The chapter opens with a soliloquy by Hu, in which he laments the fact that he will never be able to figure out who he really is. He is afraid that the three girls will be killed if they are caught in the crossfire. He begs the guards to help him escape. He tells them to take the girls to a cliff nearby, where he will find a safe place to hide. He also tells them that bao is now in prison, and that he is going to tell them all about the dirty deeds he has committed. He says that he needs to find a way to get rid of bao before he makes more enemies.