Anger

"Wang Mengde, do you know your crime?"

The woman shouted coldly, her voice crisp yet carrying unquestionable authority.

As she rebuked him, an invisible force shot straight at Wang Mengde's soul.

A soul technique—the Soul-Seizing Technique.

It could immediately intimidate the soul, causing one to lose their mental guard and speak the truth.

This was a common method used by the Island Patrol Guards during interrogations. Caught off guard, few could withstand it.

Wang Mengde only felt his mind jolt as the ripple crashed into it, as though someone had slammed a hammer down hard.

His mental defenses nearly collapsed, and he almost blurted out the truth on instinct.

But having lived two lives, his mental fortitude was ultimately formidable.

In his previous life, he had been berated by bosses, snapped at by clients, and set up by colleagues. He had long since forged himself a strong heart.

He gritted his teeth, held his mind steady, and staggered several steps back before stopping himself.

Then he put on just the right expression of fear, his face full of confusion. "I... I don't know what crime I committed."

The woman had been staring at Wang Mengde's face all along, her gaze sharp as a blade.

She had seen too many Rogue Cultivators who had committed crimes. Those who were truly guilty would let their eyes flicker and evade her gaze beneath her pressure and soul techniques.

But this Wang Mengde...

There was not the slightest abnormality in his expression—only pure fear and confusion.

She did not withdraw her pressure and continued shouting coldly, "You still dare quibble? You borrowed spirit stones from Chen Two-Tiger and Chen Dahu. To avoid repaying the debt, you killed the Chen brothers yesterday."

As she spoke, she continued using her soul technique.

Upon hearing this, Wang Mengde's face grew even more panicked. He waved his hands repeatedly. "I've been wronged, my lady! I repaid the spirit stones to the brothers the afternoon before yesterday."

"You repaid them?" Liu Yiyi narrowed her eyes.

"I repaid them, I did." Wang Mengde spoke anxiously and rapidly, as if afraid of being falsely accused. "Principal and interest together, five hundred spirit sand. Not a single grain was missing."

As he spoke, he put on an appearance of being desperate to prove his innocence. "My lady, think about it. I've mastered three Shore-Fishing Spells to the minor mastery level, and I earn at least forty spirit sand every day.

"Five hundred spirit sand is only ten days or so of income.

"How could I possibly risk murder over such a trifling amount of spirit sand?"

He spoke sincerely, his eyes clear and his face brimming with innocence.

Liu Yiyi stared at him, her brows knitting slightly.

His words did make sense.

Someone who could steadily earn forty spirit sand every day truly was unlikely to kill over five hundred spirit sand.

The risk was too great, the reward too small.

It was not worth it.

And there was his expression.

From beginning to end, there had not been anything unusual about it.

If he was acting, then his performance was far too good.

Liu Yiyi withdrew her pressure. Her tone softened somewhat, though her eyes remained sharp.

"Did you see Chen Dahu and Chen Two-Tiger yesterday?"

Wang Mengde hurriedly said, "I saw Chen Two-Tiger.

"Yesterday afternoon, I was fishing at Shipwreck Reef and saw him there.

"He was fishing there too. Lots of people saw it.

"I didn't see Chen Dahu."

"Chen Two-Tiger was killed at Dragon Tooth Reef. Did you see the murderer?"

"No, no." Wang Mengde shook his head, his face sincere. "When I left Shipwreck Reef yesterday, Chen Two-Tiger was still fishing there.

"What happened afterward, I don't know."

Liu Yiyi stared at him for a moment.

Then she said, "If you find any clues, inform the Island Patrol Guards immediately."

Wang Mengde nodded repeatedly. "Certainly, certainly. Rest assured, my lady. If I see anything, I'll definitely report it at once."

Liu Yiyi withdrew her gaze, turned, and left.

The two men followed behind her, and the three soon vanished around the alley's entrance.

Wang Mengde stood in the courtyard, watching them leave.

Only after their figures had completely disappeared did he slowly let out a breath.

He turned and went inside.

Qingyue poked her head out from behind the stove, her face somewhat pale. "Brother-in-law, they..."

Wang Mengde noticed that her hands were trembling slightly.

Wang Mengde walked over and gently patted Shen Qingyue's shoulder.

"It's fine. Don't be afraid." His voice was warm. "They just asked a few questions. Once they were done, they left."

Qingyue raised her head and looked at him, but her eyes suddenly reddened.

"Brother-in-law..." She bit her lip, her face full of guilt. "I'm sorry. When that woman questioned me just now, I don't know why my mind went blank. I told her about borrowing the Soul-Returning Healing Pill from Chen Dahu without even thinking."

As she spoke, her body trembled slightly.

Whenever she recalled that feeling of her thoughts being beyond her own control, she became afraid.

It was as if someone had her soul clenched in their hand. Whether she wanted to speak or not was no longer up to her.

She feared that her words had harmed her brother-in-law, yet she could do nothing at all.

Wang Mengde's heart ached at the sight of her frail appearance.

And he was angry as well.

That bitch Liu Yiyi had actually used the Soul-Seizing Technique on Qingyue, a mere mortal.

A mortal's soul was fragile. The slightest mishap could turn Qingyue into an idiot.

Damn her.

She truly deserved to die.

A blaze of fury rose within Wang Mengde.

Looking at Shen Qingyue's delicate appearance, his heart ached terribly.

That girl had been frightened out of her wits by that damned woman.

Wang Mengde did not think further. He stepped forward and gently drew Shen Qingyue into his arms.

"It's all right." He stroked her head, his voice even gentler. "I repaid the spirit sand to Chen Dahu the afternoon before yesterday. I forgot to tell you. We don't owe them anything, so there's nothing to fear from their questions."

Shen Qingyue's body stiffened.

The next second, a deep blush instantly bloomed across her pretty face, spreading from her cheeks to the roots of her ears until even her ears turned red.

Yet she did not struggle.

She felt the warmth of Wang Mengde's embrace—his broad chest, his strong heartbeat, and the hand gently stroking her hair.

All her fear seemed to have been driven away at that moment.

A profound sense of security welled up inside her.

It was as though, so long as this embrace remained, she would not fear even if the sky came crashing down.

Time passed second by second.

Qingyue's heart beat faster and faster, while her mind became a complete mess.

Why hasn't Brother-in-law let go yet?

He... could he be...

She did not dare think any further. Quickly, she spoke in a voice as soft as a mosquito's buzz. "Brother-in-law, I... I made something delicious for you."

Only then did Wang Mengde come back to his senses and release his arms.

Qingyue felt as though she had been granted a reprieve, yet also as if she had lost something. She did not dare look at Wang Mengde's face and turned to flee.

She hurriedly dished up the food, nearly knocking over a bowl.

Wang Mengde watched her back and smiled before walking over to help serve the meal.

"I'll do it."

Qingyue kept her head lowered and handed him the bowl, not daring to look up the entire time.

The atmosphere at dinner was very quiet.

Shen Qingyue kept her head lowered like a startled quail, not daring to raise her eyes and look at Wang Mengde even once.

She wished she could bury her head in her bowl.

She hurriedly dished up the food, nearly knocking over a bowl.

Wang Mengde watched her back and smiled before walking over to help serve the meal.

"I'll do it."

Qingyue kept her head lowered and handed him the bowl, not daring to look up the entire time.

Wang Mengde, meanwhile, looked perfectly normal. He picked up food and ate as usual.

Only occasionally did he raise his eyes to look at the girl across from him, her face red as she buried her head and wolfed down rice, a trace of tenderness flashing through his gaze.

After dinner, Shen Qingyue swiftly cleared away the dishes and hid behind the stove.

Wang Mengde turned and entered his own room, closing the door behind him.

He lit an oil lamp.

Today's matter had passed one hurdle.

Although Liu Yiyi had a fiery temper, she was not someone who refused to reason.

She had come to question him because she had traced the investigation to the debt. That was a normal investigative procedure.

As long as he handled it properly and did not reveal any flaws, she would not cling to the matter without letting go.

After all, what the Island Patrol Guards needed to solve cases was evidence.

Without evidence, they could not arrest people at will.

Those were the rules of Rosy Cloud Island, and the foundation that attracted Rogue Cultivator beasts of burden to settle here.

However.

Wang Mengde's gaze turned cold.

He would remember Liu Yiyi using the Soul-Seizing Technique on Qingyue.

A mortal's soul was fragile, and the Soul-Seizing Technique could easily cause damage.

If anything happened to Qingyue...

He took a deep breath and forced down the anger in his heart.

Now was not the time to settle this score.

Without sufficient strength, he could do nothing.

Wang Mengde sat on the edge of the bed and took out the Foundation-Nurturing Pill he had bought today.