第27章 你怎么才来

Under the gaze of the Thin Ascetic, Chen Ji felt his throat go dry.

After all, he was a young man whose hot blood had yet to cool. He had joined the yamen just to earn a living, but his heart still yearned for the world of martial arts.

Now that he was face-to-face with a renowned senior of the pugilistic world, even the hand gripping his saber hilt trembled with excitement.

Amidst his agitation, he couldn't help but feel a sense of awe.

They were both yamen runners, yet even a senior like this had to address Shen Yi as "little friend" with such courtesy. It seemed true fame in the martial world was indeed carved out with one's own fists.

Chen Ji shook his head, recalling the scene of Shen Yi sitting lazily in the countryside, drenched in blood, with the corpses before him not yet cold. He felt it was only fitting.

"You flatter me, senior."

Shen Yi cupped his hands in response and continued walking forward, having no desire to engage in further mutual flattery.

However, the Thin Ascetic stepped in to block his path with a man in tow. "This is my junior brother from the Vajra Sect, known by the nickname Butcher Zhang. He came from Qing Prefecture to find me, and he also intends to seek a position under the magistrate."

Shen Yi nodded in acknowledgment, and Butcher Zhang tilted his chin in return.

"I am on official business, so I shall not disturb you two any further."

Having finished the pleasantries, Shen Yi stepped forward again, but the Thin Ascetic shifted slightly, still blocking his way.

"..."

Shen Yi looked at him calmly.

People had their own aspirations; he didn't think there was anything wrong with the Thin Ascetic taking money to do a job. If he hadn't already been wearing this uniform when he transmigrated—which had cut off any path to joining a martial sect—he might have wanted to join a sect just like them, learn some martial arts, and live under the patronage of a wealthy, influential family.

But if the job they were paid to do was specifically to cause him trouble, that was a different matter entirely.

"The three of us are all devoted to the martial path. Why not find a place to have a drink?"

The Thin Ascetic chuckled, reaching out to pat Shen Yi on the shoulder. "I am many years your senior, so I will shamelessly call myself an elder. You are still young and your aura is too aggressive. It wouldn't hurt to chat more with an old man like me."

Even Chen Ji, standing behind them, felt the subtlety in the atmosphere.

Master Lin and the steward remained silent, their eyes dim.

They didn't have much faith in Shen Yi's abilities.

By comparison, they trusted the Thin Ascetic's judgment even less, but as businessmen, how could they dare to question such an expert?

If the yamen could handle this, it would be a good thing, but they hadn't expected the other party to block even that. How could a mere runner like Shen Yi dare to act presumptuously in front of the magistrate's favorite?

Under the watchful eyes of all present.

Shen Yi paused for a moment, slowly removed the hand from his shoulder, and patted his own shoulder twice. "I appreciate the kind offer, senior, but I have official duties today. My apologies."

His actions caused the atmosphere to freeze instantly.

Embarrassment surfaced in the Thin Ascetic's eyes, followed by a flicker of irritation on his aged face.

Butcher Zhang turned his head, a mocking smile appearing beneath his thick beard.

"If I recall correctly, Constable Shen has recently been promoted to oversee all demonic disturbances in Baiyun County. I have already stated that there are no demons here, only an ordinary murder case. What official business could you possibly have at the Lin family? Or is it that you don't trust me?"

A chill crept into the Thin Ascetic's voice.

Shen Yi glanced at the steward and said calmly, "Lead the way."

"Ah... right..."

As a steward, how could he dare to get involved in such a dispute? The only thing he found shocking was that a former degenerate gambler could now remain so composed in front of the Thin Ascetic.

Most absurdly, the Thin Ascetic seemed unable to do anything about him.

If he had known this, the master should have just gone to the yamen office instead of the magistrate's residence... it was completely useless.

The steward's thoughts drifted as he trotted toward the side courtyard.

Once the three of them disappeared from view.

Master Lin cupped his hands repeatedly. "Two seniors, please forgive the offense. Constable Shen is just concerned about his duties; please do not take it to heart."

The Thin Ascetic's face was grim as he flicked his sleeves and followed.

Butcher Zhang followed closely behind, saying casually, "Is Senior Brother well-acquainted with him?"

"Never met him. I just appreciate his talent and thought that since we will both be working under the magistrate, we could look out for each other. I didn't expect him to be a brainless fool."

"I see. I thought Senior Brother was afraid he would find out we were bluffed by a demon and lose face for nothing."

Hearing the implication in his words, the Thin Ascetic turned abruptly, his face dark. It took a long time for him to calm down. "You just arrived from Qing Prefecture and think this is a backwater, so I won't blame you for being arrogant. But remember this: the waters here are deeper than you think."

With that, he continued walking. "What makes you think he is any different? In a moment, he will be just like us, obediently finding an excuse to leave."

Butcher Zhang closed his mouth, noncommittal.

While the two were talking.

Shen Yi and Chen Ji followed the steward to a side room and watched as he slowly lifted the white cloth, revealing the corpse beneath.

At just one glance, Chen Ji's admiration for the Thin Ascetic grew a little more.

What a talent for lying through one's teeth.

Lying on the bed board was the sturdy body of a man. His left arm was reduced to a stump, his abdomen had a gaping hole, and the inside had been completely hollowed out.

The eye sockets were empty, the nose was gone, and the entire right side of his face had been licked down to the bone, not a shred of flesh remaining.

"He was fine yesterday. It only took one night."

The Lin family steward closed his eyes and rubbed his face hard, trying to dispel the chill in his bones.

He still remembered how imposing and spirited Liu Qi had been when he first arrived at the Lin family, and now he was reduced to this.

"Does no one know how he died?" Chen Ji frowned deeply.

A martial arts expert of his caliber—even if he encountered a demon, how could he die without a sound?

"The person who found him wasn't from my Lin family."

The steward sighed, wanting to speak but afraid to. He looked back at Shen Yi. "When you brought Miss Bai Wei back, although her injuries healed, her temperament remained the same, but she lost many memories and couldn't recall many of her relatives."

At this point, the steward pursed his lips. "Half a month ago, she said a friend she met outside was coming to visit. It turned out to be a young man. This shouldn't have been mentioned—the young lady is still an unmarried maiden—but since you two are here, just listen and don't spread it to ruin her reputation..."

Chen Ji nodded.

The steward continued, "The master felt sorry for her and thought having a familiar face might help her recover her memory, so he let the man stay. The young lady was very close to him, and we treated him as an honored guest."

"Liu Qi's body was found in his room... and the young lady happens to be away from home these few days..."

"Senior Thin Ascetic chatted with him and said it had nothing to do with him..."

Hearing this, Shen Yi finally understood what they meant.

The Lin family had long suspected someone. They hadn't sought out the Thin Ascetic to find a demon, but to eliminate one.

"Where is he?" Chen Ji asked instinctively.

"I'm right here."

A lazy voice drifted in from outside the door.

A young man in black robes leaned against the doorframe, yawning. A smile hung on his fair-skinned, red-lipped face. He bared his teeth, and two fangs added a touch of provocation to his grin.

He raised an eyebrow. "You must be Shen Yi? Why did you take so long?"

His tone was filled with condescension, and he looked at Shen Yi as if he were looking at one of his own servants.