The blackguards, one of the twelve original elite spies and assassins, dwell in dark caves and underground rivers, forming a laid-back spy camp controlled by the Batuja family. Their last significant action occurred during the reign of the previous Wei Emperor, the father of the current Shen Jin Emperor of the Great Summer Dynasty.
These dark assassins from the Western Empire operate outside the bounds of state justice, tasked with completing missions without the need for investigation. Their purpose is to weaken the state's power or suppress rival forces within Wei, wielding the power of shadows. It is said that the blackguards overshadow the Eyes of God, which symbolize hope and light for the Wei Empire.
Legend has it that when the Shen Jin Emperor deploys a black seal, the Eyes of God—representing light—are extinguished, plunging the land into darkness. One of their notable achievements was the long-term destruction of Yanbei. However, rather than being fully destroyed, Yanbei has begun to rise again, becoming a formidable force known as the "sleeping dragon."
A blackguard servant received a paper snow with a black seal on a black arrow made from a raven's feather. Dressed in a sleeveless, pitch-black fighting costume, the servant's head was covered with black cloth and wore a mask that hid most of their face, showing only their cheeks and dark eyes, which were outlined with heavy eyeliner and red streaks.
"Princess Zama, we've confirmed its authenticity; the seal contains the blood of the current Shen Jin Emperor," the servant said.
They tested the seal by dipping the paper in a gold liquid, which separated the black ink and revealed blue blood. For the second test, they burned the paper; real royal blood wouldn't burn and stayed blue, while fake blood would turn brown and ignite.
Thus, they confirmed that the black seal was genuine.
Princess Zama knew the seal was real. The paper snow burned away, except for the part with the seal, which turned blue from the Emperor's blood. This confirmed the saying that blue blood signifies nobility.
"Shida, take me to the Hall of Doom," Zama ordered as her servants dressed her in all black to summon the dark assassins of the Wei Empire.
Once ready, she wore a black lace headdress that covered half her face, enhancing her fierce look. Her tight dress had a light black iron breastplate, paired with fitted pants and knee-high black boots. Heavy eyeliner darkened her brows, and her lips were a bloody red, giving her an intimidating appearance.
Princess Zama's pitch-black dress was not just for show; it was a deadly weapon, packed with hidden tools like poison needles, fantasy star darts, and tiny daggers made from lightweight materials. Unlike the wooden backpacks of the afterlife camp, which acted like Pandora's boxes, her dress was always ready for action.
As a blackguard, Zama could also serve as an assassin, capable of taking out multiple targets from a distance with her skills and weapons.
Escorted by Shida, Zama entered the Hall of Doom, an underground space filled with skilled spies training day and night. These dark abilities had not been seen in years, but Zama was ready to put them to use for a special mission.
In one room, she encountered the cobra spy, known for her speed and ability to work with live cobras. The cobra spy approached Zama quickly, her venom capable of poisoning an entire village. They exchanged a knowing look, and the cobra spy put on her black hood, hissing softly as she followed Zama.
Zama entered another room and met the flying spy, dressed in a flowing gown with long, trailing fabric that billowed around her as she hovered in the air. This spy specialized in strangling opponents with her cloth-like tails.
The flying spy quickly grabbed Zama's wrist, but Zama swiftly cut through the fabric and freed herself. Undeterred, the flying spy swooped down to follow Zama. With a single sweep, she could take down dozens of enemies.
Zama walked into another room and encountered the blind spy. In the dim light, a man sat in a dusty chair, dressed in tattered clothes and dirty sandals, as if he had traveled through countless deserts. He specialized in deceiving enemies by exploiting their weaknesses.
Though he appeared harmless, anyone who underestimated him would quickly find themselves ensnared in his trap. When an enemy was close, he would scatter a blinding powder, capable of incapacitating entire battalions.
Sensing Zama's presence, he jumped up and released a cloud of sparkling powder into the air. Zama and her fellow spies quickly covered their eyes with their hoods to protect themselves from the dust.
Leaning in close, he whispered in Zama's ear, "You are fortunate souls, for you see things when they are covered with darkness." Then, he joined her as she moved forward.
In another room, Zama placed earplugs in her ears, and her companions followed suit, covering their ears.
She knocked on the door and instructed the slumber spy to turn off the cicadas. This spy specialized in inducing sleep by mimicking the sounds of hibernating cicadas, putting entire armies or villages into a deep slumber, allowing her to achieve her objectives.
The slumber spy kept her cicadas in a small wooden box topped with a golden cicada figurine. After securing them in her pocket, she joined Zama and the others.
The last room belonged to the honey spy, the most beautiful of all the blackguards. Her space was filled with enticing scents, but her stunning, bare skin concealed deadly weapons. She specialized in honey traps, luring her targets to their doom—one touch or kiss, and it would be as good as death.
When Zama called her, the honey spy followed. It was rumored that Yuwen Huai had once used her to lure Yuwen Yue away from a royal hunting event. However, Yuwen Yue, sharp and perceptive, sensed something unnatural about her gaze. Although it was his first encounter with such a honey trap, he managed to arrive just in time at the royal hunting ground. Cold and irritated, he hid in the hills and used a bing arrow to stop Yuwen Huai, announcing that he was still alive and had outsmarted him once again. As a reward, Yuwen Yue claimed the last standing maid, Chu Qiao.
Zama and her followers entered the Hall of Doom, a dimly lit room filled with candles, a long table, and a map. This was where the spies received their briefings based on the black seal's instructions.
"We are here because of a black seal," Zama announced, displaying it to her group. "This task is short but difficult, aimed at eliminating the alliance between two states."
The spies nodded in agreement.
"Shida, take this black paper snow and the black seal to the Eyes of God," Zama instructed. They needed to turn off the Eyes of God temporarily so the blackguards could move undetected. If they didn't, they risked being targeted and losing valuable spies.
Shida mounted his horse and rode along a secret path in the northwest. Suddenly, he encountered the 13th Prince of Wei, Yuan Song, who was dressed in a black hood and riding a brown horse with two men behind him. He unsheathed his Cheng Ying Sword upon seeing Shida.
"Your Highness, what can I do for you?" Shida asked, bowing.
"What can you do for me? That's a good question," Yuan Song replied coolly.
Another figure behind Shida removed their hood, revealing fierce eyes. "What brings the Prince here at this late hour on a secret path?" they asked.
Yuan Song had been waiting for this moment, having followed Shida to uncover the black seal's secrets. "Princess Zama, what you have is of great interest to me," he stated, recalling how Zama had been humiliated before his father after losing to Chu Qiao.
"The black seal is none of your business," Zama replied coldly.
"It isn't my business until now. Will you disobey me?" Yuan Song pressed, sword drawn.
Just then, an archer shot an arrow, narrowly missing Shida's horse, causing it to rear in fright.
"You can't run without handing over the black seal," Yuan Song demanded.
Shida glanced at Zama for help, but she warned the prince, "If the black seal isn't delivered to the Green Hills courtyard tonight, the protocol is broken, and our heads will be on the line tomorrow."
"I'll personally deliver it," Yuan Song replied confidently. "You can return to your palace in peace."
"With all due respect, what proof do I have?" Shida asked.
"Shida will accompany me as your witness," Yuan Song ordered. "You may go, but Shida stays."
Shida followed Yuan Song while Zama vanished into the shadows.
At the Green Hills courtyard, Yuwen Gao received the black paper snow and seal, surprised to see Shida brought in like a prisoner. Upon recognizing Yuan Song, Yuwen Gao bowed and signaled to his servants to take Shida away, leaving the two of them alone.
"I've received paper snows but can't read them," Yuan Song admitted.
"My apologies, Your Highness, for not informing you about how to interpret them," Yuwen Gao replied respectfully.
"Especially this black seal given to the blackguards, governed by the Batuja family?" Yuan Song asked.
"Yes, they operate as the shadow counterpart to the Eyes of God," Yuwen Gao explained.
"Then I have much to learn, not just from the Eyes of God but also from the Blackguards. Is this what the black seal means?" Yuan Song inquired.
"The blackguards act in the shadows after the light is turned off, fulfilling whatever is in the Emperor's black seal," Yuwen Gao explained.
"I must see this for myself," Yuan Song said, preparing to leave.
From this point forward, the Eyes of God would be shut down, allowing the blackguard spies to move freely across the Empire.
"For now, civil justice is suspended, and no amnesty will be given until the mission is complete," Yuwen Gao stated.
Yuan Song felt a chill run down his spine, beginning to understand the implications of their discussion. "History repeats itself," he murmured, narrowing his eyes before pulling his hood back over his head and departing.
At the Old Batu mansion, General Bali greeted Zama upon her return. "You came back quickly. Where is Shida?"
"We were followed by the 13th Prince of Wei, so he took Shida. He should return before dawn," Zama replied.
"I've heard that Yan Xun is advancing his armies near the Meilin border, while Yuan Che will counter with Xiaoqi Armies," General Bali informed her.
The Meilin border was a strategic location for Wei and the western gate to Yanbei. It was here that Yuan Song and Yuwen Yue had collaborated with General Meng Feng to frame Cheng Yuan, whom Yuwen Yue had surprisingly let go.
Zama dismounted her horse, removed her gloves, and entered the palace, leaving General Bali deep in thought about the afterlife camp spies.
"What do you know about the alliance between the afterlife camp and the Eyes of God?" he asked.
"I don't have any inside information, but I suspect they were disowned by their Nirvana leader and started following Yuwen Yue after their encounter," Zama replied.
"So, the former afterlife campers are not official spies for the Yuwen household?" General Bali asked.
"Not at all. They were employed by Yuwen Yue and endorsed to the 13th Prince of Wei as private guards after he was declared Duke of Yanbei," Zama clarified.
"I'm worried these former afterlife campers might be used by Prince Yuan Song. If they can track our secret paths, then we are exposed."
"Don't worry, Uncle General. We'll deal with that when the time comes. Right now, we need to focus on the black seal task. Our main target is Yanbei, not the former afterlife campers."
"Very well, I'll see you in the morning. I hope Shida returns safely," General Bali said.
"I'm sure he will," Zama assured him with a smile.
Recaps:
Zama and her followers gathered in the Hall of Doom, where she briefed them on a crucial mission involving a black seal aimed at eliminating an alliance between two states. She instructed Shida to deliver the seal to the Eyes of God to ensure the blackguards could operate undetected.
While traveling, Shida encountered Yuan Song, the 13th Prince of Wei, who demanded the black seal. Despite Zama's cold refusal, Yuan Song insisted on its importance. A hidden archer threatened Shida, forcing him to consider handing over the seal. Ultimately, Shida accompanied Yuan Song, leaving Zama behind.
At the Green Hills courtyard, Yuwen Gao was surprised to see Shida brought in as a prisoner by Yuan Song. They discussed the implications of the black seal, which would allow the blackguards to act in secrecy while civil justice was suspended.
Meanwhile, Zama returned to the Old Batu mansion and informed General Bali that Shida had been taken but would return before dawn. They discussed the potential threat of former afterlife campers now working for Yuan Song, but Zama reassured him that their focus should remain on the mission against Yanbei.