Immortality: Starting with a grave, I'm invincible when burying corpses.

The mansion, which is about 1,000 square meters, is only inhabited by three people, making it somewhat quiet.

But Mu An has always preferred quiet and doesn't care about these things.

Recently, Mu An has collected many Taoist and Buddhist scriptures and has been reading them attentively.

It wasn't that he particularly liked these kinds of books, but rather that he wanted to read more classics to complement his own spiritual practice.

In just a few months, the study has been filled with three bookshelves.

Most of the items were from large families in Qing'an County, and some were from gangs.

In this era, books were precious commodities, and the government's salary alone could not afford them.

Moreover, Mu An spent most of his own money elsewhere.

While the saying "the poor study literature, the rich study martial arts" isn't absolute, cultivation undoubtedly consumes a lot of gold and silver, which has little to do with ordinary people.

Today's reading was not as peaceful as usual.

Two official documents from the state government: an arrest warrant and a warning.

The former was a traitor to the Heavenly Blade Sect, who killed an elder of the Heavenly Blade Sect during his defection.

The Heavenly Blade Sect was a renowned sect in the martial arts world, with immense power and numerous disciples. The elder who was killed was a first-rate master who had been famous for a long time.

Taking into account the possibility of a sneak attack, the imperial court's announcement classified Blood Blade Zhang Jiu as a second-rate fighter.

Furthermore, during his escape, he killed dozens of constables, slaughtered dozens of households, and even killed a Silver Token spy from the Dark Feather Guard.

As the matter escalated, arrest warrants were issued across the country.

A few days ago, traces of Blood Blade Zhang Jiu were discovered in Tongshan County, thirty miles away, and the patrol stations within a radius of a hundred miles received relevant intelligence.

The governor of Lingzhou issued an order that this madman must be brought to justice within the territory of Lingzhou.

The latter was a notorious bandit group in the martial arts world, nicknamed the Night Crow Bandits because they used crows as their symbol.

The Night Raven Thieves have robbed countless wealthy households over the past few years. They consist of several second- or third-rate thieves and some lowlifes.

There are also rumors that this thief organization has many skilled members, but none of these have been confirmed.

His most famous feat was stealing the family heirloom pearl of the Prefect of Yongzhou, which made him a wanted man throughout the land.

Because the harm is relatively minor, the state government only issued a warning, asking all localities to take precautions.

Thinking of the intelligence he had seen at the patrol office yesterday, Mu An frowned slightly and put down the Taoist classic in his hand.

Intelligence is inherently mysterious, and the intelligence of the imperial court is even more so; anyone who believes it is doomed.

These days, there are quite a few people who believe in such shady dealings. If you actually believe their so-called intelligence, you'll probably be buried with grass growing several meters tall.

If you're feeling unsettled, looking at things won't help; it's better to prepare early.

Although Mu An had no feelings for the imperial court, he knew that if he wanted to survive for a long time, Qing'an County had to remain stable!

Those who obstruct the way shall be killed without mercy!

……

"Tick-tock~ Tick-tock~"

Rainwater gathered in the low-lying areas of the street, overflowing past our toes.

The rain had stopped, but the water on the eaves was still slowly gathering on the surface, trickling down the edges and making a crisp sound.

"Splash!"

Under the eaves, Chen Hu, the head constable of the county government, took off his rain-soaked clothes and twisted them into a ball.

Rainwater mixed with sweat streamed down the rolled-up fabric, splashing as it hit puddles on the ground.

Compared to silk brocade garments, clothes made of coarse cloth are much more durable and require less worry.

Chen Hu only put his shirt back on after twisting it into a pretzel, and looked out at the dark sky through the eaves.

"Finally it's stopped, this awful weather! It's already dark, and there are still twelve households to go. I need to hurry up and notify them so I can get home as soon as possible."

Recalling what he had seen and heard today, Chen Hu couldn't help but feel a little anxious.

Recently, a notorious bandit has been roaming around the neighboring county. He is said to be a ruthless man who has killed many people.

For a small county like Qing'an, such a dangerous person was unheard of.

So much so that the county magistrate convened an emergency meeting, and the three inspectors rushed to the county office, all looking very worried.

If this is true for important figures, then it goes without saying that it's even more true for ordinary people like them.

Rumors were flying everywhere, and when the brothers got together, they talked about how powerful the bandit was and how unlucky they were.

Boost the morale of others while diminishing your own.

I felt both scared and vaguely excited.

Chen Hu didn't understand this feeling, but everyone felt the same way, and it was never wrong to fit in.

As for the possibility of fighting with ruthless bandits, Chen Hu didn't think much about it.

Ultimately, the bandit was discovered in a neighboring county, so it's unlikely he came to Qing'an County.

Although he spoke pessimistically to his colleagues, as if something bad could happen at any moment, Chen Hu was actually not that scared.

The chances of encountering a notorious bandit are too small. Even if such a bandit did appear in the county town, the patrol officers would be there to deal with him.

Compared to the constables in their own squad, the patrol and inspection department was much stronger and more well-equipped.

How powerful can a bandit be, no matter how skilled?

Can they defeat Lord Mu from their county?

However, the county magistrate issued an order to impose a curfew in Qing'an County.

The county government ordered its officials to go door-to-door to inform the residents of the county town not to travel at night during these days.

Chen Hucai had no choice but to travel in the rain.

Because of the sudden downpour, Chen Hu only notified most of the households; there were still twelve households left unnotified.

Under the eaves, Chen Hu put his undershirt back on. Thinking of his wife and children waiting for him to come home for dinner, a smile unconsciously appeared on his lips, and he quickened his pace.

His precious daughter is two years old this year. She is tiny and always loves to fuss. She will only fall asleep if she lies on his stomach.

Chen Hu didn't understand any grand principles; he only knew that watching his daughter giggle would greatly improve his mood for the day.

Today, Lord Mu from the Anshan Patrol Office gave him a longevity lock, saying it was a gift for his daughter.

For a constable like him who couldn't bring himself to be ruthless, this longevity lock was incredibly precious.

Lord Mu is truly a good man; no wonder the people of the surrounding area respect him so much.

Having acquired the treasure, Chen Hu placed it on his chest and would touch it every now and then.

He had lost things before, and had been beaten by his parents and scolded by his wife. He couldn't afford to be careless again this time.

When I get back and show this to my daughter, she'll be very happy.

Thinking of his daughter's happy face, Chen Hu knocked on the door louder and spoke with more energy.

"Knock knock knock! Scholar Huang, it's me, Chen Hu from the county government."

"Knock knock knock!!! Scholar Huang?"

"Strange, isn't anyone home so late at night?"

After calling out a few times and receiving no response, Chen Hu took a step back, scratched his head, and looked somewhat conflicted.

Huang Xiucai was a prominent figure in the county town. He was literate and well-read, and had some influence. If he wasn't properly notified, there would be some trouble later.

For some reason, Chen Hu felt that something was not quite right.

Where exactly is it?

Okay, there are only two left. I'd better hurry up and notify them and go home.

As he approached the street corner, a flash of inspiration struck Chen Hu. Realizing something, he turned around and rushed back.

"Light! There was light in the room when I came in!"

It wasn't until he returned to the gate of Huang Xiucai's house that a cold wind swept over him, chilling his back, and Chen Hu realized what he was doing.

The light is gone.

The bandits roamed freely, and although there was light in Huang Xiucai's house, no one responded.

Although there was no evidence, Chen Hu instinctively associated it with a bloody scene.

His grip on the knife tightened, his knuckles cracking, and his forehead was covered in fine beads of sweat.

Looking at the tightly closed door and then at the darkened window, Chen Hu took a deep breath.

Turn around and leave!

Go back and get backup! No matter what's happening inside, everyone get your gear ready and charge in together!

"Clang!"

The moment he took his first step, a flash of silver light streaked across the night.

The body lay on the ground, and hot blood gushed out, staining Chen Hu's chest red.

The linen clothes absorbed water, turning a darker color and acquiring a pungent, fishy smell.

"Crack!"

The small copper lock rolled off and hit the ground, splashing up a dark puddle of water.

A light drizzle began to fall again, obscuring the bloodstains.

……

"Murder!!!"