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

Dark as ink.

Zhou Yang stood outside the back wall of the Prime Minister's residence, his figure completely blending into the shadows. His breathing was light, like a falling feather. His internal energy circulated, and he had pushed the Shadow Escape technique to its limit.

The Prime Minister's residence covered a vast area, with walls alone reaching three zhang (approximately 10 meters) high. Broken porcelain shards were stuck atop the walls, gleaming coldly at night. Well-trained guards patrolled every fifteen minutes.

But even the most stringent defenses have weaknesses.

Zhou Yang observed for three days.

He moved after the third team of guards passed by.

His figure flickered, drifting over the wall like a wisp of smoke. He landed almost silently, his toes barely touching the flagstones, the sound softer than a cat's. The Prime Minister's residence was vast, with pavilions and towers layered upon each other. Based on the intelligence he had gathered, he headed directly towards the northwest corner.

That's where the butler lives.

The chief steward of the Prime Minister's residence, surnamed Wang, had served the Prime Minister for twenty years. All the shady dealings were handled through him. The person Zhou Yang was looking for was also there.

The witness's family members were secretly imprisoned in a dungeon.

Zhou Yang bought this information from a lowly servant in the Prime Minister's residence for a hefty sum. The servant was greedy, a gambler, and deeply in debt. Zhou Yang helped him pay off his debts and even gave him a settlement allowance.

This kind of transaction is the most reliable.

The dungeon entrance was beneath a woodshed. As Zhou Yang crept over, a group of guards approached from a distance. He pressed himself against the shadows in the corner, holding his breath.

The guards walked over, but no one noticed anything unusual.

Zhou Yang waited until they were far away before gently pushing open the door to the woodshed. The hinges were oiled and made no sound. The woodshed smelled of straw and a faint musty odor. He stepped on the wooden planks and found the loose floorboard.

The floorboards were lifted, revealing stone steps leading downwards.

A chilling aura swept over us.

Zhou Yang didn't hesitate and went straight down. The steps were steep and damp. Several oil lamps were lit on the wall, their flickering light casting his long shadow.

The dungeon was small, with only three cells.

The first room was empty, and the second room was also empty.

The third room was occupied.

A mother and child were locked in the cell. The woman was probably in her thirties, with a gaunt face and disheveled hair. The child, about seven or eight years old, huddled in his mother's arms, his eyes filled with fear.

Zhou Yang stood outside the prison door.

When the woman saw him, she instinctively hugged her child tighter and took a step back. Her lips were trembling, but she forced herself to remain calm: "Who are you?"

"The person who saved you." Zhou Yang didn't explain much. He pulled a key from his pocket—he had taken it from the butler's room.

The cell door opened.

The woman didn't move. Her eyes were full of suspicion. Having stayed in this kind of place for so long, she dared not trust anyone.

"I don't have time to explain," Zhou Yang said in a low voice. "The Prime Minister kept you alive to threaten the witnesses. But now, the witnesses are useless. Your existence is just a burden to the Prime Minister."

The woman's expression changed.

"He'll send someone to get rid of you within three days," Zhou Yang continued. "Believe it or not. But this is your only chance."

The child tugged at his mother's clothes.

The woman's lips trembled a few times before she finally stood up. Her legs were a little weak, and she almost fell as she stood. Zhou Yang reached out and helped her.

"Thank you," she said softly.

"You're welcome." Zhou Yang released his grip. "I did it for myself."

The mother and son followed Zhou Yang outside.

The dungeon was quiet, save for the sound of footsteps. The woman took a deep breath as she stepped out of the woodshed. The night sky was clear, and the moon hung perfectly round.

"Let's go." Zhou Yang pointed to a small path. "There will be someone to meet you there. After you leave the city, go to the manor in the south of the city and find a steward surnamed Chen. Give him my name, and he will arrange for you to leave the capital."

The woman hesitated for a moment: "Why...why are you helping us?"

"Because I need a witness to change his testimony." Zhou Yang didn't hide anything. "He used to be the Prime Minister's man, and now he has to work for me."

The woman was silent.

She wasn't stupid. What this young man wanted wasn't to bite off more than to make that person turn around and bite the Prime Minister back. She didn't understand this kind of political struggle, but she knew what was more important.

"I understand." She nodded. "We will not appear in the capital again."

"Smart." Zhou Yang turned around. "Let's go. While no one notices."

The mother and son quickly disappeared into the night.

Zhou Yang stood still, waiting until their figures were completely out of sight before turning his gaze away. His task was not yet complete. The crucial part was yet to come.

The witness was imprisoned in the dungeon of the Prime Minister's residence.

No, to be precise, they were imprisoned in the dungeon of the Prime Minister's residence. The Prime Minister was very cautious; the witnesses and their families were imprisoned in separate places. This way, even if someone came to rescue them, they could only save one side at a time.

But Zhou Yang had already rescued the other side.

Now, he is going to the other courtyard.

The villa was located about three miles east of the Prime Minister's residence. It was originally the mansion of a wealthy merchant, but the Prime Minister forcibly bought it at a low price and converted it into a private prison. On the surface, it looked like an ordinary estate, but in reality, it was more heavily guarded than the Prime Minister's residence.

Zhou Yang did not enter through the main entrance.

He climbed over the back wall.

The guards in the villa were more numerous than those in the Prime Minister's residence, and they were all highly skilled. Zhou Yang carefully evaded the patrols, weaving through the underworld until he finally found the entrance to the dungeon.

The entrance is located beneath an artificial hill.

There were only two guards.

Zhou Yang didn't make a move. With his strength, dealing with these two people would be easy, but making too much noise would alert them. He used a little trick—throwing a pebble into the bushes some distance away.

"What is that?" A guard went over to investigate.

The other guard remained in place.

Zhou Yang took the opportunity to slip away.

The dungeon was dimly lit, and the air reeked of blood. Dried bloodstains lay on the floor, the marks of countless victims. At the far end of the dungeon, Zhou Yang saw a person huddled in a corner.

The person was disheveled and his face was obscured.

But Zhou Yang knew that this was the person he was looking for.

"Get up." Zhou Yang stood outside the cell door, his voice very soft.

The person looked up. Their eyes were cloudy, as if they were looking at a stranger.

"Don't you recognize me?" Zhou Yang smiled. "We met once in prison three months ago. You even cursed at me back then."

The man paused for a moment, then his expression changed.

"You...you are Zhou Yang?"

"It's rare that you still remember." Zhou Yang opened the cell door. "Looks like your memory is still pretty good."

"What are you doing here?" the man asked warily. "Did the Prime Minister send you?"

"I'm here to save you."

"Save me?" The man was incredulous. "Would the Prime Minister be so kind?"

"Of course not." Zhou Yang walked into the cell. "I'm the one who wants to save you. Your family has already been rescued by me."

The man's expression changed drastically: "You... what did you do to them?"

"Don't worry, they're fine." Zhou Yang squatted down, looking directly into his eyes. "But now, the Prime Minister knows they escaped. Do you think he'll suspect you hired someone to do it?"

The man panicked: "No... I didn't..."

"Whether it's true or not is unimportant," Zhou Yang interrupted him. "What's important is that the Prime Minister no longer trusts you. He will definitely kill you to silence you."

"Then... what should I do?"

"It's simple." Zhou Yang stretched out a hand and placed it on the top of his head. "Do me a favor. I'll guarantee the safety of your whole family."

"What do you want me to do?"

"Reverse your original testimony." Zhou Yang's voice was soft, yet carried an undeniable force. "Tell me everything exactly as it was said in court, how the Prime Minister instructed you."

The man's face turned deathly pale: "This...this won't do...the Prime Minister will kill me..."

"The Prime Minister is now going to kill you." Zhou Yang's tone turned icy. "Moreover, I will make some changes to you. From now on, you are the Prime Minister's person, and always will be. As long as you obey, you can live."

"What kind of modification?"

Zhou Yang offered no explanation.

He activated the "Dragon Devouring" secret technique within his body, and a wisp of cold energy slowly flowed into the person's mind through his palm. The person's body trembled violently, and their eyes became unfocused.

"Remember," Zhou Yang's voice rang in his ears like a curse, "You are the Prime Minister's man. Everything you've done is at the Prime Minister's behest. All you have to do is tell the truth."

The man nodded mechanically.

"Very good." Zhou Yang withdrew his hand. "Remember how you feel now. Tomorrow in court, speak as I instructed."

The man stared at him blankly.

Zhou Yang stood up.

Everything that needed to be done has been done.

Next comes the final step.

Forged secret messages.

This task requires a high level of calligraphy skill. Fortunately, Zhou Yang has a good foundation in this area—he wrote online novels in his previous life, so he has the basic skills to imitate handwriting.

Evidence of the Prime Minister's collusion with the remnants of the Canglang Kingdom had already been available for some time. When the Canglang Kingdom invaded the border of the Great Zhou Dynasty, the Prime Minister secretly provided them with intelligence. Not many people knew about this, but Zhou Yang happened to be one of them.

He spent the middle of the night writing a letter.

The letter was very detailed, including the time, place, and details of the transaction. The handwriting was that of the Prime Minister, and even the ink was the same.

This letter will appear on the emperor's desk before the court session tomorrow.

As Zhou Yang finished writing the last stroke, the sky was already beginning to lighten with the first hint of dawn.

He put the letter away and stretched.

He hadn't slept all night, but his spirits were still high. At his level of cultivation, not sleeping for a few nights was nothing.

"Now, we just have to wait for news."

Zhou Yang stood up and walked to the window.

The moon had set, replaced by the rising sun. Golden sunlight streamed down, gilding the imperial city with a golden hue.

Prime Minister's House.

A separate courtyard.

There's also the imperial court.

Everything was within his calculations.

He won this game.

But Zhou Yang knew this was just the beginning. With the prime minister fallen, another prime minister would rise. The waters of the capital would never be clear.

But it's okay.

He has plenty of time and plenty of means.

As long as you're alive, there's a chance.

Zhou Yang pushed open the window, and the slightly cool morning air blew in, invigorating him.

Today will be a wonderful day.

He could easily imagine what would happen in the imperial court.

How interesting it will be to see the Prime Minister's old face.

Zhou Yang smiled as he thought about it.