Chapter Text
The silver of the blade slits a clean, crimson line through the tender flesh. Underneath, the dying man gurgles some fleeting last threat, though that too is meaningless as he takes his last breaths suffocating in his own lifeblood.
Behind him, a dull thud that follows the nearly silent breath of an arrow’s flight alerts Xiao that Ganyu has taken care of a good number of assailants from her perch on the rooftops. He steps off of the man beneath him and brings his polearm in an arc just in time to parry a hit that would have otherwise been fatal.
The iron tang of blood laces the night air once more as Xiao moves fluid with his sword, making no unnecessary movements as the men around him drop like heavy weights. The air is quiet again, save for the unusually warm rustling of the spring night breeze brushing through the estate trees. Behind the rice paper screen door, a lone candle goes out.
Xiao scans the area one last time to make sure there are no remaining stragglers. The team had spent weeks taking up this project, and it’s his responsibility to make sure the execution is nothing but pristine.
At Ganyu’s signal, he starts towards the door. It opens without a sound when he gently shifts it over. Inside, the exquisite room is illuminated by the silvers of the moon that slip through the cuts in the windows. There is wealth everywhere he looks; the walls are lined with works of renowned artists and calligraphers, the frame to the inner room is laced in gold.
When he steps in, the lacquered floor stains with the dark blood on his shoes. He heads in further, past the stacked scrolls, past the expensive porcelain, all the way to the inner room. There, sitting hunched under gold embroidered blankets, is a quivering man–some unfortunate magistrate who has made one too many enemies with powerful figures.
The magistrate pushes back further against the wall as Xiao approaches with purposeful strides. He hears the panicked breathing coming from under the layers of fabric, and pulls the blanket down from around the other man’s frame. He has no patience for cowards.
There is something calming in cleaning his weapon. Using the finely crafted material of the blanket, Xiao wipes the remaining blood from his weapon. In front of him, the magistrate starts pleading, offering to give him anything he wants–money, status, women–in exchange for his life. It does nothing but grate at Xiao’s nerves and it’s a moment of reprieve when his polearm finally hits home, quieting the night for the last time.
“All set?”
Ganyu’s soft voice drifts from the entrance, reassuring Xiao that the others have likely finished their assignments as well.
“Done. How is it out there?” He cleans his polearm one last time before letting it dissipate.
“Clean up crew is here. We’ve been cleared to report back to Zhongli. I’m going to have to head out first to take care of some business.” Xiao wonders what kind of business requires her to be out in the dead of night, but he only replies with an affirmative as she leaves the estate first.
He’s about to leave the inner room when he feels the faintest remnants of spiritual energy from the direction of the cooling body of the magistrate. Ripping the blanket off the bed, he spots the source–a crumpled letter that appears to have been gripped tight to the point of its edges sporting small rips and crinkles.
With a careful hand, he inspects it. Nothing looks suspicious at first glance. Rather, the contents are about as monotonous as a court official’s letters can get. But the unsteady weight of the paper tells him otherwise, and with the purposeful guidance of a trickling of energy, Xiao watches as the true contents of the letter bleed into the paper.
…pleased to inform you… our special services… cannot let you leave…
Alarm bells ring in his head as he skims the contents. It’s hardly a letter as much as it is a assassination threat thinly veiled with polite words. He doesn’t recognize the spiritual energy lingering on the paper, so at least he can affirm that there isn’t a rat in his team, yet…
Light on his feet, Xiao tucks the letter in close to his heart as he blinks out of the estate and through the thickets of the bamboo forest, until he comes to a slow walk before the entrance to the peak gates.
He bypasses the seals, watching them ripple as the illusion over the peak settles behind him. He heads in, steps echoing quietly on the chiseled stone of the outer courtyard. The night air is clear and silent. He supposes Mister Zhongli is in the library as he usually is on nights of their missions, keeping vigil with Lady Guizhong and Director Hu in case there are any unforeseen changes.
Through the strong stone archway, Xiao enters the courtyard that nests the library. As always, the unblemished walls are lined with blooming glaze lilies that have been carefully nurtured under Lady Guizhong's gentle hands. Their honeyed scents seem to clear his head, and Xiao takes a steadying breath before entering the library, letter in hand.
“Dijun."