"Has that flying thief struck again?"
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Steward Qian abruptly raised his head, set down the dossier in his hands, and looked at Kong Yu across from him.
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Kong Yu wore a bitter expression and said quietly, "This time... it was my father-in-law's family's treasury..."
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Relying on his reputation from slaying demons with Shen Lin, he had finally gained some say in his household. Whether it was his father-in-law or his own wife, they had all begun to look at him in a new light.
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But after this happened, his father-in-law's expression, which had only just begun to soften, instantly turned livid.
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He pointed at Kong Yu and berated him for a long while.
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A constable from the County Yamen who had slain demons had actually allowed a flying thief into his family's treasure vault without noticing.
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Steward Qian's expression darkened. He stroked his beard and sighed.
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This matter had to be resolved somehow.
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The Zhang Family that Kong Yu had married into was one of Qiulin County's three Aristocratic Clans, a great family that had operated locally for several hundred years.
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"Your family's Attendant... didn't he notice anything unusual?"
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Steward Qian asked curiously.
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The Zhang Family was different from those other victims of theft. Others might not know, but Steward Qian was well aware that the Zhang Family had a martial artist of the Meridian Opening Realm serving as their Attendant.
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Blood Hand Monk Wang Yuantong.
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He had originally been a disciple of Vajra Temple in the provincial capital. After returning to secular life, he had been invited over by the Zhang Family to guard their household's safety.
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It was said that back then, while escorting the Zhang Family's head out to visit relatives, he had encountered a demon horde on the road. He had charged into the demon pack bare-handed and alone, killing his way in and out seven times, until both hands were drenched in demon blood. Thus, he had earned the name Blood Hand Monk.
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His consummate hard-body martial arts had reached perfection, without a single flaw or leak. Even County Constable Hu Dongxing had praised him highly.
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With such a person standing guard, the Zhang Family had still been robbed?
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Kong Yu gave a bitter smile. "Attendant Wang has had some business lately and went to the provincial capital. He wasn't at home, which was why the thief succeeded."
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Steward Qian breathed a sigh of relief.
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If Wang Yuantong had been at the Zhang Family's residence when the theft occurred, it would mean that the flying thief's strength had most likely already reached the Meridian Opening Realm.
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In that case, this case would be troublesome.
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The Zhang Family was immensely powerful. This case certainly could not be allowed to simply fizzle out.
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But just as he was pondering how to handle it, a burst of noisy commotion suddenly came from outside.
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He frowned, snorted coldly, and rose to his feet.
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A bunch of good-for-nothings. After all this time, they had failed to uncover even the slightest clue about the case.
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And now, in the County Yamen, they actually dared to make such a racket.
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But just as he was preparing to go out, a constable ran inside and shouted, "Steward Qian, Captain Sun and Shen Lin have slain demons again!"
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Steward Qian froze for a moment, then said unhappily, "Even so, you—"
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"Master Shen said there were six demons in total! One of them was even at the Meridian Opening Realm..."
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"Quick! Take me there at once."
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By the time Steward Qian hurried over, Shen Lin had already taken the teapot a colleague brought him and was gulping down water.
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The six demons, along with that fellow Sun Zhi, had all been loaded onto the donkey cart. The donkey couldn't bear the load. It had struggled halfway before going on strike.
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With no other choice, Shen Lin had to drag the donkey cart back himself, leaving him exhausted to the point of near-death.
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"Brother Shen... what is this...?"
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Faced with Steward Qian's confusion, Shen Lin was too busy drinking water to reply. He merely waved his hand, telling him to look for himself.
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Ignoring the bloody scene, Steward Qian leaped straight onto the donkey cart.
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"This is... a Meridian Opening Realm wolf demon!!!"
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"Such a huge White Fox Demon. These are demons on par with ordinary martial artists. Brother Shen, you've rendered a heaven-shaking service this time."
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"Hm? What kind of demon is this? It's actually still retaining a human form? And it looks strangely familiar..."
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"That's Captain Sun!"
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After finishing his water, Shen Lin said, "Captain Sun broke through in the middle of battle and became a martial artist of the Meridian Opening Realm. He killed that wolf demon."
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"Not only that, he also possessed eyes as keen as torches. When passing through Bai Family Village, he saw through Old Master Bai and his family's disguises, wiping out this Fox Demon Family that had committed evil for years."
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Among the crowd, the constables who heard Shen Lin's words cried out in astonishment one after another.
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However, when some of them heard the part about the Bai Family, their eyes grew unfocused, as if they were lost in thought.
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After hearing Shen Lin's account, Steward Qian felt his throat go dry. He swallowed and asked, "Then Captain Sun is..."
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"Ah, that wolf demon was no easy opponent. Although Captain Sun slew it, he was injured in the process. Then, after his bitter battle with the Bai Family's fox demons, his wounds worsened and he fainted. I suggest we take him down for treatment right away."
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"Yes, yes, yes! His wounds must be treated as soon as possible."
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Steward Qian jolted into action. After arranging for several people to carry Sun Zhi away, he turned to Shen Lin in confusion. "Captain Sun suffered such serious injuries, but Brother Shen, you seem to..."
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At this, Shen Lin straightened with reverence, clasped his fists toward empty space, and sighed emotionally. "Captain Sun is benevolent and righteous. Knowing that my cultivation was unstable, he took great care of me during the battle. Even the injuries on his body were sustained to save me, and so..."
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At this point, Shen Lin seemed deeply moved. He wiped his nose with his sleeve, his eyes turning red. "Captain Sun's great kindness and virtue—I, Shen Lin, will remember them for the rest of my life!"
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After saying this, he lowered his head, seemingly unwilling to let anyone see his awkward state.
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But Steward Qian across from him merely opened and closed his mouth before falling silent, saying nothing.
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Brother Shen!
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Could you at least put some effort into your acting?
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There's chili powder all over your nose!
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Although he knew the truth could not possibly be as Shen Lin had described, Steward Qian assumed there must be some hidden circumstances. He never once connected the existence that had slain these demons with Shen Lin.
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What a joke. How long had Shen Lin even been a martial artist?
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If he could slay a Meridian Opening Realm wolf demon after only three days, then let alone Qiulin County—even the imperial capital would send people to recruit such a genius.
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"Sigh, forget it. Brother Shen, go back and rest first. I'll arrange for the demon corpses to be dealt with."
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Shen Lin sniffed, nodded silently, and left at once.
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His footsteps grew faster and faster as he went.
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Achoo!!!
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After putting some distance between himself and the County Yamen, he finally couldn't hold back and sneezed.
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Damn, who would've thought that random bag of chili powder he'd bought off the street would actually be such good stuff? It was so pungent!
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Later that evening, Sun Zhi groggily opened his eyes.
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After receiving treatment from the County Yamen's renowned physician, his ribs had been reset. His body had been wiped down with strong liquor, and his fever had already gone down.
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A martial artist's formidable physical constitution had allowed him to awaken that very day.
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"You're awake?"
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Sun Zhi stared blankly at the rugged face filling his field of vision. He could even see every one of the man's whiskers clearly.
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"County... Constable Hu... What happened to me...?"
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He struggled to sit up, but dizziness and vertigo washed over him, forcing him to lie back down.
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Hu Dongxing hurriedly said, "Captain Sun, don't move. Your injuries aren't too serious, but you still need a few days of rest."
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He stroked his beard and looked at Sun Zhi with an expression full of satisfaction. "I always thought that among you captains, the first to become a martial artist of the Meridian Opening Realm would be that fellow Lin Haiping. I never expected you to overtake him from behind. Not bad, not bad at all."
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Sun Zhi's eyes widened. Slowly, he said:
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"Huh?"
Before you continue