A Troubled Autumn

A few leisurely days flashed by.

Baiyun County, Shili Township.

Lin Zikai, Black Dog, and more than ten Imperial Guards sprawled crookedly against the trees in the woods. Bloodstains covered their bodies, and every one of them was gasping for breath.

Lin Zikai cursed. "What the hell is this thing?"

"What kind of godforsaken place is Baiyun County? Why is it so damn unstable? A few days ago it was the White Dragon Cult, and now we've run into a bunch of maniacs addicted to killing."

"Little Li, have all the carrier pigeons been sent out?"

A squad captain wiped the blood from his face. "Sir, they've all been sent."

"Sir, what the hell were those things? Evil cultivators?"

Lin Zikai shook his head. "I don't know either. Baiyun County never had this sort of thing before."

As he spoke, he turned to look at Black Dog.

"Black Dog, do you know?"

Black Dog said in a deep, muffled voice, "I just smelled blood on them."

"They should be evil cultivators. Even if they don't drink human blood, they can't be unrelated to it."

Lin Zikai froze. "You smelled it? What are you, a dog?"

Black Dog did not answer, and Lin Zikai cursed angrily.

"Cultivating with human blood? How could something like blood cultivators appear in Baiyun County? Is the feng shui screwed up?"

Then he muttered under his breath, "Should I apply to be transferred somewhere else later?"

Black Dog shook his head.

"They aren't blood cultivators. The smell isn't that strong, but it still has something to do with blood."

Suddenly, Black Dog's nose twitched slightly. The faint stench spread through the air again, and he barked in a low voice.

"Stop talking. The stench is back. They're surrounding us."

All the Imperial Guards straightened up, pulling the hand crossbows from their waists and aiming them at the woods.

In less than a few breaths, rustling sounds came from the forest ahead. They could vaguely see the shrubs moving.

Lin Zikai glanced at Black Dog. "That nose of yours really is sharp. We'll have to bring you along on missions from now on."

"But for today, let's survive first."

As he spoke, his gaze gradually turned cold, fixed tightly on the shrubs ahead.

The instant figures emerged from the woods, Lin Zikai shouted.

"Fire!"

More than ten crossbow bolts shot out at once, directly killing several people walking at the front.

But in the next moment, another seven or eight martial artists with glowing red eyes sprang from the woods.

"Damn it, why are there so many of them? Are they rats? One litter after another?"

"Kill them!"

After several leisurely days, each spent drinking.

There had also been visitors during that time.

One was two squads sent from Luoshui City to reinforce the General's Office. After all, Shen Qing had slaughtered nearly all the Imperial Guards in Baiyun County.

The other was Xu Quan from Wan'an Town, who had come to deliver the mission rewards for Xu Family's Three Brothers, Lan Yu, and the others.

There were a full four hundred taels of silver. To be honest, that was enough for an ordinary General to work for several years.

If his strength and luck were worse, he might not even earn a thousand taels of silver in more than ten years.

But to Shen Qing, it was merely a number.

With a wave of his hand, Shen Qing had Black Dog and the others divide it up.

Naturally, he also gave Black Dog, Scholar, and Old Li special treatment, granting each of them an extra hundred taels of silver.

There was no other reason.

When Shen Qing had first transmigrated, he had ordered Sun Jin, the General's nephew, to be strung up. Only those three had acted.

For loyal people, favoritism was only right.

Scholar knocked on the door outside.

"Boss, Boss, a roast duck shop just opened in Winter Cloud Alley in the south of the city. I heard it came from the Capital City."

"I remember you're from the Capital City, so I bought one. Would you like to try it?"

Shen Qing raised an eyebrow. Roast duck?

Capital City roast duck? He really did like roast duck.

He did not know whether the roast duck in this world was authentic, but he really had to taste it.

He cleared his throat.

"Bring it in."

"Right away."

Scholar walked in with a grin, carrying a paper bag in his left hand, faint oil stains already showing through it, and a brown ceramic jug in his other hand.

It looked like Baiyun County's local carved-flower wine.

"Here, sir, have a taste."

As he spoke, he set the things on the table and opened them. A rich aroma rushed at Shen Qing's face. Never mind the taste—even the smell was authentic enough.

Scholar also poured Shen Qing a bowl of wine.

Shen Qing tore off a duck leg and took a bite. The skin was crisp, the meat tender, and it was incomparably delicious.

It was just a little regrettable. It would have been perfect with some spring pancakes, shredded cucumber, and scallion segments.

Wait.

This world seemed not to have that way of eating it. Wouldn't he make a fortune if he opened a roast duck restaurant?

What should he call it?

Shen's Roast Duck?

[Your subordinate killed a Body Tempering Realm Level Five martial artist and successfully plundered the trait: Poor Gambler (White)]

Poor Gambler: Addicted to gambling, but lacking in skill. Gains a slight boost to luck in gambling houses.

Shen Qing raised an eyebrow. Oh? Eating roast duck had actually brought him blue skies and white clouds.

But Shen Qing did not pay it much mind and simply tore off another duck leg to gnaw on.

It was perfectly normal for Imperial Guards to kill people.

But not long afterward.

[Your subordinate killed a Body Tempering Realm Level Seven martial artist and successfully plundered the trait: Tailor's Apprentice (White)]

Tailor's Apprentice: Has studied tailoring for some time and can be considered an apprentice. Finger dexterity increases by ten percent.

A gleam flashed through Shen Qing's eyes.

Over the past few days, the Sishui Gang, the Huang Family, thirty Imperial Guards, Xu Family's Three Brothers, and more than twenty White Dragon Cult bandits—more than a hundred people in total.

Yet only seven or eight traits had dropped.

But in that brief stretch of time just now, two traits had dropped in a row.

This system did not have such a high drop rate.

Rather than believe the system had suddenly changed its nature, Shen Qing was more willing to believe his subordinates were in the middle of a great battle.

Shen Qing set down the roast duck. "Did anyone from the office go out on a mission today?"

Scholar nodded. "Yes, sir. Banner Commander Lin and Black Dog went to Shili Township. I heard quite a few livestock have gone missing over in Chaoyang County, and many people have disappeared as well. Recently, people have apparently started disappearing around Shili Township too."

"The yamen thought something was wrong, so Banner Commander Lin and the others went to investigate."

"Sir, is there something wrong with this mission?"

"Have they sent any carrier pigeons back?"

Scholar shook his head. "No. They went to Shili Township last night, and not a single carrier pigeon has returned yet."

Shen Qing cursed under his breath. Damn it, he could not even eat a meal in peace.

Shen Qing got up, washed his hands, and took Qing He down from the wall.

"Call the men. Time to work."