Work Text:
The more time Shen Wei spent as a university professor, the more handling his freshmen students felt like coaxing a group of frightened baby animals. Watching the terrified 18-year-old boy with over-sized glasses wring his hands in distress, Shen Wei gave him a reassuring nod and a kind smile.
"Qin Hui, right? Please, sit down." There. Not so intimidating that he discouraged them from coming to him when they needed help, but not so friendly that they felt comfortable enough to cry in his office about the hardships of unrequited love.
Instead of coming in, however, Qin Hui's eyes darted between the chair in front of Shen Wei and the open door. Then, in a move that inspired absolutely no confidence whatsoever in the upcoming conversation, he carefully shut the door before sinking down on the chair. Then, after fidgeting for two whole seconds, he jumped up and shot towards the windows, closing all the blinds as well before sitting back down. With a quiet sigh, Shen Wei decided that the encouraging silence strategy wasn't going to work on this particular student.
"Qin Hui, you didn't come here to confess a crime, did you?" Shen Wei's tone was gentle as he tried to ease the tension in the room. "I'm afraid helping my students hide the bodies is a bit beyond my professional duties."
Shen Wei wasn't someone who often inspired laughter, but he personally thought his sense of humor was worth at least a chuckle of amusement. So when he saw Qin Hui's face turn several shades of paler without cracking a single smile, his heart sank. As the Black-Cloaked Envoy, his duties were clear; he was already treading on thin ice turning a blind eye to the Dixing students he encountered. However, from a sentimental perspective, it was going to be hard to take away one of his most promising new students. This was a boy who'd apologized to the overhead projector when he took it apart for repairs. What could he have possibly done?
Shen Wei's expression turned stern. "Tell me you haven't actually broken the law."
A steely resolve appeared in Qin Hui's eyes as he looked up. "I have. But so have you, haven't you, Professor Shen?"
Shen Wei blinked. He hadn't expected that.
"Professor Shen." Qin Hui took a deep breath. "I know you're from Dixing too. I'm here because I'm worried about you."
"I—"
"Don't try to deny it, Professor Shen," interrupted Qin Hui. "It may not be obvious to others, but it is to me. Your powers flare out of control anytime you're near an electronic device more complicated than a desk lamp."
Shen Wei frowned. He had never completely sealed off his powers, even around other Dixingren. But he was careful enough to only use his powers for minimal levels of monitoring. Was it possible electronics were sensitive to even the most minuscule amounts of dark energy?
"And normally you would probably be okay!" Qin Hui's voice rose another octave. "Except my friends have been telling me that the Black-Cloaked Envoy has been seen a lot more aboveground lately. If he ran into you and you just happened to pass by a cell phone or something, he'd catch you for sure. And man, I shouldn't have to tell you that you don't want to get on that guy's bad side!"
After rattling off everything in a single breath, Qin Hui deflated, his shoulders hunching in on themselves. Anxious eyes peered out at Shen Wei.
"I see." Shen Wei adjusted his glasses. "Well. I'm very thankful for your concern, Qin Hui. But if we analyze the situation logically, the Black-Cloaked Envoy is likely more active because there has been more trouble aboveground. As long as we do not abuse our powers to harm others, we shouldn't catch his attention while he's pre-occupied by more harmful criminals."
With a horrified expression on his face, Qin Hui simply stared. His mouth opened and closed, but no sound came out. Finally, he shook his head, pressing his lips into a thin line. "Of course, I trust that Professor Shen knows what's best for himself. Just… Everyone would be devastated if we lost you. You know that, don't you?"
"I'm sure the university is more than capable of finding a competent replacement," replied Shen Wei smoothly. "You're too young to be worrying about an old professor like me. Focus on keeping yourself out of trouble instead."
"… Right. Okay. Thanks for hearing me out." With a parting gaze akin to someone sending a family member off to war, Qin Hui reluctantly left the office.
Qin Hui didn't bring the matter up again, but he didn't let it drop either. Assignments that usually posed no difficulty for him now merited extensive office hours discussions, accompanied by less-than-subtle attempts to place various small electronics closer and closer to Shen Wei when he thought Shen Wei wasn't paying attention.
By the time Shen Wei finally relented, he was no longer sure whether he did it to spare Qin Hui or himself further embarrassment.
"You must be very sensitive to dark energy if you can detect such minor power fluctuations from me," remarked Shen Wei as he turned the cell phone over in his hand. Except for the rapidly blinking notification light, it didn't seem like it was malfunctioning so far.
"It's not specific to dark energy, really." Qin Hui gingerly took the phone from Shen Wei, making sympathetic noises at it while he moved to a safe distance away. "As long as it's within 1 meter of a device I'm concentrating on, I can detect all the energy surrounding it."
"And you say that my power reacts to these devices?" asked Shen Wei.
"Yes. I wasn't able to see clearly before, but now that I'm up close and personal… er, I mean—" A fit of coughing seized Qin Hui, causing his face to turn bright red. "Sorry, sorry. Ahem. Um. As I was saying… Now that I took a closer look, I can see that your power appears to be trying to trace the electricity flowing through the circuits. Like it's trying to follow the signals somehow?"
"Interesting." So this wasn't an artifact of the dark energy he always spent monitoring his surroundings, but the most fundamental aspect of his learning power acting up.
"Yeah." Qin Hui hesitated. "If it's not too personal a question, Professor Shen: What is your power, exactly? Do you have an affinity for electricity? One of my friends has that power too, though he can't do what you do."
"Ah, not particularly." Shen Wei's smile felt stiff on his face. "I suppose you can think of it as something like the power of observation."
"Oh wow. That's a really good one for a professor to have. I guess both of us lucked out here, didn't we? My friends are always complaining that their powers can't help them pass their classes!"
Shen Wei raised an eyebrow. "You know other Dixing students at the university?"
"Yeah, a few of us crossed over at the same time. I can introduce them to you, if you'd like? Or re-introduce, I guess? Everyone knows who you are, of course! We already admire you so much, but you can't know what it means to us that you're just like us too."
"I'm not sure…" Shen Wei looked away from the hope shining in Qin Hui's eyes. For the briefest instant, he imagined a different reality where he freely guided them through this strange world made of light. It was a kinder universe where they didn't have to worry about the blade of the Black-Cloaked Envoy hanging over their heads.
"Professor Shen! We all grew up together. You have my word that every one of us can be trusted."
When Shen Wei faced Qin Hui again, his gaze was cold and unyielding. Subtly, he dropped the temperature of the room. Not so much to be noticeable, but enough to draw out a slight shiver from the shocked boy looking at him in confusion.
"But are you so certain I can be trusted?" asked Shen Wei, his voice quiet.
An almost inaudible whimper. Qin Hui fled.
Ten thousand years ago, the Black-Cloaked Envoy looked on as his newest soldier adjusted her set of ill-fitting armor with shaking hands. She was too thin, too young, too anxious. Driven to war, driven to desperation, childhood innocence was a luxury. And on the eve of battle, when the embers of vengeance flickered out alongside the dying light of their campfires, what remained was the icy grip of fear.
Under the cover of the growing darkness, the Black-Cloaked Envoy was a shadow that glided through the encampment, bringing with him hushed waves of silence. The quiver of her lip as she looked up at him was the only thing that betrayed the fierce glint in her eyes and the stubborn set of her jaw. Words were empty in moments like these. So the Black-Cloaked Envoy simply stood next to her as a solid, intimidating presence blocking the view of the winding mountain path and the perilous journey it promised.
The enemy was powerful, but their Black-Cloaked Envoy was no less terrifying. He remained in that unmoving, silent vigil until this fact steadied her nerves enough to allow her to fall asleep.
Ten thousand years later, Shen Wei took his glasses off and sighed. It troubled him to see that all-too-familiar look of fear and determination on Qin Hui's face in this time of hard-won peace. When had he gotten used to his own people looking at him in that way? There had once been a time when his strength was a source of comfort rather than fear. With visions of his past blending into his present, Shen Wei hovered on the precipice of a decision that seemed both inconsequential and monumental.
Even he himself did not know his final choice until the words came out of his mouth.
"Tomorrow evening. I'll be grading papers in my office. Bring your friends, if they insist on being as reckless as you."
Qin Hui released all his pent-up breath and beamed. "I'm glad you aren't angry anymore, Professor Shen! We'll see you tomorrow!"
It was likely just his imagination - what else could it be? - but for a moment, Shen Wei felt as though something significant in the background shifted.
One bright-eyed student turned into five. An introduction turned to a weekly appointment. Officially, they were the newly formed Dragon City University Computer Literacy Club.
(Shen Wei pretended not to notice the approving looks in his colleagues' eyes and the murmurs about how much he needed this.)
Unofficially, Shen Wei sipped tea and graded papers while his young Dixing students discussed their new lives aboveground. Qin Hui, ever-resilient to life's setbacks, stopped trying to investigate Shen Wei's powers and moved onto a new project, "Professor Shen-proofing electronics." Tian Jin, a history major, loved creating Haixing recipes for traditional Dixing dishes. She was the happiest one in the group to meet Shen Wei, whose nostalgia occasionally overcame his sense of self-preservation against her lack of culinary skills. Xue Hai, an art major, spent most of his time quietly making sketches. Shen Wei wasn't sure it was necessary to have so many reference sketches of the different suits he wore, but then again, he understood nothing of the fashion design process.
Rounding out the rest of the group were twin sisters Li Wuyin and Li Wuchen, biology and chemistry majors whose personalities were like night and day. They had nothing in common besides their appearance and their love for practical jokes. Ruthlessly thwarting their attempts to impersonate each other soon became a relaxing pastime for Shen Wei. On those nights, his visits to Ye Zun's pillar always lasted much longer. Putting aside his usual pleas and appeals, he shared stories from this unconventional little club instead.
What started as a reluctant meeting quickly turned into a comfortable routine.
Until one day, no one came by Shen Wei's office.
Shen Wei's eyes shone with a cold light when he materialized outside the SID. The rage bubbling up inside him was an ancient one. It was something that had laid dormant during his millennia of chaotic dreams; it was something that had remained dormant as his emotions faded with each day that Kunlun did not appear. But today, it all came rushing back with a vengeance. Too many times had the SID overstepped their authority, "conveniently" needing to use lethal force to subdue a Dixingren before he could intervene. Too long had he been constrained by the Regent and Dixing's endless bureaucracy. Now they dared to intrude on the only modest bit of territory he carved out for himself?
A wild, irresponsible part of him was tempted to charge in and let his blade talking. But that would be a declaration of war. While this ugly peace wasn't what he had envisioned when he fought for the treaty, he could not throw away his soldiers' sacrifices either. He honed in on the faint flicker of his students' energy signatures inside the building and took a deep, calming breath. The dark energy around him dispersed, leaving behind only a mild-mannered professor.
Dixing and Haixing had transformed while he slumbered in the darkness, unseeing and unchanging. Maybe it was time to show them what he had learned now that he was awake.
"I've come to take Dragon City University's students home." Shen Wei stood primly at the entrance with a gentle smile on his face.
For a moment, no one spoke as all eyes turned to him. Even the sound of Lao Li's protests died down as he caught up to the scene.
"Professor Shen! You can't come here! It's too dangerous!" Li Wuyin, always quick on her feet, was the first to recover.
Her shout broke the spell. In an instant, Chu Shuzhi leapt up and sent out two strings of electricity, one wrapping around Shen Wei's wrist and the other around his leg. A young man in glasses blocked the path of the students who tried to run to the entrance. With concern, Shen Wei noted that Qin Hui wasn't there with the rest of the group. And out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a black furry shape darting toward the SID Chief's office.
Shen Wei did not flinch when Chu Shuzhi stalked towards him with a snarl.
"No one told me that the SID now have the authority to detain visitors on sight. Was this a recent amendment to the treaty?" asked Shen Wei.
With a glare, Chu Shuzhi retracted his electric bindings. He stepped forward until he was only a breath away from Shen Wei. "You've got some guts coming here demanding the release of our suspects."
"How so?" Shen Wei blinked his eyes innocently. "I am well within my rights to escort the students under my care to a safe location. The SID, however, has violated an important clause of the treaty imprisoning Dixingren without the permission of the Black-Cloaked Envoy. Unless, of course, you've already submitted Form 1314 along with all relevant supporting materials? I'm surprised you've managed to obtain the approval of both the Haixing Supervisory Department and the Dixing palace…"
Form 1314 had a submission and approval process so tedious that even without the mountains of supplementary forms it required, no one in their right minds would put themselves through it. It was one of the few times the Regent's aptitude for underhanded ploys worked in Dixing's favor, appeasing Haixing's need to have something in place for exceptional circumstances all while not giving away an inch of their jurisdiction.
Shen Wei allowed a tiny fraction of the vicious pleasure he felt show on his face. "Don't worry. I am a reasonable man. Give me back my students, and the Envoy never has to know."
"You're not fit to speak the Envoy's name," growled Chu Shuzhi. He grabbed Shen Wei's arm. "But thank you for turning yourself in as a new suspect in our investigation."
Before the situation could escalate, however, a hand clamped down on Chu Shuzhi's shoulder, causing his grip to loosen. "Now, now, Lao Chu. Is this any way we should greet our guests?"
"Thank you." Shen Wei smoothed out the wrinkles on his suit and looked up, prepared to greet the newcomer with a bland, perfunctory smile.
Then his world narrowed to only the person standing before him and the racing of his heart. Kunlun was looking at him. Kunlun was speaking to him. Eyes filled with familiar warmth sparkled at him with a hint of mischief; a lollipop dangled from a grinning mouth, drawing attention to lips that were impossibly lush and inviting. In that instant, the passage of time no longer held meaning, and they were once again sharing between them a secret glance that held untold promises. After ten thousand years, Kunlun was with him again, close and real enough to touch.
"I'm the new chief of the SID, Zhao Yunlan. It's a pleasure to meet you, Professor Shen."
"Yes. Likewise." Shen Wei only found his voice again when Kunlun grasped his hand in a handshake. (And oh. He hadn't noticed himself reaching out.)
Kunlun leaned over and gave him a wink. "Why don't you join me in my office? I'm sure the two of us can agree on a reasonable compromise away from the rest of the rabble."
"Of course. Please lead the way, Chief Zhao."
Instead of turning around, however, Kunlun coughed politely and looked down at their still-clasped hands. Immediately, Shen Wei flushed and pulled his hand back from where his thumb was rubbing circles along Kunlun's skin. Should he be grateful for the frazzled state of his mind, because he'd surely die of embarrassment otherwise? Or should he be worried that the only thing he could hear was his heart beating to the echo of Kunlun's name?
"This way." Throwing an arm around his shoulder, Kunlun turned and led him down the hallway. "You know, I'm impressed."
"Oh?" Shen Wei couldn't trust himself to be eloquent with Kunlun all but draped over him as they walked.
"Yeah. I've been threatened a lot since I took on this job. By criminals when I'm about to capture them. By my father when I decide to do things my own way. Even Da Qing threatens me when he thinks I'm not feeding him enough. But you…" Kunlun shook a finger at him in faux disapproval. "You're the first person to successfully scare me."
Shen Wei couldn't help the smile that played on his lips. Kunlun's weight on him was solid and heavy, but he felt as though he were walking on clouds.
"Tsk. Professor Shen. I'll have you know - the threat of paperwork is no laughing matter!" Kunlun's indignation would be more convincing if he weren't grinning.
Shen Wei had to duck his head to hide the smile that now took over his face. There were a million things he wanted to say, but to speak out loud was to interrupt Kunlun, and it had been far too long since he heard that warm, rich voice in his ears.
"Honestly, next time, just summon the Black-Cloaked Envoy to put me out of misery instead."
Shen Wei's smile faltered, ten thousand years' worth of unspoken words dying in his throat. They were alone now. Why was Kunlun still feigning ignorance?
"Ah, I'm so sorry, Professor Shen. That was insensitive of me. He's a great hero to your people. I didn't mean to—"
"We're here." Shen Wei shrugged off Kunlun's arm, surprising even himself with the coldness in his voice. But he needed a strategic retreat. He had been far too hasty, far too eager to believe what his heart had yearned for all these years. He had assumed this man sharing Kunlun's face must be him. They were so alike in both looks and mannerisms. And with Kunlun by his side, the safety and release of his students should have been a given. But how could the SID have acted without their chief's orders?
Shen Wei suddenly felt dizzy at the thought of Kunlun continuing Zhao Xinci's legacy. No. Not his Kunlun. This man was Zhao Yunlan, son of Zhao Xinci. Such a simple fact. How could he have forgotten the reason he never made a habit of visiting the SID? Blood roared in his ears, and Shen Wei forced himself to breathe. Chu Shuzhi would have reported it if he saw the same alarming behavior that marked the end of Zhao Xinci's tenure. And Zhao Yunlan did mention being at odds with his father. Even if Zhao Yunlan wasn't Kunlun, Shen Wei desperately grasped at the hope that he was at least someone Shen Wei could respect.
"Professor Shen?" Zhao Yunlan wore a look of concern on his face, one hand hovering awkwardly between them, as though he wanted to touch Shen Wei but changed his mind halfway through.
Shen Wei took off his glasses and busied himself wiping away imaginary specks of dust. By the time he put his glasses on again, he had recovered enough of his composure to reply. "Let's continue our discussion inside. I hope we can still reach a peaceful compromise."
Zhao Yunlan bit down on his lollipop with a crunch, before shaking his head and throwing it in the trash unfinished. With a wry grin, he opened the door to his office. "After you, Professor Shen."
If Shen Wei hadn't been specifically looking, he might have missed the small, sulking figure of Qin Hui sitting against the wall. A question was on the tip of his tongue when Qin Hui let out a choked noise of distress.
"Professor Shen!" Qin Hui stumbled in his haste to get up. "Why did they bring you in too?"
Shen Wei smoothly stepped between Zhao Yunlan and Qin Hui, intercepting the awkwardly thrown punch before the boy could hurt himself. Putting a bit of force in his grip, he firmly guided Qin Hui to a nearby chair. "Haven't I always said that you don't need to worry about me? I'm here to negotiate you and your friends' release."
"You're very lucky, you know," Zhao Yunlan chimed in. "Professor Shen here is one of the most terrifyingly effective negotiators I've met in my career."
Although Zhao Yunlan's words were flippant, his eyes shone with calm sincerity. He kept a respectful distance from Shen Wei now, adopting a waiting posture with an open smile.
Shen Wei swallowed and averted his gaze. "Tell me why you took these students from the university. I know they are innocent of any wrongdoings."
"Of course. If they weren't innocent, they wouldn't be out there eating up a whole week's budget worth of food and snacks right now." Zhao Yunlan looked briefly pained at the mention of his budget. "As for this one in my office, however…"
"He's not guilty either, or he would not be sitting here unharmed and unsupervised," replied Shen Wei evenly.
"All right, you've got me there!" admitted Zhao Yunlan with a self-deprecating laugh. "He is innocent, but he's also our best lead at tracking someone down. And I'd really like to get that information from him before he shows up on the higher-ups' radar for this case."
With his initial shock subsiding, the rational part of his mind was finally able to evaluate Zhao Yunlan as his own person. First and foremost, he wasn't as hostile to Dixingren as his father had been, which was a relief. At the very least, he could be bargained with. Unfortunately, he was also far too smart and observant to be a pushover in any negotiation. Astute and subtle, Zhao Yunlan was something of a social chameleon, easily adapting to any situation like he was born to it.
It was something he would have to remember before getting his hopes up again. Biting down on his lip, he ignored the pang of disappointment at the realization that their earlier flirting hadn't been in earnest. Zhao Yunlan must have taken one look at how their handshake had lingered, and decided to mirror Shen Wei's boldness.
"I take it there's politics involved?" asked Shen Wei, pushing away the unwelcome thoughts.
"Yes. I don't know what kind of stories a Dixingren hears about the SID these days, but I promise you, bullying a bunch of university students whose most threatening power is the ability to generate a light breeze? Not my idea of a good time." Zhao Yunlan spread his hands. "So, if you could convince your student to give us the information we need, you can all be on your way back home before this case escalates into a diplomatic incident. We have a week before that fancy diplomatic banquet where the stolen jewelry is supposed to be presented, but realistically, it'll be less than 24 hours before the higher-ups start panicking."
Placing a hand on Qin Hui's shoulder, Shen Wei gave a reassuring squeeze. "I think you should cooperate with the SID. If there's someone you're protecting, and they're innocent, I'll make sure they stay safe. And if they're not innocent, a theft will not be punished too harshly, regardless of how much the politicians try to exert their influence."
Seeing Qin Hui waver, Zhao Yunlan leaned forward. "Hey, look. I know you want to protect your friend, but you're not helping him by stalling the investigation. No one in this room wants to bring in His Scariness—" He coughed. "—The Most Honorable Black-Cloaked Envoy." His eyes darted to Shen Wei. "Because of the immense amount of respect the SID has for his time. And for his position. And for him as a person."
Shen Wei was not going to laugh. Or dignify that with a response. Or give even the slightest sign that would encourage this stupidly endearing and ridiculously transparent attempt to placate him.
"Chief Zhao. Please focus on the topic at hand." Much to Shen Wei's chagrin, his lips curved up into a smile, anyway.
Zhao Yunlan sprawled back lazily on a swivel chair and spun it around in a circle. "Right. Let me catch you up on the situation: Last night, we had an isolated one-minute long blackout at the Red Lantern Restaurant, during which an extremely valuable piece of jewelry was stolen from a Dixing trader meeting their Haixing counterpart. It would be a locked-room mystery worthy of a novel if it weren't for the numerous traces of dark energy detected at the scene."
Shen Wei resolutely kept his eyes above waist-level. "To accomplish this requires multiple different special abilities. Powerful ones too, if they can subdue a trader."
"And the one we honed in on is the ability to control electricity. Everything else is up in the air - did the thief use invisibility? Super speed? Telekinesis? Illusion or disguise? But the one thing we know is that none of the circuits had been tampered with. The power simply stopped flowing to the restaurant for a full minute before it returned to normal."
"And you have reason to believe my student knows who this suspect is?" Shen Wei remembered Qin Hui mentioning a friend who had the power of electricity, and noted that he had never met said friend during any of their club meetings.
"We investigated all the recent blackouts reported in Dragon City. The epicenter - and what we think is the initial location of the blackout experiments - was an apartment where we found this picture."
The picture was enclosed in a simple wooden frame, showing two young boys grinning at the camera in front of one of Dragon City's landmark high-rise buildings.
"One of these boys had an identity that could be tracked." Zhao Yunlan nodded at Qin Hui. "But the other one isn't in the system at all."
Qin Hui shot a desperate look at Shen Wei. Then he let out a shaky breath and began to talk.
"Professor Shen. If you keep giving me your patented 'I'm not angry, I'm disappointed' teacher look, I'm going to pick an outfit even flashier than this one." Zhao Yunlan held up a green cloak with glittery sequins - sequins, despaired Shen Wei - on it, and waved it around in a threatening gesture.
"Dixing will be dangerous enough for a Haixingren without you drawing unnecessary attention to yourself." Shen Wei crossed his arms. "And for your information, I am both angry and disappointed. It's far too risky—"
"At least I have a gun! What are you going to do if you run into our criminal? Give them detention?"
Shen Wei wasn't sure what came over him, except that composure had never been his strong suit around Kunlun. One swift step to close the distance between them, and then Zhao Yunlan was lifted off his feet and pushed against the wall. That should have been the end of it. A brief demonstration of his strength, followed by a guileless smile for added provocation. But then Shen Wei made the mistake of tilting his head up to meet Zhao Yunlan's gaze, and he was caught by the sheer hunger reflected in those eyes. Inhaling sharply, he looked back down, only to catch sight of Zhao Yunlan slowly swiping his tongue over his lips, turning them a tantalizing red.
There could be no clearer invitation than this. And it would be so easy to accept, to pretend that he was finally reunited with the man he loved. Zhao Yunlan shared too much in common with Kunlun: from that carefree attitude masking a sharp intelligence, to his warm compassion, right down to that distinctive laugh. All he had to do was lean in and take…
No. This was too important to leave to impulse. He needed a quiet place to think when there wasn't the specter of a diplomatic incident hanging over them. Not being distracted by thoughts of Zhao Yunlan's all-too-kissable mouth would go a long way to clearing his head too.
Shen Wei loosened his grip and stepped back. He hoped his thoughts weren't showing too obviously on his face.
"Wow!" Landing effortlessly on his feet, Zhao Yunlan's eyes roamed all over Shen Wei's body, lingering lovingly on his sleeve garters. "So, super strength is your Dixing ability, huh?"
"No. I just exercise a lot," replied Shen Wei, his expression deadpan.
Zhao Yunlan laughed and shook his head. "All right, fine. How about a truce? I get off your case about sticking your civilian nose into police business where it doesn't belong, and you get off my case about a Haixingren going to Dixing where I don't belong?"
Seeing Zhao Yunlan pull out a dark green robe to replace that sequined atrocity, Shen Wei sighed and nodded, accepting the peace offering. For himself, he decided on something simple and familiar - a thin black robe that promised a decent amount of maneuverability along with a black-and-gold mask that flared out into intricate wings on each side.
"Seriously?" Zhao Yunlan's voice cut in. "What happened to keeping a low profile?"
Shen Wei looked down at himself, then back up. "These were the plainest ones I could find in the box."
"You look exactly like the Black-Cloaked Envoy!" Zhao Yunlan gestured wildly at his outfit with an indignant expression.
Now it was Shen Wei's turn to be offended. He held the poor-quality fabric between his fingers. "This is nothing like the Envoy's robes! It would get torn to shreds in the first fight we run into. Not to mention how… loud this mask is."
"Huh. So you've met the Envoy in person?"
Shen Wei tensed. "Haven't you?"
"Nope! Can't imagine why he doesn't want anything to do with us, considering the sparkling personality our last SID Chief had."
A twinge of guilt tugged at Shen Wei. "Well, in any case, it's not like no one can walk around Dixing in a set of black robes and a mask without being mistaken for the Black-Cloaked Envoy."
"Fair point." Zhao Yunlan scratched his head sheepishly. "To be honest, I have no idea what made my mind go there in the first place. I guess Professor Shen just looks more intimidating when not wearing his teaching outfit."
Shen Wei made a noncommittal sound as he adjusted his mask and relaxed his posture. Maybe the comfort of a mask made him fall into his old habits as a general. Fastening the clasp on his robe, he turned to check to Zhao Yunlan's progress. "Are you ready?"
"Yep. Let's go crash a Dixing Masquerade!"
Shen Wei decided not to put a damper on Zhao Yunlan's excitement by explaining how masks were a common accessory for Dixingren in all sorts of mundane social occasions.
They stumble out of the portal together, Shen Wei gripping Zhao Yunlan tightly on top of him so he could cushion their landing.
Zhao Yunlan's eyes were bleary as they fluttered open. Then he noticed their positions and clambered to his feet. "Sorry, Professor Shen. I usually don't get disoriented like this by inter-dimensional travel."
"That's all right. It's not as though you need to worry about any future trips after this." Ignoring Zhao Yunlan's indignant noise of protest, Shen Wei brushed the dust off his robes and took in their surroundings.
The unauthorized portal that Qin Hui marked for them led directly to an alley outside a bustling dance club. Judging by the tracks near this portal exit, it wasn't frequently used. Shen Wei could only assume that the Regent never brought up this particular trespass for the extra income that the smuggling business generated. And knowing the Regent, he'd have already prepared a host of justifications along with delicate references to the fragile economy of Dixing if Shen Wei decided to push him on the issue.
Shen Wei shook his head. Better to leave it be and simply monitor the people coming and going through the portal. And of course, he would make sure to check all of the Regent's other supposed "minor dark energy anomalies" from now on. Turning his attention back to Zhao Yunlan, he asked, "Ready?"
Zhao Yunlan gave him a thumbs up. "If we catch this thief before the end of the day, you can even take me out for some local Dixing cuisine after."
"You'll be returning to Haixing as soon as possible to minimize the effects of dark energy on your body."
Zhao Yunlan pouted in a manner entirely unbecoming of someone who was supposed to be his Haixing counterpart.
Shen Wei sighed. "But I can cook something for you myself when we're back." This wasn't helplessly giving in to Zhao Yunlan's petulance. This was… keeping himself sane from Zhao Yunlan's stubborn badgering. Because if he wanted any chance of focusing on their task, he couldn't afford to allow himself to enter that state of fondness mixed with exasperation that used to end in a defiant Kunlun being pinned down until he became obediently quiet and still.
Obliviously unaware of Shen Wei’s indecent thoughts, Zhao Yunlan's face brightened. "Then it's a date!"
Suppressing the instinctive warmth that always welled up in the face of that brilliant smile, Shen Wei pushed his way into the dance club.
Though Shen Wei was loath to admit it, he and Zhao Yunlan worked well as a team here, operating with far more efficiency than he could have accomplished alone. Like an unstoppable force of nature, Zhao Yunlan chatted his way through the crowds while Shen Wei followed his progress from the shadows. On each potential suspect Zhao Yunlan pointed out using their signal, Shen Wei planted a tiny tracer using a wisp of his dark energy. And soon, conversations from dark corners of the club began to drift over to Shen Wei.
"I can't believe you do just exercise a lot." Zhao Yunlan's voice was low and amused, his breath hot against Shen Wei's ear.
"Would I lie to you, Chief Zhao?" Shen Wei fought to keep his words steady, his skin prickling at Zhao Yunlan's proximity.
Zhao Yunlan chuckled. "You absolutely would. That's okay, though. I'm a patient and understanding guy."
Shen Wei wasn't sure if the mounting headache was from stretching himself too thin or from Zhao Yunlan choosing the worst possible time to call him out on his blatant lies. Closing his eyes, he narrowed his focus to a young Dixingren whose energy signature brimmed with icy destruction, and an older Dixingren who was moving through the club with far more speed than is natural. He mapped out the common points in their contacts, overlaying them with the suspects Zhao Yunlan found to form a tentative network in his mind. This was a small team of smugglers, and they were being very careful, all of their conversation topics painstakingly banal. Were they waiting for something?
Shen Wei opened his eyes and swept the room for unusual activities.
"So, kick me if I'm distracting you, but how does a power like yours work, anyway? Are you like a walking, talking surveillance system? Is that how you found your students so fast?"
"In a way," answered Shen Wei, allowing the smugglers' discussions of the latest Haixing fashions fade into the background. "It's an adaptation of a primitive communication ability many of our early Dixing scouts had, back when scavenging and exploration was how we found new settlements for ourselves."
"Huh. Handy ability to have even now, if you can't get a cell phone signal. Is it still a common power?" Zhao Yunlan paused. "On second thought, I hope not. Imagine your boss always knowing where you are and you can't even hang up on him!"
Shen Wei laughed. "I wrote a classified paper for the Haixing Research Institute once, on the evolution of Dixing powers relative to the changes in their environment. More and more, I'm seeing powers suited to modern society manifesting, while older powers fade away."
"That makes sense." Zhao Yunlan nodded thoughtfully. "Do you ever wish you got something less old-fashioned? I'd love to have a power like yours, but I guess it isn't too useful for a professor to have."
Shen Wei coughed. "Well. I find modern technology overrated, to be perfectly honest."
"Ah, right. Qin Hui told me about your powers wreaking havoc with things."
"You've had a very productive and on-topic chat with him I see," remarked Shen Wei dryly. "Besides, wreaking havoc is an exaggeration. It's just that now and then, things don't work as expected."
"And by now and then, you mean during all your lectures when you try to run a PowerPoint presentation?"
"That's because PowerPoint is an eldritch entity summoned from the darkest depths of—" Shen Wei stopped mid-sentence, tilting his head to listen to a far-away conversation. Then he let out a curse he hadn't used in several millennia. "The smugglers have my students."
Zhao Yunlan added a few creative curses of his own to the mix. "No one at the SID is getting their bonuses this month. Where are they?"
"Most of them have just entered a private room on the second floor. I can save the students on my own, but the thief is heading downstairs towards the exit. He'll be very fast once he doesn't have a crowd blocking his way. Can you run interference?"
"Got it. Let's go!"
Drawing his dark energy around him, Shen Wei charged upstairs while Zhao Yunlan grabbed an armful drinks and headed to the exit. Along the way, Shen Wei changed back into his original robes and mask. He didn't bother with subtlety. The moment he reached the room, he sent a ball of dark energy with one hand to blast the door open, his other hand readying his blade just in time to block an icy spear that aimed for his heart.
"Lord Envoy!" Six small figures knelt on the floor. The remaining people in the room trembled, their resolves wavering.
Shen Wei smiled. "Are you sure you'd like to fight me today?"
Weapons clattered and prepared attacks fizzled as the rest of the room dropped to their knees. "Lord Envoy. Have mercy!"
"The six of you…" Shen Wei waited until his students (and their new friend) nodded. "Stay."
Then, he opened a portal to the Dixing Palace and dropped the smugglers in front of the Regent.
"Lord Envoy! What a pleasant surprise!" The Regent looked a bit helpless at the sight of the smugglers. "May I ask—?"
"I'll be back with the last of their crew. I'll leave the clean-up and diplomatic repercussions of their little heist to you."
"Lord Envoy, wait!" shouted the Regent.
Shen Wei teleported back to the club entrance just in time to catch the commotion of spilled drinks, ice cubes, and groaning patrons lying on the ground. Then, even the people who had been standing and rubber-necking fell to their knees.
Shouts of "Lord Envoy!" filled the air.
"… Chief Zhao?" Shen Wei finally caught sight of Zhao Yunlan, covered in alcohol and dirt, holding down a struggling Dixingren.
Zhao Yunlan blinked at him and held up a dazzling necklace. "This is the thief."
"Thank you." Pointing his blade at the thief, Shen Wei sent a wave of ice to freeze him in place. Then he opened a portal, smiled at the Regent's shocked expression on the other side, and threw the frozen thief through it. He hoped the thief landed right on top of the Regent and that it hurt.
"Disperse!" Shen Wei waved the crowd away, having sensed the sneaky presence of his students peeking at him from inside the club. If not even the threat of the Black-Cloaked Envoy was enough to keep them in place, they were truly hopeless. He was just about to give them a harsh lecture when he felt a tug on his robes.
"Wow, Professor Shen. You're right, your real robes are far better crafted. Love the embroidery too. Very elaborate." Somehow, amidst the chaos, Zhao Yunlan had managed to sneak up on him.
"I… Who's Professor Shen?" Shen Wei carefully pulled the corner of his hood out of Zhao Yunlan's hands.
In hindsight, the most infuriating thing about what happened next was that Shen Wei really should have seen it coming. It was one thing to fall for it when he was young and naïve. But to fall for it a second time, ten thousand years later, was simply inexcusable. Still. He never did manage to perfect his defenses against Kunlun, whichever form he took. And so he was left standing in a daze as Zhao Yunlan snatched the mask off his face.
"Professor Shen, has anyone ever told you what a terrible liar you are?" Zhao Yunlan looked far too smug for his own good.
"We can discuss this later," replied Shen Wei stiffly. "In the meantime, I'll have to trouble Chief Zhao to help me escort my students back to Haixing. It appears at least one of them has fainted from fright."
Shen Wei wasn't sure why he still stayed behind in his office today. His students were hardly going to continue showing up for their weekly meetings like it was business as usual. Even if they hadn't found out about his true identity, their failed (not to mention ill-adivsed) attempt at hostage negotiations for Qin Hui's electric-powered friend meant they should take all the time off to recover from their shock.
Dipping his calligraphy brush in the inkwell, Shen Wei continued writing his lecture notes. In the end, he supposed he had always been a creature of habit who had trouble letting go.
A tentative knock at the door.
"Come in."
"Shen Wei!" Zhao Yunlan marched into his office with a giant, pink box in his arms. "I come bearing the Cake of Apology!"
Shen Wei truly ought to stop smiling at Zhao Yunlan's exaggerated antics. And Zhao Yunlan's dumb jokes… And Zhao Yunlan's everything, really. "I've already told you I'm not angry at you for stealing my mask."
"Oh, I know. You were very vocally appreciative of my apology." Zhao Yunlan winked.
Shen Wei could feel the tips of his ears heat up at the innuendo. Kunlun, still shameless even ten thousand years later. "I merely said 'Thank you very much for this lovely new calligraphy set.'"
"Right. I thought it was a very vocal thank you." Grinning, Zhao Yunlan took the cake out of the box and placed it on an empty spot on Shen Wei's desk. "Anyway, this cake isn't from me. It's from your students, for disobeying your orders twice. I'm supposed to give them an 'All Clear' signal if you accept their apology."
Shen Wei gently massaged his temples. "Tell them to come in."
At Zhao Yunlan's signal, six quiet, obedient figures filed into the room. They still looked uncertain and frazzled, but they no longer looked at Shen Wei with the same terror they had for the Black-Cloaked Envoy. A few of them even smiled when Zhao Yunlan handed them their share of the cake. Slowly, Shen Wei relaxed and smiled as well.
The office was almost too crowded with people now, but no one minded the extra noise. He didn't even realize how much time had passed until Zhao Yunlan gave his hand a squeeze.
"Well! I'll leave you all to your educational pursuits, then!" declared Zhao Yunlan, taking one last piece of cake to go. Then, he lowered his voice. "Oh, and Shen Wei… We're still on for our date tomorrow night? You promised me home-cooked Dixing cuisine."
"Yes."
Watching Zhao Yunlan's face light up like the sun, Shen Wei had to tamp down on the fierce joy that threatened to burn through him in response. He had no doubts about it now. Zhao Yunlan was Kunlun. And if he did not remember their past, Shen Wei was happy to start again from the beginning, so they could learn to love each other once more.