Chapter 62: Shock!

Chapter 62: Chapter 62: Shock!

An English translation of the Chapter, adhering to your rules and glossary:

Zeng Anmin’s expression stiffened, and he forced a dry laugh as he nodded. "Ahem, yes. The sheer shock of watching you subdue the demon last night is still vivid in my mind."

"Hmph." His father remained noncommittal.

Zeng Anmin changed the subject, shifting his gaze to An Shiyi, who was huddled right in front of him. At this moment, she looked incredibly fragile and delicate, her beauty just as striking as the first time they had met. However, she was now curled up in a corner, not even daring to lift her head.

"Today is actually my first time seeing a member of the Demon Race..." Zeng Anmin’s voice was filled with curiosity as he slowly approached her.

He could faintly detect a strange scent in the air. The smell wasn’t unpleasant, but for some reason, it just made his skin crawl. He twitched his nose and frowned. "What’s that smell?"

His father’s clarifying voice arrived at just the right moment. "She was struck by a Forbidden Curse that prevents her from using her Demon Power, so she could hide her demonic aura.

"But after fighting Wang Deli last night, the Forbidden Curse was broken, and her demonic aura was naturally exposed."

"Oh, so it’s a demonic aura." Zeng Anmin came to a sudden realization. He thought back to his previous life and the novel "Journey to the West," where the Monkey King would constantly say the words, "There is a demonic aura." It turned out it was something you could actually smell.

Just as he was about to ask another question, a familiar voice rang out from outside.

"Governor, Lin Rong requests an audience."

"Come in." His father’s expression returned to a mask of indifference. He straightened his back, radiating an imposing aura of authority.

Outside, Lin Rong acknowledged the command and entered the office. With an expression of absolute reverence, he bowed to Zeng Shilin.

He gave a brief overview of his activities from the previous night. "Sir, last night I followed the trail for an hour and finally found the exit of the secret passage...

"In a dense forest fifty miles outside the city, I discovered the corpse of King Jiang."

Fifty miles away? They had found King Jiang’s corpse fifty miles away?

His father furrowed his brows tightly but didn’t speak, his gaze simply resting on Lin Rong.

Lin Rong bowed his body even lower. "King Jiang died at the hands of a Martial Artist. Judging by the methods used, it should be a powerhouse at the peak of the Visualization Realm. However, we have checked all the registered Martial Artists in the entire Liangjiang Commandery, and no one matches the profile..."

His father slowly raised his head and cast a glance at Zeng Anmin. That single glance made Zeng Anmin feel completely uneasy.

He rubbed his nose and feigned confusion. "Why are you looking at me?"

His father ignored him, looking back at Lin Rong with a flat tone. "Who is the Martial Artist currently rising to fame across the entire Liangjiang Commandery, yet remains unregistered?"

Lin Rong froze for a moment before snapping his head up. "You mean... the Black Cat..."

His father gave an apathetic nod. "It is possible, but we still need to investigate."

"Yes, sir."

"By the way," his father called out, stopping Lin Rong and shifting his gaze to Zeng Anmin. "The Left Chief Clerk has some talent for investigation. If you are ever unsure, you can consult him."

"That is wonderful!" A look of excitement appeared on Lin Rong’s face. He hurriedly turned to look at Zeng Anmin, his face beaming with a wide smile. "I will be troubling you with this case, my worthy nephew."

Silence hung in the air for a moment.

Zeng Anmin pursed his lips slightly. He wondered if he was seriously supposed to investigate himself.

"Uh, alright... You go ahead first. I will come find you after I finish my official duties at the Office of the Chief Clerk."

"Understood!" Lin Rong excused himself and took his leave.

No sooner had he left than another voice rang out at the door. "Young Master!"

Dachun came in through the outer doors, looking completely dusty from the road. Upon seeing Zeng Shilin, he respectfully bowed. "Master!"

"Mhm." His father lowered his head and continued reading the case files in his hands.

"Dachun." Zeng Anmin was just about to speak when he noticed Dachun shooting him a pointed look.

"Young Master, you are finally back! Have you found King Jiang?"

Zeng Anmin’s mouth twitched. He thought that the man really needed to stop pretending; his father had already told him that Dachun had snitched about his trip to the Imperial Music Bureau.

Zeng Shilin slowly raised his head, his gaze as sharp as daggers.

Feeling that piercing, sword-like stare boring into his back, Zeng Anmin braced himself. He forced a hollow laugh and played it off. "Yeah, you could say that."

Saying this, he grabbed Dachun and dragged him over to An Shiyi, pointing at her. "Do you see this? This is a member of the Demon Race."

Dachun looked over, a flash of curiosity crossing his face. He inquisitively reached out a finger and poked An Shiyi on the cheek. Terrified, An Shiyi hurriedly shrank back, her face beautiful but stained with tears.

"She doesn’t look any different from a human." Dachun readied his hand to touch her again.

"Enough. I still have a use for this Clam Spirit," his father’s voice rang out, the words carrying a clear, tacit eviction.

"Oh, right." Dachun quickly stood up with a respectful posture and trailed behind Zeng Anmin.

Once they stepped out of the office, Zeng Shilin slowly raised his head. Watching his son’s retreating back, he murmured in a deep, profound tone. "The Black Cat Martial Artist..."

Looking at his hands again, he was impressively holding yesterday’s city gate records. A tiny line of text on the paper had been circled in red ink: "Left Chief Clerk Zeng of the Observation Department, last night at a quarter past the hour of the Pig, rode out of the city on horseback!"

A short time later.

"Governor, someone requests an audience." Just as Zeng Shilin set down the city gate records, someone reported in respectfully.

"Who is it?"

"Young Master Hu Zi... and Madam... They have brought you food..."

"Master." ℴℴ𝘮

Outside the door, Concubine Lin carried a food box, her other soft hand holding onto Hu Zi’s little hand as she walked in. Her face was the picture of gentleness, her eyes as calm as water, her pace steady and unhurried. Mr. Qi followed respectfully behind her.

"What are you doing here?" His father looked at her, his brows furrowed deeply.

"You did not return home last night and had to eat out. I was worried about you." Concubine Lin smiled, completely unfazed by his frown. She simply placed the food box on the table and spoke in a soft, soothing voice. "Quan Fu also did not return home last night. I imagine he ate out as well...

"So, I brought some food for both father and son."

At this point, Concubine Lin’s gaze drifted toward An Shiyi, who was huddled in the corner. She then slowly turned her head back, a faint trace of resentment flashing in her eyes. "The food at home is, after all, cleaner than the food on the outside."

Hearing this, his father’s expression stiffened slightly. Anyone could hear the hidden meaning behind those words.

He cast a flat glance at Mr. Qi, who was standing behind Concubine Lin. "The servants in the manor... it is time to clear out those who need to be cleared out."

Mr. Qi’s body went rigid. "Yes, sir."

"This is the lotus seed porridge I made with my own hands, along with the dishes you usually enjoy..." Concubine Lin merely reached out with her pale hands, pulling out the plates one by one, her voice exceedingly gentle.

As the aroma wafted out, Hu Zi’s eyes lit up brightly. Drool gathered at the corner of his mouth as he reached out his little hands and urged, "Grandpa... hug."

At the Office of the Chief Clerk.

Zeng Anmin shot Dachun a sidelong glance. "Who told you to go looking for me at the Imperial Music Bureau?"

Dachun looked up with an expression of profound wisdom, his face completely devoid of irony as he answered. "The Master told you to keep a close eye on the secret passage. I was afraid he would get mad if he came back and couldn’t find you, so I went to the Imperial Music Bureau to look for you. Who would have guessed I’d run right into the Master subduing a demon...

"But don’t you worry! I didn’t say a single word. I just said I was there to find someone."

Zeng Anmin’s mouth twitched again. He plopped down into his chair, his eyes glazed and lifeless. He finally had a crystal-clear understanding of the absolute genius standing before him.

Dachun continued with enthusiastic fervor. "You have no idea! Last night at the Imperial Music Bureau, when the Master caught that demon, he showed off some serious skills!"

As he spoke, he even started acting it out, planting his hands on his hips and widening his eyes dramatically. "Puny Clam Spirit, reveal your true form at once!!"

Zeng Anmin couldn’t be bothered to entertain him. He sat up straight and looked at the case files on his desk. But the moment his hand touched the files, his entire body stiffened.

"Clam Spirit?!"

That wasn’t right!

Wasn’t it a fish spirit?!

Zeng Anmin snapped his head up in pure horror.