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A man can see without his eyes, but he cannot see without his heart.
Hua Manlou learned this truth after his sense of sight was taken away from him at a young age. But he's for...
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The capital's black street was emptier in the evening upon Lu Xiaofeng and Jiang Qing's return there; however, perhaps it was due to the Snake King's instruction, as he was now expecting them both this evening.
Through the beaded-curtain walls, puffs of tobacco smoke flowed through the air as the Snake King waited for their presence. "Here," he offered, holding out the map to Lu Xiaofeng once the two slipped through the trailing beads. "The map of Pingnan Palace's security systems."
Lu Xiaofeng took the map into his hands, examining it carefully beneath red candlelight. "Thank you," he said, folding it into quarters before tucking it into his pockets.
"There's no need to say those two words between us," the Snake King said. "We are all friends here."
"Snake King, can I ask you a favor as well?" Jiang Qing asked.
The Snake King nodded, lifting his pipe. "Ask for anything, and I will do my utmost best to meet your expectations."
"Please send someone to protect Hua Manlou," she said. "If he awakens, tell him to await our return, and not leave the inn."
The Snake King stroked his beard in understanding, nodding his head again. "Nothing will befall the young master of the Hua manor this night," he said. "I guarantee it."
"Thank you."
Lu Xiaofeng and Jiang Qing turned to slip through the curtained beads once more, only to be stopped by the Snake King calling out both their names. They turned toward him once more, an uncomfortable silence befalling the small room as they waited for his words to be spoken.
"Please, both of you. Be careful, and beware."
━━━━ ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ━━━━
To avoid identification while breaking and entering the Pingnan Palace, Lu Xiaofeng and Jiang Qing both placed silk cloths over their faces. Jiang Qing, unwilling to part with her staff during their investigation, wrapped it in simple brown cloth, tying it to her back once more.
With Snake King's map, they were able to wait outside the palace grounds until one of the first shift changes that night, quickly leaping from nearby rooftops to reach one of the palace buildings. Their backs were flush against one of its walls, while Lu Xiaofeng retrieved his map from his clothes, examining it once more before they continued forth, toward the treasury.
The two nodded at one another, before slipping around the corner of the building and heading directly for the treasury.
However, once Lu Xiaofeng reached the doors of the treasury and opened them, the two found a layer of mesh wiring blocking their path. A layer of mesh wiring that the Snake King had not informed them of as per the map held in Lu Xiaofeng's hands.
"What?" Lu Xiaofeng muttered, pushing against the wiring, unable to break past it. "How did this —"
