In the heart of White Marsh City, the air inside the Double Eagle Merchant Alliance headquarters was thick enough to choke on. It smelled of stale tea and fresh violence.
Crash.
A heavy fist slammed onto the mahogany desk, sending fine porcelain teacups dancing and clattering in a spray of lukewarm liquid. Qiao Zi'an stood over the mess, his chest heaving, his face a mask of youthful, unchecked fury. Around the perimeter of the room, Qin Yue and the veteran members of the Alliance kept their heads low, their expressions a mixture of fear and weary resignation.
"The audacity," Qiao Zi'an hissed, his voice trembling with rage. "Someone actually dared to break ground on my head? To reach their filthy hands into our Alliance?" He swept a glare across the room. "I don't care who did this. Dig them out. I want the truth exposed, and I want them to bleed for it."
The room remained silent. The older men exchanged glances but said nothing. Qiao Zi'an was young, full of fire and vinegar, but he was woefully ignorant of the deep, dark waters of the Lawless Lands. Relying on bluster alone here was a death sentence.
This was a place where power wasn't just about money; it was about survival. There were organizations here that could swallow the Double Eagle Merchant Alliance whole without burping. Even if Qiao Zi'an's father, the formidable Qiao Zhennan, were here in person, the Alliance would only rank as a mid-tier power. For the young master to be making threats before knowing his enemy was not just arrogant—it was dangerous.
Finally, Qin Yue, the seasoned advisor, let out a long, heavy sigh.
"Young Master," Qin Yue began, his voice measured. "I warned you. Trading with that side requires caution, not aggression. For years, the protocol was simple: one trade every three months, a thousand heads per shipment. We used vagrants, scavengers, the dregs of the wasteland. It was safe. It was sustainable."
He paused, letting the weight of his words settle. "But you insisted on contacting the Scorpion Tyrant directly. You proposed monthly trades. You doubled the volume. Worst of all, you upgraded the 'livestock' to commoners—people with higher biological quality. You broke the unspoken rules. It is entirely possible that this isn't a robbery, but a lesson. A heavy hand from a major player in the Lawless Lands, reminding us of our place."
Qiao Zi'an's anger deflated slightly, replaced by a brooding silence. Initially, his suspicions had fallen on the "Guns & Roses" faction. Tensions had been high over the Southern District territories, and a preemptive strike from Song Jiongyang seemed plausible.
But Qin Yue's logic was undeniable. The ecosystem of the Lawless Lands was fragile. While trading humans to zombies was an open secret, there was a code. You traded the forgotten, the invisible. Dregs were cheap and unmourned. But once you started trafficking commoners or those with potential connections, you drew eyes. You invited scrutiny. By breaking the taboo, Qiao Zi'an might have triggered a correction from the powers that be.
As the paranoia in the room began to mount, the heavy oak doors creaked open. A subordinate stumbled in, breathless and pale.
"Young Master, Mr. Qin," he stammered. "A letter. Just delivered."
Qiao Zi'an snapped his head up. "Who sent it?"
"No name. No identity."
Qin Yue frowned. "Who is it addressed to? What is the subject?"
"They didn't say that either."
"Open it," Qiao Zi'an barked. "Read it. Now."
"Yes, sir." The subordinate's fingers trembled as he broke the seal. He unfolded the paper and read the concise, handwritten scrawl aloud:
"Young Master Qiao, I'm aware you've recently misplaced a shipment. It so happens that I know the culprit. If you wish to find where your goods have gone, turn your eyes to Anping Town in the Southern District. Look to the Steel Wheel."
The silence that followed was absolute.
"The Steel Wheel," Qiao Zi'an whispered, the name tasting like ash. "That means Xiao Ke. The bastard who just wrested Anping Town from Song Jiongyang." His shock quickly gave way to rage. "He just offended a warlord like Song, and now he dares to steal from me? This is beyond bold. It's insanity."
"We have no proof," Qin Yue interjected quickly, trying to stem the tide. "A mysterious letter is not evidence."
"If someone went through the trouble of tipping me off, it's real," Qiao Zi'an countered, his eyes narrowing. "And we can verify it. The clues will be there."
"Even so," Qin Yue argued, "a man who whispers from the shadows rarely has your best interests at heart. We are being manipulated."
"I don't care about the manipulation. I care about the humiliation," Qiao Zi'an snarled. "Xiao Ke must be dealt with."
"Think, Young Master!" Qin Yue stepped forward, his tone urgent. "Xiao Ke is a protégé of the Emperor. If he discovers the nature of our cargo—that we are selling imperial citizens to zombies—he could bypass local politics and go straight to the Throne. If His Majesty investigates, it won't just be the Alliance that falls. Your father, the Master back home, everyone could be implicated."
The mention of the Emperor finally pierced Qiao Zi'an's armor of rage. He slumped into his chair, the adrenaline draining away to reveal fear. "Old Qin," he muttered, looking lost. "What do we do?"
"We wait," Qin Yue advised. "Static defense. Do not seek immediate revenge. Watch Xiao Ke. If he stays quiet, we bide our time. We wait for a clean shot to pull him up by the roots."
Qiao Zi'an nodded slowly, resigning himself to patience. "Fine. Besides... I received word from home. In a few days, the 'Sky Screen' will descend."
The room seemed to darken at the mention of the name.
"The Lawless Lands will be plunged into absolute night for three days," Qiao Zi'an continued. "Chaos will reign. The zombies will use the cover of the unnatural dark to hunt. It's no time for a turf war. We will deal with Xiao Ke after the darkness passes."
Qin Yue nodded, his eyes distant. "The Sky Screen... it hasn't fallen in decades. Legend says it only appears when a great treasure is about to be born into the world. It draws monsters and heroes alike. I wonder what Hell is spitting up this time?"
Miles away, in the fortified study of the Steel Wheel's headquarters, Xiao Ke held a very different kind of letter.
It was a secret missive from the Capital, bearing the seal of the Emperor himself. The contents were a masterclass in political maneuvering. His Majesty acknowledged the treasonous trade of the Double Eagle Merchant Alliance but deemed the evidence insufficient to decapitate a powerful figure like Qiao Zhennan just yet. The Emperor suspected the Alliance was merely the visible symptom of a deeper rot within the human hierarchy.
Continue the investigation, the order read. Wait to catch them all in one net.
But the postscript brought a faint smile to Xiao Ke's lips. Emperor Jiang Ning, ever the pragmatist obsessed with his reputation, had explicitly refused the seized cargo. He wouldn't dirty the royal treasury with "stolen" goods. Instead, he commended Xiao Ke's loyalty and ordered him to keep the batch of Black Crystal Stone as military funding.
Xiao Ke burned the letter in the hearth, watching the embers fade before turning to his inner circle: Qin Bing, Ling Feng, and Ye Yun.
"His Majesty wants discretion," Xiao Ke said, his voice calm. "He has his own calculations. As for the Black Crystal Stone... It's ours to handle."
Qin Bing, ever the efficient logistics officer, spoke up. "We didn't waste time. The new refinery has already processed the raw ore. We have sixty catties of refined Black Crystal Steel sitting in the vault."
The number hung in the air. Sixty catties.
To a layman, it sounded like nothing. To a soldier, it was an arsenal. A standard imperial military saber weighed three catties. This was twenty masterwork blades. In the black market of the Lawless Lands, this steel traded for 5,000 gold coins a catty. In the polished metropolises of the Empire, where it was strictly contraband, the price tripled to 15,000.
"We need to liquidate it," Xiao Ke mused. "But the logistics are a nightmare. Selling it here is leaving money on the table. Transporting it back to the Empire requires permits we don't have. We need a buyer who has money and lacks scrutiny."
In the corner, Ye Yun shifted uncomfortably.
She was dressed in men's clothing, her binding tight, maintaining the persona of "Ye Yun, the sworn brother." But beneath the disguise, she was the eldest daughter of the prestigious Ye Clan—a family whose empire was built on iron and blood. The Ye Clan would kill for sixty catties of high-grade Black Crystal Steel. She wanted to speak up, to offer her family's vault, but fear held her tongue. If she brought in the Ye Clan, how long could she keep her identity hidden from Xiao Ke?
Before she could resolve her internal conflict, the door swung open. Luo Hou, the captain of the guard, stepped in with a peculiar expression.
"Commander," Luo Hou announced. "We have a visitor. A young nobleman. Claims to be Commander Ye's kin."
Xiao Ke's eyebrows shot up. "Family? Show him in immediately."
Moments later, a young man glided into the room. He was handsome, polished, and possessed that effortless arrogance that only old money can buy. He bore a striking resemblance to Ye Yun.
It was Ye Huan, the fifth son of the Ye Clan.
Ye Huan bowed with a flourish of silk sleeves. "I am Ye Wu. Ye Yun is my older brother. It is an honor to meet the lords of the Steel Wheel."
Ye Yun's eyes widened, a mix of relief and panic flashing across her face. "Fifth... Brother? What are you doing here?"
Xiao Ke stepped forward, beaming. He valued loyalty above all, and Ye Yun had backed the Steel Wheel with her own fortune when they were nothing. "When I met Ye Yun, I thought he was unique—a peerless gentleman. But seeing Brother 'Ye Wu' here, I realize the Ye family is simply a quarry of rare jade. You are all exceptional."
Ye Huan laughed, a practiced, charming sound. "Commander Xiao is too kind." He turned his gaze to his sister, a playful, knowing glint in his eyes. "Brother, you don't seem particularly thrilled to see me."
Ye Yun shot him a sharp look, silently pleading with him to maintain her cover. She saw that he was using a pseudonym as well—Ye Wu—which meant he intended to play along. "I am not unwelcoming," she grumbled. "I am just surprised. The Lawless Lands are no place for a vacation. Why risk the journey?"
Ye Huan accepted a cup of tea from a servant, took a deliberate sip, and sighed dramatically. "I had no choice. The elders are restless. Rumor has it the Sky Screen is descending in two days. A rare artifact is emerging, and half the world is rushing here to claim it. The family thought I was too idle, so they sent me to try my luck. And, of course, to check on you. Grandmother worries."
"I am fine," Ye Yun said quickly. "Tell Grandmother, Mother, and the Aunts that I am safe."
"I will relay the message," Ye Huan promised.
Ye Yun, desperate to change the subject and remembering the dilemma from moments ago, seized the opening. "Fifth Brother, speaking of family business... doesn't our house deal in weaponry? We are always starving for high-grade materials. We happen to have a stockpile of Black Crystal Steel here. Would you be interested?"
Ye Huan's languid posture vanished instantly. The Ye Clan's reputation was built on blades. A Black Crystal weapon could fetch a king's ransom, but the material was notoriously difficult to source.
"Black Crystal Steel?" Ye Huan asked, his voice sharpening. "How much?"
"Sixty catties," Xiao Ke answered, gesturing to Luo Hou.
At a nod, the crate was brought in. The lid was pried off, revealing the ingots. They were mesmerizing—blacker than night, yet shimmering with an inner, crystalline light. They looked less like metal and more like solidified voids.
Ye Huan ran a finger along the cold surface. He knew quality. This was pure. "Incredible," he murmured. "Absolutely incredible. I'll take the lot."
Ye Yun smirked. "You haven't even asked the price."
Ye Huan looked up at Xiao Ke, his merchant's mask back in place. "Commander Xiao can name his figure."
Xiao Ke smiled, the expression genuine. "Ye Yun and I are brothers in all but blood. Frankly, I could give this to you as a gift. But my men need to eat, and we are currently unfunded." He paused. "Three thousand gold coins a catty."
The room went quiet. Three thousand. It was charity. It was a steal. It was a massive favor wrapped in a business transaction.
Ye Yun started to protest. "Commander, that is—"
Xiao Ke cut her off with a raised hand. "It's an investment. We are new here. If we survive, there will be more trades. Consider this a gesture of goodwill to your family."
Ye Huan looked between Xiao Ke and his disguised sister, a mischievous grin tugging at his lips. "Brother, why are you arguing? The Commander wants to make a good impression on the family."
Ye Yun flushed, wanting to kick him. He knew exactly what he was implying.
"However," Ye Huan continued, turning back to Xiao Ke with newfound respect. "Business is business, and favors are heavy debts. The market price here is five thousand, but the supply is nonexistent. The real value is closer to seven. I will pay you seven thousand gold coins per catty. That's 420,000 gold. I'll transfer the funds to my brother."
Xiao Ke appreciated the young man's tact. By paying full price, Ye Huan was establishing them as equals, not charity cases. "Deal," Xiao Ke said, shaking his hand.
With the business concluded, the atmosphere relaxed. Xiao Ke leaned back, his curiosity piqued. "You mentioned the 'Sky Screen' earlier. I've heard the term, but what exactly are we facing?"
Ye Huan's expression grew solemn. The playful younger brother vanished, replaced by the grim traveler.
"The Sky Screen is an anomaly," Ye Huan explained. "It is a twilight that refuses to break. For days, the sun will not rise. Historically, this phenomenon heralds the birth of a chaotic treasure, something powerful enough to warp the environment. That is why the warlords and hunters are gathering."
He leaned in closer, his voice lowering.
"But the treasure is the bait. The darkness is the trap. The Lawless Lands are the buffer between the Empire and the Zombie Kingdom. When the sun vanishes, the borders dissolve. The dead do not like the light, Commander. But in the Sky Screen? They are free. Expect the hordes to cross over. They will be coming to hunt, and in the dark, we are all just prey."