The first iron rule of the Night Watchman's Ten Slashes: Those who slack off during night patrol shall be slain!
What counted as slacking off?
Defying a summons, turning back midway, falsifying records, stealing patrol tokens, failing to return within the allotted time—all counted as slacking off.
Failing to activate one's night patrol token counted as turning back midway. Slay.
Qin He glanced at the blood still flowing across the ground and shook his head.
That man probably had not lied, but Sin City's iron laws did not care whether you had lied or not. Break the iron laws, and death was the only outcome.
Qin He then stepped forward and handed over his Jade Tablet.
The white-robed scholar accepted the tablet. His gaze swept over the camel beast's corpse before settling on Qin He, and he asked in a cold, eerie voice, "Was the Netherflame Beast discovered at the patrol point?"
"Reporting to you, sir, I encountered it on my way back. There was nothing unusual near the patrol point." Qin He cupped his hands.
A trace of doubt flashed through the white-robed scholar's eyes. "You are... a body cultivator?"
"Yes." Qin He nodded.
The white-robed scholar tapped his long, pale fingers against the desk, then nodded. "Night patrol passed. Go collect your reward."
"Thank you, sir." Qin He cupped his hands and was about to leave.
But the white-robed scholar suddenly spoke. "Wait."
Qin He's heart tightened. He stopped and looked at him warily.
The white-robed scholar was an examiner of Sin City. Qin He did not know his true name; behind his back, the Night Watchmen all called him White Yama. He was in the late Divine Bridge Realm, a ruthless official of Sin City who killed as readily as cutting hemp.
To Qin He as he