6 ：Rise

    ThecapitalcityofLianwasabustlinghubofactivity，filledwithmerts，nobles，andonersallgoingabouttheirdailylives.Theairwasthickwiththestofexoticspidthesoundoflivelychatter.Sukie，HanFengling，andMeimadetheirwaythroughthecrowdedstreets，theirheartsheavywiththeweightoftheirmission.TheyhadsuccessfullygatheredintelligenceabouttheDarkLord’spnsandnowofindawaytostophim.Sukie’smindwasragwithpossibilities.TheyhadlearhattheDarkLord’sneonwasbeingstoredintheheavilyguardedpace.Gettingcloseenoughtodestroyitwouldrequireacleverpnandfwlessexecution.Astheywalked，Sukie’seyesweredrawntoagrandbuildingadorhsilkbannersandintricatecarvings.Itwasthemostfamousbrotheliy，knownforitsbeautifulcourtesansaravagantperformances.ApoforminSukie’smind.SheturoHanFengling，hereyesfilledwithdeterminatiointothepadIthinkIknowhow.IfIgairytothebrothelandbeeoheircourtesans，Imightbeabletogetclosetosomeohaccesstothepace.”HanFengling’seyeswidenedin.“Sukie，that’sincrediblydangerous.Thebrothelisfullofspiesandinformants.Ifyou’rediscovered…”Sukiepcedareassuringhandonhisarm.“Iknowit’srisky，butit’sourbestce.Wedon’thavetimetoeupwithanotherpn.Trustme，Idothis.”HanFenglinglookedintohereyes，seeierminationandstrengthwithinthem.Henoddedslowly，hisvoicefilledwithresolve.“Alright，we’lldoit.Butwe’llstayclose，andifanythingg，we’llgetyououtofthere.”Sukiesmiled，gratefulforhissupport.“Thankyou.IpromiseI’llbecareful.”Theymadetheirwaytothebrothel，andSukieapproachedtheentrahfidehedoorman，aburlymanwithascarrunningdownhischeek，eyedhersuspiciously.“Whatdoyouwant?”hegrowled.Sukiestraightenedherposture，exudinganairoffidendgrace.“Iseekemploymentasacourtesan.I’veheardthisisthefiestablishmentiy.”Thedoormanraisedaneyebrow，clearlyintrigued.“Wedon’ttakejustanyone.You’llhavetoproveyourself.”内容未完，下一页继续阅读Sukienodded，hervoicesteady.“Iuand.I’mready.”Heledherinside，whereshewasintroduadam，ashrewdwomanwithakeealent.ThemadamlookedSukieupanddown，hergazepierg.“Whydoyouwanttoworkhere?”sheasked，hertoical.Sukiemethergazewithoutfling.“Ihaveskillsthatcouldbevaluabletoyourestablishment.I’mfidentIeainyourmostdisingts.”Themadam’seyesnarrowed，butshenodded.“Verywell.You’llhaveatrialperiod.Ifyouimpressme，you’llstay.Ifnot，you’reout.”Sukieagreed，arainingbegaely.Thedaysthatfollowedweregrueling，filledwithlessonsindance，musidversation.Sukie’sdeterminationneverwavered，andshequicklyprovedherselftobeafastlearheothercourtesans，initiallywaryofthenewer，begantowarmtoherastheysawherdedicationandskill.Assheimmersedherselfinhernewrole，Sukiekepthertruemissionattheforefrontofhermind.Sheogairustofthebrothel’smostiialts，especiallythosewithestothepaesuchtwasLordowerfulnobleknownforhisextravaganttastesandclosetiestotheroyalfamily.Thenightofherfirstperformancearrived，andSukiefeltamixtureofexcitementandnerves.Shedressedinastunningsilkgown，herhairadorhdelicateflowers.Asshesteppedontothestage，theroomfellsilent，alleyesohemusicbegan，andSukiemovedgracefully，hereverymotioncaptivatingtheaudience.Shedahapassionandelegahatlefteveryoneinawe，herperformanceaperfectblendofbeautyandskill.Aftertheperformance，Lordroachedher，clearlyimpressed.“Ynifit，”hesaid，hiseyesfilledwithadmiration.“I’veneverseensuchgradtalent.”Sukiesmiled，herheartpounding.“Thankyou，mylord.I’mhonoredbyyourpraise.”LordWeitookherhand，hisgazeintense.“I’dliketospendsometimewithyou，ifyou’rewilling.Ihaveaprivateroomupstairs.”内容未完，下一页继续阅读Sukie’spulsequied.Thiswastheopportunityshehadbeenwaitingfor.“I’dbedelighted，mylord.”Theyasdedthegrandstaircase，andSukiefollowedLordWeiintoavishlydecoratedroom.Astheysettledontoaplushcouch，LordWeipouredthembothagssofwine.“Toyourincredibleperformance，”hetoasted，raisinghisgss.Sukiekedhergssagainsthis，hermindragwithpossibilities.“Thankyou，mylord.It’sanhonortoeainsomeoneasdistinguishedasyourself.”Theychattedforawhile，LordWeiclearlyenjoyingherpany.Sukielistenedily，subtlysteeringtheversationtowardsthepadtheDarkLord’spns.ShelearhatLordWeiwasindeedwell－ectedandoftenattendedprivategatheringsatthepace.Astheeveningprogressed，LordWeigrewmorefortable，andSukiesawherce.Sheleanedin，hervoicesoftandinviting.“Mylord，I’veheardrumorsaboutaneonbeingdevelopedinthepace.Doyouknowanythingaboutit?”LordWeichuckled，clearlypleasedwithhercuriosity.“Ah，theDarkLord’ssecretproject.Yes，I’veheardquiteabit.It’ssupposedtobeincrediblypowerful，somethingthatcouldgethecourseofthewar.”Sukie’sheartraced.“Thatsoundsfasating.Doyouthinkthere’sanywayIcouldseeit?”LordWeiraisedaneyebrow，intriguedbyherboldness.“You’requitethecuriousone，aren’tyou?PerhapsIcouldarrangesomething.Butitwouldrequireabitofpersuasion.”Sukiesmiled，leaningcloser.“I’msureweetoanarra，mylord.”内容未完，下一页继续阅读Thenighttihadelicatedanceofwordsandsubtlepersuasion.Bytheendoftheevening，LordWeiwasthhlyented，andSukiehadsecuredhispromisetotakehertothepace.Thefollowingdayswereablurofpreparationandanticipation.Sukiekepthertrueiionshidden，maintainingherroleasadedicatedcourtesan.HanFenglingandMeiremainedclose，readytintoaifneeded.Finally，thedayarrived.Dressedinherfigown，SukieapaniedLordWeitothepace.Thegrandhallswerefilledwithopulendsplendor，butSukie’sfocuswasonthemission.Sheolocatetheonandfindawaytodestroyit.Astheywalkedthroughthepace，LordWeiintroducedhertovariousnoblesandofficials，eateradelicatebanceofcharmanding.Sukie’smindwasstantlyw，analyzingeverydetailandgatheringasmuformationaspossible.Eventually，theyreachedaheavilyguardedchamber.LordWeispoketotheguards，aeppedaside，allowiry.Sukie’sheartpouheysteppediheroomwasfilledwithintricatemaeryandstraifacts，theairhummingwithanotherworldlyenergy.“Thisisit，”LordWeisaid，hisvoicefilledwithpride.“TheDarkLord’ssecreton.Isn’titmagnifit?”Sukienodded，hereyessingtheroomforanyvulnerabilities.“It’sincredible，mylord.Buthowdoesitwork?”LordWeibegantoexpin，butSukie’sattentionwaselsewhere.Shespottedaseriesoftrolsandswitches，eaeglowingwithafaint，eerielight.Sheofindawaytodisabletheonwithoutarousingsuspi.Thinkingquickly，Sukiefeignedafaintingspell，colpsingtothefloor.LordWeirushedtoherside，hisgenuine.“Sukie！Areyht?”heexcimed，hisvoicefilledwithworry.内容未完，下一页继续阅读Shegroaned，hervoiceweak.“I’mfine，mylord.Ithinktheexcitementwasjusttoomue.”LordWeihelpedhertoherfeet，histoutle.“Perhapsweshouldgetyousomefreshair.”Sukienodded，allowinghimtoleadheroutofthechamber.Astheyexited，shesubtlydroppedasmall，eohetrols.Itowerfulartifactshehadacquiredduriraining，capableofdisruptingmagiergies.Astheywalkedthroughthepacegardens，Sukiefeltasenseofrelief.Thestonewouldactivateinamatterofminutes，renderingtheonuseless.Shejustogetoutofthepacebeforeaiced.LordWeitiodoteonher，oblivioustohertrueiions.Sukiepyedherroleperfectly，hermindfocusedonthemission.Astheyreturothebrothel，shefeltasurgeoftriumph.Theyhadsucceededindisablingtheon，buttheirjourneywasfarfromover.Bathesafetyoftheirquarters，SukiesharedthenewswithHanFenglingaheirreliefandpridewerepalpable，buttheykhefightwaswon.TheDarkLordwouldnotbeeasilydefeated，andtheroadaheadwasstillfraughtwithdanger.Astheypheirmove，Sukiefeltadeepsenseofdetermination.Theyhadesofar，andtheirbondhadonlygrownstronger.WithHanFenglingandMeibyherside，shekheycouldfaychallenge.Together，theywouldfightfortheirlove，theirfriends，aureoftheKingdomofLiahaheadwasuain，buttheywerereadytofaceit，handinhand，theirheartsunitedbyasharedpurposeandanunbreakablebond.