—To wield violence like a hawk and hound, to serve the people like an ox and horse.
Northeast of Chixia Island, within Luoshi, lay Yuantong Town.
The town was not large. Though it lacked the bustling prosperity of a city, appearing entirely rural, its proximity to the coast and reliance on fishing meant it was reasonably well-developed. The railway connecting to Luoshi cut through the southwestern corner of the town, where a remarkably unpretentious train station stood. It was a simple blend of brick, tile, and timber, devoid of any modern flair that might have complemented the railway itself.
A young female police officer, barely eighteen and seemingly just past adulthood, stumbled out of the station, her backpack swaying precariously. Beyond her uniform, there was little to suggest any connection to law enforcement; she exuded none of the imposing aura typically associated with an institution meant to maintain state stability.
Her backpack was unusually large, sitting disproportionately on her shoulders. Adding to her burden were two enormous cases: a long, rectangular carrying case and a sturdy wheeled suitcase. What they contained was a mystery, yet the thick walls of the cases could barely conceal the bulging contents within.
Setting down the wheeled suitcase, she retrieved a slip of paper from her uniform pocket and began scanning for road signs outside the station, hoping to match them with the address. She had initially considered asking for directions, but the station was utterly deserted, not even a single staff member in sight—unless the elderly sweeping woman counted as one. She almost spoke up, but then a thought struck her: she was a police officer, an ‘honorary officer’ at that. Asking a frail, elderly woman for directions seemed… ‘not only unfitting for my position but also an unnecessary imposition. Better to find a sign,’ she decided.
Fortunately, despite the area not being particularly developed, the road signs were neatly erected and easily visible. The signs displayed various scripts, many of which she couldn’t decipher. However, one familiar script stood out: Blaze Clan characters. It seemed that following the main road northeast through town would lead her directly to the town police station.
She tilted her head skyward. It was snowing… A delicate dusting of fresh snow began to blanket the ground, while the sky above remained oppressively grey. Pigeons streaked across the gloom, vanishing into the distant cloud cover. ‘The temperature has dropped…’ This thought darkened her expression. ‘I wonder how he’s doing…’ she mused. ‘Was he captured by Xuanji Star? If so, would he be beaten? If not… how is he now? Is he cold… or hungry…?’ She shook her head, dispelling the jumbled thoughts. Her instructor had told her: she was a police officer now, and her duty came first. Personal matters couldn’t constantly occupy her mind.
Today marked her first day reporting for duty, the very beginning of her career as a police officer. She had to perform well, to not disappoint her instructor.
The town was sparsely populated. Only a few elderly individuals ambled about, their gazes unfocused, whether from ill health or heavy hearts, she couldn’t tell. They noticed the young woman but merely glanced at her, utterly disregarding her presence. A few children, however, playing and running, paused curiously upon seeing her uniform, their eyes fixed on her. Noticing their stares, she remembered her instructor’s words from the training camp and quickly turned to offer them a smiling greeting. As a result, she missed a step and nearly tripped. Fortunately, as a player, her exceptional physical coordination allowed her to swiftly regain her balance and avoid a fall. Nonetheless, the sheer embarrassment of almost stumbling on flat ground and having to spin around to save face was mortifying. ‘Dreadful… I’ve already disgraced the police force the moment I arrived,’ she thought. Imagining the children witnessing her clumsy moment, she hastily quickened her pace, eager to escape their sight.
An elderly woman sat motionless on a roadside bench, leaning on her cane, a thin layer of snow dusting her like a statue. She cast a sidelong glance, a flicker of light piercing her vacant eyes.
“Police! It’s the police!”
Seeing the officer, she quickly rose with her cane and blocked her path. “Officer, what about my son?”
“Ah?”
The young officer startled, clearly unprepared for such a question. Fortunately, her training camp instructor had taught her that in such situations, one must first stand at attention, then smile, and if unsure of the question, bow slightly with an apologetic ‘I’m sorry, I don’t know.’ She merely had to follow those instructions.
“He’s a soldier in Yingzhou, and I heard Yingzhou was occupied by Xuanji Star, and many soldiers died! Did my son escape?”
The officer tried to recall her instructor’s words, but the old woman clutched her arm, her face etched with sorrow, a sob catching in her throat. “They say Xuanji Star kills everyone they see! What if those damned devils caught him?”
“The government people keep bringing black letters, but my son is neither alive nor dead, not a single word! Please help me, Officer! I beg you on my knees!”
The old woman’s knees buckled, and she collapsed to the ground.
Terrified, the officer quickly dropped her two cases and rushed to support the old woman. In her haste, she feared using too much force and hurting her, so the strength in her hands swiftly dissipated, failing to lift her. She quickly knelt, steadying the old woman to prevent her from falling. “Auntie! I… I… I…”
She truly wanted to repeat her instructor’s words, but seeing the grieving old woman, she felt it would be utterly cruel to offer such hollow platitudes.
“Old Mrs. Li, what are you doing? If you keep this up, the officer will say you’re assaulting her!”
An elder in a coat dropped his broom and walked over to help the old woman up.
The officer felt a pang of embarrassment. While the old man’s words were peculiar, she certainly hadn’t perceived any intent to assault her. Had the old man misunderstood something?
“My apologies, Officer,” the elder said. “She doesn’t mean to attack you; she’s just overcome with grief over her son’s death.”
“Your son is dead! Your son is dead!”
The old woman suddenly spun around, lunging to grab the elder’s collar, her voice raw with a desperate scream. “My son is a hero! He was always top of his class, he beat up scoundrels who bullied girls, and he even saved a child from drowning! He won’t die! He won’t die! Only your three good-for-nothing sons will die! Only they will die!”
“Enough!”
The elder roughly pulled her hands away. Though anger simmered in his eyes, he sighed, turning his head upon seeing her face. “Your son is your son, but are my sons not my sons? All born of mothers and raised by fathers, whose life isn’t precious? Your precious son went to war, but did my three sons not go? You old shrew, you were fierce and aggressive in your youth, and you haven’t improved with age. Now your mind is broken, so I won’t argue with you.” He shoved the old woman away. The female officer quickly stepped forward to help, but the old woman didn’t fall. Instead, she staggered back a few steps before standing firm, muttering to herself as she stared at the ground… ‘My son isn’t dead… My son is invincible… He only kills enemies; how could he possibly be killed by others…’
“Alas! A soldier who goes to war and vanishes without a trace, isn’t that the same as being dead?” The elder sighed, returning to pick up his broom. “Officer, you must be new here! Please don’t take it personally. This is a rural area, and the customs are rough. Old Mrs. Li isn’t deliberately trying to give you trouble.”
The elder tapped his head, shaking it. “She’s broken here, confused. You should leave quickly! There’s no end to her if you let her keep you. Even the government people who deliver the black-edged envelopes avoid her…”
The officer picked up her two cases, wiping away the fresh snow that had settled on them. She had intended to simply leave, but seeing the old woman standing there, muttering to herself, an overwhelming sadness welled within her. She recalled her instructor’s words: ‘Evading trouble doesn’t solve it; only by confronting it can a resolution be found. The police are not merely a service agency, but an institution that wields violence—this is undeniable. However, if we only know how to exercise violence, we are no more than the hounds of tyranny. The difference between our Vega Police Force and other Academy police lies precisely here: we need to provide services to citizens, and indeed, we ought to provide them.’
She set down her cases and knelt before the old woman, gazing at her bowed head. Tears, both warm and chilling, dripped onto the officer’s face. “Auntie, it’s cold. Please go home and rest. I promise you, the moment I hear any news about your son, I will notify you immediately.”
“Home… What home do I have left…? My daughter-in-law is a military doctor… she went to the front lines without leaving a single child behind… That stubborn old man, my husband, was a retired officer. No matter how much I begged him, he wouldn’t listen and went to the front lines too…”
“That’s enough, Old Mrs. Li! Why bother the officer with all this!” The elder frowned, pulling the old woman up. This time, the disconsolate old woman offered no resistance. “It’s cold outside; come to my house and warm up! I’ll have my wife make you something to eat. There’s no warmth in your cold house anyway; there’s no point in going back.” The elder nodded repeatedly at the female officer as he led the old woman away.
Only the young officer remained on the street. Watching the two figures depart, she slowly bent down to retrieve her two cases, then turned and vanished at the end of the street. ‘This… this hateful war…’ she thought. ‘No… this terrible war…’
****
She continued her journey to the town police station. It was a building that bore no resemblance to an institution meant to wield violence. From any angle, it appeared to be an ordinary two-story house. Perhaps its only unusual feature was the lack of a ground-floor entrance; the door was on the second floor, accessible only by a staircase. There was no one in sight, and even the door stood ajar.
Ascending the stairs, she heard a deep, powerful voice grumbling even before she entered the room. –What ‘honorary officer’? I haven’t seen anyone yet! I don’t care! First, I need to make one thing clear to you, my old superior! I want to go to the front lines! I can’t stand to see these scenes of families torn apart by war in Yuantong Town anymore! It’s too tragic; I can’t bear it! I love peace, you know? I want to go to the front lines! I know they need experienced officers! I think Nalan Rong can replace me! What do you mean auxiliary officers aren’t good enough? Wasn’t I an auxiliary officer before I got my professional police license? What do you mean ‘used to be’ an auxiliary officer? She *was* an auxiliary officer in Yingzhou, she only paused her work for maternity leave, she wasn’t suspended for a mistake! Yes, yes! You listen to this… [expletive]! Hang up the damn phone!–
As the phone was slammed down, the old police officer turned to the doorway, scrutinizing the newcomer for a long moment. “Honorary Officer Ke Yiyi reporting to Yuantong Town Police Station…”
Before she could finish her sentence, the old officer thrust several black-edged envelopes into her arms. She quickly set down her two cases, clutching the envelopes to prevent them from falling. “Now that you’re here, don’t just stand around! Hurry and deliver these death notifications to the families!”
This was Ke Yiyi’s first day as a police officer, a day she remembered with perfect clarity: November 23rd, New Calendar Year 213, the first snow after the great rout of Yingzhou.