The Whole Story

"So much nonsense, and such an ugly laugh!"

Chen Fan muttered to himself.

He flicked the demon blood from his Embroidered Spring Blade, sheathed it, and strode to the village entrance, announcing loudly:

"Fellow villagers, the wolf demons that brought disaster to this place have all been slain by me."

"The slayer of demons, Ping'an County Jinyiwei, Chen Fan!"

After speaking, he mounted his horse and rode away.

Gradually, numb figures emerged from all corners. They watched the galloping figure, and slowly, the light returned to their eyes!

Black Stone Town.

Wang Chao had instructed Chen Fan and the others to gather here after completing their patrol mission.

Chen Fan was the last to arrive. Upon seeing him return, a flicker of surprise crossed Wang Chao's eyes, but it was quickly replaced by relief.

"Brother Chen Fan is back safely, everyone can head back now!"

"Brother Chen Fan, was everything smooth during your trip to Black Bear Gully Village this time?"

Wang Chao asked.

"It was relatively smooth, except that most of the villagers in Black Bear Gully Village were eaten by a pack of wolf demons."

"I happened to slay seven wolf demons there and brought back their tails. Commander Wang, do you think these seven wolf demon tails are enough to earn me a Jinyiwei Xiaoqi Officer position?"

Chen Fan smiled faintly, his eyes fixed on Wang Chao as he asked.

"Hehehe."

"Naturally, they are."

Wang Chao chuckled awkwardly, a little embarrassed.

He didn't even voice the question he had in his heart.

How could Chen Fan, a martial artist who had only just entered the second stage of the Spirit Concealment Realm, kill seven wolf demons?

"Commander Wang, did you know that wolf demons were lurking in Black Bear Gully Village?"

Chen Fan finally asked the question.

At his words, the others also turned to look at Wang Chao.

Fortunately, it was Chen Fan who encountered the seven wolf demons. If it had been any of them, they would likely have become food for the wolf demons!

This specific patrol mission was set by Commander Wang.

This... was truly chilling to think about!

"You guys go ahead. Brother Chen Fan and I might have a slight misunderstanding, I'll explain it to him."

Wang Chao glanced at the other five and said.

"Yes!"

The five exchanged glances, then spurred their horses and galloped away, heading straight for Ping'an County city.

Wang Chao looked at Chen Fan, noticing that Chen Fan's gaze had never left him. He became increasingly uneasy. After a long internal struggle, he dismounted, fell to the ground with a thud, and said:

"Brother Chen Fan, I've wronged you. Do as you please, kill me or skin me!"

"Commander Wang, have you also colluded with the demons and devils?"

"I've always considered you like an elder brother."

"A few days ago, when I was gravely injured and near death, you knelt and begged Third Squad's Head Zhang to bring the Wild Boar Demon from the foot of Black Mountain to the Jinyiwei training grounds, to fulfill my dying wish, so I could personally slay a demon before I died."

"It was precisely the pride of personally slaying a demon that allowed me to break through, not only overcoming the life-and-death barrier but also greatly increasing my strength. I've always remembered your kindness."

"But why are you trying to harm me now?"

Chen Fan's gaze was calm, his tone low.

Without Wang Chao's kneeling, Chen Fan wouldn't be where he was today. A man's knees are made of gold, and Wang Chao had gone to such lengths for him as a brother, Chen Fan was truly touched.

Although Chen Fan's strength now far surpassed Wang Chao's, he still respected his old brother.

But Wang Chao's actions today had truly chilled him.

He was personally sending him to his death!

If he hadn't possessed his golden finger and his strength hadn't advanced by leaps and bounds in these past few days, he would have long ago become the dinner for those wolf demons!

"Brother Chen Fan, please don't say any more. I've wronged you."

"They threatened me with my family, I... I had no choice but to comply!"

Wang Chao said with a pained expression.

Between his family and Chen Fan, he could only choose his family and betray Chen Fan.

He was filled with guilt, but he had to do it!

"It's Cao De."

"He colluded with the Demons and Devils, attempting to control the entire Ping'an County."

"Was it also him who threatened your family into making you assign the village where the Demon was hiding to me for patrol?"

Chen Fan asked.

"It was him."

"It always was him."

"The Ping'an County is surrounded by Demons and Devils; both Zongqi Officers and us Xiaoqi Officers know this, and even some old Jinyiwei members have some understanding. It's just that you youngsters aren't very aware."

"But Cao De controls the entire Jinyiwei. With our strength, we can't resist him at all. Moreover, he colluded with the Demons and Devils. With their help, even if we united, we wouldn't be his match."

"Furthermore, most of the Ping'an County Jinyiwei Centurions were promoted by him and are his confidantes. How many would truly resist him?"

"That day, when you went on the emergency patrol, although it was designated by Huang Chengyue Zongqi Officer, it was also Cao De's order."

"At that time, it was your team of five from the Ninth Squad who were on duty in the Jinyiwei. Therefore, Huang Chengyue was destined to find no one else to complete the task, so it had to be the five of you."

"It's just that I didn't know who among the five of you offended Cao De, causing him to plot and trap you, wanting to completely kill you by the hands of the Demons and Devils."

At this point, Wang Chao revealed everything, holding nothing back.

In fact, he only understood the intricate details afterward, but he had buried his doubts in his heart, not daring to stand up for Chen Fan and the others.

In reality, the reason he worked so hard to fulfill Chen Fan's last wish was also to lessen his own guilt.

After all, he wasn't a bad person at his core.

"It was me."

"It should have been me."

Chen Fan replied upon hearing this.

In truth, he still didn't know how he had offended Cao De.

Perhaps the root of it all was that small courtyard near the County Magistrate's residence.

Perhaps tonight, he would have the answer.

He only knew that he had been reprimanded by Cao De when he rashly entered that separate courtyard that day. As for the woman who was entwined with Cao De, he didn't know her origin, but she certainly wasn't Cao De's wife.

Because his Centurion lord was obsessed with martial arts his entire life, never marrying or having children.

And if he hadn't misjudged back then, it was Demons and Devils who entered that separate courtyard. It could be said that the courtyard was also a gathering place for Demons and Devils.

Imagine a regular Jinyiwei member entering the Jinyiwei Centurion's private residence, encountering the Centurion lord being intimate with someone, and most likely realizing that the Centurion lord was harboring Demons and Devils in his private residence.

Who wouldn't want to kill that regular Jinyiwei member!

If that were the case, everything would make sense.

Unfortunately, Chen Fan was no longer the greenhorn who had joined the Jinyiwei a year ago. Now, he was a peak Spirit Concealment Realm martial artist. Even if he was a Jinyiwei Centurion, so what?

If they dared to provoke him, he would still kill them!

"Brother Chen Fan, since we've cleared the air today, I might as well say a bit more."

"Run!"

"Run as far as you can."

"With your current skills, life won't be too difficult wherever you go."

"Go to a prosperous city where there are no Demons and Devils hiding, change your appearance, and you can start anew."

Wang Chao said with all sincerity.

Chen Fan was different from him. His family and friends, wife and children were all in Ping'an County. He couldn't abandon them.

But Chen Fan was an orphan, alone in the world. Now that he possessed considerable martial prowess, such a person would be treated as an honored guest wherever he went.

"Let's go."

"We're returning to Ping'an County!"

Chen Fan said. After speaking, he spurred his horse and galloped towards Ping'an County.