[h2]Da Nanguo's Northern Border[/h2]

	The evening sky was deep grey, and a light fog remained suspended in the air. Shang sprinted through the thick treeline, panting heavily. His ears and nostrils stung from the cold air, and the strain of his journey.

	"Where was it... from here", he wheezed to himself, his eyes darting about.

	Shang was looking for a break in the trees, something man-made. He knew he was close. For the sake of crown and country, he had to be close. Onward he ran, stumbling over the thick roots and overgrown bushes.

	THERE! Through the trees, just a few yards away. A glimpse of red. That was the outpost. With all the energy he had left, he sprinted for the clearing. Bursting through the leaves, he collapsed in front of two startled guards, each carrying a feathered spear. They glanced down at him.

	"Who the hell are you?" said one. "This is government land."

	"My name... is Shang", the intruder gasped, looking up at the two men. "I bring news for General Gao. One-five-one-ten."

	Hearing the dialectical code, the guards furrowed their brows.

	"Alright, come inside. He's been waiting."

	With a sigh of relief, Shang rose to his feet, and walked into the outpost with the two guards. It was an impressive facility. The large wooden walls that encircled the station were decorated at every corner with a bright red banner, bearing a traditional symbol of good fortune. Through the front gate, Shang saw a series of bunkhouses, an armory, an archery range, and the commander's office at the center. It was late in the day, and the majority of the soldiers were resting, leaving the courtyard empty. The guards escorted Shang up to, and through, the front door of the commander's office. 

	Once inside, Shang saw Gao, sitting at the far end of a large wooden table, accompanied by the outpost's commander, and an Akitsukuni official. They seemed to have been halfway through a conversation on border security between the two nations. The general looked up at Shang, not immediately recognizing his face. This wasn't surprising, given that Shang had been out of the country, and under cover, for a couple years.

	"Yes?", the general inquired.

	"[i]Wo-gao-se-ni-yi-wo-yi-shi[/i]", Shang responded in Nanguo dialect, with as thick of a local accent as he could manage, to ensure the foreigner wouldn't immediately understand him. "[i]Ta-men... bu-shi.[/i]"

	The general's eyebrow twitched in response.

	"Excuse me, my good man", he said to the dignitary, rising from his chair. "This man has a letter for me. Just a moment.[i] Ni-shuo-yi-wo-yi-shi-ma[/i]?"

	"[i]Shi-de[/i]", Shang responded, as the general made his way around the table, passing behind the Akitsukuni man.

	"[i]Hao-ba[/i]", the general commented. "I have your delivery fee here", he said, pausing to reach into his shirt. "Eighteen, right?"

	"Yes sir", Shang answered.

	"Good", said the general, withdrawing a knife from his shirt, reaching around the dignitary from behind, and slitting his throat.

	The representative collapsed forward, gurgling blood as his head thrashed on the table. The general and commander both smirked at the sight.

	"Pompous swine, comes in a one-man carriage, demanding all kinds of concessions from our border guards. I was praying for an excuse to kill the bastard. Now, we can talk without unwanted attention. What's the damage? Is the squad dead?"

	"I'm afraid so, sir, but it's worse than that." Shang stated.

	"Worse?" Gao growled inquisitively.

	"They've captured Ma Long."

	"The recruit? Are you sure?"

	"Yes sir. He ran from the fight, and I saw them leading him away as I made my escape."

	"Shit", the general commented, thoughtfully. "... Shit! What did he know?"

	"Nothing, sir. I told him only what was necessary for the mission. But, he was at the briefing with you personally. The devils may have your name." Shang explained.

	"Hmmm", Gao pondered. "Alright, we're going North. The situation is still salvageable. They can't tie this to the Emperor. Commander!"

	"Yes sir?" responded the seated man.

	"Congratulations, you're now second-in-command of a rogue military faction. Da Nanguo's northern guard is moving ahead with the war. We're taking the fight to the devils, and keeping the Emperor safe while we do it. Tell the men that they no longer answer to the crown, but that their general is leading the resistance. And get them mobilized! We're reclaiming the demilitarized zone!"

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


[h2]The South Han Sea, off the lower mainland's coast[/h2]

	Admiral Pan stood at the bow of fleet's crown ship. The cool breeze of the sea washed over him. The sky was clear, and an orange tint hugged the horizon. Between that edge, and the Admiral himself, lay the entire royal fleet, in all its glory. Countless ships, trimmed in gold, iron plated, each outfitted with enough firepower to bring down the side of a mountain. Reveling in this power, Pan drew a small ornate bottle from his pocket. He removed the bottle's cap, lifted it to his nose, and took a deep sniff. The foul stench overwhelmed his senses, and yet brought a sensation of peace and rejuvenation. 

	This strange substance, snuff they called it, was being imported in massive amounts from the West. They said it was good for the stomach and mind. Pan doubted these claims of health, but it sure made him feel relaxed. From behind him, the sound of footsteps approached.

	"Admiral", a young voice cried.

	"[i]Wei?[/i]", he responded.

	"A pigeon of the Emperor has arrived! He's ordering that we mobilize the fleet!"

	The Admiral grinned. 

	"Finally.", he hissed. "Where to?"

	"Just East of the Great Trade Island, out of sight of devil patrols, but ready to advance on their southern tip."

	"By the will of the Emperor, may his reign be eternal!", Pan boomed, spinning around and jogging back to the ship's helm.


[img]http://imgur.com/7HF7dJH.jpg[/img]