The abandoned temple fell silent once more. The incense and lamps that had gone out decades ago were now reduced to nothing but a chaotic ruin.
Qin Yan pulled a strip of coarse cloth from his hem and gritted his teeth as he tightly bound the wound on his left shoulder to staunch the bleeding. A searing pain, as if tearing through his flesh, shot into every neuron, but the extreme excitement in his eyes eclipsed it all. He lowered his head toward the sizzling, dissolving mass of the Painted-Skin Demon and used his Soul-Severing Blade to pry out a thin, translucent membrane like a cicada's wing.
[Discovered dropped item: Painted-Skin Illusion Garment (Invisibility Cloak—Mortal Grade, Middle Rank). Effect: Conceals one's life aura and disguises one's appearance for the time it takes an incense stick to burn. Requirement: Fresh blood must be used for activation.]
Qin Yan snorted coldly and casually tossed the thin membrane into the system's storage space. "Good stuff. This will definitely have an unexpected effect during assassination or escape missions."
He swept one last careful look around the abandoned temple, then used his blade to add several more chaotic slashes to the walls, disguising the scene as a frenzied battle—but not one so earth-shattering as to draw too much attention. The fact that Zhao, the Hundred-Household Commander, was a traitor who had allied himself with demons and supplied human skin to someone called the "High Priest" absolutely could not be exposed yet. His current strength was only equivalent to that of a weak Qi-gathering cultivator. If he tugged on this thread and stirred up the whole nest, he would certainly be the next one to die.
In the rotten darkness of this Great Qian Imperial Capital, monsters did not merely hide beneath people's beds. They also wore brocade robes, donned official hats, and sat arrogantly in courtrooms to rule over the common people.
When the first ray of the new day's sunlight tore through the gloomy fog, Qin Yan dragged his blood- and dirt-covered body back to the Nightwalker Bureau's East City branch office.
The moment he passed through the main gate, the atmosphere in the courtyard abruptly sank. Dozens of Black-Clad Envoys turned their eyes toward him, their shock making it seem as though they were watching a corpse crawl out of its grave and come back to life for a second time. A skinny Black-Clad Envoy spat squarely onto the ground and muttered, "That dog's got one hell of a life. He actually made it back alive..."
Qin Yan ignored all the whispers and walked straight to the main hall.
Zhao, the Hundred-Household Commander, was savoring a cup of Tieguanyin tea. When he heard Qin Yan's heavy footsteps outside the door, the hand holding his teacup paused slightly, and a drop of hot tea spilled onto the back of his hand. The corner of his eye twitched, but a moment later, his square, dignified face had once again put on the same fake smile that had never changed in a thousand years.
"Qin Yan? You... finished handling the case at the abandoned temple?" Zhao, the Hundred-Household Commander, sprang to his feet and hurried over to support Qin Yan's arm, putting on an attentive show of concern.
Qin Yan coughed violently and spat out a mouthful of dark blood—actually just blood from biting open his already-swollen lip earlier—pretending to be as feeble as possible. "Reporting to you, my lord... Your subordinate was fortunate enough not to fail his mission. There really was a malignant spirit in the abandoned temple, but it was only a low-level White-Bone Vengeful Spirit that had borrowed a corpse to return to life. It manipulated illusions to frighten people and nearly cost your subordinate his life. Fortunately, at the critical moment, your subordinate happened to throw a pouch of sulfur fire powder at the torch, burning its dried corpse to ashes. The vengeful spirit vanished along with it."
Zhao, the Hundred-Household Commander, frowned, his eyes sharp as daggers as they scrutinized every expression on Qin Yan's face. "Only a White-Bone Vengeful Spirit? Then what about the dozen or so missing commoners?"
"My lord, they... they were all drained of their vital essence by it. Their bones were discarded in the dry well behind the temple. Your subordinate was incompetent and couldn't save anyone." Qin Yan lowered his head and clenched his fists, revealing shame mixed with utter fear. "Forgive me for speaking frankly, but the resentment there was too heavy. If it had been a higher-level demon, your subordinate might already be dead."
Zhao, the Hundred-Household Commander's eyes flickered repeatedly. He knew very well that a Painted-Skin Demon had been guarding that place. How could a worthless Black-Clad Envoy possibly have killed a Painted-Skin Demon? Unless... the Painted-Skin Demon had finished skinning enough people the night before and left before Qin Yan arrived? And the White-Bone Vengeful Spirit had merely been a low-level malignant spirit that happened to wander in, scavenging rotting corpses, and had the bad luck to serve as Qin Yan's scapegoat?
At that thought, more than half of the suspicion in Zhao's heart faded. He patted Qin Yan on the shoulder and laughed heartily. "Good! Very good! No matter what, you've resolved the root of the case and restored peace to the common people. I'll give you major credit for this. Go back and tend to your wounds."
"Thank you for your guidance and support, my lord!" Qin Yan kowtowed in salute, then dragged himself away.
The moment he turned his back, the servile smile on his lips vanished, replaced by the icy chill of a thousand-year-old glacier. Old dog, keep enjoying yourself. Your final day isn't far off.
That night, in his narrow, shabby cell, Qin Yan sat cross-legged on his sturdy wooden bed. He opened the system's control panel within his sea of consciousness.
Judge Points remaining: 0 points (after purchasing [Evil-Suppressing Talisman] and [True Spirit Interrogation]). However, Qin Yan still had one hidden reward left to claim.
[System reminder: Hidden mission completed (Discover the truth about the traitor). Reward: 300 Judge Points. Would the host like to upgrade the [Netherworld Eye] to Level 2?]
"Confirm upgrade!"
At once, a searing flow of heat like molten lava surged from his dantian along his meridians and rushed straight into both eye sockets. Qin Yan clenched his teeth and endured the piercing pain, feeling as though his corneas were being torn apart and reassembled tens of thousands of times.
[Upgrade complete. Received: Netherworld Eye—Level 2 (Karmic Gaze).] [Karmic Gaze effect: Allows the host to see through the 'Karma' of a living being. The more a person has killed and committed evil, the redder and fouler their karmic aura becomes. Those possessing great merit will have golden light protecting their bodies.]
Qin Yan's eyes flew open. A thread of pale golden light mixed with dark energy flashed across his pupils before they quickly returned to normal.
The next morning, during the Nightwalker Bureau's morning roll call, Qin Yan deliberately chose a shadowed corner to stand in. He secretly circulated his eye power and focused his gaze on the raised platform, where Zhao, the Hundred-Household Commander, stood with his hands behind his back, lecturing his subordinates.
Whoosh... whoosh...
Under the Karmic Gaze, the world around him blurred. Among the Black-Clad Envoys beside Qin Yan, some were wreathed in murky gray auras—their karma was minor—while others bore faint traces of red, having killed before but not slaughtered indiscriminately.
But when Qin Yan's gaze landed on Zhao, the Hundred-Household Commander, he nearly failed to suppress a cry of alarm.
From the top of the dignified commander's head, a pillar of thick, blood-red resentment, so dark it was nearly black, shot straight into the blue sky. That pillar of karma was as massive as a whirlwind of minced flesh. Within it, the anguished screams of tens of thousands of wronged souls rang out without end—women and children who had been skinned, had their tendons pulled out, and had their stomachs cut open. The stench of his crimes poured out with such force that Qin Yan felt suffocated.
A true evil spirit wearing human skin!
Compared with Zhao, the Hundred-Household Commander, the Painted-Skin Demon from the previous night was no different from a child learning to play with a knife. How many lives had this man ultimately sacrificed to the evil organization behind him?
Qin Yan quickly withdrew his eye power, cold sweat beading on his forehead. He couldn't act rashly. He absolutely could not reveal a single weakness in front of someone as ruthless and cunning as Zhao.
Late that afternoon, as the shift was about to end, Zhao, the Hundred-Household Commander, unexpectedly approached Qin Yan. This time, the smile on his lips seemed more genuine, but his eyes were as sharp as a blade hidden beneath cotton.
"Qin Yan, your injuries seem to have healed quite well." Zhao, the Hundred-Household Commander, patted him on the shoulder and lowered his voice into a familiar, intimate tone. "Your report on the abandoned-temple case has made your superiors very satisfied. I always value talent, and I don't want you stuck in this lowly Black-Clad Envoy position forever."
"My lord... what do you mean?" Qin Yan pretended to be so delighted that his voice trembled.
Zhao narrowed his eyes into a smile. "Tonight, at Hong Tu Coc, I've arranged a small banquet to celebrate your return and discuss promoting you to Chief Banner Commander. This is a once-in-a-thousand-years opportunity, so you must arrive on time. Come alone, and don't alert anyone else. We don't want people gossiping."
Hong Tu Coc! The most bustling and luxurious pleasure district in the Imperial Capital, famous as a place where officials and wealthy merchants spent money like water. But he was being invited to a promotion banquet and told to come alone without alerting anyone? Clearly, this Hundred-Household Commander still hadn't let go of his suspicions. He had already laid a deadly trap in that pleasure district, waiting for Qin Yan to walk into it of his own accord.
"Thank you for recognizing my abilities, my lord! I'll be there on time and will never fail to repay your kindness." Qin Yan bowed deeply in thanks, his voice filled with gratitude.
But when Zhao, the Hundred-Household Commander, turned and walked away, the servile smile on Qin Yan's face immediately shattered. His eyes narrowed, reflecting a frigid, frenzied, bloodthirsty killing intent.
A night banquet at Hong Tu Coc?
Fine. Make sure the stage is ready. Because tonight, the Judge System will pass judgment on your miserable dog life. At Hong Tu Coc, blood will flow like a river!