"Wait."<br/><br/>Xiaoxing has been listening with increasing dubiousness as things have progressed.  She opted not to stop the suited twosome, aside from doing her best to memorize faces; she knew enough Sunzi to let a reeling enemy retreat, rather than block off their exit and force an even more violent confrontation.  But the notion that what they were dealing with were things preternatural, spiritual, inhuman even...<br/><br/>...it was a bit much to handle.  On the other hand, she couldn't argue with her senses.<br/><br/>She directed herself to the thing called the decanthrope.  "You 'take bodies'," Xiaoxing said, visibly revolted by the idea.  "Are these bodies-- must they be alive, when you take them?"