ic inbox, ryslig.

[daozhangs]

WELCOME TO YOUR PRIVATE CHANNEL, XIAO.XINGCHEN. FOR SECURE COMMUNICATION, USE 018.07.154.55 *** XIAO.XINGCHEN has joined 018.07.154.55 <XIAO.XINGCHEN> You have reached Xiao Xingchen. <XIAO.XINGCHEN> I am often away from my laptop, but I will do my best to answer as soon as I'm able.

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[daozhangs]

( if it helps, he wouldn't be meeting xingchen's gaze - merely looking at where it tends to be. had all of this come a fortnight later, perhaps xingchen might have been able to call forth his sight without inviting some manner of burrowing ache in the depths of his eyeless hollows, but for now, he has fallen back on well-worn sightless habits. in truth, he might very well have done so still if he could see. watching jiang wanyin as he speaks would do his unease no particular favors, not when xingchen can listen just as attentively with his not-gaze resting somewhere in the vicinity of wanyin's tea, his own teacup lowering to quietly settle once again on the tabletop.

but soon the confession(?) is through, and even though he has taken in every word, xingchen can't help but feel as though he has missed something. specifically, he has missed whichever facet of this fairly confession has warranted such hesitation or uncertainty. did wanyin think him so likely to protest this work for his chosen god? they had known such a thing was a facet of pledging oneself to a god in the first place.

and so first he offers a muted hint of a smile, a murmured: ) I'm glad that you've told me. ( a beat of pause, of consideration, and: ) What is it that you seek to do?

[legbreakings]

[ He exhales in a whoosh, relieved that Xiao Xingchen isn't reacting badly to the news. Curious, but not badly. Curious, he can handle, at least to some extent. ] There is only so much I know [ he admits, a little sheepishly. It's embarrassing to admit to such ignorance, and yet... ] I have only just pledged myself to the Fourth God. I don't want to demand too many explanations or details, for fear that they believe I'm trying to spy on them for the Fog.

[ He nudges his empty cup around on the table, simply to keep his hands busy. ]

We want some of these vacuums, with which the Haftesal people suck up the fog. There is still a chance we can negotiate with Haftesal for them, and we won't need to steal them. [ A moment's pause, another sigh. ] Although it will be safer for Haftesal if it is at least believed that we took them by force. If this should turn public opinion against us, with so many monsters owing the Haftesal scientists for curing the flower disease, then it is a small price to pay for their safety.

[daozhangs]

( and all of this is certainly sound enough in concept, but at the same time, it raises nearly as many questions as it answers - most notably why exactly they need to take said vacuums when haftesal already seems to use them to the benefit of those who oppose the fog. xingchen is far from cynical by nature, but he has learned by now the dangers inherent in mistaking the best of intentions for the best of outcomes. if they intend to steal the fog vacuums from haftesal, does it mean that they intend to use them more boldly than haftesal has? have they considered the potential for harm in pushing these devices past the limits which the devices' actual creators have held themselves to?

it's a question which jiang wanyin likely doesn't know the answer to, and one which would certainly overstep his position to challenge the others with at this stage if it were brought to his attention. so xingchen holds his tongue, though his husband can no doubt sense the churning of his thoughts by now. instead, once the explanation is finished, he offers a simple: ) I agree. ( it's closer to proper volume and little more than a crackle because of it, but he maintains that crackle for the remainder of his response: ) I'm relieved that they've planned to avoid harm to Haftesal. ( as much as he, subjectively, would prefer that public opinion not villainize jiang wanyin, a man's choices have consequences, and haftesal should not be left to shoulder them for the crime of innovation. )

[legbreakings]

[ There are many questions he could be asking about this mission, but Jiang Cheng has plenty of experience not letting himself think too closely about things which are better left unexamined.

So all he does is nod, accompanied by a tiny smile. ] I'm glad for it, too. They have done us a great kindness with the flower disease. We owe them. [ he takes Xingchen's hands into his own again and gives them a tight squeeze. ] I owe them, for saving your life.

[ If that comes at him facing the scorn of others, well, that won't be anything new either. He will only hope that Xingchen isn't affected for his ties to him. ]

But let us not think about that anymore now. Let us find something more pleasant to do. We could take a walk, maybe, if you are feeling up to it. The forest is nice around this time of the year.