Ministry of Oppression

This quest has a Hard mode version — see Ministry of Oppression (Hard mode).

Ministry of Oppression
Section	Kaineng City Quests
Storyline	Beyond: Winds of Change
Required campaigns	Factions
Given by	Guardsman Qao Lin in Kaineng Center (Kaineng City)
Preceded by	There Goes the Neighborhood
Followed by	Raid on Shing Jea Monastery Ministry of Oppression (Hard mode)
Type	Secondary quest
Map(s)
(Click to enlarge)

Minister Reiko has sent a squad to a peaceful protest in Wajjun Bazaar with orders to kill. Warn the protestors and lead them to safety!

Quest information

Objectives

• Arrive at the rally before the Ministry of Purity and warn Xin Ji of their attack.
• Escort Xin Ji and the other demonstrators to Xaquang Skyway.
• Xin Ji must survive.
• See Guardsman Qao Lin for your reward.

Reward

• 2,500 Experience
• 1,000 Gold
• Imperial Guard Requisition Order
• Imperial Commendation

Walkthrough

Your goal is to successfully escort the demonstrators out of harm's way. However, the quest will succeed as long as Xin Ji survives.

As soon as you enter the zone, head towards Xin Ji to trigger the initial dialogue. Once that ends, start moving towards each successive quest marker; these lead you through the most efficient escape route. If you start right away, you can evade the ministry troops even after they start following you. Along the way, reinforcements will spawn, but as long as you keep moving, you will be able to lead Xin Ji to safety.

As soon as you reach the bridge near the Xaquang Skyway portal, the demonstrators are removed from your party window, which completes the quest. You can /resign or map out or wait to see the cinematic, which begins after the last line of dialogue.

If you have trouble, you can distract your pursuers by flagging heroes or dropping spirits behind you. You can also bring speed boosts that affect allies, notably "Charge!", "Fall Back!", and/or "Incoming!".

NPCs

Allies

Humans (Canthans)

• 20 Xin Ji
• 20 Protesting Canthan Peasant

Foes

Humans (Ministry of Purity)

• 26 (28) Elite Ministry Enforcer
• 24 (26) Ministry Enforcer
• 26 (28) Elite Ministry Ranger
• 24 (26) Ministry Ranger
• 26 (28) Elite Ministry Cleric
• 24 (26) Ministry Cleric
• 26 (28) Elite Ministry Purger
• 24 (26) Ministry Purger
• 26 (28) Elite Ministry Illusionist
• 24 (26) Ministry Illusionist
• 26 (28) Elite Ministry Mage
• 24 (26) Ministry Mage
• 26 (28) Elite Ministry Bladesman
• 24 (26) Ministry Bladesman
• 26 (28) Elite Ministry Medium
• 24 (26) Ministry Medium
• 26 (28) Elite Ministry Captain
• 24 (26) Ministry Captain
• 26 (28) Elite Ministry Zealot
• 24 (26) Ministry Zealot

Dialogue

Initial dialogue

Guardsman Qao Lin

"<Character name>, thank the gods you are here! A group of peasants have taken to the streets to protest the Ministry of Purity's increase in power, and show opposition to the ever-restrictive policies they have enacted. While they are unarmed and have made it clear this is an entirely peaceful rally, the Ministry of Purity has dispatched a squad to intercept them and suppress the demonstrators by "whatever means necessary." One of my men saw their orders, and Reiko has declared them "militant partisans" and given her men orders to kill them on sight!

"We have protested this, but are tied down by bureaucratic nonsense. They say it can take days for a resolution permitting us to intervene or ordering the Ministry to stand down, and by then the demonstrators will be nothing but unmarked graves! Please, go and warn the demonstrators. If you can get them to Xaquang Skyway, there are places they can hide until the Ministry calls off their search. Speak with me when you are ready to travel, I have a boat waiting."

 Accept: "I will stop this bloodbath before it starts!"

 Decline: "I had a bad experience at a political rally recently...count me out."

 Ask: "Are you ready to travel to Wajjun Bazaar?"

"I am ready to travel."

"I had a bad experience at a political rally recently...count me out."

Intermediate dialogue

Xin Ji: "Are we going to sit here, silently obeying the Ministry of Purity while our friends and family keep on disappearing at night for speaking against them?"

All of the Protesting Canthan Peasants: "No!"

Xin Ji: "Are we going to..."

<Party leader>: "I hope you're going to end that sentence with 'run' and the answer is yes, because the Ministry of Purity is on their way here now, and they don't have an arrest in mind for you."

Xin Ji: "Those tyrannical...Naga-loving..."

<Party leader>: "Can you please insult them and run at the same time? We really need to get out of here."

Xin Ji: "I don't like all this running and hiding. We shouldn't be forced to flee from our government just for speaking our minds! It feels like we are letting them win!"

<Party leader>: "You seem to be some of the few people around here who aren't blinded by the Ministry of Purity's propaganda. Standing there and letting them slaughter you and say you attacked them would be letting them win."

Xin Ji: "Sometimes people need to give their lives before others realize the direness of a situation. If we cannot solve this peacefully, I will die fighting them!"

<Party leader>: "Martyrdom only works if people know you were martyred. We didn't save your life only to have you throw it away and be deemed a traitor."

<Party leader>: "Good people, human and Tengu alike, died so you could live. If you wish to make such a sacrifice for others, make sure you are not doing so frivolously."

Xin Ji: "How can you sit there and tell me to do nothing while you take up arms against the Ministry of Purity? I know your history. You are a hero, you are..."

<Party leader>: "A killer? It isn't as noble when you say it like that, is it?"

<Party leader>: "I have slaughtered thousands simply because someone told me it was for a just cause. But something you'll learn over time is, everyone thinks their cause is just."

<Party leader>: "The Ministry of Purity feels their cause is just. Reiko may be evil, but the men and women she has tricked into obeying her are as much victims as the rest of Cantha."

<Party leader>: "So, yes, I kill them like the killer I am. And if they were given the chance, they would kill me like the killers they have become. But that does not mean I have to like it."

Xin Ji: "So, what? The great hero of Cantha is to become a pacifist? You've suddenly grown a conscience after years of fighting wars, slaying beasts, and defeating armies?"

<Party leader>: "It is true. I have spent many years in combat and taken many lives. Each time I've felt that I have allowed good to triumph over evil..."

<Party leader>: "But now I see the Ministry of Purity. An army so intent on defeating evil that they have become the very thing they wished to eradicate."

<Party leader>: "I looked at them and I saw myself. Gullible. Idealistic. Willing to do whatever was asked of me, so long as the intentions were good."

<Party leader>: "Evil acts with good intentions are still evil acts, Xin Ji."

<Party leader>: "Make sure that in your quest to destroy evil, you don't become it."

Xin Ji: "It seems you aren't the emotionless killer I thought you to be. I'm sorry."

<Party leader>: "Don't be. Truth be told, I was rather surprised myself. I guess years of this stuff can impact you in unexpected ways..."

Xin Ji: "Unexpected as it may be, you're starting to sound a whole lot less like a killer, and a whole lot more like a hero."

Xin Ji: "Thank you, <Party Leader>. I know now the burden you carry, and I am honored to call you a friend."

Intermediate cinematic

See also: Ministry of Oppression (cinematic)

Initiate Zei Ri: "I cannot allow you to pass. Why do you insist on creating turmoil on our lands!?"

<Party leader>: "Creating turmoil? Zei Ri, the Ministry of Purity was sent here to murder these people!"

Initiate Zei Ri: "I...I don't believe you! The Ministry wouldn't do that. Reiko would never allow it!"

<Party leader>: "Reiko ordered it herself! Don't believe me. Go speak with your allies, and ask them whose blood taints their blades."

<Party leader>: "But the answer should be clear to you after seeing the terror on the faces of your countrymen."

Initiate Zei Ri: "I...I don't know what to do."

<Party leader>: "Do what you know is right, Zei Ri. Do what would make your father proud."

Initiate Zei Ri: "Very well. Go now, and I will buy you some time."

<Party leader>: "Zei Ri..."

Initiate Zei Ri: "Go! Before I change my mind!"

Reward dialogue

Guardsman Qao Lin

"You reached them in time? That is excellent news. I fear this is not the last time civilians will be standing between the Ministry of Purity and their goals. Unfortunately the Ministry has shown they have no tolerance for dissension and no pity for those who stand in their way. More and more citizens are starting to question the Ministry of Purity, and are facing imprisonment or death for speaking out. I fear the streets will run red with the blood of our people before the Ministry of Purity gives up the power they have gained. For now, we celebrate the lives saved and pray the world becomes sane again soon."

Trivia

• The line "Make sure that in your quest to destroy evil, you don't become it" is a variation on a quote of the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche: "He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster."