The silence that followed Shen Lan's departure was not a void, but a weight. It pressed against the survivors as they navigated the winding, reflective streets of Mirrorhaven, each step echoing with the ghost of her words.
You are the one the Arbiter is waiting for.
Lin Yue walked at the front, his expression as impassive as a frozen lake. Behind him, the group had shifted. The physical distance between them had increased by a few inches—a marginal change, but in a city of reflections, a few inches was the difference between a person and a replacement.
"So," Mu Cheng finally spoke, his voice grating in the oppressive quiet. "The 'Arbiter.' That's a heavy title. Care to elaborate, Lin Yue? Or should we just assume you're the guest of honor at a party we weren't invited to?"
Lin Yue didn't slow his pace. "I don't have information I haven't shared. If I knew why an Arbiter was waiting for me, I would have calculated the risk and informed you."
