Chapter Text
“Zhao Yunlan!”
Shen Wei reached out helplessly, feeling his heart sink as the vision of Zhao Yunlan was robbed from him without him being able to do anything about it. More than betrayed, Shen Wei felt confused as to why Zhao Yunlan had deemed it unnecessary to tell him where he was going, but Shen Wei's conscience soon caught up with him, reminding him of how there were still things that he too kept hidden from Zhao Yunlan—things that couldn’t see the light of day for fear that their future together be compromised. Shen Wei closed his eyes, tuning everything out up to the sound of the dripping rain as he tried to regain his bearings, and he soon felt his resolve strengthen and his heart grow still.
Not wasting one more second, Shen Wei marched over to the place where Zhao Yunlan had stood a moment ago, and where he swore he could still catch remnants of Zhao Yunlan’s scent in the rain, yet before he could follow after him, Chu Shuzhi rushed to his side, standing in his way at a respectful distance, as if to stop him from proceeding any further. “Lord Black-Cloaked Envoy...” Chu Shuzhi trailed off, carefully weighing each of his words. “What if this is a trap...? Your Honor said that he couldn’t sense Chief Zhao... How can he still be in Haixing?”
Shen Wei furrowed his brow at the bold comment, casting a severe look upon the man who dared to question his judgment. “Chu Shuzhi… That was clearly him just now. Please move out of the way.”
Shen Wei could see how much Chu Shuzhi wanted to object to this, but the Dixingese bit back his reply and complied, bowing his head low and withdrawing in obedience.
“......Yes, my lord. We’ll be right behind you.”
“Thank you.” Shen Wei replied curtly, before gazing at Qing Shan who stood warily a few feet away from them at the other extremity of Chu Shuzhi’s outstretched string, drenched to the bones. Shen Wei still didn’t know what part his protégé had played in this charade and, although her intentions seemed good enough for now, he couldn’t allow his mind to dwell on other such unsettled matters when he needed to dedicate his full attention to Zhao Yunlan. Not giving the young woman a second glance, Shen Wei walked up to a spot where the air seemed thicker and charged with electricity and, with an effortless sweep of his arm, opened up the portal between the two worlds like second nature.
Within moments, the gate stood towering over them, crackling with energy.
“Let’s go.”
Eyes zeroed in on his target, Shen Wei—not even waiting to see if his subordinates were following suit—took a determined step into the portal and vanished from their sight at once. Once inside, Shen Wei rapidly covered the distance separating aboveground society from its underground counterpart, long used to the violent assault on his senses, and quickly rematerialized under a familiar, sunless ‘sky’. With the events that had just transpired still fresh in his mind, Shen Wei whirled around and scanned his surroundings, breathing out a small sigh of relief upon seeing Zhao Yunlan standing there in one piece. Nobody else seemed to be around.
Shen Wei was at Zhao Yunlan’s side in a heartbeat.
“Yunlan. Are you injured?” Shen Wei inquired, his voice thick with concern as he checked the other’s body for injuries. Zhao Yunlan jolted, pulling away at the contact of Shen Wei’s hands on him as if he were in some kind of pain, though from what Shen Wei could see, Zhao Yunlan was in as good a shape as he had ever been. “Are you hurt? Did you hit your head?” Shen Wei asked again, gingerly feeling the back of Zhao Yunlan’s skull through his thick mane with steady fingers, and looking for signs of trauma, but finding none, fortunately. “I combed through all of Dragon City searching for you, but I couldn’t find you anywhere. That has never happened before...” Shen Wei continued, his voice gradually growing weaker with every word. He had felt such sheer panic at the moment...
It was like Zhao Yunlan had ceased to exist.
Zhao Yunlan surrendered passively to Shen Wei’s thorough examination, looking away and cringing when Shen Wei touched certain areas which had no trace of injury, yet, for some reason, seemed to trigger a negative reaction in him.
Shen Wei persevered, undeterred, breaking the silence again with more questions that were met with nothing but a puzzled look. “...Yunlan. What brought you here? Did someone force you to come? Someone from Dixing? Tell me their names and I’ll make sure that they regret ever laying hands on you.” Shen Wei swore, grasping Zhao Yunlan’s shoulders in his passion and making the other jump again and retract, while his features twisted in something that Shen Wei couldn’t quite put his finger on, but that he had definitely never seen on him.
Was Zhao Yunlan still angry at him? Was this why he was acting strange?
Zhao Yunlan took a deep breath, then spoke at last, interrupting Shen Wei’s tortured thoughts. “I… Sorry, you just took me by surprise, ha ha… I-I’m okay. No one forced me. I just felt like visiting here, but I’m glad you came along.”
Shen Wei peered into Zhao Yunlan's eyes carefully and thought he caught a strange glint that hadn’t been there before, but it must have been his imagination, for it was gone in a flash, leaving nothing but the warm, sincere orbs that he knew like he knew that Haixing was round, and that beneath it laid Dixing. Shen Wei could have given up his own life to see those eyes turn his way with even a fraction of the love he felt for the man attached to them, but he couldn’t complain, because, even like this, with the way things were, Zhao Yunlan had already given him everything that he needed.
Shen Wei was pulled out of his daze when he felt Zhao Yunlan’s fingers close around his upper arm with utmost clarity, and he realized that he had been eyeing Zhao Yunlan hungrily for quite some time.
Zhao Yunlan cleared his throat. “Er, since we’re here, why don’t we have a quick look around? To see the sights and all?”
“Here…?” Shen Wei wondered, not seeing the appeal in such an activity.
A minor case had brought Zhao Yunlan to Dixing only a month or two ago, and it wasn’t like much was likely to have changed since his last visit—after all, there was no concept of time here, and things moved at a slower pace—but Shen Wei felt that he couldn’t refuse Zhao Yunlan no matter what, and so he reasoned that there was no harm in indulging Zhao Yunlan and taking a quick walk prior to their return. Besides, they still had a few hours to spare before night fell in Haixing and, if they were lucky, they might even get home before dinner.
“Yeah... I mean, we’ve been so busy lately. I feel like we haven’t been able to spend much time together.” Zhao Yunlan muttered in regret while his fingers skidded up Shen Wei’s bicep hesitantly and paused on his shoulder, before settling in the crook of his neck. “Maybe go on a date or two... just the two of us… you know, like a couple.”
Shen Wei shivered under his touch, feeling the warmth of Zhao Yunlan’s hand seeping through the fabric of his own drenched shirt, and briefly considered his words. This certainly aligned with Wang Zheng’s earlier claims, even if the location might have been somewhat ill-chosen for romance. “Alright.” Shen Wei agreed, deciding to go along with Zhao Yunlan’s plans for the time being. “What would you like to do, and where?” Shen Wei queried as they began to walk side by side, while he made a conscious effort to stay at an appropriate distance and not to take Zhao Yunlan’s lonely—and most likely cold—hand into his own.
Zhao Yunlan threw him a cool, sidelong glance. “You could take me to your quarters. I’m sure we’ll figure something out.”
Shen Wei halted his step to stare at him blankly.
“......”
“That was a joke, obviously.” Zhao Yunlan chuckled lightly with a dismissive gesture.
The earlier unease Shen Wei had first sensed in Zhao Yunlan seemed to be slowly fading away as Zhao Yunlan regained the strong confidence and irresistible charm that were so characteristic of him, something for which Shen Wei was immensely glad. Yet, despite that, Shen Wei couldn’t shake off the strange feeling that, though it was definitely Zhao Yunlan in the flesh standing there in front of him, there was something eerily wrong about him. Shen Wei thought back on Chu Shuzhi’s words, but chose to brush the matter aside for now.
Zhao Yunlan was here now, and he needed him.
“That reminds me…” Shen Wei pondered out loud when he regained the use of speech. “I came here with Chu Shuzhi and Qing Shan, but we were separated at the landing. Maybe it would be best if we first ensured that they’re alright…”
Zhao Yunlan laughed again softly, shaking his head. The gesture sent his soft bangs flying this way and that, setting Shen Wei’s heart aflutter and making him want to run his fingers through them. “Ah, I’m sure they’ll be okay on their own, don’t worry. Come on, there’s a place I've been meaning to check out.” Zhao Yunlan proposed, changing the subject and taking Shen Wei’s hand firmly into his own before dragging him along, as if they weren’t standing in plain view and Shen Wei wasn’t Dixing’s most powerful figure after the king himself.
This blatant dismissal of Zhao Yunlan’s responsibilities revived Shen Wei’s suspicions.
While it was true that Zhao Yunlan tended to slack off when it came to chores and unimportant tasks, he was not the kind of man who abandoned his team in a risky situation. He would have sooner rushed headfirst into danger.
Shen Wei shot an uncertain look at Zhao Yunlan who seemed himself again as he walked happily down the stone path.
Perhaps it was best for Shen Wei to keep his guard up, just in case.
The two of them walked for a while around Dixing, with its dull colors and buildings so alike each other that it was nigh impossible for an outsider to tell them apart. But Shen Wei was accustomed to Dixing’s sameness, which was why he knew exactly where they were but also where they were heading, and that was the palace. Not long after, sure enough, they stepped into the lavish yet oppressive great hall and were immediately greeted by one of the king’s personal attendants. “Lord Envoy, Lord Guardian… What an honor it is to have your noble feet grace this lowly carpet. A room has been prepared for you to take a rest. Please allow this humble servant to lead the way.”
“Where is the Regent? Why isn’t he here to greet us instead of you?” Shen Wei questioned the attendant who, bent down at the waist, was bowing low in front of him.
The attendant stood rigid as a stick, keeping his eyes glued to the floor and daring not to stare back at one so powerful.
“The Regent is attending an important meeting with the King at present, but he will be with your lordship shortly.”
“An important meeting?” Shen Wei repeated, carefully enunciating each word to maintain his calm exterior despite the fact that he was seething inside. “And they didn’t think to extend the invitation to me?”
Shen Wei was used to being kept in the dark by Dixing’s monarch and his most trusted advisor, but it still irritated him to no end when he bore witness to their treachery.
Pale beyond belief, the frightened man stumbled on his feet. Shen Wei thought he was about to pass out on the spot. “My lord… This lowly servant does not know—” The palace attendant ventured cautiously, fumbling with his words before this imposing figure of authority who was rapidly losing his patience with him. “P-please forgive this one’s impertinence, but the Regent humbly requested that the Lord Envoy and the Lord Guardian be so kind as to wait in—…”
“Shen Wei.” Zhao Yunlan suddenly said, placing his hand on Shen Wei’s shoulder. “I’m not sure what’s up, but let’s go rest a bit and wait for the Regent to come out. I’m tired from all this walking around.”
Shen Wei began to protest.
“Zhao Yunlan… We should finish here quickly and go look for the others. I fear that they—...”
“We will, we will—as soon as we’re done here.” Zhao Yunlan assured him, cutting the conversation short and turning to the attendant who was still cowering in fear like a convict heading to the gallows. “Alright, we’re ready.”
Shen Wei was still filled with bitter regret at the memory of how he had snapped at Zhao Yunlan last night, and he didn’t want to argue with him, so he let the matter slide and allowed himself to be led through the dark, damp corridors of the palace which were flanked by blazing torches, making strange shadows dance on the walls as they walked. When they reached the room in question, the servant respectfully bowed and stepped back to let Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan pass, before stealing down the tenebrous hallway and disappearing around a bend.
Holding back a weary sigh, Shen Wei followed Zhao Yunlan into the room, leaving the door ajar in case the meeting was adjourned ahead of time. Shen Wei avoided coming to the palace when he could as he felt nothing but distrust and repulsion towards the cunning Regent and his men, who were all more crooked than the last, and so he wasn’t thrilled at the prospect of their impending conversation. And, though he didn’t blame him for it, Shen Wei couldn’t help but wonder why Zhao Yunlan, who knew his feelings, had brought him here of all places.
Inside, a fire was burning in the hearth, radiating such warmth that Shen Wei could feel it from across the room, and in front of it were two chairs which appeared to have been placed there just for them.
“You should take these off to dry.” Zhao Yunlan suggested casually after giving Shen Wei a quick once-over. “Wait here. I’ll go ask for someone to fetch you a change of clothes.”
Shen Wei nodded in agreement and began to undress, starting with his jacket and tie and working his way to his shirt until he was clad only in his undershirt and trousers. Earlier, he had been thoroughly drenched by the downpour in Haixing, and Dixing’s lack of sunlight had done nothing to help speed up the drying process. Personally, he didn’t mind the cold at all, but he found the way his wet clothes clung to his frame extremely uncomfortable. “What about you?” Shen Wei asked without looking away from the task at hand, setting his garments down by the fire in a neat line.
“Oh yeah, I should probably do the same, huh…?” Zhao Yunlan responded with a nervous laugh. After he said these words, the room was filled with complete silence, except for the muted sounds of his footsteps getting closer.
Shen Wei paused in his movements, feeling strangely uneasy. Troubled, even, though he couldn’t say why.
At Zhao Yunlan’s approach, Shen Wei’s survival instincts had kicked in as if to warn him of an incoming threat, sending goosebumps down his arms and causing a tingling sensation like prickles on the back of his neck. Shen Wei was utterly confused, as Zhao Yunlan’s presence, even the mere knowledge of his existence, had always given him nothing but joy. Despite this, Shen Wei could swear that he spotted something behind him, like a bright flash through the warm glow of the burning flames. When he turned his head to confirm his suspicions, Shen Wei was met with the sight of Zhao Yunlan looking down at him with an unreadable expression, his lips pressed into a thin line, his eyes strangely dark.
“Zhao Yunlan?” Shen Wei called warily as he rose to his feet to meet him at eye level, feeling a tightness in his chest.
“Yes?” Zhao Yunlan echoed, taking a step in his direction. The cloud over his face had gone in an instant, making way for the sun as Zhao Yunlan smiled more brightly than he had since they had first arrived in Dixing.
As they stood face to face, Zhao Yunlan stopped to think for a second, then placed his hands on Shen Wei’s shoulders and curled his arms around his neck, bringing his lips closer until they brushed gently against Shen Wei’s in a light kiss. Though he was initially taken aback, Shen Wei responded in kind after a pause, his body moving on its own, as if driven by an impulse that was well beyond his control. Zhao Yunlan’s mouth was more hesitant than his usual, bolder self—almost timid—which was strange enough as it was, but when Shen Wei felt Zhao Yunlan’s hand begin to slide down the hard planes of his back, skirting his spine seductively, this gesture alone, though Shen Wei was ashamed to admit it, was enough to arouse him, making the blood instantly shoot up to his head and down to his groin, and desire start to spread through his system like licking tongues of fire.
As they kissed, Shen Wei couldn’t say where he found the strength, but he was suddenly reminded of his duty, and the impropriety of their actions hit him like a slap to the face. “Yunlan.” Shen Wei whispered hoarsely, a little out of breath, trying to push Zhao Yunlan away as gently as he could despite the other fiercely clinging onto him. “This is neither the time nor place for this. Let’s go back to the entrance and look for the others—...”
As he said this, Shen Wei’s sharp ears picked up a sound a bit farther off from them—perhaps in an adjacent room—like a soft thump, followed by something which his foggy brain identified as a voice, though he couldn’t tell if it was male or female, or decipher what it said. Shen Wei turned his head in the direction of the noise to see if he could hear it again, and, if his reflexes hadn’t been so well-honed, his curiosity might have brought about his downfall and made him miss the blade which suddenly came hurtling out of the shadows and crashing down towards him.
Shen Wei caught Zhao Yunlan’s wrist right before the knife was set to cut through his chest, stopping the deadly weapon barely an inch away from his heart.
Zhao Yunlan’s eyes widened in shock, as he clearly hadn’t been expecting Shen Wei to retaliate, but he quickly regained his countenance and his expression of surprise was soon replaced by a complacent smirk, tinged with a hint of hatred and animosity. “Hmph. Such a shame that I missed. Honestly, just looking at you makes me sick. Did you actually think that you were special to me? That I loved you...? Let go of me, you freak.” Zhao Yunlan spat, trying to retrieve his hand but unable to escape Shen Wei’s iron grip. Shen Wei no longer doubted that the man standing in front of him was not his beloved, but the words still went straight to his heart, for the person uttering them looked every bit like him.
Shen Wei silently calculated his options.
He couldn’t waste any time, as the dagger was still dangerously close to his vital point.
Shen Wei tugged on the pale, delicate hand that had been tracing patterns on his shoulder blades just a few seconds ago, but his opponent was surprisingly strong—much stronger than Zhao Yunlan, actually. In the end, after much struggling on both parts, Shen Wei was able to wrestle the weapon out of his hand and turn the knife against him, something which he had never in a million years pictured happening one day.
The person posing as Zhao Yunlan raged, trying to fight his way out of Shen Wei’s clutches and regain the advantage. “You’re an abomination... a plague for all of Dixing! But I’ve finally got you in front of me. Prepare to die by my hand!”
Shen Wei, who had had quite enough of this farce, summoned as much strength as he could allow himself to use against this pale version of Zhao Yunlan, as he still didn’t know where the real one was nor what would happen to him should he injure this one too severely, and promptly pinned him down against the table behind them, sending the teapot and small clay cups on it clattering to the floor. As Shen Wei indifferently observed the extent of the damage he had caused, he heard the sound again, much louder this time, but he couldn’t allow himself to take his eyes off his captive.
“What did you say?” Shen Wei hissed through his gritted teeth, his Black-Cloaked Envoy persona threatening to surface anytime now.
The Zhao Yunlan doppelganger remained unfazed. “I meant what I said.”
“You’re not him,” Shen Wei declared incredulously, as certain of this fact as he was of his feelings for Zhao Yunlan. “Who are you? And where is Zhao Yunlan? What did you do to him?!”
The Zhao Yunlan lookalike scoffed, helplessly trying to free his wrists, which Shen Wei was holding up over his head with one hand. “So in love that you get blindsided like this; you, our so-called great protector… You disgust me.”
At these words, Zhao Yunlan’s features began to morph under Shen Wei’s eyes, remodeling many times over and taking on a variety of shapes until the troubling transformation finally came to a stop, revealing the true appearance of the mysterious shape-shifting Dixing man who was, it was true, younger than Zhao Yunlan, but far less handsome. “Peh! Finally... All that pretense was hard work, not to mention I had to keep myself from throwing up all throughout my act,” sniffed the man whose name Shen Wei did not care to know, wiping his mouth against his sleeve.
Shame suddenly made Shen Wei’s heart spasm painfully in his chest at the realization that he had kissed someone other than Zhao Yunlan, and even enjoyed it, too.
It wasn’t like he could have known, but that didn’t stop him from feeling guilty of the crime.
Feeling his anger start to boil inside of him, Shen Wei pressed the blade deeper against the flesh of the man’s throat. “How could I let myself be fooled? The Guardian is nothing like this. You dare try to use him against me? To what end?!”
The man squirmed under the weight of Shen Wei’s body, but remained stubbornly silent.
The sound from before broke the silence for the third time in a row, and this time, it was clear enough for Shen Wei to understand what he had heard then. It was time to confirm whether his assumptions had been correct. “If you move even a hair, you’re a dead man.” Shen Wei growled in a menacing voice, holding up the man by his collar, before throwing him back against the hard surface. Dark swirls began to form around one of Shen Wei’s hands as he sent the man’s knife into oblivion with a flick of his wrist, and when the man tried to sit up and flee despite Shen Wei’s warning, Shen Wei forced him back down with his powers, firmly intent on keeping him there.
Not wasting a single moment, Shen Wei strode towards the place whence he figured the sound had come from, ramming his way through the door connecting the two rooms. There, he found a small lump wrapped inside a cloak and tied up with rope to prevent whatever—or whomever—it contained from escaping from its prison.
He had a bad feeling about this...
With his heart in his throat, Shen Wei crouched down in front of the motionless, irregular shape, and summoned his blade which he used to carefully cut through the ropes and tight knots. Then, he picked up the small bundle with a choked sound and, cradling it lovingly in his arms, unrolled the cloak to reveal what it had been used to conceal, which was the body—living, thank god, yet quivering with emotion—of the real Zhao Yunlan, the one person whose life was more precious to Shen Wei than his own. Tear streaks marred Zhao Yunlan’s smooth, ashen face underneath severely bloodshot eyes. As for his lips, they were sickeningly parched and pale, creating a violent contrast.
After Shen Wei had rescued Zhao Yunlan from the horrible nightmare that he had been caught in for gods only knew how long and removed the dirty rag that had been so vulgarly stuffed inside his mouth to keep him from calling for help, Zhao Yunlan’s first words were not complaints, but assurances meant only for Shen Wei’s ears. “Don’t…” He coughed. “Don't believe a word that bastard said… they’re lies, all lies...” Zhao Yunlan sobbed, and even as Shen Wei cupped his face with both hands and stroked it with infinite tenderness, fresh tears rolled down his cheeks. “Xiao Wei, listen to me. There’s something I really need to tell you—...”
“Later, Ah Lan... Later.” Shen Wei shushed him, placing a soft kiss on his clammy forehead. “We need to hurry.”
Not trusting himself to say more, Shen Wei rose and helped Zhao Yunlan to his feet. An uncontrollable anger had surged in him, rushing through his veins like liquid fire until it encompassed his whole being.
How dare that worthless fool do that to the Guardian… to Zhao Yunlan.
Shen Wei was so angry that, if it had been up to him and he hadn’t cared about his mission, he would have made sure that the shapeshifter never got the chance to pose as another ever again—or do anything at all, for that matter—but he still had his duty to the people of Dixing. Here in the palace, with the Regent and the King as witnesses, not to mention all those who came and went, he could not allow himself to be overwhelmed by his emotions. Revenge was not an option; he had to stay his hand for now, until Zhao Yunlan was safe and sound in their home.
Shen Wei would deliver this miscreant the judgment he deserved upon his return to Dixing, and make sure that he received the most severe punishment that could be given without causing the people to revolt.
Shen Wei gave Zhao Yunlan a few minutes to recover, then entwined their fingers and began to lead him out of the room and into the other, where they could follow the corridor back to the great hall and out of this wretched place. Shen Wei deliberately ignored the man who was still sprawled across the table on his back with his feet hanging inches above the slowly expanding pool of tea—chrysanthemum, if he wasn’t mistaken—coming out of the shattered kettle.
It would take a few minutes for the charm to wear off, which was more than they needed to get out of here.
Before Shen Wei could step out into the hallway with Zhao Yunlan, however, his path was suddenly blocked by a dozen of the Regent’s men, judging by their uniforms and their firearms, who formed a human wall in front of them and forced them to move back into the room at gunpoint, surrounding them completely.
“What is the meaning of this?” Shen Wei demanded hotly, as he summoned his hooded robes and mask to assume the identity of the Black-Cloaked Envoy. What blazing fury had settled in his heart was replaced by a chilling wrath that covered the walls and floor with a thin layer of frost, making the temperature drop several dozen degrees for all those against whom he harbored hostility, which meant that it had no effect on Zhao Yunlan nor him.
It seemed like there was a slight change of plan.
This matter could not wait after all.
******
“This is the worst. His Honor is nowhere in sight while the Regent’s men are running around like headless chicken, and guess what? I’m stuck with you, of all people.” Chu Shuzhi muttered resentfully under his breath as he stalked down Dixing’s gloomy streets, glaring at Qing Shan who was lagging behind him, as if she had been the one to cause them to become separated from Shen Wei, which really wasn’t a power that she possessed. But Qing Shan was slowly growing accustomed to everyone blaming her for every last misfortune that occurred, and she was even starting to develop a kind of immunity to it, with her professor being the only exception.
Only him she couldn’t allow herself to disappoint.
Qing Shan resisted the urge to reply something equally insulting, choosing diplomacy over violence like Professor Shen had taught her. “Aren’t you afraid of what will happen if someone hears you?” She asked instead, having heard stories of unfortunate men and women who had displayed a lack of support for those in command and never been seen again.
Chu Shuzhi scoffed, making a sharp turn into an alley which Qing Shan had not even known existed.
“I’ve already had a taste of Dixing’s judiciary system and, let me tell you… If they don’t like you, they’ll find a way to get to you, whether they have evidence to support their claims or not.”
Intrigued, Qing Shan wondered what Chu Shuzhi could have possibly done to end up on the wrong side of the law.
As she was quietly mulling this over in her head, a hooded figure leaped out of the shadows all of a sudden and threw itself at them. Thankfully, Chu Shuzhi was always alert and his trained senses never stopped working, making him an extremely reliable and capable man to keep at your side at all times. “Stay back!” Chu Shuzhi barked, and Qing Shan, who had no fighting skills whatsoever, happily complied. Qing Shan could see why the Black-Cloaked Envoy considered him his best man and his most precious asset, and valued him over everyone else—except Chief Zhao, of course.
Nobody could hope to win against Zhao Yunlan in Shen Wei’s eyes.
Chu Shuzhi effortlessly avoided each of his adversary’s attempts to get through his defenses, moving so rapidly and smoothly that he appeared to be gliding over the ground, a vision which was only amplified by the loose and flowing quality of the black clothes he was wearing. Absolutely ruthless, he dodged or blocked every single blow that came his way, even managing to sneak in a few kicks and punches when his enemy was foolish enough to drop his guard. Once the man was down for the count, which didn’t take that long at all, Chu Shuzhi bent over his inert form to unfasten and open his cloak, which the two of them recognized as the uniform of the royal palace guard.
“See what I told you...?” Chu Shuzhi fumed, spitting on the slabs of stone next to the body. “Those sneaky rats are already making their move.”
Qing Shan crouched down next to the man whom she could only hope was simply out cold—not because she had much affinity for the men who worked under the Regent, but because her mentor had told her about compassion, and how most people, even those that did wrong, did not really deserve to lose their lives. Still, Qing Shan wrinkled her nose in disgust and aversion. Chu Shuzhi and she had at least this in common, if nothing else. “Why don’t we head directly to the palace? It’s the most obvious place. They probably don’t expect us to march in right through the front door.”
“That’s because you can’t.” Chu Shuzhi replied matter-of-factly. “I certainly can’t, at least. What, are you just going to ask them nicely to let us in?”
Qing Shan smiled at Chu Shuzhi without a word, and the other’s face slowly brightened up in understanding.
“Not bad…” Chu Shuzhi said, with slight admiration—which was a lot, considering that the Black-Cloaked Envoy was the only person Chu Shuzhi really treated with the respect they were due. Even his boss had a hard time keeping him in line.
Qing Shan beamed at him, then became serious again. “We should hurry. I’m worried about the Chief and Lord Envoy.”
Chu Shuzhi nodded gravely, and both of them set off into the night.