Volume One: Menial Worker of Changshui County Chapter Eighty-Two: In Need of Discipline

“Stop dreaming and pay attention to reality,” Lu Jiuzhang said, patting his money pouch. If only he could pick up a bit more money—what a delight that would be. After all, it was free, requiring neither time nor effort.

“Ahem, if you’re bored, go out for a walk. You might stumble upon something,” Lu Jiuzhang advised.

“Hehe, of course. I’ve been wandering nearby these past few days with nothing better to do,” the big black dog replied with a mischievous grin.

...

Meanwhile, inside a tent.

Yuan Wufeng had nearly turned the entire tent upside down, yet his belongings were nowhere to be found. Where had his money pouch gone?

Damn it, he’d only stepped outside for a moment, and now he couldn’t find his money pouch.

“Where is everyone? Where is everyone?” Yuan Wufeng stormed out of the tent, shouting angrily.

“Deputy Yuan, is something wrong?” Two servants approached and asked.

“When you two were pitching my tent earlier, did you see any silver inside?” Yuan Wufeng barked.

“Deputy Yuan, we’re being wronged!” The two servants hurriedly explained, “You only entered to place your luggage after we finished setting up the tent. We haven’t been inside since.”

Internally, the servants cursed. The silver was gone, and he was blaming them? Their job was only to pitch tents; Yuan Wufeng’s luggage was handled by someone else. After the tent was set up, Yuan Wufeng came in to put down his luggage.

Besides, wasn’t silver something to be kept on one’s person? He lost it himself and blamed them.

“Did either of you see anyone enter my tent?” Yuan Wufeng pressed.

“No, Deputy Yuan,” the servants answered cautiously.

“Idiots!” Yuan Wufeng roared, wanting to vent his anger on them.

...

Suddenly, an elderly man with graying hair and a somewhat dull expression approached.

“Deputy Yuan!” he called.

“Deputy Xue!” Yuan Wufeng quickly stepped forward to greet him.

This Deputy Xue was a close associate of Zhong Zhengming, not someone to offend. Yuan Wufeng switched to a smiling face and was exceedingly polite.

“Deputy Yuan, what has you so angry? Planning to take it out on the servants?” the old man asked.

“Oh, it’s nothing. Left some silver in the tent, and these servants didn’t look after it well, so it was stolen. If you ask me, these lowly servants need discipline—if they don’t lose an arm or a leg, they’ll never learn,” Yuan Wufeng muttered.

The old man’s brows twitched with displeasure. He, too, was a servant—Zhong Zhengming’s servant. Wasn’t Yuan Wufeng’s rant directed at him as well?

“Deputy Yuan, why bother with servants?” the old man said.

“Servants? In my eyes, they’re no different from ants. Crushing them is as easy as moving a finger,” Yuan Wufeng went on, oblivious to the old man’s reaction.

“Director Zhong wants to see you. Hurry along and don’t delay,” the old man said sternly, brushing his sleeve and leaving.

Yuan Wufeng glared at the two servants, barking in a shrill, grating voice, “This time, there’s business to attend to, so I’ll let you off. But if it happens again, you’ll see what I’ll do to you!”

With a final threat, Yuan Wufeng hurried after the old man, following him to see Zhong Zhengming.

...

Before Zhong Zhengming, Yuan Wufeng dared not show any temper.

The man before him, in his thirties and strikingly handsome, was not only his direct superior but also backed by powerful connections.

“Director Zhong!” Yuan Wufeng greeted with a respectful salute.

“You seem upset. What’s happened?” Zhong Zhengming inquired.

“It’s nothing serious, Director Zhong. Deputy Yuan lost some silver and blamed the servants, even threatening to break their arms and legs,” the old man interjected before Yuan Wufeng could speak.

Yuan Wufeng was stunned, unable to fathom how he’d offended Deputy Xue, prompting him to report so openly.

Director Zhong valued camaraderie highly and cared deeply for the Demon Slayers under his command.

...

This was reporting him to his face.

“Is this true?” Zhong Zhengming looked at Yuan Wufeng and asked.

“Director Zhong, I was anxious and spoke inappropriately. Please don’t hold it against me,” Yuan Wufeng replied hastily.

“Nonsense!” Zhong Zhengming rebuked. “To accuse others without evidence—is that befitting a deputy director? It’s just a bit of silver. As a deputy director of the Demon Slayers, are you so short of it?”

“Yes, yes, I understand my mistake!” Yuan Wufeng responded.

“Do not let it happen again!” Zhong Zhengming gave Yuan Wufeng a stern look before moving on to business. “I’ve just spoken with Demon Slayer Li and Song Scarface from Nanwu County, and learned the details here.”

“Twenty miles east lies a place called Wuwang Mountain, blessed with natural beauty. Several small sects once established themselves there, but all were soon destroyed.”

“The destruction of those sects attracted little outside attention—everyone assumed rival sects wiped them out. But two years ago, things changed when a demon arrived.”

“In just two years, the demons here have grown rapidly and begun causing trouble.”

“Only recently have people discovered just how dire the situation is. The mountain now teems with demons and ferocious beasts, threatening the local villagers.”

Zhong Zhengming explained the situation on the mountain.

In truth, the Demon Slayers had long detected traces of demons in the area, but as it lay at the border of Changshui and Nanwu counties, both sides wished for the other to handle it, leaving the matter unresolved.

Moreover, it wasn’t a major transportation route, few people lived there, and it was far from the Demon Slayers’ headquarters—so the issue was overlooked.

Now that the threat had grown too large to ignore, Demon Slayers from both counties were sent to deal with it.

“What’s the plan?” Yuan Wufeng asked.

“Demon Slayer Li suggests combining the Demon Slayers from Changshui and Nanwu counties, then splitting into two teams,” Zhong Zhengming explained. “One team attacks from the left, the other from the right, while Li, Song, and I wait behind the mountain.”

“The main force’s assault will frighten the beasts, causing them to flee. We’ll block their escape route, trapping them on the mountain for extermination!”

As Yuan Wufeng listened, he thought the plan sounded overly simple, not particularly clever, but dared not say so—he merely nodded in acknowledgment.

“This plan is rather crude,” Deputy Xue, the old man, remarked quietly.