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

So from the very beginning, Mu An told these children that they would work for the Patrol Division in the future as a way of repaying their adoption.

Equivalent exchange is the fairest form of exchange.

As for what happens in the future, Mu An doesn't really care.

Once these children grow up, the patrol office will no longer provide them with assistance.

Ultimately, life depends on oneself; what the future holds is their own business.

Qing'an County is considered relatively stable; for able-bodied people, simply surviving isn't too difficult.

Giving these children a chance to grow up normally is already Mu'an's greatest act of kindness.

The money to support these children did not come from Mu An himself, but from protection money paid to him by the gang.

In this day and age, gangs have their value.

As a local figure of real power, accepting money from gangs is a common practice.

He disliked the tainted money, but he also knew that if he didn't take it, someone else would.

No one would be willing to risk their life for the meager salary provided by the imperial court.

In a murky world, it is extremely difficult to remain untainted by the mud; it is almost tantamount to courting death.

Mu An didn't feel he had the ability or background to remain incorruptible on his own, so he decided to get involved and take control of the situation.

By following the rules, one can also decide for oneself how to use the money.

The children here, the widows of people like Chen Hu, and others who couldn't go on living were all recipients of assistance from the Anshan Patrol Office.

If you don't have the power to change the environment, then find the best option within the existing environment.

As for his own life, not to brag, but he is actually quite wealthy and looks down on these ugly and worthless people.

Although the technology of this world is not backward, such as glassmaking, soap making, and gunpowder, these technologies have long existed.

However, relying on the memories in his mind, Mu An still managed to acquire a lot of businesses for himself with the help of the Mu family and the patrol bureau.

The saying goes, "The poor study literature, the rich study martial arts." Mu An's progress in cultivation is also inseparable from this wealth.

After giving a few simple instructions to Granny Zhao, who was taking care of the orphans, Mu An left the house amidst the children's longing and fearful gazes.

Only a few children were left sitting together, looking at each other. They were eating candied hawthorns, but their little faces showed an indescribable tension.

"Sister Xiaohuan, did we just make Lord Mu angry?"

The sugar was very sweet, and the hawthorns were delicious.

But even when eating their favorite food, children don't feel good.

A child with low self-esteem may perceive a child's casual remark, a joke, or a change in tone as a huge deal of trouble.

Lin Huan, the oldest of the children, could see the anxiety that the children couldn't hide.

Her lack of understanding made it difficult for her to comprehend Mu An's thoughts, and she could only try to guess as much as possible.

There are many good people in the county, but the officials are definitely not among them. You might be able to rely on the county's constables for small matters, but you absolutely cannot rely on them for big matters.

These were the words her parents told her before they died: the officials and the gangs are in cahoots.

If there is no conflict of interest, there will be no problem, and they may even greet you with a smile. But if there is a conflict of interest, the constables will not hesitate to use all sorts of dirty tricks.

These clearly biased words were deeply etched in Lin Huan's mind.

Six months of begging further solidified her belief in this viewpoint.

In Lin Huan's view, the seemingly kind Lord Mu was no better.

only……

As long as she can survive, she is willing to pay any price.

Clutching the candied hawthorn in her hand, the eight-year-old girl shook her head vigorously.

We must grasp at this lifeline; the consequences can come later. Right now, all we need to do is survive.

"That's already very good. It would be even better if you smiled more next time. Lord Mu likes to see us smile and also likes it when we give him small gifts."

The adults told us not to go out, so we won't. Be good, or anyone who causes trouble will get a beating from me!

The little girl tried her best to imitate the adults' angry expressions, muttering and waving her clenched fists.

However, his feigned fierceness lacked any real presence and instead appeared somewhat comical to adults.

The younger children were frightened and nodded obediently, raising their little hands to assure Lin Huan.

Mu An, who was watching the children's conversation from outside the courtyard, couldn't help but laugh out loud after a long time.

"She's quite sensible, but am I really that scary?"

……

Mu An didn't take the child's thoughts to heart. Qing'an County was definitely one of the safest counties Mu An had ever visited.

At least the neighboring counties are far inferior to Qing'an County.

Petty corruption by officials is certainly not a major evil.

To put it bluntly, we are all ordinary people. We have some power, and we may abuse it occasionally, but none of us have completely crossed the line.

Even those who frequently commit evil deeds may occasionally have a fleeting moment of kindness.

A steamed bun, a bowl of thin porridge, and some leftover scraps.

The fact that these begging children survived is a result of this kindness.

Such is the way of the times, and human nature is understandable.

As for those who have completely crossed the line...

Mu An remained silent, only digging in the mass grave.

The new house is nice, square and made entirely of dirt.

I think everyone will like it.

Mu An honed his skills, and the person who crossed the line found a new home.

All are happy.

Of the eight strings of candied hawthorns, five were given to the five children, and two were given to the maids in the house.

Mu An ate the last skewer herself; it was sweet and sour, but the taste wasn't particularly good.

In his fading memories, Mu An remembered that he used to like candied hawthorns, but now he doesn't seem to care much about them, only retaining the habit of buying them.

Perhaps it's because I've changed bodies, or perhaps it's because the candied hawthorns here aren't as good as the variety I had in my previous life.

Mu An didn't know the reason, nor did she want to think about it too much. She just looked up at the starry sky and the full moon above her head.

Standing in the pavilion, Mu An warmed a cup of yellow wine and drank it alone under the moon.

A piece of intelligence and a hand-drawn map lay on the table, illuminated by the moonlight.

After a long while, the cup was empty, and the person stood up.

Raise your hand above your head, your gaze is unfocused, and look at the starry river through the gaps between your fingers.

"Blood-stained clothes, night raven, princess, tsk..."

"Trying to take over the royal family? That's insane."

"We need to find a way to spread the news of the Blood Robe Cult and prevent that princess from coming to Qing'an County."

……

"What's going on? Ten days have passed, why haven't they dealt with that Inspector Mu yet?"

"Second brother, that kid stays in the patrol office every day, never leaving the room. There are over a hundred people guarding him, so there's no chance to get a chance."

In the dimly lit room illuminated by candlelight, a middle-aged man slammed his hand on the table, causing it to tremble and spill wine.

"Staying indoors? How could this be? Whisper, could it be that we've been exposed?"

The beautiful woman known as Whisper frowned, somewhat hesitant.

"That's possible. After all, that young man has such profound skills at such a young age. He is no ordinary person. It's not surprising that he discovered us."

"What did Cao Min say? Isn't he the county magistrate? Tell him to find a reason to transfer the person away."

"That's not appropriate. Qing'an County is located at the junction of land and water, and its situation is different from that of an ordinary county town. The local clans have a huge influence."

The Mu, Wang, and Li families are deeply intertwined, their influence reaching every aspect of the county. Any one of them could easily muster hundreds of local militia.

The three patrol stations were even more powerful and well-equipped, and they outwardly obeyed but inwardly defied the magistrate's orders, rendering them ineffective...