The Heaven-Grade cellblock beneath Yujing Terrace was Liyue's damp, sunless oubliette. Prisoners here weren't headed for execution—but they might as well never see daylight again.
Since inmates were the worst of the worst (short of beheading), the authorities ran Heaven-Grade with… minimal effort. So long as you didn't starve, that was "care."
Once a name that made the streets tremble, Rolling-Knife Liu—founder of the Old Nine Gates—now passed his days weaving tatty straw into little knickknacks.
From the next cell, a prisoner locked up eighteen years shook the bars and howled at the lightless shaft above.
"Let me out! You can't do this!"
Rolling-Knife Liu clicked his tongue, stood, and kicked the wall.
"Pipe down, you brat. A real man pays his debts. If not this life—then the next."
"Oh, easy for you to say! You've got loyal boys outside—someone even bribes the jailers for you! I've got nobody!"
Murmurs of agreement spread. Once, each of them had been a "boss" with flunkies at their heels. One fall from power, and the dogs ran faster than birds.
Only Rolling-Knife Liu still had anything at all: a Ninth Brother on the outside who greased palms. No delicacies, but at least three different meals a day—and sometimes night snacks and bad wine besides.
Envy curdled. Not fear of scarcity—fear of unequal shares. Reporting him to the guards earned a beating, so they swallowed it whole and envied in silence.
Liu chuckled, tossed his half-woven straw hat aside, and raised his clay jar. The cold yellow wine tasted like horse piss—but here, this was luxury.
"What can I say? My Ninth lives by a single word: loyalty."
"…That's two words."
"Don't fuss the details. The point is—my Ninth is loyal. You lot don't have a brother like that."
Silence. Better that than getting an ulcer from this old scoundrel.
Bored, Liu shuffled to the corner with his jar. The bitterness in his mouth wasn't just the wine.
Was he dragging Ninth down?
Next time the guards came, he'd tell them to pass a message: Stop wasting money on me. Live a good life.
If Ninth had done this much, then as big brother… he could die without regrets.
"Hrng—"
A cable squealed above. The lift at the base of the light shaft was descending, wheels screeching. The half-arc platform rose into view with a jailer aboard.
No sunlight, no sky—everyone figured it was just mealtime and paid the noise no mind.
"Which one's Liu Muzhi?"
It had been a long time since anyone used his birth name. Rolling-Knife Liu blinked, then stepped to the bars.
"I'm Liu Muzhi."
"Liu Muzhi, you're being bailed. Pack up. You're coming with me."
The cellblock froze—then erupted in curses.
"Damn it all—if only I had a sworn brother like that!"
Liu stayed rooted, deep wrinkles full of guilt. Only when the jailer barked a second time did he shuffle out.
Life sentence. Bailing him would cost half a golden house—if not more. Ninth had the loyalty of a mountain… and he, as big brother, had been nothing but a burden.
Whatever the case—find Ninth first.
The lift rose. For the first time in years, Rolling-Knife Liu felt the sun on his face.
The clamps thudded. The platform locked. And he heard a voice—
"Big Brother. Welcome back."
He looked up.
Standing ahead was Ninth—Ji Ming—and behind him, from left to right: Second Brother Half-Flood Zhao, Third Brother Zheng the Mad, Fourth Brother Broken-Finger Chen, Fifth Brother Bone-Scraper Yang, Sixth Brother Knife-Anvil Li, Seventh Brother Muffled-Thunder Hong, and Eighth Brother Mad Dog Qing.
The fallen Old Nine Gates stood together again. A man who hadn't cried since age three burst into tears and strode forward.
"Ninth— I missed you, kid…"
Ji Ming kept smiling, walked up with the others—then sucker-punched him in the face.
"Damn it, Big Brother, use your head. No more harebrained schemes, got it?"
The guilt dissolved with that single punch. Liu laughed and crushed Ji Ming in a hug, then the rest in turn.
"Good, good… you're all safe. That's enough."
Third Brother bawled like a child and tattled at once.
"Big Brother! Ninth fell for a honey trap—he's been recruited by the Liyue government!"
Rolling-Knife Liu jolted; the others stared at Ji Ming. Was that why the authorities freed them?
Fifth—Bone-Scraper Yang—narrowed his eyes.
"Did those dog officials force you? No problem. Fifth'll go cut them down."
Second—Half-Flood Zhao—nodded. One of the only three normal ones among the Nine, and he still agreed. Ninth would never voluntarily bow to greedy officials.
Sixth—Knife-Anvil Li—said nothing, licking the edge of his knife… then froze, remembering he hadn't poisoned it yet. He resumed licking.
Eighth—Mad Dog Qing—already had an eye on a departing jailer, fingers itchy for a warm-up kill.
Fourth—Broken-Finger Chen—sighed like a strategist.
"Ninth's reached that age. If it's a honey trap, it's a honey trap. Fourth will handle it."
Seventh—Muffled-Thunder Hong—wasn't talkative.
"Ninth's fine."
Looking at his brothers, Ji Ming had only one thought:
"The worthies assemble, a crowd like constellations; even immortals would line up like hemp stalks."
He sighed and cut clean.
"I took a master. An adeptus of Jueyun Karst. And my senior is Ganyu of Yuehai Pavilion."
The eight went pale and collectively drew breath. Once, the Old Nine Gates rose in storm and fog—only to be crushed by greedy officials. Now, with Ninth backed by an adeptus and Ganyu herself…
Black and white both—in the palm?
"Don't get ideas," Ji Ming said at once. "Senior Ganyu doesn't know about the Old Nine. I won't have her distracted by my business. So forget 'both sides of the law.'"
Fourth, the scholar, nodded. If not the authorities… then another power was bankrolling Ninth. He felt it in his bones.
"Ninth—if not Liyue's government, who's helping you?"
Smart as ever. Ji Ming pulled out a mask—Childe's. The shock rolled a second time.
"The Fatui. We made a deal. I'm their eyes and aide in Liyue Harbor. They're my bank and intel hub."
For a street brotherhood, working with forces wasn't strange. But why would the Fatui partner with a local snake?
Liu stayed cautious.
"Ninth… do they have something on you?"
"No. The contract is me and the Fatui—not the Nine Gates and the Fatui. If it blows up, I carry it alone."
"Not happening," Liu growled. "We're one body. Don't you dare cut yourself out—unless you don't call us brothers anymore."
Ji Ming let it lie and switched tracks.
"From today, the Old Nine Gates are officially restored. Too many clowns crowned themselves kings while we were down. Phase one: reconquer Liyue Harbor."
Seventh Brother nodded once.
"Ninth is right. He's got no problem."
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