- A few hours later - Orphanage - In Lady Yuan office
Yuan's office was a stark contrast to the dilapidated orphanage it resided in.
The walls were adorned with intricate silk tapestries depicting scenes from ancient Chinese folklore.
Dragons coiling through clouds, cranes perched on pine trees, and scholars beneath cherry blossoms.
A large, lacquered wooden desk dominated the center of the room.
Behind it sat Lady Yuan.
On her desk lay a traditional Chinese ink stone with a brush resting atop it as well as a jade paperweight shaped like a turtle. A symbol of longevity and protection.
Delicate porcelain vases painted with scenes of misty mountains and rivers, stood on either side of the room.
"So.." Said Lady Yuan calmly.
In front of her, Jason and Lei stood rigidly, their eyes fixed on the ground a mixture of shame and fear evident in their tense postures.
They knew the weight of their failure and in this room, under the cold gaze of Yuan it felt even heavier.
Neither dared to meet her eyes, knowing that the stern silence was just the calm before the inevitable storm.
"You mean to tell me." Yuan said coldly, her voice dripping with disdain. "That a nine-year-old boy evaded both of you?"
Jason clenched his teeth, anger simmering beneath his skin, but he forced himself to respond.
"Yes" He admitted, the word leaving a bitter taste in his mouth.
"We were..." Jason started, attempting to explain the situation but Yuan silenced him with a sharp wave of her hand cutting him off mid-sentence.
Her gaze was icy and the room seemed to grow colder with the tension.
"I don't need to remind you of our duty here." Lady Yuan began, her voice laced with restrained anger.
"These children have been chosen specifically because they have no living relatives, no ties to this world. They are like clay—meant to be molded into whatever shape best serves our organization." Her tone shifted, growing more fervent as she spoke.
"We have a limited number of these... assets." she continued her voice dropping to a dangerous whisper.
"Do you two idiots think we can afford to lose even one of them?" A vein throbbed visibly on her forehead as she glared at Jason and Lei, her cold unwavering gaze demanding an answer.
The room fell silent, the weight of her words suffocating as the two men stood frozen, too fearful to respond.
"Maybe you think I don't deserve an answer?" Lady Yuan's voice was a sharp, cutting through.
Jason and Lei stiffened. "We apologize!" they exclaimed in unison.
Lady Yuan's eyes narrowed as she rose from her desk, her movements deliberate and calculated. "Don't forget" she hissed, each word dripping with menace.
"We are all assets of The Master. We serve the Ten Rings. If you mess up, it's my head on the line."
She stepped closer, her presence suffocating as she leaned in between them her voice dropping to a venomous whisper.
"But before that happens, you can be certain... Yours will fall first."
Jason clenched his teeth his thoughts boiling with anger.
How had that brat managed to outrun them? The kid hadn't even looked winded and his sudden disappearance was nothing short of bizarre.
The more Jason thought about it, the more questions piled up, each more frustrating than the last.
But he pushed them aside, his thoughts darkening as he focused on what he would do if the boy returned.
Because of that little punk, Lady Yuan the woman he admired almost worshipped. Now saw him as an incompetent fool and he wasn't about to let that go.
He couldn't kill the kid ? Fine, he'd accept that. But breaking one of his legs? Or maybe two ?
Let's see him try to run after that. I am sure Lady Yuan wouldn't mind that. He thought with a cruel smile curling on his lips.
"It won't happen again." Jason said calmly, his voice steady despite the turmoil within.
"Good!" Lady Yuan responded, her tone cold and sharp.
Unbeknownst to them, a shadowy silhouette lingered just outside the office doors, listening intently.
Erik had returned a few minutes earlier and when he didn't spot Jason or Lei, he decided to head straight to Lady Yuan's office.
That was when he stumbled upon a very interesting conversation.
"The Ten Rings, huh?" Erik muttered under his breath, his mind racing with the implications of what he had just heard.
"You can go now." Lady Yuan said, dismissing the two men with a pointed gesture toward the door.
The two men nodded in unison, their heads bowing slightly before turning to leave.
"Shit!" Erik hissed, realizing the door handle was turning.
Nnhg .. He uttered trying to activate his camouflage ability unsuccessfully.
In a reflex mouvement he leaped upward, clinging to the ceiling like a spider just as the door creaked open.
Jason and Lei stepped out, they continued down the corridor oblivious to the figure clinging to the ceiling above them.
"It was close." Erik muttered, feeling the tension ease as he watched the two men disappear around the corner.
His heart pounded in his chest, but a small grin spread across his face.
After a few tense minutes, Erik released his grip on the ceiling landing softly on the floor.
He took a quick glance around to ensure the coast was clear, then swiftly made his way out of the office area heading toward the communal room.
His mind was still racing, piecing together what he'd overheard, but he kept his expression neutral navigating the orphanage's dimly lit corridors.