Far-side inspection post at lower altitude, warmer light but still cold noir palette. Yan arrives after crossing Hollowfoot Pass, murder-token fading in his chest.

Yan approaches Master Dou's open inspection tent. The formal reading setup is visible inside.

Yan steps into the formal reading space and confirms the delivery.

Yan offloads the murder-token onto the table.

Master Dou breaks the seal and begins reading the token's contents.

Dou reads the token. Yan waits in silence while the memory unfolds inside Dou.

The token reading reaches the crucial added act. Dou's reaction is almost invisible, but Yan notices.

Dou finishes reading and looks at Yan with a new, assessing attention.

Dou reveals Lady Wei's true history as a former guild courier.

Dou explains that Lady Wei built a loyalty evaluation for Yan specifically.

Dou lists the traits that made Yan worth testing.

Yan understands that Lady Wei's death was part of the expected result.

Dou states the pass condition plainly and bureaucratically.

Dou confirms Yan passed. The emotional weight of 'was' hangs over Lady Wei's absence.

Dou opens the iron ledger-case and removes Yan Qiu's unsigned documents.

Dou identifies the papers as Qiu's indenture documents and explains why they remain unstamped.

Dou explains Yan's promotion and the automatic release of Qiu's domestic obligation.

Yan accepts the papers and places Qiu's freedom against his chest.

Yan thanks Dou, but Dou immediately orders him to sit, shifting the scene into a new contract beat.

Dou places the second sin-token on the table. It is visibly heavier and a deeper red than any token Yan has carried.

Yan studies the second token and realizes the normal recipient field is blank.

Yan reads Yan Qiu's name in the notation field and understands she is the named subject of the contract.

Yan asks what the token means. Dou defines the narrow space between offer and coercion.

Yan looks between Qiu's release papers against his chest and the new red token, then picks it up.