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

The guards had already raised their short sticks.

The stick's head was rough, coated with dark red paint. Sunlight streamed in from outside, casting greasy streaks on the stick.

There was a smell of dust and sweat in the air.

Zhou Yang stood in the middle. He didn't look at the sticks. His gaze was fixed on the counter. The counter was made of black rosewood, polished to a shine, reflecting his image. He could even see his own blurry face clearly.

"Mr. Li, please go ahead and do your work."

Zhou Yang spoke. His voice was soft and calm, as if he were talking about something completely unrelated to himself.

The entire money exchange fell silent for a moment.

The guards holding sticks froze in mid-air. They didn't understand. Why wasn't this kid running away or begging for mercy, but instead letting Li Tianba do his job first?

Li Tianba was also stunned. He squinted, sizing up Zhou Yang. This kid was as thin as a bamboo pole, wearing a worn-out blue cloth shirt, looking like a poor wretch who had run away from some rural area. But his eyes... were too calm. Calm as a stagnant pool.

The nameless anger in Li Tianba's heart was suddenly extinguished by half. He actually found it rather interesting.

"Alright." Li Tianba grinned, revealing a set of yellow teeth. "You're sensible. In the capital, you have to know the rules."

He turned his large body toward the counter. He pulled a silver note from his pocket and slapped it on the counter.

"I'll pay you fifty taels of silver. New."

The shopkeeper was an old man wearing a melon-shaped hat, with a smile on his face. He quickly picked up the silver note and brought it close to his eyes to examine it carefully. He even pinched it with his fingernail to check the watermark.

"That's right, Mr. Li, please wait a moment."

The shopkeeper turned and went to the inner room to get the silver. Only Li Tianba remained in front of the counter. He had his back to Zhou Yang, his large belly protruding like a mountain of flesh.

Zhou Yang stood there, motionless. His hands hung at his sides, his fingers slightly curled, then slowly unfurled. He was waiting. He knew the real show was yet to begin.

Soon, the shopkeeper came out carrying a tray. On the tray were five gleaming gold ingots.

"Mr. Li, please make your order."

Li Tianba didn't take it. He fiddled with the gold ingot with his hand, listening to the crisp clinking sound, and a satisfied expression appeared on his face.

Then he reached out to take it.

The moment his fingers touched the gold ingot, his wrist "inadvertently" twitched.

"Clang!"

The ten-tael silver ingot slid off the edge of the tray and fell to the floor. Due to inertia, it rolled to Zhou Yang's feet.

The gold ingot spun around on the ground a few times before stopping. It was golden and dazzling.

All eyes in the bank followed the ingot and landed on Zhou Yang's feet.

Li Tianba suddenly turned around. His eyes were wide open.

"My silver!" he yelled, pointing at Zhou Yang. "It was you! You stole my silver!"

That shout was earth-shattering.

The onlookers, who had initially just been watching, suddenly erupted in uproar.

"Oh dear, what happened?"

"Didn't the silver fall by itself?"

"It looks like it, but Master Li said he stole it..."

The buzzing of voices was deafening, like a swarm of flies. Everyone's gaze had changed. The look they gave Zhou Yang shifted from curiosity to disdain and disgust.

Stealing, especially in broad daylight, is the most despicable thing to do.

The guards immediately tightened their encirclement. They lowered their sticks, almost poking Zhou Yang. One of the guards shouted sternly, "Hand over the silver! Don't be stubborn!"

Zhou Yang looked down at the gold ingot at his feet. It was gleaming gold and engraved with the words "Connecting the World".

He smiled.

It wasn't a panicked laugh, nor an angry one. He just smiled briefly, a slight curve at the corners of his mouth, but his eyes held no warmth.

Then, he bent down.

His movements were slow, as if he were afraid of disturbing the ingot on the ground. He extended two fingers and picked up the ingot. The ingot felt a little cool and heavy in his hand.

He did not return the gold ingot to Li Tianba.

He turned around and walked to the counter.

In front of everyone, he gently placed the ingot on the black rosewood counter. The ingot collided with the table, making a dull thud.

Then, he took something out of his pocket.

It was a waist tag. Black iron, heavy. On it, a one-horned beast was outlined in silver thread, its fangs bared and claws outstretched, lifelike.

The waist token was placed next to the gold ingot.

One black, one gold; one dark, one bright.

The shopkeeper's smile froze. He recognized the waist tag.

His pupils contracted sharply, as if pricked by a needle. His previously rosy face turned deathly pale in an instant. Fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. His lips trembled, as if he wanted to say something, but not a single word came out.

Embroidered Uniform Guard!

These three words struck him like a heavy hammer blow.

Li Tianba saw it too. He didn't recognize the waist tag, but he recognized the shopkeeper's expression. It was an expression of utter disbelief.

"Old Zhang, what the hell are you doing... playing these tricks?" Li Tianba was a little uneasy, but he remained defiant. "A broken iron sign scared you? My brother's a battalion commander in the Beijing Garrison! You believe I'll smash this lousy money exchange of yours today!"

The shopkeeper trembled. He seemed to be reminded by Li Tianba's words, or perhaps stunned by Zhou Yang's waist token. He slammed his hand on the counter, his voice trembling.

"Li Tianba! How dare you!"

This roar stunned everyone.

Li Tianba was also stunned. He had known Lao Zhang for over ten years and had never seen him like this before.

"Old Zhang, you...you've got some nerve! How dare you talk to me like that?" Li Tianba's confidence clearly waned.

The shopkeeper pointed to the door, his finger trembling: "You! And all your lackeys! Get out of here! You've offended the Imperial Guards, do you even want your heads anymore?!"

"The Embroidered Uniform Guard?"

Li Tianba was completely dumbfounded. He stared intently at Zhou Yang, this young man who was as thin as a bamboo pole, was actually a member of the Imperial Guard?

So what if he's a member of the Embroidered Uniform Guard! My brother is a battalion commander in the Beijing Garrison!

Li Tianba's stubbornness flared up. He stiffened his neck and said, "I don't believe it! Who knows where he got the fake badge from! I'm convinced he stole my money!"

The surrounding air froze instantly.

The guards held their sticks, unsure whether to raise them or lower them. Their faces were paler than the walls. They couldn't bear the charge of offending the Imperial Guards. But Li Tianba was their master, and they couldn't simply ignore him.

Just then, Zhou Yang spoke up.

He didn't look at Li Tianba, nor at the guards. He looked at the terrified shopkeeper.

The voice remained calm, yet carried an undeniable weight.

"Shopkeeper."

"M-Sir, what are your orders?" The shopkeeper bowed deeply, his head almost touching the counter.

Zhou Yang stretched out his finger and gently tapped the black waist token, then tapped the gleaming gold ingot.

"I don't want him to apologize."

He said.

Li Tianba was taken aback.

Zhou Yang raised his eyes, his gaze finally landing on Li Tianba. His gaze was indifferent, as if he were looking at an inanimate object.

"I just want to ask one question."

He paused, his voice echoing clearly through the money exchange.

"You, Huatong Tianxia, ​​with such a prestigious reputation, would you really accept money from those who don't follow the rules?"

A person who doesn't follow the rules.

These five words were like five needles, piercing the shopkeeper's heart.

He understood instantly.

This is not a matter of theft.

This is not about apologizing.

This is a matter of procedure.

It's a matter of reputation.

If they accept money from someone like Li Tianba, who acts like a rogue and falsely accuses customers in the money exchange, today, what about tomorrow? The day after tomorrow? Will they still want the reputation of "Huitong Tianxia"?

Li Tianba's mind finally caught on. He realized he had fallen into a trap—a trap far larger than "theft." He wasn't just going against Zhou Yang; he was going against the entire reputation of the money exchange.

Cold sweat streamed down his chubby face.

The shopkeeper's face turned pale, then flushed. He looked into Zhou Yang's calm eyes, then glanced at the curious onlookers outside. He knew he had no choice in this situation.

He took a deep breath, as if using all his strength.

"Someone come here!"

"Get Li Tianba out of here!"

"From this day forward, we will facilitate remittances throughout the land, and will not accept a single penny from the Li family!"

"The silver he brought was dirty!"

The shopkeeper's voice was hoarse, yet exceptionally resolute.

The guards, as if granted a pardon, threw down their sticks with a clatter. They rushed forward, not daring to lay a hand on him, but instead dragging and pulling the dumbfounded Li Tianba outside.

"What are you doing! Let me go! Old Zhang! You traitorous old bastard! My brother won't let you get away with this!"

Li Tianba's curses echoed at the door, but were quickly shut out.

Inside the money exchange, there was a deathly silence.

Zhou Yang withdrew his gaze. He pushed the ingot of silver towards the shopkeeper.

"Shopkeeper, can you do my thing now?"