Turns Out I'm the Real Monster?!

"The Lord Chief isn’t in."

Xu Fu shook his head. "The Demon case in Da Wen Village is closed. The source was a litter of young Fox Demons we found in the mountains. We figure Elder Wu must have run into them and gotten infected with their demonic poison. We wiped out the whole litter, so the matter is settled."

Jiang Mu was a little disappointed to hear that.

His gaze swept over the capable-looking subordinates behind Xu Fu, and his eyes lit up again. "Brother Xu, are you leading a team out to slay demons? Need a hand?"

"Don’t even think about it!"

Xu Fu quickly waved his hands and laughed. "I’m heading out on other official business, not demon slaying. Don’t worry, if I ever really need your help in the future, you’ll be the first one I call."

’Bring him along? You must be joking.’

Although Jiang Mu had indeed made some progress, he was still just a goofball of a Demon Slayer Envoy who had barely entered the First Realm. If they ran into a real tough customer, Xu Fu would have to split his focus to look after him.

With that, he and his men left in a hurry.

Jiang Mu rubbed his nose, too embarrassed to chase after them and pester them any further.

After collecting his Pills and resources from the affairs hall, Jiang Mu felt a distinct lack of enthusiasm. He decided to just go home and bury his head in cultivation.

He hadn’t gone far when he spotted a familiar figure in the distance.

It was Chu Lingzhu.

The young woman carried her signature little medicine box on her back, her steps hurried. Her fine brows were knitted, and her delicate little face was etched with impatience.

And behind her followed a young man in white robes, waving a folding fan.

Like a persistent leech.

The man was reasonably handsome and was chattering away at Chu Lingzhu.

Chu Lingzhu’s face was filled with disgust.

Just then, she suddenly caught sight of Jiang Mu not far away.

The young woman’s beautiful eyes lit up, and she opened her mouth to call out to him.

But Jiang Mu reacted with lightning speed. The moment before she could make a sound, he greased his soles, his figure flashing as he ducked into a nearby alley with a WHOOSH, vanishing in an instant.

"Huh?"

Chu Lingzhu stood stunned for a moment, then hurried to the alley entrance to look.

But the alley was deep and empty. Where was he?

She stomped her little foot in anger, muttering under her breath, "That bastard!"

...

’Whew... Good thing I’m fast.’

At the other end of the alley, Jiang Mu patted his chest, inwardly relieved.

That girl usually scowled whenever she saw him. For her to suddenly try and get his attention, it was obvious she wanted to use him as a shield.

’He wasn’t about to get involved in that kind of thankless mess.’

Humming a little tune, Jiang Mu straightened his collar, ready to head home.

Suddenly, he froze.

Jiang Mu slowly turned his head, his gaze falling on the side of the street not far away.

There,

knelt a small, scrawny little girl.

She was dressed in rags, her hair and face were filthy, and she was kneeling timidly before the gate of a large courtyard home.

Beside her, a fat, heavily powdered woman was talking with the household’s steward.

She was clearly a Yapu, a professional human trafficker.

"Sir, the price really can’t go any lower."

The Yapu reached out, grabbed the little girl’s chin, and lifted it, hawking her to the steward as if she were livestock:

"Just look. The girl might look a bit thin and dirty now, but look at these features, this bone structure. She’s a real beauty in the making.

Plus, she’s young, obedient, and easy to raise. Buy her to be a kitchen maid, or raise her for a few more years and let the master take her as a concubine. Both are good options.

Just thirteen taels of silver, and you can take her away. What do you say?"

The little girl was forced to lift her head.

Her small, grimy face was covered in filth, with only two clean tracks washed away by tears.

Her large eyes, which should have been bright, were now filled with numb terror.

The steward scrutinized her, somewhat satisfied, and then continued to haggle over the price with the Yapu.

The little girl kept her small head raised, unmoving.

Jiang Mu was lost in thought for a moment, then moved his legs and walked over, casting a shadow as he stood before the little girl.

When the Yapu saw someone approaching—a young gentleman in an official’s uniform with an impressive air, no less—she was first startled, then plastered a fawning, nervous smile on her face:

"Sir Officer, we have a deed of sale. She’s not a kidnapping victim."

As she spoke, she took out the deed of sale.

But when the girl saw Jiang Mu’s face clearly, her small body visibly stiffened, and a mist suddenly welled up in her eyes.

She called out, her voice tinged with tears:

"...Sir Officer."

"You..."

Jiang Mu opened his mouth, his throat feeling as if it were stuffed with wet cotton. He asked in a hoarse voice,

"Why are you all alone? Where are your grandmother and your little brother?"

Tears streamed from the little girl’s eyes.

"My little brother couldn’t be cured. He’s gone."

"Grandma... she hanged herself."

Jiang Mu was stunned.

Seeing that Jiang Mu seemed to know the girl, the Yapu’s expression changed. Her eyes darted around, and she explained with an obsequious smile:

"Sir Officer, you may not know this, but this girl has had a hard life. Her family met with disaster, and she’s the only one left.

This old woman took pity on her and kindly paid to have her family members buried. The money for the coffins, the money for the pallbearers... it all cost quite a bit of silver, you know.

And as you know, times are tough for everyone these days. My own family can barely afford to eat. I couldn’t just watch this girl starve to death, could I? I thought I’d find a good home for her, where she could at least get a full meal, and it wouldn’t be a waste of my..."

The woman’s tongue was incredibly slick, rattling on and on.

Jiang Mu’s expression was indifferent. He ignored her.

He crouched down and asked softly, "Did anyone get a doctor to look at your brother?"

The little girl nodded.

"An official had a doctor come and prescribe medicine, but my little brother still didn’t make it."

Jiang Mu understood.

’At least Ran Qingshan hadn’t lied about that.’

He asked again, "Did your grandmother also use up all the family’s money on his treatment?"

"Mhm."

"What about the land and the house?"

"Grandma sold them to pay for my little brother’s treatment."

"Then how much did you sell yourself for?"

"Seven taels."

"Did they give you the money?"

The little girl shook her head. "Aunt Zhang said that was the money to bury Grandma and my little brother."