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

In the early morning in Anyang County, the sky was somewhat gray.

The gates of the Imperial Guard's Thousand-Household Office were wide open, and the usually grim atmosphere seemed somewhat eerie. The copper nails on the door gleamed coldly in the morning light, and two rows of captains in flying fish robes stood ramrod straight, yet no one dared to utter a sound.

In the very center of the hall, on the mahogany armchair that symbolized power, the teacup that originally belonged to Commander Li was still there, only its position had changed.

Zhou Yang sat there with an air of authority, toying with a heavy bronze seal in his hand.

A cool sensation spread from his fingertips throughout his body. He raised his eyelids and glanced at the dozens of people standing below. Among them were ruthless characters who had tried to dismember him the night before, and cunning individuals who had been observing from the sidelines for some time.

At this moment, they all had to bow their heads.

"cough."

Zhou Yang cleared his throat and threw the bronze seal onto the table with a crisp "clang".

The sound wasn't loud, but it made the eyelids of the people below twitch violently.

"You all recognize this, right?" Zhou Yang leaned back, finding a comfortable position. "Deputy Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard of Anyang County, acting as a commander of a thousand. This is the official seal issued by higher-ups, and it was personally stamped by Lord Qin. If anyone has any questions, feel free to step forward, and we'll go ask them."

The hall was deathly silent.

No one dared to speak. Who didn't know about last night's fierce battle? Commander Li, colluding with the Heavenly Principle Sect in an attempt to rebel, was killed on the spot. And this young man, originally a wanted criminal, had transformed into a hero who quelled the rebellion.

This is the officialdom. Black can be turned into white, and the dead can be brought back to life. As long as you're ruthless enough and have a powerful enough background, reason will be on your side.

In the corner, a burly man moved his lips, as if he wanted to say something. He was a trusted confidant of Commander Li, nicknamed "Iron Head".

"Lord Zhou," Tie Tou took a step forward, his voice trembling slightly, but his eyes flashing with ruthlessness, "Lord Li has always treated us well, this arrest warrant..."

"That's Li Xuanji's business," Zhou Yang interrupted him, his tone flat. "He colluded with a cult and deserved to die. As for the arrest warrant, that was a fabricated order. Now that a new document has been issued, are you trying to disobey?"

Iron Head's face flushed red, and his hand gripped the hilt of his knife: "I'm not disobeying orders, I just feel that this matter..."

"Do you feel it's unfair?"

Zhou Yang smiled. He stood up and slowly walked down the steps, his leather boots making a dull thud on the ground. He walked up to Tie Tou; the two were of similar height, and the atmosphere instantly became tense.

"The word 'official' has two mouths; whoever is in charge has the final say." Zhou Yang stared into Tie Tou's eyes, a slight smile playing on his lips. "Li Xuanji is dead. His crimes have already been determined by those above. If you think you're tougher than Li Xuanji, go ahead and cause trouble. I won't stop you."

Iron Head's pupils suddenly contracted.

He saw the killing intent in Zhou Yang's eyes. It wasn't just intimidation; it was the look of someone who had truly clashed heads and seen blood. No one knew better than those present how Commander Li had died last night. He was a master at the peak of the Acquired Realm, yet he hadn't been able to cause any trouble.

Ironhead loosened his grip on the knife hilt, and his head slowly drooped down.

"Your subordinate... dare not."

"It's good that you don't dare." Zhou Yang patted his shoulder, the force neither too light nor too heavy. "Since you don't dare, then bend down. From today onwards, the rules of Anyang County will have to be changed."

He turned around, walked back to his high position, and his voice suddenly rose: "Pass down the order that all the remnants of the Zhenwu Guard be reorganized immediately. Those who wish to stay can receive three taels of silver as resettlement allowance and continue with their original duties; those who do not wish to stay, get out now, but before you leave, peel off your skin, for it belongs to the government."

This is a real cleaning.

Regardless of who they belonged to before, they now have only two choices: either kneel down and call them "daddy," or get out of here naked.

This is Zhou Yang's style of doing things. He leaves no room for ambiguity and establishes his authority in the simplest and most direct way.

The atmosphere in the hall relaxed slightly. For a lowly soldier, changing masters wasn't a big deal. As long as there was food to eat and money to be made, what difference did it make who he worked for? Besides, this new master was a ruthless figure who could even wipe out the Heavenly Principle Sect.

At this moment, a quick-witted junior officer knelt down first and loudly proclaimed, "Greetings, Commander! Your subordinate is willing to serve you with utmost loyalty!"

Once there's a first one, there's bound to be a second.

Soon, everyone in the hall knelt down.

"Greetings, Your Excellency!"

Shouts rose and fell, shaking the dust off the roof beams.

Zhou Yang watched this scene without any emotional reaction. This level of loyalty was barely thicker than paper. But he didn't need loyalty, only obedience.

Once this outfit is worn securely, there will be plenty of ways to gradually train and discipline people later.

"Alright, everyone disperse." Zhou Yang waved his hand. "Clean up the main hall. The smell of blood is too strong, it's unbearable."

Everyone felt as if they had been granted a pardon and quickly withdrew.

Soon, Zhou Yang was the only one left in the empty lobby.

He let out a long sigh, the exhaustion from the performance washing over him. Pretending was actually quite tiring; every word and every glance had to be precisely timed to hit the other person's nerves, and the slightest misstep could lead to a bloody battle.

However, the benefits are also readily apparent.

Zhou Yang closed his eyes, his consciousness sinking into the depths of his mind.

There, that familiar light blue panel was quietly suspended.

After several days of intense battles, especially last night's desperate comeback, the data has finally changed.

Life expectancy remaining: 342 years

[Cultivation Level: Perfected Acquired Realm (Peak)]

[Cultivation Techniques: Asura's Evil Scripture (Third Layer Perfected), Heaven-Slaying Sword Drawing Technique (Perfected)]

[Divine Weapon: Shadow Fiend Blade (Advanced Version)]

A lifespan of over three hundred years.

This number gave Zhou Yang a sense of security. In this chaotic world, lifespan is one's foundation, the cornerstone of all possibilities. With this "savings," even when facing a powerful innate expert, he would have the strength to fight, or rather, the means to escape.

What surprised him most was the Shadow Fiend Blade.

Having absorbed the power of the dragon spine fragment, this sword had remained dormant. Just now, while intimidating everyone in the hall, he vaguely sensed a strange power within the blade.

With a thought, Zhou Yang flipped his hand, and a long, jet-black sword appeared in his hand.

The blade was no longer a deathly black; instead, dark red lines spread across its surface like veins. The moment he gripped the hilt, a chilling aura coursed through his veins, but he felt no discomfort; instead, he felt refreshed and invigorated.

Is this what weapon advancement is like?

This knife now has its own "temperament". It can devour the user's blood and energy in exchange for a sharper burst of power.

"Good stuff," Zhou Yang muttered to himself. "It'll make killing people much easier from now on."

He sheathed his knife and was about to leave when he suddenly heard hurried footsteps outside the door.

"My lord, Lord Qin requests your presence in the backyard," a junior officer called out from the doorway.

"understood."

Zhou Yang straightened his flying fish robe and looked at himself in the bronze mirror by the door. The young man in the mirror had delicate features and a faint smile on his lips, but the official robe looked strangely out of place on him—like a wolf in sheep's clothing, ready to devour someone at any moment.

……

The backyard, the gazebo.

Qin Shuang was sitting at the stone table, holding a cup of hot tea. Although her face was still a little pale, it was much better than last night when she looked like she might die at any moment. She had changed into a simple blue dress, which made her look less sharp and more gentle like a domestic woman.

But those eyes remained as cold and aloof as frost.

"Sit down." Seeing Zhou Yang come in, Qin Shuang pointed to the stone bench opposite her.

"Thank you, sir." Zhou Yang didn't stand on ceremony, plopped down, and casually picked up a piece of pastry from the fruit plate on the table and stuffed it into his mouth. "I haven't had breakfast yet, I'm starving."

Qin Shuang's eyes twitched slightly as she watched him wolf down his food.

This person was so arrogant in the lobby just now, how come he's still acting like this here?

"Is everything settled?" Qin Shuang put down her teacup and asked softly.

"All settled." Zhou Yang swallowed the food in his mouth and patted the crumbs off his hands. "I've taken care of all those troublemakers. From now on, you're in charge of the Imperial Guards in Anyang County. I'll keep an eye on things for you. Oh, no, I mean I'm in charge, and you'll provide guidance from behind the scenes."

Qin Shuang ignored his banter and said calmly, "Anyang County is too small. This mess isn't worth your time to keep an eye on."

Zhou Yang paused, then looked up at her: "What? Is Lord Qin going to abandon me after I've served my purpose?"

"I'm returning to the capital to report on my duties." Qin Shuang looked at the old locust tree in the courtyard, her gaze somewhat profound. "This matter has escalated too much. With Li Xuanji dead, the Heavenly Principle Sect certainly won't let it go easily. My identity in Anyang has already been exposed; staying here will only make me a target. Besides..."

She turned her head and looked at Zhou Yang's face: "My injuries also require me to go back to the capital to find a good doctor to treat them."

Zhou Yang nodded, leaned back in his chair, and tapped his fingers on the table: "That's a good thing. Now that you're back in the capital, Anyang County is my domain. I can make money however I want, how carefree."

Qin Shuang ignored his words and instead took out a document from her sleeve and pushed it in front of Zhou Yang.

"What is this?" Zhou Yang glanced at it.

"Transfer order." Qin Shuang's voice was calm. "I can take a few guards back to the capital. Although you are not allowed to leave your post according to regulations, you have rendered meritorious service in saving the emperor this time and also wiped out the stronghold of the Heavenly Principle Sect. I have the authority to grant you special permission to accompany me to the capital and serve as a servant in the Northern Garrison Command."

Zhou Yang was stunned for a moment.

Enter the Northern Garrison Command?

That was the headquarters of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the center of power, and also a battlefield.

He reached for the document and looked at the red seal on it. It was genuine.

"The waters of the capital are deep and murky," Qin Shuang said, looking into his eyes, each word distinct. "Someone like you, who only cares about making money, is safe in Anyang, but you'll just be a nouveau riche. Going to the capital, though dangerous, offers more opportunities. With your skills, you probably don't want to spend your whole life stuck in this small place, do you?"

Zhou Yang fell silent.

He truly hadn't planned to go to the capital so soon. His plan was to lie low in Anyang County for a few years, conserve his lifespan, and then plot his conquest of the world. But Qin Shuang's words were like a thorn, puncturing his bubble of contentment with modest wealth.

In this era, there is no absolute power; the so-called "living a life of ease" is merely self-deception. Troubles like those of Li Qianhu's level will only increase in the future.

Anyang County is too small to contain this growing dragon.

Moreover, with Qin Shuang gone, and him left alone here, facing the endless pursuit of the Heavenly Principle Sect, can he really hold on?

This is a bad deal no matter how you look at it.

Zhou Yang looked up at Qin Shuang's cold and beautiful face. Although she was talking about business, there seemed to be something else hidden in her eyes.

Is this an invitation?

"The capital city..." Zhou Yang rubbed the edge of the document with his fingers. "I've heard it's incredibly prosperous there, a den of iniquity everywhere, and rich people outnumbering dogs."

Qin Shuang's lips curled into a very faint smile: "Indeed. And the lives of the rich there are worth more."

Zhou Yang smiled.

He tucked the document into his pocket, stood up, and dusted off his bottom.

"Alright then. Since Lord Qin has said so, wouldn't it be disrespectful of me not to go?" Zhou Yang stretched, his tone becoming more relaxed. "But we have an agreement: all expenses along the way must be reimbursed. Also, once we get to the capital, you need to arrange a large house for me, preferably close to you for safety."

Qin Shuang looked at him, a barely perceptible smile flashing in her eyes.

"The conditions are agreed to." She stood up, straightened her sleeves, and said, "Pack your things, we'll leave first thing tomorrow morning. Don't bring too much junk; the capital city has plenty of that."

After saying that, she turned and walked into the house, her back still straight and thin.

Zhou Yang watched her retreating figure, touched the bronze seal in his arms, and then touched the thin transfer order on his chest.

This step has been taken.

From a wanted criminal to a deputy commander, and now he's about to set foot in Beijing.

Zhou Yang looked up at the hazy sky, and for some reason, he felt as if a giant mouth was waiting for him in the direction of the capital.

But who cares?

As long as you can make money and have the life to spend it, where isn't a place to make money?

He turned and walked towards the lobby, his steps light and quick.

"Guards! Open the storeroom and let me count the silver... oh no, I mean, check the finances!"

The wind blew through the yard, stirring up a few fallen leaves on the ground.

A new path lies ahead.