Mr. 06

In the desolate wilderness, Li Huaian sat cross-legged on the ground, chatting with the woman beside him.

"That old man doesn't care about us at all. My simple-minded junior brother got arrested, and he isn't worried in the slightest." Remembering how his master hadn't come to his aid when he made a fool of himself, his heart filled with hatred.

The woman comforted him softly, "He isn't your kin or friend, so naturally he wouldn't help you. You are so formidable; sooner or later, you will surpass him."

"Really?" Li Huaian felt a surge of joy. It had been a long time since he felt this happy. Ever since that incident, the young women in town avoided him like the plague.

As he spoke, his hands began to wander. To his delight, the woman didn't shy away; instead, she leaned slightly toward him.

Finally, the two huddled together.

"Your apprentice is giving that other guy a run for his money—he won't even let a snake off the hook. Tsk," Little Hei remarked sarcastically. "My eyes are burning."

Fang Zhiyi rolled his eyes. "That's why I told you not to look."

"Speaking of which, Yan Wushuang became your apprentice, but he hasn't come to learn anything."

"There's no need. When the time comes, he will learn naturally."

"You really do have that ethereal, sage-like aura now that you're playing the Daoist."

Fang Zhiyi smiled faintly.

He had been very busy lately. Unlike the original owner of this body who was constantly harassed, Yan Wushuang now avoided him at all costs, let alone causing trouble. With his younger apprentice arrested and his older apprentice shacking up with a snake demon, he finally had free time to write his book on dispelling feudal superstitions.

In fact, he had been doing exactly that these past few days. Unlike the law-abiding original owner, he acted like a bandit. Wherever there was bizarre feudal superstitious activity, he would kick the door down, beat up the charlatans fooling the people, forcibly intervene to solve the host's problem, and educate them on science while he was at it.

He didn't know if those people actually listened, but he was making much more money than before.

The original owner waited for clients to come to him, whereas he was engaging in active sales—no, snatching orders. It had significantly improved his standard of living.

His behavior was interpreted by the townspeople as a reaction to the trauma caused by his two apprentices. One was a thief in the family, and the other had stripped and danced in public. It was too humiliating; who wouldn't go mad in his shoes?

Yan Wushuang, however, began to view this nominal master of his in a more positive light. Especially after seeing him publicly expose the tricks of a wandering sorcerer, Yan Wushuang felt that Fang Zhiyi was indeed a man of science.

Except for whatever trick he had pulled on him that day.

Thanks to Fang Zhiyi's actions, superstitious activities in Qingxi Town decreased significantly. After all, no one wanted to start a ritual only to have Fang Zhiyi kick the door down, beat them up, solve the problem, and then demand payment.

In the middle of the night, Master Huang's house was burglarized.

It was said that a significant amount of gold, silver, and jewelry was stolen. Yan Wushuang hurriedly gathered his subordinates and rushed to the Huang residence. Upon arrival, he saw Master Huang sitting on the ground looking half-dead, and a specific mark left at the scene.

Yan Wushuang, who had memorized various internal files, instantly recognized it as the mark of the roving cat burglar, Thousand-Hand Guanyin.

His heart skipped a beat. Had this female thief come to Qingxi Town?

Her method of committing the crime was sophisticated, but the aftermath seemed incredibly stupid.

Just a day later, the stolen goods from the Huang family appeared all over town. Upon receiving the news, Master Huang immediately reported it to the police. That day, the police station arrested dozens of townspeople. However, after interrogation, none of them could explain where the jewelry came from. They claimed they just woke up and found it in their yards or at their doorsteps. Thinking "finders keepers," they tried to sell it, not realizing everyone else had the same idea.

They didn't catch the culprit, but according to protocol, these people had to be detained as suspects. In an instant, the empty police station cells were packed, and the originally lonely Lin Adai was overjoyed.

Yan Wushuang had a headache. Then, his nominal master arrived.

Fang Zhiyi's first words were, "I can help you catch the culprit."

Yan Wushuang looked at him. For some reason, he felt that if Fang said he could do it, he could. So, he let him walk into the cell block.

Seeing Fang Zhiyi arrive, Lin Adai was delighted. "Ma... Master!"

Fang Zhiyi glanced at him. This fool really didn't have a care in the world.

"Fellow townsfolk! You have been framed!" Fang Zhiyi raised both hands as if giving a speech. "The thief, Thousand-Hand Guanyin, stole the goods and distributed them to you. In reality, she did this to make you go to jail in her place and distract the police."

As soon as these words came out, the overcrowded cell erupted in noise.

The more they thought about Master Fang's words, the more sense they made!

"But isn't Thousand-Hand Guanyin supposed to be a chivalrous thief? She doesn't steal from the poor, only the rich," someone questioned.

Fang Zhiyi glanced at him. "Nonsense. Can she get any money stealing from the poor? She steals from the rich—let's say ten thousand silver dollars. She gives you a hundred, you get arrested, and she pockets the rest to live it up. Chivalrous thief? A thief is a thief!"

Soon, everyone present became indignant. "She really is just a thief!"

"If you want to clear your names, you just need to do two things. After you get out, keep an eye out for any new faces in town—someone who inexplicably gives you money or food... The other thing is, once you're out, curse her viciously. If anyone retorts, that person is definitely the thief."

Standing in the back, Yan Wushuang nodded in sudden realization. So that was it!

Is this what being a Daoist is about? Do they have to study the Art of War too?

Yan Wushuang did not refuse Fang Zhiyi's request to release the townsfolk. He wasn't stupid; he knew these people couldn't be the thief. He had merely been going through the motions due to pressure from the victim.

The bustling cell emptied out again, leaving behind only the dazed Lin Adai.

Nightingale strolled through the town, feeling self-righteous and touched by the "great deed" she had performed upon arrival. She was already imagining the titles she would be given.

"Great Philanthropist!"

"Unparalleled righteousness! Enforcing justice on behalf of Heaven! Honor among thieves! Heroic and courageous!"

She had idealized herself to the extreme in her mind.

"That son of a bitch Thousand-Hand Guanyin! How dare she name herself after a Bodhisattva!"

"Exactly! If I find her, I'll smash her mouth in!"

"Sinful, sinful! But she really is a bastard!"

Several passersby made no attempt to hide their insults directed at the thief.

Nightingale felt as if a knife had been stabbed into her heart.

"To think this thief came to our town just to frame us!"

"Chivalrous thief my ass! She's just a petty crook dragging others down with her!"

Nightingale clutched her chest as the self-image she had built began to shatter. These people really didn't know what was good for them! Who did she, a great beauty, become a thief for? For them!

"Did you hear? Master Huang lost two large chests of gold and jewelry this time. The thief took out a tiny bit to frame others and swallowed the majority for herself!"

Two large chests? Nightingale's eyes widened. She couldn't hold back any longer. "What two large chests of jewelry?"