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

Zhou Yang's finger stopped on the ground.

The water stain looked like a blemish in the dim light. The area he was referring to was the northeast corner of the imperial city of Beijing.

That place was the core of the Imperial Observatory.

"The observatory is fake."

He spoke, his voice dry.

"Or rather, it's a smokescreen. A target laid bare in the open."

Qin Shuang crouched down, her gaze following his finger. The simple map gradually gained weight in her eyes.

"The real entrance should be beneath the observatory. The tortoise shell isn't a star map, it's a diagram of a mechanism."

Zhou Yang turned the tortoise shell over and pointed to the deepest and most chaotic engravings.

"Look here. These lines aren't star trails. They're tunnel structures. And this symbol..."

His fingertips traced a nearly indistinguishable engraving.

"This is the character 'Kun'. It's on the underground level. Zhang Fengzi and his group went to the wrong place. They thought they could find the dragon bones on the Star Gazing Platform, but they triggered a trap instead, which is why they ended up looking like that."

The cell was quiet.

Only the flame of the oil lamp flickered gently.

Qin Shuang's face flickered in the firelight. She finally understood why Zhou Yang had looked that way earlier.

This discovery was more important, and more fatal, than finding Zhang the Madman.

The Imperial Observatory was a forbidden area for the royal family.

Forget about barging in; even glancing around the entrance a few times could get you arrested and interrogated by the Imperial Guards. That place was even more heavily guarded than the Imperial Palace. Every sentry was at least a skilled soldier of the rank of junior officer. Not to mention the unseen formations and traps.

"How do we get in?"

Qin Shuang asked the key question.

This question was like a bucket of cold water, extinguishing the light that had just shone in Zhou Yang's eyes.

Yeah, how do we get in?

Forcing his way in? That's suicide. Even if he were at his peak, let alone now that he only has a fraction of his strength left, going there would be like a moth flying into a flame.

He looked down at his hands.

His palms were still stained with blood from the interrogation of Wang Mang. The blood had dried, turning a dark red, like rust.

He can burn through lifespan.

Burning it for a year might allow him to deduce a foolproof infiltration route. Burning it for half a year would allow him to instantly grasp the method to break through the Imperial Observatory's defensive formation.

But he couldn't bear to part with it.

His lifespan was his only asset. Every burning of his body was a step closer to death. He hadn't lived enough.

He fell silent, his mind racing, considering every possibility and every possible cost.

Bribing an inside man? The people in the Imperial Observatory are all loyal subjects who regard money as dirt.

Dig a tunnel? Before you even reach the base of the wall, you'll be torn to shreds by the underground defensive array.

For a moment, it seemed as if all roads had been cut off. That forbidden area in the northeast corner was like a giant beast with its mouth wide open, waiting for them to walk into its trap.

Qin Shuang looked at his furrowed brows and did not urge him.

She took something out of her bosom.

The movement was very light, without making a sound.

It was a token, entirely black, made of some kind of wood. It felt slightly heavy in the hand and had a cool feel to it. On one side of the token was engraved an ancient character "Qin". On the other side was a curling auspicious cloud.

"Use it."

Qin Shuang placed the token in front of Zhou Yang.

Zhou Yang shifted his gaze from his palm to the token.

He was stunned.

He had seen this token before. It hung in the most conspicuous place in her room. He had always thought it was just some kind of decorative ornament.

He picked up the token, his fingertips tracing the auspicious cloud pattern. The engraving was deep and the lines were smooth, carrying a sense of ancient history.

"This is?"

"A keepsake from my family."

Qin Shuang's voice was very soft, as if she were telling a story that had nothing to do with her.

"My family was once a family responsible for royal divination. We specialized in performing sacrifices to heaven, praying for blessings, and interpreting divinations for the royal family."

Zhou Yang suddenly looked up at her.

Qin Shuang's face was expressionless. But in her eyes, there was something Zhou Yang had never seen before. It was like nostalgia, and also like loneliness.

"Later, the family fortunes declined. My grandfather's generation no longer held much real power. But he was once the Director of the Imperial Observatory."

She paused, then continued.

"The current Director of the Imperial Observatory is named Li Boyuan. He is my grandfather's last disciple."

Zhou Yang's heart skipped a beat.

He looked at the token in his hand, then at the woman in front of him.

He always thought he knew her well. A wealthy, powerful, and somewhat aloof beauty. A "sugar daddy" who could provide him with funds and protection. He even mentally calculated their relationship perfectly. He did things for her, she paid him—a fair trade.

But now he realizes he was terribly wrong.

This woman's background was far more profound than he had imagined. She was like an ocean, and what he had seen before was merely the shimmering surface.

"This token was passed down to me by my grandfather."

Qin Shuang's way.

"When Li Boyuan became an apprentice, my grandfather gave him one of these tokens. The one I have in my hand is another one. With this token, I can enter the Imperial Observatory under the pretext of 'visiting a deceased friend.' They won't investigate further."

She spoke at a steady pace, enunciating each word clearly, as if she were recounting something utterly ordinary.

But Zhou Yang knew this was by no means ordinary.

This is more than just a token.

This was a promise, a favor, and a trust that could entangle her and her entire family in enormous trouble.

He looked up and stared intently at Qin Shuang.

In the dim light, her profile was soft. Long eyelashes drooped, casting a small shadow beneath her eyes. She seemed a little uncomfortable, avoiding his gaze and looking at the flickering flames.

Zhou Yang suddenly felt that the token in his hand had become a little hot.

It is neither wood nor metal.

It was something he had never possessed.

A type of support that can bear the weight of your back.

He always believed that he was alone in this world. Every path he had to walk step by step, paved with his own lifespan. Every calculation, every transaction, was aimed at making himself live longer and better.

But now, someone has placed the most crucial shortcut in front of him. No reward is asked, and even the explanation is so understated.

Why?

Zhou Yang finally asked the question.

His voice was a little hoarse.

That was a very poor question. It wasn't like him at all. But he couldn't help it.

Qin Shuang turned her head back and her gaze fell on his face again.

Her eyes were clear and bright, like a still, cold pool.

"Didn't you say you'd help me investigate Commander Chen's case and find the truth behind my father's death?"

"The Imperial Observatory is an unavoidable link. Helping you is also helping myself."

She paused, then added.

"And I believe you."

These three simple words carry more weight than any lengthy discourse.

Zhou Yang fell silent.

He clutched the ebony token tightly in his hand. The wood's icy touch seemed to seep into his bones. Yet, he felt as if a fire was burning within it.

For the first time, he began to re-examine their relationship.

It's not a transaction.

What is that?

He didn't understand.

All he knew was that from this day forward, this woman named Qin Shuang would occupy a completely different place in his life.

She was no longer the high roller betting at the chessboard.

She became like him, sitting in front of the chessboard, holding the pieces.

"tomorrow."

Zhou Yang spoke, breaking the silence. He turned his gaze back to the water-stained map on the ground, his eyes regaining their sharpness and calmness.

"I'll make the preparations. Tomorrow afternoon, let's go to the Imperial Observatory together."

"it is good."

Qin Shuang responded.

She stood up, walked to the cell door, and whispered a few instructions to the Imperial Guards waiting outside. Soon, a jailer brought in clean water and some food.

She handed the basin of water and a towel to Zhou Yang.

"Wipe yourself clean. You're covered in blood."

Zhou Yang took it, and the warm steam on his face cleared his muddled thoughts.

He washed his hands and face, and changed into a clean prison uniform. Although he was still dressed as a prisoner, his entire demeanor had changed.

Qin Shuang watched him finish doing all this, said nothing, and turned to leave the cell.

Her footsteps faded into the distance down the corridor and eventually disappeared from sight.

The room with the letter "甲" was deathly silent again.

Zhou Yang sat down and placed the ebony token on the table.

The firelight illuminated the character "Qin" and the auspicious cloud, giving them a deep, mysterious glow.

He picked up a piece of dried meat and chewed it slowly.

It didn't taste very good; it was very salty and hard.

But he felt that this was the most delicious thing he had ever eaten since he came into this world.