They finished the meal in silence.

  No more laughter, no more teasing.

  Seer didn’t speak again, wary of the thick silence stretching between them. Jin Yu, meanwhile, kept his head low, jaw tense as he chewed slowly, each bite mechanical. The voice in his head whispered again, insistent.

  Kill him.

  He sees too much.

  He gripped his chopsticks tighter.

  He didn’t understand why it unsettled him so deeply that Seer knew. But it did.

  It felt like something precious had been pried open. A door he hadn’t noticed was locked, suddenly wide for all to see.

  He’s a threat, the voice urged. He peels away the skin. He’ll find what you’re hiding.

  The inn’s warmth grew stifling. The laughter in the background faded into static.

  Seer shifted. He seemed to feel the storm building, though he couldn’t see the dark waves swelling beneath Jin Yu’s surface.

  Still, he spoke softly, carefully.

  “It’s not that I’m nosy,” he murmured, eyes on the table. “Any decent expert could guess it. The scent clings to you. Strong… probably from the one who owns that cloth you're wearing.”

  His voice dropped lower.

  “There’s another, too. Faint, but it’s there. Lingering.”

  Jin Yu’s gaze lifted.

  Cold, calm, unreadable.

  But beneath that stillness, the intent simmered. Silent, coiled.

  Seer met his eyes. Didn't flinch.

  The smile he wore this time wasn’t playful, it was weary. A little sad.

  “You’re thinking about killing me.”

  Jin Yu didn’t answer.

  Seer exhaled, a soft laugh under his breath, almost bitter.

  “Wouldn’t change anything. You can snap my neck right now, but those people hunting you? If they have a tracking Gu, even a weak one, they won’t need me. They’ll find what they’re looking for.”

  He leaned back slowly, folding his arms across his chest.

  “I’m not your enemy, Nameless.”

  Jin Yu looked away.

  Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

  But the voice didn’t stop.

  Then why does it feel like he’s the only one who can see what you’re really hiding?

  Ignoring both the voice and Seer, Jin Yu stood up, his chair scraping faintly against the wooden floor.

  Without a word, he turned and left the inn.

  The door shut behind him with a dull thud.

  Seer sat there, staring at the empty space he’d left behind. For a while, he said nothing.

  He didn’t know which hurt more: the fact that Jin Yu had seriously considered killing him, or the look in his eyes when he did.

  That distant distrust.

  As if Seer was just another threat in a world full of them.

  A bitter feeling welled in his chest.

  Heavy.

  Unsettling.

  ---

  Outside, Jin Yu walked the streets without aim.

  The cool evening air brushed against his skin, soft and fleeting, like fingers trying to soothe a wound. He didn’t resist it. For once, he let it touch him.

  Around him, Jadeleaf City pulsed with life. Lanterns flickered to life above shops and homes, painting the streets in gentle golds and reds. Children darted between vendors, their laughter spilling into the air. The scent of roasting chestnuts, dried herbs, and glazed meats drifted through the breeze.

  He walked past it all.

  Past the calls of merchants, the distant clang of metal from a forge, the quiet clink of porcelain from open tea houses.

  His eyes swept the streets, not looking for anything in particular, just looking.

  Letting the noise, the movement, the normalcy of life blur against the chaos still ringing in his chest.

  Why did that question bother me so much?

  He didn’t have the answer.

  Maybe it was because it felt too close.

  Too familiar.

  Too much like something he’d buried.

  And now, someone else had noticed it.

  As Jin Yu wandered deeper into the city, something caught his eye

  A towering building of polished stone and lacquered wood, its roof curved in elegant arcs lined with carved beast heads. A tall, vertical plaque hung at the entrance, etched with golden characters that shimmered faintly under the lantern light.

  “Heaven’s Galleria.”

  A place where the finest goods of Jadeleaf were traded, luxurious, rare, expensive.

  Guards stood by the entrance, straight-backed and silent, but when Jin Yu approached, they merely nodded him in.

  Inside, the scent of incense wafted softly through the air. The floors were pristine jade tile, and golden screens sectioned off the various departments, each one humming with quiet, high-class commerce.

  Clothes. Weapons. Herbs. Spirit fruits. Tools. Artifacts. Scrolls. Jewels.

  Each section had its own space, its own attendants, and its own sense of worth.

  An elegant young man in silk robes approached him with a polite bow. "Welcome to Heaven’s Galleria, honored guest. Might I ask what you're seeking today?"

  Jin Yu’s gaze swept across the hall, then turned toward the section draped in flowing silks and gentle, perfumed mist. Mannequins dressed in intricate robes lined the entrance, their threads shimmering with embedded runes and delicate embroidery.

  “…Clothes,” he said simply.

  “Of course,” the attendant replied with a practiced smile, motioning gracefully. “Right this way. Our clothing wing specializes in robes crafted by both Mortal Masters and Spirit Tailor's. Light armor, ceremonial silks, and battle garments, we have them all.”

  Jin Yu followed in silence, his eyes flicking over the displays. Velvet blacks, deep crimsons, sky-blues that rippled like water. Some fabrics shimmered with protective enchantments, others with illusionary grace, making them glow softly in rhythm with breath.

  "Will the Young Master be browsing for style, function, or... something in between?" the attendant asked, careful not to overstep.

  Jin Yu’s eyes settled on a set of fitted dark robes, layered yet clean, lined with faint silver thread that pulsed in harmony with its wearer’s qi.

  “…That one,” he said, pointing.

  "Ah, excellent choice. Shadow-weave silk, reinforced with Cloudspine threading, light as mist, durable as scale. Comes with minor qi buffering and breath-reactive insulation. May I fetch your size?"

  Jin Yu gave a slight nod.

  As the attendant moved off to prepare the fitting, Jin Yu let his eyes drift again across the chamber. Despite the silence in his mind, a quiet tension still throbbed in his chest.

  Even here, among soft silks and polished floors… he didn’t feel at ease.

  The attendant returned swiftly with a tailor in tow, who took Jin Yu’s measurements with quick, professional precision. He didn’t speak unless asked, and Jin Yu appreciated that.

  Once finished, the original attendant offered a practiced bow.

  “Will the Young Master be taking only this set today, or would you care to browse our premium collection? We have robes tailored for different occasions—battle, travel, spiritual meditation… and of course, formal events.”

  Jin Yu didn’t answer at first. His gaze wandered to a rack farther in, where silks of shifting colors hung weightlessly under a canopy of woven spirit-light. Each shimmered with its own intent, like it was alive.

  The attendant took that as interest. He motioned eagerly.

  “This one here, woven from Moongale threads, it stays cool in any weather and resists moisture completely. This red ensemble is Phoenixbrood silk, lightweight with built-in fire resistance, ideal for northern climates. And this, Stormwake linen, which generates a faint static field, perfect for inner qi circulation.”

  He kept listing with elegant enthusiasm, hands gliding across fabrics without disturbing them.

  Jin Yu finally looked at him, gaze unreadable. “I’ll take them all.”

  The attendant blinked. “Pardon?”

  “All of them.” Jin Yu repeated, calmly.

  A pause. Then a polite cough. “Y-Yes, of course. I’ll have them prepared and packed immediately. Will you be paying now or—?”

  “Now.”

  The attendant bowed deeply this time, both surprised and impressed.

  “Very good, Young Master. If you’d like to continue browsing, I’ll ensure your selections are stored and delivered to your mount.”

  Without another word, Jin Yu turned, hands tucked behind his back, and moved toward the next section, weaponry.

  Behind him, the attendant muttered under his breath with a slightly stunned smile.

  “…I should’ve offered the whole gallery.”