Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction 4-7 2019 | Page 29

ground. As I wipe my face, the blood which had once flowed in the veins of my enemies is now clasped in the deep
calluses below my fingers. I uncontrollably gasp for air, desperately crawling for cover.
Luckily, we all managed to retreat to cover and survive that day. However, it was yesterday when I finally understood
how easy it was to kill, to be killed, and how fast I could die. All it could take was a knife at the hands of a single
soldier- one wiser, stronger, or more skillful than me, to put an end to my life and everything that I ever loved. But I
can’t let this fear take control of me. It is at this dark hour, where such courage must reside with me stronger than ever
before. Only then, can we bring an end to Emperor Shunzhi and his corrupt dynasty.
13/11/1437
The palace. It was right before our eyes today. Everything that we had built up to over the years, came down to that
very moment:
We approached the palace, silently. The dust was coming down on us, and without vision we were rendered powerless.
We were all thrown into oblivion, but we knew we weren’t alone. As the dense mist came down, we began to see
shadowy figures charging at us with menace. The mere view of their horrific forms incited a dreadful fear that pulsed
through our veins. In panic we retreated, but it was too late. Arrows rained down on us from all sides, breaking through
the heavy silence and dark fog. As my friends and fellow soldiers fell dead before my eyes, a sense of helplessness struck
me. I slashed hastily with the hope that I could somehow escape this living hell. I leapt over my dead comrades, filled
with a sudden yet irrational courage. Fire, crouch, run, kill, dodge, stab, kick, repeat - those were the eight pillars of
survival in such dark hours.
The smell of blood was so strong I could taste it. The gunfire so deafening it shattered my ears. And the screams of my
fellow soldiers, that was the most painful of all. It was utter chaos. The soldiers of the Qing Dynasty continued running
at me in waves through the thick mist; but somehow, someway, I managed to survive. Second by second, I continued
clawing for that last burst of courage and power within me. And suddenly, almost miraculously, I spotted a clear
opening to the left of the dark fog. It seemed as though that path had been put there especially for me. I personally
never really thought much about God, but it was at times like this that his presence was hard to deny. Clear of all
threats and hazards, I sprinted through without thinking twice. To my relief, two of my most trusted and skillful
comrades followed. I was not alone. Hope was not lost.
19/11/1437
Today, the deed has been done, and with the support of the majority of the oppressed and tyrannized people of the
Qing Dynasty, a new emperor will come to power, in light of a new hope. A hope for a righteous and just dynasty,
once and for all. As I write these final words before the new emperor's accession, I cannot help but think of all th
‫ﺃﺳﺘﻄﻊ‬ ‫ﻭﻟﻢ‬ ، ‫ﺼﻠﻪ‬ ‫ﻧ‬ ‫ﺣﺎﻓﺔ‬ ‫ﻋﻠﻰ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﻤﺮء‬ ‫ﻳﺤﻤﻠﻬﺎ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﺘﻲ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﻘﻮﺓ‬ ‫ﻓﻬﻤﺖ‬ ، ‫ﻲ‬ ّ ‫ﻋﻴﻨ‬ ‫ﺃﻣﺎﻡ‬ ‫ﻭﺍﻟﺪﻱ‬ ‫ﺫﺑﺢ‬ ‫ﻋﻨﺪﻣﺎ‬ .‫ﺍﻟﺴﻠﻄﺔ‬ ‫ﻋﻠﻰ‬ ‫ﻟﻠﺤﺼﻮﻝ‬ ‫ﻓﻌﺎﻟﻴﺔ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﻄﺮﻕ‬ ‫ﺃﻛﺜﺮ‬ ‫ﻫﻲ‬ ‫ﻭﺍﻟﺨﻴﺎﻧﺔ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﺘﻼﻋﺐ‬
.‫ﺍﻟﺼﻴﻦ‬ ‫ﺳﺘﺼﺒﺤﻪ‬ ‫ﺑﻤﺎ‬ ‫ﻓﺨﻮﺭﺍ‬ ‫ﺳﺘﻜﻮﻥ‬ ‫ﺗﻘﻠﻖ‬ ‫ﻻ‬ .‫ﺍﻵﻥ‬ ‫ﺟﻴﺪ‬ ‫ﻣﻜﺎﻥ‬ ‫ﻓﻲ‬ ‫ﺃﻧﺖ‬ .‫ﻧﻬﺎﻳﺘﻪ‬ ‫ﺇﻟﻰ‬ ‫ﺷﻲء‬ ‫ﻛﻞ‬ ‫ﺳﻴﺼﻞ‬ ‫ﻭﺍﻟﻴﻮﻡ‬ ، ‫ﻁﻮﻳﻠﺔ‬ ‫ﻟﻤﺪﺓ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﻌﺎﻟﻢ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﺼﻴﻨﻴﻮﻥ‬ ‫ﻋﺬﺏ‬ ‫ﻟﻘﺪ‬ .‫ﺃﺗﺤﻤﻠﻬﺎ‬ ‫ﺃﻥ‬
Translated: Manipulation and betrayal are some of the most effective ways to gain power. When my father was
slaughtered in front of my eyes, I understood the strength that one carried on the edge of his blade, and I could bear it
no longer. The Chinese and their malevolent emperors have tortured the world for too long, and today it will all come
to an end, once and for all. You are in a good place now. Do not worry, you will be proud of what China will become.