Reporting Takes Skill

After the three agreed on a plan, they left the inn, bought supplies for the journey, and departed Lubei County.

All along the road, they looked dispirited. Han Feng muttered curses more than once, but there was nothing he could do.

Once they were gone, someone entered the County Yamen and reported the news.

The Lubei County County Magistrate smiled with satisfaction when he heard.

"Fortunately, those three weren't stubborn fools. They knew when to back down," he said cheerfully. "If they'd insisted on going into the mountains to kill the Mountain Ogre, I might have had no choice but to send the lineage's trained Warriors to intercept them, just like last time."

"Even if no one died, that could have caused a bigger commotion and let word leak out. Settling the matter quietly like this is the best outcome!"

He sighed. "After all these years, we've completely figured out the Mountain Ogre's habits. But where does its secret of extending life lie?"

"The triennial evaluation is coming around again. Keeping an average rating—neither rising nor falling—so I can remain here in Lubei County is getting harder and harder!"

Pan Long and the others knew nothing of the magistrate's lament. After leaving Lubei County, they continued south along Yong Province Road, traveling by day and lodging by night as usual. To all appearances, nothing was amiss.

In truth, they spent the whole time discussing how to report the Lubei County County Magistrate.

It was no easy thing for commoners to accuse an official, and involving a life-extending Spirit Medicine made it harder still. They had to worry not only that whoever received the report would protect a fellow official alongside the Lubei County County Magistrate, but also that the official might grow greedy and take the prize for himself—or at