My Core is the Boss

Located in the heart of Zhenyang City, the Tong Residence was a renowned household in the north. The late patriarch had served in the Imperial Secretariat as a lofty Third-Rank Senior Scribe. Yet after his retirement, the north collapsed into chaos before the family could leverage that political legacy.

Countless gentry families had fled south. Zhenyang City, however, was trapped by its geography. Directly ahead lay Shuyao Mountain, whose terrain was too rugged for large-scale migration.

Above all, demons ran rampant in Shuyao Mountain, and one of them had even reached the Demon Hero realm. The Demon Hero was ambitious and cunning. He had singlehandedly unified the mountain's three thousand demons, built a fortress, and began training demon soldiers.

So far, they had not only surrounded Zhenyang, Hengyang, and Qishui Cities, but had also kidnapped the Tong family's grandson.

***

Outside the Tong Residence, Qi Yuan stood in his demon slayer uniform, stifling a yawn.

Yang Guang presented a badge to the elderly inn attendant, who was shaking nervously. "What year did Tong Youwei die?"

Yang Guang's approach was methodical. He’d gather intelligence from locals before moving straight on to the Tong family.

The inn attendant replied, "Tong Youwei passed away three years ago in the Tong family courtyard. According to witnesses, the manner of his death was gruesome. His heart had been ripped clean out of his chest. People said it was demons. Such a terrible death..."

At the mention of "demon," the inn attendant's eyes filled with bone-deep hatred.

Yang Guang frowned. "His heart was removed?"

"His poor wife... They had seven generations of single sons. Tong Youwei was especially doted on. The day he died, the mistress's hair went white overnight. She aged ten years in one evening."

Yang Guang pressed. "Did the Tong family investigate which type of demon was responsible?"

The attendant shook his head slowly. "How could they dare? Even if they'd found out, what are they supposed to do? Go to Shuyao Mountain to demand justice?"

Yang Guang narrowed his eyes, thinking.

Qi Yuan said, "Come on, let's go inside and see if there are any leads."

Yang Guang nodded.

An Qiao tugged the tracking dog along, and the group made their way to the Tong estate.

Several other mission participants had already entered. Invited in by the family's elderly head steward, Qi Yuan's group passed through without difficulty.

The steward moved with visible difficulty. "The young master's abduction has left the lord bedridden with grief. As such, he cannot receive guests. Please forgive the discourtesy."

Qi Yuan casually looked around the courtyard. "Take us to Tong Youwei's quarters."

The mission had two objectives: find Tong Tianyou, and determine how Tong Youwei really died. Finding Tong Tianyou was straightforward enough. A trip to Shuyao Mountain would handle it. Tong Youwei's death would require actual investigation.

"Young Master Tong's room caught fire after his death. Everything was burned to ashes."

"And his wife?"

"Ah..." The steward's expression became complicated. "She died in childbirth while giving birth to the young master."

Yang Guang asked, "Word on the street is that demons killed Tong Youwei. Do you know which demon specifically?"

The steward shook his head. "The county magistrate even sent people to investigate, but to no avail. The official conclusion was that demons were responsible."

Yang Guang asked, " Where is Tong Youwei's grave?"

Evidently, exhuming the body would be the logical next step.

The steward's face twisted, hesitating. "I am afraid you can't exhume his body. In fact, the previous officials had similar thoughts. But after the burial, demons ravaged the cemetery and stole Young Master Tong's body."

An Qiao blinked. "What?"

Yang Guang's eyes narrowed. "This is very strange!"

Tong Youwei's death was far from simple. The culprits burned down his living quarters and stole his corpse. One coincidence could be overlooked, but two in succession? Someone had been very deliberately erasing every trace!

Yang Guang looked over. "Brother Qi, what do you think?"

Qi Yuan said with utmost seriousness, "Based on my extensive television-watching experience, if there's no body, the person's usually still alive. It must be a staged death."

That was how it always went on TV. Enemies got pushed off ten-thousand-foot cliffs, stabbed through the heart, and still showed up three episodes later. This was precisely why Qi Yuan always confirmed his kills. Scattering their ashes was the best way to do so.

Still, he had no interest in arguing with the writers. "That said, since the lore explicitly states that he's dead, I'll trust the game on this one."

Yang Guang chuckled, nodding in agreement, then turned back to the steward. "Did Tong Youwei have any enemies here in Zhenyang City?"

The steward replied confidently, "Young Master Tong was a kind and gentle soul. He never quarreled with anyone and rarely left the house. He had no enemies that I know of."

He was a good-natured homebody. Naturally, there was no internet in this era, nor was there any way to make enemies from behind a keyboard.

Qi Yuan asked, "What was Tong Youwei's relationship with the lord of this house?"

"The lord and his wife cherished Young Master Tong very much. Once, when the young master was struck by a fever and fell into a coma, the mistress personally made the journey to the Wangshan Temple.

“She climbed seven hundred and sixty-two steps, prostrating herself at each one, before the holy monk finally agreed to intervene and heal the boy. That story is known across all the northern territories.

“Ask anyone in Zhenyang City, and everyone will tell you how much the lord and mistress loved the young master. If they could, they would’ve pulled the sun from the sky for him."

The steward's expression dimmed. "After Young Master Tong passed, the lord and mistress both declined rapidly. The only reason either of them has held on is for the sake of the young grandson. If the grandson doesn't come home, the Tong family bloodline will be extinguished. Please bring the young master back safely."

His eyes were tearful with emotion.

Yang Guang sent a transmission. "Can we trust what this steward says?"

Qi Yuan answered honestly, "His words seem genuine. Whether he's hiding anything is another matter."

He'd been watching the man's face the whole time and his nose hadn't grown. The steward wasn't outright lying.

"What do we do next?"

Qi Yuan was straightforward. "Meet the lord. As head of the household, he knows more than anyone. And since I can tell if someone's lying, we don't have to worry about being deceived."

Tong Youwei's had been officially attributed to demons, but it wasn't impossible that the lord himself had something to do with it. In this world, everything was possible.

The steward began leading them toward the lord's quarters.

Before they got far, someone’s harsh voice carried over from somewhere nearby.

"Don't stick your nose into my business. You haven't even grown a full beard yet. We're here from the Demon-Slaying Bureau to investigate the Tong family matter. If the county magistrate wants to see me, he can come himself."

A dull thud followed. A very young-looking constable crumpled to the ground, clutching his stomach. His face was contorted in pain, but he did not dare to utter a single word of protest.

An Qiao sharply reprimanded, "How could you?! That constable can't be older than fourteen!"

Yang Guang's eyebrows pulled together. He ran across quickly and helped the young constable to his feet. He fixed a cold look on the man who had thrown the kick. "Even if we're here for a mission, these are still living people."

The man glanced at Yang Guang, took in his cultivation level, and immediately dropped his head. "That was wrong of me."

In the Underworld, strength was everything. He wasn't about to pick a fight with Yang Guang.

Not far away, Qi Yuan looked at Yang Guang, sunlight streaming down onto that magnificent bare scalp.

Qi Yuan remarked, "His braised egg is especially shiny today."