CHAPTER 49: CHAPTER 49: ENCOUNTERING CHEN CHUN

When Qin An fought with demon creatures, he often heard Hurong and Fox Third Madam mention the Tiger Race’s secret treasure.

This crisis was to unlock the Tiger Race’s secret treasure.

He was somewhat curious about what exactly this so-called Tiger Race’s secret treasure was.

Nie Hu pondered and said, "I saw in the Evil Extermination Bureau’s archives that the Tiger Race’s secret treasure was left by the ancestors of the Tiger Demon clan, containing cultivation techniques and blood crystals."

"It is said to be a massive treasure that could revive a faction."

"A while ago, the Tiger Race was almost exterminated by the Evil Extermination Bureau, probably hoping to use the Tiger Race’s secret treasure to make a comeback."

Cultivation techniques? Blood crystals?

Qin An’s heart stirred slightly.

If he could enter the Tiger Race’s secret treasure, wouldn’t he hit the jackpot?

Even though there seem to be a lot of blood crystals now, if everything is calculated, it might still be somewhat scarce.

But as soon as this idea surfaced, Qin An brushed it aside.

The treasure is tremendously important, and without any information, how could he enter?

Qin An sheathed his sword and fell silent.

First, return and exchange achievement points for cultivation techniques, then supplement with a large number of blood crystals to deduce, which is much better than the unreachable Tiger Race’s secret treasure.

Half an hour later, the state official of the Evil Extermination Bureau had recovered quite a bit.

Nie Hu and Ma Rou settled the villagers, then proceeded with Qin An towards the Evil Extermination Bureau.

...

Evil Extermination Bureau.

People came and went in a hurry.

After entering the bureau, Nie Hu and Ma Rou each went their way to document this experience and compile it into a report.

This trip was auxiliary for Qin An, so he didn’t need to write down the events.

The task of tabulating achievements would have to wait until tomorrow, so Qin An wasn’t in a hurry and returned to his room to rest.

Qin An poured a cup of tea, took a sip, and glanced at his professional progress.

[Butcher lv.4 (230/600): The livestock you slaughter is slightly tastier]

[Scholar lv.4 (50/600): Your reading speed is slightly faster]

[Dancer lv.3 (0/400): Your dances are more graceful]

[Blacksmith lv.3 (0/400): The quality of the items you forge is improved]

[Physician lv.3 (0/400): Your treatment of patients is slightly effective]

These were all of Qin An’s current professions.

Both Butcher and Scholar were at level four.

The higher the profession level, the more skilled one becomes, making improvements faster.

The Scholar profession increased by 50 points because Qin An had been reading Body-Encompassing Realm Skill techniques.

As for the other professions, they were all at level three.

With nothing else to do today, Qin An pondered for a moment, then decided to step out of the Evil Extermination Bureau and find a blacksmith shop to remold his black knife.

Once reforged, the black knife would align with his intent and wield even greater power.

With this in mind, Qin An didn’t linger and headed for the door.

...

The streets were bustling with people, civilians moving in streams.

Occasionally, carriages passed by, provoking whispers and curses from the public.

After making some inquiries, Qin An arrived at the blacksmith’s shop entrance.

With a small expenditure of silver coins and leveraging the effect of his dark clothing, the blacksmith shop owner allowed Qin An into the forging room without a word.

The forging process went exceedingly smoothly, and soon, the reforged black knife was in Qin An’s hand.

The black knife gleamed with a jet-black luster and made a sharp whistling sound with a casual flick from Qin An.

The reforged black knife resonated with Qin An’s intent, bringing him great satisfaction.

The copper token at his waist didn’t tremble, and the Evil Extermination Bureau had no tasks.

After pondering briefly, Qin An decided to stay and practice his blacksmithing skills.

The blacksmith shop in Lingzhou was large, and his presence wouldn’t hinder business.

Midway, Qin An stepped out for a meal and only left the shop when the evening glow appeared in the sky.

[Blacksmith lv.3 (80/400): The quality of the items you forge is improved]

His blacksmithing proficiency had slightly increased, and Qin An grabbed dinner by the street, paid with silver coins, then headed back to the Evil Extermination Bureau.

As always, he wouldn’t waste energy practicing at night, always keeping himself in a state of readiness.

After all, with both Cangyun Valley and the Tree Lord after his head, along with now being hunted by the demons, Qin An was vigilant not to slip and lose his head.

...

People were sparse along the street sides.

Chimneys from the houses emitted smoke, occasionally accompanied by the murmurs of civilians.

"Without demon pseudo-gods, it would indeed be a prosperous land."

Qin An paused for a moment before moving on.

Ahead, a silhouette suddenly appeared, aimlessly walking in a certain direction.

Qin An frowned and stopped.

The figure seemed oblivious to Qin An, ready to brush past him.

After a moment’s consideration, Qin An reached out and grabbed the person’s shoulder.

Chen Chun instinctively stopped, his expression slightly animated upon seeing Qin An.

"What’s your situation?" Qin An asked with a frown.

Chen Chun wore a constable’s dark outfit, not the Evil Extermination Bureau’s robes.

Back when Chen Chun came to Lingzhou with him, Tang Lingwei mentioned that Chen Chun’s achievements were enough to join the Evil Extermination Bureau.

So why was he now serving as a constable at the yamen?

Chen Chun forced a bitter smile. "So it’s Mr. Qin..."

Qin An’s gaze sharpened slightly. "Speak plainly."

Looking down, Chen Chun said, "Mr. Qin, if there’s nothing else, I’ll head home."

Qin An said coldly, "I’ll give you one more chance. If you don’t speak, you can leave."

Chen Chun’s body trembled slightly, shoulders shaking uncontrollably, and as he lifted his head, tears stained his face.

"Qin An, my heart aches."

"After years as a spy, my dream was within reach, but reality struck me hard."

"That Zhou Mo allocated his achievements to the Lin Family, taking my place. When I sought justice, I was viciously beaten."

"He relegated me to the yamen, barring my entry into the Evil Extermination Bureau."

Chen Chun trembled as he spoke.

It wasn’t fear but anger.

His heart had long been dead, but with someone to talk to, he spilled out all his bitter grievances.

Chen Chun wiped his tears. "Since childhood, demons devoured my family, so I vowed to slay demons."

"I endured the hardship of being a spy, and if he truly outperformed me in achievements, I’d have no complaints."

"But why this way, why!"

Qin An remained silent for a while.

Chen Chun took several deep breaths, releasing his pent-up emotions. "Having spoken to you today, I feel a bit relieved. I have matters to attend to, so I’ll take my leave."

He knew Zhou Mo held a significant position even among the Bronze State’s officials.

Telling Qin An was merely to vent, with no other intentions.

As Chen Chun took two steps away, Qin An suddenly spoke.

"Go to the Evil Extermination Bureau."

Chen Chun paused. "What?"

Qin An said calmly, "Let’s go."

Chen Chun quickly shook his head. "Qin An, don’t act rashly. Zhou Mo has considerable influence; you mustn’t offend him."

He regretted speaking.

Both had once escaped death in Ding County.

Now that Qin An was part of the Evil Extermination Bureau, he didn’t want to ruin Qin An’s prospects.

Qin An stepped forward boldly. "If you’re a man, follow me. If not, then go back. I’m not afraid, so what are you scared of?"

Watching Qin An’s back, Chen Chun hesitated for a moment, then gritting his teeth, he followed.