Someone Came to the Pawnshop

Seeing this, Shen Bai set down the cup in his hand and gently rotated it.

These wounds carried an eerie aura. Having dealt with the bizarre many times, Shen Bai recognized it at a glance.

"So that's how it is. This man must have gone to deal with something bizarre."

Shen Bai thought to himself.

By then, Zhou Qing had already led the constables and was about to leave the spot where Shen Bai was.

With the situation urgent, Zhou Qing had been busy arranging for the injured man to be carried away and had not noticed Shen Bai eating in the shop.

After thinking it over, Shen Bai called out, "Old Zhou."

Zhou Qing, who was directing the constables on their way, subconsciously turned his head at the sound. He saw Shen Bai waving at him.

Zhou Qing told the other constables, "Carry him back to the county yamen first. I'll go say a few words to my brother."

Among the county yamen's constables, aside from Chief Constable Zheng, Zhou Qing held the highest position. The others obediently left.

Zhou Qing walked over and said, "Old Shen, finish eating and get back home. Don't linger out on the streets tonight."

Shen Bai pointed at the retreating constables and asked, "What happened?"

Zhou Qing said helplessly, "A Fox Girl has appeared. That man is a Bizarre Hunter who took on a task from the Heavenly Oversight Bureau. He nearly lost his life, escaped alone to the city gate, and was rescued by patrolling constables."

A Fox Girl?

Shen Bai stroked his chin. "What sort of thing is that?"

Shen Bai knew about Bizarre Hunters. Put simply, they were no different from bounty hunters.

The Great Zhou Dynasty was simply too vast. The Heavenly Oversight Bureau alone could hardly govern every corner of it.

Thus, Bizarre Hunters arose with the times.

Take a task, complete it, receive a reward from the Heavenly Oversight Bureau.

Simple and direct, without too many tangled interests. Bizarre Hunters pursued nothing but rewards.

But this term Fox Girl was something Shen Bai had heard for the first time.

Zhou Qing looked around. Seeing that the people nearby were keeping their distance from him, he leaned closer to Shen Bai.

"A Fox Girl is something bizarre. You might not understand if I just call it bizarre..."

"Let me put it this way. Have you heard the story of a Fox Girl repaying kindness?"

Shen Bai thought briefly and nodded. "I've heard of Fox Girls repaying kindness. Besides, I know what bizarre things are. I run a pawnshop, and I've gathered quite a few interesting tales and bits of news."

The so-called Fox Girl repaying kindness referred to a Fox Girl that, after being saved from disaster, would often carry all sorts of things in its mouth to the person who had saved her as repayment.

This story was widely circulated among the common folk. Some had even adapted it into a love story in which the Fox Girl transformed into a woman and stayed with her benefactor for the rest of their lives.

Zhou Qing was slightly surprised. "Old Shen, you actually know about bizarre things too?"

Shen Bai nodded. "A pawnshop is a place where many people come and all sorts of matters get tangled together, after all."

The two were close brothers, so Zhou Qing did not question him too deeply and began to explain.

"After animals die, they can also turn into bizarre things under the influence of resentment. Fox Girls are one such kind."

"They hate the living too, but the way they kill people is different."

"Fox Girls bring back many things from outside, some good and some bad."

"If you refuse to accept them, the Fox Girl will fly into a rage and kill you. If you accept them, your Essence, Qi, Spirit will be harmed by what she brought back."

"The better the item, the greater the harm. Given enough time, you'll die all the same."

At this point, Zhou Qing paused slightly.

A look of realization appeared on Shen Bai's face.

To be honest, this was the first time he had heard such a bizarre tale. It gave him a distinctly strange feeling.

"So what do you plan to do?" Shen Bai asked.

Zhou Qing said, "The Heavenly Oversight Bureau's inspection is imminent, and now this Fox Girl repaying kindness incident has appeared. The yamen has to deal with it seriously, or the county magistrate will have to carry the black pot when the time comes."

Shen Bai stroked his chin. "That is indeed true."

Zhou Qing glanced toward the county yamen. "Old Shen, I won't say more. I need to hurry back."

Something bizarre had happened, so Zhou Qing naturally had to return and deal with it first.

Shen Bai did not stop him. The man was handling official business, after all.

"Oh, right, Old Zhou. Tell me if there's any important news."

Zhou Qing asked doubtfully, "Old Shen, what do you want that news for?"

Shen Bai spread his hands. "The world is unstable. It's always good to get more information. I need to keep my little life safe."

Zhou Qing patted Shen Bai's shoulder. "Old Shen, don't worry. As long as I, Zhou Qing, am in Ascending Cloud County for one day, unless I die before you do, nothing will happen to you."

Shen Bai: "..."

He really wanted to say that Zhou Qing looked like a general on an opera stage right now, covered all over in flags.

As for news, this concerned bizarre things.

If he had a chance to obtain a wisp of Killing Intent, it would undoubtedly be a good thing for Shen Bai.

Zhou Qing was busy and had no time to say more. He turned and left.

After Shen Bai finished eating, he had nothing else to do, so he turned and headed back to the pawnshop.

Night fell.

Shen Bai stood in the courtyard, practicing the Vajra Demon-Subduing Fist.

His proficiency was steadily rising, and he was drawing ever closer to level four.

As he tirelessly trained, Shen Bai also thought about what had happened during the day.

"Though I don't need Killing Intent right now, that doesn't mean I won't need it later."

"I'll wait for news from Old Zhou. If an opportunity comes up, I'll get straight to work."

Having made up his mind, Shen Bai continued grinding away.

The Vajra Demon-Subduing Fist's proficiency kept rising.

Shen Bai was immersed in his frenzied training when the Qi within his body suddenly stirred, making him sense something unusual.

A faint strange sound came from the outer door.

If the night had not been so quiet, even Shen Bai would not have heard it.

"The sound is too faint. It doesn't seem like something an ordinary person could make."

Shen Bai frowned, drew the longsword at his waist, and quietly crept toward the pawnshop's front room.

The room was dark, without a single lamp lit.

A figure was rummaging through the room.

Surprisingly, despite the figure's searching, not the slightest sound escaped, as if silence itself had been switched on.

The pawnshop's various chests had been tossed into utter disarray, and pawned goods were scattered everywhere.

"This shouldn't be. He spoke with the constables this morning, so he should have some foundation."

"Why are they all such ordinary things? Could it be that my eyes have failed me?"

The voice was crisp and clear. It belonged to a woman.

Hidden in the darkness, Shen Bai took in every detail before him.

After pondering for a moment, Shen Bai raised his foot and stepped forward.

The instant his foot touched the ground, the woman whipped around.

"Who's there!"

In the darkness, Shen Bai saw a flash of white flying straight at his face.

"Lime powder?"

"Using such lowly tricks?"

Shen Bai casually swung his longsword, as easily as if swatting a mosquito.

The lime powder was completely scattered.

After throwing the lime powder, the woman prepared to flee into the darkness.

Seeing this, Shen Bai smiled faintly.

Blood-red sword light shot from his blade. Sword Qi carrying a vast, righteous force plunged into the wall before her, less than three inches from the fleeing woman.

"Whoosh..."

A gust of wind passed, and an oil lamp lit up.

Shen Bai looked at the woman ahead. His tone was calm as still water. Lamp in his left hand and sword in his right, he slowly approached.

"Run again, and the next sword will be through your neck."