Xiao Kun’s brows furrowed deeply. He turned his back to Lu Wencong, intending to leave the shack, but Lu Wencong continued, “Our children are starving badly. Every day, people die in the wilderness. Can you bear to watch them eaten by wild dogs? Look—the bodies we bury in the ground will be dug up after just one night…”
Xiao Kun strode quickly out of the shack, with Lu Wencong chasing after him. “Brother Xiao! Wait! We only need weapons. If you’re willing, you can cover our night entry into Kaifeng City. Once we have weapons, we guarantee we won’t slaughter the city. All we want is for these people to live. Look! Look! They’re all your clansmen! I only want them to survive! Brother!”
“The Song Court is already discussing your resettlement,” Xiao Kun turned and said. He saw a faint veil of black qi shrouding Lu Wencong’s face and added, “At latest in two days, at soonest today, there will be news.”
“You trust the Song People?” Lu Wencong halted and said. “It was because His Majesty trusted the Song People that we ended up like this.”
“Yes, I trust them,” Xiao Kun also stopped, looking earnestly at Lu Wencong. “The one fighting for a chance of survival for you is the brother to whom I’ve entrusted my life.”
Lu Wencong stood in the open wilderness as fine rain like ox hairs danced in the air. Xiao Kun mounted his horse and spurred it back to the city. Suddenly, he saw a flash of light in the distance, like a bolt of lightning briefly piercing the dark clouds, followed by a thunderous explosion.
Was that the Heart Lamp? Xiao Kun spurred his horse toward the source of the flash.
Hulü Guang panted heavily, exchanging a glance with Mu Qingshan.
“You’re welcome,” Mu Qingshan said.
Hulü Guang felt his innards churn, nearly vomiting. After all, the spiritual power Mu Qingshan had surged into him was too ferocious. He could have accepted a palm from Xiao Kun or Xiang Xian, but he had not expected such domineering palm force from someone so young.
“I thought Lord Xiao had arrived,” Hulü Guang coughed twice.
Soon, Xiao Kun passed through the refugee encampment and arrived promptly.
“What happened?” Xiao Kun asked.
Mu Qingshan replied, “Demon Race. It was already fighting when I got there. Ask him.”
Hulü Guang briefly recounted the events. Xiao Kun listened silently, surveying the surroundings.
“Hulü Guang, go back to the city and fetch the Demon Shaking Bell from the Division,” Xiao Kun said. He suspected the demon person had been among the refugees outside the city recently and had lured Lu Wencong.
“Let him rest a bit,” Mu Qingshan said. He paid no heed to Xiao Kun and did not see him as a superior.
“I’ll go right now!” Hulü Guang said.
The two watched Hulü Guang depart. After a moment of eye contact, Mu Qingshan looked bored and sized up Xiao Kun.
Xiao Kun asked, “You assisted Hulü Guang in driving off the demon person?”
“What else?” Mu Qingshan replied.
Xiao Kun pressed, “Are you sure it’s gone?”
“Not sure,” Mu Qingshan answered. “It ran off, I suppose. Shall I go back?”
“Wait a moment,” Xiao Kun said. “I’m afraid they might return.”
Xiao Kun felt a slight headache over Mu Qingshan’s temperament, but the Deer God was someone they had beseeched for help; he could not command him like Xiang Xian. Afterward, he would need to find a way to make him obediently do the work… But that was not the most pressing matter at hand.
Mu Qingshan occasionally questioned Xiao Kun’s decisions but generally obeyed in such times. He leaped up to perch on a lone tree in the wilderness, scanning the distance.
Hulü Guang soon returned. Xiao Kun asked, “Where is Master?”
“Master isn’t there,” Hulü Guang said. “Only A Huang came back.”
“Come with me,” Xiao Kun said. “Let’s patrol around here.”
Xiao Kun held the Demon Shaking Bell and circled the area, detecting no movement. When he saw Lu Wencong again, the man was distributing the grain Xiao Kun had brought to his men and hurried over.
“Brother,” Lu Wencong said, “Is there more food? This is far from enough.”
Xiao Kun studied Lu Wencong and saw that the black qi on his face had miraculously faded. The demon person’s lurking here had indeed influenced his clansman.
“I’ll figure something out,” Xiao Kun said. “Don’t worry. Don’t do anything rash.”
Xiao Kun inspected the refugee camp once over, confirming the Demon Race had vanished. He did not know if they would return, but for now, he felt slightly at ease. He returned to the city gate, where Mu Qingshan had driven the people away and gone back to stirring the large pot.
“What’s this?” Xiao Kun asked.
“Lord Xiao, we’re dispensing soup,” Hulü Guang said. “It’s funded by Wu the housekeeper.”
A wave of guilt suddenly washed over Xiao Kun. He watched for a while and said, “Thank you, thank you all. I’ll head back to the city first.”
“Lord Xiao, why say thank you?” Hulü Guang asked.
Mu Qingshan replied, “They’re his clansmen.”
In front of the Exorcism Division.
“Hey, time to get up,” Xiao Kun said.
The two Stone Lions jumped in fright and shouted, “Lord Xiao has returned—”
It was already past noon, but Xiang Xian had not returned. Nor did he know where Wu Yingzong and Chaosheng had gone. Xiao Kun stood before the shelves in the hall, rummaging through the drawer for silver. He found only three Jiaozi Banknotes worth a thousand taels each, stamped with the Kuaiji Money House Union mark—likely private funds Xiang Xian had brought from home to the capital.
Xiao Kun knew that if he asked to borrow it, Xiang Xian would have no objection. The problem was that such large-denomination banknotes could not be spent at markets; they first needed to be exchanged at a money house.
“Help! Thieves ransacking the place! Where’s the housekeeper?! Where is he?!” A Huang’s voice suddenly rang out, startling Xiao Kun.
Though clearly the master of the Exorcism Division, Xiao Kun felt like a thief. He pocketed the banknotes and said awkwardly, “Ransacking what? I… I wasn’t doing anything, just looking! Learn nothing good, but pick up your master’s habit of scaring people from behind.”
