The Chicken Thief, Huang Fugui

Ever since Lin Feng turned Zhao Hu into an abstract painting with a single palm strike, the atmosphere in the entire Qingyang County Office changed.

Before, the County Office was a retirement paradise for veteran clerks to drink tea, read newspapers, and chat while cracking melon seeds.

Now, the County Office was as quiet as a tomb; even people who breathed loudly were few and far between.

All the constables looked at Lin Feng as if mice had seen a cat.

Wherever Lin Feng passed, within three feet, no one dared to tread, and the air pressure would plummet.

Lin Feng himself didn't care about this.

He wished these people would stay far away from him, so they wouldn't delay him from figuring out how to earn Crit Points.

However, trouble, like a rock in a latrine, was both smelly and hard. If you didn't look for it, it would come and trip your feet.

Early one morning, the County Magistrate Zhao Dehai's personal advisor, a thin old man with a fluttering goatee who walked as if he might be blown over by the wind at any moment, found Lin Feng pinching his nose.

"Con... Constable Lin."

The advisor's address had unconsciously taken on a tone of respect.

"Benefactor Wang from the west of the city has come to report a case. He says his family... his family has encountered a strange case."

"A strange case?"

Lin Feng raised an eyebrow. For the County Magistrate's advisor to personally deliver a message, it must not be a trivial matter.

The advisor's face showed a strange expression, a mixture of constipation and entanglement. He lowered his voice and said:

"Benefactor Wang's family raised nine black-boned phoenix chickens imported from the Western Regions. It is said that the eggs laid by these chickens can prolong life when eaten, and each egg is worth ten taels of silver. But starting three days ago, one chicken... goes missing from his home every morning, right on time."

Lin Feng: "..."

The advisor coughed awkwardly.

"Moreover, the scene has been investigated. The chicken coop is intact, the doors and windows are tightly shut, and not a single feather was left behind, as if... it disappeared into thin air. Benefactor Wang is terrified and says it must be the work of evil spirits. He specifically requested you, the 'Number One Demon Slayer', to take the case."

Lin Feng's mouth twitched.

Good heavens, I, a martial arts expert at the sixth stage of Body Tempering.

I've slain zombies and chopped water ghosts.

And now I've been reduced to investigating a 'missing hen case'?

If this gets out, what will happen to my fearsome reputation as 'Lin the Fierce'?

"Where is Captain Li?"

Lin Feng asked calmly.

The advisor sighed.

"Captain Li... he said he recently caught a cold and it's not advisable for him to move around. He's already taken three days of leave."

Lin Feng sneered inwardly.

Taking leave is an excuse; not daring to go out is the truth.

Ever since Zhao Hu was crippled by him, Li Gang has become a shrinking turtle.

"Alright, I'll take the case."

Lin Feng nodded.

Even a mosquito's leg is meat. Evil spirits?

Let's hope so.

It'll also be a chance to earn some Crit Points.

Upon arriving at Benefactor Wang's luxurious mansion in the west of the city, it was indeed exceptionally grand.

But at this moment, the vast courtyard was filled with an atmosphere of gloom and despair.

Benefactor Wang was a fat man with a bloated belly. As soon as he saw Lin Feng, he treated him like his own father, weeping and wailing as he began to recount his woes.

"Lord Lin! You must seek justice for me! Of my nine precious darlings, only six remain! If this continues, within three days, my family will be wiped out by that monster!"

Lin Feng's head ached from his clamor. He waved his hand and asked directly, "Take me to see the scene."

The chicken coop was built in a secluded corner of the backyard and was cleaned quite well.

Lin Feng walked around the coop. As the advisor had said, the doors and windows were intact, and there wasn't even a dog hole.

He crouched down and carefully examined the ground.

With the sharp eyesight of a sixth-stage Body Tempering expert, he quickly discovered something unusual in an inconspicuous corner beneath the chicken coop.

It was a small clump of almost invisible yellow fur, still stained with a bit of mud.

Lin Feng rubbed the clump of fur between his fingers and smelled it. A faint, musky odor wafted up.

"Yellow Weasel?"

Lin Feng's heart stirred.

Yellow weasels, scientifically known as Mustela sibirica, were considered highly spiritual animals in folklore from his previous life, adept at bewitching people.

Some who have achieved success in cultivation can even speak human language and manipulate illusions.

In this world, they are considered low-level, First Order minor demons.

It seems there really are demons causing trouble.

However, this Yellow Weasel is far too bold.

To steal a chicken from the most famous benefactor family in Qingyang County.

Lin Feng had a plan. He said to Benefactor Wang, "Steward Wang, prepare a roasted chicken and a pot of good wine tonight, and place them by the chicken coop entrance. Leave the rest to me."

Benefactor Wang thanked him profusely and left.

As night fell, Lin Feng did not hide on the rooftop like he did when dealing with the Water Ghost. Instead, he brought a small stool, sat down imposingly by the chicken coop entrance, with the fragrant roasted chicken and fine wine beside him.

He wanted to see which reckless, yellow-haired monster dared to play tricks in front of him.

Just past midnight, a rustling sound came from the corner of the wall.

Immediately after, a furtive yellow figure poked its head out of the darkness.

The creature was about two feet long, with a pointed snout and a monkey-like face. Its small, beady green eyes darted around. It was the Yellow Weasel.

It first looked around cautiously. When it saw a living person sitting by the chicken coop entrance...

It yelped in fright, almost screaming its soul out, and turned to flee.

But then, a rich aroma of roasted chicken aggressively entered its nose.

The Yellow Weasel's escape faltered. Drool uncontrollably streamed from its mouth.

Its small eyes were fixed on the glistening roasted chicken, caught in an internal struggle.

On one side, its life. On the other, delicious food.

This was a problem worth pondering.

Lin Feng was not in a hurry. He leisurely tore off a chicken leg and slowly began to gnaw on it, deliberately making "tsk tsk" sounds of admiration.

"Mmm... the chef of the Wang family has good skills. Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, the meat is so flavorful. What a shame, it's a waste for me to eat it all alone."

The Yellow Weasel let out a "gurgle" from its throat. Its front paws dug into the ground restlessly, its ears and cheeks twitching in agitation.

Finally, appetite conquered reason.

The Yellow Weasel stood on its hind legs, bowed respectfully to Lin Feng, a comical and absurd gesture.

"This... this Lord..."

A thin, fawning voice suddenly echoed in Lin Feng's mind.

It wasn't spoken aloud, but rather a form of mental transmission spell.

Lin Feng raised an eyebrow, amused.

This Yellow Weasel had actually cultivated to a certain degree.

"Oh? You can speak?"

Lin Feng asked knowingly.

The Yellow Weasel nodded and bowed repeatedly.

"Little... little demon Huang Fugui, greets Lord! This little demon only knows a few minor tricks to confuse the mind, nothing impressive, nothing impressive!"

As it spoke, it secretly glanced at the roasted chicken from the corner of its eye, its drool almost forming a river.

Lin Feng found it amusing and pointed at the roasted chicken. "Want to eat?"

Huang Fugui's head bobbed like he was pounding garlic. "Want to!"

"The Wang family's chicken, you stole it, didn't you?"

Lin Feng's tone suddenly turned cold.

Huang Fugui trembled in fear. Its yellow fur bristled, and it plopped to the ground. It clasped its head with its front paws, weeping and kowtowing for mercy.

"Lord, please see the truth! This little demon is wronged! Even if this little demon had the guts of heaven, it wouldn't dare steal from the great benefactor Wang's family! That's a black-boned phoenix chicken, extremely precious! This little demon was just passing by, smelled the scent, and came to take a look. It absolutely did not steal the chicken!"

Its exaggerated acting and pained expression left Lin Feng in awe.

The Oscars owed this guy a small golden statue.

"Oh? Is that so?"

Lin Feng casually tossed aside the chicken bone he had finished gnawing and slowly drew out half of his saber.

The blade glinted with a chilling light under the moonlight. An aura of killing intent, as tangible as substance, instantly locked onto Huang Fugui.

Huang Fugui felt a chill run from the base of its tail straight to the crown of its head. Its blood felt like it was freezing.

It had no doubt that if the man before him so much as willed it, it would be instantly cut in two.

This killing intent!

It was terrifying!

More terrifying than any demons it had seen before!

"I'll talk! I'll talk! I'll tell you everything!"

Huang Fugui's mental defenses instantly collapsed. He scrambled to Lin Feng's feet, grabbed his boots, and tearfully confessed.

"Sir, I'm telling the truth! I really didn't steal the chicken! But I know who did!"

"Who?"

"It's that pack of dog demons from the Mass Grave north of the city! Those damned dogs, relying on their brute strength, not only stole the little demon's home but also forced the little demon to steal food for them every day! It was them who forced me to steal the Wang family's chicken! Sir, look at my scrawny body, how could I dare refuse! Wuwuwu... My life as Huang Fugui is so hard!"

As it cried, it rubbed its furry head against Lin Feng's pant leg.

Its posture was so humble, its tone so fawning, it had reached a whole new level.

Lin Feng looked at the Yellow Weasel, who was a master of flattery, and a fun idea suddenly popped into his head.

He was in Qingyang County, unfamiliar with the place.

Although he had the System, many things were inconvenient for him to handle personally.

This Yellow Weasel was skilled in illusions, fast, and seemed intelligent enough.

If he could recruit it, making it an informant, it seemed like a good choice.

With that thought, Lin Feng withdrew his killing intent and put on a kind smile.

"Get up. I believe you."

Huang Fugui was stunned for a moment. It raised its tear-filled eyes and looked at Lin Feng in disbelief.

Lin Feng pushed the remaining half of the roasted chicken towards it and said with a smile, "Eat up. Consider it a way to calm your nerves."

Huang Fugui was overwhelmed with gratitude. It first tentatively took a small bite.

Seeing that Lin Feng really had no intention of attacking, it finally relaxed. It hugged the roasted chicken and wolfed it down, its mouth greasy.

"Huang Fugui."

"Yes! Sir, what do you command!"

Huang Fugui mumbled, its mouth full of meat.

Lin Feng smiled as he looked at it. "I think you're quite clever. Are you interested in working for me?"

Huang Fugui's chicken-eating paused. It looked up, its small mung bean-like eyes filled with confusion.

"Working for you... to do what?"

"It's simple."

Lin Feng's smile became profound. "From now on, you're my person. Help me gather information and keep an eye on some people. In return, I'll guarantee you'll have roasted chicken and roasted duck every day in this city. And if anyone dares to bully you, I'll stand up for you."

Lin Feng paused, his tone turning stern.

"Of course, if you dare to have other intentions, or play any little tricks..."

He extended a finger and lightly flicked his saber.

A clear ringing sound of the blade startled Huang Fugui so much that its soul almost flew out of its body.

"I wouldn't dare! I absolutely wouldn't dare!"

Huang Fugui shook its head like a rattle drum. "To be able to serve you, sir, is a blessing I, this little demon, have cultivated for eight lifetimes! I'd go through fire and water without hesitation! From now on, you are my only master, Huang Fugui! My true master!"

As it spoke, it dropped the roasted chicken and kowtowed to Lin Feng repeatedly. Its fawning demeanor was truly at its peak.

Lin Feng nodded in satisfaction.

"Very good. Then now, you will go and do the first thing for me."

"Take me to meet those 'dog demons'."

"Right away! Master, just you watch!"

Huang Fugui wiped the oil from its mouth, stood up energetically, and with a transformation, it changed from a bullied little wretch into a dog that flaunted its master's power. It led the way with its head held high and chest puffed out.

Its comical back made Lin Feng chuckle.