Chapter 289 - 139: Do Not Look, Do Not Look

Chapter 289: Chapter 139: Do Not Look, Do Not Look

"You lot, go patrol the perimeter first. Leave one team to guard the main roads into the village, and remember not to disturb the villagers. The rest of you, rest here. We’ll head up the mountain to search together in a bit."

"Yes, ma’am!"

The group acknowledged the order and quickly dispersed.

Shui Miaozheng then sent Ming Cuicui, Zhu Chang, and the others to assist with setting up the defensive perimeter, keeping only Jiang Mu with her.

She led Jiang Mu to a small, raised earthen hill at the edge of the village and pointed to the densely forested mountain beside them.

"According to the villagers, there’s a Wolf Demon on this mountain who’s claimed it as his own for some years now. But the strange thing is, he’s never harmed anyone from the village. In fact, he occasionally drives away other wild beasts."

"So the villagers aren’t afraid of him. They even gave him a nickname: ’Grandpa Wolf.’"

Grandpa Wolf?

Jiang Mu’s expression was strange. ’What kind of ridiculous nickname is that?’

Shui Miaozheng continued.

"I’ve reviewed the old case files from the Yan City Demon-slaying Bureau, so I know a bit about this Wolf Demon. His strength is considerable—estimated to be around Tier Five—and he’s quite cunning."

"The Yan City bureau organized several extermination campaigns in the past, but he always managed to evade them by using his familiarity with the terrain."

"Besides, he truly never caused any bloodshed. Later, when Yan City fell into internal turmoil, the bureau gradually stopped paying him any mind."

At this, Shui Miaozheng’s tone grew somewhat complicated.

"Especially after the rebellion in Yan City, many vicious demons began roaming this area, frequently attacking villagers. On the contrary, it was the Wolf Demon who repeatedly stepped in to drive off those outsiders, protecting the peace here."

"In the past, I was a purist who couldn’t tolerate the slightest speck of dust in my eye. I didn’t care if a demon was good or evil; if it was a demon fiend, I would’ve killed it with a single strike."

"But later, under Gui Xin’s influence, and perhaps because I’ve gotten older... I find I can’t bring myself to strike down a benevolent demon like this—one that has never harmed people and has even secretly protected them."

The woman gave a self-deprecating smile.

Watching her, Jiang Mu couldn’t help but think of Ling Xigua.

That Lord Patrol Envoy had also become lost while slaying demons and had begun to ponder the line between demon and human.

Unlike him, the "inside man," who was never confused.

’Kill who needs killing, spare who needs sparing, flatter who needs flattering, and do what needs doing.’

’His guiding principle was to follow his whims, keeping his mind free and his will clear.’

"Come on, I’ll take you somewhere first." Shui Miaozheng collected her thoughts and started walking toward the village.

Jiang Mu followed behind her.

As they walked, Shui Miaozheng said in a low voice:

"However, this time is different. According to intelligence we intercepted, people from the Red Umbrella Sect seem to be secretly contacting the Wolf King on this mountain. They’ve offered him great rewards to get him to cooperate with the Demon Army’s impending attack on the city."

"Adding a Tier Five demon who is familiar with the terrain would be a significant asset for the Demon Army."

"Don’t be fooled by the Demon Army’s claim of thirty thousand troops; their actual number of elite fighters is not that large. If this Wolf King is truly persuaded to cooperate with the Red Umbrella Sect... then, when the time comes to kill, we must not hesitate."

Jiang Mu understood Shui Miaozheng’s underlying meaning.

The Demon-slaying Bureau’s stance on "neutral" demons like this was actually quite delicate.

If they didn’t cause trouble, they could be left alone for the time being—even treated as a kind of buffer zone.

After all, pushing them too hard might drive these neutral demons into the enemy’s camp, uniting the entire Demon Race against them.

If the Wolf King maintained the status quo and didn’t conspire with the Red Umbrella Sect, the Demon-slaying Bureau would be happy to let things be. They would let him continue as the "king of the mountain" and, in the process, help clean up other unruly demons.

But once he chose to stand on the opposing side, eliminating the potential threat would be the only option.

Before long, Shui Miaozheng led Jiang Mu to a small farmhouse courtyard at the end of the village.

In the courtyard, a silver-haired old woman sat on a small stool, skillfully rolling a handful of dry hemp fibers on her thigh.

The hemp fibers turned in her palm with a soft, rustling sound.

Seeing Shui Miaozheng enter, the old woman stopped her work. A smile bloomed on her wrinkled face, revealing gums with several missing teeth.

"Lass, you’re here again! Quick, quick, come in and sit!"

Lass?

Jiang Mu gave Shui Miaozheng a peculiar look.

A faint blush crept onto Shui Miaozheng’s beautiful face. She explained in an embarrassed whisper:

"I came here in disguise a few times before to ask about the demons nearby. I never told her I was an official, just that I was an ordinary person passing through. The old dear found me friendly and has been calling me ’lass’ ever since."

"Come on, lass, don’t just stand there. Sit here."

The old woman enthusiastically pointed to a small wooden stool beside her.

Shui Miaozheng offered a gentle greeting and, without scorning the simple stool, sat down next to the old woman.

She pointed to another stool nearby, motioning for Jiang Mu to sit as well.

However, the farmhouse stools were terribly low and small.

Shui Miaozheng had a voluptuous figure, and after sitting down, she had to press her long legs together and angle them to one side.

This caused the fabric of her skirt to stretch completely taut.

It clung to the plump curve of her thighs all the way down to her slender ankles.

The small seat squeezed her ample rear, forcing it to swell out behind her.

The tiny stool’s surface was completely covered, as if she were overflowing from it.

Jiang Mu stared at the sight, momentarily lost in a daze.

He muttered to himself internally, ’I wonder how this Water Director maintains her figure. How is her flesh so obedient, growing in all the right places?’

"Oh, lass, is this your husband?"

The old woman beamed as she came forward, taking Jiang Mu’s hand to look him over. She was full of praise.

"This young man is so handsome! You can tell just by looking at him that he’s a good man who dotes on his wife. You two are a perfect match, a pair made in heaven."

Jiang Mu felt a bit awkward and started to explain: