Turns Out I'm the Real Monster?!

Jiang Mu answered casually.

"Yan City..."

Ling Ye seemed lost in thought.

Jiang Mu recalled some rumors he had heard recently and asked, "I heard the rebellion over in Yan City is about to end?"

"Mhm."

Ling Ye nodded slightly.

"The large army dispatched by the Court has already suppressed the main rebel force, and things are now in the wrap-up phase. The general leading the suppression is none other than Elder General Chang’s only son, Chang Dawei."

At this, her voice faltered slightly as she was suddenly reminded of the feat this guy next to her had pulled off not long ago.

He had publicly executed General Chang Da Wei’s concubine, Madam Liu.

Although a later investigation confirmed that Madam Liu was indeed secretly cultivating a Demon Technique, there was no solid evidence that the Chang family was colluding with Demon Fiends.

Furthermore, the Court was in dire need of capable people, so the matter was handled discreetly and not publicized.

But it involved a prominent military family, after all, making it a rather sensitive issue.

That’s why in the end, the higher-ups gave Jiang Mu no public commendation for his merits, as if the incident had never happened.

The reason Ran Qingshan had so readily given him the Star Official Seal was also a form of compensation.

’To be honest, when she first heard about it, she had been deeply shaken.’

’It reminded her of so, so many things from the past.’

’Perhaps it was also then that her feelings toward Jiang Mu had grown much warmer.’

"Xiaojiang."

Ling Ye turned around, her beautiful eyes fixed on him as she asked seriously,

"Sometimes, you might do the absolute right thing and take a huge risk, but in the end, you don’t get the reward you deserve, and you might even end up being resented for it..."

"Would you still do it?"

Jiang Mu met her clear gaze and suddenly smiled.

"If I do it, my heart is at ease, and my thoughts are clear. If I don’t, I’ll feel so suffocated that I can’t even sleep well."

"As for whether I get rewarded... it doesn’t matter."

Ling Ye watched him quietly for a long moment. The emotions in her eyes shifted several times before finally settling into a soft gentleness.

She drew her gaze away, looking toward the last wisps of sunset on the horizon, and said softly,

"I was going to advise you not to be so reckless in the future, not to be so conspicuously sharp... but on second thought, maybe... the way you are... is fine too."

Jiang Mu didn’t want to dwell on the topic. He was more interested in Bai Xiang’s hometown, so he asked,

"I hear that quite a few Demon Fiends were fanning the flames of this rebellion in Yan City."

"That’s right."

Ling Ye nodded. "The rebel army was mixed with a large number of demons, and even organized units of demon soldiers. That’s one of the reasons why suppressing the rebellion has been so difficult."

"So, can the army handle them?"

Jiang Mu was very curious.

"You’re underestimating the combat strength of the Court’s army. However..."

Ling Ye’s tone shifted.

"Once the rebellion is completely quelled and local order has been initially restored, rooting out the scattered, hidden Demon Fiends and dealing with the latent dangers left behind by Demon Techniques is ultimately a job where the Demon-slaying Bureau is more specialized."

"When that time comes, the Court will likely dispatch elite forces from the Demon-slaying Bureaus of several surrounding cities to Yan City to assist with the cleanup."

"Really?!"

Jiang Mu’s eyes instantly lit up like two big light bulbs. "Will our Hu State Demon-slaying Bureau be sending people over too?"

"Definitely."

Ling Ye looked at his excited, hand-rubbing expression and couldn’t help but feel a little exasperated.

’This kid... why does he get so pumped up the moment he hears there are demons to kill?’

’This addiction of his is way too strong.’

"You’re in the spotlight right now, and your strength is plain for all to see. Ran Qingshan will definitely put you on the list."

Ling Ye looked at him, her tone growing serious.

"But I must remind you, the situation in Yan City is far more complex than it is here. There aren’t just Demon Fiends, but also routed soldiers, evil cultivators, and even... the treacherous hearts of men."

"If you really do go, you absolutely cannot be as reckless as you were this time."

"Remember, there’s always someone stronger than you, always a demon more powerful than the last, and you only have one life."

Jiang Mu nodded vigorously, looking as if he had learned his lesson:

"Don’t worry, Sister Ling. My greatest strength is my cautiousness. I never get reckless!"

Ling Ye: "..."

’Yeah, right.’

Ling Ye glanced toward the kitchen, hesitated for a moment, then whispered, "Go to your room. I have something to show you."

?

Jiang Mu’s breath hitched.

’My lady, are you going to show me your sexy lingerie too?’