It was a storeroom filled with things Yin Shu had once used. Clearly, Ozai had kept everything connected to her here.
Most importantly, Kori sensed that one of the chests in the storeroom was packed with letters.
Both of them realized that those letters would undoubtedly be the most important clues to unraveling the mystery!
The moment they discovered a lead on Yin Shu, Azula's composure and disguise vanished completely. Like someone who had gone thirsty for days catching sight of water, she wanted to fling herself at it in a frenzy, and Kahn hurriedly stopped her.
"There's someone else here. Calm down!"
Kahn repeated his low growl in her ear several times before he barely managed to drag Azula's reason back, but she still stood motionless, staring fixedly at the chest.
Azula's sudden change startled Kori. She looked at her fearfully and could not help retreating half a step.
With no other choice, Kahn left Azula there and led Kori out of the Royal Palace through the Secret Passage, thanking her:
"Sorry for all the trouble. You really were a huge help this time."
After leaving the Secret Room, Kori's fear eased somewhat. Remembering the scene just now, she asked with some concern:
"It's all right, but the way Princess Azula looked just now... is she okay?"
Kahn was not too sure himself:
"She should be okay? Those things really are important to her. That's why she got so worked up. I'm sorry she frightened you. I apologize on her behalf."
Kori nodded, only half understanding:
"Oh, I see... anyway, that means we completed our mission successfully, right?"
Kahn nodded and praised her:
"Of course. You deserve the greatest credit! I'm sure Princess Azula will remember this."
"What about you? Will you remember it?"
"Me?"
Kahn paused, but still smiled. "Of course I will."
"But don't forget-"
"To keep it secret! I know."
Hearing Kahn's reply, Kori smiled happily, then waved to him, turned gracefully, and walked away with light steps.
"I'll be off, then. See you tomorrow!"
"See you tomorrow."
After seeing Kori off, Kahn had no time to think about anything else and turned back. The main event was still ahead.
Kahn did not rush straight back, but went to find Zuko first.
Although Zuko had had no part in things these past few days, he was now one of them, and they could not leave him out at such an important moment.
Sure enough, after hearing there was news about Yin Shu, Zuko was just as excited and pushed Kahn to hurry to the Secret Room.
When the two returned to the Secret Room, Kahn found that Azula had already returned to normal. She strolled casually over the chests, holding several letters between her fingers, her usual smile on her face.
Seeing them enter, Azula waved the envelopes in her hand. "Found it. A lead."
Hearing this, Zuko anxiously snatched an envelope and began reading, but Azula had already begun leisurely revealing the answer beside him:
"Although the letters don't explicitly mention where Mother went, there's one crucial clue-Mother's hometown, Rah, an obscure backwater in the middle of nowhere."
"Whether she went back or not, I'm sure there will be plenty of important clues there."
Although they still had not directly established Yin Shu's whereabouts, their efforts had finally taken a great step forward, and Azula could not help relaxing somewhat.
Then, however, she changed the subject, taking another letter from inside her clothes and addressing Zuko with amusement:
"All right, poor Zuzu. Compared to that letter, which is no longer of any use, I think you need to read this one more."
"I have to say, this is shocking news! Haha!"
Zuko ignored her, but she had piqued Kahn's interest instead. He edged a little closer to Azula, and she casually handed him the letter, as though she knew what he was thinking.
"This... huh?!"
Kahn opened the letter and read it. His eyes soon widened, and he made an incredulous sound, at a loss for words.
Just as Azula had said, this really was earth-shattering news. It left him utterly dumbfounded.
"What is it?"
Seeing Kahn's shocked expression, Zuko finally reacted. Under Kahn's indescribable gaze, he took the envelope, and then-
"What?! That's impossible-!!!"
Zuko shouted in disbelief, his pupils quaking as his entire worldview collapsed.
This was a letter Yin Shu had written to an old acquaintance back home. Its contents were simple:
Zuko was not Ozai's child, but this old acquaintance's.
Zuko questioned his entire existence on the spot.
Kahn's thoughts went further. Ozai was now the emperor, and although Zuko had not yet been named crown prince, it was practically nailed down. After all, Ozai had only one son and one daughter.
But now it seemed that even the crown prince was not the emperor's biological son. Well, this...
"Wait, something doesn't seem right!"
Kahn's mind turned, and he suddenly felt there seemed to be a problem here:
"Since this letter is here, I'm sure that, given your father's personality, he wouldn't have left these letters unread. In other words, he should know about this."
"Which raises a question. If Zuko really isn't your father's biological son, then given his personality, I don't think you should have survived this long!"
Even an ordinary man could not stomach something like this, much less someone as ruthless as Ozai. If he really could endure even this, there would have been no reason for him to choose to murder his father and usurp the throne.
"All right, that's true. You're so eager to show off. Do you want me to give you a good round of praise?"
Azula rolled her eyes irritably, as though complaining that Kahn had ruined her plan to tease Zuko.
She had also been quite shocked when she first read the letter, but had quickly worked out what did not make sense about it. She had only brought it out to toy with Zuko, but Kahn had spoiled it.
Hearing both Kahn and Azula say this, a little light returned to Zuko's eyes, but looking at the envelope in his hand, he said uncertainly:
"But the letter says..."
Azula scoffed:
"That's why you're an idiot, my poor Zuzu. All day long, it's 'the letter says,' 'Mother says,' 'the teacher says,' 'Father says.' Don't you have any thoughts of your own?"
"Even dogs by the roadside know to find their own shit to eat!"
"Don't go too far!"
Zuko was furious, but he finally felt a little more reassured.
Kahn clapped his hands to draw their attention and summed things up:
"Although there are still plenty of mysteries, whether it's Empress Yin Shu's whereabouts or Zuko's parentage, as long as we keep investigating, the truth will eventually emerge as the waters recede and the stones show. Whatever the case, we've already taken a great step forward."
"And our next destination is already clear-"
At this point, all three spoke in unison:
"Rah!"
Before you continue