"Let's go!"
With a wave of his hand, Liu Dianli led a large group of people onto the long street.
"Lord Shen, after you."
The skinny monk stood with his hands behind his back, smiling as he looked over.
Shen Yi casually closed the door, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.
This group had clearly come prepared, not only with a ready excuse but also with an estimation of his strength.
More than a dozen bailiffs not only carried swords at their waists but also held long spears over ten feet in length.
The remaining soldiers were armed with powerful bows and crossbows.
While these might not mean much to demons or martial artists, coupled with the skinny monk's interference...
Even two yellow-skinned demons would have to lie down.
"I'd like to see what tricks you're up to," Zhang the Butcher said with a dark expression, standing behind Shen Yi.
Seeing this, the skinny monk's expression changed slightly, but he didn't stop them.
Instead, he raised an eyebrow and smiled, "As you wish. I'm just here on orders to accompany you."
When words don't align, even half a sentence is too much.
The three of them walked in silence, heading out of the city under the suspicious gazes of passersby.
About thirty miles outside Baiyun County was Shilin Village.
Liu Dianli was clearly in a hurry, his face dark as he hurried along, occasionally glancing back at Shen Yi with increasingly murderous intent.
"Is this about killing demons or killing us?"
Even Zhang Dahu sensed something was wrong and struggled a couple of times.
Immediately, two long spears moved in, their sharp points pressing against his neck, leaving two bloody marks.
"Wait, where are we going?"
The Niu brothers didn't struggle, but they noticed that the group passed Shilin Village as if it didn't exist, heading straight into a small path.
"Further ahead is wasteland. Aren't you afraid of running into demons?"
Hearing this, the skinny monk chuckled and slowly came to a stop.
Almost simultaneously, everyone halted.
The bailiffs and soldiers made way, then suddenly kicked the group's legs, causing them to stumble and kneel, cold blades pressing against their necks.
A colleague sighed and looked away.
At the end of their line of sight, under the dim moonlight, a small thatched hut appeared by the roadside.
A tall figure stood by the table, dressed in simple clothes, his sleeves and arms covered in black fur, carefully pouring wine into a bowl.
The seated figure was small and thin, wearing a straw raincoat and a bamboo hat, his back to the group as if enjoying a late-night snack.
"This is bad, we're in trouble."
Zhang the Butcher looked on with a serious expression.
He finally understood why his senior brother didn't mind him tagging along.
Before them were two first-realm demons.
The seated one had a slightly restless aura, clearly having just broken through, but the thick scent indicated he was at the peak of the first realm.
The standing one was slightly weaker, but still on par with Zhang himself...
Add to that the senior brother and the thirty or so bailiffs and soldiers.
Zhang the Butcher had been around for many years and had plenty of experience.
In a breath, he made his decision: "Let's go!"
As long as the green hills remain, there's no need to fear running out of firewood.
"I've brought the people you wanted."
Liu Dianli stepped forward, mustering his courage to approach the hut: "Those ape demons weren't killed by me, and I've kept the kidnapping of the children under wraps... I know you wanted to lure him out... Ape Lord, I had a son late in life at over fifty, please return my child to me..."
"Shut up."
The tall ape demon in simple clothes put down the wine jug and coldly glanced at him.
"Alright, alright, I'll shut up."
Liu Dianli bent over with an awkward smile, waving his hand behind him.
The soldiers' powerful bows instantly aimed at Shen Yi in the crowd.
A dozen long spears pressed down, blocking his retreat.
At that moment, the old ape in the raincoat let out a satisfied burp, neatly stacking the cleanly gnawed items beside him.
It stood up, wiping its mouth with its sleeve.
Under the moonlight, thirteen small skulls on the table gleamed, their empty eye sockets eerie.
Wiping its mouth, the old ape turned its head and nodded politely, its voice hoarse: "Thank you."
Pleased with the praise, Liu Dianli's face lit up, but then his gaze fell on the table.
He counted with his fingers, feeling something was off.
In the next moment, his old face turned deathly pale.
His body trembled like a sieve, his legs went weak, and he couldn't stop himself from collapsing to his knees.
Liu Dianli's Adam's apple bobbed, but no words came out, only strange, mute cries:
"Ah! Ah! Ah!"
Looking at the pile of skulls, Zhang the Butcher couldn't bear it and suddenly turned to glare at the skinny monk: "You scabby-headed fool, have you gone mad?"
"Nothing to do with me," the skinny monk frowned, spreading his hands: "I didn't do anything. I'm just here on the county magistrate's orders to accompany Liu Dianli tonight to investigate this matter."
"If you really want to know, shouldn't you ask Lord Shen how he handled things?"
The skinny monk smiled, turning his gaze to Shen Yi.
"Bullshit! With only four people, responsible for the safety of 200,000 people in Baiyun County, and helping demons suppress the news. If I were from the Demon-Suppression Bureau, I'd chop off these beasts' heads first!"
Zhang the Butcher was furious and wanted to curse more, but he noticed someone was missing.
Looking up.
He saw Shen Yi walking away in silence, completely ignoring the spears and bows around him.
He walked up to Chen Ji, bent down, and drew the other's sword.
"Get out of here! There will be other chances!" Before Chen Ji could finish, he was slapped down by someone nearby.
The bailiff who acted stared at Shen Yi's profile, unable to utter a word.
Soon, the young man reached the hut.
The two ape demons indifferently sized him up.
The tall, young one sneered: "If you kneel like him now, you might still have a chance to keep your body intact."
"Kill them! You fool! You love showing off, now I order you, kill them!"
Liu Dianli frantically grabbed his sleeve, letting out a beast-like howl.
But this plea lasted only a moment before turning into a gurgling sound of blood.
As the blade flashed, the white-haired head thudded to the ground.
Shen Yi stared at the two ape demons, using Liu Dianli's falling body to casually wipe the blade on the green robe.
In the distance, the bailiffs' hands gripping the spears began to sweat.
The soldiers swallowed hard, their powerful bows already aimed at the thin figure, arrows nocked but not released for a long time.
"Such audacity!"
The skinny monk was stunned for a moment, then furious, charging forward.
He had been ordered to come tonight, not as the main force to ambush Shen Yi, but to protect Liu Dianli and provide support.
Who would have thought this madman would stand before the two demons and kill the official first? Even more infuriating was that the two old apes just watched quietly!
To an outsider, it would seem like Liu Dianli was the one being ambushed tonight.
In his rage, a thick arm swung out, mercilessly striking his chest.
The skinny monk staggered back a few steps, barely steadying himself, and roared: "You fool, didn't you see him kill someone?"
Zhang the Butcher's face twisted in fury, drawing his butcher's knife and slashing forward: "Go to hell!"
At the same time.
The indifferent eyes of the two ape demons finally showed a ripple.
(End of Chapter)