32 The spy

A heavy silence followed but Bai Chen didn't mind. Instead, he leaned back down on his elbows and rested his chin against the palm of his left hand. A yawn escaped him.

"So, let me explain your problems," he told them with a drawl, "One, I know exactly who you are and who you work for. And two, I'm aware of what you were doing in my house. Taking all of this into account..."

He paused and let his eyes trail over the two of them. "... Why should I keep you alive?"

Cheeky wiped the smile off his face and his expression turned grim. On the other side of the room, Grumpy breathed out and made use of his training to discard the pain and focus on the current situation.

"Does Count Zhong know about the snake hidden in his manor?" Grumpy questioned in a hoarse voice.

"I'm not sure," Bai Chen answered vaguely before flashing a smirk at Cheeky. "Is His Highness aware that he's giving room and board to Ji Mo Zhen's spy?"