Turns Out I'm the Real Monster?!

All who heard the news were shocked.

When Ming Cuicui and the others heard, they were shaken to their core.

Back when Jiang Mu had resolutely gone off alone to find the Demons, vowing to avenge Tang Guixin, they had dismissed his words as a fit of passionate anger.

After all, at the time, Tang Guixin and Jiang Mu had known each other for only a short while.

But he had actually done it.

He charged into the Demon camp alone and slaughtered every last Demon in Red Forest Valley.

And now, here in the assembly hall, right in front of the Director from Yan City, he had cut down that traitor with a single slash.

They had known each other for such a short time, yet he had gone to such lengths for Tang Guixin.

What does it mean to be a man of honor and loyalty?

This was it.

In the small courtyard where Jiang Mu was staying.

Ming Cuicui wiped away her tears as she handed a bundle to Jiang Mu.

"Master Jiang, this is the bundle Sister Tang always carried with her. I tidied it up and was planning to take it back to Yunzhou City."

But then I thought about it... Sister Tang ran away from home many years ago. She doesn’t really have a home anymore.

Perhaps... it’s best if I give it to you."

Jiang Mu took the bundle. It was heavy.

Ming Cuicui wiped her eyes again and said with a choked voice:

"Master Jiang, we... we weren’t capable enough to avenge Sister Tang. If it weren’t for you, her death, and the deaths of the others... would have just been swept under the rug. We really don’t know how to thank you..."

Beside her, Zhu Chang’s eyes were also red. He cupped his fist solemnly.

"Master Jiang, Zhu Chang will never forget this great kindness. If you ever need anything in the future, I would go through mountains of blades and seas of fire for you without a second thought!"

Jiang Mu looked at the two young people and simply nodded.

"Aunt Tang treated me like a nephew. Avenging her is only right and proper. You don’t need to be like this."

After Ming Cuicui and the others left, Jiang Mu opened the bundle.

Inside, aside from a change of clothes, there was only a single letter.

The envelope was relatively new, clearly written recently.

A few elegant words were written on it:

To My Dearest Child.

It was for Tang Guixin’s daughter.

The envelope wasn’t sealed. Jiang Mu could have opened it to see what was written inside, but he just quietly put the letter away, tucking it inside his robes.

Once things here were settled, he planned to make a trip to the Celestial Blade Sect himself to deliver this letter.

It would be his way of fulfilling one last wish for Aunt Tang.

"Old Jiang, with what you just pulled, I’m afraid you’ve thoroughly pissed off Yan Wu for good."

Xu Fu walked in, plopped down on a chair, and said with a laugh,

"Even if you found evidence in the end, you killed his subordinate right in front of him. That’s like throwing his pride on the ground and stomping on it."

He paused, then added:

"But the good thing is, Yan Wu is someone who sees the bigger picture. When it comes to slaying Demons, he won’t try to trip you up. But from now on... don’t expect him to ever look at you pleasantly again."

"Doesn’t matter."

Jiang Mu pursed his lips. "As long as my conscience is clear."

’He had wanted to leave Yan Wu some dignity, too.’

’But the man had clearly chosen to shield and protect Du Yuanfei. He might have had his reasons, but as far as Jiang Mu was concerned, he couldn’t rest easy as long as that animal lived for even one more day.’

Yan Fenghuo strode in and snorted coldly.

"We’re here as reinforcements. If he’s going to be unpleasant, we can just pack up and leave. If the General Office blames us, we have Elder Tian and Director Ran to back us up. What’s there to be afraid of?"

He walked over and clapped Jiang Mu heavily on the shoulder.

"Old Jiang, I’ve got your back! If those bastards from Yan City really dare to cause trouble for you, I, Old Yan, will be the first to shut them down. Screw ’em!"

Jiang Mu smiled.

"Thanks. But right now, all I want to do is sleep. I’m tired."

"Alright, you get some rest. We’ll call you if there’s a mission."

Xu Fu and Yan Fenghuo exchanged a glance. Seeing that Jiang Mu was indeed exhausted, they didn’t disturb him further and left the room.

Jiang Mu closed the door, placed Tang Guixin’s bundle at the head of the bed, and lay down, staring blankly.

’It wasn’t that he was physically tired, but more of a mental exhaustion.’

’One thing after another, never-ending, had kept his nerves stretched taut.’

’Now that he could finally relax, a profound sense of weariness washed over him.’

’As for offending Yan Wu?’

’Let him be.’

’Just as Yan Fenghuo had said, worst case, they could just walk away.’

’Anyway, he had Tian Wenjing and Ran Qingshan to cover for him. If that failed, he could always follow "Watermelon Ling" and become a carefree Patrol Envoy. That was another way out.’

’As he thought about it, his eyelids grew heavier and heavier.’

Jiang Mu sank into a deep sleep.

...

An unknown amount of time passed.

Jiang Mu awoke from his slumber to find that the sky had already turned dark.

Outside the window, a bright moon hung high in the sky, its clear light flowing like water.

"I actually slept for a whole day..."

He got up and stretched, feeling that much of his energy had returned.

He pushed open the door, and a cool night breeze rushed to greet him.

In the next moment, however, Jiang Mu froze.

There, in the quiet courtyard, under a locust tree in the corner, a figure sat silently.

It was a woman.

Her back was to the door as she sat on a round, bluestone stool, staring blankly up at the fragmented moonlight filtering through the locust tree’s leaves.

She wore a long, simple gauze dress of a pale blue hue.

The fabric was soft and clung to her body.

With her back to him, the moonlight traced the soft dip where her waist met her hips. The curve sank heavily downwards, like porcelain still warm from the kiln, before flowing out softly to either side.

Within her dignified posture was a weary allure, one so ripe it seemed ready to drip honey.

As the night wind blew past, the hem of her dress would occasionally lift to reveal the tip of a shoe before quickly falling back down.

Just her silhouette alone exuded a fully ripened charm.

It radiated both gentle grace and allure.

Hearing the sound behind her, the woman stood up and turned around.

"Lord Jiang, you’re awake?"

She gave Jiang Mu a gentle smile.

Her gaze was full of the unique gentleness and wisdom found only in a mature woman.

Jiang Mu took two steps forward and clasped his hands in a salute.

"Greetings, Water Director. Back in Red Forest Valley, if you hadn’t intervened and gravely wounded the Demon Dragon, I fear I would have lost my life there. I will never forget this immense kindness."