The Truth Comes Out

After registering his identity, Lu Changsheng headed back the way he had come.

He hung the identity jade token at his waist.

At this moment, he had officially joined the Demon Suppression Department. Having smoothly achieved his intended goal, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

The Three Rivers Gang had placed immense pressure on him, leaving him no room to relax.

Even if they learned that he was the one who had killed Zhao Erhu, they could do nothing to him for the time being.

His most urgent task was to immediately move with Fang Qing and her brother into the Demon Suppression Department's family housing.

That way, they would not have to fear the other side resorting to underhanded tricks.

After all, under the very nose of the Demon Suppression Department, even the Three Rivers Gang's leader would not dare act recklessly.

Before long, Lu Changsheng returned to the central square.

Fang Qing and the other two were still waiting there.

When they saw Lu Changsheng return, their faces broke into smiles.

"Did it go smoothly?"

Lu Changsheng smiled and nodded. "Let's move today. The Demon Suppression Department's family housing has a better environment."

"Great, great..."

Fang Tao's face was full of excitement. He wanted to move into their new home at once as well.

Fang Qing, however, looked troubled. The two households had quite a lot of odds and ends, and half a day would hardly be enough to sort through everything.

"Can't we wait a few days?"

Lu Changsheng did not hesitate and immediately told them about how he had offended the Three Rivers Gang.

Both households were located within the gang's sphere of influence. If they played dirty, it would be extremely troublesome.

Naturally, he did not want to remain there a moment longer. They could abandon some unnecessary belongings and simply buy replacements with silver. After all, he still had the enormous sum of one hundred taels contributed by Zhao Erhu.

Upon hearing this, Fang Qing no longer insisted.

Soon, the three of them hurried toward their homes.

After passing through streets reeking of stench, they returned to their respective homes and began sorting through their belongings.

Apart from some books from the storage room and a few sets of clothes, Lu Changsheng abandoned everything else.

Once he was done, he simply waited.

More than an hour later, Fang Qing and her brother finally arrived. They were carrying large and small bundles, looking rather comical.

"Brother Changsheng, where are your things?"

Seeing that Lu Changsheng carried almost nothing, Fang Tao froze.

Lu Changsheng smiled faintly and pointed to the small bundle on his back.

"They're all here. Let's go."

With that, he strode over, picked up the two large bundles in Fang Qing's hands, slung them over his shoulder, and headed outside.

Fang Qing's face flushed slightly. The bundles contained private garments, some of them worn.

Still, Lu Changsheng's gesture warmed her heart, and she could not help thinking, Little Brother Lu has truly grown up.

At that moment, a group of neighbors noticed the commotion and came out one after another, each carrying some coarse grain.

"Changsheng, take these with you. Practice martial arts well..."

They all began talking over one another, as though they were all Lu Changsheng's family.

Fang Tao's expression turned cold. "Make way. My Brother Lu isn't used to eating this coarse grain..."

His tone was anything but polite.

He had long found these neighbors detestable. When they had fallen on hard times, not one of them had offered a helping hand. Now that Brother Lu had made something of himself, they swarmed over like fish drawn by a scent, utterly shameless.

Lu Changsheng ignored them and led Fang Qing and her brother swiftly onward.

The crowd was left standing there, staring at one another in dismay, filled with regret.

Their only chance to escape the plight of the lower class had slipped through their fingers just like that, and they had not gained the slightest benefit.

Half an hour after the three left, several scouts from the Three Rivers Gang arrived at Lu Changsheng's courtyard.

Seeing the empty courtyard, they looked at one another in disbelief.

They hurriedly reported the news to the gang's higher-ups.

At the Wind Thunder Hall headquarters of the Three Rivers Gang.

Wang Yong sat imposingly in his chair, his eyes brimming with killing intent.

Before him, several gang members knelt on the ground, trembling slightly.

"Reporting to Hall Master, after several days of investigation, we discovered that this man had a serious grudge against Zhao Erhu. After waking up, he suddenly entered the martial path and joined the Demon Suppression Department..."

The low-ranking gang members spoke in hushed voices, their eyes filled with fear.

Hall Master Wang had always been exceptionally vicious, his hands stained with blood. The baleful aura of a powerful expert around him was enough to make people shudder.

"Hmph... That brat is quite crafty. He killed my man, then immediately joined the Demon Suppression Department. It seems he had planned this from the beginning."

Killing intent burst from Wang Yong's eyes.

The time of the crime that his men had investigated also matched. This man was clearly a major suspect.

"Hall Master, he merely forced himself to cultivate the Iron Cloth Shirt and became a Skin Refining martial artist. It wouldn't be difficult for us to find an opportunity to kill him..."

Wang Shouren, standing nearby, was unconcerned.

"Hmph... What the hell do you know? You think people from the Demon Suppression Department are yours to kill whenever you please? That is a lesson written in blood over countless years."

Wang Yong's gaze sharpened. He viciously hurled the teacup in his hand to the floor, where it shattered with a crash.

"The risk is too great. If word leaks out, we'll all die."

Wang Shouren's eyes shifted.

"Since it isn't convenient for us to act, can we have outsiders do it?"

"Or perhaps someone within the Demon Suppression Department? We would merely have to offer some benefits. It wouldn't cost us much."

"The Demon Suppression Department's missions have a high mortality rate. It is common enough for someone to die in the line of duty if they are not careful..."

Wang Shouren's tone was chilling.

Wang Yong's eyes flickered. "You handle this matter. Keep your hands clean."

Lu Changsheng had dared challenge the Three Rivers Gang. He had to be eliminated as soon as possible.

The world needed to know that the dignity of his Wind Thunder Hall could not be offended.

"This subordinate obeys."

Wang Shouren nodded with delight. Killing an ordinary Skin Refining martial artist would earn him quite a bit of merit, so naturally he would not refuse.

Half an hour later.

Lu Changsheng brought Fang Qing and her brother before a medium-sized courtyard.

The courtyard spanned several dozen meters and was clean and tidy, clearly having been swept long ago.

Four side rooms stood along both sides of the courtyard. There was also a kitchen and storage room in the middle, arranged without feeling cramped.

"This will be our new home from now on."

Lu Changsheng looked at the words on his waist token: C-43. They matched the number above the courtyard gate exactly.

Anyone who joined the Demon Suppression Department could be assigned a courtyard. The treatment was truly quite good.

Those higher-ranking Demon Suppressors all lived in the inner city, which was more comfortable and prosperous.

Still, this place was enough for the three of them for now.

He then led the two inside.

After each of them chose a side room and put away their belongings, they prepared to celebrate properly.

Time passed, and evening soon arrived.

At a stone table in the center of the courtyard sat all kinds of meat dishes, along with fragrant white rice, making Fang Qing and Fang Tao drool.

The scene felt like a dream.

While ordinary people still worried over filling their stomachs, they were already eating fish and meat to their hearts' content.

The life of a martial artist truly could not be compared to that of commoners.

At last, I won't have to gnaw on black cakes anymore.

Lu Changsheng was rather delighted. After several months, he had finally taken the first step toward solving the problem of food and warmth.

The days when ordinary people went hungry every day were gradually receding from his life.

The three then began devouring the food in great mouthfuls, grease all over their mouths.

It was not until night fell that they returned to their respective rooms, bellies bulging.

Lying on his bed, Lu Changsheng quietly considered his next steps.

The Three Rivers Gang had surely received the news by now. The two sides had already forged a deadly enmity; only when one side completely fell could it be resolved.

He did not need to think to know that they were certainly plotting how to deal with him.

But if they dealt with him as though he were an ordinary Stone Skin martial artist, certain people would likely stumble and fall hard.

He sneered inwardly.

Ever since embarking on the martial path, Lu Changsheng had always upheld one principle: he would never let his enemies know the depth of his strength.

With the Attribute Modifier, he would only charge with all his might toward the pinnacle of martial arts.