Flying Locust

Chen Mu had never imagined that merely painting a portrait would entangle him in a horrific family massacre.

What chilled him to the bone even more was that the Wang Family had actually been wiped out.

They were a powerful family that had held sway over Qingshan County for decades.

Staring at the headless portrait, countless thoughts raced through Chen Mu's mind.

"Come with me." Constable Lu turned and was about to lead Chen Mu toward the rear hall.

The County Lieutenant had said Chen Mu was not to be let go, so he could only lock him up for the time being.

A trace of pity could not help rising in Constable Lu's heart.

Getting thrown into the prison was easy. Getting out again was another matter entirely.

The Wang Family Massacre Case was especially heinous, and the County Magistrate and County Lieutenant were under tremendous pressure.

Who knew? In the end, they might find a Scapegoat to take the blame.

This scholar who had become involved with the Wang Family... Constable Lu did not dare think any further.

"Wait!" Chen Mu called out to stop Constable Lu.

The previous owner of this body had neither family nor friends, utterly alone in the world.

Once he was thrown into prison, with no one outside to pull strings for him, he would truly have no choice but to leave his fate to Heaven.

"I painted a complete portrait. The head disappearing means someone was playing tricks, using a special method to erase it!" Chen Mu said gravely.

His Second Tier Drawing skill had given him an enormous reserve of knowledge.

As he stared at the headless portrait, a pigment formula gradually surfaced in his mind.

He stepped closer to the portrait and quietly sniffed. Amid the rich scent of ink, a faint fragrance wafted from the paper. Chen Mu became increasingly certain.

"You have no way to prove it," Constable Lu said.

"I do!" Chen Mu fixed his gaze on Constable Lu.

"This is the portrait of the Wang Family head after his death. The paper and pigments are of exquisite quality, and combined with my painting technique that penetrates through the paper, it could remain unfaded for decades." Chen Mu spoke with utter conviction, bluffing without a trace.

In truth, the medicinal solution that could remove pigments and ink did not work completely. It left residues behind.

Naturally, he could not directly tell them about the solution.

That would only deepen their suspicions of him.

"As long as a mounting master peels this painting apart from the middle, traces of the pigment will surely be visible. That will be enough to prove that I painted a complete portrait!"

"Wait here." Constable Lu took the portrait and left the main hall.

The Six-Room Clerks of the County Office were all scholars, and many of the older clerks knew the craft of mounting paintings.

Half an hour later, in the rear hall of the County Office.

"Now there's no way to claim this was the work of a Malevolent Spirit." County Lieutenant Du stared at the lifelike portrait, his face full of worry.

A Malevolent Spirit that killed people would not erase the head from a portrait.

It was clearly criminals causing trouble and making a mystery out of nothing.

"It seems that scholar truly was simply caught up in it by chance," Constable Lu said.

"Mm. And he's talented, too." County Lieutenant Du finally had time to study the portrait.

The three-dimensional portrait and its lifelike effect were a revelation to him.

He had never seen such a painting method before.

"If the portraits on wanted notices were as realistic as this one, what bandit could escape capture?" An idea struck County Lieutenant Du. "I would quite like to meet this scholar."

"The Exorcism Mirror truly had no reaction?" County Lieutenant Du confirmed once more.

"No."

"Come. Let's meet this scholar." County Lieutenant Du said with a composed expression.

"Young Master Chen, your talent is remarkable. Your painting skill has truly opened my eyes," County Lieutenant Du said as he emerged from the rear hall, his face brimming with praise.

"This is County Lieutenant Du of our county," Constable Lu introduced from beside him.

Chen Mu cupped his hands in salute. "Greetings, County Lieutenant Du."

He had already learned from the previous owner's memories.

A County Lieutenant was essentially like a company's vice president—second only to the County Magistrate in the Qingshan County Office, chiefly responsible for maintaining law and order within the county.

The Wang Family Massacre Case fell under the other man's jurisdiction.

"This County Lieutenant has investigated the matter clearly. The Wang Family Massacre Case has nothing to do with you. You merely happened to be caught up in it. You may return home in peace shortly," County Lieutenant Du said with a broad wave of his hand.

"Thank you, County Lieutenant!" Chen Mu let out a long breath of relief.

"I see that Young Master Chen's paintings are remarkably lifelike. If you could come to the County Office and assist in drawing wanted portraits, it would surely greatly improve the public security of our county. I wonder, Young Master Chen..." County Lieutenant Du said lightly.

"No problem." Chen Mu agreed without hesitation.

He had no choice but to agree.

County Lieutenant Du nodded in satisfaction, then casually asked, "Young Master Chen, since you could tell that someone had deliberately erased the head from the portrait, do you know anything about this special method?"

Know anything? Not only do I know it—I can even make that solution!

But he could not say so.

Chen Mu put on a thoughtful expression. After a long while, he shook his head with a bitter smile. "My late father once mentioned a method for removing pigments, but he had only heard of it. He did not know the specifics."

County Lieutenant Du nodded. He had not expected a poor scholar to know such a secret technique.

Just as he was about to bid his guest farewell, Chen Mu suddenly said, "I hear that the Wonderful Painting Workshop in the east of the city gathers Qingshan County's finest painters. The people there may know something."

Constable Lu, standing nearby, had the corner of his mouth twitch sharply.

"Wonderful Painting Workshop?!" County Lieutenant Du's eyes immediately lit up. "Constable Lu, take men and bring all the painters from the Wonderful Painting Workshop back at once."

Constable Lu turned to glance at Chen Mu beside him, who was smiling as though it had nothing to do with him, and his eyelid could not help twitching.

This scholar really held a grudge.

Ping'an Ward, Chen Family Residence.

Chen Mu sat silently before the Square Table in the sitting room, his expression shifting between light and dark.

First, Master Yan had sent people to block his door.

Had Constable Lu not arrived in time, he would have been in for a vicious beating.

Then he had been taken to the County Office and implicated in a family massacre.

Though he had now been released, there was no guarantee he would not be arrested again later.

If such a major massacre case could not be solved, the County Office would surely find a Scapegoat to take the fall for the sake of their record.

A poor scholar like him, who had connections to the case, was the perfect candidate!

"I'm not master of my own fate!" Chen Mu sighed.

Today's experiences had made him realize something clearly.

This was no longer the peaceful and prosperous country of his previous life, but a chaotic ancient world.

He had to learn to protect himself!

"Learning martial arts in a short time is unlikely, but I need to find something for self-defense."

The first thing Chen Mu thought of was Lime Powder.

It was cheap and plentiful, and if used by surprise, it could achieve a miraculous victory.

He made up his mind to prepare some for himself later.

"I also need to gain a bit of strength."

He knew nothing about the martial arts of this world and did not dare train blindly. He could only search through the memories of his previous life.

Information had exploded in his previous life, and he knew a little about all kinds of fighting techniques, though none of it formed a complete system.

After thinking for a long time, a vague memory surfaced in his mind.

He seemed to have seen a training method for Natural Gate Flying Locust Stone.

Flying Locust Stone was simply the small stones found everywhere.

The materials were easy to obtain, and the training was simple as well. Gradually improve accuracy and striking force, and its power would naturally rise.

Chen Mu immediately went into the courtyard to gather scattered pebbles.

Then he propped the Wooden Basin he used for washing his face against the wall.

Standing five paces away, he threw pebbles into the Wooden Basin.

After throwing all twenty-odd pebbles in his hand into the Wooden Basin, Chen Mu picked them up, retreated until he was six paces away, and continued throwing.

When he began throwing from eight meters away, pebbles finally started landing outside the Wooden Basin.

Chen Mu stopped increasing the distance and drilled hard from where he stood.

He kept throwing until his arm ached and his strength began to weaken. Then a sudden insight emerged in his heart.

His throwing technique adjusted itself instinctively, and his movements immediately became somewhat easier and lighter.

Chen Mu's thoughts stirred.

A gray wall appeared before his eyes.

Writing: 1043/10000/Second Tier;

Drawing: 157/10000/Second Tier;

Throwing: 26/10000/Tier 1;

Chen Mu drew a deep breath.

What came next was the part he knew well.

Train.