I'm Listening

"You worthless scum! I told you to keep an eye on the courtyard. You can't even manage that?"

"This guy found out our secret. What if he gets away?"

"You wretch!!!"

The Bai family's second son cursed as he lashed the servant with the whip in his hand. It cracked again and again, each blow landing on the servant.

The servant's skin split open, but he could barely cry out, managing only a weak groan.

Shen Lin had just walked in when he saw the scene. Now he understood why Qianqian had been the one to open the door for him.

The servant's pitiful state did not stir the slightest reaction in him. After all, the servant should have been prepared for this when he helped the monsters lord it over everyone.

Beside them, severed limbs lay scattered across a long table.

A head rested there, eyes wide open, unable to find peace even in death.

Shen Lin had seen that face only yesterday.

It belonged to the farmhand who had come to the Bai family asking where his younger sister was.

It seemed Sun Zhi's words yesterday had not made him give up. If anything, they had strengthened his resolve to find proof.

He had sneaked in during the night, but an ordinary mortal could never evade a monster's keen senses. The Bai family had caught him red-handed.

So, naturally, he had not survived.

The smile faded from Shen Lin's face as he silently watched the head's wide-open eyes.

His younger sister, Yuniang, had been eaten alive by one of the Bai family's brats. Now her brother had been dismembered too, and it looked like he would soon become food for the rest of the family.

In this world, why was it so hard for ordinary people to stay alive?

Shen Lin strode over, his face dark.

The Bai family's second son noticed him, of course. His torture of the servant had been a deliberate provocation.

Old Master Bai had said this fellow had exceptional talent, but when it came to talent, the only person the second son of the Bai family acknowledged was someone else.

His own third brother!

How could this lowly human deserve the old man's praise?

Now, seeing Shen Lin approach with an unfriendly expression, he felt no fear at all. Instead, he bared his teeth in a cruel grin. "What? You want to stand up for your fellow humans—"

But before he could finish, Shen Lin had already walked right past him.

Shen Lin went straight to the table. Ignoring the blood on the head, he picked it up and adjusted it until the dead man's wide-open eyes faced the courtyard.

"If you can't rest in peace, then watch closely..."

After a silent sigh, Shen Lin turned and headed straight for the Bai family's study.

"Hey! You wretch..."

The second son of the Bai family stared blankly at what Shen Lin had done. Only then did he snap out of it.

This guy had actually dared to ignore him?!

Rage surged through him. He reached out, ready to attack Shen Lin, but someone barked at him to stop.

"Second son! Mind your manners! He's my guest!"

Old Master Bai had appeared in the doorway at some point. After stopping the second son, he smiled at Shen Lin. "Young friend Shen, I didn't expect you to be so quick. Where's Head Constable Sun?"

"He's injured. He's outside."

"I see..." Old Master Bai's eyes flickered as he looked Shen Lin up and down, taking in how easily he moved. Then he said loudly, "Come, come. Let's go inside and talk."

"No need to go inside." Shen Lin chuckled and handed over all the banknotes he had just searched from Sun Zhi.

"We agreed on a price earlier. Is this enough?"

Sun Zhi had been quite well-off. Even after exchanging a good deal of his belongings for the "Meridian Opening Manual" and a Meridian Unblocking Pill, he still carried over a thousand taels in banknotes.

Old Master Bai took the banknotes and counted them, then returned several of them.

He was quite fair, not taking more than he was owed.

Shen Lin remained expressionless as he took the banknotes and tucked them into his clothes. "Now that the deal is done, we can move on to the next task."

Old Master Bai paused, then smiled. "Young friend, there's no need to rush. Even if I want to get you information, I'll need some time to make inquiries."

Shen Lin shook his head, his expression serious. "Why go to all that trouble? Aren't there five monsters right here?"

"Hm?"

For a moment, Old Master Bai did not understand.

Then a flash of cold light streaked by.

Clang!

Shen Lin drew his saber and struck, sending Old Master Bai flying straight into the room. A clatter of tables and chairs followed.

When the noise subsided, the courtyard fell utterly silent. Only the servant's occasional groans could be heard.

"Father?!"

"I'll kill you!!!"

The second son of the Bai family finally reacted. With a roar, he charged at Shen Lin.

A snow-white fox tail, taller than he was, unfurled behind him. His fingers became sharp claws, and fangs sprouted from his mouth as he lunged viciously.

Shen Lin merely turned around slowly, raising his saber and scabbard to block the other man's hands at just the right angle.

Boom!

A burst of air exploded, halting the second son's charge.

His sharp claws were almost brushing Shen Lin's face, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't push forward another inch.

Whoosh!

A dark shape darted from his shoulder and stabbed toward Shen Lin's head.

But Shen Lin seemed to have foreseen it. He tilted his head slightly and dodged the attack.

The second son of the Bai family curled his fox tail. Its tip grew razor-sharp, like a scorpion's stinger, and plunged straight into the doorframe behind Shen Lin.

Seeing that his attack had failed and his hands were pinned so he couldn't move, the second son of the Bai family grew desperate and lunged to bite him.

His glinting fangs were like iron teeth, capable of crushing bone with ease.

But before he could sink them in, Shen Lin drove a knee into his stomach.

"Ugh..."

The force of the blow made the second son double over. The pain was so intense that he couldn't breathe for a moment.

But Shen Lin wasn't finished. He kicked him again.

Thud!

With a muffled impact, the second son of the Bai family flew backward, his feet carving two furrows into the ground.

He spat out a mouthful of blood, then dropped helplessly to his knees, clutching his stomach in agony.

Shen Lin walked over without expression. "Arrogance needs strength to back it up. You're this weak, so why are you acting so brazen?"

"You..."

The word "weak" seemed to stir something in the second son's heart. He fought through the pain and raised his head.

But Shen Lin's next kick came straight at him.

Thud!

The second son of the Bai family rolled several times, dizzy and disoriented, no longer able to stand.

Then the scene before him shifted, and his body slowly left the ground.

Shen Lin gripped the fur at the back of his neck and lifted him up, turning him to face forward.

"Look at him!"

Across from him was a head staring right into his eyes—the farmhand he had just dismembered.

"Cough, cough, cough..."

After coughing a few times, the second son of the Bai family tried to say something. But the pressure on his chest made even breathing difficult, let alone speaking.

"Don't rush. You'll have plenty of time to talk when you meet him down below."

Shen Lin's calm words fell on his ears, cold as ice.

The next moment, a steel saber pressed against his throat.

"Stop!"

Old Master Bai appeared again with an angry roar.

His face was dark, and the torn clothing over his chest revealed armor that glimmered with silver light.

"How dare you, boy!"

"Shen Lang... let him go, please..."

"Uncle... let my uncle go!"

The commotion had naturally drawn the other fox demons over as well.

They stood in the courtyard, surrounding Shen Lin.

"Shen Lin, you have exceptional talent. You're sure to become a powerful martial artist one day. Why turn against us over a few mortals?"

Old Master Bai's voice softened as he tried to persuade him. "If you bring that saber down, my second son will certainly lose his life. But how could you possibly leave here alive on your own? Those who understand the times..."

Splurt!

Blood sprayed high into the air.

Shen Lin cut off the second son of the Bai family's head with one slash and held it in his hand. Then he smiled at Old Master Bai. "Go on. I'm listening."