Zetian confronts Qin Zheng through the glass of his quarantine chamber, demanding he release Wan'er and her mother. Qin Zheng, distracted by graph-filled papers and visibly exhausted, dismisses her pleas, insisting the revolution's justice system must run its course. He rejects her counterargument that the definition of counter-revolutionary rhetoric is dangerously broad, even though the story was only shared as a draft. Zetian realizes a friend must have reported Wan'er's mother out of self-preservation, recognizing that the regime is forcing friends to betray friends.

Desperate, Zetian offers to sleep with Qin Zheng in the dream realm in exchange for clemency. He reacts with fury, accusing her of having no faith in the revolution and threatening to imprison her permanently if she interferes.

Late that night, Zetian vents her rage by sparring with Qieluo in her bedchamber, both wielding newly forged spirit-metal swords. When Qieluo cautions her about the supposed pregnancy, Zetian nearly stabs her own padded belly before catching herself. She acknowledges the hypocrisy of only objecting to the system now that it harms someone close to her, but concludes the system is broken.

Resolving to act collectively rather than alone, Zetian orders Qieluo to summon as many Phoenix Ladies as possible to Unification Plaza at dawn for a rally. As they prepare to leave, the palace lanterns suddenly go dark and Central Chat goes down. Yizhi rushes in disheveled, urgently announcing that the pilots at the Han frontier have mutinied, forcing Zetian toward the throne room.