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

The stone pillars of the observatory collapsed with a deafening roar. Dust billowed, and broken tiles rained down. Zhou Yang stood on the edge of the tilting structure, his gaze fixed on the blood-red face of the Blackwater Dharma King.

"Get down." He chuckled softly, his voice ripped apart by the howling wind.

Both of them lost their footing at the same time and plummeted into the abyss. The chill was biting, and their blood suddenly boiled within them. Zhou Yang quickly gathered his inner energy, a sharp pain shooting through his chest.

With a thought, ten years of lifespan burst forth within his body like a burning lamp. A blazing red light pierced through his meridians, reaching the palm of his left hand. That light devoured the fragments of the "Nine Forms of Crimson Sky," instantly transforming into a complete and perfect form.

The crimson flames in his palm roared out like a raging dragon. Zhou Yang swept his left palm forward, striking directly at the Dharma King's chest.

The Dharma King exclaimed in surprise, tilting his body slightly, but not letting his attack miss. His right claw fiercely slashed at Zhou Yang's shoulder, the claw tip drawing sharp bloodstains, piercing through the shoulder armor and firmly gripping the Danmu.

Danmu was cut by the fingertip, a flash of silver light, followed by a violent backlash. Sharp, cold air flowed upwards, invading her body along the Dharma King's claw.

The Dharma King's face contorted in agony, and a piercing scream tore through the night. Corrosive black mist surged from the wound, instantly eroding half of his body, turning flesh and blood to ashes in a flash.

Zhou Yang used the recoil to tumble, his body tracing an arc through the rubble. His ankle got caught on a piece of debris, and his trembling body finally regained its balance before crashing heavily onto the ruins.

A sharp pain shot through his chest, and blood gushed from his shoulder wound. Zhou Yang bent over, clutching the wound; his palm was already oozing dark red blood. His breathing was rapid, yet steady.

He narrowed his eyes, staring at the decomposing half of the Dharma King's body. A bloodthirsty glint still lingered in the Dharma King's eyes, as if mocking his foolishness.

Zhou Yang slowly stood up, the specially made dagger at his waist gleaming coldly. The hilt of the dagger was engraved with nine patterns, and the blade was as cold as ice.

Step by step, he approached the Dharma King, his steps heavy yet resolute. Each step brought the sound of shattered stones, like the drumbeat of death.

The Dharma King's mangled body had lost its support and collapsed to the ground, rolling around. Blood flowed like a river down his ripped chest.

Zhou Yang gripped the dagger tightly in his right hand, his fingertips trembling slightly. The wound on his chest shimmered in the blood mist, and his breathing sounded like the shattering of a bell.

The dagger sliced ​​across the king's Adam's apple, leaving a deep bloody gash. Then, with a forceful pull, the blade plunged into his cervical spine.

The head snapped off, blood splattering everywhere. The last fierce glint remained in the Dharma King's eyes, which were instantly buried in dust.

Silence reigned. Only the wind echoed through the cracks in the ruins, and the sound of rolling rubble was like the whisper of death.

Zhou Yang stood amidst a sea of ​​blood, blood still seeping from the wound on his chest. His fingers lightly traced the blade, which was now stained crimson with blood.

He looked up at the collapsed observatory, its ruins casting eerie silhouettes in the moonlight.

There was no jubilation, no regret. Only a strange sense of pleasure churned within my chest.

The last ten years of his life had turned into crimson flames, into the pain of flesh and blood, into this moment of utter destruction.

He muttered to himself, "You're out of luck, Dharma King." His voice faded with the wind, disappearing into the night along with the sound of pebbles colliding.

Blood dripped to the ground, congealing into black petals. Zhou Yang's figure stretched long in the moonlight, like a blade suspended in the air, ready to strike again at any moment.

At this point, only the collapsed ruins and bloodstains remained at the observatory.

He turned and left, his steps heavy, but he did not look back.

The night wind carried a chill as it swept across the ruins of the observatory.

The flickering firelight cast long, distorted shadows of the ruins, like a group of silent ghosts. The air was thick with the stench of gunpowder, scorched earth, and blood, along with a peculiar, sweet smell—the lingering scent of some secret medicine burning within the Blackwater Dharma King's body.

Zhou Yang leaned against a half-collapsed stone wall, his chest still heaving. With each breath, his lungs ached as if being rubbed with sandpaper. The lingering effects of burning ten years of his life force were kicking in; it wasn't excruciating pain, but a feeling of utter exhaustion seeping from the very marrow of his bones. His hands trembled slightly, so he clenched them into fists and hid them in his sleeves.

The footsteps approached from afar, in perfect unison.

A squad of Imperial Guards appeared at the entrance to the ruins. They wore flying fish robes and carried embroidered spring knives, their movements clean and efficient. The leader, tall and imposing with a stern face, was none other than the Garrison Commander, Lu Chenzhou.

His gaze swept over the mess on the ground, finally settling on Zhou Yang. His eyes were like a scalpel, precise and devoid of emotion.

"Commander Zhou," Lu Chenzhou said, his voice steady, "you've worked hard."

"Lord Lu, you flatter me." Zhou Yang straightened up, trying to make his voice sound as calm as possible. He knew that this scene was only just beginning.

The Imperial Guards began to process the scene methodically. They showed no surprise, as if this hellish sight was nothing more than routine work. Several men carried a huge oilcloth bundle toward the Blackwater Dharma King's inhuman corpse. The mangled remains were effortlessly stuffed into the bundle, as if it were a piece of pork.

Zhou Yang watched this scene without the slightest ripple of emotion. This was the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

He took two things out of his pocket.

A head, and a scroll wrapped in oil paper.

The head belonged to the Blackwater Dharma King. His eyes were still open, retaining the terror and disbelief of his dying moments. Zhou Yang, holding the head by the hair, placed it on a relatively flat stone slab. The head rolled slightly, now facing upwards, directly towards Lu Chenzhou.

The other scroll was the diagram of the "Blood Soul Array." He had taken it from the Dharma King's pocket before killing him. The edges of the parchment scroll were damp and stained with blood.

"Lord Lu, this is the head of the Blackwater Dharma King." Zhou Yang pointed to the head, his tone calm. "And this is a formation diagram set up by the cult."

He didn't waste any time and got straight to the point.

Lu Chenzhou stepped forward, glanced down at the head, his expression unchanged. He then reached out and took the array diagram Zhou Yang handed him. His slender fingers slowly unfurled the parchment, his gaze lingering on it.

The lines in the picture are eerie, the symbols are distorted, and it exudes a faint sense of evil.

"Blood Soul Formation." Lu Chenzhou said the name after only one glance. "The Heavenly Principle Sect's efforts are considerable."

He put away the array diagram and looked up at Zhou Yang. "What do you want?"

To get straight to the point. Zhou Yang likes that.

He didn't answer immediately, but first glanced at the Imperial Guards who were cleaning up the battlefield before turning his gaze back to Lu Chenzhou's face.

"Lord Lu, consider these things as my offering to the court," Zhou Yang said slowly and deliberately, "but I don't want the credit."

Lu Chenzhou's eyebrows twitched almost imperceptibly.

"I want it, and I'll put it on Qin Baihu's tab," Zhou Yang said, emphasizing each word as he stated his condition.

The appearance of the Heavenly Principle Sect's Dharma King in the Battle of the Star Observatory was a tremendous achievement. Whoever took it on would see their career skyrocket. But Zhou Yang was still too insignificant. This achievement falling on his head was not honey, but poison. He would immediately become the target of all the hidden forces.

Qin Shuang is different. She comes from a powerful family with a solid foundation. This credit, if given to her, will help her truly gain a foothold in the Embroidered Uniform Guard and obtain the "initiative" she needs.

Lu Chenzhou looked at Zhou Yang and remained silent for a moment. The firelight danced in his deep eyes.

"You risked your life for her?" His voice was devoid of emotion.

"I work for myself." Zhou Yang smiled, a weary smile. "Qin Baihu is my superior and my patron. Her well-being is my well-being. I understand the trade-off."

This is the logic of a businessman. Naked, but true.

Lu Chenzhou remained noncommittal. He walked halfway around Zhou Yang, as if examining a piece of merchandise.

"You killed the Dharma King; your contribution was immense. Don't you feel it's a pity to just hand it over?"

"It's not a pity." Zhou Yang shook his head. "Trading temporary fame for a long-term backer is worthwhile."

He paused, then added, "Besides, Qin's promotion might not be a bad thing for me, or for you, Lord Lu."

There's a hidden meaning in those words. Lu Chenzhou is a member of Qin Shuang's faction. With Qin Shuang's promotion, his influence will naturally increase as well.

Lu Chenzhou stopped and stood in front of Zhou Yang again.

"Sure." He uttered two words crisply and decisively. "I can make the decision; all the credit for this will be attributed to Qin Shuang."

Zhou Yang felt a weight lifted off his shoulders.

"However," Lu Chenzhou changed the subject, "you've given away such a huge credit, you should expect something in return, right?"

He's definitely a smart person.

Zhou Yang didn't beat around the bush and directly stated his needs.

"Yes. I have a personal matter I'd like to ask Lord Lu for help with." He held up one finger. "Help me find someone."

"Who?"

"A master of mechanical engineering."

For the first time, a hint of surprise appeared in Lu Chenzhou's eyes.

"A master of mechanisms?" he repeated. "What do you need someone like that for?"

"Make some small gadgets," Zhou Yang said vaguely, "repair some old things."

He couldn't possibly tell Lu Chenzhou that he was there to repair the Dragon Spine fragment. Such a secret, which could lead to his death, was best kept to himself.

Lu Chenzhou stared at him for a long time, seemingly trying to glean something from his expression. But Zhou Yang's face only showed just the right amount of sincerity and a hint of weariness.

"There are many people in the capital who are skilled in this art. But there is only one who can be called a 'master'." Lu Chenzhou finally revealed, "His name is Mo Bai. He is an eccentric man who lives in seclusion in the Western Hills area. He is not easy to find."

"It's okay," Zhou Yang said. "As long as we know this person exists, there's always a way."

"Okay." Lu Chenzhou took out a piece of paper from his pocket, wrote a few words with his small calligraphy pen, and handed it to Zhou Yang. "This is the last village he appeared in. As for whether you can find him, that depends on your abilities."

Zhou Yang took the note, carefully folded it, and put it in his pocket. That thin piece of paper felt as heavy as a thousand pounds.

"Thank you, Lord Lu."

"No need to thank me." Lu Chenzhou's gaze turned to the wrapped-up corpse of the Dharma King. "This head and this array diagram are worth the price."

He paused, as if remembering something, and added a sentence.

"By the way, Qin Shuang has been promoted."

Zhou Yang suddenly raised his head.

"Just half an hour ago, the order from the Northern Garrison Command came down," Lu Chenzhou said in a calm tone. "Qin Shuang was promoted to Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and put in charge of Anyang County."

So fast?

Zhou Yang was taken aback. He hadn't expected Lu Chenzhou to act so quickly and efficiently. It seemed he had been prepared all along, just waiting for him to deliver the "goods."

He had planned everything, but he hadn't anticipated that Lu Chenzhou and Qin Shuang would act so swiftly.

"Congratulations, Commander Qin," Zhou Yang said sincerely. This wasn't just polite talk; it was the truth. Qin Shuang's position as commander was something he had earned by sacrificing ten years of his life. This investment had yielded returns much faster than he had anticipated.

Lu Chenzhou nodded without saying anything more. He waved his hand, signaling his men to leave.

"The people here will clean it up thoroughly. There won't be any traces." He said this and turned to leave.

"Lord Lu," Zhou Yang suddenly called out to him.

Lu Chenzhou turned around, his eyes questioning.

"The matter of the observatory is far more complex than it seems," Zhou Yang said, looking him straight in the eye. "The Blackwater Dharma King is just a gofer. I suspect there are bigger figures in the capital orchestrating this."

This is both a reminder and a test.

Lu Chenzhou's face remained expressionless, but his eyes turned cold.

"These are none of your business," he said coldly. "Do your job and take what you're entitled to. Don't ask what you shouldn't ask. Don't touch what you shouldn't touch."

Having said that, he lingered, leading his men away into the night. The torchlight gradually faded, eventually swallowed by darkness.

Zhou Yang was the only one left on the ruins.

The wind blew, stirring up the ashes on the ground. He leaned against the stone wall and let out a long sigh. His tense nerves finally relaxed.

He took out the slip of paper with the address written on it from his pocket and read it again by the light of the waning moon.

Xishan, Mojia Village.

A master mechanic. A fragment of a dragon's spine. How many years of life would it take to repair it? Zhou Yang had no idea. But he knew it was a necessary step. To survive, and thrive, in this chaotic world, he needed greater power and stronger trump cards.

The dragon spine fragment is the biggest trump card he can think of right now.

He carefully put the note away and stretched his stiff neck. The feeling of exhaustion lingered deep within him, like a lurking venomous snake. He needed rest, he needed to recover from the damage done to his lifespan.

Zhou Yang turned around and walked down the observatory step by step.

His shadow stretched long in the moonlight, lonely yet resolute.

In the distance, the capital city blazed with lights, like a colossal beast lurking in the darkness. He was merely an insignificant worm within that beast.

But one day, he will make this behemoth make way for him.

Xishan, the master of mechanical engineering.

He murmured the two words, a faint smile slowly appearing on his lips.

This game has only just begun.