Marked by Others

Seeing this, the yamen clerk hurriedly led Lin Feng inside.

Qian Wenshun, the adviser of Qinghe County, soon arrived at the county yamen.

Adviser Qian Wenshun had a small mustache and narrow eyes, looking quite shrewd.

After Adviser Qian Wenshun arrived, he carefully examined the head, then asked whether there was any evidence proving that this person was Wang Shanxiong.

Lin Feng thought about it. He did have a Steel Saber at home that he had found on Wang Shanxiong.

He also carried a Golden Bell Shield manual, likewise obtained from Wang Shanxiong.

However, Wang Shanxiong had only acquired this manual recently. Lin Feng did not know whether it counted as evidence.

He would take it out and see.

Lin Feng pulled out the Golden Bell Shield manual from his robes and handed it to the adviser.

The adviser glanced at the manual and directly tucked it into his own robes.

What was this?

He had just pocketed it like that.

Lin Feng had thought he truly wanted evidence. Turns out, he wanted a bribe.

That had to be it. Fine, let him take it. Lin Feng had learned it already, anyway.

Sure enough, after receiving the manual, the adviser said there was no problem and left the county yamen.

Before long, the County Magistrate, dressed in official robes, arrived at the county yamen with a middle-aged man in brocade robes.

This middle-aged man was the well-known Steward Li of the city.

He and the County Magistrate were sworn brothers. Several months ago, his daughter had been violated by Wang Shanxiong.

He had met Wang Shanxiong once before, and he had come this time to help identify him.

The man took one look at the head Lin Feng had brought and confirmed that it was Wang Shanxiong.

Steward Li immediately lost his composure somewhat. Throwing back his head, he wept bitterly. "Cuihua, do you see? The Flower Picking Bandit Wang Shanxiong has been brought to justice.

Heaven truly has eyes!"

The County Magistrate consoled Steward Li, then instructed the adviser to fetch the silver.

Steward Li's servant brought over a tray bearing ten Silver Ingots.

Steward Li grasped Lin Feng's hand. "Thank you, young hero, for avenging my daughter. You must accept this silver."

Lin Feng made a show of refusing. "Thank you for your generous intentions, Steward Li, but slaying a Flower Picking Bandit like Wang Shanxiong is the duty of those of us in the martial world. I did not do it for wealth. Please take this silver back."

Steward Li was no ordinary man. The moment he heard this, he knew Lin Feng was only being polite.

If he truly did not care for silver, he should have brushed off his sleeves after the deed was done, hiding his merit and fame. Why cut off the man's head and come to the yamen to claim the bounty?

Steward Li said, "Young Hero Lin truly has the heart of a righteous man.

But traveling the martial world surely requires silver for expenses.

Please accept this silver. Let us consider it the beginning of a friendship."

"Since Steward Li puts it that way, then I'll accept it."

"May I ask your honored surname, young hero?"

"My surname is Lin."

"If Young Hero Lin plans to remain in the County Town for a few more days, why not stay at my residence for two days? Allow me to fulfill my duties as host."

"Thank you for your gracious invitation, Steward Li. I am deeply honored.

However, I do not intend to stay in the County Town long and will be leaving today.

I'm afraid I cannot visit your residence. Should there be an opportunity in the future, I will certainly call upon you in person."

Steward Li clasped his fists. "If Young Hero Lin passes through this place another day, you must allow me to fulfill my duties as host."

"Certainly, certainly."

By then, the adviser had also brought out two thousand taels of silver, twenty Silver Ingots in total.

Lin Feng slung the Silver Ingots over his back and happily left the county yamen.

He had not expected claiming the bounty to go so smoothly. He had Steward Li to thank for that; otherwise, there would likely have been some twists and turns.

Lin Feng had just stepped out of the county yamen.

Qian Wenshun, the county yamen adviser, appeared not far behind him.

Pointing at Lin Feng, he said to a middle-aged man beside him, "That's the kid. He brought the Flower Picking Bandit Wang Shanxiong's head to the county yamen and claimed a bounty of two thousand taels.

Steward Li also gave him another five hundred taels.

Follow him. Once he leaves the city, rob him."

The man beside him was Lone Wolf Li Jingfeng, leader of the Evil Wolf Gang, the second-largest gang in the County Town.

Li Jingfeng frowned. "Since this man could kill an expert like Wang Shanxiong, he is probably no easy opponent.

He may be a sect disciple who came down from the mountains to gain experience.

Even against Wang Shanxiong, I would only have even odds. I may not necessarily be able to take this man down."

A mocking smile appeared on Qian Wenshun's face. "What sect disciple? He's just a lucky poor brat.

His clothes and the weapon in his hand were all newly bought, just to make himself look impressive.

This brat has no experience in the martial world at all. He's either a farmer or a hunter.

When Wang Shanxiong last appeared, the general beat him so badly that he was gravely injured.

This kid probably just got lucky and stumbled across Wang Shanxiong, who was dying from his wounds.

Or perhaps he simply found Wang Shanxiong's corpse somewhere."

Lone Wolf Li Jingfeng's eyes lit up. "Adviser, how could you tell?"

Qian Wenshun raised two fingers and pointed at his eyes. "These eyes of mine have seen countless people. I won't judge wrongly.

You can ask around at the blacksmith's shop and the clothing store. There's a good chance he bought that entire outfit right here in the County Town."

Qian Wenshun then pointed at his nose. "My nose is especially accurate at smelling people out. Every kind of person carries their own scent.

That man reeks of poverty. He is absolutely not someone of noble status."

A smile appeared on Lone Wolf Li Jingfeng's face. "Then I'll send people to keep a close eye on him."

Qian Wenshun flicked his folding fan and turned away. Before leaving, he tossed out one last sentence. "The usual rule. Once you get it, we split the proceeds fifty-fifty."

"Certainly!" Lone Wolf Li Jingfeng replied. He called for two subordinates to follow Lin Feng closely, then sent another two to question the clothing store and blacksmith's shop.

Lin Feng bought the children a bag of jujube blossom cakes, then took a turn around the flea market in the city to see whether he could buy any manuals.

In the end, he still found nothing.

Lin Feng wanted to ask the blacksmith shop's owner whether he knew where manuals were sold.

On the way to the blacksmith's shop, he suddenly felt as though someone was watching him from behind.

Ever since the Beast Hunting Fist had broken through to the Intent level, Lin Feng's five senses had become as sharp as a beast's.

He looked back. None of the pedestrians behind him or the roadside vendors were looking at him.

Lin Feng focused his gaze and discovered two people behind him who knew martial arts. Their status panels both listed the same martial art: Wolf Fang Gale Blade.

Lin Feng turned a corner and looked back, only to see that those two men were no longer following him.

Just as he was about to breathe a sigh of relief, he suddenly discovered that the status panels of another two people behind him also listed Wolf Fang Gale Blade.

Lin Feng's gaze sharpened. Was this a coincidence, or was a group of people following him?

He walked to the entrance of the blacksmith's shop and peered inside.

Two men were talking to the shopkeeper inside.

The moment Lin Feng saw them, his brows furrowed tightly. Their status panels also listed Wolf Fang Gale Blade.

This was no coincidence.

Lin Feng listened closely to the conversation between the three men.

The two men asked, "Shopkeeper, have you opened for business today? Have you sold any weapons?"

The blacksmith shop's owner seemed rather afraid of them. "Two brothers from the Evil Wolf Gang, isn't it not yet time to collect protection fees?"

The tall man leading them said, "We're not collecting protection fees today. We're just asking."

The shopkeeper smiled obsequiously. "Thanks to you two brothers, I sold a sword and a saber today. At least I broke even."

The man asked again, "Did that sword come with an iron Sword Sheath, with brass patterns on it?"

The shopkeeper froze. "How did you know?"

The two Evil Wolf Gang members exchanged a glance. "Don't worry about how we know. Just forget this ever happened."

The shopkeeper repeatedly cupped his hands. "I understand. I understand."

The two men tossed out those words and left.

Lin Feng heard every word of their conversation. It felt as though a basin of cold water had been dumped over his head, chilling him from head to toe, as if even his blood had frozen.

Someone had set their sights on him. Could last night's nightmare be coming true?