BOOK 10. There are two tales at the beginning. Zhao Yunlan is searching for a lost artefact while Black Robe is searching for the same thing in a different world. One story is partly an illusion, while the other is very real and when they merge...
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Yunlan really did need to sit down before he fell down, and Wei helped him to a seat before Kunlun approached to talk to him.
"Thank you My Lord for dealing with our unwanted visitor, can I get you anything? I'm sorry about the mix up earlier, I knew your relatives well, I used to live with some of them before I became independent and now I manage this place. My home is in the basement, would you prefer somewhere a bit more peaceful than here? I could take you down there."
"No, thank you Kunlun, have you seen my whip anywhere?"
"No My Lord, I saw Apep stop the android but he seems to have disappeared for a moment, have you tried calling him?" Kunlun suggested as Yunlan stared at him. "How?"
"There might be one or two things you don't know about Apep, I'm guessing that you know about the deity aspect of his life, and that he will protect you and that he will also protect Lord Shen when necessary ... He's tied to your emotions, he knows how you are feeling, thinking, and in pain, and he can talk to you through telepathy even though you are not telepathic."
Yunlan was slightly confused because he didn't think Apep could speak.
"My Lord Zhao, he can talk to your mind anytime, but no one else for a few years because of his actions in saving a life. Call him in your mind, he will come to you but sometimes he has attitude problems, rudeness, anger issues, laziness."
Yunlan had heard enough, he was already trying to process the thought of almost being killed by an android without learning that his whip had anger management issues, and he leaned forward and hid his face in his hands. Maybe if he blocks everything out he can have normal thoughts in his brain. Apep approached and stayed in Yunlan's line of sight which was the floor after he moved his hands away from his face, and he spoke to him.
"Come into the garden and I can help you My Lord, just follow me, I'll take you."
Yunlan was so tired at this point that even the soft voice of Apep was enough to make him feel better, and he followed the snake to the rear garden which was full of beautiful flowers and some benches to sit on and relax while enjoying some peace. He led him to a seat and stayed until he saw Wei approach and bowed as he left. Yunlan was enjoying the feel of someone massaging his tired neck muscles, knowing that only one person would be doing this for him, when a small breeze carried his recognisable cologne, and Yunlan smiled as he tilted his head backwards to look up into Wei's face as he bent down to kiss him slowly and deeply while they had some privacy.
"I'm not sure about this place, Xiao Wei, the building is beautiful but there are killer androids and computer programs, and it's a police station as well."
Shen Wei sat down and rested his hand on Yunlan's knee before he started talking about Kunlun's history and how he was related to them throughout their past. He had been a butler, a tutor, a headmaster, an actor and had saved their lives. He was a modern day miracle , a piece of technology that would never be replaced, he had even made himself an android son but had lost contact with him.
