Chapter 103
After quite a while, Li Mo finally squeezed out, clutching the bamboo pole used for making tanghulu (candied hawthorn), even employing his Wind Shadow Step.
“Li Da Shan Ren?”
Ying Bing turned her head, puzzled as to why Li Mo was so famous in the capital.
“Strange, isn’t it?”
“.......”
After learning the backstory, she recalled a bit and turned her gaze away, her red lips peeking out from beneath her veil, slightly pursed.
Before long, the two arrived at Ni Jiao Alley.
What met their eyes was a yard that had been tidied up, once chaotic but now clean and orderly, despite the many odds and ends scattered about.
The roof of the dilapidated house had been repaired, and a stove had even been built in the yard.
“Li Dage!”
“Stuttering Sister, look! Li Dage is here!”
“Hey, who’s that sister?”
“Wow, I’ve been wanting to eat tanghulu for ages!”
The little ones all rushed over.
After some pleasantries, they found it odd that Stuttering Sister, who always talked about Li Mo, wasn’t here today.
Li Mo raised his eyes and caught a glimpse of a figure hiding at the door, peeking out with just half her head visible, her little face flushed, too shy to come forward.
That look reminded Li Mo of the socially anxious kitten he had raised in his past life, which would hide whenever strangers came to the house.
Strangers?
Li Mo glanced at the ice block, a question mark popping up in his mind.
You told me to find her, but it seems you’re not very familiar with her?
What’s going on?
Ying Bing observed Jiang Chulong, who was breathing steadily, her frail form glowing with health, and couldn’t help but soften her expression.
Li Mo tried waving at her:
“Chulong, I brought you some treats.”
“Mm.....”
Only then did Jiang Chulong, slightly nervous, step out.
Though her eyes were covered, she could sense it.
That sister wasn’t a bad person.
The little courtyard of Ni Jiao Alley welcomed its chef.
Li Mo tied on an apron and began preparing today’s meal for the little ones.
Meanwhile, Jiang Chulong quietly glanced up at Ying Bing, noticing that she was also looking at her, and quickly lowered her head again.
This sister seemed more refined than the maids in the palace... um, even more so than the First, Second, and Third Maids.
Her aura was so powerful.
“Li Dage, I.....”
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.... I’m here to help you.... cook...”
She skillfully took out her Chixiao Sword and assisted Li Mo.
Ying Bing took a half step forward, then hesitated and stepped back.
Half an hour passed.
Just as the dishes were about to be served.
“You guys, what are you doing here?!”
A voice suddenly rang out from the courtyard entrance, filled with exasperation.
It was a young man dressed in fine clothes, holding two skewers of tanghulu.
Thud—
The tanghulu in his left hand fell to the ground.
“Luo Yu?”
Li Mo leaned back slightly, surprised to see this familiar face here.
“I’ve been waiting for you at the government office for a long time. Why didn’t you come as promised?”
“You were already in the capital!”
Luo Yu questioned loudly, indignant.
“Uh... I forgot.”
Li Mo suddenly remembered what he had overlooked.
Well, he had never intended to act together with Luo Yu and the others.
“You can forget something like this?”
Luo Yu’s brows were tightly knitted.
“Then what have you been doing in the capital?”
“Running a hot pot restaurant.”
Li Mo replied earnestly.
Hearing his nonchalant tone, Luo Yu felt a surge of blood rush to his head.
So unreliable!
He turned to Ying Bing with a glimmer of hope:
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“And you?”
“Counting money.”
Ying Bing didn’t even glance at him.
She didn’t even know what this jumping fellow’s name was.
Who are you? We’re not that familiar.
Counting money? Isn’t that the boss lady’s job?
Luo Yu felt darkness cloud his vision, so furious he nearly spat blood.
The Ziyang Capital is at the foot of Qingyuan Mountain, and you’re not concerned about the safety of the people, yet you have the time to open a hot pot restaurant?
Are you on a public holiday or something?!
“Hmph, I thought you were somewhat capable, but now I’m utterly disappointed in you!”
“And you, Miss Ying Bing, how could you also fall so low!”
Luo Yu angrily waved his sleeve and left.
Li Mo rubbed his forehead: “What’s going on here?”
Ying Bing shook her head gently, not quite understanding and not particularly interested.
Just as they were about to lift their bowls to eat, they saw Luo Yu, who had stormed out, return.
Li Mo: “?”
“Uh, can I borrow two tanghulu?” Luo Yu’s face shifted between green and white.
The ones he had just dropped were the last two he had managed to get.
“Are you really that into them?”
Li Mo couldn’t help but laugh: “Take them, take them.”
“Hmph... my sister wants to eat them...”
Luo Yu picked two from the tanghulu skewers placed at the door.
Then he turned back, emphasizing repeatedly:
“Don’t think this means I forgive you. I’m still very disappointed in you.”
He pointed at them with the tanghulu.
As he was about to leave, he paused, glancing at Li Mo and the little ones gathered around the dining table, then muttered:
“Recently, there have been frequent cases of children going missing.”
With that, he hurriedly left.
He certainly hadn’t come out just to buy tanghulu; he was out investigating.
But so far, he hadn’t found any leads.
Li Mo: “.....?”
“Children going missing.....”
Ying Bing pondered over those four words.
Li Mo looked at the little ones and asked:
“Have you seen any suspicious people around recently?”
“No, Li Dage.”
“We’re clever enough that human traffickers can’t trick us.”
“Yeah, yeah!”
“Mm, Stuttering Sister is really strong; she even tamed the big bad dog at the alley entrance. She’ll protect us.”
The little ones quickly assured him.
Li Mo, however, was considering whether he should just take them to the restaurant, where they could help out a bit.
Uh... would that count as using child labor?
“Ahem!”
A cough came from outside.
It was Xiao Qin, disguised.
He looked serious, surveying the surroundings.
As soon as Li Mo approached, his first words were:
“Xiao Mi Tuo sent a message.”
.....
P.S.: Happy Dragon Boat Festival, everyone! Have you eaten zongzi today?
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Chapter 101: Clothes of Floral Red, Interior Confrontation
Xiao Qin took out a letter, made of the same material as the one he had found on the three villains from Huai Mountain.
It had also been deciphered by Zuo Qiu Yang.
“Dear brothers, it’s been three days since we last met; you should look at each other with fresh eyes.”
“Recently, you’ve made quite a name for yourselves in the Wujian Trial, and the Judge is very pleased with you, especially with Long Sha.”
“The Judge personally praised him as a born killer.”
The tone of the letter had become much friendlier; after a few days, he was calling them ‘brothers.’
A born killer?
Xiao Qin looked at Li Mo in surprise.
What kind of horrific deeds had Li Shidi committed to earn such praise even from the Judge of the Xiyu Building?
As expected of Li Shidi; it seemed there was nothing he couldn’t do.
“Ahem, let’s keep reading.”
In truth, Li Mo was just as confused. What had he done?
He had merely smashed a few people and disposed of the bodies, that’s all.
“I imagine with your strength, passing the Wujian Trial will be a piece of cake.”
“After the trial, please come to Lingjiang Dock for a meeting.”
“The Judge has an important matter for me to handle. I’ve done my best to secure your participation as soon as you enter the building. Don’t forget that I’m the one who helped you.”
“—Xiao Mi Tuo.”
The letter ended there.
Li Mo and Xiao Qin exchanged glances.
They were already being involved in the affairs of the building.
Could this be...
A guaranteed admission?
“From Xiao Mi Tuo’s tone, it seems the Judge’s status in the Xiyu Building is higher than his.”
Xiao Qin said with certainty.
In fact, it was the Qianxing Wuzun who had informed him.
The Judge of the Xiyu Building is the one who determines whether assassins have completed their missions and is also a guarantee of the building’s reputation.
“What could the Judge’s private matter be?”
“We haven’t interacted with this so-called Judge yet, but it’s definitely not anything good.”
Li Mo thought for a moment, feeling that there must be something fishy going on.
A group of assassins couldn’t possibly band together to help old ladies cross the street, right?
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