Players: All NPCs in the Sect Are Moles

The dust settled before the ruins.

Su Ling’er stared at the man, speechless for a long time. Even in death, a hint of a mocking smile seemed to linger on his lips.

Ma Tietou’s dying curse was like a thorn piercing her heart.

’Can I really kill them all? Even if I kill one Ma Tietou, will the world become a better place?’

She lowered her head, looking at the hand that held her sword.

’Right now, I only have the cultivation of a Mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, and I possess a Four-Element Pseudo Spirit Root that no one thinks highly of.’

’Even if I’m exposed, I’m backed by the demonic path, so I don’t have to worry about killing Evil Cultivators like him who wear human skin. But with my meager abilities, can I really clear the muddy waters of Anhe City? Or will I just end up beaten and broken, just as he said?’

’Roaming the world with a sword, righting all injustices, and eventually attaining immortality... Is that all just my own wishful thinking, like something out of a storybook?’

Feeling dejected, Su Ling’er’s hands drooped to her sides.

Behind her, the circle of spectating City Guard players had already entered a frantic "screen recording mode."

"Hurry, hurry! Record it!!"

"I’ve already thought of the title: *’Shocking! Woman in Black Slays Gang Boss in a Fury, the Heartwarming Reason Behind It Will Surprise You!’*"

"Ahhh! My Guixi Sect! My chance at immortality! Why did that Storyteller get to join?!"

Amidst the wails and howls, the eyes of several players who had contributed the most to this "crackdown" flickered as they began to calculate their next move.

Although they hadn’t landed a big fish like Liu Yue, as the player "Mojin Xiaowei" had, they had still caught plenty of small fry involved in murder cases. Their contributions were real.

’Miss Su’s objective is more or less clear. Perhaps we can try to get our hands on the administrative rights to Anhe City.’

Just then, a sudden, awkward round of applause rang out.

"CLAP! CLAP! CLAP!"

City Lord Zhao Decang, who had been playing dead behind a pillar, finally shuffled out now that everyone who was supposed to be dead was, in fact, dead.

Wiping away the endless cold sweat on his forehead, he forced a smile that looked worse than a grimace and shouted his praise at Su Ling’er, "Excellent! A fine kill, Miss!"

"Miss Su, you truly are a peerless hero who helps the weak and opposes the strong! That Ma Tietou dared to escape from prison. This official was just about to order his capture, but I never expected his martial arts to be so formidable! Your action, Miss, has eliminated a scourge for the people. It is truly gratifying!"

’It’s good that he’s dead. Dead men tell no tales...’

To ease the awkwardness and to probe this goddess of death, Zhao Decang wrung his hands and asked with feigned casualness, "Uhm... Miss, you went to the suburbs on official business earlier. I was just wondering... how are... those young sirs doing now?"

’The refugees may be insignificant, but those are sons of noble families. They didn’t break any laws. The most she would do is teach them a lesson, right? It shouldn’t be anything too serious...’

Su Ling’er’s heart was heavy. Hearing his question, she didn’t even turn her head, but simply uttered two words in a flat tone, "Killed them."

Zhao Decang: "!!!!"

"SNAP!" Zhao Decang’s knees went weak, and he nearly collapsed to the ground before Su Ling’er right then and there!

"K-K-Killed them all?! Ah... A... a fine kill! Miss... is truly righteous! This humble one is in awe!"

’Zhang Ao? Mr. Wang? The scions of those families... she slaughtered them all?! What kind of reincarnated goddess of death is this?!’

Zhao Decang looked at the bloodstains on Su Ling’er’s black robes and felt that the person before him wasn’t a celestial maiden, but a living King Yama! She was going to tear a hole in the sky above Anhe City!

’It’s over! It’s all over! If she finds out about my dealings, won’t I be dismembered and used as a human lantern?!’

...

At that moment, a figure finally squeezed through the outer edge of the crowd.

"Make way! Excuse me, make way! I’m family... no, wait, I’m here to offer my condolences!"

Wang Xiedi had to use every ounce of his strength to finally shake off the group of people he had "accidentally run into" and squeeze his way to the An Family’s entrance.

The moment he stepped inside, he was startled by the scene before him.

Wang Xiedi: "!!!"

’Holy shit?!’

’There’s blood all over the floor, some random arms and legs lying around, a dead guy embedded in a half-collapsed wall, and right in the middle of it all, the usually gentle and refined Storyteller, Mr. Mu, is kneeling in a pool of blood, clutching a knife!’

’How did a funeral result in several more deaths?! Didn’t I come here to attend a funeral? Why is there a "buy one, get two free" death promotion going on? I was only a little late, and the funeral has already turned into a "chain funeral"? Are the customs in Anhe City this hardcore?!’

Wang Xiedi stared at the blood-drenched carving knife in Mu Ling’s hand, then at Liu Yue’s body in front of him. His mind couldn’t quite process it. "Mr. Mu... he killed someone?"

Seeing her junior brother had finally arrived, Su Ling’er rubbed her brow. "Junior Brother, what happened here..."

She briefly explained Liu Yue’s true identity, Mu Ling’s revenge, and Ma Tietou’s end.

She said to Wang Xiedi, "Since Senior Brother took an interest in Mu Ling, he must have had his reasons. You should take Mu Ling back to the sect first."

’Senior Brother may act unconventionally, but he never does anything without a purpose. Mu Ling must be part of the team Senior Brother is secretly building to fight that great demon lord behind the sect.’

’Although Mu Ling has suffered a great tragedy, his mind is resilient. Even with blood on his hands, he probably won’t be tainted by the filth of a demonic sect.’

"Back to the sect?" Wang Xiedi paused. "Then what about you, Senior Sister?"

"I still have some things to finish here."

Su Ling’er turned, her gaze sweeping over the cowering Zhao Decang before looking out the gate at Anhe City, which appeared prosperous but was, in reality, riddled with scars.

Seeing that his senior sister was in a bad mood, Wang Xiedi didn’t press further and just nodded. "Then... alright."

He walked over to Mu Ling, looked at the man whose heart was like dead ash, and gently patted his shoulder. He sighed. "Mr. Mu... let’s go. As we agreed, we’re... going back to the sect."

Mu Ling didn’t speak, only nodding numbly.

’On the way back...’ Wang Xiedi thought for a moment, ’I should probably stop by the Yuelai Inn to pack some things and buy some provisions for the road.’

Mu Ling stiffly began to follow Wang Xiedi out, but as he passed the collapsed wall, he paused.

He glanced at Ma Tietou’s lifeless body. Looking at someone who had been allowed the release of death, a trace of envy couldn’t help but surface in Mu Ling’s own ash-gray eyes.

...

Li Chunfeng, who was in charge of surveilling the bank, had also finally completed his mission. Although he didn’t know why many of the City Guards who were also watching the bank had suddenly left, he had remained at his post and discovered the bank’s great secret!

One of the City Guards, "Mojin Xiaowei," used a secret passage to appear directly inside the bank. The passage also contained numerous illicit account books!

This was a major discovery! He immediately turned and rushed straight for the An Family’s ancestral hall, preparing to arrest Liu Yue!

However,

when he arrived and stepped through the door, he saw Su Ling’er standing there, along with the very dead bodies of Liu Yue and Ma Tietou!

Li Chunfeng: "???"