Chen Zhou decided that since he couldn't find any trace of the Bone Temple, he would simply impersonate them himself.
He would draw the snake out of its hole.
Due to the incident at Heart's Desire Hall, the various major families within Lantao City were restless, reaching out to the monk Ku Chan one after another.
Only the official representatives, the Blackwater Guard, remained unmoved, which was suspicious in itself.
He decided to use a planted pawn—Xing Yue.
This former Blackwater Guard captain's perception had long since been subtly twisted by bone erosion.
Chen Zhou had total control over him.
In Chen Zhou's view, sending him back to contact the Blackwater Guard was the perfect move.
Under Chen Zhou's direction, the paper doll patrol deliberately neglected their duties, allowing Xing Yue to help with some transport tasks.
Xing Yue was quick on the uptake, escaping directly from the mine. Carrying a selection of evidence and the intelligence forged by Chen Zhou, he set off on his journey back to Lantao City.
Xing Yue was completely oblivious to the truth.
He merely thought that after enduring countless hardships, he had luckily escaped and must bring the intelligence back.
Qudao County was the nest of the Bone Temple; if left alone, it would only lead to a massacre of innocent lives.
He still held onto hope in his heart.
He believed that Commander Cheng Zhishan, who was known for his steady nature, would uphold justice and make the right choice once he understood the tragedy of Qudao County and the threat of the Bone Temple.
...
Lantao City, Blackwater Guard headquarters, Cheng Zhishan's private study.
The doors and windows were tightly shut, and an expensive array operated silently. This array could block all probes, effectively separating the room from the outside world.
Cheng Zhishan sat upright in a large armchair, buried in his scrolls.
His face was rigid, and his age—around fifty—gave him a steady appearance, but a hint of lingering fatigue was hidden deep within his eyes.
The study door was pushed open, and a travel-worn Xing Yue strode in, his armor stained and slightly damaged.
Yet he kept his back straight, cupping his fists in a salute to Cheng Zhishan, his voice tinged with excitement.
"Sir! Your subordinate Xing Yue has returned to report!"
Cheng Zhishan lifted his eyelids but did not immediately tell him to rise. After a moment of silence, he spoke slowly, his voice betraying no emotion.
"Xing Yue, you actually came back."
Xing Yue didn't notice the strange tone in his superior's voice and spoke hurriedly.
"Sir! I have critical intelligence to report! Qudao County has been seized by evil spirits. They aren't ordinary monsters; it's very likely the rumored Bone Temple!
"Their methods are eerie, capable of controlling skeletons. I fear the matter of the copper poison is also linked to them!
"I risked my life to bring back some evidence. Please look it over, sir, and make a decision soon!"
He presented the compiled intelligence dossiers with both hands, his gaze earnest.
Cheng Zhishan listened in silence, his finger tapping rhythmically on the desk.
Once Xing Yue finished, the study fell into a heavy silence.
After a long time, Cheng Zhishan finally sighed.
There was little concern in that sigh; instead, it carried the weariness of someone facing a nuisance.
"You shouldn't have come back."
Xing Yue froze. "Sir?"
Cheng Zhishan didn't explain; he simply clapped his hands lightly.
From the shadows of the study, two guards with heavy auras—clearly Cheng Zhishan's trusted confidants—emerged and flanked Xing Yue on both sides.
"Take him down."
Cheng Zhishan's command was brief.
Xing Yue's pupils shrank as he looked at Cheng Zhishan in disbelief.
"Sir, why?
"Every word I've said is true! Qudao County is in imminent danger, and that Bone Temple..."
"Enough!"
Cheng Zhishan interrupted him, the mask of calm finally slipping from his face.
"Xing Yue, you're always like this—only staring at the bit of truth in front of you, never understanding how to judge the situation."
He stood up and paced over to Xing Yue, his gaze condescending.
"Do you think the City Lord and I don't know what's going on with the copper poison?
"Do you think the City Lord isn't aware of the various forces' little maneuvers in Thousand Isles County?
"But even if we know, so what?"
"The Aspect of All Beings needs copper poison to cultivate, and copper poison needs sacrifices as a breeding ground to refine the Buddha lords' arhat bodies!
"And what would our Blackwater Guard do? Suppress them? With what?
"We would just be delivering flesh to their doorstep. Once they're fed and satisfied, they won't cause bigger trouble, and they won't interfere with Bodhisattva Jieyin's quiet cultivation and grand plans. That is true stability!"
He pointed at the thick stacks of dossiers on his desk.
"As for these, letting the commoners below know that we in the Blackwater Guard are working hard to deal with the copper poison will make them feel grateful. That is merit!
"As for the Bone Temple..."
He let out a scoff full of self-deprecation.
"The Bone Temple? That's an entity even Bodhisattva Jieyin must treat with caution! Is that something you or I can afford to provoke?
"How do you expect me to decide? Send troops to wipe them out? Hah, is that something my Blackwater Guard can handle?"
Obvious dread flashed across Cheng Zhishan's face. "That group of madmen who can even discard their own flesh and blood—unless it's someone like Lady Zhi, a confidant of the Bodhisattva, who would dare provoke them?
"But you, you had to run right into them and even managed to come back alive."
"When I sent you there originally, I thought your outstanding abilities might allow you to deal with them for a few more days. Even if you died in the line of duty, it would have fulfilled your hero's dream."
Xing Yue's lips quivered, but he couldn't utter a single word.
Cheng Zhishan sighed. "We can't afford to offend the Bone Temple, and we certainly can't afford to offend the Aspect of All Beings and Bodhisattva Jieyin!
"You, Xing Yue, have ideals and beliefs. That's fine. But you can't drag everyone down with you to be buried alongside them."
Xing Yue stared blankly at Cheng Zhishan, as if truly seeing the superior he had served for many years for the first time.
For some reason, the Lantao City he had lived in for decades suddenly felt so foreign.
"Commander, are you saying that for the sake of... for the sake of an easy explanation, you'll ignore the truth? Ignore the commoners who might be dying right now?"
"Commoners? Truth?"
Cheng Zhishan straightened his posture.
"Xing Yue, you're too naive. The sky over Lantao City isn't held up by your hot-blooded passion.
"Sometimes, playing the fool allows one to live longer than those who see everything clearly."
Cheng Zhishan turned to the two guards. "Take him away. Lock him in the lowest level of the Blackwater Dungeon. No one is to visit him without my order."
He then turned back to Xing Yue. "Out of respect for our past relationship as superior and subordinate, I won't kill you.
"To the outside world, I will say you died a heroic death in battle to preserve your reputation. I will also look after your family on your behalf.
"This is the last and best arrangement I can make for you."
Xing Yue felt as if he had been struck by lightning, staring at Cheng Zhishan in disbelief.
All his beliefs and all his perseverance were shattered in this instant.
He opened his mouth to argue, to denounce this absurd logic, but his throat felt blocked, and not a single word came out.
The two guards grabbed Xing Yue's arms, their spiritual power locking his dantian.
Xing Yue didn't resist. He just stared fixedly at Cheng Zhishan, his eyes filled with rage and sorrow.
Cheng Zhishan turned his back, not daring to look at him.
Xing Yue was roughly dragged out of the study. Only after the door was closed again did Cheng Zhishan seem to shed a heavy burden, letting out a long sigh.
He returned to his rigid and steady appearance.
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