Chapter 160: Strike First

The next morning, Li Lin set out with the rural militia.

Zhang Guangqi stood at the city gate to see Li Lin off.

Only after the two hundred rural militia vanished down the official road did he return with his servants.

Meanwhile, on the city wall, the County Vice Magistrate Jiang Jili fanned himself, watched Zhang Guangqi, and smiled faintly.

Zhang Guangqi went to the county government office and, as usual, handled the county's internal affairs; when tired, he stood up to walk around and occasionally spoke with the Registrar.

Then he continued handling affairs.

By noon, he smiled and greeted the others in the county government office, even exchanging greetings with the County Vice Magistrate Jiang Jili, before strolling slowly back home.

His wife was not in Yulin County but remained in Jingcheng.

This was the Southern Border, almost a frontier; the weather was hot, and compared to the capital Jingcheng in the Central Plains, it was a rather austere place.

Generally, people with some power were unwilling to come here.

But such a place also represented sufficient merit to be 'harvested'.

And Huang Yan had stayed here for over ten years... using upright methods, he obtained a ticket for advancement.

He needed little support from the Huang family at all.

Now, Zhang Guangqi had also come here.

He believed he could replicate Huang Yan's success.

Zhang Guangqi entered the study and began reading.

In books lie beauties like jade; in books lie houses of gold.

He had barely managed to see the house of gold, but the beauty like jade... truly, there was none.

Similarly, as women of the Huang family, Huang Yan's two daughters were both stunning beauties.

But the wife he married was plain in appearance.

Her temper was also quite arrogant.

Let alone following her husband wherever he went; not beating her husband was already remarkable.

This was the reason his wife stayed in Jingcheng and did not accompany him to Yulin County.

Zhang Guangqi loved reading; he felt reading could steady his state of mind.

Whether facing great sorrow or something that excited him greatly, as long as he picked up a book, his heart would calm down.

Time quickly passed to evening; the sky grew dim.

He sat in the main hall slowly eating dinner.

Not long after, more than a dozen men in black emerged from nearby side rooms.

He took out a vial of protective barrier powder and had someone pour it around the main hall.

After this was done, he said: "The altar is just behind; carry it carefully. Do not let it bump or collide."

The dozen or so men in black simultaneously clasped their fists and responded.

At that moment, a transparent figure appeared beside Zhang Guangqi.

The dozen or so men in black could not see him, but Zhang Guangqi could: "Kong Donglai, whether you succeed and whether I can rise depends entirely on this one time."

This Great Apparition named Kong Donglai laughed: "No big problem. I have heard of this woman, Liu Zhe. Although she has a snake body, I heard that was caused by a curse. Her own strength is quite average, and all her magical power resides in that Peach Tree Dharma Image. As long as we cover ourselves with large quantities of Yin Qi Stones, it will not be difficult to hide from her perception."

Zhang Guangqi nodded and said: "That is good!"

Kong Donglai laughed: "However, the Huang family seems to be declining; only ten-plus years, and yet brothers are already fighting each other."

"It is good they are having internal strife; if they did not stir, how would I have a chance?" Zhang Guangqi sneered: "The Huang family, I have long been fed up with. They give me an opportunity, and I take it."

Kong Donglai shook his head, holding his fan lightly: "Schemes and treachery are ultimately but minor paths. If your learning surpasses others, you can walk uprightly, without needing to labor your mind and heart so."

"Uprightly?" Zhang Guangqi said disdainfully: "For the first ten years, I believed this very words, yet achieved nothing. Serving as County Vice Magistrate for ten years, doing so much work, just to exchange for the position of County Magistrate. And that boy Li Lin, merely Huang Yan's son-in-law, emerged less than a year ago and has already become the County Commandant. If he is given another two or three years, he will surely be promoted by Huang Yan to the Prefecture City, either as Patrol Commissioner or as Commandant."

Sun Donglai looked at the other helplessly: "What of your original intention?"

"My original intention has never changed; it is to achieve a position above others." Zhang Guangqi snorted: "Otherwise, given that woman's temper and appearance, how could I possibly have married her. But the Huang family ultimately helped me nothing; I served them so cautiously, yet they did not like it. That boy Li Lin, however, caught Huang Yan's eye. Why?"

"Just because my family head is superior to you in everything, whether in appearance or talent."

This voice suddenly appeared, carrying a strong allure.

"Who is there!"

The dozen or so men in black simultaneously looked toward where the voice came from, then discovered a woman standing beside the green stone altar.

This woman was none other than Li Yanjing.

She covered her mouth with a green water sleeve, revealing only a pair of peach-blossom eyes, looking extremely charming.

Zhang Guangqi instinctively stepped back: "How did you get in?"

"Guess!" Li Yanjing laughed.

Kong Donglai stood before Zhang Guangqi, his expression solemn: "Possession Apparition..."

"Is she the Possession Apparition from Yulin County? Wasn't it said she went missing some time ago?" Kong Donglai floated slowly forward and asked.

"You just said your family head is superior to the County Magistrate in everything... so your family head is Li Lin?" Zhang Guangqi's eyes widened.

Li Yanjing placed her right hand on the altar and laughed: "Yes. This friend who looks very much like a scholar, do not come closer; if I exert just a little force, this altar will be destroyed."

Kong Donglai dared not move.

Zhang Guangqi stepped forward two paces and roared: "Li Lin has great audacity, daring to send an Apparition to kill!"

"You dared to send people to assassinate me; why should I not dare!"

This voice suddenly rang out.

Zhang Guangqi felt a sharp weapon pressed against his back; his whole body stiffened.

"Li Lin, did you not set out for Jincheng?"

"Then why could I not return?"

Kong Donglai looked at Li Lin, then at Li Yanjing not far away, sighed, and said, "Guangqi, I told you to act with integrity. Look, the retribution has arrived."

"I won't accept it!" Zhang Guangqi roared, "On what grounds do you succeed at everything? I only had a tiny wicked thought, yet I'm caught red-handed!"

"Just a tiny wicked thought?"

Li Lin applied slight force, and the Evil Bone Wine pierced the other's heart.

Zhang Guangqi trembled all over, trying to struggle, but had no strength at all; his body slowly slid to the ground.

Kong Donglai stood motionless, merely waving his feather fan and sighing.

Li Yanjing asked, "Won't you resist?"

"No need. The victor becomes king, the loser becomes a bandit; this has been so since ancient times." Kong Donglai clasped his fists and said, "Please, miss, finish it swiftly, so the commoners nearby suffer less pain."

"That's hard to say; the one who will act is not me!" Li Yanjing laughed.

Then she slammed her right hand heavily onto the green stone altar.

Kong Donglai sighed, his eyes beginning to roll back.

His face also became hideous.

Just as he was about to lose his mind, Li Yanjing appeared before Kong Donglai and, with a wave of her hand, 'scattered' him.

Like scattering a cloud of dust.

At this moment, the dozen or so black-clad men finally reacted and tried to flee.

But peach blossom petals fell from the sky, obscuring the view ahead, yet these petals fell only within this courtyard.

Moments later, the peach blossom petals vanished, leaving only Li Yanjing in this courtyard.

And a broken green stone altar.

She looked left and right, then laughed, turned transparent, and disappeared into the night.

At this time, Li Lin suddenly appeared on the official road several li outside the county town.

Beside him were the dozen or so black-clad men.

Faintly, transparent peach blossoms were dissipating around them.

Li Lin reacted extremely quickly, leaped backward, landed in the grass beside the official road, and entered stealth mode.

The black-clad men, due to the sudden change in environment, were still somewhat dazed.

But then, they screamed in agony.

Before long, their bodies withered away; in less than the burning of an incense stick, they became white bones.

The Desolate Horror had arrived.

Li Lin moved forward in stealth; two hours later, he saw a camp.

Then he slipped inside without alerting anyone, found his own tent, and lay down to sleep fully clothed.

Another two hours passed, and the sky gradually brightened.

Li Lin crawled out of the tent, stretched, and muttered to himself, "This ground is truly uneven; sleeping here is very uncomfortable."

Su Bei walked over and said, "County Commandant, I failed to do my duty well and caused you to suffer."

"It's fine; just level the ground a bit tonight." Li Lin waved his hand indifferently.

(End of this chapter)