Chapter 170 - 108: Ling Ye: I Can Also Be Gentle...

Chapter 170: Chapter 108: Ling Ye: I Can Also Be Gentle...

Women seem to love asking these kinds of meaningless, no-win questions.

Always trying to prove they’re special, that they’re the one and only.

But for Jiang Mu, a question like this was a no-brainer. All he had to do was tell the truth.

"I help whoever is good to me." Jiang Mu’s policy was simple honesty.

He handed the organized files to her and said,

"Right now, Inspector Ling treats me the best, so I’d probably help her. If you could treat me a little better, I might consider helping you too."

Qiu Yuexin took the files, raising an eyebrow. "And how would I do that?"

"You could give me a Magical Treasure or a Cultivation Technique, for example. Or if you know where some Demon Fiends are hiding, tell me so I can go grind... ahem, I mean, go slay them.

Check in on me from time to time, and stop dangling that foot of yours to intimidate me all day. Basically, just think of me whenever there’s something good to be had."

Jiang Mu said with a perfectly straight face.

The corner of Qiu Yuexin’s mouth twitched. She glanced at the transcribed files before tucking them away and saying coolly,

"Not a chance in this lifetime."

"Maybe in your next life. If you manage to act a little more human then, I’ll be nice to you."

With that, the young woman’s figure flashed, dissolving into a puff of red smoke before vanishing from the room.

Jiang Mu gazed at the empty chair, shaking his head with a sigh. ’Such a tsundere, that pink-haired little fox. Not very likable at all.’

...

...

「Two days passed in the blink of an eye.」

The night before his departure, Jiang Mu had been excitedly planning to throw a huge, lively farewell banquet.

He’d even hoped Bai Xiang would give him a grand, tearful send-off.

But when the moment of departure finally arrived, a sense of melancholy and emptiness washed over him, draining him of any desire for jokes or mischief.

The next morning, while the sky was still pitch-black, Jiang Mu climbed out of bed and went to Bai Xiang’s door.

Gently pushing the door open, he slipped inside as nimbly as a cat.

The room was dim. The only light was a faint glow from the window, which outlined the blurry shapes of the furniture.

But thanks to the enhancement from his Star Position Divine Abilities, Jiang Mu could see clearly.

Bai Xiang was lying on her side, covered by a thin blanket. Her breathing was even and deep; she was clearly still fast asleep.

Her black hair spilled across the pillow, making her small face look even more serene.

Jiang Mu tiptoed to the side of the bed, squatted down, and quietly watched her sleep.

Normally, she always had such a stern expression on her face.

She was either trying to kill him with a look or cursing him out in sign language. It was rare to see her so quiet and defenseless.

After watching her for a good while, Jiang Mu murmured in a low voice,

"Ah, Xiang’Er, I’m heading out on a long trip. I’m leaving the house entirely in your hands."

"You have to take good care of it for me. Guard it well, and don’t let any burglars in."

"And if I don’t make it back... just remember to call me ’daddy’ a few times when you visit my grave."

"I’ll be listening from down below. That’ll put my heart at ease, and I’ll be able to rest in peace."

Having said his piece, he leaned down and planted a soft kiss on her cheek.

Her skin felt cool to the touch and carried a faint, sweet scent.

The contact was brief.

Satisfied, Jiang Mu straightened up, tiptoed out of the room, and gently pulled the door shut behind him.

Only after the door was fully closed and his footsteps faded into the distance...

...did Bai Xiang, who had supposedly been sound asleep, open her eyes, her curled lashes trembling slightly.

She raised a hand to her cheek, her fingertips gently tracing the spot where a lingering warmth remained. Her face felt hot.

’That bastard... acting up again so early in the morning!’

’And what was that about calling him ’daddy’?’

She bit her lower lip, her gaze fixed on the closed door. A flicker of complex emotion crossed her eyes before dissolving into a sigh.

’Forget it. It was just a kiss on the cheek... Nothing to make a fuss about.’

...

For this mission to support the eradication of the demon infestation in Yan City, the Hu State City Demon-slaying Bureau dispatched the elites of four halls.

Fifty-three people in total.

They were:

Jiang Mu, known as the ’Slaughter Deity’; a handful of supporting characters; and a crowd of extras unworthy of having names.

The group set off in a grand procession in the faint light of dawn.

’To be honest, I’d imagined that for a trip so far away to slay demon fiends, even if we didn’t have the Flying Spirit Ships or Floating Warships you always see in fantasy novels, would it really have been that hard to get an Ah Kun that could travel a thousand li a day?’

’And if not an Ah Kun, couldn’t we at least get some cool Spirit Beasts?’

’It’s not like this world is lacking in demon beasts.’

But reality was a harsh mistress. All they got were tall, sturdy horses.

It felt like one of those TV adaptations where, due to budget cuts, powerful cultivators who should be flying end up just riding horses.

’Still, a bold idea did pop into my head.’

’My Little Demon, Qiu Yuexin, is a bona fide member of the Demon Race, after all. If we get on better terms in the future, maybe when I have to travel far... I could get her to transform and use her as a mount...’

’That wouldn’t be asking too much, would it?’

’The mental image is actually pretty awesome.’

In addition to the Demon-slaying Bureau’s contingent, Ling Ye also rode out of the city with them.

She was on her way to hunt down Qiu Yuexin, so she planned to travel with them for part of the way before separating.

Ever since Jiang Mu was framed as the mole, Ling Ye had been absolutely furious.

She hadn’t just caused a huge scene at the Bureau, giving Ran Qingshan a brutal tongue-lashing; she had also gone out of her way to comfort Jiang Mu.

Jiang Mu, of course, seized the opportunity to pour out all his grievances.

He painted a picture of how wronged he was, how difficult everything had been, and how he’d nearly given his life to slay demon fiends, only to be met with such suspicion.

Listening to him, Ling Ye felt a mix of heartache and fury.

Her dissatisfaction with Ran Qingshan’s incompetence grew, and as for the real culprit, Wen He, she hated his guts.

The very next day, Ling Ye had supposedly found a pretext—"damaging the internal unity of the Demon-slaying Bureau"—and given Wen He a vicious beating right in front of numerous members of the Third Hall.

The beating was so brutal, his own mother wouldn’t have recognized him.