"I need to go. Meilina, listen."
Renshu's voice dropped low, urgent. "If anyone asks where you're from, tell them you're from Yunnan. The people there have darker skin, like yours. You must disguise your identity."
Before I could respond, he turned sharply, disappearing into the cabin and locking the door behind him.
"Disguise my identity…" I muttered under my breath. Why would he ask that?
Then it clicked, the conflict between Bharat and China. If people here thought I was from Bharat, they might see me as a threat. It made sense… still, something about the way he said it unsettled me.
In the distance, faint glimmers of light shimmered against the dark waters. Wuhan. We hadn't reached the shore yet, but the lights grew brighter by the second. The boat was picking up speed.
The chilly air that once bit at my skin had mellowed into warmth. The further south we went, the more familiar it felt—humid, heavy, alive. Like the land itself was telling me that I was getting closer and closer to my birthplace.
"Hey, Aryan!"
I turned to see Rong Xu striding toward me, beaming. "You're awake! Couldn't sleep from the excitement? We're almost at Wuhan!"
"Yes" I said, stretching slightly. "I wanted to see it for myself. After all, this was my plan."
"Right. Well, where's Sir Renshu?"
"He went inside the cabin. Not sure why."
"Did you remind him to disguise himself just in ca—"
"Rong Xu! What are you doing here?!"
The voice came from behind us—loud, commanding, and yet… oddly frail.
I turned, expecting the usual image of General Renshu, tall, sharp, intimidating. Instead, a hunched old man with a long, scraggly beard stood before us, leaning heavily on a walking stick.
For a while, I just stared.
Then before I could stop myself, I started laughing.
"What… who are you?!" Rong Xu blinked in confusion. "Where's Sir Renshu?!"
"Are you out of your mind?!" the old man snapped. "Can't you hear my voice? It's me, Renshu!"
That only made it worse. The general of the Great China, the man who once led battalions, was standing there arguing in a fake beard.
Rong Xu's jaw dropped. "No. Way."
It took a while of convincing, and Renshu ripping off the beard in frustration—before Rong Xu finally believed it was really him.
Once Rong Xu left, still holding back laughter I said, "You know, I don't think it would've been a big problem if he saw you like that."
"The fewer people who see me this way, the better," Renshu grumbled, brushing lint from his fake beard. "Do I look too old?"
"No," I said. "You look like someone who should've been in their grave twenty years ago."
"You're not funny, Meilina."
"A few days ago, you said the opposite."
He gave me a look that was annoyance and reluctant amusement before pulling out a cloak from the lower deck. Wrapping it tightly around his shoulders, he straightened—or rather, un-straightened—himself into a convincing hunch.
If you didn't know him, you'd never guess this pitiful-looking old man was a war general. I almost felt bad for him.
---
By the time we reached the shore, carts and horses were already lined up for us. Lanterns swayed in the warm breeze, illuminating crates, supplies, and a few sleepy drivers.
"Who organized all this?" I murmured. "Did the soldiers know we'd arrive?"
I caught a glimpse of Renshu leaning toward one of the drivers, whispering something under his breath. Whatever arrangements he'd made, he clearly wasn't in the mood to explain.
"Everyone, get on!" he commanded.
There were ten of us total, with four carts—one for the cargo, three for passengers. The weapons were packed and hidden among the supplies.
"I'll come along, if you don't mind?"
Rong Xu again. His tone was cheerful, but I could feel the irritation radiating off Renshu from beside me.
He didn't say anything, but the faint twitch in his jaw said enough.
"The weather's much better here, right Aryan?" Rong Xu said as the cart started moving. "Must remind you of Bharat."
"Yeah," I said, glancing at the hazy skyline. "Though I prefer winter."
The cart rattled along uneven roads. The sight of Wuhan up close was… underwhelming. I'd imagined a bustling city, but it looked more like a sprawling village—a waypoint for travelers, not a destination.
"I should've just stayed asleep," I muttered under my breath.
"There are several inns here," Renshu announced. "We'll split into pairs and take separate rooms. Merchants do the same. Remember—we're traveling under that disguise. No one must suspect otherwise."
"Understood," Rong Xu said. "And the cargo?"
"It'll be divided among the rooms. The weapons are concealed well enough—no one will notice."
"Alright. Then Sir Renshu, you'll be staying in your own room, I assume?"
"I…" Renshu paused, then said, "No. Aryan will stay with me. Everyone else will pair up accordingly."
I blinked. Then it hit me like a boulder.
Wait. WHAT?
There was absolutely no way—
But before I could protest, the carts came to a halt.
---
The inn stood two stories high, with red paper lanterns glowing at the entrance and faint music drifting from inside. It smelled faintly of wine and roasted duck. Not bad.
Inside, polished wooden floors and neatly arranged furniture greeted us. The others quickly dispersed to their rooms, while Renshu took my arm and led me upstairs.
"Our room's in the right wing," he said.
I stumbled a little, trying to keep up. "Wait—are you sure we should be sharing a room?"
"Why? What's the issue?"
"I don't know, maybe everything?"
He stopped midway on the stairs, turning just enough for his sharp gaze to catch mine. "You can either share a room with me or with them. Those are your only options. Just so you know, they will think you are a man."
I frowned. "And getting my own room?"
"Impossible. It'd look suspicious. Only high officials and nobles get private rooms." He shrugged. "Unless you want to blow our cover entirely."
I sighed. "Fine."
"Relax," he said calmly, a hint of amusement in his tone. "There are separate beds, in case you were worried about something happening."
"I wasn't."
"Of course not," he replied, clearly enjoying himself.
By the time we reached the end of the hall, it was clear our room wasn't just any room—it was larger, with ornate wooden doors and a brass handle shaped like a phoenix.
"Here we are," he said, unlocking it.
I raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure this won't raise suspicion?"
He laughed quietly. "Maybe. But I couldn't have our foreign merchant sleeping in a cramped room, could I?"
I ignored him and pushed the door open.
The room was spacious, far too nice for common travelers. Two beds stood side by side, separated by a carved nightstand. Flowers were arranged neatly in vases, their scent faint but fresh.
"Wow," I muttered. "This definitely does not look like a place an ordinary merchant would live in."
"You know," Renshu said casually, setting down his cloak and beard, "if you'd like, we could share a bed."