The door to the Twelfth Layer did not open immediately.
A white gap hung across the center of the empty hall, like a wound slashed open by a blade. Behind the door, bells tolled slowly, once, then again, each toll making the Silver Nameplate on Xu Zhihan's chest a little hotter.
Shen Yu stood on the other side of the gap, the Clock Core still turning behind him. The faces inside those old clocks all lowered their heads, as though waiting for someone in a higher position to speak.
Xu Zhihan lowered his eyes and saw that the edge of the Silver Nameplate had cracked deeper.
Lu Wenchuan saw it too.
"Does it hurt?"
Xu Zhihan said, "It's manageable."
Lu Wenchuan looked at him.
Xu Zhihan frowned. "What's that look for?"
"You're copying me."
"Don't flatter yourself."
Lu Wenchuan laughed, then drew a soft breath.
Xu Zhihan's gaze immediately dropped to his shoulder.
"Hurts?"
"Yeah."
This time, he answered quickly.
Xu Zhihan raised his hand and pressed the fabric beside Lu Wenchuan's shoulder, avoiding the wound as he pressed down on the outer layer of blood-soaked gauze.
"We'll change the dressing when we get out."
"You'll do it?"
"Song Zhixia will."
Lu Wenchuan asked quietly, "Will you watch?"
"Depends on how you behave."
Shen Yu watched them as though watching an old play of no consequence.
"If you make each other your landing point, the Oracle Tower will always know where you are."
Xu Zhihan did not look up.
"You talk as much as Xie Wu."
Shen Yu said calmly, "Xie Wu used to be very good at obeying."
Lu Wenchuan scoffed.
"Obeying his way into that isn't anything worth praising."
Shen Yu raised his hand, and the clock cabinets in the empty hall began closing in. The wooden cabinets