44: Chapter 44 Distant Relatives

On the rocky beach, the wind grew harsher.

Jiang Hongli crouched beside a broken stele, dipped her finger into the dark red bloodstain, and brought it to her nose to sniff.

"It's not human blood."

She pulled out a handkerchief to wipe her hand, curling her lip in disgust. "Chicken blood, mixed with a bit of cinnabar. And there's a... gamey smell. Probably black dog blood."

Chen Mo loosened his grip on his sword. "Is someone practicing dark arts here?"

"Practice my foot." Jiang Hongli stood up, dusting off her skirt. "If they were really practicing dark arts, they would have dug up this grave by now. This blood is splattered all over the place, without any rhyme or reason. It looks more like... feeding."

Feeding?

Chen Mo frowned. The word sounded ominous.

"Alright, let's pull back." Jiang Hongli sheathed her sword. "The main culprit isn't here. Either they've had their fill and left, or they haven't come out yet. If we just stand around here, we're just feeding the mosquitoes."

She walked away decisively.

Chen Mo didn't waste any words and turned to follow.

But the moment he turned, his back tightened.

The feeling was faint, like an invisible spider silk gently brushing against his neck.

Someone was watching them.

Or rather, something was watching them.

Chen Mo instinctively wanted to look back, but was interrupted by Jiang Hongli's voice.

"Don't look back."

Her voice was very soft, blending into the wind.

"Pretend you don't know, just keep walking."

Chen Mo understood immediately. His pace didn't falter, his breathing didn't change. He maintained that lazy demeanor typical of a Runner and followed Jiang Hongli, wandering out of the rocky beach.

Only when they reached the official road did the cold, prying sensation completely disappear.

The sun was setting in the west, stretching their shadows long.

"Let's go check on that Little Girl."

Jiang Hongli suddenly spoke.

Chen Mo was stunned. "Who? Little Grass?"

"Who else? Do you have another lover?" Jiang Hongli glanced at him. "Wasn't it you who asked if there was a place to take in orphans? What, you don't want to deal with it now?"

"It's not that I don't want to deal with it..." Chen Mo smiled bitterly. "I just haven't figured out how. My ramshackle house is drafty enough as it is."

"Let's go see."

Jiang Hongli's tone was flat, revealing a coldness that had seen through the ways of the world. "This kind of family that's reached a dead end, with no one to hold it up, is like a piece of fatty meat thrown into a pack of wolves. Do you believe me? Before tomorrow comes, 'kind-hearted' relatives will show up."

Chen Mo's heart skipped a beat.

Eating the desperate.

In the modern world, this was news; in this world, it was the norm.

When they returned to the slum area in the west of the city, it was already dusk.

The place where Chen Mo lived was a small courtyard with two adobe houses. The wall was built of rubble, enough to stop a gentleman but not a villain. Next door was Old Man Li's house.

"This is your home?"

Jiang Hongli stood at the courtyard entrance, sizing up the rickety wooden door, and clicked her tongue twice. "Chen Mo, you are too incorruptible as a Runner. Anyone who didn't know better would think you were an Elder of some Beggar Sect."

"Lord Jiang, please watch your tongue." Chen Mo took out his key to open the door. "I call this 'the hermit hiding in the city'."

Before he could finish, a commotion suddenly erupted in the courtyard next door.

"You little brat! Let go! I'm your uncle! Would I harm you?"

Immediately following was Little Grass's terrified crying: "I won't go! I don't know you! Big Brother Chen... Big Brother Chen, save me!"

Chen Mo's face darkened.

Jiang Hongli crossed her arms, leaning against the doorframe, a mocking curve playing on her lips. "Look, what did I tell you? The wolves are here."

Chen Mo ignored her teasing, turned and took a few steps to the next-door courtyard gate, and kicked open the partially closed door.

"Bang!"

In the courtyard, a middle-aged man in a gray cloth robe was dragging Little Grass by the arm. Little Grass was clinging tightly to the old jujube tree in the yard, crying with her face full of tears, her fingernails dug into the tree bark.

The man had a sharp mouth and monkey cheeks, and a pair of triangular eyes darting around. He didn't look like a good person.

"What are you doing!"

Chen Mo shouted, his hand pressing onto the hilt of his sword.

This shout was full of vitality, carrying the intimidating Evil Qi honed in the government office.

The man was startled, and his hand loosened. Little Grass took the opportunity to break free, scrambling over to hide behind Chen Mo, clutching his clothes tightly, trembling like a quail.

"Big Brother Chen..."

"It's okay." Chen Mo patted her head, his gaze cold as he stared at the man. "Who are you? Abducting a girl in broad daylight—are you tired of living?"

When the man saw the Runner's uniform on Chen Mo, the greed in his eyes vanished instantly, replaced by a fawning smile.

"Oh, it's an officer! A misunderstanding, it's all a misunderstanding!"

He rubbed his hands and bowed as he approached. "My name is Li Ya, I'm this girl's distant uncle. I heard that Brother Li... well, he's passed on. I thought the girl was all alone and pitiful, so I wanted to take her to my home to live comfortably."

"Live comfortably?"

Chen Mo sneered, looking Li Ya up and down. The man smelled greasy, his fingernails were full of black grime, and he looked even more wretched than Chen Mo. What kind of comfort could he provide?

"Since you're a relative, why have I never seen you around before?"

"Well... it's because I live far away, and I'm busy, busy." Li Ya's eyes darted around. "Officer, this is a family matter, you see..."

"A family matter?"

Chen Mo stepped forward, his finger tapping lightly on the sword hilt. "Old Man Li left records at the government office, and his household registration doesn't list any uncle. You say you're a relative, so you are? Do you have proof? Do you have a family tree? Do you have a guarantor?"

Three questions in a row left Li Ya speechless.

He was just a rogue. He had heard Old Man Li died and wanted to trick the girl away to sell her for some money, and incidentally take over this courtyard. How could he have any proof?

"I... we are old kin..." Li Ya stammered.

"Without proof, that's human trafficking."

Chen Mo's face darkened, and he slapped a heavy charge on him. "According to the Great Law, trafficking a child is punishable by eighty strokes of the cane and exile for three thousand li. What's the matter, do you want to come back to the government jail and chat with me?"

Hearing the word "jail," Li Ya's legs went weak. The common people don't fight with officials, and he was already feeling guilty.

"No, no, no! Officer, I really meant well... Since you say so, then... then I'll leave now. Another day, I'll come back another day with proof!"

Li Ya apologized with a smile while retreating. Once he reached the gate, he glared fiercely at Little Grass before scurrying away in defeat.

Chen Mo watched his back disappear into the alleyway before withdrawing his gaze.

He had seen plenty of this kind of scum. They bully the weak and fear the strong; as long as you are tougher than them, they will fold.

"Not bad, Chen Mo."

Applause came from behind him. Jiang Hongli had walked in at some point, looking at him with a half-smile.

"You throw your official weight around quite smoothly. But you can only scare bullies like this. If someone truly powerful and influential came along, this uniform of yours wouldn't be of any use."

"It's useful for a moment, and that's enough."

Chen Mo turned around, looking at Little Grass, who was still clutching his clothes, afraid to let go.

The Little Girl's hair was messy, tears still hanging on her face, and her eyes were full of fear and helplessness.

She was just like an abandoned kitten.