“Oh, it was destroyed,” Khun said. “Everything that made the List what it was—you destroyed it all. Including Bai Xue. Congratulations on that, by the way.” He knew that Liu Xiaokai had been arrested for the crime, but he looked at Zhang Weiran as he said this—he’d seen the pictures of the crime scene, and he’d seen the court footage as well. Liu Xiaokai’s fingernails had been pulled off, and his hands were covered in bandages. There was no way someone with hands like that could create the crime scene that was Bai Xue’s murder.

But again—that was the kind of thing that should get a reaction out of a person, and here was Zhang Weiran just looking right back at Khun, his gaze steady, not shaken at all. Maybe this was something he’d already gotten over. What kind of people were these three? They would fit right in with the Kishi of Kami no Ha.

“I almost want to sic Yuki on them,” said Daichi, loud enough for everyone in the room to hear. “They’d get along like a house on fire.”

Khun laughed. He’d been thinking the exact same thing.

“I think it’s time you just told us what you want,” Zhang Weiran said.

“I want to know if you’d like to do business with me,” Khun answered. Zhang Weiran rolled his eyes.

“What part of ‘the List is gone’ don’t you people understand?”

“I understand it very well. I also understand that all of these people who have come flooding under my jurisdiction, under Daichi’s, under the other Kishi—they have a very different understanding of how these kinds of organizations work. I’d like your insight into how to best adjust them to life under our control.”

Zhang Weiran and Liu Xiaokai glanced at each other. Liu Xiaokai said, “I hope you’re not implying you want any of us to take any kind of leadership position.”

“No, of course not. Daichi would break up with me if I tried bringing in unfamiliar people like that.” Khun patted Daichi’s leg, who just reached over and squeezed his hand without a word. “Well, not break up with me, but I don’t want to deal with him while he’s pouting.”

Daichi huffed out a laugh.

“I just want you to give me some insight into the inner workings of the List. Does that sound doable?”

Liu Xiaokai was thinking it over carefully. He hadn’t taken any sips from his drink, Khun noticed, which may be his way of maintaining control over the situation in an environment that was most certainly not under his control. It might also be the case that he just didn’t like alcohol. “Did the sex workers also go into Kami no Ha?”

“Mn…we got a few, yes.”

“Then I’ll help.”