Given that the scene inside the law enforcement office would be too bloody and inappropriate for children, Lu Zigang entrusted Guo Fengxiao to watch Tang Yuan outside.

Tang Yuan hadn’t spoken much along the way and increasingly felt that his little ancestor had really gone too far this time. What was also strange was that after arriving at Dawn Market, the little white snake had become much more settled after drilling into his pocket, hardly moving at all. Just as he was hesitating whether to reach into his pocket to check on the little white snake’s condition, he looked up to find Guo Fengxiao bending down, touching the top of his head with a gentle, refined smile.

Though it was the most genial smile possible, Tang Yuan felt a chill run down his spine at the other’s smile and instinctively wanted to scream and struggle to run away.

“Shh… don’t be afraid.” Guo Fengxiao held his closed folding fan vertically at his lips, his voice low and elegant. “I’m not trying to steal your token.”

“And don’t tell me what your token is either, little brother. It’s not that I want it, but once those words are spoken, there’s no guarantee a third person won’t know.”

“Only secrets that aren’t spoken remain secrets.”

“Actually, you should also be wary of that person accompanying you. After all, only he knows what on your person is actually the real token.”

“If he steals the token from you, you’ll have to stay here forever…”

As Tang Yuan listened, his heart grew cold.

Just a few simple sentences, though they sounded like they were for his sake, were terrifying upon deeper thought.

This person was simply a devil who toyed with people’s hearts.

If it were someone else, Tang Yuan might not have thought this way.

But who was Guo Fengxiao! The mastermind behind the scenes who controlled the situation at the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty. Though he looked young now, just these few sentences were enough to show his schemes had already taken initial form.

Strategists were all dirty-hearted. Having just extracted information that he and Lu Zigang were strangers, he immediately began sowing discord.

Tang Yuan looked up, putting on an innocent appearance, and said in a muffled voice: “Uncle Lu won’t steal my things. Isn’t he afraid of being arrested by that big brother from earlier?”

Guo Fengxiao raised an eyebrow. Was this child truly unable to understand, or pretending not to? Had he spoken too cryptically?

This child was about ten years old, right? How could he still be so naive? Looking at that fair, chubby face, one could tell he lived in comfort. That young man earlier was the same—only a few calluses on some finger joints, let alone weapons, he probably hadn’t even held heavy objects.

Children from peaceful times were just so innocently sweet.

Talking to such a child was like playing music to a cow!

Looking at Tang Yuan’s pure gaze, Guo Fengxiao felt somewhat stifled. In his era of widespread famine and collapsed social order, if this child walked the streets without protection, he would probably be cooked and eaten by starving people as “two-legged mutton.” So in the late Eastern Han Dynasty, even five or six-year-old children were sharpened by reality into cunning spirits.

This damn child’s complete lack of crisis awareness was extremely irritating.

Guo Fengxiao felt his teeth itching, but under the other’s clear gaze, he miraculously reined in those calculations and schemes in his heart. He reached out to ruffle Tang Yuan’s soft hair and sighed: “Silly boy.”

Silly boy your sister!

Tang Yuan kept his head down while internally complaining. Guo Fengxiao’s purpose really didn’t seem like he wanted to seize the token from him, but he couldn’t be certain. It was like rock-paper-scissors when the opponent says they’ll play paper—if you believe them and they’re lying and play rock, wouldn’t playing scissors guarantee a loss? But if you don’t believe them, you only have two choices left compared to the normal three, increasing your losing probability by 17%. So… communicating with scheming people was really exhausting!

Despite his internal screaming, Tang Yuan restrained his urge to check on the little white snake in his pocket and continued asking with a naturally dazed expression: “Does Dawn Market sell everything? Do they have roasted chicken legs?”

Guo Fengxiao tried to make his voice not too awkward as he answered: “There’s no time flow here, and people here don’t feel thirsty or hungry, so there are no places selling food or drink.”

“You’re so pitiful.” This time it was Tang Yuan’s turn to look at Guo Fengxiao sympathetically. Though not thirsty or hungry, they must still crave food.

Guo Fengxiao’s mouth twitched. Just as he was about to say something sarcastic to this brat, he saw Tang Yuan looking down and rummaging for something in his pants pocket.

Guo Fengxiao had long suspected that if this child had a token on him, it must be tucked in his pocket. Seeing him reaching into his pocket, he narrowed his eyes and scanned the prying passersby around them. Seeing those who met his cold gaze timidly look away, Guo Fengxiao satisfactorily withdrew his attention.

He watched the boy in front of him pull out a small object from his pants pocket, peeling off the shiny thin paper on top to reveal a dark pill about the size of a fingernail inside.

Was this a herbal medicine pill? Was this child sick? He didn’t look like it! As Guo Fengxiao puzzled over this, he watched the brat hold the pill up to his mouth, smiling cheerfully: “Here, this is for you. You can give me anything in exchange—I don’t mind.”

Don’t accept things from strangers. Guo Fengxiao had been taught this as a child, but looking at this child’s adorably smiling face and the seemingly sweet fragrance at his lips, Guo Fengxiao unconsciously opened his mouth.

It melted instantly upon contact, spreading an indescribably rich and smooth sensation across his tongue and lips. Guo Fengxiao immediately froze.

Tang Yuan’s eyes curved with his smile. For ancient people, the destructive power of chocolate beans must be quite formidable, especially for someone who didn’t know how long he’d been in Dawn Market without eating anything. Fortunately, he still had candy in his pocket—that doctor guy particularly loved sweets, making him habitually stuff various candies in his pockets.

Wasn’t this equivalent exchange! Just one chocolate bean had bought him a favor from a world-famous genius strategist. Tang Yuan felt this business deal was incredibly profitable. Dawn Market really was a place where anything could be bought and sold—it seemed he had a talent for business too!

Tang Yuan proudly lifted his little chin, habitually putting both hands in his pants pockets, then immediately froze with his smile.

Guo Fengxiao hadn’t yet recovered from the “rich milk, silky smooth sensation,” but sensitively noticed Tang Yuan’s suddenly changed expression. He looked down to see what Tang Yuan had pulled from his pants pocket… a little white snake as thick as a finger, and a tangled mess of rope?

How could living creatures be brought into Dawn Market? Guo Fengxiao wanted to ask but couldn’t bear to open his mouth. How long had it been since he’d eaten anything? He really couldn’t remember.

Tang Yuan’s face fell as he blinked hesitantly and asked: “This… if a token changes form… can it still function?”

Guo Fengxiao’s face darkened halfway as he pointed at the little white snake still tangled with the dirty rope: “Don’t tell me the token transformed.”

Looking at the little white snake that had nearly tied itself into knots, Tang Yuan helplessly reached out to rescue it from the rope. He should have known—anything his little ancestor took a fancy to could hardly be expected to remain intact! Sighing, Tang Yuan waved the tangled rope in front of Guo Fengxiao: “This was supposed to be a concentric knot.”

Guo Fengxiao still had that sweet taste lingering between his lips and teeth. As the saying goes, one’s mouth is softened by eating others’ food, and besides, bartering equivalent exchange was Dawn Market’s customary rule. Even if Guo Fengxiao didn’t want to wade into these murky waters, he had to make the trip. Who told him to be greedy and eat someone’s candy!

He tapped his forehead with his folding fan for a while before reluctantly suggesting: “I’ll take you to find someone to see if this concentric knot can be retied. Maybe it’ll still work.”

Tang Yuan’s eyes lit up as he secretly made a “V” victory gesture.

The investment really hadn’t been wasted!

Due to time constraints, Guo Fengxiao found an acquaintance to go into the law enforcement office to relay a message to Yue Fu and Lu Zigang, then took Tang Yuan to the red-walled residence on the west side. Since both their tokens had problems, naturally it was better to act separately.

Who knew when dawn would come? What if Lu Zigang’s jade pendant was used by someone else first, or Tang Yuan’s concentric knot lost its original effectiveness because it had been untied?

Tang Yuan wasn’t too worried. Being a child at heart, he didn’t think that deeply. Following Guo Fengxiao back through Dawn Market’s streets, he looked around eagerly, wishing he had two more pairs of eyes.

Guo Fengxiao glimpsed his carefree appearance and sneered inwardly. This damn child was really big-hearted—if he truly couldn’t get out, he’d probably cry for his parents.

“Eh?” Just as Guo Fengxiao was fanning himself while mentally criticizing, the boy behind him made a soft exclamation and stopped walking.

“What are you looking at? Hurry up!” Guo Fengxiao urged somewhat impatiently. “If you want to see something, look when we come back. You might get sick of seeing it later anyway.”

Tang Yuan ignored Guo Fengxiao’s sharp tongue and stared blankly at a shop’s door.

He was certain his vision was 20/20 in both eyes—he definitely hadn’t seen wrong.

Among the two people who had just entered, one person’s trench coat had opened slightly with his movement, revealing the extremely familiar black modified shirt underneath. He could clearly see the lifelike red dragon’s claw on it!

No way? Was his second senior brother also in Dawn Market?