yasinovel Chapter 7: Secretly Investigating the Offering Contract
Chapter 7: Secretly Investigating the Offering Contract
As dawn broke, the horizon tinged with a pale blue, Blackstone Town was still shrouded in a thick, impenetrable morning mist. Lin Yan had been up for some time, changing into his worn-out sergeant's uniform, the silver buttons fastened meticulously. His long sword was secured at his waist with an indigo cloth belt, the hilt polished to a gleaming shine, which he had carefully wiped with a handkerchief. Dewdrops clung to the branches of the jujube tree in the corner of the courtyard; he raised his hand to brush away a few drops of moisture clinging to his shoulder, his gaze fixed on the end of North Street—where the morning mist was even thicker, like countless pairs of prying eyes.
The morning on North Street was even more deathly still than the day before. Although no demons had haunted the place last night, fear had seeped into every bone. Every wooden door was bolted shut, and even the steamed bun shop, which was usually the first to open, was silent. Occasionally, a window would be quietly pushed open a crack, revealing a pair of frightened eyes. Upon seeing that it was someone from the Demon Suppression Bureau, the window would creak shut again, as if even a second glance would bring disaster upon them.
Lin Yan led Wang Ergou and his four men on their routine patrol, their footsteps echoing clearly in the empty streets. He appeared to be checking for rat holes in the walls and cracks in the woodshed, but his thoughts were already on the abandoned mud house—Zhou and her son were still waiting for news of him.
Reaching the broken wall at the end of North Street, Lin Yan finally spotted the couple. Zhou was carrying a patched blue cloth bundle, the fabric worn smooth and shiny; it likely contained the only possessions the mother and son owned. Her face was as pale as paper, her lips tightly pressed together, and her knuckles white from gripping the bundle's straps so tightly. Little Bao, dressed in an ill-fitting coarse cloth jacket, was as thin as a bean sprout, his little hands clutching his mother's clothes, looking up at her with innocent, bright eyes.
"Sergeant, isn't that the mother and child you rescued?" Wang Ergou leaned closer, his voice low. "Judging by their appearance, are they leaving?"
Lin Yan didn't answer, but strode over. Zhou looked up and saw him; her eyes lit up at first, like a drowning person grabbing onto a piece of driftwood, but that glimmer of light was instantly swallowed by despair, and her lips trembled as she called out, "My benefactor..."
"What happened?" Lin Yan asked directly, his gaze falling on the bundle in her hand.
Zhou's tears welled up instantly, her voice as soft as a mosquito's buzz: "Wang Po... Wang Po came late last night and said the town mayor thought I was quick and efficient and wanted me to work as a maid in the mansion, and Xiao Bao could come along too... and give me a full meal." When she said "full meal," her Adam's apple bobbed, clearly she was starving.
Domestic helper? Lin Yan sneered inwardly. This excuse was quite grand, exactly the same as Uncle Zhang's "mining".
"You agreed?"
Zhou shook her head vigorously, tears falling onto Xiao Bao's hand: "I dare not go... Aunt Li, who was taken away to 'help out' a while ago, has never come back. But Granny Wang said that if we don't go, they will kick us out of the refugee camp and leave us... leave us to fend for ourselves." By the end, her voice was choked with sobs.
To be left to fend for themselves in Blackstone Town is no different from feeding demons. Lin Yan looked into Xiao Bao's innocent eyes, remembering the hungry children in the shack area last night, and his heart sank. He was silent for a moment, then said in a deep voice, "You all go back inside first. Tell them you're sick, have a fever, and can't be exposed to drafts. I'll think of something."
"My benefactor..." Zhou stared at him blankly, tears streaming down her face even more. "You have already helped us so much, you cannot risk your life for us again..."
"Listen to me," Lin Yan interrupted her, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Lock the door, and don't open it no matter who calls. I'll have someone bring some food." He took two wheat cakes from his pocket and stuffed them into Xiao Bao's hand. "Have something to eat first."
Xiao Bao clutched the warm wheat cake, looked at his mother and then at Lin Yan, and whispered, "Thank you, benefactor." Zhou wiped away her tears, pulled Xiao Bao back into the earthen house, and slammed the door bolt shut with a creak, even stuffing the cracks with rags.
Lin Yan turned to Wang Ergou and said, "You guys continue your patrols, focusing on this area, and don't let any unauthorized people get close. I'm going to the Demon Suppression Division."
"Yes, Corporal!" Wang Ergou replied hastily, his eyes filled with curiosity, but he dared not ask any more questions—after spending the past few days together, he had figured out Lin Yan's temperament and would never ask questions he shouldn't.
Lin Yan walked alone towards the Demon Suppression Bureau. The morning mist gradually dissipated, and sunlight shone through the clouds, but it couldn't warm the town's chill. He pondered: the most important thing right now was to buy time and obtain evidence of the offering contract. Zhang Bo's account and last night's eavesdropping weren't enough; he needed solid evidence to bring down Chen Fuhai and Zhao Mang, these two cancerous tumors.
***
In the front hall of the Demon Suppression Bureau, Zhao Mang was sitting in a grand chair, handling official business. Several account books were spread out on the table, and a rough porcelain teacup sat beside him, the tea long since cold. The bandage on his chest was stained with blood again, and his face was even paler than yesterday. When he saw Lin Yan enter, he merely raised his eyelids and asked, "Sergeant Lin, is something the matter?"
Lin Yan clasped his hands in a proper salute: "Captain, I have important matters to report."
"Speak." Zhao Mang's voice was a little hoarse, and his fingers tapped lightly on the account book, sounding somewhat impatient.
"During my midnight patrol last night, my subordinates discovered something unusual at the broken wall on North Street." Lin Yan carefully chose his words. "There were several places where there was a faint, almost invisible, demonic aura. Upon closer inspection, it seemed to resemble... the scent of a wolf."
Zhao Mang's fingers, which were tapping on the account book, suddenly paused, and his eyes sharpened instantly: "Wolves?"
"Yes." Lin Yan took out an oil paper package from his pocket, opened it to reveal a few gray-black wolf hairs, the tips of which were still stained with dark red blood. "I found these in the soil outside the wall. The color and scent of these hairs match those of the demon wolves of Canglang Mountain." He gently placed the wolf hairs on the table and pushed them in front of Zhao Mang.
Zhao Mang picked up the wolf fur, brought it to his nose, and sniffed it. His expression gradually darkened, and his brows furrowed deeply. He ran his fingers through the fur, muttering to himself, "The wolf pack from Canglang Mountain... how could they suddenly approach the town?"
Lin Yan observed his expression discreetly—in Zhao Mang's eyes were worry, doubt, and a hint of barely perceptible panic. This was definitely not simply worry about the wolf pack attacking the town; it was more like worry that… the offering contract had gone wrong.
"Captain, should we strengthen the defenses of North Street?" Lin Yan asked tentatively. "If the wolf pack really crosses the border, the refugees on North Street will likely suffer."
Zhao Mang snapped out of his daze, glanced at him, and said with a complicated expression, "You did a good job, you were very thoughtful. Don't make this public for now, so as not to cause panic among the townspeople. I will send trusted men to investigate the outskirts of Canglang Mountain to see the wolf pack's movements."
"Yes," Lin Yan replied, then changed the subject, "There's something else. I heard that Granny Wang from the refugee camp is selecting refugees to work as maids at the town mayor's mansion, and I'll be taking people there soon..."
Zhao Mang's brows furrowed even more, and his tone turned colder: "What? Is Corporal Lin trying to boss the town mayor around?"
"Your subordinate wouldn't dare," Lin Yan quickly lowered his head, adopting an extremely humble posture. "It's just that after the demons attacked the town last night, the refugee camp was already in a state of panic. Every refugee was afraid of being captured and 'filling the holes.' If Granny Wang were to forcibly conscript people at this time, your subordinate would worry that it would incite a riot. The defenses of North Street are already weak. If the refugees cause a disturbance, I'm afraid it would give the demons an opportunity to take advantage." He spoke tactfully, but made the stakes very clear.
Zhao Mang stared at him for a few seconds, then suddenly laughed, his laughter somewhat dry: "Lin Yan, you certainly know how to share Shangguan's burdens. Well then, this matter was indeed inappropriate. Go find Granny Wang and tell her that it was my order to leave the refugee camp alone for the next few days. We'll discuss the employment of servants once the town has stabilized."
"Thank you for your consideration for the people's plight, Captain!" Lin Yan felt relieved and quickly expressed his gratitude. With Zhao Mang's words, at least three days could be bought for Zhou and her son.
"Go on." Zhao Mang waved his hand, picked up the account book again, but didn't look at a single word. His eyes drifted to the window, lost in thought.
Lin Yan left the front hall, but his steps were not light. Zhao Mang had agreed too readily, which was inconsistent with his usual selfish and mean nature. Normally, Zhao Mang should have scolded him for meddling, but now he was being so "reasonable," which probably meant he had other plans. Lin Yan shook his head. Right now, he needed to deal with the immediate problem first; he could figure out Zhao Mang's intentions later.
He turned and headed towards the shantytown in the west of the city. Granny Wang's dwelling was easy to find—the wooden hut built of blue bricks at the very back of the shantytown was the only decent house in the entire refugee camp. When Lin Yan arrived, Granny Wang was sitting on a small stool by the door, sunbathing, shelling peanuts in her hands. A fake smile plastered on her oily face, and she hummed a tuneless melody. She wore a worn-out silk jacket, standing out starkly against the tattered clothes of the refugees around her, like a fat goose that had wandered into a chicken coop.
"Oh, isn't this Sergeant Lin from the Demon Suppression Division? What a rare guest!" Upon seeing his official robes, Granny Wang immediately stood up from her stool, her face crinkling into a wide smile. "Is there anything you need? I'll certainly do as you command!"
"I have come on the orders of Commandant Zhao." Lin Yan's tone was calm, yet carried an official air. "The commander said that the demons just retreated last night, and the morale of the refugee camp is unstable. For the next few days, we should not conscript anyone to the town magistrate's office. We will wait until the town is more stable before making any decisions."
Granny Wang's smile froze for a moment, her eyes darting around. "This... Sergeant, this is a task personally assigned by the town mayor. If I don't handle it well..."
"Captain Zhao will explain to the town mayor himself," Lin Yan interrupted her, his eyes turning colder. "Is Granny Wang going to disobey orders?"
"No, no!" Granny Wang quickly waved her hand, her face beaming with a smile again. "I'll listen to the squad leader and won't touch anyone from the refugee camp these next few days!" But she was wondering to herself: Lin Yan is just a newly promoted squad leader, how dare he interfere in the town mayor's affairs? Could it be Captain Zhao's idea?
Lin Yan could tell from her expression that she was resentful, but he didn't care. All he wanted was to buy time; Wang Po's thoughts were irrelevant. He turned and left the shack area, the sunlight shining on him, but he felt a chill down his back—Wang Po's resentful eyes felt like needles pricking his back.
***
For the next two days, Blackstone Town was unusually calm. The townspeople began repairing houses damaged by the demon, cleaning up bloodstains in the streets, and even the steamed bun shops were bustling with activity again. The soldiers of the Demon Suppression Bureau patrolled day and night, but found no trace of the demons. But Lin Yan knew this was merely the calm before the storm; Chen Fuhai and Zhao Mang, those two venomous snakes, would not lie dormant easily.
During the day, he led his team on patrols, thoroughly traversing every inch of North Street, even inspecting the cracks in the broken walls; at night, he would change into night clothes and lie in ambush around the town mayor's mansion and the Demon Suppression Bureau, like a patient hunter observing the prey's every move. He discovered that the town mayor's mansion was guarded more tightly than expected—eight guards were on duty in shifts, and at least three cultivators at the mid-stage of Body Tempering were hidden in the shadows. The intervals between patrols were so short that there were almost no blind spots, and trying to force one through was no different from suicide.
Zhao Mang had been unusually busy these past few days, going to the town mayor's mansion every day and staying for one or two hours each time. Lin Yan had tried to eavesdrop from the rooftop, but the two had set up a soundproof barrier, so not a single sound could be heard. This further convinced Lin Yan that they were hiding a huge secret.
On the third night, Lin Yan decided to wait no longer. Zhou and her son didn't have much time left. Granny Wang had already sent men to loiter outside the earthen house twice; if it weren't for Wang Ergou keeping watch, they probably would have forcibly arrested them long ago. More importantly, he discovered that a guest had arrived at the town mayor's mansion—a lavishly decorated black-awning carriage had silently entered the mansion at dusk. The curtains were tightly closed, and only the character for "money" could be vaguely seen carved on the carriage shaft.
It was Manager Qian, a grain merchant from Qingzhou Prefecture. Lin Yan's heart skipped a beat—Chen Fuhai was going to resell the demon-suppressing grain! This was his best opportunity; the arrival of a guest would distract the guards, and there must be contracts and account books stored in the study.
At three-quarters past midnight, the awning carriage finally left the town mayor's mansion. Lin Yan, perched on the opposite rooftop, watched the carriage disappear into the night before slowly tightening his grip on the long sword at his waist. He had changed into a black, close-fitting outfit, his face covered with a black cloth, revealing only his sharp eyes. The Soul-Devouring Mark on his chest was slightly warm, and gray-black true essence flowed slowly through his meridians, enhancing his senses to the extreme—he could hear every chirp of insects and every rustle of grass within a hundred feet.
The time has come.
Lin Yan darted across the street like a night owl, his toes barely touching the wall of the town mayor's mansion before he silently vaulted over. He deliberately used a technique to dissipate the force of his fall, not even stirring up a speck of dust. The guards in the front yard were yawning as they patrolled, the lantern light flickering and unable to illuminate the shadows. Using the shade of the trees as cover, Lin Yan quickly crossed the front yard and headed straight for the study in the middle courtyard—where Chen Fuhai handled official business, and where the contracts were most likely hidden.
The light was still on in the study, and a plump figure was projected onto the window paper. Lin Yan held his breath, pressed himself against the shadow under the window, and listened to the sounds coming from inside.
"...It's all settled with Manager Qian. Next month's demon-suppressing grain will be increased by another 30%." It was Chen Fuhai's voice, with a smug smile. "Qingzhou Prefecture is severely short of grain. They'll fight over even moldy coarse rice."
"Your Excellency is wise," another aged voice replied. It was the mansion's clerk. "It's just that Captain Zhao has ordered his men to keep things under control at the refugee camp. I'm afraid it will be difficult to explain to Granny Wang."
"Zhao Mang?" Chen Fuhai scoffed. "He's just a money-grubber. Once I give him half of the grain payment, he'll be more eager than anyone else. What are those refugees? They're dead, so be it. We can just catch more from elsewhere."
Lin Yan clenched his fists tightly inside his sleeves, his knuckles turning white. These people didn't value the lives of the refugees at all.
Half an hour later, the study light finally went out. Lin Yan waited for a quarter of an hour, making sure Chen Fuhai had gone back to the backyard to sleep, before gently pushing open the window and jumping inside. The study was pitch black, but by the moonlight streaming in through the window, he could make out the furnishings—a large mahogany desk and a huge bookshelf against the wall, filled with books and files.
Lin Yan didn't rush to search the bookshelf. He knew this kind of person was extremely cautious and would never leave important things out in plain sight. He crouched down and gently tapped his fingers on the wooden board of the desk, listening carefully to the sound with each tap. When he tapped on a wooden board on the left side under the desk, the sound suddenly became hollow—there was a hidden compartment underneath!
He pulled a thin wire from his pocket and carefully pried open the wooden board, revealing a hidden compartment about half a foot square. Inside, lined with velvet, were several items: an iron box, three thread-bound account books, and a scroll wrapped in animal hide. Lin Yan's heart pounded instantly; he knew this was the evidence he was looking for.
He first picked up the scroll of animal hide document and carefully unfolded it. The hide was somewhat worn, and it was covered with writing in cinnabar, with the top few large characters standing out prominently—"Contract for the Offering of the Demon Wolves of Blackstone Town and Azure Wolf Mountain." The clauses below were increasingly jarring:
I. Three living people are required to donate each month in Blackstone Town. They must be young and strong, between sixteen and thirty-five years old, with abundant qi and blood, and no hidden diseases.
Second, the wolf pack must restrain its members and must not attack Blackstone Town. They must also drive away other demons that approach the town.
Third, Blackstone Town needs to supply 100 shi of grain per month, which is placed in a dilapidated temple three li outside the town for the wolves to use.
4. If the wolf pack produces "blood crystals", Blackrock Town must exchange them for equivalent resources and must not delay payment.
V. This contract shall be valid for ten years, commencing on the seventh day of the third month of the 345th year of the reign of Emperor Taizong of the Great Yin Dynasty. Both parties shall sign and affix their seals upon signing, and neither party shall breach the contract.
At the end of the contract, on the left were the signatures and handprints of Chen Fuhai and Zhao Mang; on the right was a huge wolf claw print, exuding a faint demonic aura that sent chills down one's spine.