[{"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-120":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},2264720,4420,"Chapter 120: Diverting the Calamity Eastward","dark-and-dawn-light-years-chapter-120",120,"\u003Cp>Chief Yan!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin had little impression of this man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He and the Assistant County Magistrate were much the same type—each had his own small circle, rarely interacted with outsiders, equally low-key.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If there was work to do, he did it; if not, he stayed home—also this type.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin raised his eyebrows and smiled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had been waiting for this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crumple this paper into a ball, then immediately enter stealth mode.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He leapt onto the wall, scanned left and right, saw no one notable, yet he did not go looking for the so-called Chief Yan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead, he headed straight for the Assistant County Magistrate’s residence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He scaled the wall and entered the Assistant County Magistrate’s home, then saw two yellow dogs lying not far ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As if hearing a sound, both dogs turned toward Li Lin’s direction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin silently cursed his luck—dogs had extremely sensitive noses; even if they couldn’t see a person, they could still smell them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just like before, that eunuch Qi could detect the blood on him, let alone a dog’s nose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But unexpectedly, the two yellow dogs merely glanced this way, then showed no further reaction—just lay there, tongues lolling, staring toward the gate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin paused, then realized what the new ability of the stealth technique was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eliminate one’s own scent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was a useful ability.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He then slowly bent over and moved toward the back courtyard; the two dogs occasionally glanced his way, but since they saw no one and smelled nothing, they remained unresponsive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Li Lin reached the third gate of the third courtyard, he climbed onto the roof, arrived above the room where the lamp was still lit, gently lifted a tile, and looked down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He saw the Assistant County Magistrate chatting with a man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since only their heads were visible, he couldn’t tell who the man was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How did it go?” asked the Assistant County Magistrate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ve already thrown the stone into Li Lin’s house. It bore Chief Yan’s name—he’ll investigate.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Even if it doesn’t fully steer Li Lin toward investigating Chief Yan, it buys us some time,” the Assistant County Magistrate said, then snorted: “Tomorrow, quietly move all those women away.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Understood.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And that fellow He Shangjin… did you kill him yet?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I had the Whore Ghost drain his essence—he should’ve died by tonight, and no ordinary investigator could detect it,” the man said, voice tinged with anger: “But for some reason, that bastard Li Lin went to see him, bought him ginseng root, and forcibly revived him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Li Lin thought the man’s voice sounded familiar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he remembered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Tong!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The errand boy who bought the ginseng root—if he hadn’t mentioned the ginseng, Li Lin wouldn’t have recalled him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Forget about He Shangjin for now. Li Lin will probably assign someone to guard him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Tong nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Assistant County Magistrate said: “As long as we leave no evidence in Huang Yan’s hands, we can escape. Originally, I planned to wait until I retired, then when he became Prefect of Jincheng, I’d strike him from behind—but Li Lin discovered it too soon.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Assistant County Magistrate, do you think Li Lin will tell Huang Yan about this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He definitely will,” the Assistant County Magistrate sighed: “He’s practically Huang’s son-in-law—how could he not consult his father-in-law? It’s infuriating my family has no granddaughter, or else Huang Yan wouldn’t have snatched away that gifted youth.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Tong bowed and said: “I’ll get to work then.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good. Be careful. Don’t let anyone spot your tracks.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Understood.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Tong left the Assistant County Magistrate’s room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin waited a moment, replaced the tiles, then followed behind Yu Tong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, Yu Tong twisted and turned until he reached Xingzhuang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Li Lin felt a chilling aura swirling around him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He crouched on the roof, motionless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Tong suddenly said: “Come out. I know you’re following me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin didn’t move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man glanced left and right, eyes puzzled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then Yu Tong softly whistled, and a female apparition appeared beside him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Necromancy +1]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin couldn’t help muttering inwardly—this world was full of hidden dragons and tigers; an unremarkable government office runner knew necromancy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then Li Lin realized: the female apparition was the same one he’d seen last night—ugly-faced, able to move freely, and without grievance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Tong stood still; the female apparition floated up, scanning left and right. It passed near Li Lin several times, yet saw nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, it descended and slipped into Yu Tong’s body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Tong shuddered, murmured softly: “Illusion?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he continued forward, entering a low hut.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin used his Light Body Technique to land on the roof, then lifted the tiles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Tong was not inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only a man walked to the bed and lay down to sleep.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was a secret passage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin did not pursue further—he returned home.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next day, he went to the government office and saw Yu Tong waiting outside with others; he asked: “Has anyone seen Chief Yan arrive for work?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He’s in the interrogation room,” someone replied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin thought for a moment and asked: “Who among you is familiar with Chief Yan? Could you introduce me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin and Chief Yan were only nodding acquaintances; they’d barely spoken.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Tong stepped forward, smiling obsequiously: “I can speak with Chief Yan.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then I’d be grateful for your help.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No trouble at all, no trouble.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin followed Yu Tong to the interrogation room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chief Yan was interrogating a man through iron bars.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Li Lin approach, he looked surprised, bowed, and said: “County Constable, what are your orders?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin waved his hand: “I just heard Chief Yan has wide connections—is that true?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not at all. I’ve never left the county,” Chief Yan asked curiously: “Who told you that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I can’t recall. I just seem to have heard it said.” Li Lin asked again: “Do you like money?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chief Yan’s expression grew even stranger: “Who doesn’t? What do you mean, County Constable?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His expression grew uneasy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin offered an unnatural smile: “No matter, just asking.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This left Chief Yan baffled—and even more uneasy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because he’d also heard that Li Lin was recently investigating something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Internally, Li Lin felt a pang of guilt—he had to make Chief Yan suffer a little to keep Yu Tong and the Assistant County Magistrate off guard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back at the barracks, Li Lin redistributed patrol duties.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He then took ten government office runners and returned to He Shangjin’s house.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Hao climbed down from the roof and said: “I kept watch all night—found nothing so far.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you. Go rest now,” Li Lin bowed: “Tonight, I’ll treat you to wine.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Haha, then I’ll look forward to it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, Zhao Hao yawned and left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin entered the house.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Shangjin hurriedly got out of bed and bowed: “County Constable.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm. You look much better. Rest a couple more days, then return to work.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you, County Constable.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Tong stood nearby, smiling naturally.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Lin led the ten government office runners on two patrols through the marketplace, then dismissed them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Night arrived quickly, and Li Lin scattered countless paper dolls.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had a secret passage… so did Li Lin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The demon may rise a foot, but the Dao rises a zhang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, the paper dolls stirred.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1225,"2026-06-19T19:39:18.782Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","a072a43502964849cfda8e944bb2d9be8b630dee52fc0a0e85cb98840006a35c","dark-and-dawn-light-years-chapter-121","dark-and-dawn-light-years-chapter-119",221,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fdark-and-dawn-light-years-cover.jpg"]