I Can Devour Spirits

Chapter 187: Tao Rong

Duan Rong returned from Black Tiger Ridge, just as dawn was breaking.

The trip took a heavy toll on him, and he almost ran the chestnut horse to death; in the morning, the old man verifying the horse at the carriage shop had a sullen face and earmarked half of the deposit.

Previously, when he went to Wild Boar Forest, although he ran the horse until its mouth foamed, there was always a few days interval between entering and leaving, allowing the horse to rest.

This time, however, he ran back and forth overnight. Moreover, the carriage shop’s horses aren’t truly fine steeds, incomparable to those of the Escort Team.

Even though half of the deposit was deducted, Duan Rong didn’t want to argue, so he accepted it, touching his nose in resignation.

After all, it’s not worth causing trouble for a bit of silver and exposing one’s own whereabouts.

Leaving the carriage shop, Duan Rong put it behind him, crossed the street, and sat down at a beef soup stall on the opposite side.

Duan Rong noticed that the trembling in his hands after killing someone seemed to have disappeared recently, for the last two times.

He was unsure whether he should call it adaptation or numbness.

Duan Rong drank a big bowl of beef soup, ate three big pancakes, then got up, burped, and strolled back to Liu’s House.

Upon returning to Liu’s House, he climbed onto his bed and slept until the afternoon.

Upon waking, Duan Rong, naked, washed himself thoroughly in the courtyard, dressed, ate lunch on the street, and then returned to Liu’s House, where he meditated until dusk.

Seeing the golden glow of the sunset scatter on the willow trees in the courtyard, Duan Rong finished his workout, wiped the sweat from his forehead and body with a wet towel, then moved out of the Escort Agency and headed straight to a teahouse not far from the government office.

On the second floor, Duan Rong picked a seat by the window, ordered a pot of clear tea and a dish of snacks, sipping tea while watching the window attentively.

From that position, he could see the entrance to the County Office.

Inside the teahouse, many people were chatting, and Duan Rong, with a thought, released his Divine Sense to listen to recent gossip.

The released Divine Sense enveloped the entire second floor of the teahouse.

The various noises ceased abruptly, becoming like explosive full-screen bullet comments, forming a sea of information...

Duan Rong quickly filtered the messages, most of which were trivial gossip.

Several tables were discussing the encounter of the Ximen Family with bandits on the road that morning, describing it vividly; had Duan Rong not been familiar with the incident’s details, he might have been convinced.

Yet, one piece of information caught his attention: a table mentioned that Tao Rong, son of the Weapon Shop owner Tao Jiusheng, recently achieved Great Success in the Inner Breath Realm Fourth Level.

Upon hearing this, Duan Rong couldn’t help but feel irritated. "Another reaching Great Success."

Duan Rong then retracted his Divine Sense; among the messages was a table in the corner discussing a reconnaissance point for a theft. Duan Rong merely cast them a glance without further concern. As long as the reconnaissance doesn’t target him, he won’t intervene, nor care who they are targeting.

After all, in such a vast Jianghu, there must be a few rats?

As Duan Rong drank over half the pot of tea, dusk had fallen outside, and lanterns were lit at the government office’s entrance.

In the dim twilight, a familiar figure suddenly emerged from the government office, prompting Duan Rong to promptly leave the teahouse.

Yang Zhen, with a tired expression, walked out of the County Office’s entrance with heavy steps.

The night before, Jie Daohan and Fan Yuanhai had jointly captured the malicious physician Shen Ping at the Scarf Hat Lane’s brothel.

Shen Ping was a True Qi Realm First Level expert and skilled in using poison.

The two had already severely injured Shen Ping upon capturing him, stripping him bare and locking him in the Death Prison like a plucked dead dog.

For the past two days, Jie Daohan and Fan Yuanhai took turns interrogating him; Fan Yuanhai even crippled Shen Ping’s Dantian during the afternoon’s session.

The interrogation was recorded by Yang Zhen, who after two days realized Shen Ping had no relation to Xu Ruhu and Jie Lei’s case.

Jie Daohan and Fan Yuanhai had naturally realized this as well, ceasing the interrogation in the afternoon.

Yang Zhen locked the bloodied Shen Ping back in the cell, then organized and compiled the two days’ records, placing them on Jie Daohan’s desk before leaving the County Government Office, exhausted.

As Yang Zhen reached an alley entrance, someone suddenly lunged at him from the shadows.

Startled, Yang Zhen swiftly retreated and drew his blade with a swish, aiming at the figure.

The person agilely sidestepped, shouting, "Do you want to kill me!"

Recognizing the voice, Yang Zhen’s face turned black with annoyance, "In the pitch dark, you come rushing out from the alley and lunge at people; you deserve to be killed!"

Seeing Yang Zhen angry, Duan Rong put an arm around his shoulder, laughing, "Alright, alright. I’ll be careful next time, just playing a joke with you."

"What kind of joke is that?"

"I was wrong, I was wrong," Duan Rong hurriedly apologized.

Yang Zhen was angry, thinking his earlier cut might have genuinely injured Duan Rong. Yet, Duan Rong knew Yang Zhen was now incapable of harming him. However, he wasn’t ready to reveal his own level, which would greatly discourage Yang Zhen.

Duan Rong understood that Yang Zhen was quite proud and always looked after Duan Rong as a weaker little brother since childhood. Discovering that Duan Rong is now far stronger would be demoralizing.

Yang Zhen, seeing Duan Rong apologizing cheerfully, finally calmed down, sheathed his blade, and asked, "What do you want to do with me?"

"Drink!"

Upon hearing of drinking, Yang Zhen smiled, "You’re here just in time; I’ve been exhausted lately and really want a good drink."

"Of course, I’m like the worm in your stomach!" Duan Rong said, touching Yang Zhen’s belly.

Yang Zhen knocked Duan Rong’s hand away, "There’s no worm in my belly, just a wine bug!"

"Then I’m the wine bug!"

"Why do you love being a bug so much?"

"What’s wrong with being a bug? At least it’s not as exhausting as being a human!"

"Hmm, makes sense. I’ll be a bug too."

"Sure," Duan Rong laughed, "you can be a stink bug."

"You’re the damn stink bug..."

Laughing, the two walked out of the alley.

Under the dim lighting, Yang Zhen eyed Duan Rong, "Wow... this outfit is nice! Are you officially an Escort Master?"

Duan Rong’s heart stirred, remembering last time Yang Zhen saw him he was in casual clothes.

Duan Rong laughed, "How is it, quite alright?"

Yang Zhen’s eyes shimmered, and he punched Duan Rong’s shoulder, "Awesome! You’ve finally made it! Let’s both do well from now on."

Under the dim lights at the alley’s exit, Duan Rong watched Yang Zhen’s eyes gleam with a long-lost emotion; the shift in Yang Zhen’s attitude towards Duan Rong was subtle. He began treating Duan Rong as an equal partner, a deeper respect budding within him.