You Deserve to Die

In a sense, demonfolk were not truly human, so their blood was a terrifying poison to ordinary people.

The slightest touch.

Could prove fatal.

Therefore.

After killing demonfolk, their corpses had to be thoroughly destroyed, without leaving behind the slightest remnant.

Once Zhuang Mingyuan's corpse had been completely incinerated.

Shen Changqing turned his gaze to the long blade in his hand.

The blade, once clean and snow-white, was now pitted and scarred, as though it had been buried in the earth for years and grown thick with rust.

"This blade won't last much longer!"

Shen Changqing's expression was helpless.

When he had killed the sinister creature in Ancient Moon Village, he had deliberately wrapped the long blade in true qi, ensuring that it would not be corroded by the blood.

But when he had attacked Zhuang Mingyuan.

He had forgotten about that.

Clearly.

Ordinary weapons had no chance of resisting the blood of such demons and evil creatures.

What a pity.

With Shen Changqing's current status, there was no way for him to obtain any particularly good divine weapon.

Shaking his head.

He turned and headed back to Lin'an City.

Inside the yamen, all was peaceful and tranquil, without the slightest sign that a fight had taken place not long ago.

Zhang Long's severed head on the ground had already vanished.

When Shen Changqing stepped into the inner hall, he happened to see Zhao Fang sitting there quietly.

"You aren't running?"

"Would it do any good?" Zhao Fang asked in return.

"You know it would do no good, so why did you collude with demons and evil creatures to slaughter the people of Ancient Moon Village? They fell under Lin'an City's jurisdiction, so they were also your people, Zhao Fang. As the official responsible for them, your heart is cruel beyond measure."

Shen Changqing's gaze was indifferent. He did not immediately kill Zhao Fang.

There was no need.

Zhao Fang was different from Zhuang Mingyuan. He did not possess the slightest martial cultivation, so there was no need to worry about any accidents.

There were some matters.

Shen Changqing wanted to learn about through Zhao Fang.

Faced with the interrogation.

Zhao Fang remained calm. "Demons and evil creatures are very powerful—so powerful that ordinary people have no right even to resist them. When demons and evil creatures slaughtered the common folk, I too once wanted to eliminate them and safeguard peace in this place.

"But demons and evil creatures are too powerful. No matter how hard I tried, I could not contend against them in the slightest.

"You may not understand that feeling—"

By the end, his expression carried a trace of sorrow.

From Zhao Fang's words.

Shen Changqing seemed to see an upright official who had worked diligently, forced to play along with demons and evil creatures for the sake of Lin'an City's people.

But after Zhao Fang finished speaking.

He sneered. "Why deceive yourself? If you truly cared for the people, how could you sacrifice the thousand-odd lives of Ancient Moon Village? If you truly cared for the people, how could you deliberately conceal the information and keep the Demon Suppression Bureau from noticing?

"Put plainly, you're merely greedy for life and afraid of death."

"What do you know!"

Shen Changqing's words seemed to stab Zhao Fang, making his expression agitated as he rose from his seat.

"Do you know how many people live in Lin'an City? One hundred thousand—one hundred thousand people! If I hadn't dealt with those demons and evil creatures, not one of Lin'an City's hundred thousand people would have had any path to survival. Sacrificing Ancient Moon Village was a measure born of necessity.

"Yes, the Demon Suppression Bureau is powerful and fears no demons or evil creatures.

"But no matter how powerful the Demon Suppression Bureau is, how much stronger can it be than demons and evil creatures?

"Over the years, countless people have been slaughtered by demons and evil creatures, and more than one or two cities have been wiped out. But where was the Demon Suppression Bureau then—"

"Well said!"

Shen Changqing applauded in approval, then a faint smile appeared on his face. "So sacrificing one Ancient Moon Village wasn't enough for you. You planned to sacrifice even more people, perhaps even the entire Lin'an City.

"But what I find curious is this.

"Since you, Lord Zhao, had no choice but to deal with demons and evil creatures for the sake of Lin'an City's people, then when you decided to sacrifice Lin'an City in exchange for your own future, what meaning did all that dealing have?"

Zhao Fang's face immediately froze.

At that moment, Shen Changqing's expression had already turned icy. "Put plainly, you, Zhao Fang, are a traitor who betrayed humanity—an utterly selfish scoundrel. The people of Lin'an City are merely an excuse you use to blind your own conscience.

"The people of Ancient Moon Village must surely still be unable to rest in peace.

"You, Zhao Fang, have failed Lin'an City's hundred thousand people and failed the support they gave you for twenty years!"

"You. Deserve. To. Die!"

Shen Changqing spoke each word slowly and distinctly.

With every sentence, Zhao Fang's face turned a shade paler, until he finally collapsed weakly back into his seat.

After becoming a Connate martial artist.

Shen Changqing's senses had already become frighteningly powerful.

As early as when he had stood outside the yamen gates.

He had heard Zhao Fang and Zhuang Mingyuan speaking in the inner hall.

He had simply remained still.

Because he wanted to hear more useful information from the two of them.

Only after confirming that he could obtain no further information did Shen Changqing strike directly and force his way into the yamen.

Therefore.

He had heard their entire conversation clearly.

Including Zhuang Mingyuan's persuasion and Zhao Fang's fall.

Therefore.

No matter how brilliantly Zhao Fang spoke now, Shen Changqing remained unmoved. In his eyes, although the man before him had not, on the surface, become a demon or evil creature like Zhuang Mingyuan.

The evil and ruthlessness in his heart were no different from those of demons and evil creatures.

To be honest.

Even if Zhao Fang had feared demons and evil creatures and abandoned the hundred thousand people to flee, Shen Changqing would not have said anything.

After all, being greedy for life and afraid of death was everyone's right.

It was only that, as an official responsible for the people and one who drew a salary from the imperial court, he would inevitably have faced arrest and punishment.

But even though that would have been a crime.

It was far less grievous than joining forces with demons and evil creatures and planning to sacrifice Lin'an City's hundred thousand people in exchange for his own future.

To put it bluntly.

Such a crime was no longer something as simple as a capital offense.

Demons and evil creatures were very powerful. Shen Changqing could not deny that.

When faced with an irresistible existence, some people remained fearless and refused to retreat even half a step. Others were gripped by fear and slipped away quietly. Still others fawned upon the powerful, rushed to join demons and evil creatures, then turned their butcher's blades upon their own kind.

Clearly.

Zhao Fang was the last kind of person.

Such people were the most contemptible.

Time trickled by.

Zhao Fang sat dumbly in his chair, his face frighteningly pale. Shen Changqing's words had shattered the last trace of struggle in his heart.

"Lord Shen, I know that my sins are grave. That is why I did not flee while you pursued Zhuang Mingyuan. I am willing to die to atone for my crimes, as repentance to the villagers of Ancient Moon Village, but there is one thing I hope Lord Shen can promise—"

"That all the blame be borne by me alone and have nothing to do with anyone else. I hope Lord Shen can spare them!"

As he spoke, Zhao Fang looked at Shen Changqing, a trace of hope appearing in his ash-gray eyes.

Shen Changqing's expression was indifferent, utterly unmoved.

"Whether one is guilty or innocent is not for you or me to decide. I will report this matter truthfully to the Demon Suppression Bureau. How it is handled then will be the Demon Suppression Bureau's affair!"