When his beloved son was assaulted and left unconscious, He Chunhua had dispatched a message to the leopard demon of the western mountains, yet received no reply. He sighed, "Additionally, the urgent dispatches from the interior have been interrupted for about ten days due to the Pingning region falling to rebel forces. This was followed by floods, rendering the postal stations along the route inoperable and severing all communications. Heishui City has been busy organizing troops and defenses."
He Lingchuan blinked in surprise, "Are we to join the war effort as well?"
He had heard some stirrings within the military camp lately but hadn't paid much attention. Qiansong County had not seen major conflicts for a long time, but skirmishes were common around Heishui City, usually involving government forces rooting out bandits. Such minor clashes had become so routine that both soldiers and civilians took them in stride.
"It's uncertain," He Chunhua replied gravely.
"Let it be." Observing his slightly haggard appearance, He Lingchuan couldn't truly blame this stand-in father. The duties of a magistrate were heavy and varied, encompassing agriculture, trade, border issues, defense, and natural disasters, all while guarding against the rebel forces from the interior. He Chunhua rose before dawn and retired well after dusk, embodying the diligence expected of a fatherly official.
Even as he exhausted himself for the welfare of Qiansong County, the most troubling news often originated from the heart of the Yan Kingdom, embroiled in internal strife. "You summoned me, father. What is it that you wish me to see?"
"This." He Chunhua pried open the leopard's mouth.
Its mouthful of sharp teeth was chilling, but He Lingchuan immediately noticed something amiss, "Its canines are gone?"
All four canine teeth had been forcibly removed, leaving behind only bloody sockets.
"The leopard demon that attacked you also hid objects in its canines. Moreover, the internal injuries of that leopard closely resemble those of this Leopard King," he mused. "Where have you kept the items from its teeth? Show them to me."
When the He household found He Lingchuan unconscious and bloodied at the bottom of the cliff, the leopard was already dead. Consequently, both were transported back, the living to be urgently treated and the dead leopard to be dissected. Since He Lingchuan had initially gone hunting for rock goats but returned with a leopard demon, it was considered his trophy. After inspecting the items hidden within the leopard's teeth, He Chunhua handed them over to his eldest son as a keepsake. Demons, too, have storage needs but often lack clothing; where could they conceal their possessions? A common practice is to transform a part of their body into a storage space, which requires inherent talent, such as crocodile demons favoring their stomachs as treasure pouches, while tiger, leopard, wolf, and hyena demons typically use their canines for concealment.
Knowing this, humans who kill leopard demons often remove their canines as trophies.
Opening the storage space required spiritual power. He Lingchuan, newly arrived in this world, initially mistook the teeth for being empty.
"They're in the room. I'll fetch them immediately." Now it was He Lingchuan's turn to discuss serious matters. "Father, there's something else I need to report."
He then detailed the investigation by the guards from Donglai Prefecture into the whereabouts of the sand leopard.
As He Chunhua listened, his brow furrowed deeper, and upon hearing the words "Donglai Prefecture," he abruptly stood, his reaction fierce, "What did you say?"
He swung a hand as if to slap but stopped mid-air, the gesture turning into a fist that slammed down on the table, "Conducting private interrogations is reckless!"
He knew his son was prone to acting rashly, a habit unbroken despite repeated admonishments, fearing an inevitable clash with formidable forces. Yet, he hadn't expected such a confrontation to arise so swiftly and directly with the Grand Marshal.
He Chunhua, typically known for his composure within the official circles, often showed frustration towards his son in He Lingchuan's memories, but this did not deter the latter from arguing, "Those two were inquiring around, and the city is full of gossip. I feared they would soon trace the matter back to us."
At this moment, He Lingchuan somewhat admired He Chunhua's caution. The leopard demon affair, far from being publicized, was kept under strict silence by the magistrate. Otherwise, the tale of Heishui City's young tyrant single-handedly slaying a demon would have spread far and wide, obviating the need for any inquiries.
Of course, no secret can remain forever hidden.
"Recall the Zhang Hongbin case initiated by the Grand Marshal six years ago,