"HERO" "Two thousand years ago..." "During the Warring States period, China was divided into seven Kingdoms." "For years they battled for supremacy, while the people suffered." "The King of Qin was the most ruthless in his efforts to conquer the land and unify all under heaven." "He was regarded as a common threat by the other six Kingdoms." "The annals of Chinese history are abound with tales of the assassins sent to kill the great King." "This is one of the legends..." "I was orphaned at an early age." "I had no name, so people called me Nameless." "Being a nobody, I studied swordsmanship." "After 10 years of practice, I acquired a unique skill." "The King of Qin has summoned me." "My deeds have astonished the Kingdom." "By order of His Majesty, we have brought the mighty warrior." "Sky, Flying Snow and Broken Sword," "The three assassins from Zhao, have sought His Majesty's life for 10 years." "His Majesty has known no peace." "To the astonishment of all, a mighty warrior of Qin has smashed them!" "His Majesty can finally sleep at night!" "We rejoice for our King!" "This warrior sent from Heaven has exterminated the assassins." "Summon the warrior!" "Remain 100 paces from His Majesty, or you will be executed." "Never forget that." "No one is allowed within 100 paces of me." "Do you know why?" "To guard against assassins." "Yes." "That's why I am confined in this armor." "You have removed a great peril for me." "How shall I reward you?" "My service was for Qin, not for a reward." "Achievements must be rewarded." "Sky's silver spear..." "It has wounded many of my brave warriors." "Announce my edict!" "By order of His Majesty, he who kills Sky will receive gold and land, and be allowed to drink within 20 paces of His Majesty." "I am informed you're a citizen of Qin." "I am a Prefect from Leng Meng County." "A County Prefect over 10 square miles!" "Surely the lowest-ranking official in Qin." "How did you defeat such opponents?" "I took them on one by one." "Tell me the details." "Does Your Majesty know that Flying Snow and Broken Sword were lovers?" "Yes, I do." "And that they hadn't spoken for three years?" "For three years?" "Why?" "Flying Snow had an affair with Sky." "Broken Sword never forgave her." "Why haven't I heard this before?" "I went to great lengths to uncover it." "To divide Flying Snow and Broken Sword, I first needed to eliminate Sky." "I have an idea of what you planned." "Your Majesty is wise." "What did you use to defeat Sky?" "A sword." "I must arrest criminals in my county." "On the fifth day of the sixth month, Sky attended a chess house." "I had learnt he enjoyed playing chess and listening to music there." "So, the seven masters of Qin Palace." "We are here to arrest you!" "Identify yourself by showing your spear." "Halt!" "What can a minor official do?" "This is my territory." "So?" "You are on the King's most wanted list." "I am placing you under arrest." "Old man, please play one more tune." "Martial arts and music are different, but they share the same principle." "Both stress attaining a supreme state." "Sky and I faced each other for a long time." "Neither of us moved." "We fought the battle in our minds." "How swift thy sword!" "I thought I knew everything about my Kingdom." "I didn't know that Leng Meng County held a talent like yours." "Broken Sword" "Flying Snow" "By order of His Majesty!" "Flying Snow and Broken Sword have teamed up for assassination." "He who kills either of them will receive gold and land, and be allowed to drink within 10 paces of His Majesty." "Three years ago, Flying Snow stormed the palace with Broken Sword." "3000 elite troops couldn't stop them." "I've since emptied the palace, so assassins cannot hide." "Was your sword swifter than theirs combined?" "No." "How did you do it, then?" "Disguised as a citizen of Zhao, I sought them in the Kingdom of Zhao." "I learned they were hiding in a calligraphy school under the names Highcliff and Springbrook." "Rumor had it that the Qin army would attack that day." "Most of the townspeople had fled." "Only the school's students remained." "Why have you come at this time?" "Who are you?" "I'm from Yi County in the Kingdom of Zhao." "My father's dying wish was for one of your scrolls." "I fear this may be our school's last day." "Which calligrapher do you seek?" "I respectfully request Master Highcliff." "Highcliff was Broken Sword." "Legend said his skill as a swordsman was rooted in his calligraphy." "So I had my concerns." "I needed to find out if it were true." "What do you want written?" ""Sword"" "You are fond of the sword?" "It was my father's dying wish." "What size scroll?" "Eight feet." "For that size I will need red ink." "My master asked me to borrow some red ink." "My master wants to borrow some red ink." "Did you hear me, Master Springbrook?" "Master Highcliff wants to borrow red ink." "Tell him to come himself." "May I have some red ink?" "The character "sword" was still being written when Your Majesty's troops arrived at the city gates." "Your Majesty's army is invincible, not only because it is brave, but also because of its archery." "With a greater range than any other army, the Qin archers are like artillery, intimidating the enemy." "Hail!" "Hail!" "Hail!" "Please remember, their arrows might destroy our town, and topple our Kingdom, but they can never obliterate our culture." "Today you will learn the essence of our culture." "Hail!" "Hail!" "Hail!" "Those Zhao people didn't flee?" "They drew strength from their calligraphy." "What was so difficult about "sword"?" "There are 19 different ways to write it." "I asked Broken Sword for a 20th way." "Both calligraphy and swordplay rely on one's strength and spirit." "The 20th style would reveal the essence of his swordsmanship." "How odd to write it in 19 ways." "It makes the written language impossible to comprehend." "Once I've conquered the six Kingdoms and all the northern tribes," "I will eradicate this problem by mandating one style of writing." "Wouldn't that be ideal?" "Your Majesty won't stop at the six Kingdoms?" "The six Kingdoms are nothing!" "I will lead my army to conquer vast lands and establish a great empire." "Hail!" "Hail!" "Hail!" "Master Springbrook." "Why are you going outside?" "To fend off the arrows." "You aren't needed." "Stay inside." "The Qin archers are powerful." "You alone may not stop them." "Hail!" "Hail!" "Hail!" "You're good." "You are even better." "You didn't come here for calligraphy." "Who are you?" "I've travelled here to deliver an item." "Please meet me in the library at midnight." "Great calligraphy." "Great swordplay." "You didn't even see my swordplay." "I couldn't have written without it." "At midnight, meet me in the library." "Several thousand Qin troops were readying for the next onslaught." "I studied the character all night, trying to unlock the secret of his skills." "It would reveal his swordsmanship?" "But it's just an ordinary word." "Calligraphy and swordplay are similar." "One must comprehend their true essence." "Did you discover it?" "It eluded me." "So how did you challenge them?" "Sky died by your sword?" "Yes." "Who are you?" "Why are you here?" "I'm from the Kingdom of Qin." "I have a message from Sky." "Go on." "He said he lived a life without responsibilities or commitments." "He cared for only one person." "Who?" "Flying Snow." "Sky was certain she'd avenge his death." "To fight me, meet me at the Qin camp." "You can leave now." "Go!" "I know you saw us!" "I let you see us on purpose!" "I no longer care about you at all!" "We were both very foolish." "I'm not going to fight you." "Leave!" "I will kill you in honor of my master!" "You ask to die." "I shall help you." "Why do you laugh?" "What you did last night was stupid." "My plan proved successful." "When Flying Snow was fighting me she was disturbed and disoriented." "I defeated her easily." "I never imagined supreme warriors like Broken Sword and Flying Snow would allow their emotions to be a liability." "It sounds as if you did divide them." "Yes." "In that case, they must have been petty and narrow-minded." "True." "Your story sounds logical." "But, you have underestimated one person." "Who?" "Me." "Would you like my impression of them?" "Three years ago, they stormed the palace." "I was impressed by their valor and dignity." "Their character could not be petty." "So Flying Snow's affair with Sky is a lie." "Their betrayal of one another is a lie." "The story you just told is a lie!" "Except for one thing:" "Sky did know one of you." "Who?" "You." "I surmise you two were old friends, and Sky's defeat has only one explanation." "What's that?" "He permitted it." "To kill me, the two of you formed a pact, using my men as witnesses." "That was not hard to arrange." "The hardest part was to persuade Sky to put his life in your hands." "You were not fast enough to defeat Sky." "He died willingly under your sword." "Such devotion deserves true respect." "He was the first to sacrifice himself for your mission." "Sky was proud." "He saw himself as an unrivalled fighter." "What convinced him you could succeed, where he had failed?" "You have trained, perhaps for 10 years, with one goal, my assassination." "You have a great skill that few can counter." "Killing Sky got you within 20 paces of me." "So why seek out Broken Sword and Flying Snow?" "I surmise that your skill requires you to come within 10 paces." "You needed a second sacrifice to claim another reward to bring you within 10 paces." "Although Broken Sword and Flying Snow had never met Sky, they instantly understood the reason for his defeat." "How far am I from the bookshelves?" "About 10 paces." "10 paces is fine."