The Imperial Capital buzzed with rumors. The Chen clan had been erased overnight—no survivors, no heirs, no warning. Ministers argued in chaos until the Empress silenced them with a single glance.
"The Chen family is no more," she said. "I will see for myself who dares toy with my empire."
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The Journey to Fallen Town
The Empress traveled in disguise, her entourage small and quiet. For days she watched the countryside, expecting fear and chaos in villages once under Chen rule.
But when she reached the lands near Fallen Town, she saw something else entirely.
Joy.
Children laughed freely in the streets. Farmers worked their fields humming songs. Merchants sold goods without bribes or extortion. Families feasted together in the open, celebrating as though a festival had come.
The Chen family's shadow had lifted, and for the first time in generations, the people could breathe.
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The Mayor's Reception
The Empress and her advisor, disguised as traveling scholars, were welcomed by the mayor himself. His face glowed with relief instead of fear.
"Truly, sirs, you have arrived at a blessed time!" the mayor said, pouring wine with trembling hands—not from terror, but excitement. "The Chen tyrants are gone! The heavens themselves must have answered our prayers."
The Empress raised a brow. "Prayers? And to whom do you offer thanks?"
The mayor smiled faintly, lowering his voice. "There is… a protector. A quiet one. For years, our villages near the border have been safe while others suffered. Bandits avoid us, beasts vanish from our paths. Some say it is a mountain god, others speak of a spirit of the lake."
He hesitated, then whispered: "But we know better. A farmer tends our land… and we tend his silence."
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Festival of Gratitude
That evening, the Empress wandered the town. To her shock, it was alive with celebration. Lanterns hung from every roof. Carts of food were shared freely. Wine flowed, laughter echoed.
And everywhere, whispers carried the same name.
Not Chen. Not emperor.
"The Farmer."
An old man raised a cup. "Five years he has watched over us, never asking a coin in return!"
A mother wept with joy. "No more daughters stolen by the Chen beasts!"
A merchant laughed. "No more tribute! We keep what we earn!"
They toasted into the night, praising the nameless protector.
The Empress listened, her heart unsettled. Mortals were supposed to fear power, not rejoice in it. And yet here, under the shadow of some unknown farmer, they celebrated as though paradise had descended.
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The Empress's Doubt
Later, standing at her inn's balcony, the Empress gazed toward the distant farmlands.
Fields glowed faintly under the moonlight. Rows of cabbages swayed as though in silent rhythm. Smoke rose lazily from a farmhouse chimney.
It looked ordinary. Too ordinary.
Her advisor approached. "Your Majesty, shall we investigate the farmer directly?"
The Empress shook her head slowly. "No. Mortals revere him as a saint. Nobles whisper of him as a demon. Until I see with my own eyes, I cannot decide which he is."
Her gaze lingered on the quiet farm.
"One thing is certain. Whoever he is… he is no mere farmer."
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Cliffhanger
Far away, Lai plucked a cabbage from the soil. He dusted off the dirt, smiled faintly, and looked up—his eyes piercing the distance straight into Fallen Town.
The Empress froze in her inn, sensing the weight of his gaze.
Then Lai chuckled softly, tossing the cabbage into his basket, as if nothing had happened.
The Empress's hands tightened around the railing.
"…He already knows."
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⚡️ End of Chapter 9 ⚡️
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