The morning sun ascended with a languid grace, its light brushing over the rooftops like a painter's first stroke on fresh canvas. Golden shafts pierced through the mist-drenched alleys of the quiet village, casting narrow shadows that stretched like the fingers of ghosts. Amidst this quiet theater, Li Wei moved with resolute poise, his steps muted against the damp cobblestones.
Having just emerged from a shadowed warehouse, he now walked through the back-routes of the city—alleys seldom traversed save by cats and those who preferred their footsteps unheard.
His form blended with the greys and browns of stone walls, his robe fluttering faintly behind him, catching the breeze that carried whispers of incense, sewage, and salt. He had been coerced into a relationship that benefited both parties, on the surface.
