"Wei Yanchi?"
Wei Yanchi pulled another angel eyeball from his pocket and waved it before him, then looked toward the town, his smile turning slightly wicked.
Holding the umbrella in one hand, he gently drew Xie De a step back with the other. Xie De felt the eyeball in his palm trying to escape and released it. Glowing pale blue like an exquisite ornament, it floated upward.
The two eyeballs converged as though drawn together by gravity, eerily radiating delight, yet also resembling some deathly presence winding around life to drag it down.
The sight made Xie De's skin crawl. He discreetly looked away and turned to Wei Yanchi.
Wei Yanchi rotated the eyeballs and asked with a smile, "How have you enjoyed yourself in this illusion, Mr. Xie De?"
"Not very much."
They exchanged a glance. Rain poured around them, leaving only the world beneath their umbrella cut off from the downpour.
Xie De looked elsewhere. "You must have a way out of this illusion."
"I can tear this illusion open. Don't you want to stay and look around a little longer, Mr. Xie De?" Wei Yanchi asked gently, his eyes smiling. Even with his face smeared in soot, he didn't look bedraggled.
Xie De remained expressionless. "No."
"All right."
Wei Yanchi rotated the two eyeballs, then said conversationally, "My last illusion was the Witch's Magic Troupe. Juelu thought she was a magician and was touring the country. She only finally woke up after I went over and exposed her tricks. Honestly, those magic shows were pretty entertaining. What a shame you didn't get to see them."
"Where's Juelu?"
"She should be in this instance now, too." Wei Yanchi gave an infuriating smile, deliberately putting on a comically conceited air. "Really, she doesn't need to thank me. I'm just