Conspiracy

After putting away the Demon Crystal, Ren Yunzhao resumed stripping the flesh from the bones.

In less than the time it took an incense stick to burn, a complete skeleton lay before everyone.

"These tiger bones should work well for soaking in liquor, too."

Ren Yunzhao turned to Lin Xiao and Kong Mingyuan and ordered, "You two helped this Incense Master surround and kill the tiger today. You may each take five tiger bones and fifty pounds of beast meat."

"As for the Deacons below you, each may take one tiger bone and ten pounds of beast meat!"

"Every Guardian in the valley may take two pounds of beast meat!"

"Arrange for the rest to be sent to the butcher shops in the city for sale..."

"Register the names of everyone injured or killed by the Dark Gold Red Tiger in the valley. When the time comes, distribute compensation according to the amounts set by the Firewood Gang, and send people to contact the victims' families..."

At Ren Yunzhao's words, everyone present wore unmistakably delighted expressions.

First-tier demonic beast meat sold for at least five taels of silver per pound on the market.

To them, it was practically a month's wages handed to them for free.

Lin Xiao and Kong Mingyuan cupped their fists and replied in unison, "Yes!"

"All right. Incense Master Yao and I have important matters to attend to, so we'll head back first. The two of you can handle the rest."

After saying that, Ren Yunzhao left in a hurry with Yao Jiheng.

Seeing how hurried the two men were, everyone present wore rather peculiar expressions.

"You all heard Incense Master Ren's orders. Each Deacon may claim ten pounds of beast meat and one tiger bone; each Guardian may claim two pounds of beast meat."

Lin Xiao looked at the six Deacons and instructed them, "Hong Jingcheng, Chu Zhongxian, the six of you will handle the distribution."

"Arrange for the rest to be sent to the butcher shops in the city."

"Yes!"

Hong Jingcheng and the other five replied in unison.

The two Market Masters collected their shares and left, grinning from ear to ear.

Next, the six Deacons distributed the meat, and Shen Mu also collected two pounds of Dark Gold Red Tiger meat.

Afterward, the six Deacons instructed everyone to send the remaining meat to the city, then took their own shares home to soak in liquor.

Shen Mu and the others looked at one another. So the people above only had to wag their tongues to take most of the benefits, while all the cleanup work fell to them?

"Sure is good to be the boss. All you have to do is wag your tongue, and your underlings take care of the rest..."

Shen Mu shook his head to himself.

By the time everyone had carried the remaining Dark Gold Red Tiger meat to the Firewood Gang's butcher shops and returned to Emerald Cloud Valley, the eastern sky was already paling.

The Dark Gold Red Tiger had kept everyone busy for most of the night. They had finally finished all the cleanup, and everyone had gotten something out of it.

Only at daybreak did the upheaval finally come to an end.

The casualty list had also been compiled: 137 lightly injured, 89 seriously injured, twelve Guardians, and fifty-seven outer members had died in the incident.

Hearing the exact figures, Shen Mu couldn't help but jump in fright. He hadn't expected the losses to be so severe.

Most of the dead had probably been nearby and perished beneath the Dark Gold Red Tiger's roar.

Shen Mu couldn't help feeling secretly fortunate that he'd been far enough away. Otherwise, he might have met the same fate.

Carrying two pounds of Dark Gold Red Tiger meat, Shen Mu headed nervously toward his Bamboo Shed.

His Bamboo Shed was only half a mile from where the incident had happened. The Dark Gold Red Tiger might well have trampled it flat.

But when Shen Mu saw that the familiar Bamboo Shed was still standing, he let out a long breath. His "real estate" had survived unscathed.

After simply salting the beast meat, he collapsed into bed and fell into a deep sleep, exhausted from a whole night of activity.

"Brother Shen! Brother Shen!"

It wasn't until midday that Shen Mu woke to someone knocking on his door.

"Who is it?"

Shen Mu called out.

"It's me, Zhang Bohan."

Zhang Bohan's voice came from outside.

Creak.

Shen Mu rubbed his bleary eyes and opened the door. "Brother Zhang, what is it?"

"Brother Shen, you didn't have to go that far! I brought people to harvest the Origin Mulberry Fruits, but look at those Origin Mulberry Trees—are there any fruits left?"

Zhang Bohan said with an odd expression.

A crowd of outer members stared blankly at the bare Origin Mulberry Trees in the fields.

The Origin Silkworms had successfully spun their cocoons. The outer members still stationed in the valley were mainly responsible for harvesting the Origin Mulberry Fruits.

"Origin Mulberry Fruits?"

Shen Mu froze and turned to look toward the Origin Mulberry Fields. The Origin Mulberry Trees had been laden with fruit yesterday, but now not a single one remained on their branches.

"What happened?"

The corner of Shen Mu's mouth twitched. He'd only picked forty pounds the previous night. Compared with ten acres of Origin Mulberry Fields, that was just a drop in the ocean.

So what had happened to the trees?

"Brother Zhang, you don't really think I could've picked this many Origin Mulberry Fruits all by myself, do you?"

Under Zhang Bohan's strange gaze, Shen Mu could only smile bitterly.

It was common practice for the Guardians in the valley to pick Origin Mulberry Fruits to brew liquor. As long as they didn't take too much, the people above turned a blind eye. After all, Emerald Cloud Valley had no shortage of the stuff.

"Then what's going on?"

Seeing Shen Mu's bewildered expression, Zhang Bohan asked.

"Come on. Let's check the other Guardians' Origin Mulberry Fields."

Shen Mu stepped out of the Bamboo Shed and led Zhang Bohan to the fields watched over by the other Guardians.

"Gone."

"Gone."

They visited several more Origin Mulberry Fields in succession, and the result was the same in every one: the Origin Mulberry Fruits had vanished overnight.

Could it be...

Shen Mu's heart gave a lurch as he immediately realized what had happened.

Thieves had taken advantage of the commotion caused by the Dark Gold Red Tiger the previous night to sneak into the valley and harvest the Origin Mulberry Fruits.

Shen Mu told Zhang Bohan what he suspected, and Zhang Bohan immediately understood.

"Brother Shen, if that's the case, could someone have deliberately lured the Dark Gold Red Tiger over the cliff last night?"

Zhang Bohan's eyes widened, and he blurted it out.

His main responsibility was managing the outer members who harvested Origin Mulberry Leaves. He hadn't been in the valley the previous night; he'd learned about everything surrounding the Dark Gold Red Tiger's fall from the outer members who lived there.

When he saw how many people had died in the previous night's upheaval, Zhang Bohan couldn't help feeling fortunate that he wasn't a Guardian...

Shen Mu nodded gravely, his expression dark. It now seemed entirely possible.

"To steal Origin Mulberry Fruits, they caused so many people to die..."

"If I hadn't been so cautious, I might've been one of the dead last night..."

A nameless fury rose in Shen Mu's heart.

Just to steal the Origin Mulberry Fruits, sixty-nine people had died and over a hundred had been injured. The Firewood Gang had suffered enormous losses.

"Brother Zhang, I need to report this to Deacon Hong. Take your people and start harvesting the Origin Mulberry Fields that haven't been picked clean yet."

"Sure."

Zhang Bohan nodded and turned to leave.

Shen Mu immediately hurried toward the valley entrance.

Knock, knock, knock!

Shen Mu reached Hong Jingcheng's door and knocked.

"Who is it?"

Hong Jingcheng called out.

Shen Mu answered quickly, "Brother Hong, it's me, Shen Mu. Something's happened."

"What is it?"

Shen Mu said, "It's about the Dark Gold Red Tiger last night. Someone stole the Origin Mulberry Fruits from many Guardians' Origin Mulberry Fields."

"I suspect the Dark Gold Red Tiger was lured over the cliff by someone who wanted to sneak into the valley and steal the Origin Mulberry Fruits..."

Creak!

Hong Jingcheng opened the door, his expression grave. "Are you sure?"

Shen Mu smiled bitterly. "If you don't believe me, you can check the Origin Mulberry Fields. Many have been picked clean."

Hong Jingcheng nodded. "I understand. I'll investigate this and report it to the Market Master. You can head back for now."

"Yes."

Shen Mu said no more and took his leave.