The letter was finished.

Chen Yi folded the letter. He made some small talk with Liu Lang, all the while contemplating what to do next.

’It’ll be impossible to get this letter to Xiao Jinghong through normal channels. Aside from myself, everyone else—Liu Lang, Lady Tiger, and the other Evil Demons—is definitely being watched by Black Tooth. And trying to send it from the Xiao Family carries the risk of premature exposure. I’d just be tipping them off.’

As he mulled it over, an image of a figure surfaced in his mind, and he could almost hear a faint, tinkling sound.

’Looks like having Tiger Girl return to her clan for a family visit is the most reliable plan.’

"Black Tooth and their people will be on high alert these days," Chen Yi said. "They’ll be watching you, me, and everyone else who knows what’s going on. Be careful."

Liu Lang glanced at the letter in Chen Yi’s hand. "Don’t you need me to deliver it?" he asked.

Chen Yi retorted, "If I could send you, why would I have bothered writing this letter in the first place?"

Liu Lang smiled sheepishly. "I forgot."

"I was just thinking that delivering the letter to General Jinghong would be a good chance to ask her for a few pointers."

"..." 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

Chen Yi shook his head to himself. ’These Jianghu types are all the same—they don’t sweat the small stuff, always acting too direct and blunt. They don’t realize that details are what determine success or failure. Failing to handle one seemingly insignificant detail can lead to disaster.’

"Anyway, when you’re looking for Liu Wen and Liu Zhaoxue tomorrow, make sure you aren’t spotted."

Liu Lang nodded, committing the warning to memory.

After a bit more small talk, Chen Yi sent Liu Lang on his way.

He watched Liu Lang depart, then his gaze drifted to the gloomy rain outside. He sat in silence for a while.

Then, he called Zhang Dabao over to remove his disguise.

While Zhang Dabao worked, Chen Yi took the opportunity to calm his mind.

As he relaxed, he couldn’t help but ask a few things about the Disguise Skill.

Zhang Dabao held nothing back, explaining the basics of the Disguise Skill in detail.

"My master said his Disguise Skill comes from the Thief Sect. It’s divided into three aspects: Face, Form, and Spirit."

"The simplest is altering the face. You can do that easily with a skin mask and a few finely crafted bone fragments."

"Next is Form. Legend says that a Thief Sect master from a past dynasty could shrink and expand his bones, changing his height, build, and even his gender."

"The hardest is the Spirit. My master says that while you can fake the exterior, the inner essence is extremely difficult to change."

Zhang Dabao explained as he peeled off the mask.

Chen Yi listened intently. He smiled and asked, "So to completely transform one person into another, you need all three—Face, Form, and Spirit—right?"

Zhang Dabao froze for a second, giving him an odd look. "My lord, are you thinking about finding a body double?"

"Just curious. I have no such intention."

’A body double would be like a shadow, making things more convenient for me,’ Chen Yi thought, ’but a double is still a person. And people have their own thoughts and selfish desires.’

Chen Yi had no desire to create that kind of trouble for himself.

He was only asking out of "academic" curiosity.

Zhang Dabao didn’t suspect a thing. He nodded and said, "That’s what my master said. I’ve only scratched the surface."

Chen Yi raised an eyebrow. "I keep hearing you mention your master. Where is he now?"

"He’s off living as a wandering hermit."

"Before he left, he declared my apprenticeship complete and told me not to tarnish the Thief Sect’s name. A pity..."

Seeing the look of regret on Zhang Dabao’s face, Chen Yi let out a soft laugh. "A pity you ended up following Wang Ji, is that it?"

"A little... Forgive me, my lord."

"It’s just that I’ve spent years honing my craft, but now I only use the Disguise Skill. I can’t help but feel my other abilities are going to waste."

Chen Yi nodded in understanding. ’He feels like his talents have no place to shine. Then again, it makes sense. Zhang Dabao might seem mature and steady, but he’s still a young man of seventeen or eighteen. It’s only natural for him to yearn for fame and fortune.’

"For now, learn what you can from Wang Ji. You’ll get your chance to shine eventually. Then the name ’Two Fingers’ will be known throughout all of Shu State."

"Heh heh, thank you, my lord."

A short while later, Chen Yi was back to his usual appearance and had changed his clothes.

After a moment’s thought, he gave an instruction:

"Tomorrow, go to Wang Ji and have him acquire a residence in the East Market and another in North City. We can’t stay here for the time being."

Zhang Dabao smiled and agreed. He saw Chen Yi off, then turned and went back to his room to rest.

Young men like him rarely had complicated thoughts. The moment he hit the bed, he was asleep.

A smile played on his lips as he slept, and he mumbled something about "Two Fingers."

All in all, he was having a good dream.

Adults like Chen Yi, however, had far more complicated minds.

Especially while walking through the quiet, dim, rainy night, he had to be constantly vigilant.

Even though he had sorted out his plans, his mind was inevitably pulled in several different directions, like threads of silk.

One thread was focused on his immediate surroundings, to avoid being detected by the Imprisonment Department, the Hidden Guard, or the Bright Moon Building.

Another was tangled with concern for those close to him.

He wondered what Xiao Jinghong and Xiao Wan’er would think if they ever found out what he was doing.

And a third thread was a jumble of his own miscellaneous thoughts.

Thoughts like the "A Little Cold Plum" lure he used for fishing; how he had yet to master the Zither and Painting to complete his skills in Music, Chess, Calligraphy, and Painting; and how he needed to restock his supply of Sedatives and Poisons.

With so much on his mind, he had to walk slowly and carefully through the rainy night, lest he step in a puddle or get soaked to the bone.

Nearly an hour later, Chen Yi arrived back at Spring Lotus Garden.

He washed up, changed his clothes, and drank a cup of hot tea.

As warmth spread through his body and mind, he finally let out a long sigh and relaxed.

Though he hadn’t been with the Xiao Family for long, his recent experiences and the time spent with those close to him had given this place the feeling of "home."

Chen Yi glanced at the sky outside. After a moment’s thought, he took the letter and slipped quietly over to the wooden building next door.

To avoid being noticed, he didn’t knock. Instead, he pried the door open, slipped inside the wooden building, and headed straight for Pei Guanli’s room.