Turns Out I'm the Real Monster?!

About fifteen minutes later.

Ran Qingshan, accompanied by Yan Fenghuo and a squad of trusted men, hurried to the scene.

Seeing the scene in the courtyard, Ran Qingshan felt a throb of pain in his temples.

’Why is it this kid again?’

"What happened here?"

Ran Qingshan suppressed his anger, his gaze deliberately avoiding the corpse on the ground.

Just as Wen He was about to speak, Wang Ershang, who was beside him, stepped forward first and reported the entire incident in detail.

He particularly emphasized the statements from the children rescued from the secret room and the gray-robed servant.

In his telling, he attributed all the credit to Jiang Mu.

Even before Ran Qingshan had arrived, he had already rescued the little boy and the two sisters from the secret room and settled them somewhere safe.

Wen He shot his subordinate a cold glance but ultimately said nothing.

Ran Qingshan looked at Jiang Mu. "Your turn."

Jiang Mu briefly recounted the sequence of events and handed over the secret letter.

Ran Qingshan took the letter and scanned it quickly.

After reading it, his tightly furrowed brow visibly relaxed a little.

The letter’s contents were enough to prove that this was all the mad act of Madam Liu alone, and that the rest of the Chang family knew nothing of it.

This was very important.

As long as Elder General Chang wasn’t involved, the matter would be much easier to handle.

Only then did Ran Qingshan let his gaze fall back on the body, asking a question to which he already knew the answer. "So, you’re saying this is Madam Liu of the Chang family?"

"That’s right," Jiang Mu nodded.

Ran Qingshan tucked the letter into his sleeve and said in a low voice,

"This woman colluded with a vile Demon behind Prince Chang’s back, practiced Demon Techniques, and had become a Demon herself.

In slaying her, you were acting in accordance with the law. You did well.

I will report this matter truthfully to the General Office. As for the Chang family, I will handle the explanation myself. You don’t need to worry."

His words were final.

By directly classifying Madam Liu as a Demon, he had given Jiang Mu the strongest possible legal backing.

"Thank you, Director," Jiang Mu said, clasping his hands.

Ran Qingshan looked at the young man before him, who still carried a lingering, savage aura. With a complex expression, he clapped him on the shoulder and said,

"Go home and rest for now. Leave the rest to me."

"Yes, sir."

Jiang Mu bowed and took his leave.

As he brushed past Wen He’s aide, Jiang Mu suddenly stopped, staring at him with a smirk.

"I’ve got my eye on you. If you don’t want to end up a cripple, get your ass over to the Government Office and wait for me. Otherwise... Hmph!"

The aide’s face went deathly pale.

After Jiang Mu’s figure had disappeared into the distance, Ran Qingshan finally turned to Wen He.

"Master Wen, take your men and search the area again thoroughly. Don’t worry, our bureau will take direct control of this case, so it won’t affect your hall’s performance review."

"Director, I—"

"Report the specific findings to me after you’ve investigated fully."

Ran Qingshan didn’t wait for him to finish. He signaled his subordinates to collect Madam Liu’s body and turned to enter the secret room to investigate.

Wen He watched Ran Qingshan’s departing back, a look of regret welling up in his eyes.

He understood that this time, he had been far too cautious.

"Hall Master..."

Wang Ershang carefully asked for instructions. "Should we temporarily seal off the entire street?"

Wen He stared at him, a cold smile on his face. "You’re the Hall Master. You decide!"

With that, he brushed past him and walked away.

Wang Ershang’s face paled, and he finally forced a bitter smile.

...

After entering the secret room, Ran Qingshan slowed his pace.

Yan Fenghuo, walking beside him, said in a low voice, "Master Wen has really changed. He wasn’t like this before."

"I know."

Ran Qingshan sighed.

"Old Wen used to be so sharp. I don’t know when he ended up like this. Perhaps he realized he had no hope of a breakthrough or promotion, that this was as far as he’d go in life, so he decided to just play it safe."

Yan Fenghuo hesitated for a moment before speaking again.

"But Master Jiang was certainly a bit impulsive today."

"I, for one, think it’s a good thing."

Ran Qingshan smiled. "The Demon-slaying Bureau is lifeless right now. We desperately need people like him. If everyone was like Wen He, our Hu State would have been doomed long ago."

Yan Fenghuo was silent for a moment, then said suddenly,

"Director, I’m ready to test him."

"Oh? How will you test him?"

"The patrol team just received a confidential report. The Wolf Demon that collaborated with the Mist Demon during the last invasion is currently hiding in Black Wind Valley, outside the city."

A sharp glint flashed in Yan Fenghuo’s eyes. "As soon as our scouts confirm its exact location, I’ll lead a team to exterminate it."

"And you plan to take Master Jiang with you?"

"Yes."

Yan Fenghuo nodded firmly.

"That Wolf Demon was hidden inside the city for a long time. Our follow-up investigation showed that its hiding spot was very close to the Jiang family’s residence.

If Jiang Mu really is the mole, it’s highly likely he knows this Wolf Demon, or has even had contact with it."

Not far from the Jiang family...

Ran Qingshan was silent for a long time before finally giving a slight nod.

"Be cautious. Until you have conclusive evidence, you must ensure his safety."

"Understood."

Yan Fenghuo thumped his chest in assurance. "Don’t worry, Director. This time, we’ll definitely expose him.

If this test doesn’t work, I, Yan Fenghuo, will do a handstand and eat shit in public!"

—

Jiang Mu returned home.

Bai Xiang was lounging on a recliner under the eaves, engrossed in a scroll, a rare look of relaxed clarity on her face.

In the sandy part of the courtyard, Yuan Ahqing was practicing her Pile Skill.

After days of nourishment from medicinal meals and arduous training, the girl’s once thin and frail frame had begun to fill out, like a young willow sprouting new branches.

Although her skin was still a bit tanned, her eyes now held a hint of Spiritual Qi.

Jiang Mu could faintly sense that the girl had already touched the threshold of the First Realm.

While her speed couldn’t compare to his own cheat-like progress, it was already outstanding among ordinary people—one might even call her a genius.

"Master!"

Finishing her form, Yuan Ahqing gave a shy smile.

"Good work."

Jiang Mu reached out and ruffled the girl’s hair, smiling. "As expected of my Ah Qing. At such a young age, you already have ten percent of my talent."

The girl’s face flushed red. "It’s all because Master is a good teacher."

"Of course it’s because I’m a good teacher."

Jiang Mu accepted the praise without any modesty, then changed the subject.

"But you also have to thank your Aunt Bai Xiang. If not for her cooking those nourishing medicinal meals for you every day, where would you get the energy to cultivate?"

On the recliner, Bai Xiang’s hand, which was turning a page, paused.

’Aunt?’

Yuan Ahqing was also taken aback, and said timidly, "Master... didn’t you call her Sister Xiang?"

"What ’sister’? Call her ’aunt’."

Jiang Mu took her small hand and led her over to Bai Xiang. "Come on, say, ’Thank you, Aunt Bai Xiang.’"

Bai Xiang: "..."

’This man can be so childish sometimes.’

Yuan Ahqing didn’t dare disobey. Blushing, she said in a small voice, "Thank you... Sister-Auntie Xiang."

’This little girl, trying not to offend either of them.’

Jiang Mu chuckled and patted her shoulder. "Go heat up some water for your master. I want to take a bath."

"Okay!"

Yuan Ahqing replied cheerfully and trotted off toward the kitchen.

Jiang Mu shot another glance at Bai Xiang, who was still pretending to be unfazed, and returned to his room, humming a little tune.

As he was changing his clothes, the cloth doll he had taken from Madam Liu fell out.

Jiang Mu picked it up.

’What the hell is this thing?’

Jiang Mu examined it closely.

His instincts told him this doll was likely some kind of sinister Magical Treasure from a Demon.

He guessed the Demon had given it to Madam Liu to curse her husband’s primary wife or other enemies.

’Since it’s a Magical Treasure, even a sinister one, I should be able to modify it with Demonic Qi, right?’

To test his theory, Jiang Mu tried to channel the Demonic Qi from his Demon Slot, slowly infusing it into the cloth doll.

As the Demonic Qi flowed in, the doll indeed began to transform.

The coarse burlap gradually became fine and smooth. The blood-red patterns faded away, replaced by a network of faint golden threads.

Immediately after, the demonic blood in his Demon Slot surged into the doll like a flood from an open dam.

The level in his Demon Slot dropped at a speed visible to the naked eye.

"Holy shit! It’s a vampire!"

Jiang Mu felt a visceral pang of loss as he watched, his face turning green with regret.

He wanted to stop several times, but he was afraid of ruining the item by stopping halfway, so he could only grit his teeth and endure.

The doll finally stopped absorbing when only a thin layer of demonic blood remained at the bottom of his Demon Slot.

By now, the cloth doll in Jiang Mu’s hand was completely transformed.

It was laced with golden threads and had a smooth, jade-like texture.

Its features were clear and bore a strong resemblance to his own.

Moreover, it emanated a faint golden glow. Where was the slightest trace of sinister energy?

It had been completely demon-hacked!

At the same time, a piece of information flooded into Jiang Mu’s mind.

"Substitute Death Doll!"

Jiang Mu was stunned.

According to the information fed back from his Demon Slot, this was a Magical Treasure that could die in his place.

Even if he were slapped into a pulp or burned to ash, this doll could restore and resurrect him once.

Jiang Mu’s eyes shone with delighted surprise.

’This is a great item.’

’Isn’t this just like getting an extra life?’

He never expected to get such a reward for killing that bitch.

Jiang Mu was filled with smug satisfaction.