Paperback | 396 pages

A RACE AGAINST TIME

After the long journey to the Western Khaganate, Cui Buqu and Feng Xiao find their diplomatic efforts stymied when they are accused of murdering a Gktrk prince. Thinking on his feet, Cui Buqu requests a single day to crack the case and clear their names. Yet to everyones surprise, the crafty chief of the Zuoyue Bureau offers himself as hostage, leaving the investigationand his lifein Feng Xiaos peerlessly beautiful hands.

Now Feng Xiao faces a difficult choice: watch his rival perish in the desert or risk his own life in pursuit of the true killer. Time is running out, and unsettling forces are at work within the Western Khaganate. Yet Feng Xiao cant shake the feeling that Cui Buqu may have one final card to playone that could reveal the truth before its too late.

Series Overview: On a snowy night, an envoy sent by the Kingdom of Khotan is ambushed on the road, massacred with his escort. Not a living soul remains, and the attackers vanishalong with a precious jade intended as tribute to the Emperor of Sui. A member of the emperors secret intelligence agency, the Jiejian Bureau, pursues the case: the formidable deputy chief, Feng Xiao. His investigation takes him to Liugong City, where top martial artists from across the land gather for a mysterious auction.

But a rival intelligence agency, the Zuoyue Bureau, has business in the same cityand they have sent Cui Buqu, an ailing but brilliant man who hides more secrets than even Feng Xiao. Equally proud, the two immediately clash in a battle of wits, but neither can crack the case alone. To solve the mystery before the trail goes cold, they will have to join hands to uncover the truthhowever unwillingly.

This historical fiction mystery about powerful martial artists (wuxia) built around the desire between two men (danmei) takes place in the same universe as the beloved novel series Thousand Autumns: Qian Qiu. The Seven Seas English-language edition will feature uncensored text and exclusive new art.