What Shen Yi regretted the most was not being able to use someone's banner to slay a few more demons.
Of course, he couldn't say that out loud.
He removed the scabbard and tucked the saber back under his arm.
Though it was a bit uncomfortable, it was better than losing his head without even realizing it.
Seeing his cautious demeanor, Lin Baiwei pursed her red lips.
If she had been more careful back then, she wouldn't have ended up in such a state.
She fetched paper and ink from the cabinet, sat down at the table, and added some oil to the lamp.
Under the flickering light, she closed her eyes, grinding the ink while reminiscing.
After a while, Lin Baiwei began to write earnestly.
Under the movement of her slender fingers, delicate characters appeared on the paper.
"What are you doing? Not sleeping?" Shen Yi turned his head.
"Can you sleep without getting what you need?" Lin Baiwei pouted.
They were just ordinary people with their lives on the line, no need to pretend to be calm.
She still remembered the first time a demon had grabbed her by the neck, nearly suffocating her.
Even though her colleague had quickly beheaded it, she had been haunted by nightmares all night.
If only someone had been by her side back then, she wouldn't have woken up crying from a nightmare in the middle of the night.
"..."
Shen Yi remained silent for a long time before closing his eyes.
When the rooster crowed, he slowly got up and glanced at the yawning woman by the table.
As expected, it still didn't feel right...
Even though he knew she was from the Demon-Suppression Bureau, Shen Yi still wasn't used to having a clothed, living person next to him while he slept.
"Hmm, I've copied half of it."
Lin Baiwei rubbed her wrist and carefully reviewed her work.
"Don't complain about the slowness. Even a single mistake in something like this can cause big problems."
Shen Yi changed into clean clothes and nodded.
"You've worked hard."
"Tsk."
Lin Baiwei feigned surprise.
"So you can actually speak properly."
"After all, I'm counting on using you to get some silver from the Lin family. You know, I'm really short on money."
Shen Yi adjusted his sleeves, picked up his saber, and walked out.
Baiyun County wasn't large, and many things could spread throughout the town in just one night.
It was still early, but a crowd had already gathered outside the yamen courtyard, clamoring and blocking the entrance.
Someone shouted, "Constable Shen is here!"
A wide path immediately opened up in front of Shen Yi.
He looked ahead in confusion and saw Chen Ji and the others, their faces flushed with anxiety.
"Let me say it again—this place only deals with demons, not lecherous thieves, and we definitely don't help you find lost money pouches!"
"Nonsense! Old Yang's wife brought a man home, and it was those two tall guys who went to arrest them! I saw it with my own eyes!"
The crowd erupted in noise.
"Maybe my money pouch was taken by a demon too! Constable Shen, you must help me!"
"..."
Shen Yi silently entered the courtyard and waved his hand.
"Close the gate."
The men struggled to push the wooden gate shut and finally managed to slide the bolt into place.
Exhausted, they sat on the ground, looking at each other.
Zhang Dahu said nervously, "Damn it, they used to avoid me like the plague. Now they've got the guts to storm my yamen!"
As soon as he finished speaking, he realized his mistake and quickly grinned at Shen Yi.
"You're the boss, you're my real boss."
Chen Ji stood up with a smile, but his expression suddenly changed as he looked at the wooden gate behind him.
The next moment, the gate was pounded with loud bangs.
"Now they're really pushing their luck."
The Niu brothers rolled up their sleeves and opened the gate, ready to curse, but they suddenly froze, their faces filled with shock.
They were already big, burly men, but the person standing before them was even taller and more massive, especially his bulging, greasy belly, which looked downright terrifying.
With a physique like that, he could easily take down several men without even practicing martial arts.
The Niu brothers had never seen such a fierce man before and took two trembling steps back.
"Boss, someone... someone's here to cause trouble."
Chen Ji stood still, his expression grave, not daring to act rashly.
He couldn't understand why a master from the Vajra Sect would come to this small yamen.
If there was something even he couldn't handle, there probably wasn't a second person in Baiyun County who could.
"Closing the gate in broad daylight, I thought I'd come to the wrong place."
Butcher Zhang, chewing on a straw, smiled at Shen Yi.
"So you're really here."
Shen Yi didn't see the skinny monk behind him and cupped his hands in greeting.
"What brings you here, senior?"
"Senior? Nonsense."
Butcher Zhang squeezed into the courtyard and replied casually, "I was invited here from Qingzhou, but now they think I'm too stupid. Honestly, I can't stand their cleverness either. After thinking it over, you seem just as 'stupid' as me, so I thought I'd come here for a meal."
Hearing this, Chen Ji almost lost his balance.
A first-level master with a proper lineage, and he's worried about food? That's absurd.
If nothing else, given the current situation in Baiyun County, plenty of wealthy merchants would be willing to pay a fortune to have him as their patron.
The combined salaries of all the yamen's officers wouldn't be enough to hire him for half a month.
"First of all, I'm not stupid."
Shen Yi raised his eyes helplessly, then spread his hands.
"And second, I'm really poor."
"Well, I'm not stupid either."
Butcher Zhang chuckled and walked straight inside.
"And I'm just as poor as you. A simple meal will do."
Shen Yi was about to explain that he might not even be able to afford a simple meal, given the size of the man's belly.
Chen Ji was already stomping his feet in frustration.
What kind of logic is this? One guy turns down real gold and silver, and the other is trying to find excuses to turn away a master who's come knocking!
He pulled out a silver ingot from his waist and forcefully shoved it into Shen Yi's hand, his eyes nearly popping out of his head.
Shen Yi glanced at Chen Ji and pushed the ingot back.
"Go play somewhere else."
Do I really look that stingy?
"Who is this guy?"
The Niu brothers might not know, but Zhang Dahu was well aware of Chen Ji's personality.
He never spent a single coin of his monthly salary, saving it all for his sister.
Why was he suddenly so generous?
"He's the junior brother of the one from the magistrate's residence."
As soon as these words were spoken, the others' minds went blank.
To them, the skinny monk was just a figure from legends.
Only someone at the level of Liu Dianli would have a chance to see him in person, and even then, it would just be a glimpse.
Now, a master of the same level had appeared in their yamen, and he was even casually playing with the stone lock that hadn't been touched in years.
The stone lock, which was purely for show, weighed at least three or four hundred pounds, and he was lifting it with one hand, tossing it around...
"Do you usually use this to train your strength?"
Butcher Zhang asked curiously.
"No, I usually practice martial arts before bed."
Shen Yi replied without changing his expression.
He was telling the truth.
After all, practicing martial arts in the streets would make people think he was crazy.
"Martial arts training shouldn't be done in isolation. I've been feeling restless staying alone in Baiyun County. How about we spar sometime?" Butcher Zhang put down the stone lock.
"Sure."
Shen Yi nodded.
He could really use someone to help him brush up on some basics.
Hearing this, Butcher Zhang suddenly smiled.
"I'm free right now."
Shen Yi: "..."
"Oh no, he really is here to cause trouble."
The Niu brothers shook their clever heads, almost fooled by the big-bearded man.
(End of Chapter)