Chang Ghost

Official business?

Kui Shan didn't believe for a second that Lu Jing'an could have any legitimate official business.

Although Lu Jing'an had indeed bypassed protocol to deal with Lawrence a while back.

To outsiders, this was absolutely a display of genius and brilliance.

But in Kui Shan's eyes, this young master of the Lu Family was still, at his core, the same good-for-nothing playboy.

Even regarding those methods of his, Kui Shan was quite dismissive in his heart.

Therefore, upon hearing the words "official business," the corners of Kui Shan's mouth twitched almost imperceptibly, his eyes filled with suspicion.

Lu Jing'an didn't mind Kui Shan's reaction and went straight to the point about the Tiger Demon.

The moment the words "Tiger Demon" were uttered, Kui Shan's expression turned suddenly solemn.

Mountain spirits, ghosts, and demonic disturbances were indeed within the jurisdiction of the Peacekeeping Bureau.

That Tiger Demon outside the city was indeed recorded in the bureau's archives.

But as he listened to Lu Jing'an's description, Kui Shan's brows furrowed tighter and tighter.

It was as if something had occurred that he could not comprehend.

"Are you saying that Li Zhaolin brought two Martial Cultivators, plus a full hundred men in full gear, and they were all wiped out?"

Lu Jing'an corrected him: "Yes. One Martial Cultivator survived with severe injuries."

Hearing him nitpick even such minor details, Kui Shan felt even more displeased.

He simply felt that this young master was truly petty and lacked a sense of priority.

However, he suppressed his dissatisfaction and asked instead:

"How can you be certain this isn't just a play staged by the Li Family, given the unresolved feud between your Lu Family and the Li Family?"

Lu Jing'an shook his head, his voice steady:

"At first, I had the same suspicion. But my father has already sent men to carefully examine the scene."

Lu Jing'an paused slightly, looking Kui Shan straight in the eye:

"The wounds on the deceased were mostly from the tearing of a wild beast. The claw marks were deep enough to reach the bone; they could never have been faked by human blades or weapons."

Upon hearing this, Kui Shan's face darkened further, his lips pressed into a rigid line.

Seeing his expression, Lu Jing'an took the opportunity to probe:

"Senior, is it possible that the Tiger Demon shouldn't have possessed such strength?"

Just as Kui Shan was about to speak, the sound of light footsteps accompanied by the scent of tea drifted over.

Wen Ling appeared, holding a steaming cup of fragrant tea, and walked to Lu Jing'an's side with a beaming smile.

"Young Master Lu, have a taste; this tea is quite rare."

She gently placed the white porcelain teacup on the side table next to Lu Jing'an.

Having been gone for so long, it was clear these tea leaves were not easily obtained.

"Sister Wen Ling, there was really no need for such trouble; ordinary tea would have sufficed," Lu Jing'an said politely.

Wen Ling waved her hand, not minding at all:

"He already spent the money, so it's only right to pick a few leaves to taste."

Lu Jing'an did not decline further.

Instead, he took out a prepared banknote from his robes and handed it over.

"This is the compensation from the county for the Peacekeeping Bureau. Please keep it safe, Sister Wen Ling."

Wen Ling took it, lowered her eyes to glance at it, and a bright light immediately rippled in her pupils.

The number on the banknote made the corners of her lips lift involuntarily.

"Then this sister will not be modest; thank you, Young Master Lu."

She carefully tucked the banknote into her sleeve, only then recalling the fragments of conversation she had just overheard.

"When I was coming over, I thought I heard you talking about a Tiger Demon? Has that beast outside the city caused trouble again?"

Lu Jing'an nodded and gave a concise summary of the Li Family incident.

After hearing it, Wen Ling's slender brows also knitted together slightly.

Compared to Kui Shan, she was clearly much easier to talk to and directly answered Lu Jing'an's question:

"To reach such a level, that Tiger Demon must have paid a significant price."

"But that beast is incredibly cunning; under normal circumstances, this shouldn't have happened."

She unconsciously twirled a strand of hair around her fingertip.

"Furthermore, according to the location you described, it's at least twenty miles away from the mountain peak it usually haunts."

"Given its cautious and cowardly nature, it would never run that far just to ambush a group like that."

She raised her eyes, her tone sharpening:

"Unless the Li Family did something to thoroughly enrage it, or made it feel that taking such a risk was unavoidable."

Lu Jing'an hadn't pondered this aspect deeply.

After all, he wasn't clear on the exact location of the Tiger Demon's territory.

With this mention, the matter became even more convoluted.

What exactly could the Li Family have done to provoke a Tiger Demon from twenty miles away?

Enough to make it risk everything and strike with its full force?

A sudden image flashed through Lu Jing'an's mind.

"Could it be... that cart of corpses the Li Family was transporting?"

Lu Jing'an voiced the possibility he had considered.

Wen Ling pondered for a moment, then slowly nodded:

"It's not impossible."

"That beast has a keen nose; it can clearly distinguish between the scent of the living and the stench of the dead."

"With that much blood and death, and winter fast approaching, it makes sense that it would be lured out of the mountains to hunt."

Her tone shifted, her gaze narrowing: "However..."

Lu Jing'an continued:

"However, given its cunning, once it realized the convoy was equipped with Martial Cultivator and armor, it should have known to retreat rather than fight head-on."

"That is exactly the point."

Wen Ling gave Lu Jing'an an approving look.

"Therefore, it is highly likely that the Li Family did something else—something that struck at the very core of that Tiger Demon!"

As for what that specific thing was, with no witnesses left alive, it was truly difficult to investigate.

Go and ask the Martial Cultivator who luckily survived?

I'm afraid no real answers would come from that.

And even if they gave an answer, could it really be trusted?

In this matter, the Li Family would be more than happy to see the Lu Family suffer.

Lu Jing'an decided to stop dwelling on it and instead asked:

"Sister Wen Ling, does the Peacekeeping Bureau have more detailed files on that Tiger Demon?"

"Yes, I'll go find them for you right now."

Wen Ling agreed instantly and turned to head toward the archives in the back hall.

"Wen Ling."

Kui Shan shouted a low command, his gaze like a torch.

"Bureau files are not to be accessed by anyone outside the Peacekeeping Bureau."

Wen Ling paused, turned back, and smiled:

"Boss, there are only the three of us here."

"If you don't say anything and I don't say anything, who would know? Besides, Young Master Lu is a friend of our Peacekeeping Bureau; what's the harm in letting him see the files?"

Kui Shan's expression remained unchanged, his tone resolute:

"Rules are rules."

"If you break a rule today, I'll break a standard tomorrow. The Peacekeeping Bureau will rot away along with this world sooner or later."

Seeing his resolute attitude, Wen Ling could only cast an apologetic look toward Lu Jing'an.

"Young Master Lu, you see... it's not that this sister won't help you."

Lu Jing'an smiled, his expression remaining composed:

"It is no matter, Sister Wen Ling. I shall have the Public Security Bureau issue a formal request for access tonight. I will have someone deliver it first thing tomorrow morning."

Wen Ling's eyes lit up, and she nodded repeatedly:

"Right, that's right. The Peacekeeping Bureau is, after all, nominally under the jurisdiction of the Public Security Bureau. It just requires you to go through one extra procedure, Young Master Lu."

Lu Jing'an waved his hand:

"It is only right. Senior Kui Shan speaks the truth. If everyone disregards the rules, then this world truly has no hope."

Lu Jing'an spoke these words with sincerity, not to curry favor. In these times, it was precisely because too many people ignored the rules that order had collapsed and demons ran rampant.

The look of approval in Wen Ling's eyes deepened: "Young Master Lu's breadth of mind is truly admirable."

She paused, then suddenly remembered something and asked:

"Young Master Lu, are you requesting these files because you intend to eliminate the demon?"

Lu Jing'an did not hide it, nodding as he said:

"The higher-ups intend for the Public Security Bureau to exterminate this Tiger Demon. I thought that by understanding it a bit more, if we truly have to face it in the future, the brothers of the Public Security Bureau might suffer fewer casualties."

Upon hearing this, Wen Ling's face showed surprise:

"Such matters are always handled by the Peacekeeping Bureau; how could it fall to the Public Security Bureau?"

Lu Jing'an said calmly:

"There are many political calculations involved. Perhaps that is precisely why it was not handed directly to the Peacekeeping Bureau."

Wen Ling realized, a trace of mockery crossing her lips: "If that is the case, then it makes sense."

She suddenly straightened her expression, leaned forward slightly, and said in a serious tone:

"Have you counted the number of corpses of the victims? Does it match what the Li Family claimed?"

Lu Jing'an was taken aback and shook his head:

"The scene was severely damaged, and some of the bodies had already been collected by the Li Family, making an accurate count difficult."

Lu Jing'an keenly sensed that there was more to Wen Ling's words and asked:

"Sister Wen Ling, is there something suspicious about this?"

Wen Ling hesitated for a moment before speaking:

"That Tiger Demon has a special ability: any person or beast bitten to death by it can be controlled and turned into a puppet."

"A Chang Ghost?" Lu Jing'an's pupils constricted. He had not expected this demon to possess such a treacherous ability.

"Exactly, a Chang Ghost." Wen Ling nodded, her expression grave. "If the numbers don't match, you must be vigilant for any puppets lurking in the shadows."

Perhaps because this sinister matter had been brought up, Wen Ling decided to offer one more warning:

"If you truly intend to strike, you must be swift and decisive; you absolutely cannot let it escape. That beast is incredibly vengeful. If it gets away, the future consequences will be endless. Our Peacekeeping Bureau once suffered a great loss because of this."

As for what that great loss was, Wen Ling did not mention it.

Lu Jing'an firmly committed these words to memory and bowed solemnly: "Thank you for the guidance, Sister Wen Ling."

Wen Ling smiled brightly, her fingertips lightly brushing her sleeve. Inside lay the silver note from earlier.

"This sister of yours can't just take your kindness for nothing, can she?"