Early the next morning.
"Don't talk later," Li Jinglong reminded Hongjun when he woke him up.
Autumn was approaching. The maple trees by the courtyard had turned red, but the parasol trees were still green. Red and green complemented each other, and the pond reflected the blue sky and white clouds, creating a colorful scene.
Two corpses. A severely injured fox was placed side by side in the courtyard. The youngest fox was covered in wounds. Hongjun's flying dagger had cut into its shoulder, and Atay's flames had charred its hind legs. Its charred fur had cracked, revealing its flesh and blood. Li Jinglong's arrow had been nearly fatal. It had pierced through the fox's lower abdomen and pierced through its back. Mo Rigen's arrow had a barb, so he could only pull it out in the opposite direction, causing the little fox to wail in pain.
In the end, Hongjun had given it a blood-staunching elixir from Dazzling Gold Palace, saving the little fox's life.
"This one's cultivation is the highest." Qiu Yongsi paced around the courtyard and pointed at the largest fox. "This one was killed by Mo Rigen as soon as it left the courtyard. This one is still alive, but it's the youngest. "
The little fox closed its eyes tightly and remained motionless.
"Should I send you to Commander Hu and let him see what you look like now, Jin Yun?" Li Jinglong tilted his head and looked at the little fox. "It hurts, doesn't it?"
The little fox suddenly opened its eyes, but turned its head away.
"Jin Yun, Tu Ying, Zi Ying." Li Jinglong threw down a stack of papers. On them were the slave contracts of the three girls who had disappeared from the poetry column last night. "Ancestral home of Xinyang, 16 years old. The three of us came to Chang 'an together to find a place to settle down."
"If you're just a spiritual creature of heaven and earth, reborn as a human through cultivation and devoted to kindness, I'll let it go. At most, I'll expel you from Chang 'an." Li Jinglong paused. He sat on the steps of the porch outside the front hall and looked into the little fox's eyes. "But why do you want to kill people?"
The little fox did not answer.
"Whose body is it?" Li Jinglong asked coldly. "Speak."
The little fox remained silent.
"Even if you don't tell me, I can still find out." Li Jinglong continued, "Now, I'll give you one last chance. Tell me who killed that person."
The little fox remained silent. Qiu Yongsi said, "I think we should just kill it."
After a long silence, Li Jinglong said, "Let's close the case. Yongsi, you write the document and I'll hand it to Prime Minister Yang tomorrow morning. Today we'll hand it over to Hu Sheng first; presumably he has already received last night's military report, so we'll have something to report to him. Let him deal with the rest on his own. Later, we'll go out separately and lock it up first. "
Mo Rigen locked the little fox in a cage and placed it in the side courtyard. Qiu Yongsi stuck talismans all around the cage to prevent it from escaping. However, this action was completely unnecessary. Even if the little fox wanted to escape, it did not have the strength to do so. When everyone gathered around, Atay frowned and said, "Will it believe us?"
Hongjun: "?"
"You can speak now." Li Jinglong said to Hongjun.
Hongjun wanted to ask what was going on, but Li Jinglong took the initiative to say, "Send it to the Long Wu Army and monitor its movements. It's much easier than finding a needle in a haystack in the Imperial Palace."
Mo Rigen said, "But what if no one comes to save it?"
Only then did Hong Jun understand. He thought to himself, How smart! Li Jinglong just wanted to trick the little fox and pretend that the case was closed. His real goal was to lure out more demons!
"You want to lure the snake out of its hole!" Hongjun said.
The four people in the hall were speechless. Li Jinglong nodded and said to Hongjun, "Yes, smart."
After a moment, Li Jinglong said, "Someone will definitely come to save it. At the very least, they'll kill it to silence it. You see, it's very smart. It knows that it can only survive if it doesn't say anything. Its accomplices must also know that it's smart. They won't let it live for too long to prevent it from leaking the secret. If Hu Sheng lets it go, it'll be even simpler. We just have to track it. "
Hongjun's brain was not enough. He had an illusion that the people in front of him were the real demons.
"This must be a big case." Qiu Yongsi said.
"Let's move." Li Jinglong said, "Let's follow the vine to the melon and catch the big one."
Atay, Mo Rigen, and Qiu Yongsi looked at Li Jinglong in a completely different light than a few days ago. Especially after Li Jinglong showed his skills last night. Li Jinglong finished speaking and stood up. Several people wanted to follow him, but Li Jinglong said, "You guys go rest. Hongjun and I will go and return the cat."
"I'll go and get some more Soul Leaving Pollen for everyone." Qiu Yongsi smiled.
Li Jinglong looked at Qiu Yongsi and nodded. He let Hongjun carry the Persian cat and leave with him.
After the two of them left, the expressions of the remaining three people changed.
"You didn't see it last night." Mo Rigen said, "When the second three-tailed demon fox appeared, he risked his life to protect Hongjun and the Long Wu Army guards. It's not easy for a mortal to have such courage. "
Atay thought for a while and paced around the courtyard. He said, "Maybe he can really subdue the Demon King?"
Qiu Yongsi squatted in the corridor and said helplessly, "It's just one case. Don't you think it's too early to say that?"
"I wanted to leave a few days ago!" Atay was extremely depressed. He put his hands on his hips and said, "Do you know how desperate I was? Huh? Can't we have some hope in life? "
"Wow, a fire-spitting sissy." The Carp Demon had just woken up and was eating fish food by the pond. He asked, "So the three of you are in cahoots?"
The three of them forgot that the walls had ears. They were stunned for a moment. Now they were in big trouble.
Atay had an idea and said, "Brother Zilong, what kind of fish do you like? Shall I buy one for you? "
The Carp Demon ate the fish food and said, "There's no need for that. I want to abstain from sexual desires and cultivate. My family's Hongjun will still need your help. Today, I will definitely keep my mouth shut. "
Only then did everyone heave a sigh of relief. The Carp Demon said, "But …"
The three people's hearts were in their throats again.
The Carp Demon continued, "Everyone is in such a mess now. We can't even work together to catch a fox. How are we going to deal with the Chang 'an Demon King?"
"Hey, Brother Fish." Atay said, "You're wrong to say that. We're just worried that Elder Li will get hurt and lose his life …"
"All living things are equal." The Carp Demon said, "The monk who set me free said that no matter if it's a human or a demon, everyone has something they want to protect. Isn't that the truth?"
The three people stopped talking.
Qiu Yongsi said, "Indeed, we have to find an opportunity. I think there's no need to hide it from him. Why don't we have a good talk with Elder Li? Let's talk about it openly."
The Carp Demon finished eating the fish food and said to himself, "Let's help Hongjun wash his clothes." So he dragged a washboard to the side of the well. He took out Hongjun's underwear and began to scrub his underwear.
The three people couldn't help but blush when they heard that. They had been exorcists for so long, but their knowledge and experience were not as good as a carp's. They immediately felt bored.
In the morning, Li Jinglong walked in front, and Hongjun followed behind with the cat in his arms. They first went to the Mansion of Madame Qin to return the cat.
"Pay attention to the people in the Mansion of Qin," Li Jinglong said to Hongjun, "Sometimes, a person's expression can reveal a lot of information."
Hongjun now admired Li Jinglong, but he also felt that it was not easy for him. How did he get along like that in the past and get bullied everywhere? He really didn't understand. But Chong Ming once said that everyone had their own persistence. There were many things that didn't need to be forced.
"But Zhao Zilong often said that I don't have a good eye," Hongjun said.
Li Jinglong had to answer, "In life, it's rare to be confused. It's quite good. Forget it, there's no need to force it. You talk less later. "
As soon as Li Jinglong and Hongjun entered the Mansion of Madame Qin with the cat, the gatekeeper shouted, "Qing 'er is back —!"
"Quick, quick, quick! Qing 'er is home! "
The scene was particularly sensational. Even Li Jinglong was very embarrassed. The butler came out to greet them in person. Li Jinglong asked, "Is it this …"
Before he finished asking, the cat was snatched by the butler. The butler was overjoyed, "That's it, that's it! Where did you find it?! "
For a moment, it was as if the mansion was welcoming the arrival of His Majesty. The only thing missing was the noise of singing and dancing. The maids and manservants happily sent the cat out of the main hall. The housekeeper respectfully brought the cat to the main seat and added a soft silk cushion. He also brought the emerald food box, which contained delicacies such as sea cucumbers and fish. Another gilded luminous bowl was set up. He personally held the Hetian jade bottle and poured the clear spring water into it.
The cat had eaten marinated rice for two days in the Exorcism Department. Its mouth was very bland, and when it returned to the mansion, it ate heartily. It simply looked insufferably arrogant.
"Come and kowtow to Officer Li!" The butler shouted.
So the maids gathered and lined up outside the hall. They kowtowed three times.
Li Jinglong, "…"
"He is Officer Li." Hongjun explained for him.
Li Jinglong's expression was extremely ugly. He got up and was about to leave. The butler hurriedly said, "Madam has entered the palace. Please wait for Madam to come back and thank her personally."
Li Jinglong waved his hand and said, "Forget it, forget it." Just as he was about to tell Hongjun to leave, Hongjun had not eaten breakfast yet. Seeing the snacks on the table, he picked up some and wolfed it down. He had long forgotten Li Jinglong's instructions.
"Delicious … Oh …" Hongjun ate and drank tea. Li Jinglong could only say to the butler, "This is my subordinate."
"A dragon among men! A dragon among men! " If the butler did not have scruples about his status, he would have knelt down and kowtowed to the two of them. He stepped forward and held Li Jinglong's hand, saying, "This time, we really have to thank Officer Li. I didn't expect you to save our lives … Alas …"
The butler had always been a talkative person. A few days ago, Li Jinglong came to ask around, but the residence was too lazy to pay attention to him. He did not expect that he would really be found. In his excitement, he spoke incoherently and poked Li Jinglong's sore spot.
Li Jinglong's eyes swept across the residence. He saw no suspicious maids or strange people. He urged Hongjun to eat quickly and get out of here as soon as possible.
Hongjun was drinking tea and motioned Li Jinglong to wait. It was the first time he had eaten such delicious snacks, so he grabbed a few more.
"I will prepare them for you and send them to the Exorcism Department!" The butler hurriedly said.
Li Jinglong's head was fuming. He changed the topic and said, "When this cat ran out, were there guests in the residence?"
"That night, the Imperial Concubine, Madam Guo, and Prime Minister Yang came to visit." The butler said, "At that time, the residence was in a mess. Alas …"
Li Jinglong suddenly frowned. Hongjun also heard it. He stopped chewing and glanced at Li Jinglong.
"Let's go after eating." Li Jinglong said.
The butler wanted to ask the guest to stay, but Li Jinglong waved his hand and took Hongjun out. The butler wanted to thank him again. Li Jinglong finally could not bear it. He turned around in front of the gate and said to the butler, "It's nothing. There's no need to thank me."
After that, Li Jinglong said to Hongjun, "The soldiers who fought for the Tang Dynasty at the frontier fortress only received two taels of silver a month. They lived worse than a pet of Madam Qin. If this money is from the ancestors, others have no way to say it. I just don't know where these expenses come from. "
The butler was suddenly stung like this and immediately felt a little embarrassed. When he was about to scold Li Jinglong, the two had already left the residence. He could only ignore this thorn.
"With your ability, you can only find a cat." The butler said sarcastically.
Li Jinglong just pretended not to hear it. He went to the Supreme Court with Hongjun to check the files. Hongjun took out the snacks and handed them to Li Jinglong. He said, "Here."
"I don't eat the people's fat." Li Jinglong said.
"This is called the people's fat cake? It tastes really good. "Hongjun said." Try it? I know you must want to eat it. Why do you always say things that don't mean? This is not good … "
"It's not that I say things that don't mean, I really don't want to eat it!"
The two people pulled and pulled on the street. Li Jinglong couldn't do anything to Hongjun, but he also couldn't beat him. There were many people watching on the streets of Chang 'an. Looking at this, he was afraid that it wouldn't be long before there would be a discussion. In order to keep the peace, he could only accept it.
The snacks that Hongjun brought out were a layer of crystal glutinous rice wrapped in egg yolk, cheese, osmanthus, and early summer honey. Li Jinglong said that he didn't want to eat it, but his stomach was hungry. In the end, he took it and ate the people's fat cake.
"It's delicious, right?" Hongjun said.
Li Jinglong: "Oh."
Li Jinglong and Hongjun walked down the street. Li Jinglong looked around from time to time, afraid that he would be seen.
Although the Li family had some family background in the past, their food was not as good as the Yang sisters'. Li Jinglong thought that they did a good job while thinking about what the housekeeper said earlier.
"Do you think that the big demon is by the emperor's side?" Hongjun asked again.
Li Jinglong frowned: "If that's the case, His Majesty is in danger. What if …"
"That won't happen." Hongjun turned around and stood on the side of the alley. He stopped and said to Li Jinglong: "The emperor is protected by the Ziwei star. No matter how powerful the demon is, it can't directly cast a spell on the emperor. But what if this demon is Prime Minister Yang? Or Madam Guo? Or Imperial Consort? "
"Impossible." Li Jinglong answered without thinking.
"Why is it impossible?" Hongjun asked blankly. "Isn't this very reasonable?"
Hongjun's words instantly woke him up. Li Jinglong was speechless for a long time.
This guess simply broke Li Jinglong's cognition. The Prime Minister or Imperial Consort sisters by the emperor's side were demons?! Li Jinglong looked at Hongjun and said: "Let's go. Why do you keep standing here?"
Hongjun looked at the noodle stall next to him and then looked at Li Jinglong.
Li Jinglong: "…"
Hongjun: "Look at how good the noodles are. Don't you want to try some?"
Behind the stall, the boss was pulling noodles. The yellow noodles were pulled into the pot and boiled in the boiling water. After the pot was taken out of the pot, it was poured with braised pork trotters, soybeans, dried tofu, and other toppings. A fragrant smell assailed the nose.
"Didn't you just eat snacks?" Li Jinglong said, "Why are you hungry again?" Thinking of Hongjun's means just now, he couldn't walk when he saw food. If he rejected him again, he was afraid that he would be laughed at again. He hurriedly said: "Okay, okay, let's eat."
Li Jinglong nodded and sat down, thinking about and digesting the information.
When the two of them sat down, Li Jinglong's head was covered in dark clouds. Now that he thought about it, the cat's series of actions seemed to be hinting at something. Unfortunately, it couldn't speak. After smelling the Soul Leaving Pollen, it seemed to have forgotten a lot of things. Most of the time, he could only guess.
If someone in the Yang Family was a demon, this was no small matter. Or, Yang Guozhong and his sister were all demons? Li Jinglong didn't even dare to think about it anymore. However, as he thought about it, his attention focused on Hongjun again.
Hongjun had already started eating his third bowl.
"Do you usually eat so much?" Li Jinglong asked.
"I'm still growing." Hongjun said with a blank face. "What's wrong with eating more? I didn't eat your family's rice."
Li Jinglong was speechless.
"In the future, if anyone raises you, the money they earn won't be enough for you to eat." Li Jinglong looked away and said unnaturally.
"I'll raise myself." Hongjun was honest and said, "My father gave me a lot of money. My goal is to eat all the delicious food in the world. The food in the human world is too delicious!"
"The human world?"
"…"
Hongjun realized that he had let it slip. Li Jinglong was tactful and didn't ask anymore.
"You all have money." Li Jinglong counted out Tong Bao to pay the bill and told him not to eat anymore. Hongjun wanted to pay, but Li Jinglong didn't let him. He said, "You're all rich. One tael of pollen costs eight hundred taels of silver. If you're not from a rich family, you won't be an exorcist."
The 3,200 taels of Soul Leaving Pollen had not been settled, and he had spent all his savings on the reconstruction of the Exorcism Division. Now that Hongjun had eaten, it would cost him at least two days of food expenses. He still had to wait for his salary next month. Li Jinglong was simply worried, but he couldn't tell Hongjun, so he could only grit his teeth and bear it himself.
He only had twelve copper coins left. As long as he didn't eat in restaurants these days and ate in the division, today was the 26th … it shouldn't be a problem to last until the fifth of next month.
It was Hongjun's first time in the Supreme Court. He thought it was a temple, but he found it was an ordinary official's residence. The officials came and went, the main hall was dark and oppressive, and there were continuous screams in the distance. The hostility was so strong that it made people feel uncomfortable.
Logically speaking, the case should be closed once the demon was caught and the corpse was found. However, Li Jinglong felt that the fox demon's act of burning the corpse was very suspicious and didn't want him to investigate further. Whether it was the case of the cat or the fox demon, there were many suspicious points. The more suspicious it was, the more difficult it was to close the case. He always had a faint premonition that there were more complicated mysteries behind it.
The two of them looked in the back of the file room for a long time. Hongjun suddenly said, "Take a look at this."
Hongjun could now more or less follow Li Jinglong's train of thought. Many things seemed ordinary, but there might be more unusual inside stories. Three scholars from Gong County came to Chang 'an to take the exam. They spent several days in a Chang' an restaurant and ran away without paying the bill. The restaurant owner couldn't receive the money, so he reported it to the Supreme Court. According to the description, they were between thirty and forty years old.
"Take them away." Li Jinglong took out the piece of paper and went through the procedures, transferring the case from the Supreme Court to the Exorcism Division. As soon as the civil official saw the case, he laughed and mocked, "Your Exorcism Division only knows how to find cats and collect debts?"
Li Jinglong didn't lower himself to his level. He stamped the paper and left, taking Hongjun with him to the Long Wu Army.
The Long Wu Army's outer drill grounds were very wide. In the past, Yuchi Jingde established the Black Armored Army for Li Shimin. After more than a hundred years of changes, it was divided into the "Shenwu" and the "Longwu" divisions. Halfway through, they moved to Luoyang and then moved back to Chang 'an. The drill grounds were still very imposing. In the morning, the soldiers were practicing on the drill grounds. Mo Rigen, Atay, and Qiu Yongsi had already arrived with the cage. Li Jinglong had Hongjun accompany them outside while he carried the cage in to see Hu Sheng.
"Hahaha, Li Jinglong caught a demon. Look, look! It's a fox! "
The Long Wu Army soldiers were still laughing at him from time to time. Presumably, Li Jinglong had casually caught a fox outside, put on a show of putting on a talisman, and then pretended to be a ghost before coming over to ask for praise.
"It seems that our Chief Scribe really isn't liked by his colleagues," Atay said with a smile.
Mo Rigen's brows were deeply furrowed, as if he was very anxious about Li Jinglong's situation. He replied, "Logically speaking, such a smart person should know how to be flexible and take advantage of both sides. Why can't he understand some things?"
"Mortals also have their own troubles," Qiu Yongsi said. "His own problems can only be solved by himself."
Hongjun had been listening to their sharp talk every day, so he was simply confused. He couldn't help but ask, "Can't you guys be a bit clearer?"
The three of them looked at Hong Jun. All of them smiled strangely.
"The less you know, the less you have to worry." Atay looked at Hongjun seriously. He used the blue gilded fan in his hand to gently lift Hongjun's chin. He smiled teasingly and said, "Isn't it good that your brothers are worried about you?"
"Ignore him." Mo Rigen put his arm around Hongjun's shoulder and pulled him to his side.
Qiu Yongsi said, "Mo Rigen, this is wrong of you. You're actually trying to steal someone from Chief Scribe?"
Mo Rigen laughed and replied, "He looks like my little brother. What's wrong with that?"
"You have a little brother?" Hongjun asked in surprise.
"I have four little brothers and two little sisters," Mo Rigen replied.
Hongjun never thought that Mo Rigen was actually the eldest in the family. No wonder he gave off the feeling of an older brother.
Atay asked gently, "What happened this morning?"
Hongjun thought for a moment and roughly told him what happened this morning. At that moment, the Long Wu Army soldiers came over and drove the crowd away from the drill ground. "Hey! Swords and spears don't have eyes. Don't squat on the drill ground. Everyone, leave! "
Hongjun was wearing a set of clothes that he had casually bought after arriving at the Chang 'an. Atay was dressed luxuriously, but he was a Hu. Mo Rigen was dressed as a hunter, and Qiu Yongsi was a scholar. The four of them standing together looked strange no matter how one looked at them. Hearing this, they all retreated a little. As the soldiers walked away, they laughed at the remaining people. "Li Jinglong's freak subordinates."
These words caused a burst of laughter. Hongjun's face showed anger. He took two steps forward, but Mo Rigen pressed his shoulder.
"What are you doing?" Qiu Yongsi said, "You two shouldn't meddle in other people's business."
Mo Rigen didn't say anything. He took out a copper coin and threw it to Atay. Atay looked puzzled. Mo Rigen picked up a longbow from the weapon rack, pulled out three arrows, weighed them in his hand, and stood in the middle of the drill ground.
At that moment, Li Jinglong finished narrating what happened last night. Hu Sheng's face was full of shock.
"You … are you telling the truth?!" Hu Sheng said.
Li Jinglong replied, "Could it be that I colluded with last night's witnesses to deceive you?"
Hu Sheng said, "But this … is simply inconceivable! You mean to say that this fox is one of the women in the Leaning Poem Column? "
"It's the fox demon," Li Jinglong said coldly, "which is the Jin Yun that you often visit."
"Nonsense!" Hu Sheng said, "Li Jinglong, you …"
Li Jinglong replied, "It's up to you to believe it or not. I'll leave this demon to you. When the case of the three missing girls in the Leaning Poem Column, the Supreme Court will investigate and eventually find you."
Hu Sheng suddenly realized an extremely serious problem — he and Jin Yun were close. Although this matter was not publicized, the madam, waitress, and girls in the Leaning Poem Column had seen him often. Jin Yun must have told others about it on a daily basis. There were also the sachets and other things that he gave her in the room. In the end, they would definitely find him.
Li Jinglong's move was simply forcing him into a dilemma.
"Good, General Xiao Fei." Hu Sheng laughed and said, "I really underestimated you in the past." Finished speaking, his eyes rolled towards the fox, countless thoughts turning in his mind. Although he did not know what Li Jinglong was planning, Jin Yun's whereabouts were definitely unknown. When the Supreme Court investigated, he would definitely be entangled with them every day and would not be able to get away.
If it was really a demon, he would just kill the fox in front of the Supreme Court. He could also take the opportunity to explain that he was assisting Li Jinglong to catch the demon. In any case, with him in front of the Supreme Court, he would be able to escape the crime of being a prostitute.
"Okay." Hu Sheng said, "If the Supreme Court comes looking, this official will explain. At that time, they might even come looking for you. "
Li Jinglong said casually, "Naturally, I will close the case. We just need to wait for the investigation."
At this time, there was a clamor outside. Li Jinglong frowned and went to the window to look. Hu Sheng said, "You brought someone here?"
Li Jinglong hurriedly pushed open the door and walked over quickly. He saw that the drill ground was completely packed. Mo Rigen and a lieutenant were competing in archery. When the dust settled, Mo Rigen's arrow hit the bull's eye. The Long Wu Army was silent. Every time the lieutenant hit the bull's eye, it would cause a great uproar.
After shooting three arrows, Mo Rigen took out three more and signaled to Atay. Then he said to the crowd in a clear voice, "I can't compete with the target. Why don't our little brothers try a few moves?"
Atay held a folding fan in his hand. On top of the folding fan was a copper coin. He shook his hand lightly and said, "Go!"
The copper coin flew into the air and buzzed. Hongjun understood and threw the throwing knife in his hand. He shouted, "Hit!"
The throwing knife shot out and hit the copper coin with a "ding" sound. The copper coin buzzed and spun wildly. Under the sunlight, it turned into a dazzling ball of light and flew towards the corner of the drill ground.
The lieutenant knew that Mo Rigen was going to shoot the copper coin. When he pulled his bow, he couldn't catch the trajectory of the copper coin. His hand trembled.
Then Hongjun threw another throwing knife. The throwing knife first hit the roof tiles and then flew back. The second time it hit the copper coin, the copper coin buzzed and buzzed.
In that instant, there was complete silence. The third throwing knife flew out and blocked the copper coin's path. It hit the copper coin, and with another "ding" sound, the copper coin was sent several feet into the air.
"It's your turn." Hongjun raised his hand to keep the throwing knife and smiled.
Mo Rigen had already pulled his bow. The lieutenant drew his bow and arrow. Sweat slid down his forehead. Both of them raised their heads at the same time and looked at the buzzing copper coin. At this time, the copper coin had become a small black dot. They were waiting for it to fall down and then they would shoot the arrows at the same time.
The copper coin flew higher and higher. Mo Rigen's mouth showed a trace of a smile. Just as he was about to release the bowstring, an arrow suddenly flew from the side and chased after the copper coin. It shot through the hole in the copper coin and fell straight down. With a "ding" sound, it was firmly nailed to the corner of the drill ground.
Thousands of people in the drill ground turned their heads at the same time. They saw Li Jinglong holding a longbow and standing side by side with Hu Sheng at the top of the steps of the Long Wu Army yamen.
"Let's go!" Li Jinglong said. "What's the point of showing off and fighting fiercely?"
His subordinates put away their weapons and swaggered away with Li Jinglong. Li Jinglong's expression was uncertain and he didn't speak on the way back. Hongjun was anxious and uneasy. When they returned to the Exorcism Department, Li Jinglong said to his subordinates, "You are exorcists. Your skills are better than ordinary people. Is it glorious to win against them?"
His subordinates were embarrassed for a moment. They thought to themselves, Isn't it because we wanted to help you vent your anger? It's fine if you don't appreciate our kindness. Li Jinglong said again, "From tonight onwards, go to the Long Wu Army's encampment and prepare to ambush the big fish."
"Okay —"
"Yes —"
Qiu Yongsi gave him a meaningful glance, meaning to say, look, the flattery has failed. Hong Jun, however, scratched his head and laughed.
That night, dark clouds covered the sky. After Li Jinglong gave his subordinates the results of the day's investigation, he led them to the Long Wu Army's encampment.