Wind swept past the city gate, lifting dust from the ground and sending it swirling through the air.
The Heaven Dou guards still lay sprawled on the ground. Some groaned; others had already passed out.
The Star Luo Empire guards remained on alert, their bowstrings drawn and arrows trained on the road outside the city.
Dai Mobai turned, his gaze settling on Xue Qinghe's face.
That gentle smile still played on his lips, tinged with mockery and the ease of someone looking down from above.
He stood where the gate's shadow met the sunlight, half his face bright and half in darkness. In that shifting light, his deep-set eyes looked darker than ever.
"Tell me, what should we do with this assassin?"
His voice was quiet, but the words struck Xue Qinghe's chest like a heavy hammer.
Xue Qinghe's pupils contracted. Hatred fierce enough to burn surged through his usually gentle eyes.
Yet he forced it beneath his mild expression, leaving only the faintest glint of coldness.
"Didn't the assassin just say you sent him?"
Xue Qinghe met Dai Mobai's gaze.
His voice was steady and calm, without the slightest tremor.
Beneath his sleeves, his nails had already pierced his palms. The dull pain kept him clinging to the last of his composure.
"And?"
Dai Mobai raised an eyebrow.
"So, to prove your innocence, hand him over to me for questioning!"
Xue Qinghe's voice deepened.
He held Dai Mobai's gaze openly. There was no hint of deceit in his eyes; they even carried a stern sense of justice.
"Only then can I believe this isn't some act the two of you put on together."
His argument left no room for objection.
Having the assassin handed over would silence Dai Mobai in public while giving She Long a chance to survive.