The assassin trembled: "Brothers, I think I took a wrong turn. Believe me?"
Shen Xun, who had been invited over, stared at the assassin beaten to a pulp and fell into deep thought.
Following his master's orders, Wang Jia seized the moment to extend an invitation: "Though Qingping County is poor, it's much more peaceful. If Master Shen doesn’t mind, you’re welcome to settle here."
Shen Xun looked at Wang Jia, his interest piqued by the man standing behind him.
Wang Jia cheerfully escorted the two men hauling the assassin back to Qingping County, leaving the burly helpers to assist Shen Xun with moving.
However, upon returning, Wang Jia suddenly felt a sense of unfamiliarity. Qingping County seemed to have changed quite a bit. Though it had always been well-governed, it was still a poor county. But now, after just one trip away, the streets were bustling with more vendors and traveling merchants.
New shops had even sprung up, and people chatted and laughed freely.
When he finally found Fang Zhiyi, he froze—Qin Li was here too?
Qin Li spotted him and greeted him with a grin before hurrying off to train the troops. Fang Zhiyi, however, casually slung an arm over Wang Jia’s shoulder. "How’d it go?"
Wang Jia snapped out of his daze. "Done. The criminal’s been brought back."
Fang Zhiyi glanced at the disheveled assassin behind him and smirked.
"Next, I need you to go to Dongchang Prefecture..." Fang Zhiyi had no choice. He was swamped—Qingping County was just entering its development phase, and there were too many matters requiring his attention. Moreover, he feared that if he left, the Panlong Bandits might seize the opportunity to attack.
Wang Jia had already resigned himself to fate and simply nodded.
The disfigured artisan in Dongchang, the wealthy Squire Zhou in Xiping, the renowned physician Qian in the southeast...
Wang Jia was in awe of his magistrate. How had he known about the criminals’ plans?
For Fang Zhiyi, it was simple. The people in this world weren’t particularly cunning. By warning them to avoid disaster, they naturally felt indebted to him. The Panlong Bandits might pose as noble outlaws, but their methods were despicable—they’d stop at nothing to expand their influence. Fang Zhiyi was merely competing with them for talent. With a clear comparison, these skilled individuals would choose their own path.
As for those holding official positions, it was even easier.
"My father is Fang Huatian!"
Armed with just those five words in a letter, Wang Jia could traverse these regions unhindered. Anyone with half a brain knew about Fang Zhiyi’s reputation as a spoiled official’s son—and his powerful father. Who would dare refuse him?
Thus, men like Qin Li came seeking refuge.
Fang Zhiyi’s approach was straightforward: he showed them around the transforming Qingping County, painted grand visions of the future, and treated them with warmth and respect. Those who came to thank him could hardly resist his invitations.
Of course, Fang Zhiyi’s methods weren’t without issues. Despite Fang Huatian’s interference, the emperor still received memorials denouncing Qingping County Magistrate Fang Zhiyi. Fortunately, the emperor was too preoccupied with his pleasures and simply waved the matter off, leaving it to Fang Huatian to handle.
Though Fang Huatian didn’t fully grasp what his son was up to, the earnest tone in his letters convinced him to cover for the young man, assuming he’d finally come to his senses and was striving to make a name for himself.
Meanwhile, the Panlong Bandits were growing uneasy. Strategist Xue Qi’s plans kept hitting snags. The men they sent out not only failed to recruit new members but even ended up dead or captured.
Xue Qi wasn’t a fool. He immediately dispatched spies to investigate, and soon, he uncovered the pattern—every talent they’d targeted had ended up in Qingping County. It didn’t take long for him to recall Song Yunfan’s mention of the Qingping County magistrate.
Xue Qi had a sinking feeling—this man would be their adversary. He ordered their informants in Qingping County to dig deeper.
But then, trouble erupted within the bandit stronghold.
As a sizable bandit faction, internal factions and friction were inevitable. Under the iron rule of leaders like Xiaotian Hu, conflicts had always been kept in check.
This time, however, was different. First, Li Fei, brother of the aquatic specialist Li Jin, had a heated argument with infantry leader Zhang Dakui, nearly coming to blows. That very night, Li Fei was found decapitated.
Li Jin exploded with rage, rallying his men to clash with Zhang Dakui. Fortunately, Song Yunfan arrived in time to prevent further bloodshed. Xiaotian Hu publicly rebuked Li Jin for doubting his comrades and stripped him of his position. Furious, Li Jin packed his bags and prepared to leave the mountain.
Song Yunfan, ever the smooth talker, sought Li Jin out in private. His "heartfelt" words moved Li Jin to tears, and the latter promptly knelt and swore brotherhood to him.
No sooner had this crisis passed than trouble flared up again—this time at an outpost on the bandits’ periphery. Two co-leaders quarreled over uneven spoils, and one killed the other before fleeing with a handful of men.
Xiaotian Hu was at his wits’ end. Why had the mountain fortress become so restless lately? Plans were failing, income was dwindling, and now brothers were turning on each other? Whispers spread through the ranks, and morale plummeted.
It was then that a Daoist priest arrived at the mountain. Xiaotian Hu, assuming he was just a wandering ascetic, prepared to send him off with some silver—bandits or not, they still showed some respect to monks and priests.
But after accepting the money, the Daoist left Xiaotian Hu with a cryptic warning:
"This humble priest has read the heavens. A calamitous star looms over you, and the road ahead is dark. Great Leader, you must be on your guard."
With that, the Daoist departed, leaving Xiaotian Hu stunned. The recent rumors flashed through his mind, and his frown deepened.
Soon after, news arrived—one of their hideouts for fencing stolen goods had been raided by government troops.
Xiaotian Hu slammed the table, ready to curse, when Xue Qi and Song Yunfan hurried in. The moment he saw Song Yunfan, Xiaotian Hu’s face darkened.
Come to think of it, ever since this man’s return, the stronghold had been anything but peaceful. There were even whispers that Song Yunfan was secretly rallying other leaders to break away and form his own faction.
As Xiaotian Hu studied Song Yunfan’s face, suspicion festered in his heart.
Back in Qingping County, Fang Zhiyi welcomed another wave of defecting bandits. Wang Jia stood dejected—he should never have bet against his magistrate. Now his month’s salary was gone.
He couldn’t fathom why his master was provoking the Panlong Bandits. They were a formidable bunch—wasn’t he afraid of getting burned?
What Wang Jia didn’t know was that when it came to schemes, ten Xue Qis were no match for Fang Zhiyi. He’d faced far more cunning opponents in the past. And besides, he held the script.
First, he snatched up talent before the bandits could. Then, he flaunted his father’s name to extract resources from neighboring regions—little by little, just enough that no one dared refuse. Alongside developing Qingping County, he spent freely.
Sure, some bandit leaders might have joined for brotherhood, but what about the rank and file? Could loyalty fill their bellies?
] This is a dark fantasy-themed dating simulation game. The main gameplay involves containing various monster girls and investigating the truth of a world shrouded in mist alongside your companions. However, due to his love for the dark and bizarre atmosphere, Luo Wei ended up turning a dating game into a detective mystery game. Women? Women only slow down his quickdraw! To Luo Wei, the female leads in the game are more like tools to perfectly clear levels and squeeze out rewards. For Luo Wei, flirting with every girl he meets and then discarding them is standard procedure. Worried about characters losing affection points? No need. With his maxed-out charm stat, Luo Wei is practically a "human incubus." A little psychological manipulation and those points come right back. It's a bit scummy, but the paper cutout heroines in the game won't actually come at him with real cleavers. However... Luo Wei has transmigrated. He's accidentally entered the second playthrough of this game. His past actions have caused all the girls to transform into terrifying yanderes. Due to the game's setting, most of the heroines he once contained are "troubled girls." Obsessive, twisted, mentally unstable, all aggressive yanderes... The type who will kill you if they can't have you... Luo Wei wants to cry but has no tears left. "I really just want to survive..." In short, this is a story of battling wits and engaging in a love-hate relationship with yanderes.
ey change clothes. Li Chuan contributed all his possessions, only to find that things were not as they seemed. Almost a year after joining, he hadn’t managed to get a single Daoist consort. Thinking he had been deceived, he was approached by a stunning senior fellow disciple who asked if he would like to form a spiritual bond. For those who don’t practice cultivation, they might not know what “forming a spiritual bond” is. Let me put it this way: A long-term relationship is called a “Daoist consort,” while a short-term relationship is known as “forming a spiritual bond.” From then on, Li Chuan discovered the true way to interact with the Yin-Yang Sect’s Daoist consorts. As long as he had enough spirit stones, he could form a spiritual bond with anyone, Whether it’s Senior Sisters, aunts, Daoist consorts of aunts, female elders, Daoist consorts of elders, or even the Daoist consort of the sect leader, anyone can form a spiritual bond as long as there are enough spirit stones.” I've already joined the Yin-Yang Sect, and you're telling me to focus on cultivation? Do you even know what the Yin-Yang Sect is all about?
reezy rom-com) Good news: Jiang Liu is quite the ladies' man. Bad news: He’s lost his memory. Lying in a hospital bed, Jiang Liu listens to a parade of goddesses spouting "absurd claims," feeling like the world is one giant game of Werewolf. "Jiang Liu, I’m your first love." "Jiang Liu, you’re my boyfriend—she’s your ex." "Jiang Liu, we’re close friends who’ve shared a bed, remember?" "Jiang Liu, I want to have your baby." The now-lucid Jiang Liu is convinced this must be some elaborate scam... until someone drops the bombshell: "The day before you lost your memory, you confessed your feelings—and got into a relationship." Jiang Liu is utterly baffled. So... who the hell is his actual girlfriend?! ... Before recovering his memories, Jiang Liu must navigate this minefield of lies and sincerity, fighting to protect himself from these women’s schemes. But things spiral even further out of control as more people show up at his doorstep—each with increasingly unhinged antics. On the bright side, the memories he lost due to overwhelming trauma seem to be resurfacing. Great news, right? So why are they all panicking now?
u Chenyuan transmigrated into a female-oriented novel about a real and fake heiress, becoming the CEO elder brother of both. Unfortunately, the entire Lu family—including himself, the CEO—were mere cannon fodder in the story. Determined to save himself, Lu Chenyuan took action. The spoiled, attention-seeking fake heiress? Thrown into the harsh realities of the working class to learn humility. The love-struck real heiress? Pushed toward academic excellence, so lofty goals would blind her to trivial romances. As for the betrayed, vengeful arranged marriage wife… the plot hadn’t even begun yet. There was still time—if he couldn’t handle her, he could at least avoid her. "CEO Lu, are you avoiding me?" Mo Qingli fixed her gaze on Lu Chenyuan. For the first time, the shrewd and calculating Lu Chenyuan felt a flicker of unease.
