Ye Liu Xi watched Long Zhi with cool composure. Those who were self-satisfied, like a stand-up comic who tosses in a punchline, always loved to see the audience react with surprise and excitement—Long Zhi probably hoped to see her flustered or furious, yet she remained unmoved. Ye Liu Xi said, "Have you finished laughing? Is there anything more you'd like to say? If not, I'm leaving—I'm very busy." Long Zhi smiled, "Then go ahead—did I stop you? When the situation is unfavorable, it's not just the strength of one's words that can turn things around." That was true. Ye Liu Xi, holding back her irritation, asked, "So, what's the depth of your insight?" "I have something in my hands—why didn't you ask him whether he's still alive or already dead?" Ye Liu Xi scoffed, "I suspect you're reluctant to see him die—after all, if Chang Dong isn't willing to kill me, you still have the option to cultivate him further." Long Zhi laughed heartily, "Ye Liu Xi, you're truly naive. As for Chang Dong's willingness to kill you, I never really held much hope. "All this fuss, all the trouble—what's it for?" Long Zhi said. "I'd like to ask you to commit suicide." Ye Liuxi almost thought she had misheard: when Long Zhi said "I'd like to ask you to commit suicide," her tone was casual, as if suggesting a meal, a tea break, or a drive out. After a pause, Ye Liuxi finally smiled. "I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you. I never seem to run out of life. Is that all you're here for? If I do leave, then next time, do remember to find me something I'm genuinely interested in." She turned to go, when Long Zhi suddenly added, "Ye Liuxi, do you know that Chang Dong is going to die?" Ye Liuxi felt a sudden jolt. She recalled Chang Dong's embrace at the parting—it had been odd. He was never one to express his emotions openly. Long Zhi pulled out a notebook from beneath her cloak and flipped through it casually. "The wills have all been written—truly thoughtful of you. Honestly, Changdong's life has been completely ruined by you. A real breakdown, a true family tragedy. I'd be surprised if he didn't harbor resentment toward you." She raised her hand, threw the notebook toward her, deliberately missing the mark and releasing it with less force. The notebook landed a few steps away from Ye Liuxi, spreading open naturally. The wind rustled through the pages, occasionally sending fine grains of sand striking the surface with soft, crisp puffs. Ye Liuxi stepped forward, bent down, and picked it up. It was indeed Changdong's notebook—early pages contained hand-drawn maps and travel logs from his journey into the Lop Desert. A few pages had been torn out, notes removed after Liu Qi had gently pressed her concerns, making them too delicate to share publicly. Then came the entries addressed specifically to her, densely written, beginning with the three words: "For Liuxi." "Liuxi, when you received this book, you should have already led FeiTang and the others out of Yumen Pass. Each person has the right to know the truth. I won't make decisions on your behalf—I only hope you can learn everything in the safest place possible..." Liuxi's face gradually turned pale. Long Zhi idly used her fingertip to stir the flames, the flame tips dancing with her gestures—sometimes blooming into a flower about to unfurl, sometimes surging forth into a small horse the size of a palm, which then vanished with a simple gesture. Chang Dong had already written down everything, which was perfect—she no longer needed to speak again, for the wind and sand here were relentless, and even a cup of tea was hard to find. After a while, Liuxi looked up at her. Long Zhi said, "Don't look at me. I don't want him to die—oh, no, I'm mistaken. He's already dead. Two years ago, he died at your hands. And I, actually, was the one who saved his life." "I made it very clear to him—he's willing to kill you, then I'll give him a second chance. I've offered him the opportunity; he just refused to take it." "Besides, once he's made up his mind, you can't completely escape the blame. His fiancée and teammates—how many of them have died because of you? He's already doing his best not to blame you. Can you really expect him to love you wholeheartedly now? Isn't that asking too much? And yet, he doesn't want you to feel burdened by this. I bet, since he's known the truth, he hasn't said a single complaint to you." "There's never a perfect outcome in life. He wants to make peace with those who have passed away, yet he doesn't want to let you down. Caught between these two demands, he's doing a real struggle. Compared to that, going on to die feels much easier." "Xie Liuxi, why don't you swap with him? Let him live and you go on to die. You've already taken his life—now return it to him. Isn't that fair?" Xie Liuxi gritted his teeth: "On what grounds No one has ever seen a heartstring, let alone spotted one buried deep within the heart—of course, you're free to say so. Long Zhi sighed, "You're just the kind of person who won't cry until the coffin arrives. How about this: you go back and meet Chang Dong first. After that, we'll talk further. As for Ding Liu and Fei Tang—you needn't worry about them. They may be dead, but they'll be bodies. As long as they're alive, they're my assets. I'm not stupid—assets are more valuable than bodies. I won't let them die." Ye Liuxi clutched the scroll tightly in her hands. She intended to meet Chang Dong. After all, her plans had already been exposed. He didn't need to be sacrificed—neither emotionally nor logically. —— Chang Dong grew more and more uneasy. It had been nearly a minute now, and still no one had arrived. Moreover, the setup inside this tent was quite ordinary. If this were truly for someone of Long Zhi's or Zhao Guanshou's stature, it should have been at least a little more refined, wouldn't you agree? He recalled carefully: when those two vehicles entered the fireline perimeter, the curtains were drawn tightly, and once the people got off, they quickly checked in—so he had never actually seen the visitors. He simply assumed, based on the first impression, and the fact that there was a golden dragon seal on the note, that it must have been Long Zhi and her team arriving. Could it be that they hadn't actually entered the camp at all? It seemed like the vehicle dispatched by the Yulin Guard to search for people—now returning on its own. Could it be that Fei Tang and the others had successfully passed through the gate? Chang Dong felt a surge of joy, only for his mind to suddenly go blank upon seeing the people inside the car. Yexiu was in the passenger seat, and the driver—was Long Zhi! How had these two come to be together? Where was the scroll? Had Yexiu not seen it? How had Long Zhi ended up with her? Something must have gone wrong. Yexiu pushed open the car door and stepped down. Chang Dong hurried toward her, just as he reached her, his peripheral vision caught Long Zhi sitting still, gently lifting a long, silvery string. Chang Dong’s mind went blank. Too late. A sudden electric drill-like pain surged in his chest, blinding him, as he collapsed backward. His eardrums rang like drums, and blood flooded his nasal passages and mouth instantly. His body, struck by an electric shock, curled and twisted, then convulsed violently, nearly losing consciousness. The voice of Yexiu seemed to drift from far away, as if She screamed loudly, her voice strained and desperate: "Stop! Stop!" ... Long Zhi drew her bowstring taut and slowly stepped down from the vehicle. Ye Liuxi didn't look at her—she only stared fixedly at Chang Dong, wanting to touch him, yet afraid to. Even the slightest contact would make him tremble, his consciousness fading, his hands gripping the sandy soil tightly, his dry lips parting and closing as if whispering something low and soft. She knelt down and leaned close to listen. For a long time, she finally heard him say: "Liu Xi, it hurts so much." Ye Liuxi wept uncontrollably. So much pain. Chang Dong had said so much pain. Long Zhi's voice rose above her, like rain falling from all directions, enveloping her from every side, impossible to escape. "Ye Liuxi," she said, "I'm right, aren't I? You're the kind of person who won't cry until you see the coffin. I've told you everything—nothing compares to the impact of seeing it with your own eyes." "Chang Dong's life is in my hands. Whether within the realm or beyond, wherever he "Also, you might not know that Jiang Zhan hasn't died either—he sank into the golden pool, hoping to escape through the waterways. I sent people to the exit to intercept him; it's easy to catch, like fishing for shrimp or crabs. After all, he lost an arm and is now practically a paralytic. "Since the Eyetomb destroyed your village, you've had no relatives left in this world. When it comes to friends, those who joined the Golden Scorpion Guild were truly close companions—founding allies who stood by you from the beginning. Yet, during the battle at Hu Yang City, they all perished, hanged. You once had a Golden Scorpion who saved your life and stayed by your side constantly—unfortunately, he died in the pile of corpses at the Yadan ruins to help you defeat the Eyetomb. You no longer remember him, though you personally buried him, and even filled several large crates with his burial goods. "Look around you now and assess the situation—I've been waiting for this very moment: Black Stone City is mine, the Fei Lin Guard and the Physicians follow my orders, and even the Scorpion's eyes are under my control. With just one The people who love me, and I love, my very lives are in my hands. Plus, those three companions you brought from beyond the frontier—should they die, they wouldn’t survive either. Look, heaven itself is helping me. With so many cards in my hand, how could I possibly lose? Ye Luoxi raised her hand to wipe away a tear, only to lift her head and realize that the Yulin Guard had already gathered around her. What a splendid performance! They’ll surely talk about it for a while. And yet, there he is—Zhun Shan He, still standing among the crowd, his eyes filled with sympathy and wonder, clearly just watching the show… She lowered her head, chuckling to herself, determined not to cry—she didn’t want to be made a fool of by such people. Chang Dong had gone still. Ye Luoxi placed her hand to his nose and felt a faint breath still lingering there, giving her peace of mind. She cradled him close, sheltering him with her body. Though the wind was chaotic, blowing from all directions, tugging at her hair, she didn’t mind—it could be as disheveled as it wished; she would simply block it out for him. Long Your blade is swift—you just need to flick it across the throat, and it won't hurt at all. Everything will be settled that way." Leaf Liu finally looked up at her, her voice hoarse. "What's the condition for the exchange?" Long Zhi smiled. "It's very favorable. Listen carefully—there's no one in this world who is more generous than me." "I'll provide you with a vehicle. You can drive Chang Dong, Fei Tang, and Ding Liu out of the pass. After they've passed through, you'll enter again, right before my eyes, and make your own exit." "In return, I'll ensure Chang Dong lives on, and I'll take good care of Jiang Zhan, making sure he's well-fed and well-clothed for the rest of his days. As for Gao Shen—I won't trouble him either. After you're gone, he'll remain a shadow figure. I'll try to see if I can arrange for the shadow figure to carry him out of the pass. The saying goes that 'one step beyond the pass means blood to the dry,' a rule that binds us those inside the pass. But he's from outside—so he should be unaffected." "How does that "Yexi stared at her: "What if you don't keep your promise?" Long Zhi smiled: "You don't need to think of me as someone entirely flawed. In truth, between us, there's no right or wrong. In those films, ordinary people lose their land and homes, and their wives, and they have to fight hard to avenge themselves. How much more so when you're not just a neighbor, but a threat to my family and my city?" "My friends—I have no grudge against them. Once you're gone, the threat is gone, and I'll feel so much relief. What could I possibly complain about? Of course, I'll be glad to do a few good deeds." "Think about it, but quickly—just now someone told me that although the fat Tang was knocked senseless, he woke up surprisingly fast." But your younger sister, Liu Li, has been unconscious all this time—perhaps due to the wound on her head. If we need to send her to the hospital, we should act quickly...” Ye Liuxi lowered her head, gently brushing her cheeks against Chang Dong’s chin. He must have been lazy these past days again, not having shaved, and the stubble had grown out, becoming slightly coarse and brushing against her face. After a long pause, she finally whispered, “Alright.” …… —— The leading vehicle ahead wobbled slightly, like a large, clumsy beetle. The wind and sand grew stronger, yet Ye Liuxi felt increasingly calm. She glanced at Fei Tang, who was covered in blood, and reached over to pull a tissue from her sleeve, handing it to him, “Wipe yourself off.” Fei Tang said, “Xi-jie, that high-ranking officer, Xiao Liu, and my Dong-ge….” Ye Liuxi replied, “I already know everything. Just don’t say any more.” Fei Tang looked at the line of Yulin guards’ vehicles nearby. Though Ye Liuxi had said nothing to him, he knew—no matter how slow his mind—he could see that the escape plan had failed. “Xi-jie, what now?” Ye Liuxi said, “Just don’t ask.” … After another stretch of journey, the light ahead brightened dramatically. Countless earth fires surged upward, forming solid earthen walls whose tops blended almost seamlessly with the night sky, making it impossible to tell how tall or how long they were. Ye Liuxi saw the off-road vehicle fitted with roof-mounted spotlights—Zhao Guanshou’s official car. Zhao Guanshou stood beside it, holding his bronze-iron eagle-staff, his face gloomy, surrounded by fully armed Harriers, numbering no less than several hundred. This must be the checkpoint for entering and exiting Yumen Pass. Ye Liuxi wanted to smile. Even if her plan unfolded smoothly and she managed to reach this point with Xiao Yao, what would it matter? They’d already laid out a well-organized network of defenses. She extended her head and smiled at Zhao Guanshou, but Zhao Guanshou kept his lips tightly pressed, his facial lines carved as if by chisel and axe. At his age, he was still investing so much effort—she truly wished she could go up and pat his shoulder, saying simply: "You’ve done well." As she pressed the brake, she suddenly burst into loud laughter, making Fei Tang utterly bewildered: "Xi, Xi-jie, what’s wrong with you?" She wasn’t sure—perhaps she had gone completely mad. With nowhere left to go, she felt a refreshing sense of relief, as though facing her final moments. Amid her laughter The lead vehicle turned around, yielding a clear path for her car. Long Zhi stepped forward, pointing her finger straight ahead: "Keep going. Don't stop even if you hit a wall. I'll be right here waiting for you. If you don't return within one hour, I'll go out and arrange for Changdong's funeral." Fei Tang gasped: "What? What do you mean? Are you really going to come back, West Sister?" Ye Liuxi didn't look at Long Zhi. She simply said, "Understood." With a sudden press of the accelerator, her car roared forward and plunged straight into the compacted earthen wall, vanishing instantly—no trace of damage, not even a ripple. Even among the well-trained Mavis Guards, a subtle wave of surprise rippled through the group. Long Zhi brushed the dust from her clothes, turned to Zhao Guanshou, paused, and smiled with mild confusion: "Uncle Zhao, you're so serious during such an exciting moment—doesn't that seem a bit out of place?" Zhao Guanshou approached, his cane heavy, each lift and set of the cane creating a shallow impression on the ground. He spoke hesitantly: "Long Zhi, are you not being a bit too harsh in driving her to the brink like this?" Long Zhi's face instantly darkened: "Zhao Uncle, what do you mean by that? Even if one grows older and becomes more compassionate, one still needs to know the right setting and the right person, doesn't one?" Zhao Guanshou said: "We both remember how Li Liu Xi used to be—decisive, sharp, always suspicious of everyone, even Jiang Zhan never fully earned her trust. Now, after returning, she's fallen in love, built friendships—don't you think her personality has softened considerably? If we simply make good use of the situation, we might not end up creating any major problems at all." Long Zhi grew furious: "By now, the overall situation has already been settled—how can you still be so cautious and indecisive? Doesn't that seem utterly absurd?" Zhao Guanshou always felt a bit uneasy: "I'm afraid you're too young and will go too far, and that might backfire. Ye Liuxi has never been one to simply wait and see—after all, the saying goes, 'when a rabbit is frightened, it still bites.' " Long Zhi erupted in anger: "Then what? Even if she's a wolf, I'll trim her claws and pull out her teeth—she'll have nothing left! The Yulin Guard, the scholars, and Xie Yan are all under my control. If she wants to mount a final comeback, she'll have to face reality. I've done everything I promised, from beginning to end—without a single misstep. If, at this point, she still manages to turn things around, then it's fate itself that's going to wipe me out. And I can only watch helplessly!"