Chapter 47 Meeting an Old Friend Again

Head Constable Wang's words were vicious; not only did he insinuate that Chen Mu had a penchant for the Dragon Yang, but he even directly compared him to a Xianggu, someone used for others' amusement and lewd play.

The lively atmosphere in the hall quieted down instantly. Many gazes turned toward Chen Mu in unison; some were sympathetic, while others gloated.

Before Chen Mu could speak, Liu Ziming, who was sitting beside him, slammed his chopsticks down with a loud "clack."

"Head Constable Wang! Keep your mouth clean! Don't you know Chen Mu's capabilities? He is a true man who earns his living through real skill!"

"Do you think everyone is like you? Relying on flattery and acknowledging a brother-in-law just to scramble your way into being a Squad Leader! Without the County Magistrate, what are you?"

"Just a straw bag, yet you really think you're something! If we threw you into Sangye Village for a night, would you be able to return in one piece? I'm afraid you'd have pissed your pants before even entering the village!"

This direct insult clearly struck a nerve with Head Constable Wang, exposing his reliance and background completely.

Head Constable Wang's face turned bright red instantly, then immediately paled to an ashen blue. He stood up abruptly, pointing a trembling finger at Liu Ziming.

"Fine... fine! Liu Ziming, you are truly impressive. But there are still many days ahead; we shall see!"

Liu Ziming was sobered up a bit by his appearance and felt a little guilty, but he still stiffened his neck, unwilling to back down.

Only then did Chen Mu slowly put down his wine cup. Ignoring Head Constable Wang, he turned toward Xu Changze.

His tone was unhurried, as if he hadn't just been pointed at and called a male prostitute.

"Sir, Head Constable Wang, as a superior, has repeatedly insulted subordinates with malicious words and provoked colleagues. Before this, because he failed to extort a bribe, he even attacked a colleague, causing serious injury."

"Now, in this public setting and under the gaze of everyone, he uses filthy language to slander me, corrupting the atmosphere of the Demon Suppression Division."

"If this continues, I fear it will not be a blessing for the yamen, nor is it the proper way for you to manage your subordinates. I ask that you investigate this clearly."

His tone was calm, yet every word was like a knife, laying all of Head Constable Wang's evil deeds out in the open and finally placing the labels of "corrupting the atmosphere" and "poor management" directly onto Xu Changze.

Xu Changze looked displeased. While Head Constable Wang was indeed his brother-in-law, in his eyes, he was no different from a pug.

Moreover, Chen Mu had just resolved the demon infestation in Sangye Village and was riding high on success. His words were reasonable and well-founded. With so many subordinates present, even if he wanted to show favoritism, he had to be cautious; otherwise, it would be hard to avoid being accused of nepotism and giving others unnecessary grounds for criticism.

Therefore, he glared fiercely at Head Constable Wang and sternly scolded him.

"Shut up! As a Squad Leader, you do not know how to show consideration for your colleagues, and instead use malicious language. What kind of behavior is this! I am fining you three months' salary. If there is a next time, you can stop being a Squad Leader!"

Head Constable Wang was stunned upon hearing this. He looked at Xu Changze in disbelief, seemingly unable to understand why his brother-in-law had suddenly turned against him. However, upon meeting the other's exceptionally cold gaze, he ultimately dared not argue.

He lowered his head, dropped his eyes, and unwillingly squeezed a few words through his teeth.

"Subordinate... obeys."

The look he cast toward Chen Mu and Liu Ziming, however, was even more sinister and resentful.

The feast ultimately ended on a sour note.

Xu Changze flicked his sleeves and left, with Head Constable Wang following behind like a stray dog. The other colleagues also took their leave one after another.

However, the looks everyone gave Chen Mu as they left were no longer mocking as before, but carried a bit more complexity.

It was admiration for his courage and skill, as well as shock at his toughness and methods.

Liu Ziming was drunk, and his leg was hurting terribly. Chen Mu sighed and sent him home before returning to his own residence alone.

By this time, the night was deep, and all was silent.

Chen Mu pushed open the courtyard gate and quickly scanned the general situation.

This place was near the base of the city wall, a simple small courtyard assigned by the Demon Suppression Division. There were few neighbors around, and while the place wasn't big, its advantage was its quietness.

After days of running around, having just finished fighting the Cat Demon, and then returning to the county yamen to fight a bloodless battle, Chen Mu couldn't help but feel a bit exhausted. He just wanted to wash up a little and get some sleep.

Entering the bedroom, Chen Mu wiped his face and was just preparing to rest when, suddenly, a chill struck without warning.

Outside the window!

Chen Mu turned his head sharply, his hand already resting on the hilt of his sword!

He saw that under the cold moonlight, in the shadows of the courtyard wall, a pair of eyes was staring fixedly at him!

Those eyes were long and narrow, with vertical pupils, flashing with a strange light.

It was not a human, but a cat.

A black cat, entirely pitch-black, almost blending into the night!

Chen Mu's heart contracted suddenly, and he felt a wave of shock.

Was it... the Cat Demon from Sangye Village? But hadn't he already successfully killed it and absorbed its Demon Core?

Was it the original one, or a fish that had slipped through the net, or... the Beimang Sect?

Chen Mu immediately held his breath, calmed his mind, and pushed his Taibao Horizontal Training to the limit. His Protective Aura quickly covered his entire body, and at the same time, his six senses were instantly elevated to their peak.

He sensed an extremely faint breathing sound coming from outside the door.

Found you!

A cold light appeared in Chen Mu's eyes, and a murderous intent arose suddenly.

Sneaking in at midnight, they were definitely not kind folk. No matter who the intruder was, he could not let them live!

As he thought this, he instantly activated the Divine Void Step under his feet. His figure flashed as he lunged straight toward the door.

His sharp blade was already unsheathed before he knew it, imbued with the Sword Intent of the Heaven-Slaying Sword Drawing Technique, unleashing a flash of cold light that was simple to the extreme!

Just in this moment of life and death, suddenly, a scream rang out from outside the door. It was not a cat's meow, but a woman's voice.

"Chen Mu! Are you sick in the head?"

Chen Mu was shocked.

This voice... it was so familiar. It was Jiang Huoyu, who had asked him for the tiger tooth in the Mountain God's cave last time!

He hurriedly tried to withdraw his power, but once this Move was launched, how could it be retracted just like that?

Although the sword tip deviated by three parts, it still pierced through the door panel and stabbed right in!

"Pfft!"

Following that was Jiang Huoyu's sharp cursing, carrying clear signs of shock and pain.

"Chen Mu, are you crazy? In the middle of the night, you try to kill me through the door panel? Where do you get such murderous intent!"

Chen Mu abruptly withdrew his long sword, pulled the door bolt, and pushed the door open to step out.

Outside the wooden door, Jiang Huoyu was clutching her shoulder and stumbling backward, her small face already pale with pain.

In her arms, a pitch-black cat was arching its back and growling repeatedly.

"You..."

Chen Mu was speechless for a moment; he wanted to explain but didn't know where to start.

"What 'you'? I hadn't even knocked on the door yet, and you stabbed over with a sword. What kind of grudge do you have against your own door panel? If I hadn't reacted quickly enough, your sword would have pierced straight into my heart!"

The more Jiang Huoyu spoke, the angrier she became, and the more aggrieved she felt.

"With such a ruthless hand, which girl would dare to marry you in the future?"

"You deserve to be alone for the rest of your life! It hurts, it hurts, it hurts..."