Han Liang and the Second Commander continued their meal with Simon as he spoke again. His tone remained calm, yet every word carried weight.
"The people I deal with are… well-funded," Simon said with a faint smile. "I hope you are as well. Otherwise, this wouldn't be worth my time."
Han Liang nodded calmly.
"That won't be a problem."
Simon let out a quiet laugh, studying them more closely.
"I thought so. The ones I meet are always… interesting. They hide their faces, keep their distance. Sometimes there are seven. Sometimes eight. Not everyone shows their face."
His voice lowered slightly.
"In two months, I'll bring something new. A dagger."
A brief pause.
"And that one… I'll offer to you."
Han Liang's attention sharpened.
"Prepare your coin in advance," Simon continued. "We don't gather for long. You'll know the price a day before."
He leaned back slightly, a faint smile returning.
"Two dragons, their noses touching… a single design."
Han Liang stilled. That motif again.
The bracelet.
The sword.
And now… another weapon.
His thoughts tightened. Was it coincidence… or something deliberate?
Could Gu Feng be connected to this?
Or had he taken the bracelet without knowing?
The questions layered over one another, unresolved.
Simon's voice pulled him back.
"I leave tonight," he said lightly. "Two months from now—we meet again."
Then, more casually:
"I still need to collect the remaining payment. Half is already mine. The rest waits in Ying Town, at the foot of Ying Mountain."
His eyes flickered toward them.
"Come with me," he added. "If you're free. I could use a pair of capable hands."
Han Liang's gaze sharpened. Ying Town. A coincidence… or something more?
That was where Gu Feng was.
Who had bought the sword?
Was it the Jewel Sect?
Or someone moving behind them?
A quiet tension settled in his chest.
Simon smiled faintly.
"We leave tonight."
Han Liang said nothing. But his mind did not slow.
The weapons.
The symbol.
The hidden buyers.
Each piece pointed toward something unseen—something already in motion.
The silence between them deepened.
But for Han Liang—
the game had already begun.