71: Let you first taste the iron fist of public opinion!

Prefecture City, night.

Li Dong hid in the shadows, spiritual light flickering at his fingertips, as he swiftly processed several Jade Slips.

"Lord Zhou, this burden, you'll have to bear it, whether you want to or not.

Who told you to be a good person and occupy that position?" he muttered under his breath, sending an encrypted Jade Slip through a special channel.

Inside was his carefully selected "greeting gift"—an outline of Lin Yunzhi's deranged plan, several photos from the Lin family's secret warehouse showing mountains of spices and bizarre experimental apparatus, and of course, the most striking pages of the core ledger.

"I can't give everything at once, lest you, old man, feel too much pressure and give up.

As for the rest, I'll send some 'warmth' to others too, so everyone can have a good time."

He chuckled, then pulled out a few more Jade Slips.

Several names flashed through his mind.

"The Wang family, how many years have they been openly and secretly battling the Lin family?

This grand gift is a small token of my respect, a small token."

"That one in the west of the city... uh, the Zhang family, right, the Zhang family!

Hasn't their silk shop always been suppressed by the Lin family?

Let them also open their eyes and see how the Lin family 'got rich'."

"And in the Demon Suppression Division, haven't there always been rumors that several adults have disliked Commander Luo, that old fellow, for a long time?

Isn't this an opportunity that just delivered itself?"

Li Dong's mood at this moment was like a child who had just finished a proud painting, just waiting to see the show begin.

He distributed one meticulously crafted "surprise" after another through various secret channels, like casting a net.

Some were delivered directly to the gatehouses of certain mansions, some cleverly flowed to the market forums where Cultivators usually gathered to brag and chat, and even more, somehow reached the ears of storytellers, who embellished and varied the versions, spreading them rapidly through the streets and alleys of Prefecture City.

"In this day and age, who doesn't know how to launch a bit of a public opinion offensive?

It's not shameful."

Li Dong clapped his hands contentedly, "Doesn't the Lin family like to play dirty tricks in the dark?

Then let them also taste the feeling of being condemned by thousands and unable to defend themselves.

This is called... blooming everywhere, fires igniting all over!"

Sure enough, not long after, the entire Prefecture City completely exploded!

It wasn't an earth-shattering explosion, but something far more terrifying—a torrent of public opinion!

"Hey! Have you heard?

The Lin family!

That Lin family, rich enough to rival the Prefecture!

They're actually secretly doing something outside the city... it's called, called 'demon-attracting incense'!

And they're going to detonate it!

My heavens, this is going to let Yao Beasts rush into our Prefecture City!"

A middle-aged man who had just overheard something in a teahouse lowered his voice, yet couldn't help but want to share this shocking news with those around him.

"My God!

Is this true or false?

This is too depraved and inhumane!"

The person next to him, hearing this, stared with wide eyes.

"Absolutely true!

They even have pictures!

They photographed all the bottles and jars in their secret warehouse!

And traces of ledgers!

It says on them that they... they used living people for experiments!"

The man grew more and more agitated as he spoke, spittle flying.

"No wonder!

No wonder there was such a big commotion in the southern suburbs a few days ago, I thought it was an earthquake!

It turns out the Lin family's black-hearted warehouse was blown up!

Heaven must have been unable to bear it and sent down divine punishment!"

For a time, in teahouses, restaurants, and even among street vendors selling candied haws, everyone was passionately discussing this shocking scandal.

Panic, like an invisible plague, quickly spread through the city.

Some well-connected families had already begun quietly packing their valuables, contemplating whether to temporarily leave the Prefecture and go to their rural estates to avoid the storm.

And those common people with nowhere to go gathered in groups of three or five, cursing the Lin family's malice and cruelty.

Within the Demon Suppression Division, an even greater uproar was stirred.

"Hey, have you heard?

This Lin family matter... it's gotten too big.

You say, is it true or false?" A young Demon Suppression Guard whispered to his colleague.

"How could it be false?

The evidence is almost plastered all over the market's notice boards!

And there's internal news that Inspector Zhou has already acquired more than one piece of irrefutable evidence!"

"Hiss... then Commander Luo, hasn't he always been very close to the Lin family?

Could he not know about these things?"

"Shh! Are you trying to die, kid!

Keep your voice down!

Are these the kind of things you can just discuss casually?

Do you want to be exiled to the border to feed Yao Beasts?"

For a time, the entire Demon Suppression Division was in a state of alarm, with various speculations and rumors spreading like wildfire.

The Lin family, once a behemoth that commanded the winds and clouds and overshadowed everything in Prefecture City, was for the first time completely pushed to the forefront, subjected to everyone's scrutiny, questioning, and even curses.

The atmosphere in the Lin family's grand mansion was so heavy it could drip water.

"Bang!"

A fine celadon teacup was violently smashed to the ground, shattering into countless pieces.

Lin Xiaotian, the head of the Lin family, now had a face ashen as the bottom of a pot, the veins on his forehead throbbing, indicating his inner fury.

He pointed at his second son, Lin Yunzhi, who was kneeling below, trembling, his voice shaking with rage.

"You scoundrel!

Look at the good things you've done!

Huh?!

The face of my Lin family has been completely disgraced by you!"

Lin Yunzhi hung his head, not daring to breathe.

He never dreamed that his supposedly flawless plan would be exposed to the public in such a humiliating manner.

Those photos, those ledger screenshots... although they were only fragments, combined, they were enough to ignite the wrath of the entire Prefecture City.

"Father... I... I also don't know how the news leaked out after all."

Lin Yunzhi's voice was tearful, full of fear and confusion, "Now outside... outside it's all over the place, saying our Lin family is going to... going to attract Yao Beasts to bring disaster to the Prefecture, to kill everyone..."

"Still asking?!

It must be that Mu Feng!

No!

He's not Mu Feng at all!

He's Li Dong!

He's that lingering little beast!"

Lin Xiaotian gritted his teeth, his eyes filled with venom, "He's trying to drag our Lin family down with him!

It's a fight to the death!"

Lin Yunzhi shivered: "Then... then what do we do now?

The arrangement of the 'Soul-Devouring Demon Flower' outside the city... should we continue?"

"What else can we do?!"

Lin Xiaotian slammed the table, making the teaware on it jump, "First, find a way to suppress the rumors outside!

Use all available connections to shut up those who are talking nonsense!

Whoever dares to spread it again, find a way to silence them forever!"

He gasped for several rough breaths, his chest heaving, clearly enraged to the extreme.

After a while, he calmed down slightly, and said with a gloomy face, "I have already contacted Commander Luo.

He is under a lot of pressure right now, but he has agreed to try his best to mediate and control the situation."

Prefecture Demon Suppression Division Yamen, Council Hall.

Luo Yi, Commander Luo, sat high on the armchair at the head, his face as still as water, radiating authority without anger.

Below the hall, the officials of the Demon Suppression Division stood with their hands down, each as silent as a cicada in winter, even their breathing softened.

"Regarding the various rumors about the Lin family that have been rampant in the city recently, this Commander has already heard about them."

Luo Yi slowly began, his voice not loud, but carrying an undeniable authority, clearly reaching everyone's ears, "This matter not only concerns the stability of the Prefecture, but also the century-old reputation of our Demon Suppression Division!

This Commander hereby announces the immediate establishment of a special task force, personally supervised by this Commander, to thoroughly investigate this matter!

We must get to the bottom of it and give a clear explanation to the millions of people in the Prefecture!"

He paused slightly, his sharp gaze sweeping over the people below like a hawk: "But before the truth is revealed to the world, no one is allowed to make unwarranted conjectures, discuss in private, or take advantage of the situation to cause trouble and disrupt public order!

Any violators will be severely punished according to the iron laws of the Demon Suppression Division, without leniency!"

His words were grand and righteous, watertight.

But who among those present hadn't been seasoned in officialdom for years?

Who couldn't hear in Commander Luo's words that while he outwardly claimed to "thoroughly investigate," he actually intended to downplay the matter and implicitly favor the Lin family.

"Hmph, he's putting on quite a show.

Anyone who didn't know would really think he was going to uphold justice even against his own family."

In the crowd, someone sneered inwardly, but dared not show the slightest expression on their face.

At the same time, in Inspector Zhou's mansion.

Inspector Zhou held a Jade Slip that had just been delivered through a secret channel, his brows tightly furrowed into a " river" character.

The information attached to the Jade Slip was precisely the "explosive material" Li Dong had anonymously sent.

"The Lin family... Lin Yunzhi... demon-attracting incense... Soul-Devouring Demon Flower... what a grand scheme!

What malicious intentions!"

Inspector Zhou looked at the shocking photos and ledger entries, especially Lin Yunzhi's detailed plan to detonate the "Soul-Devouring Demon Flower" outside the city and artificially create a large-scale Yao Beast riot.

Even with his extensive experience, he couldn't help but feel a surge of alarm.

"This Li Dong... he really is a young fellow who doesn't play by the rules."

Inspector Zhou put down the Jade Slip, muttering to himself.

Not long ago, he had earnestly advised Li Dong to temporarily avoid the limelight and preserve his strength, but he never expected this fellow to turn around and send him such a "generous gift," directly putting him on the spot.

Although Luo Yi had already issued a strict gag order, prohibiting anyone from privately investigating and discussing the Lin family's affairs.

But now, the entire Prefecture City was in an uproar over this matter, with public opinion raging.

As the highest person in charge of the Surveillance Division, if he didn't step forward to make a statement, he would probably find it difficult to explain to the public and even harder to win their trust.

"Alright, alright!

Since you, young fellow, have handed me the ladder, if I were to shrink back and play the turtle again, wouldn't that be too unseemly?"

A complex and inscrutable look flashed in Inspector Zhou's eyes, finally transforming into a resolute determination.

"Someone!" he called out from his study.

"Sir!" A capable subordinate, dressed in Surveillance Division attire, responded and entered, bowing in salute.

"Transmit my order!" Inspector Zhou stood up, his tone decisive, "All departments under the Surveillance Division are to immediately launch a comprehensive and in-depth investigation into the explosion at the Lin family's secret warehouse, and all related matters circulating in Prefecture City recently concerning the Lin family's suspected illicit storage of forbidden items and malicious plotting!

All clues, no matter who they involve, are to be thoroughly investigated to the end, without the slightest slack or concealment!"

"But... Sir, Commander Luo has already explicitly stated..." The subordinate's face showed a hint of hesitation and difficulty upon hearing this.

"Hmph!

If Commander Luo wants to investigate, that's his business!

We, the Surveillance Division, also have our duties!"

Inspector Zhou snorted coldly, his tone exceptionally firm, "Where duty lies, the laws and decrees of Heaven are above all else!

No one can stop it!

Do as I say!"

"Yes, Sir!"

The subordinate, sensing Inspector Zhou's undeniable resolve, felt a chill in his heart and quickly bowed in response.

Outside the city, on the back of a desolate hill.

Li Dong silently listened to the System's real-time reports of various activities within the city, a faint smile playing on his lips.

"Stir it up, stir it up, the bigger the commotion, the better.

The murkier the water gets, the easier it is for those big fish hiding in the depths to expose themselves."

However, he was also very clear that relying solely on this public pressure would at most cause some trouble for the Lin family and that old fox Luo Yi, making them scramble for a while.

To completely bring them down with this was undoubtedly a pipe dream.

The real decisive move still lay outside the city, in that area where the "Soul-Devouring Demon Flower" was about to be personally detonated by Lin Yunzhi.

"Warning!

The System has detected a rapid increase in energy fluctuations in the 'Soul-Devouring Demon Flower' cultivation area to the southwest!

Based on energy model analysis, Lin Yunzhi has begun activating the core hub of the detonation Formation!

The estimated time for the Formation to be fully activated and trigger a chain explosion is less than one incense stick's time!"

The System's emotionless electronic alert, at this moment, sounded like an urgent Talismanic Incantation of doom in Li Dong's mind.

"One incense stick's time?" Li Dong's gaze suddenly sharpened, "Time is this tight?"

He knew there could be no more delay.

"Lin Yunzhi, this complete madman, he really intends to drag the entire Prefecture City into Hell to be buried with their Lin family!"

He reached out and abruptly tore off the "Mu Feng" identity mask he had been using for quite some time, revealing his original face.

On that somewhat delicate face, there was now a hint of cold sternness and decisiveness that didn't quite match his age.

"From now on, I'm not called Mu Feng, I'm called Li Dong!

Li!

Dong!"

This was not merely a change of name, but more like a solemn declaration, a complete severance from his past disguised identity, and also the most direct, most naked declaration of war against the Lin family, against the high and mighty Luo Yi, and even against all the hidden puppet masters behind the scenes!

"Lin family, your doomsday has arrived!

I, your young master, will personally send you off!"

Li Dong no longer concealed anything, his figure like an arrow released from a bowstring, rapidly streaking towards the southwest.

The night wind whistled past his ears, making his clothes flap loudly.

Just as he pushed his speed to the limit and hurried on, his heart suddenly stirred slightly, and his keen spiritual sense captured some unusual Qi.

"Hmm?"

He clearly perceived that besides himself, there were also several not-so-weak Cultivator auras, moving rapidly towards the southwestern area outside the city at the same time, from different directions.

"These people are..." Li Dong's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.

Were these the Demon Suppression Guard sent by Inspector Zhou to investigate in secret?

Or was it a backup plan from that old fox Luo Yi, sent to monitor or deal with the aftermath, because he was still uneasy?

Or... were they Lin family members, going to rendezvous with Lin Yunzhi, or... were they an interception force specifically coming for him?

"Heh, it's getting more and more interesting."

He snorted, with a hint of disdain, "Whether they are friends or foes, whoever wants to block my path will first have to weigh their own strength!"

The path ahead was fraught with unpredictable dangers and unknown variables, but his steps did not falter or waver in the slightest because of it.

That valley, filled with ominous and destructive Qi, was not far off now.