If I, a death row inmate, am not to become a demon, am I to become a member of the Imperial Guard?

The night in Anyang County is like a thick, unyielding ink.

Zhou Yang huddled in the shadows at the alley entrance, a withered grass root dangling from his mouth, chewing it until it tasted bitter. He didn't rush inside, but instead squinted at the two red lanterns of the Hundred Household Office, which swayed precariously in the wind.

This place is usually so deserted it's like a dead zone, but tonight, there are two groups of sentries at the entrance.

One group was in the open, dressed in the uniforms of Commander Chen, casually squatting next to the stone lions smoking, occasionally glancing inside with greed and schadenfreude in their eyes. The other group was well hidden, lying on the opposite rooftop, their breathing very low; if Zhou Yang hadn't possessed the heightened senses of his dragon-walking corpse, he might not have been able to detect them.

"They've sealed the door off."

Zhou Yang pondered to himself. The job at Black Wind Mountain went smoothly, but on the way back to the city, he felt something was off. The feeling of being watched was like having a slug stuck to his back that he couldn't shake off—it was disgusting.

He spat out the grass roots in his mouth, didn't go through the front door, and with the agility of a wildcat, he nimbly climbed over the wall and into the backyard.

The courtyard was eerily quiet.

The usual loud and boisterous Imperial Guard squad leaders were nowhere to be seen; only a solitary shadow was cast on the paper window of the main hall. The shadow sat upright and motionless, like a clay statue of a Bodhisattva.

Zhou Yang landed silently, dusted off his clothes, and pushed open the door to go inside.

The room was dimly lit, with few lights on. Qin Shuang sat behind her desk, wearing a flying fish robe that had been washed a few days ago, though the collar was frayed with fine white edges. In front of her lay a large red invitation, its color glaringly bright in the dim light, as red as blood.

Hearing the noise, Qin Shuang didn't look up, but simply tapped her fingers lightly on the table.

"I'm back."

The sound was dry, like it had been sanded on sandpaper.

Zhou Yang didn't stand on ceremony. He walked straight to the armchair next to him, sat down, poured himself a glass of cooled tea, and drank it all in one gulp.

"You're back." He put down his teacup, his gaze sweeping over the red invitation. "What's this? Is that old geezer Chen Qianhu celebrating his birthday? Or is he finally going to marry that concubine who looks like she owns a dye shop if she doesn't wear makeup?"

Qin Shuang finally raised her head.

Her face was paler than usual, her lips were bloodless, and her whole face looked as if it were frozen. Only in her eyes did a small flame still burn, almost extinguished.

"The person he wants to marry is me."

Zhou Yang's hand, which had just picked up the teapot to refill the cup, froze in mid-air.

He paused for a moment, then his lips twitched as if he'd heard the funniest joke: "Sir, this joke isn't funny at all. Commander Chen is old enough to be your father. Besides, his back... cough, I mean, you actually fancy someone like him?"

"These are the conditions."

Qin Shuang interrupted him, her voice so calm it was unsettling. She pushed the red invitation card forward, "If I marry him and become his second wife, he'll promise to let go of the Qin family members in the capital. Otherwise..."

She didn't elaborate, but her meaning was crystal clear.

Otherwise, the entire family would be executed, uprooted completely.

Zhou Yang stared at the post, the large, gold-embossed characters making him dizzy. For the first time, his thought process, which usually allowed him to put a price on everything, faltered slightly.

Commander Chen's move was ruthless and decisive.

This is no longer a simple case of abusing power for personal gain; it's pushing Qin Shuang to the brink of despair. She's faced with either bowing down as a dog or watching her family perish. For the proud and arrogant Qin Shuang, this isn't a choice, but a death sentence.

Zhou Yang tapped his finger twice on the table, habitually trying to calculate the profit and loss of this deal.

Did they kill Commander Chen?

easy.

As long as the price is right, Zhou Yang can send him to meet the King of Hell tonight.

But what happens after you kill them?

Behind Commander Chen stood Prince Zhao, and the entire officialdom of Anyang Prefecture. If Commander Chen died, there would be Commander Li, Commander Wang. As long as they held leverage over the Qin family, this sword would forever hang over her head.

This is a dead end.

Zhou Yang frowned. His confidence that "adding money can solve everything" seemed to have been punctured by a needle, and he started to lose his composure.

"What do you think?" he asked.

Qin Shuang gave a bitter laugh, a laugh more painful than tears. She stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the dark night sky outside.

"What can I think?"

Her voice trembled slightly, a sign that her forced strength was on the verge of collapse. "Zhou Yang, you're a smart man. You know the current situation. I've heard about what happened at Black Wind Mountain. You've done a good job, but you've also offended people. Commander Chen now wants to control not only me, but also you."

She turned around, staring directly at Zhou Yang, her eyes filled with a resolute determination, but also a vulnerability she herself was unaware of.

"Let our contract end today."

Qin Shuang pulled a heavy bag of silver and a travel permit from her sleeve and threw them on the table.

"Here's fifty taels of silver, plus some savings I've accumulated over the years. Take it and leave tonight. Commander Chen's target is me; if you leave, he might not hunt you down."

This was her last act of kindness.

Or rather, this was her last attempt, as someone in a position of power, to salvage her pitiful self-respect. She didn't want this guy, who was always talking about "more money," to rot in this quagmire with her.

"I don't like owing favors." Qin Shuang lowered her head, her voice so soft it was as if she were talking to herself. "You've helped me a lot. This money is enough for you to find a place to live a peaceful life."

The room fell into a deathly silence.

Only the wind outside the window made the window paper rustle.

Zhou Yang looked at the money bag on the table but didn't touch it.

Fifty taels.

In addition, he has a certificate of freedom.

For a "money-grubbing hermit" like him, this deal was a win no matter how you looked at it. He took the money, packed his bags, and left to continue his carefree life somewhere else. What did Chen Qianhu, the Qin family, or the execution of their entire families have to do with him?

He's not a savior.

He's just an ordinary person who wants to live a little longer and a little more enjoyable.

Qin Shuang watched him remain silent, the light in her eyes gradually dimming. She knew what kind of person Zhou Yang was—selfish, greedy, and obsessed with money. To expect him to be buried alive with her was a pipe dream.

"OK."

Zhou Yang suddenly spoke up.

He reached out and grabbed the money bag, weighed it in his hand, and it made a crisp metallic clanging sound.

Qin Shuang's heart sank to the bottom.

really.

This is the real Zhou Yang. This is the Zhou Yang who, if the price is right, can even sell his own father for a good price.

She closed her eyes, not wanting to see his departing figure, as that would only make her feel more pathetic at that moment.

"Since you're so generous, then I won't stand on ceremony."

Zhou Yang tucked the money pouch into his pocket and let out a satisfied sigh.

"but……"

He abruptly changed the subject, leaned back, crossed his legs, and his snobbish expression reappeared.

"Sir, haven't you made a mistake in your calculations?"

Qin Shuang suddenly opened her eyes and looked at him in disbelief.

"What?"

"I ran away, so I'm fine now." Zhou Yang pointed to his nose. "But what about you? Marry that old man? And then what? Do you think you, with your stubborn temper, can survive three days under his thumb? You'll end up losing everything, and the entire Qin family will be wiped out."

"That's none of your business," Qin Shuang said through gritted teeth, her voice cold and hard. "It's my fate."

"Fate is something only the dead believe in."

Zhou Yang chuckled and stood up. He paced around the room, his gaze settling on Qin Shuang's pale yet still stubborn face.

He mentally calculated something.

The jobs he took before were all about murder and robbery—simple and straightforward. This time is different. If he takes this job, he'll be making an enemy of the entire powerful and wealthy class of Anyang Prefecture. The risk is immeasurable.

but……

Zhou Yang looked at Qin Shuang. She stood there all alone, like a sapling in a blizzard, about to be broken at any moment. But she still stood straight, and even paid him to get lost so as not to implicate this "greedy little man".

Only a stubborn woman like her would do something so stupid.

A strange, indescribable emotion welled up inside Zhou Yang. It was an uncomfortable feeling, like swallowing a fly or being gently bumped in the chest by something.

But he cared more about something else.

If this "cash cow" is cut down by Commander Chen, who will reimburse his expenses? Who will provide him with intelligence? Who will act as his shield?

How costly is it to cultivate a new leader?

This does not conform to the principle of maximizing the interests of "paying extra money to lay Buddhists".

Zhou Yang sighed, took the money pouch he had just put in his pocket out again, and casually threw it on the table with a crisp "smack".

"Sir, I won't accept this money."

Qin Shuang was stunned: "You think it's too little?"

"They think this deal is too unprofitable."

Zhou Yang walked up to her, looking down at her. They were very close, close enough that he could smell the faint, cool fragrance emanating from her, a scent mixed with the smell of rust and some unknown flower.

You underestimate yourself.

He held up a finger and waved it in front of Qin Shuang.

"You think you can buy out our contract for fifty taels of silver? Dream on! Your life, the messy affairs of the Qin family, and the profits you can bring me in the future..."

Zhou Yang paused, his gaze becoming somewhat deep.

"I haven't settled this score yet. Before you've recouped your investment, who gave you permission to die? Who gave you permission to get married?"

Qin Shuang stared at him blankly.

For the first time, a noticeable emotion flickered in her usually icy eyes. Shock, astonishment, and a barely perceptible glimmer of moisture.

"you……"

"What do you mean, 'I'? Pay more.

Zhou Yang interrupted her, his roguish smile returning to his face, but his eyes were more serious than ever before.

"You want me to stay and help you clean up this mess? Fine. But this is a big deal. Commander Chen's head, plus cleaning up this mess—you'd better keep track of this fee."

He stretched out his hand and opened it in front of Qin Shuang.

"This time, we won't accept cash; we'll keep it on paper first. Interest will be calculated daily at one hundred taels. If it's even a tael short, I'll sell you to pay off the debt."

Qin Shuang looked at his long, calloused hand, and then at his face, which was both irritating and strangely reassuring.

She always thought Zhou Yang was someone who would sell his soul for money.

But now, this person could have taken the money and run away to enjoy his carefree life, but instead he stayed and got involved in this mess with her.

And the reason given was—she was too cheap.

A surge of heat suddenly welled up in her eyes, but Qin Shuang desperately held it back, not wanting to embarrass herself in front of her subordinate. She turned her head away, took a deep breath, and calmed the turbulent emotions churning in her chest.

"Zhou Yang".

"exist."

"If you die, who am I supposed to get this money from?"

"Don't worry, even the King of Hell will check if I have enough money for my journey ticket before he takes me. Someone as stingy as me won't die."

Zhou Yang grinned, his smile full of arrogance.

He turned around, his gaze passing through the window to the dark night outside, in the direction of Commander Chen's residence.

"Since Commander Chen is so eager to arrange a marriage, let's prepare a 'grand gift' for him."

He touched the dragon spine fragment in his sleeve, the icy touch making his blood boil.

"But before that, he has to return this 'bride price' to me, with interest."

A ruthless glint flashed in Zhou Yang's eyes.

"Since he wants to play along, let's play along to the end. Let's see if he'll be the one entering the bridal chamber in the end, or a coffin."

The dim yellow light in the room flickered.

Looking at his broad back, Qin Shuang suddenly felt that this man, who was usually only interested in profit, was more reliable than the entire city wall at this moment.

She pursed her lips, suppressing the fleeting emotions within her, and sat back down at her desk, resuming her cold and hard demeanor.

"If you're going to ask for more money, then do the job well."

She said calmly, "Tonight, let's settle the first account."