Thirty-Three Tastes Of Poison

General Min Lian has climbed the stairs of treason and reached the top: his opponents are crushed, dissent is all but gone, and his ascent is a matter of time. Soon enough, he will become the new Chairman and cleanse his beloved country of the despicable spinners - artists who dare to shape the world with their unnatural powers. Soon, Min Lian will be the most powerful man alive. But before taking the mantle, he must deal with a foreign envoy and a spy posing as her bodyguard.

When lady Emőke arrives, she carries empty vials in a wooden box. With each passing day, lady Emőke adds a new bottle to her collection. With each passing day, a new scar appears on her arm, and the colour drains from her bodyguard's cheeks. With each passing day, Min Lian's power diminishes, and he doesn't know why.

All he knows is that the blank-faced woman has something to do with his misfortunes and the revival of the rebels he has obliterated. To preserve his power, Min Lian will have her killed. Only when he confronts her, Emőke tells the General that he and all he has built will be gone once she adds one last empty vial to her nearly full box.