You, a tyrannical ruler, roam the heavens; you cannot understand my joy.

The muffled sound of the wolf demon's head exploding was particularly eerie in the silent snow forest.

Dark green blood and grayish-white brain matter splattered on the pristine snow, quickly solidifying into eerie ice flowers that emitted a nauseating stench.

The dark red brand on his forehead disappeared completely, as if it had never existed.

Lu Zuo stood three steps away, his black brocade robe splattered with a few specks of dirt.

He frowned slightly, staring at the headless corpse, his eyes calm as a deep pool, with only a hint of coldness flashing in the depths of his gaze.

"King... Queen... the most central, most prosperous, and also the darkest place in the capital..."

The wolf demon's eerie and fanatical words before his death still echoed in my ears.

This is no coincidence. Liu Daoling and Yuwen Qing secretly transferred "demon blood" to create chaos in an attempt to force out the Black-Clad Guards; at this moment, a demon claimed to be summoned by the "Queen" and infiltrated the capital region, with its target being the core of the capital.

Are they two different forces?

Or perhaps... the "demonic calamity" used by Liu and Yuwen was secretly guided, or even backfired, by some more bizarre and powerful being?

The cold wind, carrying snowflakes, lashed against my face.

Lu Zuo slowly exhaled a breath of white air, which condensed into a mist in the cold air.

He crouched down, disregarding the filth, and carefully examined the wolf demon's corpse.

Its skin was rough like rock, its muscles were bulging, and its bones were large. It was definitely not a monster born naturally, but rather seemed to have been forcibly catalyzed and transformed by some force.

The sword wound on the hind leg was clean-cut and contained a hint of scorching heat, indicating it was made by a martial artist who had cultivated a pure Yang attribute technique and whose cultivation was not weak.

"People from the Demon Suppression Bureau? Or the Demon-Pacifying Platform?"

Lu Zuo guessed in his heart. The fact that this demon had fled here injured meant that there were already official forces clearing it out near the capital.

But why didn't they pursue them to this place? Did they lose them, or... were they intentionally allowed to venture deeper?

He rose and turned his gaze toward Jinling City. As dusk settled, the majestic city walls, silhouetted against the grey sky, resembled a lurking beast, while countless lights illuminated the bustling streets.

At the very center, of course, lay the imperial city, its palaces stretching endlessly, ablaze with lights. The most prosperous areas were the east and west markets and the neighborhoods where high-ranking officials and nobles resided. The darkest...

Lu Zuo's eyes narrowed slightly.

Beneath every glamorous capital city lie its filthy and dark corners.

Slums, black markets, underground gambling dens, brothels, abandoned temple crypts...

These places, teeming with evil spirits and filled with turbid energy, are the perfect breeding ground for demons and monsters.

"It seems that Jinling City is even more bustling than I imagined."

Lu Zuo muttered to himself, a cold smile curving his lips.

He did not dispose of the wolf demon's corpse, leaving it there, which might attract other interested parties.

He turned around, used the "Dragon's Step" technique, and disappeared into the twilight after a few leaps in the snowy forest, heading back the way he came.

His steps appeared relaxed, but his mind was racing, piecing together what he had seen and heard that day with information he had gathered over the past few months from his secret observations and snippets of conversation with Wen Qingqing, Yuwen Xue, and even Eunuch Liu.

And Lu Huan's revelation about the "Ink-Clad Guards" inheritance, all these things are connected in an attempt to piece together the truth beneath this murky water.

Back at where the carriage was parked, Eunuch Liu and two guards were anxiously looking around.

Seeing Lu Zuo return safely, Eunuch Liu visibly relaxed and hurriedly greeted him, "Your Majesty...Young Master, you're finally back! It's so late in this desolate wilderness, I was so worried about you!"

"It's alright, I just walked a few extra steps and enjoyed the snow scenery." Lu Zuo waved his hand, boarded the carriage, and said casually, "Let's go back to the city. I'm a little tired today."

"Yes, young master." Eunuch Liu dared not ask any further questions and quickly instructed the coachman to set off.

The carriage creaked as it rolled over the snow. Inside the carriage, Lu Zuo closed his eyes and pretended to be asleep, but his mind was racing with thoughts.

If the "Demon Queen" really exists and is hiding in the capital, what is her purpose?

To become king? Or to seek revenge?

Or is it some kind of even more terrifying scheme?

Did Liu Daoling and Yuwen Qing know of the existence of this "Queen"?

Are they collaborators, mutually exploitative, or...?

Were they kept in the dark and became pawns in someone else's game?

The "Ink-Clad Guards" tradition requires two years to pass down. Personal training also takes time. Meanwhile, Liu and Yuwen's plan to force the emperor to abdicate is clearly accelerating.

The scourge of demons is the sword in their hands, but this sword, it seems, now appears to have its own will.

"We have to speed things up," Lu Zuo decided. Passively waiting would only allow the situation to spiral further out of control.

He needed to have enough power to protect himself and even fight back before Liu and Yuwen made their move, and he also needed to find out the details of the "Demon Queen".

……

Late at night, in the Imperial Palace, in the Imperial Study.

Lu Zuo dismissed his attendants, leaving only a solitary lamp.

Instead of cultivating, he unfurled a detailed map of Jinling City. It was a copy of the capital's map drawn by the Ministry of Works, marking the main streets, government offices, residences, and markets. His finger slowly traced the map outwards from the imperial city.

The very center, the imperial city, is unlikely. Although there are deep palaces and secluded courtyards here, the dragon energy gathers here, the guards are strict, and there are some "ancestors" whose backgrounds he doesn't even know. If the Demon Queen were to hide here, the risk would be too high, and she would be easily exposed.

The most bustling areas are the East Market and the West Market, the districts of high-ranking officials and nobles. These places are crowded and intriguing, making them seem like easy places to hide, but they are also heavily monitored, with guards stationed in each prefecture. They are not suitable for long-term lurking of large numbers of demons.

So, the darkest place...

Lu Zuo's gaze fell on the southwest corner of the map, an area marked "Jiufang".

It used to be a poor area in the previous dynasty, but it was gradually marginalized after the current dynasty expanded the capital. Now it is a mixed bag, with low and dilapidated houses, narrow alleys like a maze, and weak government control.

There are even rumors that underground there are drainage culverts and hidden cellars built in the previous dynasty and now abandoned, crisscrossing like an underground city.

In addition, there are the areas around the "mass burial ground" in the north of the city, and the abandoned "Dragon King Temple" area in the south of the city...

"Liu Banban," Lu Zuo suddenly spoke up.

Liu, the eunuch who had been standing in the shadows, quickly stepped forward and said, "This old servant is here."

"Tomorrow, think of a pretext to withdraw a sum of money from the accounts of the Imperial Treasury and the Imperial Estates. It doesn't have to be much, just five thousand taels will do. It should be in cash and gold beads that are difficult to trace."

Then, go find Sun the Cripple, the "know-it-all" of "Rat Alley" in the capital; he knows who to look for.

"I need detailed reports on all unusual disappearances, strange noises, livestock deaths, land transactions, and large gatherings of unfamiliar faces from the past six months in the three locations: the old hamlet, the mass grave, and the abandoned Dragon King Temple. The more detailed the better. Let him name the price."

Eunuch Liu trembled, abruptly looking up, a look of horror flashing in his dim old eyes. His Majesty actually knew about the "informant" of "Rat Lane"?

Do you even know these low-class tricks?

This... this is something that the emperor of the past, who lived a secluded life and only knew about romance, could never have known!

"Your Majesty, these places are filthy and corrupt. How can we easily believe the words of those lowly scoundrels? Moreover, if Prime Minister Liu or Marshal Yuwen's men find out that Your Majesty is making private contacts..."

Liu Gonggong's voice trembled. He was an old man in the palace and knew all too well how powerful those two were with their spies.

Lu Zuo turned his head, the dim light casting half of his face in shadow. His gaze was calm yet carried an undeniable authority: "Constable Liu, you have served in the palace for over forty years, through three reigns. There are some things you understand better than I do."

"There are not many people in and outside the palace whom I can completely trust. You are one of them."

His tone softened slightly, but became even more profound: "The silver is my private treasury. It doesn't go through the Ministry of Revenue, so Liu Daoling can't find it."

"Although Sun the Cripple is a lowlife, he has managed to survive for decades in the cracks between the legitimate and criminal worlds in the capital. He has his own way of surviving. He knows what to say and what to keep to himself."

"As for Prime Minister Liu and Marshal Yuwen... I know what I'm doing."

"You just need to get this done; you don't need to ask any more questions."

Looking at the young emperor before him, Liu Gonggong noticed a stark contrast between the calm, profound, and decisive look in his eyes and the cowardly and muddle-headed image he remembered.

A chill mixed with inexplicable excitement rose from the bottom of his heart.

Your Majesty... seems different from before!

Is it...

He dared not think any further, and with a thud, he knelt down, his head touching the ground. His voice was choked with emotion but firm: "This old servant...this old servant obeys the decree! I will certainly not fail Your Majesty's trust! This matter must be handled discreetly and securely!"

"Go ahead, but be careful." Lu Zuo waved.

Liu Gonggong got up, bowed and stepped back, his steps somewhat unsteady, whether from excitement or fear, it was hard to tell.

Silence returned to the study. Lu Zuo blew out the lamp and sat alone in the darkness.

Outside the window, the wind and snow intensified, lashing against the windowpanes with a mournful sound. In the distance, the drums of the imperial city resounded, deep and resonant.

In the darkness, Lu Zuo's lips curled into a slight smile. The chess piece had already been placed.

The net is being spread.

Whether it's powerful ministers in the imperial court, demons hiding in the darkness, or the mysterious "Queen," he will expose them one by one and see through this intricate game of chess.

His cultivation level also needs to be improved more quickly. Relying on the physical rewards from "tyrannical behavior" is too slow and unpredictable. Perhaps, a more proactive approach is needed.

For example... in the imperial palace, in the royal armory, those dusty secret manuals that are said to be only accessible to emperors of past dynasties?

He rose and walked towards the quiet room. Tonight, besides cultivating the "Imperial Supreme World-Suppressing Technique," perhaps he should go and "take a look" at those royal treasures that the "original owner" had discarded like worn-out shoes.

It snowed all night.

It covered the palaces and streets, and temporarily concealed the countless undercurrents surging beneath the capital.

But beneath the ice, scorching magma will eventually burst forth.