Disclaimer: I do not own Hero: 108.


June 2018:
Lin Chung stretched as he sat up. He looked around and decided to go for a walk. It was a lot less stressful to wake up in Big Green, a place he associated with 'home' compared to at East Citadel, though his quarters at East Citadel was a lot more luxurious.

He picked up his staff, and looked at his hair. It was strange to see it grey again after it had been brown for so long. Ah well.

Looking out, Lin Chung wandered around, before he felt a pair of eyes on him. He turned cautiously. No one. His eyes narrowed, before he noticed a shadow. A man's shadow was behind him. He walked on, as if he didn't notice anything, before he suddenly spun around and lashed out blindly.

He caught someone in the gut, and his eyes widened as he realised it was a Warlord. The advisor came out, sighing at the Warlord. "My goodness. Training isn't enough to beat you, is it, Lee?"

Lin Chung's eyes flashed as he adopted his persona once again. His eyes scanned the advisor. "I heard the Warlord government collapsed a few days after I left. What happened?"

The advisor shrugged. "A lot of never agreed with Nobu's…ideals. We had him…ah…retire."

"I see." Retire most likely meant that they killed him. Lin Chung repressed a shudder. "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask the same." The advisor's gaze pinned him. Lin Chung's eyes narrowed, but he created up a false story on the spot, hoping that the advisor wouldn't read too deeply into it.

"I headed North after what happened and changed my appearance lest someone against me met me. I didn't know what to think after the government crumbled down."

The advisor nodded, offering a hand. "Well, I am now leader of the reformed government." His eyes were icy. "And I would like to invite you back into our government."

Lin Chung looked at him for a moment, as if considering it. "What pros do I have? Why should I join? The last one crumbled after barely a few years."

"Because I can promise you a higher, more secure position and no corruption. And a higher pay." When Lin Chung didn't accept for a while yet, the advisor leaned forward. "Plus, we have a secret weapon." Lin Chung's mind was instantly alert. Really? Secret weapon? The advisor seemed to notice he was hooked.

Lin Chung studied him, and, to his fright, realised that the advisor was being completely honest. He let his lips curl into a smirk as he accepted the hand. "I'm in."

After "gathering his things" (and informing the Commander briefly), Lin Chung met up with them again, planning to dye his hair before any of the Warlords realised that he, as Lin Chung, had grey hair and would fit the description. He was incredibly lucky that the advisor didn't even notice.

Several months passed, and he soon found out the 'secret weapon'. And in the most unexpected way possible. He had been put on guard duty in the prisons as one of the people, he realised, that the advisor trusted the most. He heard movement in a cell at the end, and had approached it.

A man peered out, dark hair scruffy. Lin Chung's eyes widened. No way. He picked up a torch from the wall and held it closer. His eyes widened.

"Wei?"

The man turned at his name. "Who are you?"

Lin Chung lowered his voice. "My name is Lin Chung, your majesty. I am with Big Green."

Wei looked up. He crawled forward. "How do you-"

"I infiltrated their government before it collapsed and got reformed. How did they catch you?"

Wei sighed. "They located the village I was hiding in and threatened the people there. Mind you, they found me by completely accident."

Lin Chung looked around. "Do not let your hope down, Emperor. I will find a way to get you out."

Wei looked up in surprise. "I am not Emperor yet."

"But you will be." Lin Chung smiled, but then a thought struck him. "What colour was the Empress wearing at her anniversary?"

Wei's eyes widened, and he grinned, looking at Lin Chung. "Black."

Lin Chung's smile broadened, and then turned and left, his mind reeling. That confirmed it. It was a code only the Emperor and those trusted knew. He had talked to Lady Green, whose family had been one of those trusted. Since the Emperor and his descendants were presumed dead or escaped, she saw no harm to tell him - but he had sworn on his life not to tell anyone.

That was why the advisor was so confident. Worst come to worst, he could use the Emperor as a puppet on the throne to benefit himself and his allies. Or probably make the Emperor's reign so disastrous that the Peasants would want the advisor back as government leader.

Lin Chung had to admit, that was pretty smart. He sighed - and also guaranteed the Warlords success. Dammit.

"You're telling me that the Warlords somehow managed to find the Emperor and are keeping him in the dungeons?" Yan Ching stared with disbelief at Lin Chung, who merely nodded, expression grave as well. He had been given the day off, and had shut his door and windows securely before talking with Yan Ching. "So what are we going to do now?"

Lin Chung frowned before replying. He had thought this over carefully. "I think that the advisor is planning to start capturing members of Big Green. Given my past success, he would probably put me in charge. If I capture them and bring them here and set for a date when East Citadel would be least defended…"

Yan Ching finished the thought. "Then we could attack from inside out with backup from Big Green's remaining warriors."

Lin Chung nodded.

"It's worth a shot." Yan Ching contemplated. "That would take a lot of communication, though."

Lin Chung sighed. "This is up to you, Yan Ching. If you don't like it, we can find another way to free the Emperor."

"No." Yan Ching shook his head, expression determined. "I'll do it. We can get some of my people to help as well, not just me."

Lin Chung nodded. "Do what you think best." He leaned back on his bed. "And I will try to pin everything down."

The advisor laid out the map. "So, as you can see, there will be lone or weak warriors here and here and here. You, Lee, will take out these two. You, Ren, will take out those two. Ri, you will take that one on." All three nodded, Lin Chung's mind racing as he tried to take this information in and transfer it to useful intelligence that could actually help Big Green prepare and avoid this attack.

"Our numbers are too low." Yan Ching noted as he and Lin Chung looked over the map. Lin Chung's brow was furrowed as he reached the same conclusion. "We do not have enough soldiers."

Lin Chung suddenly looked up. "Yes, we do. The Peasants!"

"The Peasants aren't fighters."

"But they outnumber all the other ranks. They count for nearly 85% of Hidden Kingdom's population. As long as Big Green get them all together, we can actually win this and swarm the Warlords with numbers."

Yan Ching quietly made his way out of the cells. The past few weeks have been successful, Lin Chung managing to capture some of First and Second Squad. Lady Green was prepared to lead Big Green outside. The Peasants had gathered around Central - the place where East Citadel was located.

He tensed, but let a grin come onto his face. Only two more nights, and the Warlords will be downed.

And if they did so, Big Green would be prepared to return the Emperor to power.

Lin Chung lay awake that night. He heard the bell that usually rang at midnight sound. One. Lin Chung instantly got out of bed, tying his hand up and sprinted to his door. Two. He made his way to the dungeons, noting that everyone was asleep and drunk out of their minds due to their recent victory and the party thrown.

Three. Four. Five. Six.

He opened the door. Wei was sitting up, alert with a smirk on his face. "Ready?"

Seven.

Wei nodded in response, and waited as Lin Chung smashed the his staff against the lock. Wei ran out of the room, following Lin Chung closely.

Eight. Nine.

Lin Chung moved to the other prisons further on. They were already out, armed with weapons and ready to fight. Yan Ching stood proudly on the floor. Ten. Lin Chung offered Yan Ching his hand - the small man leapt onto the hand, and then onto Lin Chung's shoulder. He looked around.

"Ready?"

Eleven.

The grins he got in return was more than enough as an answer. He heard the bell chime the final time.

Twelve.

Show time.


Outside, Lady Green nodded, and signalled for the stronger Peasants and the Heroes to bang the large ram against the door. Bam. Bam. Bam. Bam. Bam. Bam.

The door suddenly swung open, and Lady Green stepped inside. Guards were frantically taking up positions, but they were few in numbers. Lady Green wasted no time in drawing her double blades and sprinting forward. Her blades met another, and she kicked out before turning and blocking another blow.

A war cry was heard as others joined her, and she looked up. Beckoning to the remainder of First and Second Squad, they followed her to the throne room, passing numerous room with snoring in them. Without hesitation, the others burst into the rooms and shoved the Warlords over their balconies to the floor, where the Peasants were waiting with many prison-carts.

Lady Green met up with Lin Chung, with Yan Ching on his shoulder. Lin Chung immediately took the way to where the advisor and the others were waking up. They burst into the advisor's room, where they saw two men, armed to the teeth. They swung their weapons at the duo, but Lady Green lunged to the left while Lin Chung moved to the right.

Yan Ching lunged at one of the men, punching his eye and causing the man to cry out in pain. Lin Chung swung his staff, swinging it into the man's ribs. The man let out a shout, but Lin Chung did a roundhouse kick aimed at the man's head, knocking the man out.

Lady Green swung her two blades to block the man's blade, and then, using the locking of the blades to push herself, slid underneath the man while dragging her blades behind her. She turned and sliced the man's armour before kicking the man, sending him backwards, where Lin Chung knocked him out.

Both of them turned to the open window, where the advisor was already climbing out.

Their eyes narrowed as they sprinted to the window. Lin Chung clambered out of the window, closely followed by Lady Green, who dropped one of her blades to the ground, sensing that carrying two blades while climbing a roof wasn't wise. She scaled the rocky terrain, before finding the advisor locking his blade with Lin Chung's.

Without thinking twice, Lady Green moved to the right, aimed and then flung her blade - her only weapon, at the advisor. The advisor got hit and fell, Lin Chung's eyes widening as the advisor slipped and fell, sliding down the diagonal roof. Lin Chung lunged forward, but it was too late.

The advisor's scream was the last thing they heard as the advisor fell to the ground with a sickening crack.

Lady Green inhaled sharply as she looked at Lin Chung. He looked at her, concerned. "Are you alright?"

Lady Green nodded shakily. "Fine." Lin Chung handed her her blade, and started to make his way down, where cheers were already being sounded. Lady Green let out a small smile as she climbed down as well. Although she had never intended to kill the advisor, she couldn't dwell on that now - the people and Big Green finally had control over Hidden Kingdom.

And the Emperor was finally in his rightful place.

She grinned as she joined the crowd gathered outside East Citadel with Wei standing on the steps in front of them.

"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"