"Mn."

Handsqueeze. "I'm not trying to keep you out of the way," she promises, "dajie would have my head if I tried to do this alone."

Good. Handsqueeze.

The others come up with a reasonable strategy for storming Nightless City, utilizing the aforementioned weak points and avoiding the largest number of stationed Wen soldiers. Jin Zixuan takes charge on the planning, which no one challenges.

Jiang Cheng isn't exactly happy about it, but the peacock has good ideas and now is really not the time to let personal grudges get in the way of kicking maximum ass. Even extremely legitimate ones. 

And Wen Ying takes her wife's hand and peels off from the main group before they come in view, taking an alternate route to get inside. 

It isn't hard for her to make her way through Nightless City unseen, or at least unnoticed; Lan Zhan in her bright whites is more conspicuous. Wei Ying starts by raiding a closet for a spare Wen uniform for disguise purposes. 

They find one that approximately fits. Lan Zhan tightens the belt around her wait.

She hesitates over removing her ribbon.

Wen Ying considers this and locates a hat that will hide the ribbon if Lan Zhan hides the trailing ends under her clothes. 

KISS. Lan Zhan loves her wife so much. Smart, perfect wife.

Kiss! Wen Ying kisses her on the forehead through the ribbon before she puts the hat on.

"There we go. Nice and inconspicuous." 

She blushes.

Lan Zhan would really like to make out with Wen Ying in this closet for about an hour, but they have a Wen Ruohan to go kill.

Their not being able to make out in the closet for an hour can go on his list of crimes. 

Wen Ying's method of traveling inconspicuously through Nightless City involves both sneaking through secret passages and walking boldly through crowded place as though there could be no possible reason to stop her at various intervals. 

Eventually they reach a much more ominous section in which lava pits can totally be seen. 

"Are we close?"

"Yeah. I think I can find you a good hiding place a little closer, though..." 

She starts looking around and eventually finds one she's satisfied with. 

"His throne room is in there," she says in a hushed voice, gesturing at a particularly elaborate set of doors. "Don't come in until you hear steel." 

Lan Zhan really fucking hates this part of the plan.

Nod. Handsqueeze. "I love you."

Handsqueeze. Brief, chaste kiss. "I love you." 

Wen Ying leaves Lan Zhan in her hiding place, straightens, letting her body language take on a tone of arrogance and confidence, and sweeps into the throne room like she has every right to be there. 

From outside, it is, for a little while, quiet. 

Then there is an explosion and a LOT of steel noises. 

She can't breathe, but she can run. Lan Zhan dashes into the throne room. "Wen Ying!"

Wens Ying and Ruohan are currently engaged in a dramatic swordfight. Both of them are bleeding at least a little. Wen Ruohan is also somewhat singed, which does not account for all of the smoke surrounding him, which appears to be also attacking Lan Zhan's wife. Whatever it's doing to her is clearly not pleasant, but she grits her teeth and holds on. 

This is completely fucking unacceptable.

Lan Zhan's feet lift from the ground and she flies the length of the throne room, Bichen spearing towards Wen Ruohan.

Wen Ruohan turns and raises his hand, and the smoke shifts its target to throw Lan Zhan against the wall. Wen Ying makes a noise not typical of the human larynx and spears him from behind. He makes a strangled noise but does not fall, whirling on her again, murder in his eyes.

OW

-- oh fuck she needs to be there she isn't close enough --

This time she throws Bichen through the air, buying time to struggle to her feet. She tastes blood.

Writhing shadows knock the sword from the air, but while they're doing that they aren't attacking Wen Ying, who takes a shallow cut to the arm but leaves a somewhat deeper slice in Wen Ruohan's side. 

Thank god -- okay --

Lan Zhan produces her guqin from her sleeves and sends two chord attacks at Wen Ruohan in quick succession. Then she vanishes the thing and runs, summoning Bichen to her hand as she goes.

The chord attacks disperse the shadows briefly, requiring Wen Ruohan to counter them with his own sword, and barely at that. This gives Wen Ying an excellent chance to put her sword through his torso again. Wen Ruohan snarls and turns back to face her again, the shadows springing back up, but this time wreathing his body and emanating from his eyes instead of fighting semi-independently. 

Fuck why won't he die yet -- Lan Zhan reaches them, swings at his neck.