During the Qin Dynasty, he was in charge of the net.

"What cold and heartless words. I'd like to live a few more years."

"I don't object."

From the darkness came the calm voices of Lü Buwei and Lord Mengchang.

The two men remained calm, seemingly accustomed to the ruthlessness and indifference of the man on the high platform.

However, this conversation between the three caused a huge uproar in Li Ji's heart.

So, the previous head of the Dark Execution Platform was killed by the leader of the Net himself?

Most of the case files he had previously reviewed were cases judged by the previous head of the Dark Execution Platform.

From the clues in the case file, we can learn that the person was a ruthless and unfathomable individual who had mastered many forbidden techniques of the Luo Wang organization.

Such a person was easily killed by the one on the high platform, and neither the head of the Spy Division nor the leader of the Killing Platform seemed very surprised.

At this moment, the Chief of the Spy Division slowly spoke from the darkness, recounting the unusual movements of the seven kingdoms one by one:

Within the Qin state, a young ruler ascended the throne, and all power was in the hands of Lü Buwei. Empress Dowager Zhao Ji had the idea of ​​interfering in court affairs.

Lord Xinling of Wei had achieved great merit and threatened the emperor's power. Now, he had been stripped of all his military power and was living in retirement at home, while Grand Minister of Works Wei Yong had gained power.

When the new ruler of Zhao ascended the throne, the head of the famous general Lian Po appeared in the military camp, causing chaos in the Zhao army and a sharp decline in its fighting strength.

The State of Chu, occupying the south of the Yangtze River, secretly prepared its navy, waiting for an opportunity to strike.

Prince Dan of Yan secretly gathered chivalrous men and loyal followers from Yan and Zhao, and established close ties with the Mohist school.

General Ji Wuye of the State of Han gained the trust of King Hui of Han, and his ranks of night-cover spies gradually increased.

The State of Qi, confined to the eastern sea, closed itself off and watched the world's strife unfold, yet its Jixia Academy remained the center of Confucian culture.

Xunzi, a Confucian scholar, based his school in Xiaoshengxianzhuang, Qilu, with the intention of sheltering exiled scholars from various states.

The Taoist master Chisongzi, who had been in seclusion in a famous mountain for ten years, opened the mountain gate a few days ago and let a little girl into the mountain.

Xiaoyaozi, the head of the Taoist Renzong sect, travels the world, taking on disciples and spreading his teachings.

The Moon Goddess, the Right Protector of the Yin-Yang School, will enter Qin in two months.

The strategist Guiguzi, who lived in seclusion in Yunmeng Mountain, seemed to be about to give birth to a new generation of disciples.

Tian Guang, the leader of the Farmer's Clan, issued a Shennong kill order against Duan Shui, the top-ranking member of the Luo Wang organization. All Farmer's Clan disciples who entered Qin were hunted down by Luo Wang's spies.

The Six-Fingered Black Knight, the leader of the Mohist school, is now searching far and wide for medical masters, seeking a successor of Bian Que to treat Master Xu of the Mohist school's injuries.

The renowned strategist Gongsun Longzi traveled among the states of Zhao, Wei, and Han, disrupting their alliance, and his efforts have already yielded initial results.

......

The leader of the Luo Wang organization and the head of the Sha Tai organization would occasionally offer brief comments on the intelligence gathered by the head of the Zhu Die Si (Espionage Division).

The conversation implied that the states of Han and Yan were weak and barely able to protect themselves, and were not worth worrying about.

On the surface, the State of Qi was peaceful and prosperous, but in reality, it was merely a corner of the country, and the tranquility was just an illusion.

A few words from these individuals often pinpoint the weaknesses and strengths of various countries and factions, making the world seem like just a giant chessboard.

Li Ji noticed that Luo Wang had done a lot of things in secret, such as throwing the head of Lian Po that he had brought back into the Zhao army camp, which made the morale of the Zhao army unstable.

There was also the hunting down of all the peasant disciples who entered Qin, and the fact that Gongsun Longzi, the head of the School of Names, seemed to be serving the Qin state.

These are just the visible aspects; much more lies hidden in the shadows.

To Li Ji's surprise, the head of the Spy Division possessed so much intelligence, from the royal families and nobles of the seven kingdoms to the slightest unusual movements of various sects and factions, all of which he had detected.

To obtain such complex intelligence, there must be a large number of secret agents behind it, and that number would be enormous.

After the discussion on the current situation concluded, the leader of the Luo Wang organization on the high platform looked down at Lü Buwei and calmly gave the following instructions:

"The master of the Dark Execution Platform needs a public identity. You can arrange it as the head of the Execution Platform."

"No problem, what kind of identification do I need?"

"Commander of the Shadow Guard."

Upon hearing these five words, Lü Buwei, hidden in the darkness, remained silent for a moment, then slowly nodded:

"I'll make arrangements within a month. Wait for my news."

Parliament has now adjourned.

Lü Buwei and Lord Mengchang rose one after the other, and the black-robed figure left the dark hall, disappearing without a trace in an instant.

Inside the empty, dark hall, only Li Ji and the leader of the Luo Wang remained.

The next second, a token flew out of the leader of the Luo Wang organization, cutting through the darkness and flying towards Li Ji below.

Li Ji's heart stirred slightly, and he reached out and steadily caught the token.

In the dim light, one can see that this is a black iron plaque, square in shape, with black and gold spider patterns woven on the front, fully stretched into a net, with the two characters "罗网" (Luo Wang, meaning net) in seal script inlaid in the center of the net, and the three characters "暗刑台" (An Xing Tai, meaning dark torture platform) engraved on the back, with blood-red torture patterns below.

The overall feel was cold and chilling, clearly a token from the Luo Wang Dark Execution Platform.

"Severing Water, this is the token of the Dark Execution Platform Master, which can command all pursuers and executioners of the Net. Now it is handed over to you."

You must master this power; don't let me down.

Li Ji's heart stirred slightly, and he replied in a deep voice, "Yes."

"Alright, you can go now."

Li Ji got up and left. The tall, dark figure on the platform looked at the three stone seats below, seemingly lost in thought.

As Li Ji stepped out of the stone hall and was about to head to the fifth level of the underground palace, a figure emerged from the darkness.

He was the head of the execution platform, wearing a plain pottery taotie half-face mask.

Clearly, the other party was waiting for him here.

Li Ji stopped and waited for the other person to come forward.

Lü Buwei approached Li Ji and suggested that it was inconvenient to talk there and that they should find another place.

Li Ji has no problem with it.

The two then went together to a secluded stone chamber.

In the center of the room was a stone table, and several oil lamps were lit on the stone wall.

As the heavy stone door closed, Lü Buwei raised his hand, removed the hood of his black robe, and gently took off the mask covering his face, revealing his true appearance:

"I am Lü Buwei of the Qin state."

Li Ji stared intently, observing him closely. He saw that beneath the wide-sleeved black robe, the man's long hair was neatly tied up, his face was refined and dignified, and he appeared to be around fifty years old. His aura was gentle yet imposing, and his presence was unfathomable.

This was something Li Ji truly hadn't expected. The mysterious mastermind in charge of the killing platform was none other than Lü Buwei, the current Qin King's advisor and the prime minister.

Concealing his surprise, Li Ji raised his hand and removed the jade mask from his face, revealing his cold and handsome features:

"The Prime Minister's demeanor and bearing are truly extraordinary."

Lü Buwei sized up Li Ji's appearance and demeanor, a hint of appreciation on his face:

"It's truly rare for the Luo Wang organization to produce such a young talent."

Li Ji looked at Lü Buwei, a sudden glint in his eyes, and asked:

"The Prime Minister is of such high status; if he shows me his true face, aren't you afraid I'll reveal it?"

Lü Buwei chuckled and replied:

"Since that old monster has chosen you to succeed as the master of the Dark Execution Platform and has also planned for you to take on the position of commander of the Shadow Guard, it is clear that you are worthy of being entrusted with this task. I naturally believe that you will not reveal this."

Li Ji nodded slightly, confirming that was indeed the case.

Even if ordinary people knew this person's identity, no one would believe them if they told others. And those who knew his identity were usually very few people, and they were people with conflicting interests, so naturally they wouldn't reveal it.

Lü Buwei didn't waste any time and immediately got straight to the point:

"The position of Commander of the Shadow Guard may seem obscure, but it is actually quite complex. Do you know why?"

"Please, Your Excellency, speak plainly."

"The Shadow Guard is directly under the royal family, monitors the court and the public, protects the king, and is in charge of the security of the palace. Their official rank may seem ordinary, but in reality, they wield extremely great power."

I can take care of everything about your background, history, place of origin, and identity.

However, the old ministers of the Qin royal family are conservative in their thinking and difficult to persuade. You will need to personally visit one of them on this matter.

Li Ji's gaze remained calm as he asked, "Who is this person?"

"The current Queen Mother of Qin, Zhao Ji, the Dowager Queen of Qin," Lü Buwei said bluntly. "If you can get her approval and assistance, there will be no more obstacles for you to take command of the Shadow Guard."

If things don't go smoothly, I will find another way to pave the way for you.

Li Ji remained calm and composed, accepting the offer without hesitation.

"This is no problem, I'll just trouble you, Prime Minister."

Lü Buwei smiled faintly, looking at him with a deep gaze:

"By doing my best to help you, I am, in a way, helping my future self as well."

From now on, you will be in charge of the net and the execution platform, and command the Shadow Guard in all actions, one in the light and one in the dark.

Whether it's the imperial net or the Qin court, we can support each other and look out for one another.

Li Ji nodded slightly and answered in response:

"What the Prime Minister says is very true. In the future, if it is within my power, I will certainly not fail you."

With those words spoken, the two had reached a tacit understanding.

Lu Buwei said no more, straightened his black robe, walked to the stone gate and activated the mechanism, and the heavy stone gate slowly opened.

He turned and gave Li Ji a slight nod, then calmly strode out of the stone chamber and disappeared into the dark passageway.

The stone gate closed again, leaving Li to sit quietly inside.

His mind raced: the master of the Dark Execution Platform, the Hunter, the Shadow Guard Commander, the Fang-Eating Prison...

It seems that he is about to gain control of the power that belongs solely to him.