Xiao Zhan reached out his hand to the side of Lan Wangji's face, forcing the latter to look at him. His eyes narrowed and fixed on Lan Wangji's. "Lan Zhan, your jealousy is out of control! The life I had in the other world and the people in it existed, and I can't change that fact. Do you understand?" He said.
Lan Wangji was frozen solid for a few brief seconds, shocked at his brazen act. He lowered his gaze, unable to meet the pair of silvery-grey eyes at the moment. He mumbled, "Yes."
"Lan Zhan, look me in the eye. I want you to tell me sincerely." He pulled Lan Wangji's chin up and stared directly into his very soul. "Who do you take me for?"
"..." Lan Wangji felt as if his throat had gone dry, and he swallowed hard. In that intense staring battle, neither of them spoke for a while.
Hearing no response, Xiao Zhan dropped his hand and looked away first, sighing heavily.
"My soulmate," Lan Wangji finally spoke up. His low, deep voice quivered, but he steeled himself and fixed his eyes on Xiao Zhan's face, unblinking.
Xiao Zhan eyelashes fluttered, returning to stare at the light golden eyes again. His heart was having bouts of arrythmias. His genius brain was turning into a mush of mashed potatoes.
Soulmate...? Ah! My idiotic heart is going to explode at this rate. Isn't it wrong for me to be feeling like a high school kid in a rom-com drama at this age? Am I truly his soulmate? What about Wei Wuxian? Oh, right, I am him now! Am I permitted to love without restraint in this universe? Do I even deserve his sincerity?... Actually... fuck it!! Let's just follow this stupid heart of mine!
Without giving it further thought, Xiao Zhan decided to abandon his train of reasoning and follow his impulsive heart, wrapping his arms around Lan Wangji's neck and pulling him closer into an embrace.
Lan Wangji stiffened at the gesture of intimacy, unsure of how to respond or where to place his hands.
Xiao Zhan murmured softly, "If you truly believe that, then let us change the future together."
A huge thump came from the center of Lan Zhan's chest as he registered the words in his brain. He was completely captivated, and his hands gradually moved to securely envelop Xiao Zhan's narrow waist. "Mn."
As they were hugging, they both could feel each other's warm bodies and the rapid galloping of their hearts. The room temperature had increased by a few degrees and was constantly rising despite the cold, windy night. They stayed in that entanglement, listening to each other's breathing for quite some time before it became awkward to remain in that position.
Oh crap... This is dangerous... I hugged a lot of people in my life and there have only been a couple time that my heart feel like this. I think I am really screwed this time.
Xiao Zhan grew a little restless with his jumbled-up thoughts. He loosened the arms that were curled around the Second Jade's neck, saying awkwardly, "Umm... Lan Zhan. Can you let me get up first?"
Lan Wangji woke up from the dreamy daze and gently broke their connected bodies when he finally realized what he was doing. The rush of blood to his head painted his fair face with rouge, and he shot up to his feet. He avoided making eye contact with the person sitting on the bed, just in case he would do something unthinkable like what he had just done. He said quietly, "You should rest."
Xiao Zhan bit his lip, his cheeks flushed slightly. He then spoke softly, "You should rest too. Good night, Lan Zhan."
Lan Wangji still managed to reply despite being embarrassed, "Good night, Wei Ying."
Xiao Zhan buried his face in his palms right after the person in white left the room like the wind.
Xiao Zhan ah, get a grip! It's just a hug. Just an innocent hug.
It was safe to say that neither of them had a good night, tossing and turning as they thought about each other.
*****
Next morning was tongue-tied to say the least. They barely spoke, both still replaying the scene in their minds. It was just a hug albeit a longer than normal one, but it felt like it was a huge deal for both of them.
They mounted their swords, making their move in silence, and they reached the town nearest to Qishan that evening. They decided not to enter the city itself, as they did not want to attract attention to themselves. After having a rather quiet dinner, they rested for the night separately with minimal interactions. Not that they did not want to; they were just too... shy?
The next day, Xiao Zhan spent half of the day roaming around the city gathering information with his excellent social and investigation skills. At the same time, he needed a time-out from the lingering awkwardness with the Second Young Master Lan, who stayed behind doing his meditation. Lan Wangji, on the other hand, did not probe too deeply into Xiao Zhan's plan for the day, as he himself was still in turmoil.
Xiao Zhan let off some steam with some random shopping for interesting things and snacks after he got all the information he wanted to know. Since he was not wasting money on alcohol, he had accumulated quite a large amount of spending money from his allowance as the head disciple of Yunmeng Jiang. Somehow, since the incident at Burial Mound, he felt slightly more confident and comfortable with his control over the dark arts. Alone in his room, he spent the rest of the day creating and bringing his imagination to life, running some trials on talismans and spells. Thanks to the great intellect he had inherited, there were many useful things he successfully invented or recreated according to Wei Wuxian's previous ideas and his own innovations within that short time.
At dusk, they finally sat together again for dinner, adhering fully to the Gusu Lan sect's rules on not talking while eating. Afterward, they discussed their plan for the night like professionals because they were both sensible pragmatists who knew how to separate work and personal matters.
Xiao Zhan briefed them once more, "Tonight, the main focus will be on the numbers, equipment, activities, and dispositions of the Wen forces."
Lan Wangji inquired, "Do you plan to sneak into their base with the information?"
"Most likely, but not tonight. We cannot rush this. But it will still be to our advantage if we can map out an escape route. That means we need to pay attention to the terrain and the timing." Xiao Zhan replied, rubbing his chin. "Ah, maybe I should find a way to recreate a clock next."
"A clock?"
"It is a mechanical device to tell time more accurately than an incense stick."
"I see."
And the conversation died.
The sky was dark; it was almost time for them to get ready. Xiao Zhan could not stand their lack of conversation any longer. He put an all-black set of garments in front of Lan Wangji and spoke as he normally would, "Change into this."
Lan Wangji's brows wrinkled in confusion. "What's this?"
"Ninja's uniforms," Xiao Zhan simply stated. He added, "What? You aren't expecting that we would be walking around, snooping for the enemy's weaknesses while announcing who we are, right? Anyone could tell you're from Gusu Lan with that unmistakable white outfit. This is camouflage. Since movement draws attention, good recon uses stealth to avoid detection. Got it?"
Finished with his explanation, Xiao Zhan stood up from his seat and, without warning, took off his sash, letting it fall to the floor.
"W-What are you doing?" Lan Wangji stuttered, turning his face away.
"What else? I'm taking off my clothes." Xiao Zhan was about to take off his outer robe. He was wearing three layers of robes. He teased to ease up the tense atmosphere between them, "Are you still shy? I think we saw each other topless once though."
Lan Wangji's ears turned red. His voice muffled as he spoke, "Please change behind the screen."
Xiao Zhan chuckled, his outer robe dangling from his forearm, purposely teasing the usually stoic man. The red middle layer he wore accentuated his narrow waist even more. Lan Wangji didn't mean to glance, but upon seeing the aesthetically pleasing figure, his eyes became stuck on the sight, completely mesmerized.
That being said, Xiao Zhan's plan pretty much backfired on him as he felt like he was being devoured visually. He cleared his throat and rushed over to the back of the room-dividing screen. He put on his set of black attire quickly and let down his hair. He went without his signature red ribbons and opted for a black one, tying his hair looser than usual.
Lan Wangji felt really strange wearing dark colors for the first time in his life. His head felt naked without his headpiece and, most importantly, his forehead ribbon.
"Wow." Xiao Zhan gaped at the sight of the Second Young Master Lan in that dark attire. "You look... dashing in black!"
Lan Wangji said nothing to the compliment.
Xiao Zhan was too enthralled with the bedazzling appearance in his line of sight. He babbled thoughtlessly, "I wish people could see you in this color. It's a shame not to show off such a gorgeous face in that attire. I wish I could take a picture of you and frame it."
"Ridiculous," Lan Wangji snubbed. His ears turned red from the praise.
Finally feeling eased with the return of their normal interactions, Xiao Zhan laughed heartily. "Okay, okay! Let's move then."
They moved swiftly and stealthily, blending in with the lightless surroundings. Xiao Zhan's eyes darted around the area as he memorized the topography and surrounding environment. On the other side, Lan Wangji recorded the time they were taking to the checkpoints that were deemed suitable by the planner of this mission since he had a better sense of telling time without needing a timer.
Half of the Qishan Wen Clan headquarter was surrounded by hot lava and tall cliffs. They eventually arrived at higher ground thick with trees that overlooked the front of the huge fortress in Nightless City from afarâperfect for espionage. Due to the dark night and the geographical nature, it was probably not the best site to assess the military prowess.
But Xiao Zhan had cards up his sleeves. He drew some incantations on four blank talismans, infusing them with dark energies. Black mist that took the vague shape of four birds formed as he finished casting. It was one of his latest creations that he had come up with earlier.
Dire owls. He had gotten the inspiration obviously from Chenqing Ling, and those birds were not part of the original plot in the novel. An upgraded version of it, of course. It was a magic-meets-modern kind of modification; the dire owls were combined with the paper metamorphosis technique and the concept of night vision goggles. They basically became undetectable spy drones.
"What are these?" Lan Wangji pointed. He frowned at the energy of resentment that had materialized those creatures.
"These are dire owls. They are going to be my eyes in the sky. I will explain more later." Xiao Zhan knew Lan Wangji probably would lecture him again later, but the priority was their current mission.
Xiao Zhan let the dire owls fly up to the four sides before he closed his red eyes, sharing his eyesight with the owls. He scoured the entire area from an aerial view, switching from one to another.
"Ten guards at each entrance, twenty more atop the fence. Four at the watchtower of each wing," Xiao Zhan said from the top of the tree. Counting the number of sentries, he totaled, "That would account for three hundred and sixty people, including the patrolling squad. You are right; they are substantial in number."
"Their protective barriers look sturdy and intricate." Lan Wangji commented on the complicated layers of defensive arrays. Xiao Zhan leaped down and landed beside Lan Wangji.
"Indeed. Even the owls could not sneak past that thick dome. They could only fly above it." Xiao Zhan sighed.
After staking out for three hours, Xiao Zhan conclusively obtained the patterns of the security patrols and the general composition that made up the several teams of lookout guards. They just needed to map out the details on paper later.
On their way back to the inn, Lan Wangji asked, "How do you plan to meet the Wen siblings?"
Xiao Zhan grinned. "While I was out circling the city, I got a useful tip. Apparently, the two usually dine at this one particular restaurant once a week. Luck is on our side, as the day happens to be tomorrow."
*****
Wen Qing stared at the two young men in front of her. Her brother was sitting meekly beside her, stealing glances at the handsome strangers who suddenly took their seats and rudely crashed the siblings' lunchtime.
"Who are you?" She asked, her fierce tone full of wariness. Her hands were already on her sword, but she was not as fast as Xiao Zhan, who had already pasted a motion-stopping talisman on the siblings' backs before they sat down. She cursed her recklessness and her habit of not letting any of her subordinates follow her, as this mealtime was supposed to be her personal affair.
Xiao Zhan inclined his head, speaking respectfully, "Maiden Wen and Young Master Wen, my name is Wei Wuxian. First things first, I sincerely apologize for rudely interrupting your bonding time as well as our discourteous manners. Please do not worry, we mean no harm. We just really need to talk to you two."
Lan Wangji introduced himself as well in the same manner, albeit much shorter.
"What brings both the head disciple of Yunmeng Jiang and Second Young Master Lan here in such suspicious attire?" Wen Qing's eyes landed on their black getups. She had heard their names before, as the two young prodigies were well-known for their high levels of cultivation. She did not expect that the two individuals possessed much higher levels than the hearsay. She knew she could not win even if she managed to pull her sword.
Lan Wangji was straightforward as he usually was. "We intend to propose an alliance."
Wen Qing curtly replied, "What kind of alliance starts by offending and freezing someone?"
Xiao Zhan flashed a guilty smile. "Sorry, this probably isn't the best way to make friends, but we have our reasons."
"What kind of reason?" Wen Qing glared at him angrily.
"What if I told you I had seen the future of the Wen clan?" Xiao Zhan said, ignoring the threatening eyes.
"What kind of crazy talk is this!" Wen Qing's voice got louder. She was practically almost screaming, but strangely, no one seemed to react. She demanded, "Release us!"
Wen Ning looked alarmed at the abnormal situation but chose to keep quiet since it was obvious to him that he could not possibly overpower the pair.
"Precisely because it is crazy talk that I had to do this." Xiao Zhan rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Oh, I forgot to mention, I set up an isolation array earlier so our conversation won't accidentally leak out."
"You-!"
"Maiden Wen, you can get angry at me after this. But for now, I sincerely hope that you would listen to what I have to say."
"Why should I?" Wen Qing gritted her teeth.
"You are a physician, right? A great one at that. Currently, you are writing theories on golden core transfer, am I right?"
Wen Qing's brows knitted close as she asked, "...How do you know that?"
Xiao Zhan simply smiled sweetly. "How are Granny Wen and Uncle Four doing?"
Wen Ning's pupils quivered upon hearing his close relatives' names. The muscles on Wen Qing's face tightened as she gripped her hands into fists. "H-how did you know them?"
Lan Wangji calmly reassured her, "Perhaps you should listen until the end, Maiden Wen."
"...Talk!" Wen Qing spoke through her bared teeth, confused, angry, and curious all at the same time.
"Let's start with how both he and I were given the same prophetic dream at the same time by his ancestor." Xiao Zhan had no choice but to lie about his future information since Lan Wangji strongly disagreed with disclosing such a secret to someone else. Although he disliked the idea of deceiving Wen Qing, in the end, it was for the greater good.
"A prophetic dream is very rare." Wen Qing squinted her eyes, doubting his story. She had heard about these kinds of dreams before but had never met someone who claimed to have had the dream. "Are you sure that you aren't just dreaming nonsense?"
Xiao Zhan, "Rarity does not equal none, Maiden Wen. You can ask Young Master Lan here; I think everyone who has heard his name before knows that he cannot tell a lie."
The Wen siblings set their eyes on the impassive-looking Lan Wangji. Lan Wangji confirmed that part monotonously, "Wei Ying is telling the truth. The contents of our dreams were identical, and dream experts agreed on the conclusion."
Xiao Zhan kept his focus on Wen Qing, who was the harder one to convince. "Let me ask you, Maiden Wen. You refuse to kill anyone, and you disagree with your uncle's cruel reign and oppressive ways, am I right?"
"I am a doctor and a healer first, not a soldier or killer. It is against my principles to kill a person," Wen Qing firmly stated.
"Right. So, let me cut to the chase, Maiden Wen," Xiao Zhan turned deadly serious. "In less than three years, there will be war. The clans of the cultivation world will band together and go against your clan. Your clan will fall and will cease to exist."
The two siblings' eyes went round, and they spoke at the same time, flabbergasted, "Huh?"
Xiao Zhan smiled faintly as he continued, "I am here because I do not want the small subdivision you are currently leading to suffer from unjust treatments and torments after the war is over. I especially am trying to protect your younger brother here."
"M-me?" Wen Ning stuttered.
Xiao Zhan nodded. His eyes softened as he fixed his sight on the innocent teenager, who looked remarkably similar to Yubin. "Yes. You, Wen Qiong Lin. I am not going to sugarcoat things here. War would not spare you, unfortunately."
"Are you cursing my brother right now?" Wen Qing clenched her jaw. She might have been a harsh sister toward her brother, but she was definitely very protective of him.
"Of course not!" Xiao Zhan sternly refuted. His expression turned gloomy; his eyes were glossy. He was genuine when he said in a shaky voice a moment later, "To be honest, I do not need to go all the way here, telling you these things and sounding like a madman. But I sincerely want to stop the tragedy from happening to your family. So, please just hear me out for now. I will tell you everything I know about that future I mentioned."
"We don't have any choice but to listen, do we?" Wen Qing said sarcastically.
Xiao Zhan chuckled lightly, nodding his head in agreement before he continued with the details of the Sunshot Campaign and its aftermath. He also mentioned how the Wen remnants escaped with Wei Wuxian to Burial Mound and the two years they spent living as a family.
Wen Qing questioned, "That sounds like a lot of buffoonery, Young Master Wei. How do you expect me to trust you based on mere words? If war against my clan is going to happen, why do you trust us, then?" She pointed out, "Aren't you afraid that I will report your visit today to my uncle?"
"No, I am not." Xiao Zhan said, a melancholic smile on his lips. "I told you that secret because I believe in your integrity and the goodness of your heart. Both you and your close family are innocent. All of you deserve to live and have better lives."
He had no idea why he felt such deep sorrow as he recalled the tragic end of the small group of Wen remnants in the novel. The weight of the grief was crushing his soul, and he choked up.
Lan Wangji looked at him with concern. "Wei Ying?" he whispered.
Wen Qing and Wen Ning somehow felt a pang of sadness in their hearts, too, as they observed this Young Master Wei who was fighting back his tears. He was a total stranger, but somehow, they felt somewhat familiar with him after hearing his narrative.
Xiao Zhan calmed down after taking a few deep breaths. He plastered a stiff smile on his face. "What if we make a deal? I will provide you with materials on medicines. I can help to find a place for you to safely practice as a healer and for your family to settle down comfortably. Please just leave the Wen clan before the war."
Wen Qing raised her brow, genuinely curious now. Her tone was softer than earlier as she asked, "Why are you so desperate to save us? We are not related in any way."
Xiao Zhan took off his talismans to prove his honesty, releasing the two from the restraining spell. He exhaled heavily before speaking earnestly, "Yes, we may not be related, but I sincerely want you two and the rest of your division to be safe and alive. And in the future that I glimpsed, you two are among the few that I would call my family."
Wen Qing and Wen Ning were able to move again, but they stayed motionless, still processing what Xiao Zhan had just told them. Their instincts told them that the pair had no malicious intentions but rather legitimately wanted to help them. Strangely, both of them felt like they should trust the glassy-eyed youth before them.
Wen Qing eventually opened her mouth. "Let's say I believe your nonsense. Why now? You said the war is more than two years away, so why not tell us later?"
"Well, it gives all of you ample time to consider my suggestion. If you decide to leave the Wen clan earlier, your family won't be implicated even if you bear the same 'Wen' surname as Wen Ruohan."
Smiling at Wen Ning, Xiao Zhan continued, "Wen Qionglin here also happens to be a good friend of mine. I mean, in that future."
Wen Ning shyly returned his smile, stuttering his words. "M-me?"
Xiao Zhan nodded and offered a handshake to him. "Let's be friends. What do you say?"
"Okay!" Wen Ning happily took Xiao Zhan's hand and shook it without hesitation before Wen Qing could say anything.
At the same time, Lan Wangji's eyes went sharply to the firm handshake, his brows furrowed.