Omid Islands

Chapter Twelve · The Price of Truth

Suyan’s collaboration with Zheng An began with a small detail.

That night, after Zheng An left her room, Suyan sat at her desk and organized everything he’d told her.

First: Zheng An’s mother was killed by First Island’s warship, not by the Thirteenth Island.

Second: The man who ordered her death was the War Minister at the time — a man named Zhao.

Third: That Zhao’s descendant was still in the military camp, serving under Zheng An.

Fourth: Lord Zhao — the old man who had publicly identified her bloodline at the Tidal Assembly and died the next night from “tide-breath” poison — was also a descendant of that same Zhao line.

Suyan stared at these facts, her mind racing.

Why had Lord Zhao publicly revealed her bloodline?

He knew it would put her in danger.

Why would he do that?

And the character he’d written before dying — run — what was he running from? Or was he telling someone else to run?

She needed more information.

And that information might be hidden in the places Lord Zhao had visited before his death.

The next day, Suyan found Zheng An and shared her thoughts.

“Where did Lord Zhao go in the days before he died?”

Zheng An thought for a moment. “I can check. His attendants should have left a schedule before departing.”

“Check.”

Zheng An spent two days mobilizing every connection he had in the military camp and finally located a complete itinerary of Lord Zhao’s movements after arriving on First Island.

Most of the schedule was routine — banquets, meetings, private conversations with other island lords. But on the afternoon of the second day, one entry stood out:

“At the hour of Wei, Lord Zhao went alone to the underground area east of the Island Lord’s compound. Stayed approximately one quarter-hour.”

Underground area.

Suyan’s eyes narrowed.

The underground area of First Island was forbidden territory. Only the Island Lord and a handful of core personnel could enter. Why would Lord Zhao, an outsider, go there? And what did he do?

“What is that underground area?” Suyan asked.

Zheng An shook his head. “I don’t know. Even as deputy, I have no access to the underground region.”

“Who can enter?”

“The Island Lord. Zhongli. And —”

He paused.

“The former War Minister.”

A flash of insight crossed Suyan’s mind.

The former War Minister — the man who ordered Zheng An’s mother’s death — was also named Zhao. What was his connection to Lord Zhao?

“I need to get into that underground area.” Suyan said.

“Impossible.” Zheng An said. “It’s the most heavily guarded place on the island. You don’t have clearance —”

“I do.” Suyan cut him off. “I’m the Island Lord’s counselor. I have access to anywhere.”

Zheng An looked at her, silent for a long time.

“You’re taking a risk.” He said.

“I know.”

“If you’re caught —”

“I won’t be caught.” Suyan said. “You divert the guards. I go in, I come out. Fifteen minutes at most.”

Zheng An was quiet for a moment.

Then he nodded.

The operation was set for the evening three days later.

In the meantime, Suyan maintained her routine — handling official business, attending meetings, continuing her training with Lord Jiang. But her mind was always on the underground area.

What would she find there?

What did it have to do with the Thirteenth Island’s destruction?

She didn’t know. But she knew she had to see it.

Three nights later, the moon was dim behind heavy clouds, and all of First Island was swallowed in deep darkness.

Suyan wore dark clothes, her hair bound tight, barefoot on the stone paths. No lantern. She relied on her familiarity with the terrain, slipping past three patrol routes, until she reached the eastern entrance of the Island Lord’s compound.

Zheng An was already there.

“Guards are diverted.” He whispered. “You have a quarter-hour.”

“That’s enough.”

Suyan pushed open the heavy stone door and went in.

The underground area was larger than she’d imagined.

She descended a long stone staircase. Oil lamps lined the walls at wide intervals, casting dim light that barely reached her feet. The air was cold, carrying a stale scent — as if time itself had been sealed inside.

She walked for about five minutes and reached a thick iron door.

No lock, but a complex mechanism — three rings that had to be turned simultaneously.

Suyan crouched and examined it.

She’d learned similar lock-breaking techniques during her training with Jiang. She spent two minutes finding the right combination, then pushed hard —

The iron door opened.

Beyond it was a large room. No windows. A single oil lamp burned at the center. The four walls were lined with shelves piled with documents, scrolls, boxes.

Suyan entered and began scanning the contents.

Most were routine records — financial accounts, personnel files, meeting minutes. But at the very back of the room, she found an old iron box.

Thick dust covered it, as if no one had touched it in many years.

Suyan opened it.

Inside lay a very old document. The paper had yellowed and grown brittle, but the writing was still clear.

She unfolded it, and when she read the first line, her breath stopped.

“Execution Order: Island Destruction Operation”

Suyan’s hands began to tremble.

She kept reading.

The document was issued three hundred years ago. It detailed the entire plan to destroy the Thirteenth Island — troop deployments, tidal weapon specifications, and —

Signatures.

At the bottom of the page, a row of signatures.

Suyan counted.

Twelve.

Twelve signatures.

But the document’s heading said “Coalition of Twelve Islands” — meaning the signatories should have been eleven island lords, not twelve.

Why were there twelve signatures?

She examined the names carefully.

First Island — Omid’s great-grandfather.

Second Island — Lin.

Third Island — Song.

…

Eleventh Island — Li.

Then, the twelfth name.

That name had been crossed out with thick ink, many strokes layered over it, almost obliterating the original characters.

But Suyan leaned closer to the lamp and finally made it out —

Su Lan.

Su.

Her blood went cold.

Su Lan — the name of the Thirteenth Island’s clan chief.

The Thirteenth Island’s chief had signed the order to destroy his own island?

How was that possible?

Suyan continued reading.

In the latter half of the document, a small passage had been added in different ink, as if appended later.

“Su Lan’s signature was obtained under duress. His clansmen had been seized. If he refused to sign, the entire clan would be executed on the spot. After signing, he and a portion of his clan were promised safe passage.”

“That promise was not honored. Three days after signing, Su Lan and his entire clan were executed.”

“This is top secret. Known only to the twelve signatories of this order.”

Suyan stared at those words for a long time.

Her mind raced, trying to absorb this information.

The Thirteenth Island’s chief — Su Lan — had been forced to sign. His people were held hostage. He was threatened — sign or everyone dies now.

He signed.

But the promise wasn’t kept.

Three days later, he and his entire clan were executed anyway.

Which meant —

The twelfth signature was coerced.

The Thirteenth Island’s chief was not a traitor.

He was a victim.

Suyan folded the document, tucked it inside her robe, and turned to leave.

But as she reached the doorway, she heard a sound.

Light footsteps.

Coming from the stairs.

Someone was here.

Suyan’s pulse spiked.

She scanned the ro

…(truncated)…