Wolong was pleased by the Inn despite the fact that it wasn't one he was familiar with, not that he was one to go drinking or carousing about the city in his off hours when there were more relaxing or scholarly pursuits to be had, but it was pleasing nonetheless. In fact the slightly isolated nature of it made it seem more removed from the hustle and bustle of the campaign. The happy sounds of drinking and revelry were familiar enough from his time as a field commander however and despite the dreariness of the weather he couldn't help but smile at the memories such things brought to mind. Happier times of victories gone by when he'd still been young and void of any ambitions other than a desire to bring honor to his family and city and make sure that as many of the soldiers under his command got home as possible.

The warm greeting Jalek got from her Night Hunters as they stepped inside was likewise an event to warm his heart if ever there was one. It was good that she was respected, perhaps even loved by the forces under her command. People fought harder for a superior like that, followed orders more readily and took greater risks. Wolong had seen it himself from his own men back in the Qaylu Confederacy, though at that thought the moment tinged itself with bitterness. Perhaps if his soldiers had loved him and his victories a little less...

But now was no longer the time for idle speculation and daydreaming. Especially since Selena Jalek seemed to have grim news to share with both himself and her Night Hunters. As Wolong listened in he began to feel sickened and pained and saw his own feelings mirrored and magnified on the faces of the men and women around him. Unlike them however, Wolong quickly sealed those feelings up in a box of cold hard logic and began calculating the effects this would have on their overall efforts. The slaughter of their recruitment and propaganda teams within Tolos was obviously an intentional message to any would be defectors to Oromis' side: to join with the Hamrock Isles is a death sentence and anyone thinking of doing so along with collaborators would be wiped out. Immediately speaking this would certainly achieve their desired effect. With their team out of commission and people frightened of death and crippling disfigurement recruitment of any kind in Tolos would drop significantly. However if they could turn the situation on its' head, perhaps emphasize how afraid the government of Tolos must be of a few defectors in order to carry out such sweeping butchery, how martyrs to the cause would be greatly rewarded as their deaths' directly served Oromis himself... 

Before he could finish the thought someone interrupted him with a note they were supposed to deliver. Wolong took a moment to mentally sigh over the fact that people still insisted on referring to him a 'General' Wolong despite his refusal to adopt a formal military rank, however he immediately took notice of the fact that the messenger was not one of his own, but instead a completely unfamiliar face wearing the bright red sash of a press-ganged convict. Moreover as he snatched and read the note he quickly realized that it was written in a cipher that was not of his own devising, nor in fact any cipher that he knew. No one under his command or in his immediate council would have cause to use a a convict for a messenger when there were other official messengers about and even if a situation demanded one be used there was no reason he could think of that would require the use of a cipher with which he was completely unfamiliar, but the fact that the messenger had specifically said it was addressed to him eliminated any possibility of a mistaken delivery. That left only a very small number of possibilities in Wolong's mind regarding this message, all of which lead to only a few conclusions about the messenger himself.

Wolong smiled politely and tucked the message into his sleeve as he rose to face the alleged convict and messenger, his face warm and otherwise completely impassive though all the while he kept himself ready to counter any sudden movements by the unknown man.

[color=gold]"So, convict. For whom are you spying?"[/color]