Commander Li, Your Ideology Is Problematic!

The next day.

The first light of dawn appeared as the sun rose.

The people of Tongling County, having survived yet another night, pried the wooden boards from their doors and windows and stepped out into the streets.

Neighbors looked at one another, their eyes filled with both the relief of surviving a disaster and the flickering shadows of deep-seated anxiety.

They were grateful that they and their families had made it through another night safely.

But this was only temporary; three days from now, who would be the next to die?

The commotion from last night had been greater than any time before.

The sounds of clashing blades, the whistling of signal arrows, and soul-chilling roars...

The collapsed houses visible everywhere and the massive palm prints deeply embedded in the ground...

It was truly like the end of the world!

With such monsters hiding in the city, did they even have a path to survival?

Flee?

Where could they go?

As common folk, they had lived in this small county for generations, tilling the fields and struggling to make ends meet.

If they abandoned their homes and livelihoods to leave, how would they survive in the future?

An atmosphere of despair spread through the crowd—

"Hyah!"

Just then, the sound of rapid hoofbeats rang out through the street.

A yamen runner galloped past, his high-pitched voice echoing through the air:

"The County Office announces, let all be informed: the murder case is solved, and the true culprit has been executed!"

"The serial killings are completely resolved; the demon has been beheaded by Banner Chief Chen Mo of the Heavenly Qilin Guard!"

"The County Office announces, let all be informed..."

Watching the figure of the runner recede, the people stood with blank expressions.

The demon... was dead?

The dark clouds that had shrouded the entire county suddenly dispersed, leaving them bewildered and their minds completely blank.

After a long while, they awoke as if from a dream.

The clamor of the crowd began to rise, accompanied by bursts of suppressed sobbing.

At the city gate.

Magistrate Li Minghan and the officials of the County Office stood waiting.

They had arrived just as the sky was turning light, waiting for over an hour without a single trace of displeasure.

Clop, clop, clop—

The sound of hoofbeats approached.

A group of people rode out of the city.

The man in the lead held his reins loosely, his appearance refined and his features peerlessly handsome, looking every bit like a noble young master from a refined family.

Li Minghan led his men forward quickly, bowing low:

"Lord Chen!"

Those three short words contained a myriad of emotions.

He never would have imagined that the culprit who had slaughtered twenty-nine people in three months and kept the entire county in a state of panic was actually the widow of the Liu Mansion!

And the true identity of Lady Liu, once revealed, was even more chilling—

One of the Ten Heavenly Demons, the Evil Ghost Qin Wuxiang!

She was a mass murderer, wicked to the core, and possessed of the most brutal methods!

Thinking of such a demon hiding within the city, Li Minghan couldn't help but feel a lingering fear.

If not for Chen Mo taking action, the consequences would have been... unthinkable!

Constable Xing and the other yamen runners looked on with awe.

They had witnessed with their own eyes the scene of Chen Mo bathing in blood to slay the demon!

This man, who looked like a pampered young master from a wealthy family, was at his core a person even more ruthless than that fiend!

"The hour is still early; perhaps you would stay for lunch before departing, Lord, so that this humble official might fulfill his duties as a host."

Li Minghan offered a warm invitation.

"There is no need. My business here is concluded, and I must return to the capital to report. Magistrate Li should focus his energy on the aftermath instead."

Chen Mo said indifferently.

Once this matter spreads, it will surely stir up quite a storm.

This small county town is likely to be lively for a while.

"Since that is the case, this humble official will no longer insist on detaining you."

"However, please do not refuse this small token of appreciation, my lord."

Li Minghan pulled five banknotes from his sleeve with effortless grace, each with a face value of one hundred taels.

Chen Mo frowned, "What is the meaning of this, Magistrate Li?"

Seeing his displeased expression, Li Minghan hurriedly explained, "My lord, please do not misunderstand. Yesterday, while battling that demon, all the brothers exerted themselves greatly, and you, my lord, even suffered heavy injuries. This is just a small recuperation fee gathered by the county office to express our gratitude..."

Chen Mo remained silent.

Qin Shou, standing to the side, understood the implication and reached out to take the banknotes, saying with a smile:

"Then I shall thank Magistrate Li on behalf of the brothers."

Li Minghan breathed a sigh of relief and nodded repeatedly, "It is only right, only right."

"Let's go."

Chen Mo said.

"Hyah!"

The group spurred their horses into a gallop, kicking up a great cloud of dust.

"Safe travels, my lord."

Li Minghan watched them leave until they disappeared from his sight.

The private secretary leaned in and whispered, "Master, regardless of the circumstances, isn't five hundred taels a bit too much?"

Although Li Minghan claimed it was gathered by the county office, in reality, this was his entire life savings.

"You don't know a damn thing."

Li Minghan shook his head and said, "I was truly muddled; I didn't even realize yesterday that he was a young master of the Chen Family..."

Setting aside how prestigious the Chen Family is, they also have an Highness behind them!

That Highness is far more terrifying than any of the Ten Heavenly Demons!

"If the silver is gone, I can still squeeze it out of you all and slowly earn it back."

"But if my life is gone, then everything is truly lost!"

Private Secretary: "???"

Li Yuan sat on horseback, her head feeling a bit dizzy.

Last night, everyone was physically and mentally exhausted, so they stayed directly at the Liu Mansion. Yet, every time she closed her eyes, the image of Chen Mo swinging her around flashed before her...

She couldn't sleep at all!

On top of that, her backside had not yet reduced in swelling.

With the jolting of the horse, the burning pain became even more intense, accompanied by waves of soreness, itching, and numbness that nearly made her let out a soft moan.

You lecher, you were so ruthless, you even used a martial skill!

Ugh, no, I can't hold on much longer...

Just as Li Yuan was swaying and on the verge of falling, Chen Mo rode his horse to her side.

"Flag Officer Li."

"What is it?"

Li Yuan forced herself to perk up.

"There is something I am curious about."

"What exactly did you see in the illusion last night?"

Chen Mo asked curiously.

He had heard Li Yuan muttering his name and saying things like "crush you to death"...

But that shouldn't have been the case; after all, their relationship was so hostile that if it weren't for the favorability lock, it would certainly be at a negative value.

Could they have been competing in swordsmanship?

"I..."

Li Yuan was momentarily speechless.

Recalling the scenes in the illusion, the tips of her ears couldn't help but burn.

At the very beginning, she was indeed competing in swordsmanship with Chen Mo.

But as they fought, they ended up on the bed...

After fighting for a while longer, even the clothes were fought away...

And then...

She was slapped awake.

"I, I won't tell you." Li Yuan turned her head away and said.

Chen Mo frowned.

Why did this person feel a bit strange?

Suddenly, several lines of text flashed before his eyes:

["Li Yuan" favorability increased.]

[Favorability threshold broken, progress lock removed.]

[Current progress: 48/100 (Regret not meeting sooner).]

Chen Mo:

(⊙ˍ⊙)

(´･ω･`)?

щ(ﾟДﾟщ)

What is going on?

Just a short while ago, she was chasing him and shouting for his blood; how did it suddenly become "regret not meeting sooner"?

Could it be that the heroines of this world all have a hidden attribute... the harder you hit them, the faster their favorability rises?

Chen Mo's expression turned grave.

Holding a rigorous attitude, as he passed a fork in the road and noticed no one was following close behind, he raised his hand and slapped Li Yuan on the lower back.

Smack!

"Mmm~"

It was as if it were the final straw that broke the camel's back.

Li Yuan's body shuddered violently, and she slumped powerlessly over the horse's back, her eyes losing focus as if her soul had been snatched away.

["Li Yuan" favorability increased.]

[Current progress: 49/100 (Regret not meeting sooner).]

Chen Mo: "?"

When I type a question mark, it doesn't mean I have a problem; it means I think you have a problem...

This woman has a massive problem!