IMMORTAL KING

MINISTER OF GRAIN

*EPISODE 4: "MINISTER OF GRAIN"*

_∼2080 words_

_First blood. First name crossed off the list._

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*1. THE LIST*

The list had 12 names.

Written in ink. On skin.

Min-ho kept it. In his sleeve, over his scar.

#1. Lord Jae - Minister of Grain

_Crime: Starved 3 outer districts last winter. 2000 dead. Children first._

We were watching his house at dusk.

Big. Gold doors. Guards at every corner.

He got fatter in 14 years. Got richer too.

“You sure?” Min-ho asked.

“About what?”

“About not making it quick.”

I looked at him. “No. He made 2000 people slow.”

Min-ho nodded. No more questions.

*2. GETTING IN*

Lord Jae’s house had a kitchen entrance.

Servants used it. At this hour, they were tired.

We wore the gray robes again. Carried baskets.

The guard at the door barely glanced.

“New deliveries?”

“Yes sir,” I said, voice shaking on purpose. “Late because of the... ghosts.”

The word did the work for us. The guard paled and waved us in.

Inside smelled like rice and meat.

And fear.

The servants moved fast, heads down.

No one asked our names.

Min-ho’s eyes found the stairs.

“Third floor. East wing,” he whispered.

“How do you know?”

“I memorized the palace maps when I was 9.”

Of course he did.

*3. LORD JAE*

We found him in his dining room.

Alone. Eating.

A whole roasted duck. Bowls of rice. Fruit. Wine.

While 3 districts over, people were still eating tree bark.

He was old now. Jowls. Rings on every finger.

He didn’t look up when we entered.

“Put it down and leave,” he said.

We put the baskets down.

He still didn’t look up.

“I said leave.”

Min-ho stepped forward.

“Lord Jae.”

That made him look up.

His eyes went wide.

“Who... who are you?”

Min-ho pulled off his glove.

Showed the scar.

Then I did too.

The color drained from Lord Jae’s face.

“Y-you... you’re dead. The Glass Boys are dead.”

“We were,” I said. “You killed us.

Now we’re back to collect.”

He tried to stand. Knocked the table. Duck hit the floor.

“Guards! GUARDS!”

Too late.

The doors were already barred. From the inside.

*4. THE CONVERSATION*

Min-ho didn’t draw his sword.

Not yet.

He pulled out a chair. Sat.

“Eat,” he said. Nodded to the food on the floor.

“What?”

“Eat. It’s the last meal you’re getting.”

Lord Jae was shaking. “Please. I have money. Gold. Anything.”

“You had grain,” I said. My voice was quiet. “14 winters ago.

You sold it to the north. For profit.

While kids in the south ate dirt.”

“I... I didn’t know—”

“You knew,” I cut him off. “We were there.

In the streets. You rode past in a carriage.

We waved. You threw us a coin and laughed.”

Min-ho leaned forward.

“Do you remember what you called us?”

Lord Jae was crying now. “I... I don’t—”

“Glass Boys,” Min-ho said. “You said we’d break.”

Silence.

Outside, guards were banging on the door.

*5. THE JUSTICE*

Min-ho stood.

He didn’t look angry.

He looked... tired.

He drew his sword. Slow.

The sound made Lord Jae piss himself.

“Wait! Wait I can fix it! I’ll open the granaries! I’ll feed them!”

“You had 14 years to do that,” I said.

Min-ho raised the sword.

Then stopped.

Looked at me.

This was the moment.

Revenge or justice?

I nodded once.

The sword came down.

It was quick.

Cleaner than he deserved.

*6. THE MESSAGE*

We didn’t leave his body.

We left a message.

On the wall, in his own wine:

_“1/12. For the 2000.”_

On the table: half a loaf of bread.

The kind we ate when we were 7.

And in his hand: a peach.

With a needle through it.

When the guards broke in 10 minutes later,

we were already on the roof.

Gone.

*7. THE AFTERMATH*

By morning, the whole capital knew.

Minister of Grain. Dead in his house.

No forced entry. No witnesses.

Just a message.

The Radiant Emperor called for more guards.

Doubled the patrols.

Put bounties on "2 ghosts, ages 18, scars on palms."

In the streets, people started whispering.

_“The Glass Boys are real.”_

_“They’re killing the ministers.”_

_“Maybe... maybe we won’t starve this winter.”_

That night, back at the peach tree:

Min-ho crossed off #1 on the list.

#2. Lady Min - Minister of Taxes

_Crime: Took the last cow from a widow. She hanged herself._

“Next?” Min-ho asked.

I looked at the list.

“Next.”

He held out his hand.

I held out mine.

Scars met scars.

“Blood oath?”

“Blood oath.”

11 names left.

The empire was learning our names.

One body at a time.

*END OF EPISODE 4*

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