Han Yu's grip on the jade slip tightened.
The proposal was tempting, but dangerous. He could almost hear the calculations echoing in the back of his mind, weighing risk against benefit.
She must have sensed his hesitation, because the next message came quickly, carrying a sharper hook.
"If that isn't enough for you, then hear this. I know of a hidden repository. A pill vault, buried within one of the outer complexes we will soon be allowed to enter. Its existence is not widely known. Within it lies not ordinary pills, but rare ones, refined long ago, sealed and preserved."
Han Yu's breath stilled, his pupils narrowing slightly. A pill repository. His pulse quickened despite himself, and for the first time since their exchange began, his eyes betrayed a flicker of genuine interest.
His fingers moved across the jade slip with deliberate care.
A hidden pill repository?
