The morning air felt wrong.
Zhou Ye noticed it the moment she stepped out of her chamber. The palace, usually calm and structured, seemed unnaturally still—as if something unseen had already begun to spread.
"Your Highness—something has happened."
Song Lan rushed toward her, slightly out of breath. Unlike others, she didn't bother with formal distance. Years of growing up together had erased that barrier long ago.
Zhou Ye turned quickly. "What is it?"
"A guard… he's been found dead."
Zhou Ye didn't hesitate.
She moved immediately.
Song Lan followed closely behind.
By the time they reached the eastern corridor, a crowd had already gathered—but none dared step too close.
Jing Mo stood firmly at the front, holding the guards back. His presence alone was enough to maintain order. Loyal, steady—he had stood beside Xu Yang since childhood, and it showed in the way he controlled the situation without raising his voice.
"Move aside," he said when he saw Zhou Ye.
The guards obeyed instantly.
Zhou Ye stepped forward—
and stopped.
Xu Yang was already there.
He stood beside the body, silent, his gaze sharp as it moved over every detail. There was no panic in him—only cold focus.
Jing Yen arrived moments later, his usual calm expression turning serious the moment he saw the scene.
Zhou Ye's eyes fell on the body.
And for a moment—
her breath caught.
The guard lay motionless, his face pale, his eyes wide open.
Not in pain.
Not in struggle.
But in fear.
No wounds.
No blood.
Song Lan instinctively stepped closer to Zhou Ye, her voice lowering.
"This… this isn't normal."
Zhou Ye didn't respond.
Because deep inside—
this felt… strangely known.
Like something she had once imagined.
"What happened?" she asked quietly.
Xu Yang didn't look at her.
"That's what we're trying to find out."
Zhou Ye stepped closer.
"Don't," Xu Yang said instinctively.
She ignored him.
Instead, she knelt beside the body.
Her movements were steady—but her mind was racing.
Observe.
Understand.
Jing Yen crouched on the opposite side, studying carefully.
"No external injuries… but the expression suggests sudden shock."
Zhou Ye nodded slightly.
Then—
she saw it.
"Wait."
Xu Yang and Jing Yen both looked at her.
Zhou Ye gently lifted the guard's wrist.
A faint carved mark.
A single character.
Jing Mo frowned. "That wasn't obvious before."
Jing Yen leaned closer. "The carving is precise… deliberate."
Xu Yang's expression darkened. "This is no natural death."
Zhou Ye stared at the mark.
Her fingers trembled slightly—
not from fear.
From recognition.
No…
"This… shouldn't be happening like this."
Xu Yang finally looked at her.
"…No," she said.
A lie.
Jing Yen didn't believe her.
That much was clear.
But he said nothing.
Not yet.
The Throne Hall
"A murder inside my palace?"
The King's voice echoed with restrained anger.
"Xu Yang—you will investigate this matter."
Xu Yang stepped forward. "Yes, Your Majesty."
"I will assist."
Zhou Ye's voice cut in.
The King turned sharply.
"No."
"You will not be involved."
"Father—"
"This is not a discussion."
The tension shifted instantly.
Not just ruler and subject—
but father and daughter.
Zhou Ye lifted her head.
"He is my husband."
Silence.
"If you trust him to face danger," she continued calmly,
"then you must trust me to stand beside him."
Song Lan glanced at her, slightly surprised—but proud.
The King's expression tightened.
But beneath it—
was fear.
"If anything happens to you—"
"It already has," Zhou Ye said softly.
A pause.
"I am part of this palace. I cannot stay out of it."
A long silence followed.
Then the King looked at Xu Yang.
"If she is harmed…"
Xu Yang bowed slightly.
"I will protect her."
"…Very well."
By noon—
the second body was found.
Zhou Ye closed her eyes briefly.
Too fast… this didn't make sense.
The pace was wrong.
Song Lan noticed immediately.
"You knew… didn't you?"
Zhou Ye didn't answer directly.
Zhou Ye sat alone in the dim room, her fingers tightening slightly against her sleeve.
This… wasn't how it was supposed to be written.
Her thoughts grew uneasy.
I didn't write this.
The events unfolding in the palace—this pattern, these deaths—none of it matched what she remembered.
A faint chill ran down her spine.
Then how is this happening?
For the first time, uncertainty crept in.
Do I… not know the story anymore?
Silence pressed around her.
And Zhou Ye realized—
what frightened her the most was not the danger…
Jing Yen stepped forward.
"Your Highness, if you know something, hiding it will only make this worse."
Xu Yang remained silent—but his gaze was fixed on her.
Zhou Ye finally spoke.
"It's a pattern."
"Two."
They didn't understand.
But when the third body appeared—
Then the fourth—
Everything changed.
Inside the study hall—
Jing Yen placed the reports down.
"Courtyard Two… Four… Six… Eight."
Jing Mo crossed his arms. "…Even numbers."
Xu Yang looked at Zhou Ye.
"You predicted it."
Zhou Ye met his gaze.
"This isn't how it was supposed to be written."
Jing Yen narrowed his eyes slightly.
"But you reached the answer too quickly."
A dangerous question.
Zhou Ye didn't answer.
Instead, she stepped forward.
"It's not just numbers."
Her voice lowered.
"It's leading somewhere."
Xu Yang's voice turned sharp.
"Jing Mo, double the guards."
Jing Mo nodded instantly.
"No one will get through."
Night
The palace felt suffocating.
Inside her chamber, Zhou Ye stood near the table.
The carved marks laid out before her.
Song Lan stayed close.
"If something happens… I won't leave you."
Zhou Ye glanced at her.
A faint softness appeared.
"You never did."
The door opened.
Xu Yang stepped in.
Jing Yen followed shortly after.
"You predicted everything," Xu Yang said.
Zhou Ye didn't turn.
"Does that trouble you?"
Jing Yen answered instead.
"It doesn't trouble me."
A pause.
"It makes me question you."
Silence.
Zhou Ye turned slowly.
"If I told you the truth," she said quietly,
"would either of you believe me?"
Neither answered.
Because neither knew.
Then Xu Yang spoke.
"No matter what you're hiding…"
A pause.
"I won't let anything happen to you."
Her breath stilled.
The Attack
The candle flickered.
Darkness.
A shadow moved.
Xu Yang reacted instantly.
Steel clashed.
"Stay behind me!"
The killer moved fast—silent and precise.
Jing Mo rushed in, instantly aligning with Xu Yang.
Years of fighting together showed in their movements.
Jing Yen blocked the exit.
"You're surrounded."
The killer laughed softly.
"You followed the pattern well."
Then his gaze shifted—
to Zhou Ye.
"You knew."
Before she could respond—
Smoke exploded.
He vanished.
The Truth
Silence.
Heavy.
Zhou Ye turned slowly to the table.
"The message…" she whispered.
She arranged the marks.
Two.
Four.
Six.
Eight.
Her fingers trembled.
Then—
she froze.
"These aren't symbols…"
"They're characters."
Jing Yen frowned. "For what?"
Zhou Ye looked up.
Her eyes filled with realization.
"…for a name."
Xu Yang's voice turned cold.
"Whose name?"
A long silence.
Then—
softly—
"Mine."
"Zhou Ye."
Song Lan stepped back slightly, shocked.
"This entire pattern…" Jing Mo muttered.
Zhou Ye finished quietly—
"…was spelling my name."
A chill filled the room.
Xu Yang's hand tightened.
Because now—
this wasn't just an investigation.
It was a warning.
A message.
A promise.
Zhou Ye… you are next.
Outside—
hidden in darkness—
someone watched.
And smiled.