The room was stunned silent for a brief moment, before Kevi out a question, almost shrieking: “You what? You are?”

  “I was. Or, to be more accurate, my family was.” Luo Zhuge shrugged again: “I was still young when I first witnessed my parents participating in one of these rituals. I didn’t know what it was for - hell, I still don’t know what it was for. But what I did and do know, is that it’s a dark ritual. A dark spell, of unknown purpose and nature. And when things like that repeated, they inflicted a bind on my parents, my brother and my - my younger sister. Later I found out that my family were not just silent followers or partits in these rituals. We were actually among the leading members. We were, as a matter of fact, what they once called ‘Carriers of Notes’.”

  “What does that mean?” Marcus frowned.

  “It basically means - the same, thid ominous grimoire, its inal copy was broken off into different smaller ses and thus kept by families that took part in those rituals.” Luo Zhuge sighed and raised his cup: “ I get some more tea? ”

  “Sure. Keep talking.” Marcus picked the cup up and ran into the kit.

  “What happehen?” Keryn asked: “Something must have happened for you to be here. Something forced you to abandon your family. You are here - talking to us, instead of doing - whatever it is they are doing.”

  “Yes. And I’m not too keen on sharing the details, if you don’t mind. ” Luo Zhuge shook his head: “But - know this - these people you’re looking into, they are my enemies as well. And there’s nothing - almost nothing that would delight me more, if you could put ao this.”

  “Why help us? And why the dodgy answers?” Marcus immediately asked, just as Kevin scratched his head and ran bato the ba: “What do you want from us, actually? And what kind of cards are in your hand? Why don’t you just tell us before we make a decision?”

  “Nice. A wise decision and smart questions, detective. It’s pretty simple.” Luo Zhuge smiled: “We’re all smart people. And I ask for one simple thing: when you decide to move on them, and I am urging you hat you DO, you will let me know when, so I make a move on my end. Because otherwise, more i people are gonna die.”

  “What did you do?” Keryn’s eyes opened wide, almost charging at Luo Zhuge: “I’m telling you, if you think you threaten us like this - ”

  “Oh, I’m not threatening you.” Luo Zhuge chuckled and backed off, raising his hands: “At least not yet. What I tell you is - ahis is the actual threatening part: if I don’t leave here in time, or I am deyed or harmed in any way. Two associates of mine would leak the location of this safe house of yours, and other information I found out about you, to certain unpleasant people. And they may get a reward, or they may die. But hey, sometimes a better life’s worth the risk. Wouldn’t you agree? Officers?”

  “You have associates?” Mararrowed his eyes and looked Luo Zhuge straight in the eyes. “Are they - those who suffered the same fate as you?”

  “No - some of the old ones were, but they died.” Luo Zhuge pointed his fi Marcus, shaking it up and down in approval: “Like I said many times today, you’re smart, detective. My current associates included two - two young women, who once worked with that pirl in Emerald Starlight.”

  “Tanya Su and Eve Kim? They are with you?” Marcus asked, his frown deepened.

  “Yeah. Maybe.” Luo Zhuge nodded. “Or - maybe more of them, you know? Because it’s not just them that got harassed and approached. The night shift manager? He took a big payday but OD-ed a week ter.”

  “What do you want to do with them?” Keryn asked, her tone was cold and stern.

  “None of your business. ” Luo Zhuge shot back, but immediately decided to ease the tension a little: “But I have no iion of hurting them or putting them in harm’s way, if that’s what you’re worried about. If they are lucky, they might get stable and safe lives after this, if they y low.”

  “You’re trying to leave the city, aren’t you?” Keryn narrowed her eyes.

  “Well, I might’ve tried something before. And this might be the st ce.” Luo Zhuge sighed: “Didn’t I say that the spells my family performed, the rituals they got involved in, they put a bind on us? I was not exaggerating. I was not lying. It is indeed a hell of a bind. Ohat needs very specific things in order to break - or just simply avoid.”

  “Basically - you want a timing for our move, and the disruption iy would help you escape.” Keryn took a deep breath and softened her tone.

  “Yes.”

  “But how would this disruption at the ter of the city disturb the s? They are not in the same system. They’re not even in the viity of each other.”

  “That’s not your . In fact, it should ease your mind, would it not? You just let me know, give me a window, even give or take a few hours. So repare to act.”

  “How do I know we are not aiding and abetting some fugitives in order to leave the city?” Marcus interjected from the side.

  Luo Zhuge looked deeply into Marcus’ eyes, then almost ughed out loud: “If I told you yes, then so what? I am also a fugitive. And you, Detective Cai, aive Lance, you are teically fugitives as well. If not today, not tomorrow, then possibly soon. Are you really gonure me and hold me against the ws that are swords against the poor street vendors when they’re not paying enough fines, but mere paper when those sick people are taking children away from families?”

  “Alex Pearson.” Kevin’s voice came from the side as he walked into the living room with a folder in his hands.

  Shoutouts to my patrons:

  mant06

  Jonathan

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