El Baile de la muerte Part 25, also called Chapter 68, is the sixty-ninth chapter of the Black Lagoon manga. It was originally released in November 2008.
Plot[]
Pulling out her feidao knives, Shenhua prepares to attack Horner and Sanchez, and Revy says that they will attack after the count to three. Before she can do so, the Vysotniki shoot at their limbs, making them drop their weapons. One of the soldiers on the roof tosses a radiophone to Revy so that she can speak with Balalaika, who warns Two Hands that the battle is hers and hers alone and that she will not hesitate to kill Revy next time. As Shenhua sits down and rests her injured leg, she asks Revy what she was told, and Revy angrily tosses the radiophone. She is furious and wants retaliation for her injured right arm since it the pain burns deep, but Shenhua calmly responds that she does not want to make trouble with Hotel Moscow. Having a solemn look, Fabiola tells them that her work is done and will pay her later accordingly, but Revy sternly asks her what she will do.
Fabiola repeats that Revy is done, and she walks over to Garcia to reunite with him. As Sawyer and Lotton stand by, Shenhua wonders who will deal with Roberta, and Revy remarks that either the soldiers or Roanapur will "take care" of her. Elsewhere in the city, Caxton and Ray lead their men out of town, hearing that they have suffered no casualties so far. Ray wonders if the Soviet captain "Jane Doe" (Balalaika) will push back the maid, and Caxton states that she is certainly experienced since her small number of men have turned the area into a kill zone. As the Americans flee, one of Balalaika's men tells her that her soldiers have Roberta pinned in a dead-end alley. With Boris standing by, Balalaika orders the men to keep Roberta there since they do not need to escort the U.S. troops anymore, commenting that she does not want the job to end as Mister Chang's subcontract.
Meanwhile in the Hot River Film Company office building, Chang is in a bathrobe and finishes a call with someone and tosses the phone to Biu. Catching the phone, Biu informs Chang that they received word from Shue Yan, who told the Triad that inspections of the controlled territories are essential to contain the effects of Khun Sa's "surrender." He asks Chang if he should contact Khun Sa directly, but Chang declines, stating that the surrender is a farce anyway and they need him to continue living quietly in Yangon. Biu then wonders about the "hound," and Chang answers that he just got a call from Rock about the Lagoon Company agreeing to ship Grey Fox out of Roanapur into the Golden Triangle. Biu in turn states that he is working on contacting the "hound" but is unsure if she can catch up to the Americans. Chang jokes that Biu is worrying too much and will get gray hair by overthinking about the Vysotniki's plans.
Still curious, Biu wonders if Balalaika will keep her promise of their temporary alliance, but Chang smokes a cigarette and smiles, commenting that it does not matter if Balalaika causes enough trouble for them that Roanapur falls since they can set up shop somewhere else and duke it out with Balalaika. Squatting, Biu smiles back and states that he now sees why their leader chose Chang to lead their branch, repeating that Chang is a gutsy ex-cop who let his friends die at a port. Chang responds that he is not gutsy and is just able to enjoy things for how they are, concluding that he needs to check his remaining cards on the table. In the city, Balalaika radios Caxton and tells him that she has no casualties on her end either, with Caxton thanking her on behalf of his unit for her help and asking her what she wants in return. The Russian leader merely replies that they are not mercenaries and that honor is their reward.
Balalaika asks Caxton if he is willing to hear her story, to which he agrees since they have time. Speaking solemnly, she proclaims that she honestly wanted to fight his group since she and her men have always sought a great battle since their days during the Soviet-Afghan War. She then compliments Caxton and his men for their courage, loyalty, and distinguished military record, and Caxton humbly thanks her and replies that he merely carried out his duty to his country and men. Biting her teeth together, Balalaika asks Caxton how did she end up so different from him despite having the same hardship and witnessing similar horrors. Caxton is confused as to what her point is, so she tells him to understand that he should fear her since she and her men may one day conquer the U.S.A. and their cities. Curious, Caxton asks her if she was medically discharged, an assumption that Balalaika states she understands.
She specifies that she and her men were immediately discharged after the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan in 1989, clarifying that she in particular was discharged because she violated international law during a cross-border operation to save a child in a refugee camp, shocking Caxton. As Boris and his men perform a gun salute, Balalaika advises Caxton that his battle is not over and hopes for his continued fortune in battle, wishing him luck.
Notes[]
- This is the first chapter to include the Hot River Film Company (from the first light novel) in the main manga series.
- The Japanese version of this chapter has a typo wherein the Russian infinitive "занять" is misspelled with a hard sign (ъ).