Page 277 of Light Leech

Zhu, are you here?

“Always, Bakuh.”

Just had to check if you followed me here.

“You’re more like me now.”

How so?

“Ascend.”

Of course that’s what you would say.

“You are nearing green.”

What about Ralia and Sha?

“Sha is an enigma. Investigate if you can. My old companion has been distant as of late.”

Alright, but you’re still close with Sun and Bei?

“There is so much you do not see.”

“Perfect timing,” Ralia said, pulling me from my conversation with Zhu. “No wonder those assassins were rushing after you with the end of this approaching. Good timing on our part, too.”

I nodded. “I’m glad we didn’t miss today’s batch. How do you think everyone else got here?”

“Noting that they didn’t kill us? Whoever is running this thing must have set tasks for these wannabe scholars to accomplish.”

“Think we’ll figure out who’s running this?”

“If we can win.”

“With you, we’ve got a shot.”

“Awe, babe, thanks. I mean, don’t we already know it’s the Correction? Someone behind Pure Knowledge? It’s basically the same thing as education.”

I scoffed. “You think the guk they were teaching at Water Hills qualifies as knowledge?”

“Zeg, no, which is why these people are so hungry for Pure Knowledge.” She lowered her voice. “We already know the whole zegging world is a lie.”

“True. You think any of these people have an inkling of that?”

“I would say no, but the fact that they’re here means they must know that there is something to know.”

“That or they’re a bunch of pompous shacs who want a… title? Certificate? I dunno, some zegging thing to show that they are enlightened.”

I smirked.

“What, you think I’m wrong?”

“About the mass? No, but there might be some exceptions. If good people like you can be caught up in this, there’s destined to be a couple, right?”

She kissed my cheek and left a hand on it. “Awe, babe, you must want something complimenting me like that, don’t you?”

“What makes you say that?”

“I know you’re too cynical for that.”