In his eyes, Zhao Ke was a fool courting death, while Chen Ye was an ant he could crush at any moment.
The entire game was under his control.
Heavenly Prison was the darkest corner of the imperial capital.
The sun never reached this place. The air was forever thick with the stench of mold, blood, and despair.
Old Ghost carried a dim oil lamp as he walked along the slick stone path. He had been a prison guard here for thirty years, and the smell of him had long since become one with the prison.
"Creak—"
The heavy iron gate swung open. A man in servant's clothes entered with his head bowed, pushing a wooden cart piled with slop.
Old Ghost stuck out a foot in a tattered boot to block the cart, his murky eyes slanting toward the newcomer.
"New here? Don't know the rules?" His voice was as hoarse as two stones scraping together.
The newcomer was Lin Qi in disguise. He didn't dare look up. He pulled a heavy money pouch from his robes and slipped it silently into Old Ghost's hand.
"Please make things easy for me, sir. I'm only trying to earn a living."
Old Ghost weighed the pouch. The wrinkles on his face relaxed a little, but he still didn't move his foot.
"Making a living in Heavenly Prison isn't easy," he said meaningfully. "Some people come here to earn a living. Others come here to gather information."
Lin Qi's heart tightened.
The old bastard had a sharp eye.
He kept his expression neutral and took out a small gold ingot, slipping it over.
"Steward, your insight is remarkable. I... came on behalf of an important person to visit someone."
Only then did Old Ghost slowly withdraw his foot. He tossed the