01x23 - Episode 23

[bunniefuu]

Let me run the numbers again.

Wait.

You can't just barge in here.

Who are you?

I'm Long Ao.

Chief Long Ao.

What brings you to District Nine?

Your presence truly
honors this humble place.

Save the pleasantries.

You've probably heard

about someone using
magic in District Nine.

Indeed, sir.

There's a group

using magically created
bread for business.

Have the higher-ups begun
cracking down on them?

That deal you were talking about

wouldn't happen to involve them, would it?

I handle all kinds of business.

Harmony brings prosperity.

Did I happen to touch something
you already had your eye on?

Smart.

I've got a deal that's
guaranteed to pay off.

If you work with me,

not only can I help advance your career,

you'll also be handsomely
rewarded afterward.

From what I've seen,

every one of the Eight Tiger Generals
rules with an iron fist.

If they really start digging,
that could spell trouble for me.

Business is business.

And if something goes wrong
and the higher-ups investigate,

I'll have a scapegoat ready.

All right. I'm in.

So what do you have your eye on, sir?

Money? Assets?

Your identity.

You're not that crooked merchant.

Who are you really?

So you were here all along.

Long Ao.

Still as harsh as ever, Qin Tian.

You were better off mute.

They know each other?

Then why is he protecting us?

King Lie sent you to investigate District Ten,
yet you've been missing all this time.

And now you're standing in front of these
doomed rebels. What exactly are you doing?

King Lie assigned this mission to me.

I'll see it through myself.

I don't need you interfering.

Miss Huang,

before that big guy gets
back up, get out of here.

Consider this me repaying the favor.

Watch out!

You fool. You're actually
siding with these small fry.

Keep this up, and you
might even lose your place

as dead last among the
Eight Tiger Generals.

Today, I'll punish you
on King Lie's behalf.

We don't know who's really dead last yet!

You overestimate yourself.

Catching Cicadas in the Wind!

Spirit Snake Seeks the Hollow!

Tiger Roar:

Rising Wind!

How boring.

Confess now and tell me why you rebelled,

and I can ask King Lie to
mitigate your punishment.

If you manage to please me,

I might even spare your life.

Tell me. What did they offer you?

Money, power,

or strength?

You haven't changed a bit all these years.

You still make me sick.

You really think a few lousy
puppets can take me down?

I was hoping they'd come at me.

Cloud Hands!

Hammer Punch!

Tiger Roar:

Devouring Waves!

All that punching and
kicking must be exhausting.

What you're really after is
forbidden magic, isn't it?

For someone as mediocre
and talentless as you,

that must be even more
tempting than money or power.

I'm not like you,

squeezing profit out of everywhere
until your face practically drips with grease.

Do you know why I'm letting
those small fry watch?

Because instead of finishing
off those weaklings,

I'd rather watch you all realize
how far beneath me you are

and see those pathetic looks
of defeat on your faces.

Enough talk!

I've wanted to fix
that expressionless face of yours for years!

Furious Tiger Shatters the Mountain!

Bone-Breaking Scythe!

I can't break free.

Have I used too much strength?

So this is the ability he's been hiding.

Martial training lets
you endure a few hits.

But with those pathetic
techniques of yours,

you can't even touch me.

Then if I beat you, make
sure you kneel before me.

Well?

Still think you can beat me?

What do we do? We have
to think of something.

This cage is made of steel
wires under his control.

And Huang is in here too.

If he notices anything,

we may not survive this time.

Long Something,

at this rate, you'll bleed to death!

It's Long Ao.

I always repay my debts.

You saved my life once.

So no matter what,

I have to repay you.

If King Lie hadn't taken pity on you

and granted you a title in celebration

of unifying the kingdom,

you probably wouldn't
even rank above a dog

serving the other Tiger Generals.

Long Ao,

do you know why, after
all our battles together,

you only ended up as Chief of Logistics?

Because you're simply too incompetent.

I kept you by my side

and let you keep the title
of one of the Eight Tiger Generals

because I still value our old bond.

Talent and aptitude decide from the start

who's first-rate

and who's defective.

One quick test, and all your flaws show.

No, that's not true.

I can still...

They all died because of you.

Your blind arrogance

made them die like ants.

You failed them.

No... - You failed their families.

That's not true!

Wang Xiaoming,

don't you even have the courage
to make a pinky promise?

I...

Anyone there?

Anyone?

Is anyone still alive?

This is all the result
of your recklessness and incompetence.

How pathetic. How laughable.

And now,

you, who once dared to lead
the way, can't even admit it.

How ironic.

That tone...

You're...

Mo Lei!

A beautiful puppet

shines even without strings.

But an inferior puppet

only looks clumsy and ugly no
matter who pulls its strings.

Just like your ridiculous martial arts,

it's all show and no substance.

So don't be mediocre and useless

without even realizing it.

I know that

better than anyone.

Still barking, you useless mutt?

You really think you can take me?

Let her go.

That's her bread!

What,

are you going to massage my back
with those weak little fists of yours?

You actually tried.

I used to wish I'd been
born stronger or better fed

so that no one could bully me.

Still hungry?

Fine. Have some.

Don't let it go to waste.

This is what you get
for sticking your nose where it doesn't belong!

From that day on, I
swore to change all this.

I won't go down so easily again.

As long as I keep at it,

I'll become stronger one day.

Hey, you! Move it!

You can't even keep up with a dog!

Get lost!

You think you can become a warrior like Lie
and cut down enemies on the b*ttlefield?

Keep dreaming!

I knew

I had to work even harder.

I remember now.

That night, I lost all my comrades.

It was all because of me.

If I'd been stronger,

it never would've happened.

Qin Tian,

I've always envied you.

You won King Lie's favor
at such a young age,

and your achievements were outstanding.

But more than that,

I've always hated how
full of yourself you are.

You look down on everyone else.

This is the price you pay
for challenging magic:

losing every one of your followers.

Your ignorance got them k*lled.

It was all my fault...

Those useless commoners
can't even compare to a dog.

No matter how you train or guide them,

they'll still die meaningless deaths.

So what if we're commoners?

So what if we're mediocre and powerless?

The reason I can still stand here today

has never been talent,

and it sure isn't magic.

Lie,

you're my role model

and the hope everyone believes in!

How can you fall before I do?

That's right.

Exactly.

The fact that we've made it
this far proves to the world

that magic isn't unbeatable.

Whatever you can do in a week,

I can spend a month, six months,
or even three years doing the same.

So even if we end up as bones,

even if we rarely win, still...

As long as the spark in
people's hearts stays alive...

I refuse to lose forever!

What?

One day, that spark
will become a wildfire!

Ridiculous.

You have no strength left.

Striking the Ox

Across the Mountain.

How dare you...

Everyone,

sorry I'm late.