Chapter 29: Return to the County Town

Li Lin did not want anyone to know he possessed the Vitality Pill.

So his movements were very discreet.

Seeing Xu Saifeng dead, the fat man immediately activated the Bai Yu Token, fled with a body of red light.

He also made off with a Soul-Summoning Banner.

The formation was broken instantly.

Bai Bufan wanted to pursue and reclaim the Soul-Summoning Banner, but his own uncle held him back, shaking his head at him: "Do not pursue a desperate foe."

Then he looked at Li Lin beside him and said gratefully: "Thank you, Inspector Li, for saving our lives. The Bai family will remember this debt and surely repay it generously."

Li Lin waved his hand.

It was not that he was playing aloof, but at this moment he felt alternating cold and heat, very uncomfortable; if he spoke, his voice would surely be affected, revealing something strange to others.

Pretending to be greedy, he bent down, felt out many silver notes from Xu Saifeng's body, then went to the saddlebags of the warhorse, feeling out some red square flags and the Soul-Summoning Banner.

Then there was nothing else of value.

What a pity!

It seems not everyone has the habit of carrying secret manuals on their person.

Having finished all this took some time; the coldness in his body had already dissipated by more than half, and he felt much better.

He should be able to speak now. Li Lin looked at Bai Liwei and asked: "Senior Bai, what should we do next?"

"Wait!" Bai Liwei looked at the formation with a missing section and said: "Now the wilderness belongs to the Wild Abominations. Only by gathering together and using our vital energy to temporarily scare away the Phantoms can we have a chance to survive. In the meantime, we wait for other colleagues to return."

He then looked at the three corpses lying nearby: "It is a pity for these three colleagues, Wang Chao, Ma Sien, and Yuan Li."

Li Lin also sighed.

Before coming, he had a feeling this mission might be troublesome, but he never expected it to be this troublesome.

"Is your injury serious?" Li Lin asked.

"Superficial wounds." Bai Liwei smiled: "I just deceived them a moment ago."

Truly an old hand... Li Lin estimated that even if he had not suddenly appeared, Bai Liwei would have had a trump card to survive and get out.

While the two chatted, faint footsteps came from outside. The three turned their heads to look; it was an acquaintance running back.

"Great, you are still here. It was truly not easy to shake off that dog-skin plaster." This man was called Cai Wei, also a middle-aged Spirit Hunter, with formidable leg techniques and very fast running speed.

Seeing the corpses of Ma Sien and others upon his return, his mood shifted from delight to gloom.

Then, seeing Xu Saifeng's corpse, his expression became somewhat strange: "Bai Hu Flips the Body?"

Li Lin nodded.

"Ruthless, too ruthless." This man bowed his hands to Li Lin: "Brother Li, please never use this move on us brothers in the future, I beg you."

In fact, those with some experience all know that the true killing move of Bai Hu Flips the Body is not "Bai Hu Carries the Corpse," but the Bai Hu Shatters the Core Strike.

Only a few people have mastered this move, and even fewer are willing to practice it.

Not long after, two more colleagues ran back.

The Bai Yu Tokens on their bodies were all blazing with red light; if they had not run back, they could have held out for at most another half-plus shichen, then would have been lost in the illusions of the Wild Abominations, their flesh and blood sucked dry, becoming mere skeletons.

At this moment, there were six people... the red light emitted by the Bai Yu Tokens gathered together, barely able to resist the invisible Wild Abominations outside, which were gathering in increasing numbers.

They waited another half shichen. Bai Liwei said: "I estimate the remaining people cannot return. We must leave now. If we do not go... even if the Wild Abominations do not gather, the enemy might come. Return directly to the county town. The matters ahead involve other officials, not us. What do all of you think?"

Everyone naturally nodded in agreement; at such a time, returning alive was the most correct choice.

They did not want to stay in this ghost place for even one more moment.

Bai Bufan asked: "Should we collect the remains of these three seniors?"

Bai Liwei shook his head and said: "There is no time. Let's go."

Having said that, the six mounted the warhorses and left directly.

For the rest of the journey, the six rested during the day and traveled at night.

There was no choice... they had all become birds startled by a bent bow. During the day, they still dared to close their eyes and rest for a short while, but at night they dared not relax even the slightest bit.

Because the vital energy of the six people, even combined, was unable to completely block the Wild Abominations.

They spurred their horses on the entire way. After two nights and one day, they finally returned to the county town.

The six, covered in dust and travel-worn, looked extremely wretched. At this moment, seeing the city gate of the county town, they finally felt the relief of having survived a disaster.

Half a shichen later, the six sat in the rear courtyard of the county government office, while before them paced back and forth the county magistrate, Huang Yan.

He looked very anxious.

After hearing the report, his face turned black: "Sixteen went, six returned. The military garrison was destroyed. The Qin family of Yuecheng is truly bold and reckless."

No one answered him, because Spirit Hunters mostly did not understand the twists and turns of officialdom.

"."

The Spirit Hunters all stood up and left; no one spoke, because they had no mind for it.

At the entrance of the county government office, Li Lin met Huang Qi.

The other party performed a hand-bow with great ease and said: "Brother Kunge, I have prepared tea and wine in the rear courtyard of my home, waiting only for you."

"I want to go back and rest first..."

"This concerns the inside story of your trip to the Bobai Military Garrison. Do you not want to hear it?"

Li Lin paused, then nodded and agreed.

They soon arrived at the rear courtyard of the Huang residence. Besides the two of them, no one else was present; it seemed Huang Qi had specially instructed this.

"In fact, on the third day after your departure, my father already knew the general situation."

Li Lin narrowed his eyes slightly: "So fast!"

"Our Huang family does have some connections." Huang Qi sighed lightly, then said: "Regarding the Qin family of Yuecheng, how much do you know?"

"I know nothing at all."

Huang Qi laughed; he greatly appreciated Li Lin's straightforward style of saying yes when it was yes and no when it was no.

Unlike some people who, for the sake of face, pretend to understand what they do not.

"The lands around Yuecheng are fertile, with numerous rivers, and rice harvests three times a year. It is the granary and a major commercial city of our Great Qi. Its annual tax revenue equals that of five major cities in the north." Huang Qi sighed and said, "When people become extremely wealthy, they crave power; once they have power, they seek ways to hide armor... In fact, many know full well that the Qin family of Yuecheng intends to rebel, after all, paper cannot wrap fire. Yet we did not expect them to be so audacious; not only did they slaughter an entire military garrison, but they also smashed the altar of Taowu Zhenjun."

"With such arrogance, does the imperial court do nothing?"

"Now the Central Plains are in decay, and the north suffers from raids by the Di people; the imperial court can no longer manage everything." Huang Qi spoke with heavy words: "Our Jincheng is still relatively good; overall, the people live in peace and prosperity. Step outside the Jincheng region, and you will see what is called... deep waters and scorching fires."

Li Lin fell silent; he truly knew little about the situation outside Jincheng.

After all, this world has no such thing as the 'internet'.

"This is also why that noble gentleman is striving; he wishes to restore the mountains and rivers." Huang Qi said with a smile: "I very much hope Brother Kunge will join us in supporting the falling Great Xia."

Li Lin shook his head slightly: "Let us speak of this later; right now, I only want to know, did those more than a hundred lives at the military garrison, those eight comrades, die in vain?"

"How could that be!" Huang Qi laughed: "My father is, after all, the County Magistrate... Bobai Town is under his jurisdiction; he will seek justice for those people."

"Then what can we Spirit Hunters do?"

Li Lin simply could not swallow this indignation.

It was not only for those colleagues who died unjustly, but also for himself.

"In a few days, the Demon-Subduing Bureau will send someone down." Huang Qi snapped open his fan: "They will recast the altar for the Bobai military garrison and simultaneously send another Taowu Zhenjun to garrison there. At that time, you will go along with them; something good will happen."

Go to Bobai Town again?

Li Lin was not very willing.

Seeming to see Li Lin's reluctance, Huang Qi smiled and whispered: "Within the Demon-Subduing Bureau, there is a member of my Huang family; if you wish to learn Spirit Hunter techniques, you can seek him out."

Having said this, Huang Qi gently blinked an eye.

Li Lin did not become excited; instead, he fell silent for a moment and asked: "What must I give in return?"

Techniques are even more precious than the Spirit-Taming Heart Method; in this era where even life tips like 'the heat control for frying tofu' are passed down to sons but not daughters, and since I am not someone else's son, why should they teach me!

There must be a reason.

(End of this chapter)