What do you mean by saying that the corpses I sew are all ominous creatures?

Upon hearing Lu Yan's words of advice, a sudden realization struck me, and I instantly understood.

No wonder!

No wonder when Li Qing and I walked into the branch office building, the officers in the lobby were chatting and laughing about where to go for a late-night snack.

No wonder there was absolutely no sense of impending tension throughout the entire branch office.

Everything seemed to be proceeding in an orderly and normal manner.

In order to make the surprise attack by the Qi family and the guardian of the tripod seem reasonable tomorrow, and to make this "counter-strategy" act convincing enough.

The higher-ups actually set the level of secrecy to be so high.

In fact, throughout the entire Jiangcheng city, only Lu Yan, the branch director, knew some of the general action plans.

That's true, though.

Only by keeping the subordinates in their most authentic and relaxed state can we completely deceive the eyes and ears of the enemies hiding in the shadows.

This kind of official-level game and calculation truly demonstrates an extreme grasp of human nature and details.

If it weren't for Lu Yan's life-or-death friendship and absolute trust in me and Li Qing, we would probably still be kept in the dark.

Having figured this out, Li Qing and I exchanged a glance, both seeing the same solemnity in each other's eyes.

Then, I looked at Lu Yan and said:

"Don't worry, once we step out of this door, neither of us will know anything."

Tomorrow, we'll be two henchmen obeying orders.

Li Qing also stopped smiling, patted his chest, and assured him:

"Director Lu, we understand the rules."

Even if someone held a knife to my throat, I promise I wouldn't utter a single punctuation mark.

Lu Yan looked at us and nodded:

"Okay. Then be careful on your way back and keep your communication channels open at all times."

After saying goodbye to Lu Yan, Li Qing and I turned and left the director's office.

Stepping out of the branch office building, a night breeze blew in my face, carrying a hint of early autumn's sultry heat.

Thick clouds piled up in the sky, obscuring even a single star.

I walked to the car, opened the door, and got into the driver's seat.

Li Qing skillfully climbed into the passenger seat and casually tossed the canvas bag full of talismans and magical artifacts onto the back seat.

I then started the car, and the engine emitted a deep, powerful roar.

"Old Chen,"

As the car drove out of the branch office compound and merged into the traffic in the night, Li Qing turned and glanced at me, saying...

"Looks like tomorrow will be a tough battle."

"Even the headquarters is acting so mysteriously; the people sent by the guardians to steal the keys are probably no pushovers."

With both hands on the steering wheel and my gaze calmly fixed on the road ahead, I said:

"A tough battle is a good one."

I've been lying in bed for the past two weeks and my bones are practically limp. Now I'm worried about not finding a suitable whetstone to test my knives.

Tomorrow, no matter what kind of monsters or demons they come from, as long as they are members of the guardian of the cauldron...

None of them will be able to leave.

Outside the car window, the neon lights of Jiangcheng rushed past, revealing a turbulent undercurrent beneath the seemingly calm surface of the city.

Li Qing and I are heading towards the eye of the storm, braving this undercurrent.

……

Night falls, and it's still the same general manager's office in that office building on the outskirts of the city center.

It was still the same two men, one middle-aged and one old.

However, at this moment, the atmosphere in the office became somewhat subtle.

Qi Chen was sitting dejectedly in front of the large solid wood desk, rubbing his brow with two fingers.

It seemed as if it was trying its best to alleviate some kind of deep fatigue.

And to his side stood Old Wu, the butler who should have been standing respectfully to the side.

At this moment, however, he stood with his hands behind his back, looking calmly at the huge floor-to-ceiling window, overlooking the bustling city below.

After a moment of silence, Old Wu slowly turned around.

His old face, etched with deep wrinkles, no longer held its former submissiveness; instead, his slightly lowered eyes gleamed with a condescending coldness.

"Have you arranged everything the Master ordered, sir?"

Old Wu spoke slowly, his voice not loud, but it sounded exceptionally clear in the quiet room.

Especially the last "Master," with its slightly rising tone at the end, carries an undisguised mockery.

Upon hearing this address, Qi Chen abruptly stopped rubbing his temples.

His cheek twitched slightly, and a struggle flashed in his eyes, but in the end, he swallowed these emotions back.

Qi Chen lowered his hand, let out a long sigh, and said:

"Everything has been arranged, Old... Old Wu. We're just waiting for your command."

Old Wu chuckled with satisfaction as he looked at Qi Chen's resigned expression.

"That's good."

Old Wu nodded, his tone instantly turning icy.

"Neither of us can bear the responsibility for delaying the Lord's important affairs."

Also, keep a close eye on the family members of those spies planted within the Bureau of Folklore.

Whether we can get the keys tomorrow depends entirely on them.

The Qi family has fed and cared for them for so many years; now, it's time for them to repay the Qi family.

At this point, a cruel glint flashed in Old Wu's eyes.

"Tell the people below to keep a close eye on those family members."

Anyone who dares to falter at this critical juncture will not only die, but their wives and children will also perish with them.

Upon hearing this, Qi Chen paused slightly, and his grip on the armrest tightened slightly.

He knew very well what the consequences would be for the Qi family if they took this step.

But he had no choice.

He took a deep breath, said nothing more, and simply whispered, "Yes, I understand."

Old Wu put down his teacup, looked at Qi Chen's resigned expression, and nodded in satisfaction.

He stood up, resuming his slightly hunched posture, and the arrogance on his face vanished instantly, his tone returning to its usual respectful manner:

"Also, please just call me Lao Wu."

Until tomorrow's success, I will still be the steward of the Qi family, and you will still be the head of the Qi family.

Rules must not be broken.

Qi Chen felt a chill run down his spine as he looked at Old Wu's face, which changed in an instant.

……

The next day, in the evening, at six o'clock in the afternoon.

The early autumn breeze blew into Tingyuxuan through the alleyways of the old street, bringing a rare coolness.

I was sitting in the lobby on the third floor, holding a piece of cotton cloth in my hand, gently wiping the black knife that was lying across my knees.

The fine, dark forging patterns on the blade, resembling ripples on water, gleamed with a deep, eerie light in the afterglow of the setting sun.

I could clearly feel that the immense Yin energy contained within the blade was resonating with the Yin energy flowing within my body, creating a strange resonance.

My heart is as still as water; this is my truest feeling right now.

Having experienced so many life-and-death situations, I have long since learned to remain absolutely calm before the storm arrives.