Emery glanced at Zafira, her fingers twitching near her gun.
He had already seen what she'd done to Jian. He wasn't about to let this spiral again.
His gaze flickered back to Han. "Was your family threatened? Is that why you did this?"
Han's breath hitched for a moment, his eyes dropping to the cold stone floor.
Then, with a shaky exhale, he nodded. "Yes. They found out about my brother—he's sick, needs medicine we can't afford. They promised me gold, said it was just information, nothing more. I thought… I thought I could keep them safe."
Zafira stepped forward, gripping Han's face roughly, tilting it up so their eyes met.
"Is that the truth? If you lie to me, I'll know."
Han swallowed hard, his throat bobbing against her grip. His face contorted—fear, shame, exhaustion—and then his shoulders sagged.
"It is. I swear it. I didn't do it because I wanted to. I did it because I was desperate."
Zafira studied him, her piercing gaze boring into his. Then, after a long, agonizing moment, she released him with a small shove, her lips pressing into a thin line.
"He's telling the truth."
Without a second thought, Zafira pulled the trigger.
A gunshot rang out, sharp and unforgiving, as the bullet tore through Han's leg. He let out a strangled cry, collapsing forward as his bound hands dug into the dirt. Blood pooled beneath him, his body writhing in agony.
Emery's eyes widened, rage flaring to life. "What the hell are you doing?! I already said we aren't doing this!"
Zafira's face remained cold, unwavering. "Making sure he remembers. Betrayal isn't something you just walk away from."
Before Emery could explode further, Callum was already on one knee beside Han, pulling out a medical kit as if he had been expecting this.
"Hold still" he muttered, pressing a cloth hard against the wound to slow the bleeding.
"This is gonna hurt. A lot."
Emery clenched his fists but forced himself to breathe. His gaze locked onto Han, whose teeth were gritted in pain. "Give us your brother's name and location."
Han gasped, his breath ragged. "F… Fen Han. He's in the lower part of the Eastern province of Jin… A house by the old well. The village only has that."
Emery exhaled slowly, rubbing his temple. "Alright. I'll find a way. Just don't pass out on me before we're done here."
The torches flickered, casting uneasy shadows on the stone walls as the third captive was dragged forward. Unlike the others, she was a woman—young, barely in her twenties, her dark eyes darting between Emery and Zafira as she was forced to her knees. Her expression wasn't one of defiance, nor of complete resignation. It was calculated.
Jun, now holding the gun, pressed the barrel against the back of her head. The metallic click of the hammer locking into place echoed through the chamber.
Emery stepped forward, rolling his shoulders as if loosening up for another round.
His gaze settled on her with a measured calm. "Alright. Your turn. Name."
The woman exhaled slowly, her lips pressing into a firm line before she answered. "Mei Lin."
Emery studied her face, her breathing, the tension in her shoulders. There was no hesitation in her answer, but that didn't mean it was the truth.
"And did you pass information to the Emperor?"
She hesitated this time. A flicker of emotion—fear, perhaps?
Then she nodded. "Yes."
Emery didn't react immediately, instead watching her closely. "How much did they pay you?"
Mei Lin swallowed hard. "Five gold a month. And another ten if I reported any breakthroughs related to weapons."
Callum let out a low whistle, pouring some alcohol on Han's wound and shutting him up with a cloth.
"So, what, the Emperor really wanted to know if we were building something dangerous?"
Mei Lin's jaw tightened, but she said nothing. That was confirmation enough.
Emery's fingers drummed against his forearm.
"And why did you do it? Desperation? Greed? Was your family threatened?"
For the first time, Mei Lin's composure cracked. Her eyes darted downward, her breathing growing uneven.
"My younger sister... She was taken as collateral. They said if I didn't comply, I'd never see her again."
Zafira, who had been tending to Han's wound, stepped forward, wiping the blood from her hands as she grabbed Mei Lin's face roughly. She tilted her head side to side, examining her with a cold stare.
"Is that the truth?"
Mei Lin flinched but held her gaze. "Yes. It is. I swear it."
Zafira narrowed her eyes, then after a long moment, released her grip with a small shove.
"She's telling the truth."
Emery exhaled, his gaze steady. "Did you actually receive the gold they promised you?"
Mei Lin hesitated, her fingers twitching slightly before she finally nodded.
"Some of it. Not all. They kept delaying, saying I needed to bring more valuable information first."
Emery turned his head to Han, still clutching his wounded leg.
"And you? Did you ever see the full amount?"
Han let out a bitter chuckle, wincing from the pain. "Same as her. They paid just enough to keep me hooked, but never what they promised. I should've seen it coming."
Emery let out a humourless laugh, shaking his head. "So not only is this regime manipulative, but they're downright cheap too? They didn't even have the decency to pay you properly for your betrayal? That's not control—that's just fucking pathetic."
His expression darkened as he leaned in, his voice lowering.
"Who threatened you? Who gave you the orders?"
Han and Mei Lin tensed. Their gazes darted toward each other, hesitation flickering in their eyes.
Silence stretched, thick and suffocating. The weight of their fear was palpable.
Jun's patience snapped first. She stepped forward, pressing the barrel of her gun harder against Mei Lin's head.
"Talk. Now."
Mei Lin flinched, her lips trembling. Han clenched his jaw, his fists balling behind his back. Finally, after a long, painful pause, Han exhaled shakily and spoke.
"It… it was Shen Jue." His voice was barely above a whisper, but the name hung heavy in the air.
Mei Lin swallowed hard and nodded. "Or Jian Ren, as he calls himself there."
A heavy silence filled the room before Han took a deep breath, his voice trembling but firm.
"He's the Emperor's brother."
The words slammed into the air like a hammer to stone.
Zafira's expression darkened instantly, her face turning bloodshot as she whipped her gaze toward Han, eyes narrowing with lethal intensity.
"You're not lying to us, are you?"
Han, still reeling from the pain in his leg, locked eyes with her.
"I swear it. He's Jinhai's own blood. That's why no one questioned his movements. That's why he could play both sides."
Emery stiffened, his mind racing.
If Shen Jue—Jian Ren—was working on the Emperor's orders, then war was inevitable. There was no stopping it now. I have to accelerate the production of firearms, prepare for the war before it arrived.
But if Jian Ren wasn't following orders—if he is moving independently—then what is his real goal?
A sharp whistle cut through the tension, followed by the sudden slice of a blade.
Mei Lin gasped as Jun's knife dragged across her cheek, leaving behind a thin, burning wound. She flinched, but didn't cry out. A single drop of blood trailed down her face, glistening under the dim torchlight.
Jun pulled back, flicking the blade clean with a slow, deliberate motion. "Consider that a reminder" she said, voice dangerously soft.
Jun suddenly raised her pistol and fired a shot near Mei Lin's feet. The deafening crack of the gunshot echoed through the chamber, making Mei Lin flinch violently, her entire body shivering as dust and small shards of stone scattered from the impact.
Jun leaned in close, her voice a chilling whisper, pressing the gun to the side of Mei's head. "Consider that another reminder. I'll help find your sister but if you're lying, you'll end up just like Jian."
She pressed the gun harder "I promise it."
Jun and Seraphine stepped forward, grabbing Han and Mei Lin by the arms and dragging them out of the chamber. Their weakened bodies barely resisted, too exhausted and resigned to fight back. The heavy doors creaked open, and the sound of their footsteps faded into the cold stone corridors.
A moment later, Haoran entered the room, his face tightening as he took in the scene. His gaze flickered from the bloodstains to Jian's lifeless body. Without a word, he sighed and stepped forward, rolling up his sleeves.
He had been forced to clean up worse over the course of staying with Zafira's empire.
The tension in Emery's body finally snapped. His knees buckled slightly, his breath coming out in uneven gasps as the adrenaline wore off. He gritted his teeth, but his hands shook uncontrollably.
Zafira turned toward him, expression unreadable. "You look pale."
Emery clenched his fists, forcing himself upright. "You're out of control, Zafira. That was ruthless."
Zafira narrowed her eyes. "And you're still too soft. That's why you're shaking."
Emery glared. "They were still useful! You don't break every tool just because it's cracked. Some can still be repaired."
Zafira scoffed. "And some are too dangerous to keep around. You think Jian will hesitate when it's our heads on the line? You saw what we're up against. There's no room for mercy."
Before Emery could snap back, Callum's voice cut through the tension. "Enough!"
They both turned to him.