Mu Long's voice dropped to barely more than breath, his lips hardly moving as he leaned closer to the Chief. His eyes never left the marketplace ahead, as if the noise and movement there were merely scenery masking something far more dangerous beneath.
"Chief," he murmured, tone casual yet edged with calculation, "tell me something. Which do you think is easier–and more reliable?"
The Chief did not turn his head. He kept walking, posture straight, expression unreadable, though the question tugged at his attention.
"Playing dumb while hiding truth and crimes…" Mu Long paused deliberately, then continued, "…or playing wise and walking straight into a trap?"
The Chief's brow furrowed.
"You–" he muttered under his breath. "What kind of question is that?" He exhaled slowly. "Aren't both unreliable? Why would you frame it that way?"
Mu Long's lips curved faintly.
