The Ins and Outs of the Matter

"So much nonsense, and such an ugly laugh!"

Chen Fan muttered to himself.

He flicked the demon blood off his Embroidered Spring Blade, then sheathed it, striding to the village entrance. In a clear voice, he announced:

"Esteemed villagers, the Wolf Demons that plagued this land have been completely eradicated by me."

"Slayer of demons, Chen Fan of the Ping An County Brocade Guard!"

With that, he mounted his horse and rode away.

One by one, numb figures emerged from the shadows. They watched the galloping figure, and gradually, the light returned to their eyes!

Black Stone Town.

Wang Chao had instructed Chen Fan and the others to gather here after completing their patrol duties.

Chen Fan was the last to arrive. When Wang Chao saw him, a flicker of surprise crossed his face, but it was quickly replaced by joy.

"Brother Chen Fan is back safe! Everyone, we can head back now!"

"Brother Chen Fan, how did things go in Black Bear Gulch Village?"

Wang Chao asked.

"It went alright, except the villagers of Black Bear Gulch Village were mostly eaten by a pack of Wolf Demons."

"I happened to kill seven of them and brought back their tails. Wang-tou, do you think these seven Wolf Demon tails might be enough to get me appointed as a Brocade Guard Squad Leader?"

Chen Fan said with a faint smile, his eyes fixed on Wang Chao as he asked.

"Heh heh heh."

"Of course, they should be."

Wang Chao gave a sheepish smile, a little embarrassed.

So much so that he didn't even voice the question in his mind.

How could Chen Fan, a martial artist who had only just entered the second stage of the Divine Treasury Realm, kill seven Wolf Demons?

"Wang-tou, did you know that Wolf Demons were lurking in Black Bear Gulch Village?"

Chen Fan finally asked the question.

At this, the others also turned to look at Wang Chao.

It was fortunate that Chen Fan had encountered the seven Wolf Demons. If it had been any of them, they would probably have become food for the demons!

Wang-tou had decided on this specific patrol mission.

This... was terrifying to contemplate!

"You guys go on ahead. Chen Fan and I might have a misunderstanding. I'll explain it to him."

Wang Chao said, looking at the other five.

"Yes!"

The five exchanged glances before mounting their horses and heading towards Ping An County.

Wang Chao looked at Chen Fan, noticing that Chen Fan's gaze never left him. He grew increasingly uneasy, and after a long inner struggle, he dismounted and fell to the ground with a thud.

"Brother Chen Fan, I've wronged you. Kill me or punish me as you see fit!"

"Wang-tou, have you also colluded with demons, acting as their accomplice?"

"I've always considered you my elder brother."

"A few days ago, when I was severely injured and on the verge of death, you begged Chief Zhang of the Third Squad to bring the Boar Demon from the foot of Black Mountain to the Brocade Guard Martial Arts Field, fulfilling my last wish so that I could personally kill a demon before I died."

"It was precisely that heroic act of killing a demon that allowed me to break through, not only overcoming the threshold of death but also greatly increasing my strength. I will always remember your kindness."

"But why would you want to harm me now?"

Chen Fan said calmly, his tone low.

Without Wang Chao's kneeling plea, Chen Fan wouldn't be where he was today. A man doesn't kneel easily, and Wang Chao was willing to do that for him, his brother. Chen Fan was truly moved.

Although Chen Fan's strength now far surpassed Wang Chao's, he still respected this older brother.

But Wang Chao's actions today had truly chilled him.

He was trying to send him to his death!

If he didn't have the golden finger, if his strength hadn't increased by leaps and bounds in the past few days, if he were still the Chen Fan of before, he would have become dinner for those Wolf Demons long ago!

"Brother Chen Fan, don't say anymore. I'm the one who wronged you."

"They threatened my family. I... I had no choice!"

Wang Chao said, his face full of pain.

Between his family and Chen Fan, he could only choose his family, to betray Chen Fan.

He felt guilty, but he had to do it!

"It was Cao De."

"He colluded with demons, attempting to control the entire Ping An County."

"Was it also him who threatened your family, making you assign the village with the Wolf Demon to me for inspection?"

Chen Fan inquired.

"It was him."

"It has always been him."

"Demons surround Ping An County, these things are known by both Chief Squad Leaders and us Squad Leaders, even some of the veteran Brocade Guards are aware, it's just you young ones who don't understand."

"But Cao De controls the entire Brocade Guard Precinct. With our strength, we can't resist him at all, and what's more, he colludes with demons, having their assistance. Even if we unite, we are no match for him."

"Besides, most of the Brocade Guards in Ping An County Brocade Guard Precinct were promoted by him, they are his confidants, how many of them would really resist him?"

"That day when you went to carry out the emergency patrol mission, although it was Chief Squad Leader Huang Chengyue who designated the people, it was also Cao De who issued the order."

"Back then, it was you five from the Ninth Squad who were on duty in the Brocade Guard, so Huang Chengyue was destined not to find anyone else to complete this task, it could only be you five."

"It's just that I don't know which of you five offended Cao De, causing him to design a trap, wanting to use the hands of demons to completely kill you."

Now that things have come to this, Wang Chao is telling everything he knows without holding back.

In fact, he only understood the twists and turns afterward, but he buried this doubt in his heart, not daring to stand up for Chen Fan and the others.

The fact that he worked so hard to fulfill Chen Fan's last wish was actually to reduce the guilt in his heart.

After all, he is not a bad person in essence.

"It's me."

"It should be me."

Chen Fan replied after hearing this.

In fact, he still doesn't know where he offended Cao De.

Perhaps the root of everything is that small courtyard near the County Magistrate's residence.

Perhaps there will be an answer tonight.

He only knows that he was rashly driven away by Cao De when he broke into that other courtyard that day, but the origin of the woman who was intimate with Cao De is unknown, anyway, she won't be Cao De's wife.

Because his Centurion is obsessed with martial arts all his life and has never married or had children.

And if he didn't misjudge back then, it was a demon who entered that other courtyard, it can be said that the courtyard is also a gathering place for demons.

Just imagine, a Brocade Guard member entered the Centurion's private courtyard, encountered the Centurion being intimate with someone, and most likely realized that the Centurion was privately hiding demons in his courtyard.

Anyone would have to kill this Brocade Guard member!

If that's the case, then everything makes sense.

It's a pity that Chen Fan is no longer the rookie who joined the Brocade Guard a year ago, now he is a Divine Treasury Realm peak martial artist, so what if it's the Brocade Guard Centurion?

If he dares to provoke him, he will kill him all the same!

"Brother Chen Fan, since you and I have spoken our minds today, then I might as well say a little more."

"Run!"

"Run as far as you can."

"With your current skills, life won't be too difficult no matter where you go."

"Go to a prosperous city where no demons are hiding, change your appearance, and you can start over."

Wang Chao said from the bottom of his heart.

Chen Fan is different from him, his relatives and friends, wife and children are all in Ping An County, he has no way to abandon them.

And Chen Fan is an orphan, all alone, and now he has extraordinary martial power, such a person will be regarded as a guest of honor wherever he goes.

"Let's go."

"We're going back to Ping An County!"

Chen Fan said, and after speaking, he whipped his horse and headed straight for Ping An County.