As Zhong Xingwen strode away from the County Office and followed the street home, someone watched him from afar, from a shaded corner of West Street.
Hui Mian rested one paw against the old man's ear and rose onto his hind paws to watch Zhong Xingwen leave, unable to help remarking.
"Chief Constable Zhong's destiny has changed too. Though he's a mortal, and his martial skills aren't particularly outstanding, he still deserves respect!"
"Indeed!"
Old Man Yu answered, nodding slightly as he watched the officer's retreating figure.
Zhong Xingwen hurried home. Before he even arrived, he saw his wife and son standing outside the courtyard gate, looking his way.
His wife relaxed a little at the sight of him, then came forward with their son to greet him, leaving him somewhat surprised.
"What's gotten into you two today? Why are you both out here?"
"You have the nerve to ask! We've been waiting here a while. You should have been home long ago!"
His wife complained, and their son chimed in beside her.
"Father, you should have been back more than a quarter of an hour ago. Mother thought a ghost had-"
"Shh! Children mustn't talk nonsense!"
The woman covered the child's mouth. It was better not to speak too much of ghosts. Then she looked at her husband, relief showing on her face.
"As long as you're back. All the neighbors are saying the County Office was haunted last night. And our rooster started crowing with all the other roosters in the neighborhood in the middle of the night. It was rather frightening."
When she said it was frightening, she did not mean the roosters crowing. In fact, when all those roosters had crowed, righteous energy had risen, destroying evil and diminishing its presence. Though many people had been