The Silent Grith: The Six Dragons, #5

By Lin Musen

The strange things he witnesses makes Iren doubt everything that has happened to him. He realizes he knows nothing about the friends he has been living with for the past year. Shannchyuan, who disappeared after a bizarre incident at the shopping mall, suddenly appears along with strange people who are no less secretive. When he follows the mysterious girl who once conversed with Shannchyuan, he discovers something even more shocking.

 

Yihshyong, who is so irritated, could barely contain himself when, for the umpteenth time, the thugs change plans unilaterally. The changes that are difficult to understand with common sense make them have to bother looking for things that suddenly become important. The presence of Jenqyih's friend, who mysteriously appears, further adds to the line of suspicion in Yihshyong's mind.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AutoWiny Press
• Release date: Dec 31, 2022
• ISBN: 9798215794746

Book preview

Prologue

Aman in his fifties flipped through a piece of paper in his hand. He tried to digest what was written on the paper.

Are you serious? Even after reading it a few times, the man was still confused. The words written on the piece of paper were not the instructions he had hoped he would receive. He understood the contents, but he hesitated to do those instructions.

Just do what it says.

A man wearing a dark brown shirt sat right in front of the man. The man was in his late forties.

Okay! After this, my debt is paid off, right?

It's not only your debt that's paid off. But you'll also get a pretty decent wage.

I don't want to get too involved in your business. As before, I almost died doing what you told me to do.

This time, it's different! You only have to do one thing. After that, it's all over. I'll send the money to your account.

Is it really just like this? Nothing else?

Of course, it's true. Tell you what. I'll give you a down payment first. Twenty percent of the wages you'll receive.

The man in his fifties hesitated for a moment. The person who offered this to him had a terrible background. Everything he provided must be related to things that were not good. Most of those things this man used to do violated applicable laws. But right now, he needed money. Plus, he still had a debt to the man who sat in front of him.

Can you give me half of the wages first?

Gongsuen Tzyyyang! snapped the man in the dark brown shirt. I can only give twenty percent. I haven't received the money myself either. So that twenty percent comes from my pocket!

The man called Gongsuen Tzyyyang looked at the man sitting in front of him.

Okay! But don't be late sending the money. Now, where's the twenty percent?

Wait, a minute! I have to make sure you understand all the instructions written on the paper.

I see. Go ahead if you want to test me.

I will not test you. I just want you to explain to me every step that's written on this paper.

Gongsuen Tzyyyang looked at the man in the brown shirt with a slightly annoyed expression.

First, I have to go to the traditional medicine shop at this address. Gongsuen Tzyyyang pointed to a line on the paper.

The man in the dark brown shirt nodded.

Second, I have to speak to the man in the light green shirt. I have to tell him I am looking for diarrhea medicine for diabetics. I have to say the person who needs this medicine is a seventy-eight year old man. After that, the shopkeeper in the light green shirt will ask me if the patient has a history of kidney disease. I must answer that he has never had a serious problem with his kidneys. After that, the person will ask again if I want a pill or powder form. After that, I had to answer that I wanted a pill form. Then that person would ask me to wait in a special room. There he would give me a package.

Good! You know what to do and say at the drugstore!

Third, early tomorrow morning, before sunrise, I have to be at my work. I should be there early because security will be super tight after seven in the morning. I can't freely bring in the parcel if the security is already there. Then, I have to open the package. Inside is a mini-cassette. I must put the mini-cassette in my trouser pocket.

So far, everything is correct, said the man in the dark brown shirt.

Fourthly, I have to wait until the person who will receive this mini-cassette arrives. That person is a young woman. There is no mention of the woman's name or characteristics here. But that woman will come along with a person named Ouyang Yawchyuan. The man's name will be written on the name tag above the left pocket of the shirt he is wearing. After that, I have to find a way to give the mini-cassette to the woman.

Do you have any questions you'd like to ask? asked the man wearing a dark brown shirt.

What does this last paragraph mean?

"No matter how perfect a plan is, sometimes unexpected things happen. If that happens then you have to do the things in the last paragraph.

It's not dangerous right?

"Of course not. Don't overdo it. It's not the first time we've done something like this.

I see. I'll try my best.

Gongsuen Tzyyyang let out a long sigh.

Fine, this is the money. The man in the dark brown shirt handed Gongsuen Tzyyyang a thick envelope. Gongsuen Tzyyyang right away opened the envelope and counted its contents.

Thank you! When should I go to the drugstore?

The person in the light green shirt will only appear there two hours from now. So you just wait here until the time comes. I hope you don't fall asleep here. Don't be late getting there.

What time does the drugstore usually close?

That place will be open until midnight. But that doesn't mean you can show up just before midnight. The guy in the light green shirt won't be waiting for you until the shop closes.

Okay!

I will go now.

See you later!

Wait a minute! You can't take the paper with you. You've memorized it all, right?

Gongsuen Tzyyyang nodded. He instantly gave the paper to the man in the brown shirt. After taking out a lighter from his pocket, he then burned the paper.

Is there anything else?

The man in the brown shirt shook his head. But a moment later, he seemed to remember something. He took out a book from the small bag he carried.

What's that? Gongsuen Tzyyyang stared at that thing. Some kind of manual for doing certain things?

No. This is a novel. I will give it to you.

For what? You know I don't enjoy reading novels.

I know. I want you to read this novel while waiting here. This is a way for you not to fall asleep from boredom waiting.

Gongsuen Tzyyyang shook his head. Okay! I will try to read this book.

I will go now!

Gongsuen Tzyyyang nodded.

The man in the brown shirt stood up. He immediately got up and left the place.

Gongsuen Tzyyyang started to flip through the first page of the book.

Chapter 01 : Shannchyuan

Duanmuh Shannchyuan sat pensively on his bed. He tried to digest slowly the extraordinary things that Linqhwu Jiannjyh had just told him an hour before.

Currently, he was sitting alone in the room. About forty-five minutes earlier, Chioulin Yeujow had left the room. The young man told Shannchyuan to rest to recover his body condition.

It's not that Shannchyuan didn't want to sleep. He knew that he really needed a lot of rest. But he had a hard time closing his eyes. Linqhwu Jiannjyh's story was one of several things that stuck in his mind.

He looked around him. The room was actually very comfortable. If he could calm down, then surely he would feel very lucky to be in a place like that.

Shannchyuan didn't know if the place he was in was a prison. From another perspective, one could say that he was in a grith, a sanctuary. A safe hiding place, yet so lonely.

While Shannchyuan was still in a restless state, there was a knock on the door. Shannchyuan was silent. He was too lazy to talk. The room door opened. A man came inside and immediately sat on a chair that was right next to Shannchyuan's bed.

Good afternoon, Your Majesty!

Good afternoon!

I understand that at this time, Your Majesty may not be able to recognize me.

Right. I don't know who you are.

My name is Senyuan Dahher. I am the director of this hospital.

Good afternoon, Director Senyuan.

Is Your Majesty unable to sleep?

Except for a few things, I can't remember anything. Do you think I can sleep peacefully realizing that I forgot a lot of things?

Senyuan Dahher smiled. I understand. Your Majesty must be feeling uncomfortable with this situation.

Anyway, thank you for visiting me.

Is there anything Your Majesty would like to tell me?

Shannchyuan stared at the person.

Things like this should have been very clear.

Mr. Chioulin seems afraid to say much, said Shannchyuan.

Senyuan Dahher smiled again. He is indeed a very careful person. Your Majesty can ask me about things that Your Majesty wants to know.

Shannchyuan nodded. He didn't immediately ask. He was worried that Senyuan Dahher was just making small talk. There was a chance that he would answer Shannchyuan's question with a roundabout answer. After being silent and thinking for a while, Shannchyuan opened his mouth again.

Can you tell me a little about the history of the New World Rescue Committee?

Senyuan Dahher's face changed slightly. Although he tried to remain calm, Shannchyuan knew the person would also be very careful when answering such a sensitive question. 

Didn't Your Majesty speak with Mr. Linqhwu Jiannjyh about this?

Shannchyuan realized that everyone would have guessed that this was the principal topic he would discuss with others. It was possible that Senyuan Dahher thought Shannchyuan was going to match Linqhwu's and his answers.

I was only in his room briefly. We did talk about that, but he didn't have much to say.

All right, Your Majesty! I don't know how many things Mr. Linqhwu has explained to Your Majesty. So I will explain this from the beginning.

Go ahead, said Shannchyuan.

Thirty years ago, the Great Emperor of our New World died of old age. Shortly after the late emperor's funeral, the crown prince suddenly disappeared. No one knew where the crown prince disappeared to. But to no avail. The Crown Prince seemed to have disappeared into the bowels of the earth.

Shannchyuan felt his pupils dilate. The fact that Senyuan just revealed was indeed very interesting.

One hundred days after the disappearance of the crown prince, things got even worse. One of the late emperor's cousins came forward to calm things down. He crowned himself emperor. He said that he was only a temporary emperor. When the crown prince returned, he would step down and pass the throne to the crown prince.

But apparently he didn't want to come down after the crown prince returned? Shannchyuan asked.

Crown Prince never came back, Senyuan Dahher said in a bitter tone. There were rumors that the crown prince had actually been killed. These unfounded rumors spread fast. Many suspected that the new emperor was actively involved in the incident.

And then, there was resistance against the emperor? Shannchyuan asked.

Actually, it wasn't resistance, but the people only demanded that the government be transparent in explaining the results of the investigation into the disappearance of the crown prince to the public. However, the government responded to this demand with repressive measures. They even arrested people who questioned this.

Shannchyuan shook his head at this statement. Is the situation really that terrible? Was there a riot or something like that?

The situation is actually not that bad. There was no rioting or disorder in society. But the arrests were continuing. It's not even just the people who question the matter of the crown prince's disappearance who were being arrested, but people who question the decisions taken by the emperor during his reign, was also arrested.

So basically the government is acting very repressively against the opposition. Yet nothing ever happened to the people who are submissive or apathetic? Shannchyuan asked.

Senyuan Dahher nodded.

Five years after the new emperor ascended the throne, someone has appeared against the emperor. This person who called himself 'Zero Cloud' went underground. No one knew his true identity. He wrote a manifesto which was clearly a criticism of the emperor. The emperor was furious. He ordered that Zero Cloud be immediately captured and dragged before him.

And they all failed to capture Zero Cloud? Shannchyuan asked.

That's right, Your Majesty. In fact, this movement was growing. Many parties support Zero Cloud. Both secretly and openly. Five years after Zero Cloud issued its manifesto, it formed the New World Rescue Committee. The committee comprised seventy-three members. Zero Cloud was the leader of the other seventy-two members of the committee. Each committee member led organizations that aim to oppose the empire. Each of those organizations had millions of followers.

So there are seventy-three organizations that aim to overthrow the emperor?

There are only seventy-two, Your Majesty. At least, that's what I know. Zero Cloud didn't directly oversee any organization.

Are all those members of the committee loyal to Zero Cloud?

I don't know, Your Majesty. But there is sufficient evidence to suggest that even they, the committee members, do not know Zero Cloud's true identity.

Have they never met in person? No big meetings attended by all committee members?

As far as I know, nothing like that had ever happened. Between one committee member and another committee member had never met in person. They communicated with each other through their subordinates. It was to prevent committee members from being caught by the imperial troops.

Had their men never been caught?

The imperial troops were very formidable. They always managed to catch people who they suspect were members of organizations that oppose the empire. But those people who were caught were very loyal to their leader. They were not afraid of death. They didn't even say anything when the imperial troops tortured them. So the identities of the committee members were never revealed. The emperor never knew who the figures opposed him were.

That's amazing! Shannchyuan shook his head.

Each organization has a unique structure. However, in general, there are basic similarities. They implement a cell system so that if one cell is caught, the other cells will remain safe because each cell does not know about the other cells. What differentiates between the organizations is usually the size of the cells. There are organizations where each cell has tens of thousands of people, there are also organizations where each cell has fewer than ten people.

With such a way of struggle, it's no wonder that they finally succeeded in overthrowing the empire, Shannchyuan said.

They've only managed to kill this new world's great emperors. They haven't been able to overthrow the empire at all. The proof is that until now there is still emperor. Your Majesty is still in front of me.

Ha ha ha! Shannchyuan laughed. You're absolutely right.

Senyuan Dahher smiled. His face didn't look as stiff as before.

Then what was the situation after they succeeded in expelling the emperor from the palace in Tianjing?

You mean the security situation or the situation of the committee members?

Regarding the identity of the committee members, of course.

When they are in power, their identities are still very mysterious. Until now, out of the seventy-three people, only twenty-seven committee members whose identities are known. Nine people voluntarily came forward in public, while eighteen other people had their identities exposed by other parties. The second most powerful person in the committee, the deputy chairman of the committee, was the first to admit his identity.

Mingju Tsaehorng! Shannchyuan laughed.

Senyuan Dahher nodded again.

Of the eighteen people whose identities were dismantled, only nine people have admitted it. The other nine people were not willing to give any comments.

I think they fear reprisals from the underground forces still loyal to the empire, Shannchyuan said.

I think so, Your Majesty!

Then what about Zero Cloud? Mr. Linqhwu said that Zero Cloud later withdrew from the committee even after they came to power. Since the Chairman refused to lead, even refused to cooperate with the other committee members, Mingju Tsaehorng is the de facto leader of the committee.

Senyuan Dahher lowered his head. He then lowered his voice.

I'm just a small person, Your Highness. I don't know what really happened at the top levels. Some say that Zero Cloud had a disagreement with the other members. Some say that Zero Cloud really didn't intend to overthrow the empire. He just wanted to get rid of the emperor who was actually less entitled to the throne.

But do people know that Zero Cloud is no longer chairing that committee?

"To be honest, I don't know if people know as much as I do. It's possible that a lot of people out there still think that Zero Cloud is still leading the New World Rescue Committee. We all shouldn't talk nonsense either. These things