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

Your Majesty, the assassin is dead.

But his death was more terrifying than his life.

The footsteps of the Imperial Guards were hurried and chaotic.

The flames, like startled fire dragons, rushed from the depths of the palace path.

Armor plates clashed, weapons were drawn, and in an instant, the damaged palace was completely surrounded.

Zhou Yang stood in the shadows of the main hall, with Qin Shuang protecting him at his side.

She was injured and pale, but her hand holding the knife remained steady.

In the firelight, her profile appeared as hard and cold as ice.

Zhou Yang could smell the pervasive stench of blood in the air, mixed with dust and an indescribable smell, similar to burning rust.

Those were remnants left behind after Wuchen's death.

The head of the Imperial Guards was stunned when he saw the situation in front of the palace.

The ground was a mess, with shattered stone pillars and dark red, almost congealed blood.

He saw Qin Shuang's Embroidered Uniform Guard uniform, and then looked at Zhou Yang.

He vaguely remembered this person; he seemed to be a newly promoted junior officer in the Embroidered Uniform Guard named Zhou Yang.

"Commander Qin?" the captain asked, his voice tinged with doubt. "What happened here? Where are the assassins?"

Qin Shuang did not speak.

She glanced at Zhou Yang.

Now, nothing she says is appropriate.

Zhou Yang stepped forward, emerging completely from the shadows.

The firelight illuminated his face.

His complexion wasn't good either; there was a freshly dried bloodstain on his forehead, and his eyes revealed a deep-seated weariness.

It was as if he had just escaped from a great flood, having exhausted all his strength.

"The assassin has been dealt with." Zhou Yang's voice was hoarse.

"Resolved?" The captain breathed a sigh of relief, then tensed up again. "What about His Majesty? Is His Majesty safe?"

Behind him, the Imperial Guards parted to make way.

A tall, middle-aged man walked quickly over, surrounded by a group of eunuchs.

The newcomer was dressed in a bright yellow dragon robe, but at this moment, the noble color was overshadowed by the panic on his face.

It is the current emperor.

The emperor's gaze swept quickly across the entire scene, from the dilapidated palace to the corpses scattered on the ground, finally settling on Zhou Yang.

"Zhou Yang!"

The emperor's voice trembled uncontrollably.

"A strange phenomenon just now occurred in the sky above the Forbidden City... What was that rift? Where is Wuchen? Did you kill him?"

The emperor had obviously seen everything.

Or rather, he saw what he could understand as a "heavenly phenomenon" at his level.

He didn't know what lay behind the crevice, but he could feel a fear that came from the depths of his soul.

The feeling was like a tiny ant suddenly discovering a hole in the sky above it, with a pair of eyes staring at it from inside.

Zhou Yang did not answer immediately.

He first bowed slightly as a gesture of respect.

This movement aggravated his internal injuries. He groaned, swayed, and almost fell over.

Qin Shuang immediately reached out and supported him.

This subtle action, in the emperor's eyes, carried an additional layer of meaning.

Zhou Yang took a breath before raising his head and looking directly at the emperor.

"Your Majesty, please allow me a moment to speak."

His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable weight.

The emperor hesitated for a moment.

He glanced at the menacing Imperial Guards around him, then looked at Zhou Yang's terrifyingly calm eyes.

Finally, he waved to signal.

"All of you, step back fifty paces. No one is to approach without my order!"

"His Majesty!"

"Step back!"

The emperor roared impatiently.

The Imperial Guard captains and eunuchs dared not offer any further advice, and could only respectfully lead the crowd away like a tide, forming a loose encirclement in the distance.

The firelight was kept at a distance, leaving only the three of them standing on the open ground in front of the hall, where the light became dim.

The emperor then lowered his voice, almost gritting his teeth, and asked, "Now, you may speak."

Zhou Yang looked around.

He saw that the space created by Wuchen at the gap in the main hall was twisting and healing at a speed visible to the naked eye.

But like a torn piece of cloth, no matter how you mend it, the ugly scar will always remain.

The eerie feeling in the air had faded, but it still made people feel nauseous when it entered their nasal cavity.

"Your Majesty, Wuchen is indeed dead," Zhou Yang said slowly. "Before he died, he made a sacrifice with himself."

"Sacrifice? Sacrifice to whom?"

"It's not anyone." Zhou Yang shook his head and pointed to the healing "scar" in the sky. "He wants to invite 'that thing' in from the outside."

The emperor's body stiffened abruptly.

He didn't need to ask what "that thing" was.

Because just now, he felt as if he had seen it with his own eyes.

It was a pure malice and madness that defies description.

"What...what does he want to do?"

"He wants to overthrow the world," Zhou Yang said calmly. "Wuchen is not an ordinary master of the Heavenly Principle Sect. He worships a long-forgotten evil god. His goal has never been as simple as assassinating His Majesty."

He paused, observing the emperor's expression.

The emperor's face was almost bloodless, and his lips were trembling.

"He intends to use His Majesty's imperial aura and the fortune of the entire capital as the key to open the door. If he succeeds, the rift will be fully opened, and what will descend upon us will not be just one or two assassins."

"At that time, the land will be destroyed and the people will suffer."

Zhou Yang spoke these eight words, each one deliberate and impactful, like a hammer blow striking the emperor's heart.

The emperor's breathing became heavy.

He's not stupid; on the contrary, the fact that he got to this position shows that he's smart enough and suspicious enough.

Zhou Yang's words perfectly explained the terrifying phenomenon that had just occurred.

It also made him realize how close he had just been to death, or rather, to a situation even more terrifying than death.

Cold sweat instantly soaked through his inner shirt.

"Then...and what about you?" The emperor's gaze returned to Zhou Yang, this time tinged with fear and inquiry. "How did you stop him?"

This is the most crucial issue.

This is also what Zhou Yang really wanted to say.

He met the emperor's gaze with a bitter smile.

"I... risked my life."

"The sacrifice of the dustless has begun, and the rift has opened. I have no way to close it, so I can only try to... plug it."

"I used my own blood essence as a catalyst and employed a secret technique of my sect to forcibly bind my soul to that rift. Only then was I able to temporarily stabilize it and prevent 'that thing' from descending."

The emperor's pupils suddenly contracted.

Soul binding?

What does this mean?

This means that Zhou Yang used his own life to fill that hole!

"So, in other words..." the emperor began with difficulty, "now, that rift, and you..."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Zhou Yang calmly took over his words, "Now, that rift is within me. Or rather, I have become the 'lock' to that door."

"As long as I live, it will not be fully opened."

"But if I die..."

Zhou Yang didn't continue.

But the expression on his face said it all.

If he dies, the "lock" will be gone.

The door will open wide.

Silence as death.

The emperor looked at Zhou Yang.

For the first time, he realized that this young man, whom he had always used as a pawn, a tool, and a counterbalance to Qin Shuang and various forces, was so unfamiliar, so... terrifying.

He is no longer a knife.

He became the one who held the knife, and even decided who it would be pointed at.

No, he himself is a sword hanging over everyone's head.

"Why...why did you do this?" The emperor's voice was hoarse.

"To survive."

Zhou Yang's answer was simple and direct.

"If the door opens, I will die too. To live, I have no other choice but to do this."

This reason is irrefutable.

The emperor believed it.

Because he himself was that kind of person. He was willing to sacrifice anyone to keep his throne.

He believed that Zhou Yang would do anything to save his own life.

A night breeze swept by, stirring up the dust on the ground and carrying a hint of coolness.

The emperor's heart, however, was colder than the wind.

He knew he was being placed on a fire.

A bonfire that could ignite the entire world at any moment.

And the fuse for this bonfire was in Zhou Yang's hands.

He cannot touch Zhou Yang.

If we mess with him, we're all doomed.

He even had to protect him.

Because Zhou Yang is safe, the safety of the entire world is now guaranteed.

"Good...good...good for saving your life."

The emperor said "good" three times, but it was unclear whether he was praising Zhou Yang or criticizing himself.

He took a deep breath, as if he had made an incredibly difficult decision.

"Zhou Yang, you have rendered meritorious service in protecting the emperor and saving the country from peril. You are a hero of the highest order."

"From this day forward, you are promoted to Deputy Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and awarded ten thousand taels of gold and a thousand bolts of silk."

He was promoted two ranks, skipping directly from the position of Commander-in-Chief.

This is an unprecedented favor.

Qin Shuang, who was listening nearby, couldn't help but be moved.

But Zhou Yang's expression remained unchanged.

He simply bowed again.

"Thank you for your great kindness, Your Majesty. But I have a request."

"explain."

"My soul is now bound to the rift, and my vital energy is severely depleted. I need to recuperate. Moreover..." Zhou Yang's tone became meaningful, "In this world, there's no guarantee that there won't be a second or third Wuchen."

"I cannot guarantee that I can keep that door blocked forever."

"Therefore, I need a power that I can completely control and that can accomplish anything."

He raised his head, a glint of light flashing in his eyes in the dim light.

"Your Majesty, I request that you entrust me with full authority over the operations of the Embroidered Uniform Guard."

"Whether it's mobilizing troops, conducting searches, or interrogating people, I hope there will be no more obstacles."

"Only by dragging out those rats hiding in the shadows and nipping all possible threats in the bud can your heart and Your Majesty's heart truly be at ease."

The emperor's heart sank.

He didn't want a reward.

What he wanted was a knife.

A knife that can be pointed at anyone, without any restraint.

He wants the entire Embroidered Uniform Guard!

Zhou Yang's actions were hardly a plea for mercy.

This is clearly a threat.

They are using the safety of the entire nation to blackmail him into handing over the authority of the Embroidered Uniform Guard!

The emperor stared intently at Zhou Yang, countless thoughts flashing through his eyes.

Kill him? No.

This is courting death.

Reject him? That won't work either.

If what he said is true, and another Wuchen appears, then I still have Zhou Yang as a trump card to use as a shield.

But once the Embroidered Uniform Guard is completely handed over to him...

Doesn't that mean handing over the sword hanging over your head to him completely?

In the future, this hand might turn around and stab itself at any time due to the slightest friction.

The emperor was caught in an unprecedented dilemma.

His palms were sweaty, and his back was soaked.

He discovered that he had no choice at all.

From the moment he saw that crack, he had no choice.

Zhou Yang gave him a chance to live.

The price is power.

"Alright... I agree."

The emperor finally managed to squeeze out those words through gritted teeth.

Every word felt like a piece of flesh torn from his heart.

"From tomorrow onwards, the entire Embroidered Uniform Guard will be under your sole command, Zhou Yang."

"I only care about the results."

After saying this, the emperor seemed to age ten years in an instant.

He didn't want to stay here for even a second longer.

He turned around, waved, and his voice was full of exhaustion.

"Prepare the carriage and return to the palace."

The eunuchs and imperial guards, as if granted a pardon, hurriedly surrounded the emperor and left the way they had come.

They came with great fanfare, but left like a pack of stray dogs.

Soon, only Zhou Yang and Qin Shuang remained in front of the dilapidated palace.

The firelight had faded, and the moon became clear again.

Under the moonlight, Qin Shuang looked at Zhou Yang.

She watched as this man, with just a few words, pried the power of the entire Embroidered Uniform Guard from the still-shaken emperor.

He even portrayed himself as a tragic hero who saved the world.

Such methods, such cunning...

It made her feel both unfamiliar and at ease.

"You really...bound your soul to the rift?" Qin Shuang asked in a low voice. This was the thing she was most curious about.

Zhou Yang turned around and looked at her.

The feigned seriousness and weariness on his face vanished instantly, replaced by a sly smile.

What do you think?

Qin Shuang was stunned.

"Just to scare him." Zhou Yang shrugged, his tone as relaxed as if he were commenting on the nice weather. "I don't really understand what that thing is yet. But if I tell him I've 'locked' it on me, he'll believe me."

"Sometimes, even the most cunning rulers need to resort to supernatural or divine means to deal with their schemes."

Looking at his smiling face, Qin Shuang was momentarily at a loss for words.

In the end, she could only shake her head helplessly, but the corners of her mouth involuntarily turned up slightly.

"You're a madman."

"No."

Zhou Yang turned his head and looked again at the scar that was slowly healing in the night sky.

His eyes deepened once again.

"I'm a gambler."

"I won the bet."

A night breeze blew by, causing the hem of his long robe to flutter and rustle.

The sky over Beijing has truly changed.

And the one who holds sway over the world stands atop these ruins, ready to embark on a brand new game, one that belongs only to him.