The night was silent, the moonlight washed over the land.
Chen Chun's voice was slightly labored with breath.
Qin An frowned slightly, walked to the door, and held a sharp knife: "What happened to you?"
He could hear the unusual tone in Chen Chun's voice.
Now caught in a vortex, having just slaughtered a member of the River Saber Sect, every anomaly required utmost caution.
Chen Chun urgently said, "I got injured during the investigation, and I have something to tell you."
Qin An thought briefly, lifted the knife, and used it to pick the door latch: "Just push it open."
As he spoke, Qin An had already retreated two zhang back.
"Creak..."
The sound of the wooden door was like the call of a crow.
Chen Chun walked in, his face pale as paper, closed the door with a trembling hand holding a knife.
In the lamplight, the bloodstains on his short knife glinted with a dark red hue.
Seeing how far Qin An stayed from him, Chen Chun's mustache trembled slightly, pulling out a grim smile: "You are really cautious."
He knew the reason for Qin An's behavior and did not take offense.
Qin An asked, "What happened?"
Chen Chun bitterly smiled: "The pig demon went berserk, slaughtered the entire Golden Chicken Village, and demanded the authorities hand over the one who killed the pig demon."
"I went to investigate, found a few constables who had gone for negotiation dead, then the pig demon caught my scent, killed two and escaped, nearly losing my life."
Saying this, Chen Chun wiped the cold sweat from his head, looking quite shaken.
Qin An mused, "Negotiate? Since it was killed, why bother negotiating?"
It was the authorities who killed the pig demon, and now facing its reprisal, they actually used the word 'negotiate.'
Chen Chun wiped the sweat from his forehead, weakly said: "The authorities probably didn't expect that pig demon to have a whole nest, nor did they expect the pig leader to have Perfect Hidden Qi Realm strength, ha, this time they've hit a hard wall."
"Regardless of the outcome, I did gain something."
"Could I have a sip of water?"
Injured and having traveled overnight, he was already parched and exhausted.
Qin An picked up a teapot, poured a cup of water, and placed it on the table: "Help yourself."
Chen Chun held the cup with trembling hands and drank it in one gulp: "Old Qin, you're overly cautious."
Qin An shook his head and said: "One life is all I have."
Chen Chun speechlessly said: "Aren't you curious about what I discovered?"
Qin An calmly looked at Chen Chun: "You would speak of it regardless."
Coming all the way over at this hour and talking so much, there was surely more to follow.
Some things don't need to be asked, and things said don't need questioning.
Asking tirelessly for half a day, and what isn't meant to be said won't be said.
It's just a waste of breath.
Chen Chun scratched his head and said: "The pig leader said the authorities have sided with Feiyun Gorge, slaughtering the pig demon on their behalf, but the pig demon couldn't lash out at Feiyun Gorge, so it took it out on the authorities."
"What is Feiyun Gorge?" Qin An asked.
Chen Chun chuckled coldly: "Ding County has three demon forces: the monkey demon that likes to eat human heads, the snake demon that likes to violate human chastity, and the eagle demon that likes to eat human innards. Feiyun Gorge belongs to the eagle demon's territory."
Qin An poured himself a cup of water and drank it lightly.
Chen Chun, seeing Qin An's demeanor, said with a twitching mouth: "Why do I feel like you're just listening to a story?"
Qin An raised an eyebrow and said: "Otherwise?"
Hearing it now, isn't it just a story?
These forces are unheard of, let alone seen, so it's just like listening to noise.
After a bit of thinking, Qin An asked: "Have you gathered evidence?"
Chen Chun was an undercover agent of the Evil Extermination Bureau, and now he had obtained such important evidence.
Qin An thought that Chen Chun should have gained a lot.
Chen Chun nodded: "I've got some evidence, and I've split it in two, this one's for you."
Qin An looked at Chen Chun, saying nothing.
Especially the cloth in Chen Chun's hand, he chose to ignore it.
Chen Chun's mustache twitched, saying: "I've been exposed. Although the pig demon is a demon, all demons hate the Evil Extermination Bureau, they're surely plotting not to let me leave alive. I'll leave tonight, if I die, at least this evidence will be in your hands."
"Consider it helping me, and it's to your benefit."
Qin An remained unmoved.
Taking this cloth meant embroiling himself in a muddy situation.
He wouldn't touch it easily, because his primary aim was survival.
Chen Chun helplessly said: "Qin An, do you think you're very safe now?"
"The pig demon is dead, and there's no wall without leaks in the world. If they really investigate, what would you do?"
"The authorities colluding with demons has become a norm, they won't allow someone like you to exist, they'll have a hundred ways to harm you, can you kill the officials with a knife?"
"Help me, let the Evil Extermination Bureau eradicate this tumor, and you can be safe too."
Listening to Chen Chun's words, Qin An fell into contemplation.
After a long time, he took the cloth in hand.
Analyzing the situation, he understood what Chen Chun meant.
Ding County's authorities were already in league with demons, the situation stabilized.
If someone like him appeared in Ding County, he would be a destabilizing factor.
No matter his strength, the authorities' first move would be to get rid of him.
As for how, the authorities had many ways.
Could he really behead the County Magistrate?
No, doing so would leave him with no way out.
Now, Chen Chun was a way to solve the problem.
If the Evil Extermination Bureau intervenes, the authorities will be shut down, and his worries would be completely resolved.
Seeing Qin An take the cloth, Chen Chun sighed with relief.
He was willing to give it to Qin An because he saw something extraordinary in him.
Among the people he could trust now, only Qin An remained.
Chen Chun stood up and limped towards the door.
Qin An asked: "Leaving now?"
Chen Chun nodded: "No time to rest, I fear demons might come."
Qin An watched Chen Chun reach the door, saying calmly: "Does the Evil Extermination Bureau pay well?"
He always felt Chen Chun was too desperate.
His injuries hadn't fully healed, yet he was heading to Lingzhou, likely facing much danger.
Chen Chun paused for a moment, understanding Qin An's implication, his gaze growing clearer: "In a year, I can shed my undercover identity and join the Evil Extermination Bureau."
"The world is unstable, Cultivation Techniques are hard to find, sect forces guard them jealously. Even if one gets in, it takes a lot of effort. I'm getting old, can't afford to wait."
"The Evil Extermination Bureau is good, as long as I work hard, I can get what I want, work hard again, and live longer."
Qin An pondered.
Chen Chun smiled: "Old Qin, do you want to join the Evil Extermination Bureau? Both Heart Methods and Cultivation Techniques are available."
Qin An shook his head: "Not for now."
The Evil Extermination Bureau seemed too distant; he wanted to first deal with the imminent crisis.
Chen Chun said nothing more, suddenly remembered something, and after rummaging in his pockets for a moment, handed over a book: "For you."
Qin An took it and saw a line written on the cover.
"Mountain-Picking Fist"