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

Before the morning mist had even dissipated, the west gate of Anyang City was already completely jammed.

The damp air carried the smells of sweat, the stench of livestock, and the bad breath of several people who hadn't brushed their teeth in the morning. Zhou Yang hunched his shoulders and pulled his worn-out gray cotton jacket down further, trying to make himself look like a laborer who hadn't woken up yet.

He was carrying a tattered bamboo basket containing a few wilted radishes and a piece of hardened tofu, which he had specially bought at the morning market for this outfit.

"Has something serious happened in this city?"

A man carrying loads wiped the dew from his face, stood on tiptoe, and peered towards the city gate. "Normally they'd let people through by now, why are the fences down today?"

Zhou Yang didn't reply, but instead lowered his head even further, glancing around with the corner of his eye.

Several stickers appeared on the walls on both sides of the city gate this morning. The paste wasn't completely dry, and water stains dripped down the wall. The paper was yellowed, and a bright red seal was stamped on it; you could smell a chilling aura from afar.

That's a warrant for a maritime arrest.

Or rather, it's an arrest warrant.

Several captains dressed in flying fish robes and wearing embroidered spring knives at their waists stood at the city gate, holding portraits and checking each passing civilian. Their eyes, like those of hawks, swept across the crowd, and at the slightest movement, their hands would drop to the hilts of their swords.

"Line up properly! Don't push!"

A junior officer brandished his riding whip, striking the fence with a sharp crack. "Today, the Garrison Commander is personally overseeing things. Anyone who dares to run away should face my wrath!"

Upon hearing the words "Governor-General," a stir broke out in the crowd.

Zhou Yang felt Qin Shuang's body stiffen slightly beside him. Today she had changed into a simple, plain dress, and her face was smeared with a thin layer of soot. Her originally cool and beautiful face now looked sallow, like a village woman suffering from long-term malnutrition.

But this cannot conceal the air of sophistication she has cultivated from her long-term high position.

Zhou Yang nudged her gently and said in a low voice, "Don't look, that's for dead people."

Qin Shuang took a deep breath and looked back at the vegetable basket in her hand, but her fingers gripping the handle were a little white.

"I didn't expect Commander Chen to act so quickly." Her voice was very low, only the two of them could hear it, "He even brought out the Garrison Commander."

"What's so surprising about that?" Zhou Yang curled his lip, a mocking smile playing on his lips. "They lost so much government silver, and now they want to pin the blame on us. Without some big shot backing them up, how can this matter seem 'ironclad evidence'?"

He raised his head slightly, his gaze passing through the gaps in the crowd and landing on the largest wanted poster in the very center of the city gate.

The portrait was fairly lifelike, especially the eyes, which conveyed a sense of shrewdness and cunning. However, the artist seemed to have some prejudice against him, painting his face a bit rounder, making him look like a simple-minded landlord's son who had just finished eating.

The portrait of the woman next to her was completely distorted. Although it was labeled "Qin Shuang," the woman in the painting had a fierce face and looked more like a shrewish woman who slaughtered pigs, which was completely unrelated to the icy beauty next to her.

"This artist should have their wages docked," Zhou Yang thought to himself. "They made me look way too ugly."

Below the portrait, a line of large characters stands out starkly:

[He colluded with the Heavenly Principle Sect, stole government silver, and resisted arrest with weapons; his crimes are heinous. Anyone providing clues will be rewarded with one hundred taels of silver; anyone assisting in his capture will be rewarded with one thousand taels of silver and granted the position of centurion.]

"One thousand taels of silver..."

Zhou Yang clicked his tongue, seemingly seriously considering the feasibility of selling himself for money. "My net worth has increased quite a bit."

Qin Shuang had no time for his banter; she nervously watched the Imperial Guards who were conducting the search. Although they didn't recognize her, if the leading officer had sharp eyes and recognized her through the crowd, they would truly be sitting ducks.

"We can't get out." Qin Shuang's voice trembled slightly. "The garrison commander is accompanied by two experts. Their breathing is deep and their steps are steady. They are at least at the late stage of internal strength."

"Nonsense, those are real experts, unlike me, I'm just a self-taught amateur." Zhou Yang still acted carefree, but his eyes had already quickly scanned the city gate.

The city gate has three checkpoints.

The first line of defense is the outer fence, guarded by ordinary soldiers who are responsible for the initial screening.

The second checkpoint was the city gate, which was a key area for inspection. Several captains with portraits were stationed there.

The third line of defense was the barbican inside the city gate, where the garrison commander and his personal guard stood. It was the last line of defense and the most difficult obstacle to overcome.

At least three hundred soldiers were deployed at the city gate. Archers stood in a row on the city wall, their arrows gleaming coldly, aimed at the civilians below.

This is what is known as an "ironclad defense".

"If we force our way in, what are our chances of success?" Zhou Yang asked.

Qin Shuang was silent for a moment, then shook her head with a wry smile: "Zero success. We'll be riddled with bullets before we even reach the city gate. And once we're exposed, Commander Chen will definitely have backup plans."

"Then we can't just force our way in." Zhou Yang quickly rejected the plan. "The risk of losing money on this deal is too great."

The line was still moving slowly.

We're getting closer and closer to that line between life and death.

Zhou Yang could even see the terrified wrinkles on the old farmer's face. Because his hands were shaking, the old farmer couldn't produce his travel permit, so the captain kicked him in the knee, and he knelt on the ground trembling.

"Next!"

The captain roared impatiently, his gaze sweeping over Zhou Yang and Qin Shuang.

Qin Shuang's heart raced instantly, and she instinctively reached for the short blade hidden in her sleeve.

A hand gently pressed down on her wrist.

Zhou Yang's hands were warm, and his palms had a thin layer of calluses.

"Don't move."

He transmitted his voice with incredible speed and precision, his voice was so steady it was almost unbelievable.

"What are you doing, dawdling like that!" The captain strode forward, waving the portrait in his hand, his gaze sweeping back and forth between the two men's faces. "Raise your heads!"

Zhou Yang slowly raised his head, a timid smile plastered on his face.

"Sir, I pay my respects to you."

As he spoke, he reached into his coat.

The captain's eyes narrowed, and his hand instantly gripped the hilt of his sword: "What are you doing!"

"Sir, please don't misunderstand, please don't misunderstand!" Zhou Yang was startled and shrank back. He hurriedly pulled a crumpled cloth bag from his pocket, peeled it open layer by layer, revealing a few pieces of silver inside.

The silver was of average quality and had some oil stains on it.

"Sir, you've worked hard, sir." Zhou Yang stuffed the silver into the captain's hand, his face beaming like a chrysanthemum. "My wife and I are from Li Family Village outside the city. We're here today to get medicine for my mother. We don't have any proper travel permits with us. Could you... perhaps make an exception?"

The surrounding people held their breath. To dare to slip money at a time like this required immense courage.

The captain was taken aback. He had initially thought the two men were up to something, but it turned out they were just a sensible passerby.

He weighed the loose silver in his hand; it was probably only two or three coins. For him, that was just the cost of a drink.

"Take this and buy some wine, sir." Zhou Yang continued with a fawning smile, his body slightly hunched, appearing exceptionally humble.

The captain snorted coldly, put the money into his sleeve, and his eyes lingered on Qin Shuang's face for a moment.

"Is this woman your wife?"

"Yes, yes, my wife is frail and shy around strangers." Zhou Yang nodded quickly, stepping in front of Qin Shuang as he did so. "My mother at home is seriously ill, and we need to get back urgently."

The captain waved his hand impatiently: "Get out of here! Remember to bring your travel permit next time you go out! If the higher-ups see this, I can't protect you either."

"Thank you, sir! Thank you, sir!"

Zhou Yang thanked Qin Shuang profusely and pulled her towards the city gate.

The two had only taken a few steps when a deep and authoritative voice suddenly came from behind them.

"Wait a minute."

These two words were like two heavy hammer blows, slamming hard into Qin Shuang's heart.

He was the pacification commissioner.

Qin Shuang felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. She could feel a sharp gaze piercing through the crowd and landing on their backs.

Zhou Yang paused for a moment, but he didn't turn around. He just kept his hunched posture and continued to move forward as if he hadn't heard anything.

But he knew in his heart that stopping at this point would only make him more suspicious.

"Sir?" The captain turned around and bowed respectfully.

The garrison commander, riding a tall horse, squinted at the two figures from several dozen paces away.

The aura I felt just now seemed somewhat familiar.

"Have those two people's identities been verified?" the garrison commander asked in a deep voice.

"Sir, they are just two ordinary villagers who said they were going back to get medicine for their mothers," the captain quickly replied. "I just checked them, and there's nothing wrong with them."

The garrison commander frowned slightly, as if recalling something. The feeling vanished quickly, and he finally shook his head: "Never mind, continue the investigation. Commander Chen said those two rebels are extremely cunning; we can't afford to be careless."

"yes!"

Zhou Yang pulled Qin Shuang along, walking at a leisurely pace through the city gate.

Only after completely leaving the barbican and blending into the crowded alley outside the city did that feeling of being pricked by thorns begin to dissipate.

But he still didn't turn back.

After walking for about two miles, we turned into a dense forest.

Zhou Yang let out a long breath and sat down heavily on the ground. His timid face instantly fell, replaced by a look of lingering fear.

"Damn, that scared the hell out of me."

He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. Just a moment ago, his hand was already on the fire tamper in his sleeve. If the garrison commander really wanted to catch up, he was prepared to set fire to the forest, create chaos, and then run away.

"Just now..." Qin Shuang looked at Zhou Yang, her eyes filled with complex emotions, "Was that the last bit of silver you had on you?"

"That's all the stuff we have," Zhou Yang rolled his eyes and said irritably. "To survive, we have to have a clearance sale. At times like this, money is secondary; life is the only thing that matters."

Qin Shuang remained silent for a moment, then said softly, "If that captain is greedy and insatiable, or if the garrison commander really catches up with us, we're finished."

"It's all about probability." Zhou Yang got up from the ground, patted the dirt off his backside, and said, "That captain is used to taking money; it's a conditioned reflex. The garrison commander is too far away to see clearly. It's all a gamble."

He turned to look at Qin Shuang, his expression turning serious.

"We're out of the city now, but this isn't over. Commander Chen has sealed off the city gates and will soon expand the search area outside the city. We have no money, no horses, and can't go far."

Qin Shuang nodded, trying to calm herself down and force herself to stay calm.

"We can't take the main road, nor can we go to the nearby villages and towns," Qin Shuang said, looking at Zhou Yang. "Do you have a solution?"

Zhou Yang did not answer immediately, but instead stroked his chin, his eyes flickering.

"We'll definitely be caught if we go by land," he muttered to himself. "Commander Chen is a local tyrant. He's been operating in Anyang County for so many years, and he has informants everywhere. We can't outrun four people on two legs."

"Then let's take the waterway," Qin Shuang suddenly said.

Zhou Yang raised an eyebrow: "Waterway?"

"Anyang County was built along the water, and the moat outside the city is connected to the Huai River." Qin Shuang walked to a big tree and drew a simple map on the ground with a branch. "If we can find a boat and go downstream, once we leave the territory of Anyang County and reach the vicinity of Yunmeng Marsh, we will be in a safe area."

"Good idea." Zhou Yang squatted down, looking at the lines on the ground. "However, the docks outside the city must have been blocked as well. Private ships need to have their cargo inspected before leaving port, and with our current identities, we'll be arrested as soon as we show our faces."

"Not all docks are guarded." Qin Shuang pointed to a point on the map. "Thirty miles north of the city, there is an abandoned drainage sluice gate. It's a secret passage left over from the previous dynasty, leading directly to the reed marshes outside the city. The water level there is shallow, and large ships can't pass through, so the government officials generally don't pay attention to it."

"You mean, we'll crawl out from there?" Zhou Yang's eyes lit up.

"I have the key to that secret passage, and I also know how to open the mechanism," Qin Shuang said. "It's a top-secret escape route within the Embroidered Uniform Guard, known only to successive centurions."

"That's exciting?" Zhou Yang rubbed his hands together. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's go!"

"But..." Qin Shuang's tone shifted, her expression turning grim, "That gate was recently reinforced with a new lock, and it requires a special access token to open; otherwise, it will trigger an alarm."

"A new lock? A token?" Zhou Yang was taken aback. "Who added it?"

"The city defense battalion," Qin Shuang said, biting her lip. "Because of the secluded location of that secret passage, the city defense battalion has always wanted to turn it into their private property for smuggling or hiding money. Although we suppressed it, they still added a restriction to the gate under the pretext of 'preventing spies from infiltrating'."

"City defense battalion..." Zhou Yang pondered these three words, a name flashing through his mind.

He suddenly remembered something, reached into the inner compartment of his tattered bamboo basket, rummaged around for a while, and pulled out a yellowed booklet.

That was the account book he had swiped from the pawnshop owner in the mass grave.

He had been so focused on looking at the lists and amounts of bribes that he hadn't had time to examine the specific items in detail.

At that moment, he opened the ledger, his fingers flying across the densely packed names and numbers.

Finally, his finger stopped on a line of text.

[Zhao Meng, the commander of the city defense battalion, was given 3,000 taels of silver as a gift to dredge the secret passage in the northern suburbs, ostensibly for flood control, but in reality for smuggling salt and iron.]

Zhou Yang's lips slowly parted into a smile, revealing a set of white teeth.

"What a coincidence."

He closed the ledger and slapped it shut in his hands.

"This world is so small."

Qin Shuang looked at his expression, somewhat puzzled: "What's wrong?"

"You mean that pass token? Is it in Zhao Meng's hands?" Zhou Yang asked with a smile.

"According to the rules, that should be the case. The token and the key are kept separately. I have the key, and they have the token. Both are needed to open the door." Qin Shuang nodded. "What, do you know him?"

"It's more than just knowing each other."

Zhou Yang stood up, took the wilted radishes out of the basket, tossed them into the grass, and then carefully tucked the account book into his pocket, keeping it close to his body.

"This Commandant Zhao is quite the big spender."

He patted his chest, where the account book pasted on it seemed not to be paper, but to be heavy gold.

"We not only know where he is, but we also know what good things he's done."

Zhou Yang turned around and looked at the continuous mountain shadows to the north, his eyes gleaming with the light of a hunter spotting his prey.

"Furthermore, I know that he definitely doesn't want anyone to know about the existence of that secret passage, and he certainly doesn't want anyone to know that he took bribes."

"Let's go, Commander Qin."

Zhou Yang took a step, and the withered grass under his feet made a crisp snapping sound.

"Let's go visit this Commandant Zhao and borrow a token from him."

Qin Shuang watched his back. Although she didn't know where Zhou Yang got his confidence from, she inexplicably felt that what this man was holding was not a dead account, but a key that could open the door to life and death.

She lifted her skirt and quickly followed after him.

"This Zhao Meng is a skilled fighter; it's said he has hundreds of lives on his hands."

"That's perfect," Zhou Yang said without turning his head. "For things that require extra payment, we not only have to guarantee a smooth process, but also that he'll be embarrassed. If he knows what's good for him, we'll lend him the money; if he doesn't..."

He chuckled, the sound echoing through the empty woods, sending chills down one's spine.

"Then let him know that some advantages are not easy to come by."

At this moment, the morning mist outside Anyang City gradually dissipated, revealing the hidden path leading to the northern suburbs.

Zhou Yang had no sword in his hand, but he himself was like a sharp blade drawn from its sheath, his edge fully revealed.

A new "deal" is waiting for him to negotiate.