Having just listened to Xue Ling's grand pronouncements, everyone's hostility towards Yao Beasts reached an unprecedented high.
Xue Ling, who had just voiced their shared sentiments and was considered one of their own, was publicly injured by an outsider.
Now, all that surging hostility was directed at Commander Xin.
Commander Xin pressed on Xue Ling's carotid artery; there was still a faint pulse.
Xue Ling lay perfectly still, holding his breath tightly.
Feigning death was his trump card, a technique also considered a form of Daoist breath retention.
The young woman was beautiful, her hands were soft and smooth, with a faint fragrance. Her fingertips had slight calluses, and the simple act of taking his pulse made Xue Ling's heart race.
He had almost chanted the short, ten-line Heart Cleansing Incantation into an electronic dance music track.
When he used to scam and beg for food with the Old Taoist Priest, there were always times they'd be exposed. When he was a child, someone came knocking to settle accounts, and the Old Taoist Priest first displayed this unique skill, which scared Xue Ling quite a bit.
Later, as the Old Taoist Priest grew old and couldn't take a beating, Xue Ling became the one to get beaten. Spitting blood, holding his breath, and kicking his legs always managed to scare away troublemakers.
Xue Ling planned to use this trick to extort something big.
He had wound medicine on him and a year of life left. Extorting someone with injuries, especially severe ones, was like snatching chestnuts from the fire.
Qingyang County was too small, with too few people. To learn real skills, one had to go to the Demon Suppression Division.
Although he was just a corpse collector, he was still a minor official in the yamen. If he were inexplicably beaten to death in public, it would be a huge headache for the Demon Suppression Division.
Blood gurgled from Xue Ling's waist wound, and Detective Zhang couldn't stop it: "Why isn't the Old Doctor here yet?"
The yamen runners in the guardroom heard this and rushed out in a panic. Seeing the situation, they quickly fetched some hemostatic supplies.
Everyone's gaze was like fire, and Commander Xin was put on the spot, metaphorically roasted.
The Demon Suppression Division's status was transcendent, which also meant it was unique. Interactions with imperial yamens and military camps required even more caution, to avoid giving anyone an excuse for gossip.
"He was already seriously injured; it's not our Commander's fault!" Hei Da tried to prove his superior's innocence, but it only added fuel to the fire.
Detective Zhang, fuming with anxiety, immediately retorted: "Knowing he was gravely injured, yet still striking with such brutality, isn't that malicious!"
In just one short hour today, the County Magistrate had been surprised too many times; his eyebrows kept rising higher, and his eyes were practically bulging out.
His subordinates truly had hidden depths; why were they all going crazy today!
Under the County Magistrate's murderous gaze, Detective Zhang gritted his teeth: "He just eliminated two great Yao Beasts! Not just gravely injured, you... you are truly going too far!"
"Two?" Hei Da's voice was distorted.
"Besides the Rabbit Demon, there was another one?" Commander Xin's expression changed. If it were two, then Xue Ling absolutely could not die.
Detective Zhang snorted coldly, the tension growing heavier.
The County Magistrate quickly stepped forward, blocking Detective Zhang: "Uncle Fu said he just dragged back a large Fox Demon early this morning..."
"I heard that the Fox Demon's head alone was bigger than the County Magistrate's desk!"
"He also dealt with the Rabbit Demon on White Bone Slope! If this great news gets out, the villagers' gratitude would line up down the street, and the longevity plaques on the altar wouldn't even fit!"
The yamen runners gasped, and their movements for bandaging the wound became even lighter.
The young general in white from the West City Barracks, hearing this, also felt a desire to recruit such talent, "To slay two demons in one day, he is indeed a true man."
Knowing the new details, everyone's complaints and hostility became even more pronounced.
Things had become tricky.
As a new official, she publicly reprimanded Xue Ling, both to deter and subdue him, and to establish her authority.
Who knew that in a moment of carelessness, she struck too hard, and now found herself in a dilemma.
The Old Doctor, long awaited, finally arrived.
As he unbuttoned Xue Ling's clothes to examine the injury, the wound medicine in his embrace tumbled to the ground.
Uncle Fu, who had rushed over upon hearing the news, saw Xue Ling's tragic state and wept: "What happened to our Lord? This wound medicine he just found hasn't even been used, and he's spitting blood again?"
Xue Ling almost broke his act from being shaken. He concentrated on holding his breath, making his face appear even more gaunt.
The County Magistrate, seeing Commander Xin's predicament, stepped forward to ease the situation: "Since there's medicine, use it quickly. Saving a life is paramount."
"Aye, alright, this old man knows what's important."
His clothes were undone, revealing the lacerated wound from the rabbit claw. The edges of the torn wound had already turned white.
"Oh! How could he be so severely injured?"
The Old Doctor gasped, grabbed the bloody medicinal powder, and sprinkled entire bottles of it down. Before the powder could congeal, it was quickly washed away by the fresh blood.
Everyone helped in a flurry, their clothes quickly soaked with Xue Ling's blood. The Old Doctor was at a loss, sighing deeply.
"This... this wound is too large, the blood won't stop flowing. He's already severely injured, and his heart pulse is also heavily damaged, weak and feeble. I'm afraid..."
"Think of another way! He was just fine!"
The Old Doctor was filled with shame: "My medical skills are not sufficient; it's better to prepare early."
His words could not have been clearer.
Uncle Fu's shoulders slumped. The old man, lost in despair, murmured to himself: "He was fine when he left this morning; how did he become like this in a blink of an eye?"
"Good days were just around the corner, and he's so young, how could he... be gone..."
Lying flat, Xue Ling hadn't expected the medical skills here to be so useless. He considered whether to take a big gasp, to give the Old Doctor some hope and not give up on his treatment.
Slowly, he helped Xue Ling tidy his clothes. Inside the hall, a pall of gloom had settled.
Just moments ago, there were only murmurs of complaint; now, it was on the verge of turning into widespread resentment.
Commander Xin withdrew her gaze, "Use this."
She took out a pill, white as snow, with a fresh, invigorating scent.
Hei Da clearly recognized it: "A taihe pill! This is a treasure our Commander won after three rounds of martial competition, taking first place!"
"A taihe pill? Is it that taihe pill that can prolong life and regenerate flesh?"
The Old Doctor was overjoyed. For his dying patient to have such a good medicine to prolong his life was naturally a great blessing.
The taihe pill's efficacy was better than a hundred-year-old ginseng, yet it was milder. Even a dying person could be gently nourished, their Origin Qi restored, and their mind calmed.
"Medicine is for saving lives. The Demon Suppression Division slays demons and monsters, protecting the common people, which is also for saving lives."
Commander Xin's words were brief but resonant. Her action was to sacrifice medicine for reputation, a powerful way to salvage her dignity.
With the life-saving pill in his stomach, Xue Ling lay even flatter, feeling perfectly justified.
The medicine quickly began to take effect. The wound throbbed intensely, then quickly stabilized, entering a peculiar state.
Xue Ling's consciousness swayed between pain and ease, involuntarily recalling Commander Xin's casual flick of her hand earlier.
Compared to his own punches, which always used his full strength, Commander Xin's seemingly casual flick contained astonishing power.
This was another level of mastery above the Great Perfection of Vajra Fist.
In a trance, Xue Ling had a vague realization, like looking at flowers through a fog, on the verge of seeing clearly.
"Oh my, this taihe pill is truly a divine medicine! The dying pulse has actually recovered!"
Hovering on the brink of life and death, this glimmer of understanding was within reach, but it was interrupted by the overjoyed Old Doctor.
Xue Ling sighed inwardly, then woke up at the opportune moment, "Ouch, it really hurts!"
"It's good that you feel pain; feeling pain means you're still alive!" Uncle Fu had experienced great sorrow and great joy, and in just half an hour, he had aged several years.
The Old Doctor praised the miraculous efficacy of the taihe pill, sprinkled hemostatic powder, and tightly bandaged Xue Ling's waist wound.
Seeing Xue Ling's complexion grow increasingly rosy, Commander Xin breathed a sigh of relief.
The County Magistrate was even more relieved. Compared to disputes and troubles, everything being well was naturally better: "Quick, take him to rest."
Xue Ling hadn't received the confirmation he wanted yet, so he clutched his wound, feigning pain with a mournful groan.
"Wait," Commander Xin stopped him in time. Just then, someone from the Demon Suppression Division rushed in with a report.
The Commander listened to the whispered words, then suddenly turned to praise the County Magistrate.
"Lord Magistrate, this Qingyang County is well-governed and its people are safe, thanks to your effective rule and the strong defense of the military. I will certainly submit a memorial to His Majesty, adding another achievement to both your and the General's records."
"Commander Xin, you flatter me..."
"Commander Xin, you are too kind. I, Cheng Jinfeng, on behalf of my General, thank you."
The young general in white, Cheng Jinfeng, looked much softer. At least it wasn't a wasted trip, and he was happy to mention his own name.
"This is my first inspection tour. The mountains are high and the roads are dangerous, so I'd like to borrow some manpower from you."
"Commander Xin, you've had a difficult journey. Your subordinate has already prepared a banquet. Please, all Lords, rest well in my Qingyang County. As for manpower, my subordinate Detective Zhang is the most steady and experienced..."
The young general in white, Cheng Jinfeng, didn't respond. He was a deputy general, and small talk with the County Magistrate was of little use. Since there was no task for him, he only wanted to return to the barracks early.
As a military officer, he truly couldn't be bothered with the pedantic verbosity of civil officials.
Commander Xin merely smiled. Her gaze settled on Xue Ling.
The County Magistrate suddenly realized that the Commander already had a candidate in mind: "All the able-bodied men of Qingyang County Yamen are here, Commander. Would you like to take a look?"
"He's the one." The Commander turned her face slightly, pointing at Xue Ling.
"Commander has good taste. This Xue Ling is very clever..."
Xue Ling's ears twitched, hearing everything clearly. His gaze met the Commander's intrigued eyes.
"A beauty's invitation, I am willing..."
Her eyes suddenly widened, as surprised as a kitten seeing a three-headed mouse.
Xue Ling rubbed his nose, also a bit embarrassed.
The kitten was fluffy and cute, but its claws and teeth were sharp, and it easily bristled.
Commander Xin cursed under her breath. She was inwardly annoyed, but her expression remained calm.
Seeing the trouble resolved, the County Magistrate felt completely at ease.
Recalling the news that had just arrived, a huge stone pressed down on Commander Xin's heart.
She collected her scattered thoughts and warned in a low voice: "Lord Magistrate, my subordinate just reported that there are traces of Yao Beasts outside the city. From the tracks, they are heading towards Qingyang County, and there are quite a few. Lord, you must be on high alert."
The County Magistrate choked, his knees went weak, and he trembled, nearly collapsing.
The young general in white, Cheng Jinfeng, looked displeased. Having Yao Beasts attacking was already annoying enough, but having to fight alongside such a weakling made the future seem bleak.
"Alright, that's enough for here. You all send the Old Doctor back first, and give him double his fee."
"Yes."
The Demon Suppression Division personnel obeyed, sending off the Old Doctor, Uncle Fu, and the others.
They surrounded the front and back of the County Yamen, so not even a fly could escape.
In the hall, the three took their respective seats. The Demon Suppression Division, soldiers, and yamen runners stood clearly divided in the corridor. Xue Ling was carried into the Demon Suppression Division's camp.
Xue Ling covered his wound and secretly chuckled.
"Lord Magistrate, your welcome banquet can wait. Let's look forward to a celebration feast instead."
The County Magistrate wiped cold sweat: "Yes, yes, Commander is right. Your subordinate will certainly prepare it in advance."
"Now, we should discuss how to defend against the invading Yao Beasts."