Zhao Guanshou couldn't immediately absorb Long Zhi's words. He was still immersed in his own hesitation and inner conflict: No, not quite— he hadn't been swayed by Ye Liuxi. He didn't intend to hand over the chain to Ye Liuxi. It was merely Long Zhi who was overconfident and stubborn, refusing advice. What if, in a moment of sudden passion, she ended up killing Changdong? Then he'd lose his most crucial bargaining chip in negotiations with Ye Liuxi. He wasn't really compromising with Ye Liuxi—he simply wanted to ensure absolute security. Who wouldn't want such a guarantee as "not encroaching on Black Stone City"? Long Zhi looked at him in surprise: "Zhao uncle?" Zhao Guanshou paused, finally catching on: "You mean... the scorpion's eye?" In principle, he had no objection—sending the scorpion's eye into danger was better than sacrificing the fierce bird guards. But there was risk: "Ye Liuxi has already lost a hand. She's now fully aware of past events. I'm afraid that if the person entrusted with the scorpion's eye comes into contact with her, things might go awry." Above and below the scorpion's gaze, the only person who truly knows her now is Jiang Zhan—unfortunately, he is imprisoned and struggling to save himself. Others who may have seen her have all been hanged—of course, nothing is absolute; perhaps a few have escaped. But even if they do, their voices will be small, and merely relying on their word to reverse the tide of events will be no easy task. "Rest assured, when the scorpion goes, she is going as a volunteer force to clear the way for us. It's ideal if they help us defeat Ye Liuxi and reduce our casualties. But should anything unexpected happen, don't forget the old saying: 'While the mantis catches the cicada, the oriole watches from behind.' We still have so many strong bird guards. When the time comes, we'll sweep them all in—exactly what I intend, since keeping them around is a constant source of concern." Zhao Guanshou's body involuntarily trembled. At the outset, when Long Zhi first proposed the plan to send troops westward through Yumen, his family members were not supportive, as they firmly believed in the heavenly mandate and were pessimistic about the future of Black Stone City. Long Shen also opposed the plan, growing angry and arguing that instead of engaging in costly, decisive battles, they should strengthen their defenses and conduct regular drills—how could they expect mere minor victories to be sufficient? Only Zhao Guanshou supported Long Zhi. Having grown older and accustomed to a life of peace, he always sought the most harmonious and balanced approach, unwilling to simply wait passively or see the city reduced to a scene of widespread death and bloodshed. Yet gradually, their differences grew more pronounced. Zhao’s approach was always measured—just as Ye Liuxi had described when he held Long Zhi captive: "Leave room for future encounters." But Long Zhi became increasingly rigid and determined, even going so far as to eliminate opposition completely. Younger generations found it difficult to heed the advice of the elders—after all, water that is too clear contains no fish. Could it be that the ultimate goal was to kill Ye Liuxi and eradicate the entire Scorpion Eye faction? No. After experiencing previous He lowered his eyes, the silver chain shimmering with a seductive glow beneath his gaze. The doctor looked up at Long Zhi, "Madam Long, among the three cuts, one has severed a major blood vessel. The dressing won't hold—it will need stitches. Shall we proceed?" Long Zhi clenched her teeth in anger, and with a sharp slap on the operating table, she exclaimed, "Then stitch!" The silver chain trembled, rattling loudly. Zhao Guanshou suddenly understood why Ye Liuxi, at such a critical moment during their escape, had insisted on delivering three precise cuts to Long Zhi's arm—each one severing a blood vessel, resulting in the need for stitches. She had calculated that Long Zhi would have to remove the silver chain. And, during the escape, when she had looked through the window glass, she had said those two words to him—words that now made perfect sense. Zhao Guanshou turned to the doctor, his tone soft yet firm: "Be careful. Proceed slowly—don't make a mistake!" The doctor, hearing this, was already sweating profusely before he even began stitching. Zhao Guanshou walked to the tent The commander of the Yulin Guard was utterly stunned, his eyes fixed on Zhao Guanshou, whose expression was dark and grave. Instantly, he silenced all his questions, his mind now filled solely with the word "obedience." He gave a slight nod and quietly withdrew. "Get down!" Arrows flew in all directions, people tumbled and fell. Amid the chaos, one of the ropes securing the tent snapped, causing the tent to lean and partially collapse. Zhao Guanshou seized the silver chain in his hands as the scene unfolded. After two waves of arrows, noise erupted from outside—the Yulin Guards, having finally reacted, drew their weapons to defend. Yet they could not find any suspect. Zhao Guanshou rose, stepped out, and asked, "What's going on?" Someone replied, "Just now, there was a sudden attack by assassins—no clear objective yet. Our men are now spreading out to check all around." As he spoke, Long Zhi burst out, her sewing only halfway done. A thread hung from her arm, ending in a gleaming curved medical needle, swaying gently like a dangling fishing hook. She demanded, "What's happening?" The Yulin officer, visibly flustered, stammered, "Miss Long—just a moment ago, she was here, and now she's gone." As the reports from the search parties came in one after another— —No one in the north! No casualties! ——No enemy sighted on the southern flank! No casualties! ——The eastern sector is normal, though the medical tent has been attacked... Long Zhi stiffened, her face pale, and turned abruptly, shouting, "Lanterns! Give me light!" Several Yulin guards turned on their handheld lanterns, casting a scattered, bright beam that illuminated the areas Long Zhi needed to see. There, the operating table had been overturned, instruments, forceps, and gauze scattered everywhere. Long Zhi's chest heaved heavily. Zhao Guanshou, pretending not to notice, asked her, "Long Zhi, what's wrong?" Through strained teeth, Long Zhi managed, "The silver silkworm heart strings are gone." She turned to the raised earth platform at the center of the camp, where a golden dragon's head stood—its fire-line netting had extended outward from the dragon's mouth. There was no more time to lose. Long Zhi quickly activated the dragon-head seal, and in a moment, the dragon's eyes subtly rotated. To the astonishment of the Yulin guards, the dragon-head, together with the nearby protective net, leapt into the air, forming a long, fiery serpent that swept steadily outward in all directions. Zhao Guanshou felt something was amiss. He stepped back two paces, his body colliding with the nearby tent. Seeing that everyone else still gazed in wonder, he swiftly turned to the side, behind the tent, bent down, slipped the silver chain beneath the tent floor, and then used his foot to brush some sand over it for cover. Then he stepped forward. The dragon-head net slowly retracted and returned to its original position. Long Zhi murmured, "Within a ten-li radius, no one is visible. If the assassins have escaped, given the short time, the dragon's golden eyes must have spotted them within this range. It must be an insider. The people are still here." She then issued a firm command: "Everyone gather in formation—come one by one, and stand—." As she spoke, she suddenly paused, then slowly turned her gaze back to Zhao Cold sweat crept down Zhao Guanshou's back, yet his face remained composed. "Long Zhi?" Long Zhi fixed her gaze on Zhao Guanshou's face, speaking slowly and deliberately. "Uncle Zhao, I remember now. Before, on the bus, Ye Liuxi spoke with you. Did she tell you anything?" Zhao Guanshou was both startled and furious. "Do you suspect me?" He steadied himself. "She did talk to me—she mentioned that the Scorpion's Eye is now in your hands, and given your nature, you're likely to eliminate everyone completely. So she asked me to mediate, to help ensure that those people survive. That's all she said." Long Zhi added, "When the incident happened, there were no others in the tent..." She didn't finish. After the lamp went out, arrows flew like rain, and the tent was plunged into darkness and chaos—she couldn't be certain whether anyone had entered or left. Zhao Guanshou was furious. "If you don't believe me, search me!" Long Zhi gritted her teeth. Though she had occasionally been disrespectful to Zhao Guanshou, she never expected him to go so far as to search her personally. But if he didn’t, the doubts swirling in her mind would never ease. With a determined resolve, she commanded, "Search me!" The two fierce bird guards at her side hesitated, unwilling to act. Long Zhi grew increasingly agitated in her mind, shouting, "What’s there to fear? Search me! Everyone must be searched—none of them will escape!" At this thought, a fresh sense of relief surged through him: fortunately, he hadn't hidden the silver chain on his person; thus, even if Long Zhi found it, she wouldn't know who had done it—provided certain people remained sufficiently discreet. He glanced at the commander of the Yulin Guards with deliberate reserve. The commander returned him a knowing look, then settled into a composed posture, eyes fixed on his nose, mind at ease, showing no sign of disturbance. Zhao Guanshou was deeply satisfied: someone who knew when to act and how to manage his affairs—clearly a promising candidate for promotion. On the vast Gobi plain, the yads stand in salt-white rows, and deep within the ridges, a chicken clutching a silver chain is panting and running. The Mountain River. It no longer wants to die. Indeed, heaven has never abandoned a chicken. At that moment, when the wind made its back ache and it longed to move, it suddenly saw someone placing something beneath its tent. After that person had gone, the chicken curiously used its claws to dig. There, a silver chain! That person was truly a living bodhisattva. Yes, the chicken didn’t know what the people were so busy about; it only knew one thing: the one known as the Mountain River used to be impatient and unappealing, everyone finding it tedious. Yet suddenly, its status had undergone a complete transformation—why? Simply because a silver chain with an iron ring had been fastened to its claws! Everything changed after the iron chain was acquired. When they were taken to visit the gold mine, given a ride, and served with millet, even when Li Jin'ao departed, he only brought Zhen Sihai with him, leaving the latter behind. Yet now, it too has its chance—Zhen Sihai is determined to find Li Jin'ao and reclaim its former glory. Only, the whereabouts of Li Jin'ao and his companions remain unknown. Zhen Shanhe suddenly halted. Didn't hear it wrong—dawn was approaching. The desert was vast and open, the wind carrying clear sounds. From a distance, the faint sound of chickens crowing drifted in— Oh-oh-oh! Such a refined, delicate tone—clearly, that was Zhen Sihai.