Chapter Nine: The Prison

At the entrance to the Biluo Dungeon, a guard stood on each side, both clad in silver armor scaled like fish and crowned with golden helms etched with dragon motifs. One gripped a phoenix-headed battle axe, the other a long spear adorned with a red tassel. They stood like door gods before the inky black gates of the prison.

“Deputy Warden Lin.”

A lone figure passed before the two guards, prompting them to call out in unison. The figure was none other than the Deputy Warden of the Bizhen Prison.

Within Bizhen Prison, the highest authority belonged to the Warden, who had departed Sangyu Island a week prior. Now, three Deputy Wardens remained, and the one appearing before the Biluo guards was Deputy Warden Lin.

“Has anything happened here recently?” asked Deputy Warden Lin. Of average build and unexpectedly refined in appearance, he wore a black robe trimmed with gold thread, its edges revealing an emerald green collar beneath.

“Two Grade C warders have been coming down here these past days, bringing the coroner He Xun’an,” the silver-armored guard with the phoenix-headed axe replied in a deep voice.

“Was this reported?” Lin’s expression turned thoughtful as he asked quietly.

“By the order of Deputy Warden Li,” answered the guard holding the red-tasseled spear, his tone low.

“For what purpose?” Lin asked again.

This question brought a flicker of doubt to the spear-wielding guard’s face, though his golden helmet masked it, and the expression vanished quickly, unnoticed by Lin.

“According to the order, someone died in the Celestial Tier cell,” the guard with the red-tasseled spear replied slowly.

“So it was the new female prisoner. How unfortunate,” Lin sighed gently, then turned to the other guard.

“Has the body been removed?”

“No. Normally, the warder would carry the corpse to the Bamboo Mound outside the prison today. But it seems something went awry inside the dungeon,” the axe-bearing guard said gravely.

The two Grade C warders had first entered the dungeon, but moments later had rushed out in a panic. The tall, thin one seemed on the verge of saying something to the guards but was hurriedly dragged away by his companion.

About a quarter of an hour later, the two returned with the coroner He Xun’an and the written order from Deputy Warden Li, and entered the Celestial Tier dungeon once more. Nearly an hour passed before they emerged again.

“What went wrong?” Lin asked with a hint of curiosity.

“That question, Deputy Warden Lin, you may see for yourself. Though the Biluo Dungeon bars idlers, the Warden and the three Deputy Wardens are naturally exempt from such rules,” the axe-wielding guard began, but was interrupted by his companion.

“You two are Silver-Armored Guards transferred from the Forbidden Heaven Army—your skills are beyond doubt. I trust that, whatever has happened, you can handle it,” Lin said, his eyes narrowing as a gentle smile graced his refined face. He looked at the guard with the spear, his gaze lingering.

“As you say, Deputy Warden Lin, we are soldiers—soldiers under command. With the Warden absent, the three Deputy Wardens oversee all affairs in Bizhen Prison, and we follow their orders,” the spear-wielding guard replied with dignified humility.

“What if I order you to go down and investigate the dungeon?” Lin’s eyes had narrowed to slits, his smile growing brighter.

“We are charged by Warden Zhang to guard the Biluo Dungeon. If you wish us to leave, you need only go to the Warden’s Office, issue a command in your name, and send a warder to inform us. We will comply,” the guard replied, unflinching.

“What is your name?” Lin’s eyes opened a touch, and a faint chill glinted in his brown gaze.

“Xu Weiyang,” the guard responded with a slight bow.

“Weiyang... A fine name. If you ever encounter trouble, you may report my name at the Warden’s Office. Lin Lan.” With a soft laugh, Lin did not linger, but turned and strode away down the long alley.

“This deputy seems much more amicable than the other two,” the axe-wielding guard remarked.

“The more amiably one smiles, the more shadowed their thoughts may be. What trouble could we possibly meet here? A prison break or an escape attempt. If either of those needs us to visit Deputy Lin Lan at the Warden’s Office... Hah. I fear this prison would soon have two more inmates,” Xu Weiyang’s deep voice grew cold.

“Now that you mention it, something feels off. How did Deputy Lin come from behind us? Isn’t the alley behind the dungeon a dead end?” The axe-wielding guard craned his neck, peering into the alley’s rear with suspicion.

The Biluo Dungeon stood at the heart of Bizhen Prison. To the left, behind red walls, were the gray buildings of the Outer Prison, where common criminals were held. To the right, behind black walls, the sinister architecture of the Inner Prison housed those condemned to death. Unlike other prisons, there was no women’s ward here—only inner and outer sections.

The gates of the Biluo Dungeon faced the row of imposing buildings inside the red walls at the alley’s exit—the Shrine of the Prison God. On the first and fifteenth days of the seventh month, or in the event of major incidents, the Warden would lead the warders here to pray for protection. In the Warden’s absence, the three Deputy Wardens would preside.

Behind these visible structures lay the warders’ quarters, interrogation rooms, and the entrance to Bizhen Prison itself.

“On the surface, it’s a dead end,” Xu Weiyang muttered, fingers tightening on his spear. He did not look back at the wall of red and black bricks behind him, but instead glanced sidelong at the looming black edifice to his right.

The red bricks of the left wall bore a mark in the lower left corner—a sign of the Ministry of Works’ supervision. But in the lower corner of the black bricks on the right, there was a name Xu Weiyang did not recognize: Tiangong.

In all his years with the Forbidden Heaven Army, often near the Emperor himself, he had never heard of a Tiangong within the Six Ministries’ Ministry of Works.

More unsettling was the chill that seeped through his armor, piercing his skin, stabbing to his very bones.

Bone-chilling cold.

“You mean there is actually a passage behind that Yin-Yang wall?” The axe-bearing guard was startled; though he’d suspected as much, confirmation from Xu Weiyang left him shaken.

“Whether there’s a way behind that wall or not is none of our concern. Our duty is to ensure no prisoner escapes this dungeon. Worrying about anything else will only drag us into a whirlpool from which there is no escape,” Xu Weiyang replied, his gaze shifting back to the imposing side of the Prison God’s Shrine. Releasing his grip on the red-tasseled spear, he spoke with calm resolve.