Master Bai

"I knew the whereabouts of quite a few demons, but the one I dealt with most often was that Mantis Demon."

"Because the others were either hard to deal with or had credibility problems."

Sun Zhi led Shen Lin along a country path, talking as they walked.

"What do you mean, credibility problems?"

Shen Lin asked curiously.

"It means..." Sun Zhi sneered. "The people who make deals with them never last long."

"Black eats black."

Shen Lin shrugged, without the slightest change in expression.

He did not sympathize with those people. Could anyone who traded with demons possibly be a good person?

Those demons truly ate people without even spitting out the bones. Deal with them carelessly, and one could end up dead without a burial ground.

After all, martial artists, especially Martial Artists who had cultivated Blood Qi Power, were walking spiritual pills to demons and monsters. Eating one provided tremendous nourishment and could greatly advance their cultivation.

Sun Zhi nodded, apparently finding Shen Lin's description fitting. He then turned and asked, "Did you bring what I told you to bring?"

"I did!"

Shen Lin lifted the bundle in his hand and patted it, producing a clinking, rattling sound.

Inside was all the money he had obtained last time.

Seeing this, Sun Zhi nodded in satisfaction. "When we meet them later, remember not to be too stingy. What you pay out now can all be earned back after you kill the demons."

Shen Lin nodded, then asked curiously, "The demon we're going to see doesn't eat people?"

Previously, Sun Zhi had used his colleagues as bargaining chips to trade with the Mantis Demon for the locations of other demons and monsters.

But this time, he had not brought anyone else. Instead, he had told Shen Lin to bring all his savings.

Did demons and monsters covet money too?

Sun Zhi had not intended to answer Shen Lin's question, but on second thought, it would be troublesome if this fellow ruined things later.

So he explained, "For demons and monsters, eating people is both a feeding process and part of cultivation. This demon is rather... cunning. It likes to spend money to get things done."

Before Shen Lin could figure out what spending money to get things done meant, Sun Zhi quickened his pace. After crossing a small slope, he let out a long breath and said, "We're here."

Looking at the village ahead, Shen Lin thought for a moment before finally recalling information about this place from the memories of the body's former owner.

Bai Family Village had fewer than a hundred households and little presence in Qiulin County. Most people did not even know there was a village here.

The body's former owner had only learned of this place after being assigned here once to collect taxes.

That demon was in this village?

Pondering this, Shen Lin followed Sun Zhi into the village.

Sun Zhi had a clear destination. Once inside, he headed straight for the largest courtyard.

At the gate of that grand residence, someone was currently crying and shouting.

"Old Master Bai! I'm begging you, where exactly did my little sister go? At least tell me something! Is she dead or alive? Th-this... there has to be some explanation, right?"

A dark-skinned farmer knelt before the courtyard gate, crying toward the inside.

At that moment, a man walked out and glared at the farmer. "An explanation? My master has not demanded an explanation from you lot only because he is kindhearted, yet you still have the nerve to make a scene?

"You signed and left your mark when you borrowed our silver. If you couldn't repay it, your Yu Niang was to come to our estate as a maidservant for ten years, and that would settle it. But this little bitch actually dared to run away...

"Did you secretly take her back home? Hm?"

The man kicked the farmer to the ground, then stood with his hands on his hips and his chin raised, utterly domineering.

"Wronged! I've been wronged!!! My little sister has always been obedient and well-behaved. How could she possibly run away? Besides, in times like these, at least she wouldn't starve to death at Bai Estate. If she went outside, th-this..."

Just then, the farmer spotted Shen Lin and Sun Zhi. As if he had found his saviors, he scrambled over and grabbed Sun Zhi's leg, crying, "Officer, Master Bai says my little sister escaped from his home, but no one in the whole village has seen anyone leave these past few days. I suspect... I suspect..."

Halfway through, he hesitated for a moment. Then he gritted his teeth and suddenly said, "I suspect my little sister fell victim to them and has already been murdered by them!"

"Heh, you rascal, you think we gave you face, is that it? You actually dare slander my master?"

"It's not just my little sister! So many people before her were brought in by you as hired hands and servant girls, and once they entered your courtyard, none of them ever came back out. I'm not the only one saying it!"

The farmer smashed the pot when it was already broken and directly confronted the other man.

Sun Zhi merely said calmly, "If you want to file a report, do you have evidence?"

The farmer froze, then stammered, "Evidence... the evidence must be inside their courtyard. Officer, as long as you..."

Sun Zhi cut him off directly. "Without evidence, a false accusation will be punished in reverse. Are you sure you want to file a report?"

At the words punished in reverse, the farmer immediately shuddered.

A murderer paid with his life. If it was ultimately proven that the farmer had made a false accusation, then his fate...

He said nothing more. Rising to his feet, he left while looking back every few steps.

"Thank you, Officer, for enforcing the law impartially. These rascals truly are..."

The Bai Family servant cupped his fists to Sun Zhi, about to exchange a few polite words, when Sun Zhi interrupted him.

"I have business with Old Master Bai. Please announce us."

"This..." The servant hesitated. "My master has recently caught a cold, I'm afraid..."

"Just tell him Sun Zhi has come to call. I have business to discuss with him."

Seeing Sun Zhi's stern expression, the servant did not dare delay and hurried back inside.

"This man... isn't a demon!"

Shen Lin said in a low voice.

Sun Zhi's actions had already made it clear that this Master Bai was very likely a demon or monster.

Yet the servant under him was an ordinary human.

Shen Lin found this somewhat baffling. Had Master Bai concealed himself too well, or...

Sun Zhi merely nodded. "Once we get inside, there won't be many like him."

Good heavens, this was a demon den?

Shen Lin licked his lips, beginning to feel a little anticipation.

Before long, the servant returned and said respectfully, "Captain Sun, my master invites you in!"