What Kind of Move Was This? Huang Fugui's CPU Fried Dry

Meanwhile, at the City Lord's Mansion.

Unlike the uproar outside, the atmosphere here was terrifyingly oppressive.

Inside the study, Ling Xiaotian, the City Lord of Nan Yan Commandery, wore a face as black as iron as he paced back and forth. The pressure of a fifth-level Dan Yuan Realm expert radiating from him seemed to freeze the very air in the room.

"You wretched girl! Get on your knees!"

Following his furious roar, a fiery-red figure stumbled into the room.

It was Ling Yue'er.

Yet at this moment, she had long lost her usual liveliness and willfulness.

Her face was pale, her eyes red and swollen. Dressed in plain white, she looked delicate and pitiful, as though a gust of wind could knock her over.

"Father..."

"Don't call me Father! I don't have a daughter as good at causing trouble as you!"

Ling Xiaotian trembled with rage, pointing at her nose as he unleashed a torrent of curses.

"Do you know what you've done?! The Li father and son are dead! You broke the balance of all Nan Yan Commandery with your own hands! Now those old foxes from the Wang Family, Zhang Family, and Zhao Family are all stirring restlessly, itching to pounce and gnaw the Li Family's remaining businesses clean to the bone! The entire commandery city is about to descend into chaos!"

"I... I didn't..."

Ling Yue'er's tears fell like pearls from a snapped string. "I only... I only wanted to avenge Sister Wan'er... I never thought things would turn out like this..."

"You never thought?!"

Ling Xiaotian grew even more enraged. "For some so-called sister, you pushed the entire City Lord's Mansion—our entire Ling Family—into a pit of fire! Do you know what people outside are saying now? They say you, Ling Yue'er, framed your own fiancé for the sake of Lin Feng from the Demon Suppression Division! They say I, Ling Xiaotian, failed to teach my daughter properly, indulging her in colluding with outsiders to eliminate dissidents!"

"I didn't! I'm not!"

Ling Yue'er shook her head desperately, tears streaming down her face like blossoms drenched in rain. "I admit it, I like Big Brother Lin! But I... I absolutely never harmed Li Tianyu! It was that Skin-Peeling Demon..."

"Enough!"

Ling Xiaotian slammed his palm onto the table, making the teacups jump.

"At a time like this, you still dare argue?! You're still thinking about that Lin Feng?!"

He roared in frustration, "Do you know that man is a double-edged blade? Today, he could help you cut down Li Bantian; tomorrow, he could put that blade to my throat! And you're still tangled up with him. Do you want everyone to think that our City Lord's Mansion and his Demon Suppression Division are already wearing the same pair of trousers?!"

"I don't care!"

Ling Yue'er stubbornly raised her head. Her beautiful face, streaked with tears, was filled with defiance and determination.

"I never liked a hypocrite like Li Tianyu! If I, Ling Yue'er, am to marry, I'll only marry a real man like Big Brother Lin! A man who stands tall beneath the heavens and acts decisively in life and death! Other than him, I won't marry anyone!"

"You... you little wretch!"

Ling Xiaotian's vision went black from her lovesick words, and he nearly fainted on the spot.

He raised his hand. Looking at his daughter's stubborn face, he ultimately failed to hold himself back.

Slap!

A crisp slap echoed throughout the study.

Ling Yue'er covered her instantly swollen cheek, staring at her father in disbelief. The tears in her eyes could no longer be restrained and spilled from their wells.

"You... you hit me?"

"I hit you because you're an ungrateful fool!"

Ling Xiaotian pointed toward the door and roared, "Get back to your room! From today onward, without my permission, you are not to take a single step outside your door! Come out only when you've thought things through!"

Ling Yue'er looked deeply at him, her eyes full of disappointment and sorrow. Without another word, she covered her face and ran out crying.

Watching his daughter's staggering retreat, the anger on Ling Xiaotian's face slowly faded, replaced by endless exhaustion and worry.

He sank back into his chair and rubbed his throbbing brow.

"Ah..."

A long sigh, filled with helplessness, escaped him.

"My Lord."

A ghostlike figure slowly emerged from the shadows of the study. It was Advisor Xu, the City Lord's Mansion's chief adviser.

"Miss is... still too young in the end," Advisor Xu said softly.

"Young? Hmph, if she were truly young and ignorant, that would be better!"

Ling Xiaotian snorted, a complicated look flashing through his eyes. "Her behavior looks like nothing more than a young girl's romantic entanglement, but in truth, she's forcing me! Forcing me to choose a side! Forcing me to completely lean toward the Demon Suppression Division!"

"And Your Lordship's intention is?"

"What other intention could I have?"

Ling Xiaotian waved his hand irritably. "The Li Family has fallen, and those old bastards of the Wang Family have been jumping around far too happily lately. Without the Li Family's tiger standing in front to hold them back, sooner or later they'll stretch their claws over the City Lord's Mansion's head."

"Now the Demon Suppression Division has produced a God of Slaughter like Lin Feng, and their momentum is at its peak. Forming an alliance with them truly is the best choice for now. That girl Yue'er may have handled it crudely, but she didn't go wrong in the overall direction."

He paused, and his gaze turned icy.

"Pass down my orders. Say that... Yue'er will marry no one but Lin Feng. As her father, I can't bend her will either. Once the storm dies down, we'll begin preparations to propose marriage."

"Your Lordship is wise."

Advisor Xu bowed slightly. "That way, we and the Demon Suppression Division will be tied to the same boat. If those people from the Wang Family wish to entertain any crooked thoughts, they'll first have to weigh whether they can endure Lord Lin's thunderous blade."

"Hmph, one blade..."

Ling Xiaotian recalled that day's scene, and deep fear flashed through his eyes.

"Go. Put on a convincing show. At the very least, make everyone believe on the surface that our City Lord's Mansion and Lin Feng are already in-laws."

"Yes."

The City Lord's Mansion's "official confirmation" acted like a powerful catalyst, causing the scandal of "King Yama Lin and the City Lord's daughter" to spread through every street and alley of Nan Yan Commandery at a speed comparable to a plague.

The storytellers hurriedly produced more than a dozen versions of tales titled The Tyrannical Yama and the Lovely Young Lady overnight.

The idlers in teahouses spun gossip about the pair all the way from Pangu splitting heaven and earth to the end of the world.

"Did you hear? The City Lord personally declared it! He said his daughter won't marry anyone but Lord Lin! The dowry is already prepared—three streets in the east of the city!"

"Three streets? Your news is way too outdated! I heard from my seventh grand-uncle's cousin's nephew's neighbor that the dowry is half of Nan Yan Commandery! And the City Lord even said that after he passes away, the position of City Lord will be handed to Lord Lin!"

"My heavens! This isn't marrying off a daughter—this is giving away a kingdom!"

"Exactly! But then again, only an unparalleled fierce man like Lord Lin is worthy of the City Lord's daughter! What is this called? A union of the strong! Nan Yan Commandery will be peaceful from now on!"

The rumors only grew more outrageous.

Some people had even begun discussing whether Lin Feng and Ling Yue'er's future children should bear the surname Lin or Ling.

Within the Demon Suppression Division, the way everyone looked at Lin Feng had completely changed as well.

If it had once been awe.

Then now, amid that awe, there was an added trace of... fawning, as though they were looking at the City Lord's son-in-law.

Even Chu Mengxi and Meng Kuo, the two Bronze Envoys, would instinctively tease Lin Feng whenever they saw him.

"Lord Lin, when are you treating us to wedding wine?"

Lin Feng's response to this had always been just one word.

"Scram."

He was annoyed to death now.

He had nothing to do every day, gaining not a single Crit Point, and he was so anxious he was practically about to burst into flames.

"Master, calm down, calm down."

Huang Fugui kneaded Lin Feng's shoulders like a shameless lackey, wearing an expression of barely concealed delight.

"This humble one thinks it's a good thing! Look at you now, Master. You have status when you want status, backing when you want backing, and soon you'll get a wife as lovely as a flower and half the commandery city for free. This is simply the ultimate dream every man yearns for!"

Lin Feng shot him a sidelong glance and said coldly, "Have you been too idle lately? Is your hide itching again?"

"Not idle, not idle! This humble one has been busy!"

Huang Fugui shuddered in fright and hurriedly pulled out a small notebook from his robes, beginning his report.

"Master, ever since that young lady was confined by the City Lord that day, she really hasn't left her room again. Every day, all she does is cultivate, cultivate, and cultivate! Her madness is even fiercer than when you grind monsters! This humble one personally saw her break through last night! First level of the Spirit Qi Realm!"

"Oh?"

Lin Feng became somewhat interested.

This Ling Yue'er truly had a bit of perseverance.

"Other than cultivating, has she met anyone suspicious?"

"No!"

Huang Fugui shook his head like a rattle-drum. "Forget suspicious people—even the City Lord himself has been chased away by her several times! She refuses to see anyone now. It's like she's possessed. This humble one thinks this isn't cultivation. This is 'going mad for love'!"

After hearing this, Lin Feng fell into thought again.

There was no abnormality whatsoever.

That, in itself, was the greatest abnormality.

This chess game had reached this point and seemed to have become a deadlock.

Ling Yue'er had locked herself away, severing all contact with the outside world. Huang Fugui could not find a single flaw.

Meanwhile, the rumors and the City Lord's Mansion's attitude had pushed him into an extremely awkward position. Every movement he made was watched by countless pairs of eyes.

Countless clues flashed rapidly through Lin Feng's mind like scattered fragments.

The Skin-Peeling Demon... Li Tianyu... Li Bantian... the City Lord's Mansion... Ling Yue'er...

Wait!

A gleam suddenly flashed in Lin Feng's eyes!

It seemed that he had...

Overlooked someone.

The Li Family's second young master, Li Tianhe!

His older brother was dead, and his father was dead too.

He was now the Li Family's rightful, sole heir!

What was he doing now?

"Huang Fugui!"

Lin Feng's voice suddenly turned grave.

"Master, at your command!"

"Immediately, this instant! Go keep an eye on Li Tianhe!"

"Huh?"

Huang Fugui was dumbfounded again. "Keep... keep an eye on him for what? That guy is just a pitiful creature whose father and brother have just died. I heard he cries his eyes out all day, never leaving his home, and he's nearly cried himself stupid. What is there to watch?"

"When I tell you to go, you go!"

Lin Feng's gaze became sharper than ever, as though it could pierce through every illusion.

"Remember, this time, it isn't surveillance. It's protection!"

"Protection?!"

Huang Fugui felt as though his CPU was about to fry dry.

His master had chopped down the man's father and brother, and now he wanted to protect him?

What kind of move was this?

Give him a date after chopping off his head?

The more he thought about it, the more absurd it seemed!

"Listen carefully."

Lin Feng's voice carried an unquestionable command.

"If you discover anyone trying to harm him, whether by assassination, poisoning, or any other method..."

He paused, and an icy, hunter-like smile flashed through his eyes.

"Don't kill them. Leave them half a life and bring them to me."