Bero works at the Twice Lucky, a restaurant in the city of Janloon frequented by jade-carrying Green Bones of the No Peak Clan. Bero is fully Kekonese, meaning that he is capable of wielding the power of jade, but his poor upbringing gave him no access to proper training. Bero’s desire to profit drives him to recruit his coworker Sampa for a heist. Sampa is ethnically Abukei, one of Kekon’s indigenous people who are immune to the effects of jade. This means Sampa can carry any jade they steal without giving off an aura, making the theft undetectable. Bero hopes to steal jade from Shon Ju, a Green Bone regular at the Twice Lucky.

While Shon Ju is not looking, Bero slips a drug into his drink.

At the same time, the Maik brothers, two No Peak warriors, are at the Twice Lucky with Kaul Hilo, the Horn of No Peak. The Horn is the military leader of the clan, focusing on enforcement and protection of territory—the men under him are called Fingers and Fists. These three discuss the recent shakedowns of their protected businesses by the rival Mountain Clan, as well as the disappearance of Three-Fingered Gee, a black-market jade cutter.