Yu Xing thought back over his brief time with River Witch.
After meeting them, River Witch hadn't treated them differently based on whether they were "two people" or "three nonhumans."
While chatting in the room, River Witch had treated everyone the same. It was impossible to tell whether she preferred humans or nonhumans. If so, what had Aran's question at the door even meant?
Since this was River Witch's home, they had exchanged a few words with Aran and quickly concluded she wasn't the Witch of legend. So they'd instinctively assumed Aran was relaying a question on behalf of the real Witch.
But what if Aran had wanted to ask that question herself?
It was perfectly normal to confirm their identities when they met. Even if they were under surveillance, River Witch couldn't use that against them. But if the answer to that question was another kind of hint, then...
Yu Xing pushed his damp bangs back and laid out the facts he had in his mind.
First: "two people," taken literally.
Second: River Witch's red cloth shoes matched those worn by Master of Ten Thousand's subordinates. In other words, River Witch had close ties to Master of Ten Thousand.
Third: River Witch couldn't possibly be on the same side as Master of Ten Thousand. Their only possible relationship was one of hostility.
Fourth: Aran, who seemed to have lived with River Witch for many years, appeared to be trying to warn them.
Fifth: The surveillance beyond River Witch's Tower covered a vast area and contained immense energy, yet River Witch herself didn't seem capable of controlling it.
The clues allowed for only a handful of possibilities. Once they ruled out the ones that didn't make sense, only one remained.
River Witch in the red cloth shoes and "River Witch,