I Can Devour Spirits

After testing the bow and arrow, Duan Rong carefully discussed the detailed plan of action with Ximen Kankan, Shen Mizi, and Liu Shushan.

Afterwards, Duan Rong hurriedly left under the cover of night.

The Head Altar Law Envoy would not arrive for another four days, and during this time, he had to continue monitoring the movements of Sun Qian and Ruan Fengshan. Knowing the enemy and oneself ensures victory in a hundred battles.

When Duan Rong left, it was already the latter half of the night. Ximen Kankan, Shen Mizi, and Liu Shushan were all very tired, but Duan Rong had already warned them that there were five secret agents watching around the West Gate Mansion.

They dared not be careless, so they decided to take turns keeping watch.

The first one selected was Liu Shushan. Ximen Kankan and Shen Mizi rested inside while Liu Shushan, yawning, sat at the entrance of the main hall.

Early the next morning, Ximen Kankan patted Shen Mizi and Liu Shushan on the shoulder, saying, ”Today, I, the great master, will show you a good time, as part of my hospitality!”

Then Ximen Kankan swaggered out of the West Gate Mansion with Shen Mizi and Liu Shushan.

The secret agents who had been keeping watch outside the West Gate Mansion all night saw Ximen Kankan leading two servants out early in the morning, and they immediately followed from a distance.

Ximen Kankan first took Liu Shushan and Shen Mizi to have breakfast on the roadside.

Looking at the familiar beef noodle stall and the Lu’s Burnt Bun sign not far away, Ximen Kankan’s heart was indeed somewhat moved. ”Everything is good in the Prefecture City, but it’s not like Xianggu County.”

The three were already starving, so they sat down and began eating and drinking heartily.

Watching Shen Mizi and Liu Shushan eat, Ximen Kankan muttered quietly, ”You two are servants, watch your manners; the soup you’re slurping is splashing on my face.”

It was only then that Shen Mizi and Liu Shushan realized they were eating rather recklessly. A moment ago, Shen Mizi had even fought Ximen Kankan over a bun. Moreover, the two were hogging the table, pushing Ximen Kankan into a corner.

The two gathered up their legs and moved to one side, giving Ximen Kankan most of the table.

Just as the three were eating, Ximen Kankan suddenly saw, across the street and one alley over, where the sun shone, a shivering little beggar lying there, watching them expressionlessly.

Ximen Kankan’s eyelids twitched, almost choking. That little beggar was unmistakably Duan Rong.

Duan Rong was merely a bit envious that the three of them could sit at a stall and enjoy a solid breakfast.

Ximen Kankan only glanced over there once, then turned his head back, pretending not to see Duan Rong.

A little beggar staring at a breakfast stall was normal. But a diner continually staring at a little beggar, that would be unusual.

After they finished eating, Ximen Kankan took them to a gambling house.

Although it’s under new management, Weiyang Square remains the largest gambling house in Xianggu County. Even though it’s morning, the curtains inside the gambling house were tightly drawn, the candles hung high, and it felt like day or night, with many gamblers still indulging themselves inside.

Ximen Kankan and Liu Shushan were players in this regard, and they quickly got caught up in the excitement, using Shen Mizi as an errand runner for exchanging chips...

The two indulged in the gambling house until nightfall, only leaving reluctantly under Shen Mizi’s urging.

Afterward, Ximen Kankan took the two of them to Eight Treasures Building for a grand meal, ordering several famous Xianggu County dishes, especially for Liu Shushan to try.

As Liu Shushan ate the Eight Treasure Gourd Duck, he couldn’t stop praising it.

After they finished eating, Shen Mizi thought they would return to rest. But unexpectedly, Ximen Kankan intended to take them to Huaying Building.

Huaying Building, after all, was a brothel, and Shen Mizi, being a young lady from an official family, naturally didn’t want to go. She quietly muttered curses at Ximen Kankan there.

Ximen Kankan’s eyes swept around, then he whispered to her, ”There are secret agents following us around here. You are a servant now; don’t expose me. We’re going to Huaying Building now, and you must come with us!”

Shen Mizi had no choice. Seeing Ximen Kankan and Liu Shushan already walking towards Huaying Building, she could only follow reluctantly.

Shen Mizi felt very awkward inside Huaying Building, while Ximen Kankan and Liu Shushan were having a lot of fun. As the sky brightened, they finally came out, reeking of alcohol.

Shen Mizi spent the night in the building, feeling nauseated from the mixture of the powder and alcohol smells.

The three blearily returned to the mansion, slept for a while, and then went back to the gambling house, followed by the restaurant and then the brothel again.

It went on like this day after day!

After the first day, the original five secret agents following them had reduced to just three.

On the second day, the three continued their debauchery everywhere, squandering money. By evening, another two agents were withdrawn, leaving only one still tracking them.

After the third day, even the last secret agent was removed.

Because they had finally realized that following Ximen Kankan and his companions was purely a waste of effort. This guy was just a playboy and had simply returned to indulge in hedonism at familiar places.

On the fourth night, the next day would be when the Head Altar Law Envoy Wei Ziyan was to inspect Xianggu County.

The patrol officers on West Main Street had clearly doubled, and the secret agents lurking around had noticeably increased activities as well.

Duan Rong remained in his guise as a shivering little beggar, feigning sleep at a corner near the County Office.