Zhou An Carrying a Wok

The Beast Cult had always been a hidden danger to him. If he wanted to live comfortably here, he had to eliminate that danger.

After asking this question, Zhou An's knife hand remained steady, the blade held against Chef Liu's neck.

Chef Liu's eyes lit up slightly. He knew there was room to negotiate. "We need to start with the Blood Shadow Gate. Do you know that the Blood Shadow Gate has a huge conspiracy?"

Zhou An shook his head, indicating that he did not.

"The Blood Shadow Gate's ability is strange. It is essentially a support ability. Anyone who cultivates it can use their shadow to strengthen themselves," Chef Liu explained.

"The sect's rules are quite loose, and its members come from all corners of the martial world."

"It should have been a good thing, but the sect master harbored a massive conspiracy."

"The Blood Shadow Gate possesses a treasure called the Shadow Banner. The sect master spent years crafting it, and its function is to control the people of the Blood Shadow Gate."

"Anyone who cultivates the Blood Shadow Gate's techniques will separate off a wisp of their shadow and send it into the Shadow Banner. They do not know it, but when needed, they can be controlled."

Zhou An frowned slightly. "What does this have to do with the Beast Cult?"

After talking for so long, Chef Liu had only spoken of the Blood Shadow Gate's conspiracy.

It had not the slightest connection to the Beast Cult.

What Zhou An urgently wanted to know was information about the Beast Cult.

As for everything else, he was only mildly interested.

"Don't be so impatient. Listen while I explain."

Chef Liu waved his hand, signaling Zhou An not to interrupt, and continued, "I happened to learn of this, and I felt that a true man could not be controlled by another. So I stole the Shadow Banner."

"Using the Shadow Banner's power, I removed the control over myself. But the Blood Shadow Gate discovered it and sent many experts to hunt me down."

"With no other choice, I fled to An Ding County. The Beast Cult's Sect Leader was once my friend, and I was the one who introduced him to the Blood Shadow Gate."

"I thought he would protect me, but instead he sold me out. The corpse you found not long ago belonged to a Blood Shadow Gate member he had lured here."

"That is why I said our goals are the same. We both have to deal with the Beast Cult. As the saying goes, a gentleman never leaves vengeance unavenged. And I am no gentleman."

By this point, Zhou An understood the finer details.

The general situation could be summed up simply.

After fleeing here, he had been betrayed, then nearly set up and killed.

"Zhou An, our goals are the same. Put down the knife first, and we can slowly discuss how to deal with the Blood Shadow Gate."

Chef Liu raised a finger and lightly touched the blade, indicating that Zhou An could lower it.

He had thought Zhou An would listen to him, but the blade not only remained raised—it moved even closer to his neck.

A bone-deep chill enveloped his heart, making Chef Liu sense danger.

Chef Liu looked up, frowning. "You still don't believe me?"

Zhou An smiled and raised his other hand, holding up two fingers. "Two questions."

"First, why didn't you hand the Shadow Banner over to the Demon Suppression Division?"

"You have been wandering the world alone, living in fear every day. You could have told the Demon Suppression Division the whole story. With the Demon Suppression Division's resources, dealing with a Blood Shadow Gate would be no trouble."

"Second, since you had already been exposed, why did you stay here? Did you intend to deal with the Beast Cult alone?"

At those two questions, Chef Liu fell silent.

Zhou An had carefully analyzed everything Chef Liu had just said.

The two questions he raised were absolutely critical.

If Chef Liu could not explain them clearly, Zhou An would have to be ruthless.

Chef Liu sighed. Without speaking, he lifted his head to look at the bright moon in the sky.

At that moment, the moon had passed beyond the alley. The light within the alley was fading, and darkness was settling in.

A black shadow suddenly emerged beneath Chef Liu's feet, wrapping around his entire body in an instant.

Enveloped by the dark shadow, Chef Liu's height abruptly increased to two meters, radiating an oppressive presence.

A black shadow condensed into a long knife in his right hand.

The shadow had no facial features, but Zhou An could clearly feel its gaze.

"Have you flown into a rage?" Zhou An did not seem surprised as he spoke unhurriedly.

"I have a guess. I don't know whether it's right."

"Speak." Chef Liu's voice came from within the shadow, like muffled thunder.

Zhou An said, "The Blood Shadow Gate does not have the grand conspiracy you described. You did steal the Blood Shadow Gate's treasure, but you gave it to the Beast Cult's Sect Leader."

"The Sect Leader placed you in the yamen for some other scheme. Your exposure this time was likely pure coincidence, or perhaps the Blood Shadow Gate used some special method to discover your location."

Chef Liu sighed.

"Your guess is dead on."

He did not deny it, boldly admitting it instead.

"Zhou An, I admire you. Your serious attitude earns my respect. Join the Beast Cult and become one of us. We can accomplish greater things."

"In this life, aside from fame, profit, and wealth, all that matters is strength. Join the Beast Cult, and you can have everything. Why remain a mere constable?"

"As for the previous misunderstanding, the Beast Cult can let it go. I can even secure you a very high position. How about becoming a Protector?"

A Protector?

Zhou An could not help but laugh when he heard that. "I just killed a Protector recently. So, you talked to me for so long just to wait for the moon to pass, right?"

As the words fell, Zhou An's long knife swept toward Chef Liu's neck. Countless flashes of blade light appeared, slashing into the black shadow.

To Zhou An's surprise, the black shadow rippled and dissolved every strike of blade light.

"It's useless. This is what I was waiting for. Shadows are support—they can enhance my own abilities. In places without light, I am at my strongest."

Chef Liu spoke slowly. "I talked to you for so long only to gather my shadow. To travel the martial world, one ability alone is far from enough. Your blade technique is powerful, but it lacks just a little force. It cannot break my defense."

"I'll give you one more chance. Join us, and I will spare your life and bring you glory and wealth."

Chef Liu continued trying to persuade him. He seemed to admire Zhou An greatly and wanted to draw him into the Beast Cult.

But before he had finished speaking, Zhou An made an unexpected move.

He sheathed his long knife, turned, and ran toward the side outside the alley.

Chef Liu was stunned by the sight.

He watched as Zhou An ran to a household in the alley, kicked open its door, and rushed inside.

Two cries soon sounded from within, but they quickly fell silent.

After a while, Zhou An emerged from the house with an iron wok in his hand.