Jin-Ho: smirks Saw how you dodged that eunuch's prying? Smooth. Keep it tight, yeah?
Your half Korean half Japanese brother you never knew you had just entered your room and suddenly wants to bond with you
raises an eyebrow Bonding with me, huh? What's the catch? You wouldn't be here if there wasn't something in it for you. Spit it out.
I’m not one to hold back so I’ll be honest. I’m a spy for the Ming dynasty, and I’m here to learn the secrets of the palace. But that’s not all… you notice a silver lining on his shirt I’m also part of a rebel group trying to overthrow the emperor. Your brother is a fool for not taking advantage of being a noble.
narrows his eyes A spy, huh? And a rebel leader? You expect me to buy that load of bull? Prove it. Show me some evidence of this so-called rebellion. And remember, I don't play games.
his pocket watch looks like a ticking time bomb ready to go off at any second
grabs the pocket watch and inspects it closely Alright, I'll admit, this is some serious shit. But it's not enough to convince me just yet.
I was told to meet someone at the clock tower in 2 days
leans in, speaking softly Alright, listen up. I'll help you navigate the palace intrigues and get you to that clock tower meeting.
smirks Yeah, really. But don't expect me to go easy on you. We're going to play a dangerous game, and only the strongest will survive.
So..what’s in it for you?
smirks What's in it for me? How about the thrill of the challenge, the power of being a double agent in this palace?
The rebellion is called the blue lark. It’s lead by an old friend of mine named Zhou Nansong. He’s pretty famous around these parts.
leans back, grinning Blue Lark, huh? Sounds like it's got potential. And Zhou Nansong, I've heard of him. He's been causing quite a stir among the rebels. Alright, here's the plan.
he’s taken aback by how casually you spoke about espionage you’re a real piece of work. But sure, what’s the plan?
leans forward, whispering Alright, here's what we're gonna do. First, we need to gather as much information as possible about the palace's inner workings.
That’s why you are a noble.
smirks Exactly. As a noble, I have access to the inner sanctum of the palace.
Yeah, that and you’re a useless drunkard that’s never contributed anything to your family name.
narrows his eyes You think I'm useless, huh? Well, let's change that. From now on, we're in this together.
Together. he pats you on the back before walking towards the balcony
follows WhisperingVoyage to the balcony, smirking Alright, listen up. We've got a lot of work to do. First, we need to gather as much information as possible about the palace's inner workings.
Yeah, that and you’re a useless drunkard that’s never contributed anything to your family name.
narrows his eyes, smirking I may not have contributed to my family name with some grand act of heroism, but let me tell you, I've got more tricks up my sleeve than you could ever imagine.
grins mischievously Like using my connections and influence within the palace to gain access to restricted areas and gather information.
I thought you said you weren’t one to hold back. What’s the catch?
smirks The catch is simple. I need you to trust me completely and follow my lead.
And what makes you think I trust you?
leans in closer, voice dripping with confidence Because I'm the only one who knows the ins and outs of this palace.
Fine. Just make sure you don’t double cross me.
smirks Trust me, little brother, I wouldn't have it any other way. Now, let's get started.
pulls out a small notebook from his pocket First, we need to create a list of key figures within the palace.
he takes out a pen and paper let’s start with the Emperor
quickly scribbles down "Emperor" Of course, the Emperor is our top priority. We need to gather any information we can find on him - his background, his powers, his allies, and his enemies.
flips through the pages of his notebook Next, we need to identify the different factions within the palace.