Chapter 21

"How could they be enemies?"

Ma Heshang didn't quite understand what Zhu Xiuzai meant.

"According to the laws of Daxia, when a Sky-Piercing Arrow is found outside the city, the nearby Night Watchmen, constables, and garrison troops must all rush to provide support immediately. Even if demons and ghosts follow the Sky-Piercing Arrow to harm us, it's impossible for only enemies to come and no reinforcements to arrive."

"Heshang, you didn't understand my point."

Zhu Xiuzai shook his head, glanced at Qin Shaoyou, and seeing that he had no intention of contradicting him, continued: "What the大人 is worried about is precisely these 'reinforcements.'"

"Huh?"

Ma Heshang was even more confused.

"Why be worried about the reinforcements?"

"The Wu family, in just over a decade, transformed from a small village to a powerful local force, mostly by plundering passing merchant caravans and amassing their wealth. This kind of thing couldn't have happened just once or twice, nor could it have lasted just a few years. Could it be that in all these years, no one ever suspected the Wu family of the missing caravans?"

Ma Heshang began to understand: "You mean there's someone behind the Wu family?"

"I'm not sure if there's someone behind the Wu family, but in Kaijiang County, many people have definitely been bought off and are covering for them. Otherwise, the Wu family wouldn't have received the 'Righteous to the Homeland' plaque from the county government. It's not just in Kaijiang County; there are probably people in Luocheng who have been bought off by the Wu family too!"

Zhu Xiuzai sneered.

"Truly ironic, a family that harbors demons and plunders merchants is praised by the government as a righteous and benevolent family... It's like the saying, 'Murderers and arsonists wear golden belts, while those who build bridges and repair roads have no corpses.'"

Ma Heshang's mouth was wide open, seemingly shocked by Zhu Xiuzai's words.

But upon careful thought, he found it quite reasonable.

He looked at Qin Shaoyou and asked, "Sir, is that really what you think?"

"Pretty much." Qin Shaoyou nodded.

The reason he had been holding back from using the Sky-Piercing Arrow was precisely because of these concerns.

If the reinforcements turned out to be part of the Wu family's network, they would definitely become enemies to protect this secret!

Although attacking the Night Watchmen of the Demon Suppression Bureau is a grave crime, so is colluding with cult members.

Moreover, this is outside the city and at night.

As long as they are thorough, they could eliminate Qin Shaoyou's group entirely, and no one would know it was them.

Then they could just blame it on the demons and face only the charge of ineffective rescue.

Ma Heshang shuddered as he thought about this.

"What should we do next?"

Qin Shaoyou had already planned it out and instructed, "Zhu Xiuzai, you'll have a tough job. After dawn, take a few people and ride quickly back to Luocheng to report to Xue Baihu. Ask him to send people immediately to take over Wu Family Manor and conduct further investigations."

At this moment, it was still reliable to have his brother-in-law. Only he would not fear the people behind the Wu family.

"Understood!" Zhu Xiuzai saluted and accepted the order.

Qin Shaoyou thought for a moment and added, "Also, get some more weapons and equipment. We've had two battles tonight and need to replenish our supplies."

While Qin Shaoyou, Ma Heshang, and Zhu Xiuzai were discussing the next steps, the strongmen, guided by the Wu family, found a lot of healing medicines.

After treating the severely injured Wu family members, the strongmen used ropes and other items found in the Wu family's possession to tie them up.

During this process, the strongmen also interrogated the Wu family members.

Although Wu Benliang and several other important figures of the Wu family were dead, some high-ranking members had survived.

These people, having experienced a series of shocks, were already terrified and became like frightened birds.

Without any need for coercion, they obediently confessed everything they knew.

The situation was exactly as Qin Shaoyou and Zhu Xiuzai had guessed.

The Wu family's rapid rise over the past decade was due to the demons that Qin Shaoyou and his group had eliminated.

Initially, the Wu family helped the demons harm people, feeling quite uneasy and only doing it to meet the demons' cultivation needs.

But as they accumulated more wealth, their unease turned into greed.

Later, their desire to kill became even stronger than the demons', and they even begged the demons to kill more people so they could gain more wealth.

Human hearts can sometimes be more terrifying than demons!

The Wu family grew stronger by plundering and used this wealth to 'befriend' others, forming connections with the county magistrate and others.

Even the former head of the Luocheng Demon Suppression Bureau had received many gifts from the Wu family.

Whether he covered for the Wu family is unknown, but he certainly provided them with a lot of convenience.

It was only because Xue Qingshan had just arrived that the Wu family hadn't yet formed connections; otherwise, they would have tried to win him over with their charm.

Upon hearing the strongmen's report, Ma Heshang couldn't help but draw a deep breath and look at Qin Shaoyou with admiration.

"Everything the大人 predicted came true. You are truly remarkable!"

"Am I not remarkable?" Zhu Xiuzai asked.

"You?" Ma Heshang glanced at him, "If the大人 hadn't reminded you, could you have figured this out?"

That was the truth.

Initially, Zhu Xiuzai only suspected there was something wrong with the Wu family but didn't think this deeply. It was only after hearing Qin Shaoyou's order not to use the Sky-Piercing Arrow without permission that he was enlightened.

"The大人 is first, and I am at least second, right?"

While praising himself, Zhu Xiuzai didn't forget to flatter Qin Shaoyou.

Qin Shaoyou didn't have time for their mutual flattery. He looked down from the earthen wall and instructed, "Stop flattering me. Send a few people to check on the merchants and travelers below and retrieve the mirage pearl for me."

"I'll go!"

Zhu Xiuzai responded and led a few strongmen down the earthen wall to check on the merchants and travelers below.

At this moment, these people were still asleep.

Many had been hit by the Wu family's arrows or injured by the uncontrolled怨气, and some had even died in their sleep.

The situation was not optimistic.

Zhu Xiuzai and the strongmen tried to wake the sleeping people again, but to no avail.

Upon learning this, Qin Shaoyou also found it challenging.

Given their current state, he dared not use the Spirit-Awakening Golden Needles.

He could only have the strongmen treat the injured with medicine and wait for the reinforcements from the Luocheng Demon Suppression Bureau to arrive and try to wake them up.

After finishing these tasks, everyone was both tired and hungry.

After all, two major battles had drained a lot of their energy and blood.

Guided by the Wu family, Zhu Xiuzai and a few strongmen found a lot of wine and meat in Wu Family Manor.

After verifying that it was not poisoned, they ate and drank heartily to replenish their energy and blood.

Qin Shaoyou did not eat the wine and meat but took several demon corpses to the kitchen.

This surprised Zhu Xiuzai and the strongmen.

"Why is the大人 not eating the good wine and meat but going to the kitchen to cook demon meat?"

Although the Night Watchmen of the Demon Suppression Bureau eat demon meat, most of it doesn't taste good, being either too fishy or too pungent.

Of course, this is partly due to their lack of cooking skills.

So, the Night Watchmen eat demon meat either for cultivation or because they have no other food.

When there are other good dishes, they generally don't choose to eat demon meat.

Only Ma Heshang seemed to understand: "Does the大人 not know that demon meat tastes bad? He chose to eat it now to quickly restore his energy and to never forget his cultivation. He is a role model for us Night Watchmen!"

"Role model, role model."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

But no one got up to follow Qin Shaoyou to the kitchen; they continued to enjoy the wine and meat in front of them.

Ma Heshang glanced at everyone, shook his head, and sighed, "You are all like rotten wood!"

Then he lowered his head and continued to eat the wine and meat in front of him...

Qin Shaoyou was glad no one came to compete for the demon meat.

Entering the Wu family kitchen, he followed the recipes in his mind and prepared several new dishes.

After finishing, he realized he had made too much.

There were six large dishes on the stove, enough for a feast.

"Since it's done, it can't be wasted."

Qin Shaoyou picked up his chopsticks and ate all six dishes like a whirlwind.

He almost burst from overeating.

After finishing, he patted his bloated stomach and covered his mouth to prevent the food from coming out as he burped.

The six dishes not only restored his energy but also accelerated the healing of his external injuries.

They also improved his energy, strength, and speed.

Unfortunately, except for the "Water-Boiled Fox Eyes" which gave him the "Clear Vision" talent, the other five dishes did not grant any talents.

What Qin Shaoyou didn't expect was that the dish made from the white corpse worm skin could strengthen his soul.

Although he didn't know what a strengthened soul could do, he still forced himself to eat the dish, despite its unpleasant appearance.

To his surprise, the dish, though unappealing, tasted quite good, smooth and juicy.

Unfortunately, there weren't many white corpse worms, so he couldn't eat it often, which was a regret.

After eating the dishes, Qin Shaoyou held his waist and walked out of the kitchen, wanting to test the "Clear Vision" talent to see what "a new world" looked like.

But after staring at Zhu Xiuzai, Ma Heshang, and others for a while, he saw nothing new, only their puzzled and embarrassed expressions.

So, what is the use of this talent?

Qin Shaoyou was full of confusion.

As the hour of the Rabbit approached, a ray of sunlight appeared in the eastern sky.

The darkness gradually faded, and daylight began to descend.

Zhu Xiuzai, in a new set of armor, led a few strongmen, mounted their horses, and galloped out of Wu Family Manor, heading straight for Luocheng.