aulteration | sangcheng zone

Jiang Cheng, Jiang Cheng-!! I really didn't know what else I could add... Jin Ling was reliable enough, back there. I assumed he made a good report.

[Please, who's pretending to have any face! Not him!

They continue on toward his own quarters, where he breezes past a disciple or two lingering near the entrance and waves Jiang Cheng through with him. At the subtle motion of his fan, they seem to think of better things to do after a moment, staying just long enough to watch them both enter before they wander elsewhere.

Though-- they pass a room or two designed for entertaining guests, on to a smaller one. It's closer to Huaisang's own room, a little cozier, the decoration less fancy and more comfortable (though still tailored to his own elegant tastes.) He retrieves a couple of clay jars, setting them on the table and making himself comfortable.]

You wanted to verify what he said, didn't you-- what questions do you have?

[As if he's just going to start volunteering information.]

[His face says... he is proud of Jin Ling (did he tell Jin Ling this? no), but he trusts Jin Ling about as far as he can throw the boy.

The disciples get a glance, and they look as nervous as any in the presence of someone as volatile as Jiang Cheng. Though, he actually offers them a faint nod before he disappears with Huaisang.]

I want to hear what happened from the beginning.

[At first, he seems to reserved to fall into being comfortable, or, rather, getting comfortable. His eyes sweep the room, and then they sweep Huaisang and the clay jars. His sigh is quiet, under his breath, and begrudging. Finally, he "makes himself comfortable," which is just him sitting with stiff shoulders and a resting bitch face.]

[he opens the jars first, sliding one across to jiang cheng, sipping delicately from his own. nie huaisang has no intention of actually drinking much, but a little won't hurt... his tolerance at least is much better than lan wangji's.]

Ah, it's very long, though, we were there for several weeks-!

[please, he's not going to tell the entire story so easily, jiang cheng will still have to drag details from him at some points.]

It really didn't seem so bad at first, though... the hospitality may have been lacking, but at least the place we were trapped was quite nice. Nothing like home, of course, but if it hadn't been for the killing it might have been a nice place to spend some time. I suppose it still was, for the most part...

[A part of him wants to protest about how dismissive alcohol drinking seems to make the situation. But honestly? To hell with it. A nip or two can take the edge off, enough that if he yells, it's softly instead of with a hoarse throat.

So after a moment, he raises one of the jars like a hooligan and drinks from the lip of it rather than pour it in something more manageable. And then he pushes it somewhat out of reach of his long fingers, thinking he's finished.]

Are you trying to imply what happened would have been fine if not for those things?! A-Ling shouldn't be anywhere but in this land! A house attempted to devour you both!

Well, yes, it did, but it took some time for us to know that--!

[he nudges the jar toward jiang cheng once more, feigning a drink from his own.]

First, we only thought there were the monsters to deal with... every week, someone was transformed into one, and they would kill, and we never even knew who it was going to be-- it was terrifying, you know? Knowing that one was always hiding among us...

[he shudders, shaking his head.]

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