Chapter 19: The Eccentric Seeker of Medicine

"Do you have any sense of compassion?" Li Changlu was furious, glaring at the person who knocked out the fox spirit, Ah Zi.

Xiao Qing stood behind the unconscious fox demon, her hand raised awkwardly, unsure what to do. She and Hei Wa had already escaped the trap of time, awakening from its clutches. Hei Wa was still lost in the drama’s storyline, unable to extricate himself for a long while.

"I haven’t even asked him if he has any savings left, and you’ve already knocked him out?" Li Changlu’s anger flared.

Xiao Qing smiled adorably, smoothed her hair, and then set about her business—stuffing the fox demon into a burlap sack.

This sweet girl’s dedication to her work far exceeded anything Li Changlu had imagined. He feared that, if one day her performance was lacking, she might knock him out and stuff him into a sack as well.

Clang!

Something dropped out of the sack. Li Changlu hurriedly picked it up, examining it in his hand. It was a round, transparent glass bottle, about the size of a lightbulb, filled with a swirling green liquid. The liquid moved like living water inside the vessel, shimmering with a flickering light.

Seizing the moment while Xiao Qing and Hei Wa were distracted, Li Changlu stealthily slipped it into his pocket. He didn’t know what it was, but he was certain it wasn’t the hidden reward for this E-level mission.

After spending more than a month in the tavern, Li Changlu had learned the routine of missions. Completing a task and returning to the tavern—if it was an F-level or some simple assignment, one could exchange the task item directly for food and drink, like last time with the corpse ginseng monster. If there was a hidden reward, it had to be claimed at the mission board.

Could it be... something that enhances demon power?

Damn, I’ll drink it when I get back, he thought. Then, with power surging, I’ll dominate the tavern. I’ll rise to the top! I’ll subdue all the female demons... and the male ones, too. Hahaha.

"Li, why does your crotch look so round and bulging?" Hei Wa had finished watching his drama and noticed Li Changlu grinning foolishly, his crotch looking suspicious.

Every man knows what that means.

But really, just for catching a fox demon? Would he get that excited?

Damn, scared me to death.

What a rascal.

Two male demons, each with their own thoughts; one female demon, diligently cleaning up the battlefield.

The people in the tenement building seemed oblivious to what had happened; life carried on as usual. Only when they stepped outside would they perhaps wonder if their calendar was wrong.

"Hey, scrap collector, I’ve got a washing machine here, want it?"

"Do you sharpen knives?"

"How about scissors?"

The upstairs residents called down to Li Changlu and his companions.

Because Hei Wa was carrying a television, he felt that the dramas in this country were simply too moving, too good. He even decided to take Ah Zi’s TV along.

"Even the foreigners are collecting junk now. Life’s hard for outsiders."

The mission completed, Li Changlu was in high spirits. An E-level mission—something they’d never even dreamed of. And with a hidden reward, who knew what they might gain?

However, as they passed not far from the tenement, they saw a large pit in the ground. Li Changlu sighed and chose to avoid it.

They retraced their steps, planning to exit through the market.

Alleys, apart from being the city's common and intricate transit capillaries, also serve another well-known and reliable function: ambush.

The primary battleground for elementary school fights, a place of strategic importance, often appropriated by adults as well.

Just as Li Changlu and his group now found themselves blocked in the alley.

Still basking in the joy of the E-level mission, Li Changlu never expected that those blocking their way in the alley would be the same group from the hotel who’d troubled Xiao Qing.

"You despicable scoundrel, what about our agreement?" The soldier demon, dressed like a terracotta warrior but now in human form, wiped tears from his eyes at the sight of Li Changlu.

He couldn’t forget that bitterly cold night.

But the people behind him made Li Changlu forget the sorrow of this man.

Behind the soldier demon stood a neat row of people clad in black, wrapped up so tightly only their eyes were visible—it was impossible to tell if they were humans or demons.

Yet, atop each of their heads was a sign—"seeking medicine."

Imposing, intimidating.

"Be sensible, hand over the girl..." the soldier demon threatened.

Li Changlu casually pushed Xiao Qing forward. "Here you go, she’s all yours," he said with a grin. "So, can we leave now?"

Hand over? This unadorned girl was more than he could handle.

One moment she’s flipping cars, the next she’s smashing through brick walls with me in her arms. Working with her on one mission nearly cost me my life.

If someone wants her, let them take her.

Xiao Qing smoothed her hair and smiled sweetly at Li Changlu.

Her smile made Li Changlu hurriedly hide behind Hei Wa.

The soldier demon hadn’t expected Li Changlu to be so straightforward; he was hoping for a fight and needed a reason to start one.

Isn’t it customary to find a pretext for a scuffle?

But this guy doesn’t follow the script at all.

It’s like two people squaring off; one wants to beat the other and says, "Hey, damn you, give back my stuff or I’ll hit you." The other unexpectedly replies, "Oh, all right, here it is." What else can the first guy say? "Hey, damn you, let’s fight or I won’t take my stuff?"

No legitimate cause.

The soldier demon remembered—the boss said all three needed to be dealt with.

Why am I even talking to him like this? Am I dizzy with anger?

He signaled to the people behind him.

At once, several of the black-clad figures closed in on Li Changlu and his companions.

Xiao Qing tossed the sack with the fox demon to Li Changlu, then leapt agilely behind one of the black-clad men and struck him at the base of the neck.

Each blow felled another.

In moments, the alley was strewn with unconscious black-clad figures.

She knew well that these black-clad men had very low demon power, not even matching the soldier demon.

Hei Wa extended his long claws and grappled with those who drew near, fighting fiercely.

Hei Wa and Xiao Qing treated the black-clad men like unruly younger brothers—grabbing and knocking them out without mercy.

Yet, Li Changlu sensed something was wrong.

The numbers were increasing.

Standing at the back, he observed carefully.

And finally discovered—the black-clad men, when attacked, instantly split into two. Even those knocked out on the ground split into two.

Suddenly, the alley was packed full of black-clad men, and littered with bodies.

Against overwhelming odds, Xiao Qing and Hei Wa were exhausted, forced to retreat step by step.

Li Changlu suddenly thought of something... He carefully pulled the object from his pocket—the bottle of green medicine.

He shouted, "Medicine’s here!"

The entire alley fell silent, because—

All the black-clad men dropped to their knees in unison.