices," Master Lin expined, pointing to various locations on the map. "His public reputation is impeccable. He makes generous donations to local temples, employs many from the poorer districts, and maintains good retions with city officials."

  Five studied the compound yout with intense focus. "Multiple entry points. Guards posted at main gate and rear entrance. Interior courtyard appears to have limited visibility from surrounding buildings."

  "Correct," Master Lin confirmed. "The compound is well-protected but not unusually so for a successful merchant. Your challenge will be accessing his private study here." He indicated a location in the innermost section of the compound. "Intelligence suggests Liu conducts his true business te at night, after his household has retired."

  Nine examined the map, already formuting potential infiltration routes. "What is the nature of the suspected treasonous activity?"

  "Correspondence with Khitan tribal leaders across the northern border," Master Lin replied, his expression darkening slightly. "The same tribes responsible for the border massacres several years ago, including the destruction of Lihua vilge."

  Nine maintained her neutral expression, though the mention of her destroyed homend sparked a momentary fsh of memory—fire, screams, her mother's final command to run. She had not thought of Lihua in years, having effectively separated herself from that past as her training required.

  If Master Lin had mentioned this detail deliberately to gauge her reaction, he would find nothing to concern him. Nine's control over her emotions was absolute, her focus unshakeable.

  "Lady Fei has amended your assignment parameters," Master Lin continued. "If you confirm treasonous correspondence, you are authorized to eliminate Liu Fang-Zhi. The method must appear natural—a heart seizure or simir event that will not arouse suspicion. His business partner inherits the operation and is already under imperial observation."

  Five gnced briefly at Nine. This would be her responsibility—her specialized training in elimination techniques made her the logical choice for that aspect of the mission.

  "You will enter the city disguised as orphaned siblings seeking work in the merchant district," Master Lin expined. "Your cover identifies you as refugees from the eastern flooding. Appropriate clothing and documentation have been prepared." He produced a small pouch. "These sleep-inducing herbs should be administered to any guards or servants who cannot be avoided. They act quickly and leave no sting effects beyond mild confusion upon waking."

  The briefing continued for another hour, covering contingency pns, extraction routes, and emergency signals. When Master Lin had addressed all operational aspects, he fixed both candidates with an intense gaze.

  "This mission represents your transition from training exercises to genuine field operations. Success will advance you toward final selection. Failure..." He let the word hang in the air, its implications clear enough without eboration.

  "We understand, Master," Five responded for both of them.

  As they left the briefing room, Nine felt a calm certainty settle over her. The mission parameters were clear, the objective aligned with her training, and the target—if indeed guilty—represented a threat to the empire she had sworn to protect. More than that, if Liu Fang-Zhi was indeed colborating with the northern tribes that had destroyed her vilge, there was a certain symmetry to her being the instrument of his elimination.

  Not that personal vengeance pyed any role in her thinking. Nine had long ago surrendered such individual concerns. She served the Dragon Throne now, not the memory of a vilge girl named Mei Lin.

  "Are you prepared for this?" Five asked quietly as they walked toward the training yard to begin their mission-specific preparations.

  Nine nodded once, her expression serene. "It is what we have trained for."

  Five studied her face for a moment, then nodded in return. They understood each other perfectly, as always. In three days, they would leave the compound's protective walls and put their years of training to the ultimate test.

  Nine would observe, infiltrate, and if necessary, kill. Not for revenge, not for glory, but for the empire's protection—just as Wei Zhen had reminded her with his dying breath.

  She was ready.