The Sorrowmender

Chapter 63 – New matter

As night deepened, the sound of rain grew heavier.

Xu Qingzhou was unwilling to delay any longer. He dismissed Meng Xiao and casually found a stool to sit by Lin Shuo's bedside.

Accompanied by the sound of rain outside the window, he slowly said, "First, let me introduce myself. My surname is Xu, and my name is Qingzhou. Because I can help people relieve their worries and sorrows, most people like to call me Mister Forgetting Worries."

"City Lord Lin has been bedridden for a long time, so you may not have heard of me, but I can responsibly tell you that my reputation is good, and my words are trustworthy."

Lin Shuo, holding his frail body, listened intently. The young man before him seemed youthful, yet his voice was mature and steady. His words were not loud, but they were powerful, and his eyes brimmed with confidence, a rare sight in the world.

"Lin Shuo understands."

"Good, then let's get to the point. I will save you, but you need to agree to three conditions."

As he spoke, Xu Qingzhou extended a finger and waved it in front of Lin Shuo.

"First, you must agree to grant freedom to the three thousand death warriors of Linfeng. If they wish to leave, you must not stop them, pursue them, or interfere. You must cooperate."

Lin Shuo's brows lowered, and a hint of hesitation flashed in his eyes. He hadn't expected Mister Forgetting Worries to make such a significant demand right away.

The death warriors were a crucial force for the City Lord's mansion, responsible for overseeing officials and eliminating dissent.

They were involved in purging, surveillance, espionage... holding multiple important positions.

Without the death warriors, it would be akin to cutting off an arm, blinding oneself.

The implications were significant.

Although he had been chronically ill, Xu Qingzhou's presence here suggested that he had already controlled or perhaps killed Mo Shengge, the venomous woman.

And these three thousand death warriors were likely already under the command of Mister Forgetting Worries.

Whether he agreed or not seemed to make little difference, and compared to life, these matters were insignificant.

He gritted his teeth and resolutely said, "Alright, I agree, Mister."

Xu Qingzhou smiled faintly, nodding approvingly. It seemed Lin Shuo was not a fool, but rather a smart person.

He extended a second finger, "The second matter concerns this man. I believe City Lord Lin knows who he is. His presence here is somewhat related to me. Since I'm here and have seen him, out of guilt, I must save him."

"He bears no fault, and he is also a victim. City Lord Lin must not pursue him or harm him in the future."

The man tied to the bed stopped struggling upon hearing this. His once lifeless eyes suddenly widened.

He turned his head to look at Xu Qingzhou, and hope for life appeared in his eyes.

He couldn't understand most of what Xu Qingzhou said, but he understood that Xu Qingzhou intended to save him, even though he didn't know why Mister Forgetting Worries would do so.

After hearing this, Lin Shuo instinctively glanced at the man bound on the bed, his eyes indifferent, and a self-mocking smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

Find the original at bit.ly/3iBfjkV.

"This goes without saying, Mister. Lin Shuo understands, and besides, he is of my Lin family's bloodline, and I..." His voice trailed off, as if he had touched on something unspeakable, and he didn't wish to continue.

Instead, he looked at Xu Qingzhou and solemnly promised, "Mister can rest assured, even if you hadn't mentioned it, I would not harm him. Since you have, I will treat him well."

Throughout Lin Shuo's response, Xu Qingzhou's gaze never left his eyes, always fixed on him.

Once bitten by a snake, ten years afraid of ropes. Having been deceived by Mo Shengge once, he didn't want a second time.

For now, it seemed Lin Shuo was sincere.

"The third and most important point is that what happened tonight must not be mentioned to anyone. City Lord Lin should pretend that I never came, and in the future, you must not speak of it to anyone."

Xu Qingzhou's third request left Lin Shuo bewildered.

He didn't understand why Xu Qingzhou would help him if he wanted him to pretend it never happened. To him, it seemed somewhat illogical.

Would anyone really save a stranger without reason?

Would anyone do good deeds without expecting anything in return?

If so, what was the motive?

Mister Forgetting Worries was a man, and so was he, so it wasn't love.

The two were neither relatives nor acquaintances, meeting for the first time today, so it wasn't kinship.

If it wasn't love, kinship, or profit, why save him?

Could it really be just for the two conditions mentioned earlier?

But even without him, wouldn't this person still save others?

He pondered but couldn't figure it out.

His eyes were vacant, and he asked in confusion, "Mister, Lin Shuo doesn't understand. If you are like this, why help me? And if you help me, why ask me to pretend it never happened?"

Faced with Lin Shuo's bewilderment, Xu Qingzhou's lips curved into a serene smile.

He slowly uttered, "The secrets of heaven must not be revealed!"

Those six words echoed in Lin Shuo's mind like thunder, leaving him momentarily stunned.

His mind went blank, and the thunderous sound in his ears faded away.

When he looked at Xu Qingzhou again, he found that he couldn't see through him.

The man before him was now unfathomable.

The phrase "The secrets of heaven must not be revealed" left him speechless, and he dared not ask further.

If Xu Qingzhou wasn't an immortal, he must be a reclusive master.

He straightened his body and respectfully bowed.

"Everything will be as Mister says."

Xu Qingzhou was quite satisfied with Lin Shuo's response.

As for that phrase, it was merely something he said casually. He didn't want to expend effort explaining things that were unclear or inexplicable.

Some matters, when left vague, were more useful.

In any case, his main objectives for this visit were twofold.

First, to kill Mo Shengge.

Second, to resolve the issue with the white-haired girl.

As for freeing the death warriors, it was a convenient act.

As for treating Lin Shuo's illness and saving his brother, it was just a whim.

Whether for the sake of the people of Linfeng City or to spare the three thousand death warriors from unjust accusations, it was a worthwhile deal for him.

Besides, it all started because of him. If he hadn't seen it, it would have been fine.

But since he had seen it, he couldn't just ignore it.

"Alright, since you've agreed, I'll treat your illness now." With that, Xu Qingzhou waved his hand, and paper and ink appeared on the bedside without warning from his Storage Bag.

In Lin Shuo's bewilderment, he continued, "Now, write down the names of the women you think would want you to live on this paper."

Lin Shuo hesitated, his pale lips trembling.

"Mister, this is..."

"No need to ask, if you want to live, do as I say."

Lin Shuo's eyes flickered, and he no longer hesitated. He picked up the pen.

But he hesitated for a long time, unable to write.

As the lord of a city, he had once been so charming, surrounded by countless women, admired by the world.

But when it came to finding someone who genuinely wanted him to live, he couldn't think of anyone.

"Mister, I... can't write it!"

Xu Qingzhou's eyes twitched, speechless.

"What did you say?"

Lin Shuo's eyes dimmed, his voice barely audible, filled with bitterness.

"My mother is dead, I have no sisters, no daughters. Though there are countless women in the City Lord's mansion, not one truly wishes for me to live."

Xu Qingzhou couldn't help but raise an eyebrow, sighing inwardly, "Lin Shuo is self-aware, but this result is quite troublesome."

"Mister, is there another way to save me?"