Heavenly Tyrant
by Xiran Jay Zhao
Contents
Chapter Forty-Two: What Must Not Be Unleashed
Overview
Summary
In Taiping's residence, Zetian watches state broadcasts framing the rebellion's defeat as a heroic victory, with curated footage glorifying loyalist pilots and demonizing rebels. The reports omit the chaos, civilian casualties, and the truth of Zetian's own battle. She recalls landing on the mountainside after the crash, screaming at a sobbing Liu Che over the bodies of Di Renjie and Wei Zifu, and being eventually retrieved by Qieluo and Yang Jian.
Zetian learns the wider rebellion's outcome: Qieluo and Yang Jian dropped onto the Great Wall, freed imprisoned loyal pilots, and turned the tide. Sima Yi commanded loyalist Chrysalises with killing strikes, exploiting the fact that Qin Zheng's conscription of girls made pilots replaceable. Zhuge Liang took cyanide, leaving "tyrant" written in blood. Liu Che awaits trial for treason in the Tianlao, possibly to be the first child executed; Wan'er remains imprisoned, with Qin Zheng deferring her case until the fighting ends.
Haunted by Di Renjie's dying words and the deaths she's witnessed, Zetian decides to expose the foundational lie of Huaxia. She goes alone to Sima Yi's office, overpowers and gags him with her scythe and rope, and uses his fingerprint-unlocked tablet. She notices intimate photos of Sima Yi with Zhuge Liang, suggesting a hidden relationship, but moves on.
Using Citizen Central, she posts in Sima Yi's name that the Hunduns are the planet's true natives and humans were dropped there as prisoners. Before the post finishes uploading, the tablet is hijacked. A message addresses her by name, warning that she has violated agreed parameters and must learn a lesson. The tablet then plays audio of Yizhi instructing a Doctor Hua to fake data and infect someone with a bacteria, threatening Hua's family in the name of the gods. Horrified, Zetian begs for it not to be sent to Qin Zheng, but glass shatters upstairs as Qin Zheng roars Yizhi's name.
Who Appears
- Wu ZetianEmpress watching the rebellion's defeat broadcast; assaults Sima Yi to publicly reveal the Hundun truth, but is blocked and punished.
- TaipingWatches the propaganda broadcast with Zetian in her residence; Zetian deliberately leaves to avoid implicating her.
- Liu CheSobs on the mountainside after the crash; imprisoned in the Tianlao awaiting treason trial, possibly first child to be executed.
- Wei ZifuThirteen-year-old rebel co-pilot found dead after the crash; Zetian regrets dismissing her as lost.
- Di RenjieDied at the moment of disconnection in the Yellow Dragon; his urging to end tyranny haunts Zetian.
- Zhuge LiangRebel strategist found dead by cyanide in his command room, leaving "tyrant" written in blood; pictured intimately with Sima Yi.
- Sima YiLoyalist commander who ordered killing strikes on rebel pilots; ambushed, gagged, and bound by Zetian, who hijacks his tablet.
- QieluoRetook the Han frontier and rescued imprisoned loyal pilots from the Great Wall, turning the battle.
- Yang JianJoined Qieluo in the Great Wall assault and freed the pilots Zhuge Liang had spared.
- Qin ZhengCoordinating the suppression; deferring Wan'er's case; at chapter's end roars Yizhi's name after hearing the leaked audio.
- Wan'erStill imprisoned in the Tianlao; her case postponed until the rebellion is fully suppressed.
- YizhiHeard in damning leaked audio coercing Doctor Hua to falsify data and infect someone, invoking the gods and threats to family.
- Doctor HuaRecipient of Yizhi's blackmail in the leaked audio, pressured to fake medical data.
- Guo AnleLoyalist pilot whose One-Horned Boar shot down the last rebel Chrysalis.