His words broke off halfway too.
At the dark, silent corner ahead, a faint orange glow seeped through, flickering in and out of sight.
The two paused, exchanged a glance, and crept over along the wall. Guan Qianyan reached the doorway and cautiously peeked inside with half an eye.
No one was there.
The spacious room held only two sets of tables and chairs and a few simple utensils. A candle stood on one table, nearly burned out, wisps of black smoke rising from its flame. An oil lamp burned brightly on the other table. Two sword hooks were fixed to the stone wall beside it, but the swords were gone.
Guan Qianyan watched for a while before an impatient little head poked out beside her waist. "Senior Sister Guan, what's going on?"
"Nothing. They left in a hurry and didn't even put out the candle." Guan Qianyan breathed a sigh of relief.
That was indeed the case. They had clearly been gone for some time. The candle had burned down to the very bottom, its column no longer visible, leaving only a puddle with the wick about to drown inside it.
Reassured, the two walked in. Guan Qianyan surveyed the room, found a register on the wall, and read with her hands behind her back, "On duty at Jiajiu Pillar today: Dai Qiwen, Mo Chang-so it was Senior Brother Mo."
She turned. "Further ahead should lead straight to the rear peak-stop looking around. Let's go."
"All right." Kong Lanting stood before the other table. He obediently turned, muttering, "This oil lamp's pretty full, though."
"...What?" Guan Qianyan froze.
"This lamp. The oil's filled right up-" Kong Lanting suddenly realized something too, and the words caught in his throat.
Guan Qianyan strode over. Just then, the candlewick behind her drowned