In this chapter, Zillah discusses the differences between her hometown, Jinking, and the city of Zhengzhou, where she lives. She tells Zillah that her hometown dialect means "friend," but that she is different from the rest of the city because she is not a noble. She explains that the goddess of war, the hole dame, is the highest authority in the city, while her father serves as the battle suit of the goddess. When Zillah's mother gave birth to her son, the family found out that the couple was in love and ordered the couple to be returned to Jinking. The family forbade marriage between a woman of low birth and a man of high birth. Zillah refuses to abort her child and refuses to allow her husband and daughter to leave the city. When the family learns of the couple's relationship, they recall the goddess's title of war and dismiss her from the family. She and her family live in the slums of Jinking for a few years, but then a pandemic kills both of them. After the pandemic, they are demoted to civilians and live in Zhengzhou's slums, but that is also the happiest part of their lives. After that, the two rely on each other for their survival.