The rain ceased at the third watch. Yet, Chaoge's night did not grow lighter. The air was heavy with dampness after the rain, and the bluestone streets reflected the lamplight like a layer of old, polished armor. Red and Snow had just settled down for a brief rest, still dressed, when a soft, steady knock sounded outside the window neither rushed nor slow, but perfectly measured.
The instant Red opened his eyes, the fire-meridian had already raced once through his body, only to be forcefully suppressed. He rose to open the door, finding a black-armored guard standing outside. His armor bore no ornamentation, yet the saber at his waist was polished to a brilliant shine, still marked by streaks of water from the rain.
"The Human King requests your presence," the guard said, his voice low, offering no further explanation. "You are to enter the palace immediately."
Snow pulled on her robe, her eyes meeting Red's before quickly looking away. Both understood that this was not a question; it was a command.
The journey through the night was unobstructed. The gates of the royal city opened for them, one after another, with neither hindrance nor scrutiny. The palace path was long, with lamplight stretching along the stone steps, resembling a tamed river. Walking along it, Red suddenly realized a truth: this road had not been paved for them, yet it had never denied them passage.
The side hall was still lit.
Di Xin sat at his desk, not in his royal robes, but merely draped in a dark outer cloak. When he raised his eyes, his gaze was no different from what it had been in the rain the night before: calm and restrained. Only the three of them were in the hall; the guard had long since retreated outside the corridor, isolating even the sound of footsteps.
"Sit," Di Xin said.
It was not an order, but rather an acknowledgment, as if he had long anticipated their arrival.
Red and Snow took their seats as instructed. There was no wine or music on the table, only an unrolled map, the edge of the scroll weighed down by an old seal its pattern worn but its form still sharp.
Di Xin watched them for a moment before speaking slowly, "You are not people of Chaoge."
Snow was about to speak, but Red held her back. He looked up, his tone flat: "We are merely travelers."
"Travelers come in many kinds," Di Xin replied lightly. "Some only see the city gates, some see the markets, and some see the hearts of men."
As he spoke, he unfurled the map. It did not show the complete territory, but rather marked several key areas of the Great Shang Dynasty. To the north, the desolate plains; to the west, the passes; to the southeast, the coastline; and to the south, the densely layered mountains. Each spot was lightly marked with cinnabar, yet bore no commentary.
"In the rumors, I am a tyrant," Di Xin's gaze rested on the map, his tone like that of someone relating another's story. "Does what you saw last night match the rumors?"
Silence fell over the hall.
Snow lowered her eyes, her fingers lightly tapping on her knee. She suddenly realized this was neither an interrogation nor a test, but a rare form of honesty.
"We only saw order," she finally spoke, her voice quiet but clear. "It was tight, and stable."
Di Xin nodded softly, as if he had already known this answer.
"Order is not born," he said. "It requires constant validation."
He raised his hand and pushed the map toward them.
"Go and see," Di Xin instructed. "Use your own eyes."
"The northern military garrisons, see if the soldiers know what they are guarding; the southern feudal states, see if the common folk are truly at peace; the southeastern coast, see if the trade routes are open; the western passes, see who is secretly extending their hand."
Red felt a tremor in his heart. He suddenly understood that Di Xin was not unaware of the hidden currents, but was choosing to force those currents to the surface.
"Why us?" he asked.
Di Xin finally looked at him, his gaze no longer measuring city walls, but staring straight into the human heart.
"Because you belong to no faction," he said. "You are neither my subjects nor my enemies. You will see the places I cannot see."
He paused, his tone softening slightly.
"After you have seen, bring back exactly what you witness," Di Xin closed the map. "No need to embellish, no need to conceal."
A light breeze stirred outside the hall, making the lamp flame flicker.
Snow suddenly realized this was a trust more dangerous than any battle. If what they saw was enough to shake the foundations of the Great Shang, then this journey would be taken on a razor's edge.
"What if what we see contradicts your judgment?" she asked quietly.
A flicker of a smile, barely perceptible, touched Di Xin's lips.
"Then that means I should listen."
He rose and escorted them to the hall door. There was no reward, no token, not even a simple "take care." There was only one phrase, which landed with absolute certainty in the night air.
"The world is vast. There is no need to rush into choosing sides."
When the palace gates opened again, the sky was already faintly turning pale. The rain marks in Chaoge remained, but the market was on the verge of waking.
Red and Snow walked side-by-side out of the palace city. Behind them lay the sleeping Royal City; ahead, the yet unmeasured rivers and mountains.
Both knew that from this moment on, everything they saw would become part of the Human King's final decision.