Cloudrest Peak woke in a panic.
Disciples raced across the courtyards, shouting about glowing barriers and energy surges. The rain hadn't started yet, but thunder rolled like it was testing its throat.
When I reached the relic vault, the massive stone doors were open. Blue light traced patterns across the floor—lines that used to protect the artifacts inside.
Shen Qianhe stood before them, arms folded, perfectly calm while everyone else looked ready to faint.
"Assistant Lin," he said when he saw me. His tone was polite, nothing more. "You're in charge of the relic records. Join the investigation."
"Yes, Sect Master."
I followed him inside. The chamber smelled of dust and lightning. Dozens of old objects floated in protective domes: scrolls, blades, tiny glowing stones.
One dome was broken. The air shimmered where it should have been solid.
Shen Qianhe studied the floor, where a faint circle of ash marked the missing relic. "The Heartmirror Fragment," he said quietly. "Gone."
"The Heartmirror what?" I asked before remembering I was supposed to sound professional.
He didn't look up. "A divine relic. It shows the truth of the heart that touches it."
I swallowed. "So… basically a magical lie detector?"
"Something like that."
My hands itched. The truth detector was sitting in my drawer back in my office.
He examined the seal lines with a frown. "There's no damage. Whoever did this opened it from within."
I kept my face blank. "That sounds… difficult."
"It would require precise knowledge of the vault's wards." He straightened, meeting my eyes for a brief second. "We'll review all access logs. Bring them to me by this evening."
"Yes, Sect Master."
He nodded once and turned away to direct the others. His commands were calm, efficient. People listened. Even the thunder outside seemed to wait for him to finish speaking.
Back in my office, I closed the door and let myself exhale for the first time in an hour.
I pulled open the hidden drawer. The Heartmirror Fragment glowed softly, a heartbeat made of light. "You," I whispered, "are going to get me in so much trouble."
The shard didn't answer, obviously. It just pulsed once, like it agreed.
I wrapped it in cloth and tucked it deep into the lining of my robe. If Heaven knew I'd touched it, I'd be erased from every record that ever mentioned me.
That afternoon, rain began to fall. I brought the access logs to the main hall, where Shen Qianhe and several elders stood over a glowing diagram of the vault.
He glanced up as I entered. "Leave the records there," he said.
"Yes, Sect Master."
I set the papers down and stepped back. He didn't thank me; he didn't have to. I wasn't sure if he even noticed my existence outside of paperwork and tea. That was fine. Easier, even.
But as I turned to leave, his voice stopped me.
"You were near the vault earlier, weren't you?"
My heart skipped. "Only when you summoned me, Sect Master."
"Mm." He returned to his work. "Good. Stay alert. Whoever did this may still be within the sect."
"Yes, Sect Master."
I bowed and left, keeping my pace steady until I was out of sight. Then I almost ran.
The storm hit just before nightfall. Rain crashed against the rooftops, filling the air with the smell of wet stone and pine. I sat in my small room, trying not to stare at the faint glow seeping from my robe.
Heaven wanted its relic back. The Sect Master wanted answers. And I wanted a very long nap.
None of us were going to get what we wanted.
I looked out the window. Lightning split the sky over Cloudrest's highest peak. For a heartbeat, the entire mountain glowed white—and in that brief flash, I thought I saw something move among the clouds. Wings. Feathers. Watching.
The Heavenly Bureau was always watching.
I shut the window, tightened my robe around me, and whispered to the relic hidden underneath:
"Let's try not to get caught, all right?"
The fragment pulsed once, faint and steady, like it understood.
Outside, the thunder rolled again—soft, distant, and full of warning.
Tomorrow, the investigation would begin. And if I wanted to survive, I'd have to play the part of the perfect, harmless assistant a little longer.