I'm really not the Saviour! (我唔係救主囖!) [danmei/BL xuanhuan]

51 - Here comes trouble...

A/N: My mystery illness remains a mystery! Yay!

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The discussions continued for the remainder of the day and well into the night.

The more they talked, the more the four disciples of Mount Faa found themselves exchanging glances.

Shikladak almost seemed to be in a permanent state of dissociation. He smiled and nodded but barely added anything to the discussion, and spent a great deal of time staring at Chan Bik, who tried to glare back at him but was unable to maintain her gaze.

"I don't think he's human," she whispered under her breath to Gaam Yuk Ying. "He reminded me a bit of the phoenixes I met in Wong, but... he gives me the creeps."

She wasn't the only one unnerved by him. Baak Tsau Saa's eyes kept flickering nervously in his direction, and Grandmaster Luk, seated next to him, was leaning ever so subtly away, although her expression remained neutral. The Mou Dang Master Laan mainly kept silent, evidently not eager to draw attention to the role that Mou Dang had been playing so far.

Oddly, Wong Tang and Gong Lau Yan had also been quiet. They sat in the background, listening wordlessly.

Mest'at's pale eyes could have burned holes in the pages and tablets that Cheng Baak-hap handed her, with the intensity that she was examining them. She passed the writings back to her delegation as she completed each one.

"We'd like for you to meet with some of the demon nobles," Cheng Baak-hap said.

"There are demon nobles?" Mest'at responded instantly.

"Of a sort. At least, the demon village that we primarily engage with has a ruling group who make the bulk of decisions."

"Where are you proposing to meet them?"

"We have established a base in the Demon Realm-"

"No. We will not be entering that place."

"Scared, wolf?" Shikladak sniggered.

"Do you want to become my next meal, chicken?"

"Will Mou Dang be joining us?" Dzue Dziu Ming asked Master Laan innocently, sipping more of the Tiet Gwun Yaam.

Master Laan choked on his own tea. His eyes surreptitiously swept the faces of the other delegates, but there was no assistance forthcoming. Gaam Yuk Ying was running his thumbs over the hilts of his swords and thoughtfully eyeing the Mou Dang disciples who had accompanied their Master.

"I'll come along," Shikladak piped up cheerfully and unexpectedly, folding his long fingers. "It would be very interesting to see a different plane of existence."

Did he think they were going to a party?

Mest'at, on the other hand, after conversing with her delegation in their own language, said coolly, "I have too many responsibilities to travel with you. But my younger sister will do so. Näkṣātär."

Of the group of Dzang delegates, there had been only one who had been more striking than Mest'at. Her sister not only had the same blue eyes and round face, but also wispy, pale hair, a faint silver-gold like the silvergrass that grew in the plains of Sek'seun. Her cheeks had a permanent pink flush that contrasted with her cold expression. She bowed politely, in the manner of the southern kingdoms.

Gong Lau Yan shifted as though she were about to speak, but she seemed to think better of it. Only Gaam Yuk Ying saw her grey-brown eyes dart towards her grandmother.

"We will send a squad." Having dabbed the tea from his grey beard, Master Laan had apparently regained his composure.

"We will need confirmation of the names of those travelling to the Demon Realm within two days." Cheng Baak-hap was scribbling rapid notes with a charcoal stick. "I will be departing myself tomorrow to speak with the demons and arrange a meeting date."