Chapter 120: Diverting the Calamity Eastward

Head Constable Yan!

Li Lin did not have much of an impression of this man.

He was much the same type as the County Assistant: he had his own small circle, rarely mingled with outsiders, and was equally low-key.

He worked when there was work to do, and stayed home when there was nothing to do; he was that type of person.

Li Lin twitched his eyebrows and smiled.

This was exactly what he had been waiting for.

He crumpled the paper into a ball and immediately entered stealth mode.

He leaped onto the wall, scanned left and right, saw no one remarkable, yet he did not go looking for the so-called Head Constable Yan.

Instead, he headed straight for the County Assistant's residence.

He vaulted over the wall into the County Assistant's home, then saw two yellow dogs lying ahead not far away.

As if hearing some sound, both yellow dogs turned their heads toward Li Lin's direction.

Li Lin muttered inwardly that he was unlucky, because dogs' sense of smell is extremely keen; even if they cannot "see" a person, they can still sniff out a person's scent.

Just as before, even someone like Eunuch Qi could sniff out the bloodstain on him, let alone a dog's nose.

But contrary to expectations, those two yellow dogs merely glanced in this direction and showed no further reaction; they simply lay in place, panting with tongues out while facing the main gate.

Li Lin paused in surprise, then immediately understood what the new ability of the Stealth Technique was.

It eliminates one's own scent.

This is a fine ability.

He then slowly bent his waist and walked toward the rear courtyard; the two dogs occasionally glanced in his direction, but since they could neither see him nor smell his scent, they showed no reaction.

When Li Lin reached the third gate of the third courtyard, he flipped onto the roof, arrived above the room where the "lamp" was still lit, gently lifted a tile, and looked down.

He saw the County Assistant chatting with a man.

Because he could only see their heads, he did not know who this person was.

"How is it?" the County Assistant asked.

"I have already thrown the stone into Li Lin's house. It bears the name Head Constable Yan; he should go investigate."

"Although it may not fully guide Li Lin to investigate Head Constable Yan, it can at least buy us some time." The County Assistant said this, then snorted: "Tomorrow, quietly move all those women away for me."

"Very well."

"And that fellow named He Shangjin... have you killed him?"

"I had the Prostitute Ghost absorb his vital essence; he should have died by tonight, and ordinary people would not be able to detect it." That person spoke with some anger: "But for some unknown reason, that rascal Li Lin actually went to see him, bought him ginseng roots, and forcibly woke him up."

At this moment, Li Lin felt the person's voice sounded somewhat familiar.

Then he remembered.

Yu Tong!

The errand-runner who bought the ginseng roots; if he had not mentioned the ginseng roots, Li Lin would not have remembered.

"Then let us set He Shangjin aside for now; Li Lin should send someone to protect him."

Yu Tong nodded.

The County Assistant said: "As long as we do not leave evidence in Huang Yan's hands, we can escape. Originally, I intended for this matter... after I retire and he becomes the Prefect of Jincheng, to strike him a blow from behind, but Li Lin, this little hand, discovered it prematurely."

"County Assistant, do you think Li Lin will tell Huang Yan about this?"

"He certainly will." The County Assistant sighed: "He is almost Huang family's son-in-law; how could he not consult with his father-in-law? It is hateful that my family has no granddaughter; otherwise, how could Huang Yan have snatched away such a talented youth?"

Yu Tong clasped his hands and said: "Then I shall go do my task first."

"Very well, be careful; do not let anyone see your tracks."

"Understood."

Yu Tong left the County Assistant's room.

Li Lin waited a while, returned the tile to its original place, then followed behind Yu Tong.

Then he saw Yu Tong wind his way through twists and turns until he arrived at Xingzhuang.

At this moment, Li Lin felt a chilling, eerie aura swirling around him on both sides.

He crouched on the roof, motionless.

Yu Tong suddenly said: "Come out; I know you are following me."

Li Lin did not move.

The other party looked left and right, his expression puzzled.

Then Yu Tong softly whistled, and a female apparition appeared beside him.

【Ghost-Raising Technique +1】

Li Lin could not help but click his tongue inwardly; this world truly hides dragons and tigers; even an inconspicuous government office Runner knows the Ghost-Raising Technique.

Then Li Lin realized that the female apparition was the one he had seen last night: ugly-faced, able to move freely, and without resentment.

Yu Tong stood in place while the female apparition floated up, scanning left and right; it passed near Li Lin several times yet saw neither the latter.

Finally, it descended again and drilled into Yu Tong's body.

Yu Tong shivered, murmuring softly: "An illusion?"

Then he continued forward and arrived at a low house.

Li Lin used the Lightness Technique to land on the roof, then opened a tile.

Yu Tong was not in this house.

Only a man walked to the bedside and lay down to sleep again.

There is a secret passage.

Li Lin did not continue tracking; instead, he returned home.

When the next day came, he went to the government office and saw Yu Tong waiting outside the courtyard with others; he asked, "Has anyone seen Yan Buto arrive for work?"

"He's in the interrogation room." someone replied.

Li Lin thought for a moment and asked, "Does anyone here know Yan Buto well enough to introduce me?"

Li Lin and Yan Buto were only nodding acquaintances, having barely spoken to each other.

Yu Tong stepped forward with a fawning smile: "I can speak with Yan Buto."

"Then I'll trouble you."

"No trouble at all, no trouble at all."

Li Lin followed Yu Tong to the interrogation room.

At that moment, Yan Buto was interrogating a man through an iron grille.

Seeing Li Lin approach, he looked surprised and bowed with a fist: "County Magistrate, what are your orders?"

Li Lin waved his hand: "I just heard Yan Buto has wide connections—is that true?"

"Not at all. I've never left the county town," Yan Buto asked curiously, "Who told you that?"

"I can't remember. I just seem to have heard it said somewhere," Li Lin asked again, "Do you like money?"

Yan Buto's expression grew even stranger: "Who doesn't? What do you mean, County Magistrate?"

His expression grew uneasy.

Li Lin offered an unnatural smile: "It's nothing, nothing—just asking."

Then he left.

This left Yan Buto baffled—and even more uneasy.

Because he too had heard that Li Lin was recently investigating something.

Inside, Li Lin felt a pang of guilt; to keep Yu Tong and the County Secretary steady, he had to temporarily burden Yan Buto.

Back at the barracks, Li Lin redistributed the patrol duties.

He then took ten government office Runners and returned to He Shangjin's house.

Zhao Hao climbed down from the roof and said, "I kept watch all night—found nothing so far."

"Thank you. Go rest now," Li Lin bowed his fist. "Tonight, I'll treat you to wine."

"Hah! Then I'll look forward to it."

With that, Zhao Hao left, yawning.

Li Lin entered the house.

He Shangjin hurried off his bed and bowed with a fist: "County Magistrate."

"Hmm. You look much better. Rest a couple more days, then return to work."

"Thank you, County Magistrate."

Yu Tong stood beside him, smiling naturally.

After patrolling the marketplace twice with his ten government office Runners, Li Lin dismissed them.

Night arrived quickly, and Li Lin scattered countless paper people.

They had secret passages… Li Lin had paper people too.

The devil's trick is one foot, but the Dao's is ten.

Soon, the paper people stirred.

(End of Chapter)