The room was dark, and the scents of incense and smoke made Arthur's head spin. How long would he have to wait for this Yao person? Usually he wouldn't care, just as long as he got the money, but this was driving him crazy.
"Master Yao is ready to see you now," said a soft voice from behind one of the heavy curtains at the back of the room. A shadowy figure, smaller than Arthur, appeared in the back of the room and came towards Arthur.
"You wish to be in my service, aru?" said the figure. The accent was Chinese, but Arthur couldn't tell if the person was male or female, even with a dim outline in the low light. They wore bright red robes, hemmed in a sort of gold silk.
Despite the figure being smaller than him, Arthur still was extremely intimidated. "Yes," he said. "If you pay good money, that is."
Upon hearing his accent, the figure snorted. They muttered something that sounded like a cross between "limey" and "opium war." Don't blame me for the faults of my country, Arthur thought.
"Well," said the figure. "I suppose I have a job for you, ahen."
"I suppose I could take it," said Arthur, mocking the figure's mysterious manner a bit. "Depending on what it is."