[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-dark-and-dawn-light-years":3,"chapter-dark-and-dawn-light-years-dark-and-dawn-light-years-chapter-118":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Dark and Dawn Light-Years",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2264718,4420,"Chapter 118: Assuming Office, Immediately Starting Fire","dark-and-dawn-light-years-chapter-118",118,"\u003Cp>So a clean, upright grassroots official really matters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If an official is honest and fair, the government office runners won’t dare act recklessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he’s greedy, then the top is crooked and the bottom follows.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That means, two guan in total, split among your forty or fifty men—less than forty wen each.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Buto chuckled bitterly: “I’m fine, but the brothers really work hard—still, we get by. One wen buys seven liang of coarse rice; if you’re frugal, a family of three won’t go hungry.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin thought for a moment and said: “I’ll set aside three taels of my monthly salary and give it to you all to split.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Buto was stunned: “That’s impossible!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin smiled: “I get seventy jin of blood rice every month—I sell some on the black market, so I never lack cash. I just got paid today, and I seem to have my share—come with me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin went to the ‘Household Office’ and happened to find Huang Ying working there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He saw Li Lin and smiled: “Big Brother-in-Law.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Buto stared at Li Lin in surprise, then seemed to understand something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin asked: “May I ask, are you the County Magistrate’s…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m Huang Ying, courtesy name Ziqing,” the boy stood up and smiled. “The youngest in the family.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ziqing… you’re the Registrar now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes,” Huang Ying asked with a grin: “Big Brother-in-Law came to collect your salary, right? I’ve already prepared it for you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He pulled five guan from beside him and placed them on the desk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each guan was one thousand copper coins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It didn’t sound like much, but laid out, it was very conspicuous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was also heavy—each guan weighed about seven or eight jin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin said to Fang Buto beside him: “Hold three guan for me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh? Oh!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Buto took the three guan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Huang Ying stepped closer and said: “Big Brother-in-Law, I’ve been feeling unwell lately—could you spare me one or two Qiangti Pills?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin smiled knowingly: “No problem. I’ll have Hongluan deliver them to the Huang residence tomorrow.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you, Big Brother-in-Law,” Huang Ying bowed his fist. “Tonight, I’ll treat you to a drink at Hongxiuzhao?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I won’t go,” Li Lin waved his hand. “I need to cultivate my heart method tonight.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So diligent?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huang Ying was surprised.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then I’ll invite Big Brother-in-Law to drink another time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Afterwards, Li Lin returned to the Military Office with Fang Buto.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Along the way, Fang Buto, carrying the three guan, kept glancing at Li Lin, as if he had many questions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he never asked any.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the Military Office, Fang Buto gathered all the government office runners.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fifty-three government office runners stood in the courtyard outside, staring in shock at the three guan in Fang Buto’s hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Buto looked at Li Lin and said: “From now on, every month, County Wei  Li will contribute three guan from his own salary to split among you all—thank County Wei  Lord.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The government office runners instinctively bowed their hands, too stunned to process it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s not much,” Li Lin said slowly. “I hope you won’t look down on it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The government office runners finally reacted, looking at Li Lin with great excitement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They earned so little each month—now, with three guan split among them, their lives would improve greatly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Divide the money,” Li Lin said. “Then go out on patrol.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The three guan were broken open, and each man came forward to take his share of copper coins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The few extra wen, Li Lin kept for himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He placed the two guan still in his hand onto his official desk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he stepped out and said: “Follow the usual patrol routes. The team assigned to the marketplace—I’ll lead it myself.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Previously, the marketplace route was the most sought-after, because even if you collected no money, you could still scavenge food and drink there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The government office runners quickly split into five teams and set out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin led eleven of them around the marketplace, and at noon, treated them to cheap cool tea from street vendors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Twelve men, six copper coins total—extremely cheap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin led the patrol himself, especially on this route, for a reason.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Few in the city knew he’d become County Wei , so he had to walk around, making more people aware of his presence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To facilitate future work.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The marketplace had the most foot traffic and was the easiest place to spread news.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The street vendors nervously served the twelve men cool tea, terrified but too afraid to run.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A group of government office runners was frightening enough—now there was also a man in different uniform, clearly an ‘official.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin sipped his weak tea slowly—it tasted ordinary, but it quenched his thirst.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sun was harsh; Li Lin wanted the government office runners to rest a while longer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The government office runners drank the weak tea, watching Li Lin with deep admiration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin looked pale and frail on the surface, much like the former County Wei .\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But his identity as a Spirit Hunter made them realize Li Lin wasn’t some weak scholar like Huang Qi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, Li Lin was handsome.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Don’t think men hate another man for being handsome—if a man is handsome, capable, and approachable, men are more likely to admire him and center themselves around him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s exactly the situation now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One of the younger government office runners suddenly said: “County Wei , have you heard of the Beggar Gang in Xingzhuang?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this, several other government office runners looked strangely at each other but said nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin shook his head: “What’s the story?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s… troublesome,” the young runner bit his lip and continued: “You should go see for yourself.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin nodded: “Finish your tea first, then we’ll go together.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He felt the young runner was hinting at something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, the tea was finished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin led the eleven government office runners to Xingzhuang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>People hurried past, vendors shouted their wares—it looked no different from any ordinary street.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin looked at the young runner, who kept his head down, silent, avoiding eye contact.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin seemed to understand something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he led them away without lingering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That night, Li Lin came alone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He moved silently along the rooftops, watching.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike daytime, at night, many doors here were left slightly ajar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then people crept in furtively, closing the doors behind them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, strange sounds came from inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Secret prostitutes?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Honestly, such things couldn’t be banned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not everyone could afford the brothels—they were too expensive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nor could every woman work in brothels; only the very top tier had that chance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Li Lin felt this wasn’t simple—if it were, the young runner wouldn’t have spoken so hesitantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He lifted a tile and peered inside, his expression grim.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because the woman inside… had blind eyes—clearly visible, her gaze was hollow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He replaced the tile and leapt to another rooftop, lifting another tile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This secret prostitute was a woman missing her left arm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The third was legless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fourth, the fifth…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, he understood—Xingzhuang was an entire nest of secret prostitutes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All of them disabled women.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Secret prostitutes alone weren’t unusual—but so many disabled women? That implied coercion, trafficking, human smuggling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without protection, they couldn’t operate so openly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then who?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin said nothing, preparing to leave—when suddenly, a chill struck from behind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He instantly rolled behind a eave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he saw a hideous female ghost glide past over the rooftops ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin was stunned—this female ghost moved in her true form, unpossessed—how had she evaded the True Lord’s ‘detection’?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But then he knew why.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This female apparition had only yin energy, no resentment energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At least Li Lin could not sense her resentment energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then the female apparition found a house but did not enter; soon, faint cries of male pleasure echoed from within.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The female apparition took part in it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin did not act, but left the place—he needed to find someone and ask what was going on here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why did the County Magistrate do nothing?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was he unaware, or simply unwilling to act?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1357,"2026-06-19T19:39:18.782Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","e04574cc0d49991a4f8888fcd6e6ac29deba7c2c4d7c7edca423c42ba2a45845","dark-and-dawn-light-years-chapter-119","dark-and-dawn-light-years-chapter-117",221,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fdark-and-dawn-light-years-cover.jpg"]