To accommodate the injured, the vehicles didn't move with much urgency. On the first day, they didn't pass the Welcome Gate and instead settled at the red-flowered tree inn where they had previously stayed. The innkeeper, never having seen such a grand reception, grew pale and hesitated to accept payment, merely nodding and bowing before vanishing completely—effectively leaving the entire inn to them to manage. The two vehicles that Ding Liu mentioned had the curtains drawn tightly; these did not join them at the inn, but instead set off immediately, night after night, straight for the Welcome Gate. Chang Dong instinctively believed that Long Zhi or Zhao Guanshou were likely aboard—since the plans were coming to a close, there was no reason for either of them not to be present. With accommodations limited, the Yulin Guard had set up tents outside and established watch posts at elevated positions, allowing one to praise their security measures as a form of de facto detention: after all, with so many injured and weakened, there was little hope of escape, and Chang Dong found himself more at ease than ever. At dinner, the kitchen space was insufficient, so several stoves were set up in the courtyard. Regardless of the skill level, the mingled aromas of cooked food and vegetables drifted out, bringing a pleasant atmosphere. Li Jinao seized the moment, hung a curtain in a corner, and staged a shadow play—unexpectedly, he made a small profit. Many officers from the Yulin Guard brought their bowls and gathered around to watch; some found his flute accompaniment for the narration awkward, so they began tapping their chopsticks on bowls and plates to provide the narration themselves. All men, naturally straightforward, soon turned tapping into vigorous clattering, and Zhun Sihai and Zhun Shanhe remained calm, quietly finding their own food, moving from one stove to another, pecking and nibbling amid the noise. Chang Dong and the others were dining indoors, while Fei Tang carried his bowl out to watch the shadow play. As he watched, he suddenly burst out laughing and repeatedly called for Chang Dong and the others to join him. Chang Dong said, "I myself can perform the shadow play—I have no interest in watching." Fei Tang laughed so hard his tears streamed down, "No, you're supposed to watch Zhun Shanhe Changdong stepped out, genuinely at a loss. It was openly pushing aside Zhen Sihai—just when Sihai had finally found something to eat, Changdong rushed over, fiercely pecking and gobbling it down, then proudly raised its head, as if it were doing something extraordinary. In contrast, Zhen Sihai remained calm and composed, even giving Zhen Shanhe a quiet, dignified look of disdain before turning away to head elsewhere. Ye Liuxi rubbed her eyes. "Did I mishear? Are these two chickens really changing their nature? How is Sihai not getting annoyed? How is it even tolerating this?" Fei Tang said, "Their status has changed now—they now have direct interactions with Jin爷. To confront Shanhe would be to downgrade themselves." Ding Liu nodded vigorously. "I've noticed that since Sihai returned from the Golden Mine, Shanhe has been increasingly unsettled, always looking for opportunities to challenge her. But to be honest, Sihai does indeed seem more like a pet—she's still tied to a chain. I think Shanhe is envious. Whether it's a person or a chicken, envy is a universal emotion." Changdong chuckled. Halfway through laughing, her gaze suddenly met Ye Liuxi’s. She stared at him and said, “It’s really hard to see you smile today. Rarely do I catch you like this.” Her tone was calm, yet it always felt slightly wounded. Chang Dong smiled, reached out, and took her hand, whispering, “Wait until everyone has gone to sleep. Come to my room, and don’t let anyone see you.” Ding Liu suddenly turned around, with a hint of meaning in her voice: “Oh, oh, I heard you! I said—could you possibly speak a little more privately? I’m still quite young, after all.” Chang Dong glanced at her. “You too.” “Huh?” Chang Dong didn’t look at her, but turned to Fei Tang. “When the time comes, ask Ah He to help keep an eye on Gao Shen.” Fei Tang stammered, “Me… I’d also like to come, wouldn’t I?” Chang Dong replied, “You’re not already sharing a room with me?” —— Ye Liuxi patiently waited for the group of Yulin Guards to settle down one by one, then made her way through the gaps in the sentry shifts, finally The room was dark, the curtains drawn tightly. Ding Liu stepped in and immediately became blind. Ye Liuxi, who had better night vision, guided her to the bed. Chang Dong and Fei Tang’s beds were side by side, not far apart, so the four of them sat comfortably, ready to chat. Influenced by this setting, Ding Liu lowered her voice: “Shall we speak softly?” Chang Dong nodded: “Even quieter, please.” With this atmosphere, Ding Liu felt a bit tense—the wind outside was howling, and the windows were loose, creaking and humming, occasionally making strange, unexplained sounds that made her uneasy. Chang Dong turned to Ye Liuxi and said: “Everything I’m about to tell you is about you, beginning from the day you were born. Please listen carefully and don’t interrupt me. Also, as before, everything should be based on what you can recall. If something doesn’t come to mind, just listen—don’t take it too seriously, nor treat it as if it were important.” Ye Liuxi nodded. Chang Dong presented the events in chronological order, from the early days—twenty years ago—when Ri Xian Nan Dou and Ye Qingzhi were born, through the massacre of the Eye Tomb village, the subsequent wanderings, the sale into the golden mine, and the meeting with Jiang Zhan, to the discovery of Li Wangdong’s遗left belongings, the escape from Jin Yang’s cave, and the founding of the Scorpion’s Eye—every detail meticulously preserved. Ye Liuxi remained silent throughout, while Fei Tang and Ding Liu were visibly startled: although they had gathered a wealth of information over the years, much of it had remained fragmented, lacking a coherent narrative. With Chang Dong’s clear threading of the timeline, they found themselves frequently exclaiming, “Ah, so that’s how it was.” The timeline finally reached two years prior. Chang Dong said, “At that time, you led your team to dismantle the ancient spirit scaffold, which collapsed, causing the separation of the physical and spiritual essences of the Yu Men Pass. This triggered a massive sandstorm outside the pass. I was precisely leading the Shan Chá team, stationed at the Ge Tou Sand Slope.” Ding Liu felt a chill rise along her back. Suddenly, Fei Tang also broke a sweat, saying, "Wait a minute, Dong, it should have been Jiang Zhan who opened the ancient spirit framework—definitely not my sister, Xi." Yet Ye Liuxi smiled and replied, "What's all the rush?" Then she turned to Chang Dong. "Actually, that day, inside Jin's cave, after you wrote the words 'You are Qingzhi' on my palm, I've been wondering ever since—whether I actually ordered the ancient spirit framework to be opened. But since you didn't mention it, I thought it best not to either." She paused, trying to find the right words, yet feeling that whatever she said would feel out of place. "Just go on." It's so good not to have the lights on—unable to see eyes or complexion, no need to guess, the darkness itself serves as a veil, making everything difficult to face seem easier to accept. Chang Dong said, "At the time, I survived, while Longzhi urgently needed someone from beyond the mountains to eliminate you—she saw potential in me to be used. So, whenever you brought the Shancha people to feed the living tombs, she took a photo of Kong Yang—the one you always carried "Ye Liuxi said: 'That makes sense—I actually found you through that photo. I first checked the terrain and geographical features, and deduced that the photo must have been taken along the Luo Bu Po line. When I searched online, I came across the Shancha incident and noticed that among the photos uploaded by netizens of the victims, the photo of Kong Yang was the most frequently appearing.'" Chang Dong remained silent for a while—back then, Kong Yang's online photo albums were attacked, with numerous photos maliciously edited and leaked, and many of them are still available online. Ding Liu felt her scalp tingling; the more calmly these two spoke, the more anxious she became, so she quickly changed the subject: "Then…what happened next, Dong-gong?" The next event would be the sandstorm in Hu Yang City over a year ago. Chang Dong then recounted the details of Kui Long's situation: "Setting aside potential inconsistencies that might emerge in real life, among the three types of Kui, the Kui that serves as a supplement is actually the most useful, yet it is the one that disappears earliest." Jiang Zhan was used as a substitute for Dai Kui; in his memory, Qingzhi and Ye Liuxi were effectively reversed. Liuxi was used as a recipient of Tun Kui, which meant that all memories within the region—including key memories from beyond the region—were consumed, particularly those that stirred emotional responses, as described by Longzhi. FeiTang stammered, "Then... is there no other way for my sister in the west to recall these memories? Can she only have her arm severed?" Chang Dong said, "I'm not entirely certain, but first, after repeatedly reviewing Longzhi's account, I haven't found any inconsistencies. Second, on that day at Jin Yang's cave, Jiang Zhan's attitude indeed changed only after his arm was cut. Originally, I had intended to verify this with Li Jin'ao, but he holds a relatively peripheral position, and he hasn't heard of many of the most central secrets among the spirits and ghosts." Ding Liu felt uneasy and looked up at Ye Liuxi, "Then... should we cut off your hand, Sister?" Ye Liuxi paused a moment and said, "Unless absolutely necessary, I don't wish to cut it. After all Moreover, she simply couldn't recall, so couldn't summon up the appropriate sentiments or resentment. Indeed, during her time in Jin Ye's cave, she had shed tears—though she herself didn't understand why. To tell a story, she would have to have one of her hands amputated. She wasn't willing to do that. Chang Dong cleared his throat. "The current situation is this: Long Zhi and the Fei Lin Guard are determined to eliminate Liu Xi, regardless of any previous gestures of conciliation or insincerity—when it comes to matters of fundamental interest, there's no room for negotiation." "But they have two conditions. First, Liu Xi must be killed within the borders, and if possible, within the gray zone. If she's killed beyond that, she won't be considered dead within the borders, and thus won't qualify for the bone and shadow puppet restoration." Fei Tang sighed. "Then why not just give up on the puppet restoration? They have people, land, food, and drink—how could they possibly live like provincial landowners if they weren't dependent on that route?" "Ding Liu said, 'That's not necessarily true. My father-in-law says, "It's easy to go from frugality to luxury, but hard to go from luxury back to frugality. Some things, they've never had before—so giving them up doesn't hurt much. But once they've enjoyed something for a long time, it feels like cutting off your own flesh when you take it away. Especially Ling Zhi—such a person who always strives to show off...'" Ding Liu grew impatient: "It's not the same, Dong-gong. We need to analyze each situation individually. Even if Long Zhi is telling the truth, how could Xi-jie have anticipated such a severe disruption when the Ge-tou is so far from Yumen Pass? After all, she didn't know you'd be stationed there at all." She pressed hard on Fei Tang's leg through the blanket, urging him to speak. Fei Tang stammered: "Exactly, Dong-gong. It's the butterfly effect—when a butterfly flaps its wings, a storm can rise on the ocean. The ships caught in that storm can't blame the butterfly!" Ye Liuxi chuckled: "Your defense argument is quite stretched, but I appreciate that you're speaking in my favor." She turned to Chang Dong. "It doesn't matter. If it were me, and a friend or loved one had died in an accident, whether it was negligence or intentional, I wouldn't let it go quietly. One matter at a time—there's a debt to be settled. What's on your mind tonight, by the way?" "Chang Dong said, "I've worked with Long Zhi before. She's sharp and decisive—what she says isn't just empty words. If I can't kill you, then Gao Shen, Fei Tang, and Xiao Liu will be our key backup forces. She absolutely won't let them leave the pass." Ding Liu gritted her teeth, "Then I won't either be able to handle Xi Jie. Long Zhi has miscalculated." Chang Dong smiled, "Liu, people sometimes aren't strong enough under pressure. You can say that now. But what if Long Zhi threatens you? What if she doesn't act—what if she kills Gao Shen, kills Fei Tang, subjects you to severe torture, or even keeps you confined for the rest of your life? Have you thought about the difficulties you might face?" Ding Liu remained silent. Chang Dong continued, "Therefore, to avoid such a situation, we must act quickly and resolve the issue. This time, I've invited Ah He and also brought in Li Jinao. Since we're relatively weak inside the pass, I've gathered as many capable allies as I could." "I have two objectives. First, the three of you—Gao Shen, Xiao Liu, and Fei Tang—have been drawn into this situation. I want to make sure you all safely exit the pass. Second, if Liu Xi is willing to live outside the pass, that would be ideal. If not, I don’t want her to be further blinded or pressured by people like Long Zhi. In a couple of days, we’ll reach Shi Duiyan. Then we’ll need to find the right moment to step out, avoiding all eyes and attention. "Chang Dong said, 'So someone needs to provide cover. My idea is to divide into two groups and move in batches. Once we reach the pile of bodies at Yadan, I'll feign negotiations with Long Zhi, deliberately delaying the process. In the meantime, Liu Xi will use this opportunity to take you and Gao Shen out first. Gao Shen's condition isn't good right now—he's at risk of life-threatening complications if he stays. Only when he leaves will he be safe. As for you two, you're not particularly strong—when things get physical, you'll get in the way. So I recommend you go ahead first.' 'I'll stay behind to negotiate and try to secure support from Ah He and Li Jin'ao. With their help, things should go smoother. After Liu Xi takes you out, he'll be able to come in quickly to bring me along. Then, we'll only have myself and Liu Xi to handle the breakout—this will make the escape easier. Of course, this is just the overall direction. Many specific details still need to be worked out. I'm sharing this idea merely to seek your input. If you agree, we'll proceed in this direction.' It sounds... feasible." Ding Liu bit her lips. "Xie姐, I think Dong's idea is good—admittedly, I'd like to stay and help, but with what we can offer, not to distract or burden you, is already the greatest support we can give." Fei Tang hesitated. "I... agree too." Chang Dong turned to Ye Liuxi. "What about you?" Ye Liuxi nodded. "Alright, for now, there's no issue." Chang Dong smiled, though the room remained dark and no one saw it. He spoke softly. "Then it's settled. Everyone go back and think carefully about what might happen. Feel free to share any ideas you have. We still have two days' journey ahead, so we'll meet whenever needed."