"What, do you think District C's servant quarters are a children's playground you can just wander into?"
Tiny Waist, who had been pacing in frantic circles, turned to head into the Azure Cloud Mountains.
But a deep, gravelly voice behind her stopped her.
"A drunkard who does nothing but drink all day thinks he can stop me?"
Tiny Waist did not even turn her head.
She spoke bitterly.
Clearly, she knew who had come.
A heavily bearded, middle-aged man approached, reeking of alcohol.
A wine gourd hung at his waist.
He was none other than Han Yansong, the head steward of the Servant Disciples in District C of the Azure Cloud Mountains, who never went anywhere without his liquor.
There was no anger on his face. Instead, his gaze held a deep fatherly love as he looked at Tiny Waist.
"Ling'er..."
"Shut up! Who gave you permission to call me Ling'er?"
Tiny Waist abruptly turned around.
She glared at Han Yansong as though he were a sworn enemy, without the slightest trace of respect.
There was only surging hatred, and even a thread of murderous intent.
"Yes, yes, yes. I won't call you that. I won't."
Han Yansong flushed crimson.
Like an obedient child, he stood meekly where he was.
He no longer dared call Tiny Waist by her name.
His bleary, sleepy eyes had suddenly become brilliantly clear.
It was as though he had caught sight of his most cherished treasure.
"Keep staring and I'll gouge your eyes out."
Tiny Waist spoke through gritted teeth.
Then she concealed her hatred, and her tone softened a little.
After all, she needed this head steward's help.
She was the one who had summoned Han Yansong.
"Tell me, Lin Shisan is alive and well, so why did you approve the report of his death? And why did you take back his courtyard?"
"Lin Shisan?"
Understanding dawned on Han Yansong. "You mean that dark-skinned boy just now? I haven't even asked you yet-why are you hanging around with him?"
"None of your damn business."
Tiny Waist snapped back without sparing his feelings. "Just answer my question. Nothing else concerns you."
This time, Han Yansong paused briefly.
But he still showed no sign of anger. His eyes continued to overflow with unconcealable fatherly love.
"Servant deaths are reported every day. Surely I can't investigate every single one myself?"
"Do you think your father has nothing to do all day, or do you think I have three heads and six arms, with divine abilities that make me all-powerful?"
"Stop, stop, stop."
Tiny Waist cut him off again.
"I'm not interested in your endless nonsense. Just tell me what you're going to do about Lin Shisan."
"Simple. Since he isn't dead, there's naturally no need to report him dead. He's still a Servant Disciple."
Han Yansong immediately gave her an answer.
He all but plastered his aging face against hers in supplication.
Tiny Waist said nothing, merely watching Han Yansong in silence.
"And... and Chen Yang, who initiated this whole affair, will certainly be punished."
"He reported something this muddled without investigating it properly. We certainly can't just let it slide."
"He even got me scolded by my daughter. He'll forfeit three months' allowance, and his performance credit for this month will be wiped clean. If it happens again, he'll be punished without mercy."
Tiny Waist still said nothing. She was waiting for him to continue.
"And... and what else?"
"Ling'er, this is the Azure Cloud Mountains. I'm only a servant steward, and one who was demoted at that. There are deacons above me. I really don't have the authority to promote Lin Shisan straight to servant steward, much less dismiss Chen Yang outright over this. We have rules and procedures."
At last, Tiny Waist glared at Han Yansong, who was desperately trying to please his daughter.
"I'm not someone who ignores the rules, either. Nor can I expect you to do anything beyond your power for Shisan."
"His father's memorial tablet and a Little Black Cauldron are very important to him. You must have someone recover them."
"Also, I'm going in. That idiot Chen Yang has never been a decent man. He'll definitely seize this chance to make trouble for Shisan."
"No."
For the first time, Han Yansong stood firm. "Ling'er, don't be unreasonable. This is a matter of principle. The consequences would be serious, and I can't cover for you."
"If you can't cover for me, then don't. I'll force my own way in."
Tiny Waist's expression changed abruptly.
The slight thaw between father and daughter plunged back to freezing in an instant.
Under Tiny Waist's stare, Han Yansong's heart pounded wildly.
"You really are Lin Shisan..."
Chen Yang walked over and looked him up and down repeatedly.
When someone had told him Lin Shisan was back, he had not believed it.
Only upon seeing him in person did he confirm that Lin Shisan really had returned alive.
"Boss Chen."
Lin Shisan suppressed the anger bottled up in his chest, approached, and bowed respectfully.
"Boss Chen, have you seen my father's memorial tablet?"
He held something back, making no mention of the Little Black Cauldron.
"Why would I have seen some dead man's memorial tablet?"
Chen Yang brushed the subject aside.
Instead, he asked, "Lin Shisan, where did your Body Tempering Liquid come from? Were you the mastermind behind Ning Hao stealing Wu Feng's Body Tempering Liquid? Did you give Ning Hao his Body Tempering Liquid? Had you already stolen Wu Feng's Body Tempering Liquid before you left?"
Lin Shisan could no longer maintain his good temper.
Even setting aside his father's memorial tablet and the Little Black Cauldron, Chen Yang's questions alone were unbearable.
Every word implied that he was a thief-and the mastermind behind stealing Wu Feng's Body Tempering Liquid, at that.
"Boss Chen, where is my father's memorial tablet? Why did you report me dead?"
Although Lin Shisan remained deferential,
the dissatisfaction and indignation in his words were plain.
"Lin Shisan, are you looking to die? Is that any way to speak to Boss Chen?"
Bigmouth Feng Qiufeng demanded loudly, "An arrogant brat like you who doesn't know his place deserves to be sliced to death for that alone!"
"...Whew."
Feng Qiufeng recoiled with a sudden chill.
Lin Shisan's stare made his chest tighten sharply.
It felt as though an enormous beast had fixed its eyes on him.
"Chen Yang, I'll ask you one more time. Where is my father's memorial tablet?"
Lin Shisan turned back, looking at Chen Yang with an utterly calm gaze.
"Why did you report me as dead?"
"What an arrogant little trash fish, openly interrogating Boss Chen. No wonder you had the guts to steal Body Tempering Liquid."
Before Chen Yang could speak, two people entered through the doorway.
One in green-
a Servant Disciple in robes.
The other wore the green uniform of a Law Enforcement Team member, but there was no Five-Pointed Star on the shoulder.
This was not a full member of the Law Enforcement Team, but someone under the Azure Cloud Mountains' deacons.
The Inspection Team was responsible for security in the Azure Cloud Mountains.
Its members had discretionary authority to detain people temporarily and even conduct summary interrogations.
The two cut imposing figures.
The spectators, including Feng Qiufeng and the young man, voluntarily cleared a path.
But Lin Shisan seemed not to have noticed the newcomers. His eyes remained fixed on Chen Yang.
He raised his voice and shouted, "Where is my father's memorial tablet?"
"What, are you planning to assault and murder someone right in front of me?"
"Dark-skinned brat, I've heard of you. You traded your father's life for a place among the servants. Aren't you ashamed?"
"Since that's how it is, you should behave yourself and be an obedient little trash fish. Sticky fingers, stealing a fellow disciple's Body Tempering Liquid-that's a serious flaw in your character."
The Inspector stepped in front of Chen Yang.
"I really don't know how that dead father of yours raised you..."
...Smack!
A crisp crack stunned everyone present.
Unable to endure any more, Lin Shisan swung his palm and struck Chen Yang squarely across the face.
A deathly silence fell. The spectators, Feng Qiufeng included, were dumbfounded.
Lin Shisan was far too fierce.
He looked so dull and wooden, yet he had actually dared to slap Chen Yang, a servant steward, in front of everyone.
He had turned the very order of heaven upside down-his ferocity knew no bounds.
Before you continue