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

After returning from his time at Zhuangzilou, Zhou Yang's spiritual outline became clearer in the night. Every breath, every glimmer of fire in the shadows of the inner gate shattered into tiny vibrations, like ripples gently spreading across the rim of a teacup. He imagined himself as a slender fish, bypassing the guards at the heart of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, probing into the deepest undercurrents. The texture of blades, the temperature of blood, the secrets of people—all entered his sight and hearing. At this moment, he needed no outward display; the existence of the traitor was already etched into his mind.

"He's Commander Chen's loyal dog," he said to Qin Shuang, his voice like a steel nail stranded in the night wind. Qin Shuang didn't move. Her arm was pressed against the table, her knuckles tense. She, too, felt that stubborn, menacing gaze.

"How can we confirm?" Qin Shuang asked.

Zhou Yang toyed with the copper bell he'd bought from the East Market; its sound was short and sharp. Before speaking, he deliberately brushed away the dust from the railing, intentionally revealing the bloodstains on his wrists—the paleness that only appears after bloodletting. He spoke in a low voice, "After his soul broke through, I saw a thread. He used some very old talisman to communicate with the Underworld Army, and even left his scent. He thought no one heard him."

A barely perceptible chill flashed in Qin Shuang's eyes. This kind of thing had been circulating within the Embroidered Uniform Guard long before their confrontation. But today, Zhou Yang had gained a deeper understanding.

"Will she bring people with her?" Qin Shuang asked again.

"Yes." Zhou Yang tapped his fingertips lightly on the table. The taps were quick. "I'll have someone announce that I'm preparing to take the remaining materials from the Dragon Bone Treasury, saying it's compensation for Brother Chen Tianyan. There's a steward in the city nicknamed 'Little Ou,' who's Chen's informant; he'll relay the message."

The so-called "Dragon Bone Treasure Vault" was actually an old warehouse that Zhou Yang had discovered while on patrol during a snowy night under Qin Shuang's tutelage. Inside were boxes of health-preserving pills that originally belonged to the Heavenly Principle Sect. Everyone knew that place was forbidden, and no one dared to approach it. Zhou Yang was now deliberately putting this forbidden place on the table, precisely to make the mole think that he was about to start a new round of transactions.

"Are you ready?" Qin Shuang lowered her brows.

"I've already sent three horsemen with tin staffs to the pine forest in the eastern suburbs, where I've planted gunpowder. As soon as those night watchmen enter the forest, thick smoke will block their view. They'll think the Heavenly Principle Cult has returned, so I'll block the alleyways from the west gate," he said. "There's still one way out. Commander Chen's men will bring their followers over, but all I have to do is spread out my net, and they'll come in."

Qin Shuang nodded and reached for the silver token on the table. She gently twisted the edge of the token, making a crisp sound. It was the new agreement between her and Zhou Yang. Now she placed this agreement on the table, as if reminding herself: she must remain calm.

"It's best not to kill too quickly," she whispered. "If the Chen family finds out we've made a move, more people will be on guard."

Zhou Yang gave a helpless smile. He had never left his opponents with a backup plan. But this time, he needed to leave behind a "fable".

"It's not just the Chen family. There's another prominent mole within the Embroidered Uniform Guard." He looked out the window, where the paulownia trees cast clean shadows in the moonlight. "When they jumped into the circle and saw that the Dragon Bone Treasury was empty, they knew I had already guessed them. That was the real deterrent."

The night grew heavy. Zhou Yang told Qin Shuang to return to the yamen first and keep the news under wraps. She left without looking back; the doors and windows creaked in the wind, as if the entire yamen was sucking in air. He stood in the courtyard for a long time until he heard the sound of cat footsteps in the distance.

These were familiar footsteps. A servant dressed in gray cloth slowly approached and handed over the intelligence. Zhou Yang took the slip of paper; the handwriting was deliberately hurried, with a firefly-like secret seal attached below. He glanced at it and smiled. The paper read: "Brother Hao, one of Commander Chen's men, has received the message. After midnight, over a hundred followers will infiltrate the treasury. Chen's loyal henchmen will be waiting for news at the alley entrance."

"I'll seal off the alley," Zhou Yang said. "Go back, and don't cause any bloodshed."

The man took a few steps back and kowtowed again. Zhou Yang raised his hand, preventing the words of gratitude from escaping his lips.

Everything was ready. He placed several pieces of fake flesh and blood, modified by the Salt Gang, in front of the treasure vault door. Disguised as bloody traces, they would make it appear as if someone had just dug open the door. The blood and bones were real, so no one would suspect anything. He also had people sprinkle sandalwood powder on the ground in front of the vault door, filling the air with a mixture of burnt and bloody smells. The Chen gang feared nothing more than inconsistencies in their evidence; a single clue was enough for them to conclude their opponent was professional.

After midnight, a breeze began to stir in the air. The moon shone faintly on the rooftops. Suddenly, a firelight appeared in the distant pine forest.

"Let's go," Zhou Yang whispered. He led several skilled guards around through the side door. They planted lanterns at the alley entrance, casting their light on the paving stones. The original plan was for the cult members to rush out of the main gate of the treasury, be shrouded in smoke on both sides, and then Zhou Yang would launch a surprise attack from behind.

He walked into the last part of the alley, his footsteps extremely light. The wooden doors on both sides of the alley were sealed. Through the cracks in the windows, he could see the shadows of the traitors darting about. He had someone throw in sheets of scrap paper with the words "Chen's order: retreat tonight" written on them. The sound was very low, like a cat leaping over wooden planks.

"letter."

A person descended to the ground, wearing a monk's hat.

"Lord Chen has ordered," he said, his voice sharp as a knife being sharpened. "Lord Zhou is to take the dragon bones."

That man was indeed Zhong Gou. His name was Chang Luo, and he served as a scout under Commander Chen. Zhou Yang deliberately let him hear the cigarette smoke coming from the treasure vault.

Chang Luo didn't say anything more and immediately turned around. The alley was silent. Chang Luo's footsteps ground sand from the cracked stone.

"The Heavenly Principle Sect is on its way," he said to the people behind him. "Lord Zhou has already set off."

At this moment, Zhou Yang emerged from the shadows of the window. It wasn't his main force, but those figures had already set up "gunpowder carts" at the doorway—actually just cloth bags filled with burning pine resin. He lit them, and a plume of black smoke and gray sparks shot towards the alley entrance. The cultists at the alley entrance, seeing the fire, assumed it was about to explode. They wiped their sweat and muttered curses. Chang Luo, however, remained calm. He had only taken two steps when the sound of wooden sticks hitting the ground suddenly rang out behind him.

"Prepare!" someone shouted urgently.

Zhou Yang crept silently down the alleyway corner, his foot slamming down with a heavy thud. He didn't use a knife, but rather locked onto his target through sound. He whispered in Chang Luo's ear, "What you're about to betray isn't me, it's your own life."

Chang Luo's eyes widened suddenly, as if he were looking at a mirror. He was about to turn his head when the shadow on the door moved.

"Rockets!" Zhou Yang commanded. A thin stream of rockets shot upwards from the alley. They didn't explode, but instead gathered black smoke towards the alley entrance. A figure stumbled and cried out in the smoke. Chang Luo collapsed instantly. He felt someone pressing on his chest, his breathing becoming erratic. He heard his own name echoing at the alley corner, like the wind rustling through paper.

"Lord Zhou wants to kill him!" the believer shouted.

Zhou Yang lowered his voice. "Not kill, but feed." He reached out and grabbed a small bag from behind Chang Luo's neck. Inside the bag was medicine he had personally prepared. As soon as the man inhaled the medicine, he immediately went limp. On the surface, it looked like a real injury, but in reality, it was just an extreme chill.

"Take him away." Zhou Yang pulled Chang Luo up, placed him aside, and casually tossed his hat into the corner. Chang Luo's eyes were vacant, his lips slightly parted. He was unaware that he had become a prisoner.

The cultists panicked, and shouts of "Surround!" and "Kill!" rang out from all around. Zhou Yang suddenly appeared from the smoke. He held a knife, the blade gleaming white.

"It's crystal clear," he said.

He then threw the belt, gold and silver, and Chen's clothing, which he had previously reserved at the entrance of the treasury, to the believers.