Devious people or plans and methods are dishonest, often in a complicated way, but often also clever and successful.

You have to be devious if you're going to succeed in business. 要想在生意场上取得成功就必须会耍点手腕。

a devious scheme 精心策划的计谋

not direct

He took a rather devious route which avoids the city centre. 他选了一条相当绕远的路以避开市中心。