Chapter 89 Evil People Will Be Dealt With by Other Evil People

Chapter 89: The Wicked Meet Their Match

“If I recall correctly, I slew that flood dragon to help you, didn’t I?”

A Chan tilted her delicate chin, looking utterly justified. “That’s a separate matter! And you only helped me because you had ulterior motives!”

She must have been so enraged by that flood dragon last night that she didn’t notice anything amiss, jumping straight into the trap he’d laid.

Hmph! Deceiver.

“Who was it that came looking for me in the dead of night, and despite my repeated refusals, insisted on inviting me to ‘hunt for a flood dragon’?”

A Chan reluctantly admitted, “…It was me.”

“Before that, had I ever hinted at this matter to you?”

“…No.”

A Chan felt the same helpless frustration as being cross-examined in a courtroom, utterly unable to retort.

Bai Xiuming softened his tone, his low voice flowing through the night with a hint of allure. “At most, what I did could be called ‘capitalizing on the situation.’ Isn’t it good to have someone help handle the aftermath?”

Unfortunately, A Chan wasn’t so easily fooled. Her straying thoughts quickly returned.

“Don’t change the subject. Who was it that ‘capitalized on the situation’ while also expecting compensation for a favor?” She shot him a sideways glance. “Lord Bai truly knows how to seize every opportunity, doesn’t he?”

“Fine, my mistake,” Bai Xiuming admitted readily. “I avenged you, and you’ll help me keep a secret. Let’s consider it settled, alright?”

A Chan snorted. “Who’s settled with you? We’re not that close.”

Bai Xiuming nearly chuckled wryly. “It hasn’t even been a day since you said we had a ‘close bond,’ and now we’re not close?”

“Closeness depends on the situation. I just got deceived by you, and I’m hurt. I think our friendship has suffered a rift.”

“Then… how about I be indebted to you for keeping my secret? If you ever need me in the future, you can seek me out anytime. Deal?”

“Seal it with a handshake!” Before he could even finish, A Chan immediately raised her hand—she’d been waiting for this.

Bai Xiuming had no choice but to slap his palm against hers.

Meanwhile, Shen Zhuo, who had just finished washing his face and hair by the pond, turned and saw this scene, feeling utterly dumbfounded.

Somehow, these two didn’t quite fit the gory scene.

He shook the water off his hands, circulated his internal energy, and steam rose from his head as his hair dried almost instantly.

Though he still reeked of a rank, fishy odor, it was still better than before.

Standing up, his subordinate hurried over to report, “Sir, the flood dragon’s corpse has been stored in the storage artifact. The surroundings have also been cleaned up, but we only managed to collect fragments of its skull.”

“Leave a few men here to guard the area. Search again at dawn—make sure no person or beast picks anything up.”

Beasts were secondary—if they ate it, the worst outcome was exploding. If they mutated into monsters, they could just be killed. But if a human ate it, that would mean a life lost.

One could never overestimate the caution of common folk. For many who rarely tasted meat, whether the chunks found in the mountains were ‘normal’ never even crossed their minds.

“Yes, sir!”

Shen Zhuo’s subordinates quickly assigned four men to stand guard, with plans to relieve them at dawn.

Once his orders were given, Shen Zhuo approached the pair and said, “The flood dragon’s corpse has been secured. Do you two want to inspect it again?”

A Chan shook her head vigorously, disgusted by the thought.

Bai Xiuming, however, asked, “How do you plan to handle the body?”

“We’ll toss it outside the city gates and let the people of Yongzhou admire their revered Flood Dragon King. Once they’ve had their fill, we’ll dismember it.”

A Chan thought to herself—no surprise he was Bai Xiuming’s colleague. They were equally merciless.

Then, Shen Zhuo turned to A Chan. “May I ask for the lady’s name?”

“I’m Ji Chan.”

“Miss Ji, I’m Shen Zhuo, Bright Mirror Bureau Commander. You deserve the most credit for eliminating this malignant flood dragon. If there’s any part of it you’d like, I’ll have it sent to you.”

Though flood dragons were far inferior to true dragons, their bones, horns, and hides were still valuable materials.

After some thought, A Chan shook her head. “Better convert it into something else for me. If you have fresh blood from other demonic beasts, that’d be ideal—nothing too high-grade, second-grade is fine. As for the flood dragon’s remains… I’ll pass.”

Originally, she had wanted some flood dragon blood for Hui Niang—it was rare, after all. But since this one was a hybrid, she doubted Hui Niang would appreciate half-human, half-flood dragon blood.

“Certainly,” Shen Zhuo agreed readily, then turned to Bai Xiuming. “What about you?”

Before the other could answer, he added, “Given your position, you shouldn’t take anything.”

Bai Xiuming, who hadn’t even gotten a chance to speak: “…”

A Chan couldn’t help but laugh, turning away when Bai Xiuming glanced at her, her shoulders shaking for a good while.

This was what they called “the wicked meet their match.”

Shen Zhuo continued, “If there’s nothing else, I’ll take my men and go?”

Bai Xiuming uttered a single word: “Begone.”

Unfazed, Shen Zhuo waved a hand. “Let’s move out. Back to the city.”

Once most of the Bright Mirror Bureau Guards had left, Bai Xiuming led A Chan back to Yongzhou City via a different path.

Under the cover of darkness with no one around, Bai Xiuming didn’t bother concealing his cultivation. In less than fifteen minutes, they were back in the city.

A Chan wasn’t quite accustomed to such speed. After entering her room through the window, she immediately collapsed onto the bed to rest, taking a while to recover.

Just then, she heard shouts and wails from outside.

She rushed to the window, pushed it open, and peered out.

The city, which had been settling into darkness, now seemed abruptly awakened. Many households rekindled their lamps, and crowds spilled into the streets. A Chan even saw the innkeeper where she was staying, lantern in hand, running outside.

The shouts continued. After listening carefully, she finally made out the words: “The Flood Dragon King is dead! His body is outside the city gates!”

The once-empty streets were now packed with people, including those weeping—likely unwilling to accept the collapse of their faith.

Resting her chin in her hand, she watched the scene below and suddenly understood why some demons were so eager for human worship. It was indeed a potent force—though fleeting.

Though she already knew what had happened, the lively commotion below reignited her desire to join in.

Without a second thought, she hurried next door and knocked on Bai Xiuming’s door.

Bai Xiuming seemed to have just finished bathing. He had changed into a slate-blue wide-sleeved robe, his hair not tied up but tied back loosely with a ribbon of the same color.

“What now?”

“The night is long… How about we go check out the excitement?”

Just the answer she expected.

“Let’s go.”

This time, Bai Xiuming was surprisingly proactive.

The two descended to the second floor and found several guests in the inn had also come down, likely awakened by the noise, their expressions displeased.

The innkeeper had already gone out, leaving only the waiter to calm the guests down.

Seeing A Chan and Bai Xiuming come down, the waiter rushed over fretfully and explained before they could speak, “Esteemed guests, there’s been a major incident in the city today, disturbing your rest. When the innkeeper returns, he will personally apologize to you.”

A Chan smiled. “No need for that, waiter. We saw the hubbub outside and were just planning to take a look.”

The waiter exhaled in relief but didn’t forget to remind her, “The people outside have likely heard about what happened to the Flood Dragon King. Some might be a bit unhinged, so you’d best be careful, miss.”

“Thank you for the reminder.”

Before leaving the inn, A Chan glanced again at the statue of the Flood Dragon King behind the counter and suddenly felt something was off.

She moved closer and examined it carefully, realizing this statue was noticeably different from the Flood Dragon King she had seen.

If the purpose was to gather worship, the statue should ideally resemble the deity as closely as possible. Most folks wouldn’t spot it, but to her eyes, these were clearly two different dragons—whether in claws, body shape, or facial features.

After a moment’s thought, she beckoned the waiter over and asked, “Waiter, why does the statue in your inn look different from the ones I’ve seen before?”

The waiter was momentarily stunned before replying, “Oh, this statue was acquired by our innkeeper seven years ago. Most believers in the city have since acquired new statues, but many, like our innkeeper, prefer the old one. He says the place has prospered ever since he brought it in, so he never replaced it. If you look closely, there are differences, but they both represent the Flood Dragon.”

After thanking the waiter, A Chan left the inn with Bai Xiuming.

Now, statues were being carried through the streets—more than one.

By lantern light, A Chan carefully examined them and noticed only one resembled the statue in the inn, while the other three bore a much closer resemblance to the freshly killed Flood Dragon King.

“Bai Xiuming, do you see it?” A Chan tugged his sleeve and asked.

“Hmm.”

“It seems the Shen family’s playing a deep game.” A sudden thought struck her. “I remember back in the capital, that crone who cursed me had a statue at home that looked just like the one in the inn.”

“Identical,” Bai Xiuming confirmed firmly.

“So that dragon is still alive? The Shen family’s ambitions are no small matter.”

A Chan still recalled how the statue in old lady Tian’s hands had seemed strangely powerful—clearly, the dragon behind it was formidable.

They took less crowded paths toward the city gate. A Chan suddenly chuckled. “I wonder if Your Excellency Shen would be happy to hear this news? Too bad there’s no proof.”

Though they had another lead, there was also another dragon to contend with.

“We’ll have proof soon enough.”

A Chan didn’t quite grasp his meaning. With the Flood Dragon King dead, where else could evidence be found?

After a few more steps, A Chan felt tired and placed her hand on Bai Xiuming’s.

He glanced at her, immediately understanding. Grasping her hand, they suddenly sped up, their surroundings becoming a blur as they reached the city gate in an instant.

The usually closed gate now stood wide open. Beyond it, a large crowd had gathered in the open field, with city guards forming a perimeter to hold back the surging crowd.

The closer they got, the clearer the cries grew—though A Chan also heard many laughing.

Bai Xiuming secured a spot for her, and A Chan quickly slipped in front of him, immediately seeing the decapitated dragon carcass.

Before, it hadn’t seemed so imposing, but now, with people standing beside it, the body appeared enormous.

Shen Zhuo stood by the corpse, facing a paunchy middle-aged official in official robes. The man was speaking to him, his displeasure evident in his gestures, though his expression was unclear from afar.

A Chan’s guess was right—he was indeed unhappy.

The man was the prefect of Yongzhou. Before Shen Zhuo had even reached the gate, the prefect had come out to greet him.

He claimed soldiers had reported the Flood Dragon King suddenly coming ashore, so he had led men to investigate.

Now, the prefect was questioning Shen Zhuo: “Your Excellency Shen, just days ago, you were helpless against this dragon. How did you suddenly manage to slay it? Did you have help from a master?”

“Prefect Liu seems quite interested?” Shen Zhuo’s gaze carried a hint of killing intent.

News traveled fast—the dragon had barely died before someone came probing. Likely, the real curious party wasn’t him but someone in Xiling City.

Shen Zhuo had long suspected the rampant worship of the Flood Dragon King in Yongzhou had official backing, but without proof, he couldn’t act. Now, with the corpse as evidence, someone had delivered themselves to him—he wouldn’t hold back.

Prefect Liu seemed to sense the danger and forced a laugh. “Not at all, just making small talk. Haha, just idle talk.”

“Does Prefect Liu think my blade isn’t sharp enough to kill a mere rogue dragon?”

“Of course not! Your Excellency Shen is matchless in bravery. I would never doubt you.”

“Any other questions, Prefect Liu?”

“None.”

A Chan watched for nearly an hour outside the city as officials from Yongzhou arrived one after another, along with increasing numbers of soldiers to maintain order.

Many who couldn’t accept the dragon’s death and wished to die with it were knocked out and hauled away—likely to the government prison. By the time they were released, they might have come to terms with reality.

Those who charged out with weapons to avenge the dragon were taken by the Bright Mirror Bureau guards. Whether Yongzhou’s Bright Mirror Bureau had a prison or not, they wouldn’t fare well.

The crowd came and went, and the wails gradually faded. While there were many fanatics, practical folks were just as numerous. With this so-called dragon god slain by the Bright Mirror Bureau, there was no need for daily worship—saving them good money.

A Chan took in the scene a while longer. At one point, Bai Xiuming left briefly, and Shen Zhuo also disappeared—likely comparing notes about the other dragon in private.

When Bai Xiuming returned, A Chan told him she was ready to turn in.

Shen Zhuo watched them leave, his face clouded.

Had Bai Xiuming not mentioned it, he wouldn’t have realized there was more than one dragon. Just how much did these Yongzhou officials know?

That night, A Chan slept soundly, unaware of everything unfolding in Yongzhou.

Only when she woke and went downstairs for breakfast did she hear from the innkeeper that the Bright Mirror Bureau had arrested many Yongzhou officials the previous night. Some were released, while others had their residences searched that very night.

A Chan listened to the chatter among the surrounding guests, some claiming the Bright Mirror Bureau had too much power and broke the rules, while others held differing opinions.

Seeing the guests about to start arguing, the innkeeper quickly intervened, “If you’re curious, let me find out more first. There’s no need to jump to conclusions so hastily.”

Though seemingly impartial, the innkeeper was actually on Shen Zhuo’s side.

It seemed the innkeeper had already gotten over the sadness of losing the Flood Dragon King’s protection.

A Chan had wanted to hear more news, but unfortunately, she was leaving for Xiling that very day.

After checking the departure times for boats traveling between Yongzhou and Xiling with the innkeeper, she was about to head upstairs to find Bai Xiuming when she saw him descending.

A Chan approached him with the departure time, and Bai Xiuming didn’t object. The two checked out, then went to purchase clothing and provisions for the journey. When it was about time, they headed for the docks.

Shortly past noon, the boat carrying A Chan finally departed.

This time, without the Flood Dragon King making trouble, she could finally relax and enjoy the scenery along the way.

Little did she know, two hours after their departure, another boat carrying dozens of Bright Mirror Bureau Guards also left Yongzhou City.

Shen Zhuo sat in the cabin, holding the confessions obtained from interrogating Prefect Liu and several other officials the previous night. Over the years, people had been bribing them to promote the Flood Dragon’s divine marvels and allow public worship.

Of course, other officials were involved, but he couldn’t very well round up all of Yongzhou’s officials at once—this matter was best left for the Emperor to handle.

Their confessions mentioned a man named Shen Zhiyuan, a cousin of the current head of the Shen family. This testimony gave him a good excuse to investigate directly in Xiling.