Seeing the expressions on Stelle's and Dan Heng's faces, Hanya realized that saying something like that at a time like this could easily cause a misunderstanding.
So she explained, "You've misunderstood. By the grace of the Ten Lords, my sister received a mechanical body hundreds of years ago. Her soul returning to the Case Archives in the Hall of Karma after death has long since become routine for her.
"Though I don't want to see her expend her body so recklessly every time, as though it were a part she could casually replace. But..."
Hanya fell silent and shook her head, suppressing the uncomfortable feelings in her mind before changing the subject.
"By the way, did you find any casualties who might be the Yaoqing envoys? One is a lavishly dressed Foxian, and the other wears dark robes and looks like an outlaw."
"...No." Dan Heng shook his head. "Aside from the Borisin, I didn't see any bodies here that looked like Foxians."
"That means the prison breakers and Hoolay have taken the Yaoqing envoys hostage," Hanya said.
"This is the worst possible outcome. With hostages in their hands, I'm afraid the jailers will be powerless against them. If anything goes wrong, relations between the Xianzhou Luofu and the Yaoqing Xianzhou could suffer an irreparable rift.
"We must rescue the envoys, escape this place, and get word out. As long as there's even a glimmer of hope, we must never give up!"
As she spoke, Hanya suddenly turned toward a Clockwork Bird that had landed nearby, then slowly walked over.
"Did you find something, Miss Hanya?" Dan Heng asked.
Hanya didn't answer right away. She simply stared at the Clockwork Bird.
A moment later, Xueyi's voice actually began coming from inside the Clockwork Bird in broken fragments.
"Han... Han..."
Stelle