The Disfigured Beauty Becomes a Succubus to Repay Her Debt

Chapter 24: Chapter 24: The Decrepit Old Car

Li Mingyue stood up and looked the Ghost County Magistrate straight in the eye. Mimicking a gesture from a historical drama, she clasped her fist in her hand and spoke, neither servile nor overbearing:

”Zhang Qingtian has brought blessings to this land, and his achievements are too numerous to be recorded in ten thousand scrolls.

The common people sing praises of your virtue and have built temples so that future generations may tell of your deeds!

The name of the Cao County Magistrate, the incorruptible Lord Qingtian, is worthy of being passed down for a hundred generations!”

The County Magistrate listened to Li Mingyue’s flattery, bobbing his head back and forth with an expression of pure enjoyment.

It was as if he were listening to an opera by a famous performer from the Capital City.

Suddenly, Li Mingyue’s tone shifted.

”However, is it possible that your actions in this matter have some... flaws?

This might tarnish your honorable name!”

The Ghost County Magistrate’s expression changed drastically. Eerie ghost flames reignited in his eyes.

”Are you saying that I, Lord Qingtian, have been unjust?”

The Ghost County Magistrate pointed sharply at the woman, glaring viciously at Li Mingyue.

”This adulteress—does she not deserve to be beaten to death?”

...

「Inside the van.」

Just moments ago, everyone had thought Li Mingyue was both brave and clever. Now, hearing her words, they all broke out in a cold sweat.

”Is she crazy?”

”Why would she—”

”She should be trying to placate him! Stall until we get there!”

”Why! Wasn’t she being so smart just a second ago?”

”The Ghost County Magistrate prides himself on being Lord Qingtian. Having someone say he misjudged a case is a total slap in his face, isn’t it?”

”She’s just trying to save that person. This girl has some real guts!”

Just then, Li Mingyue’s voice came from the computer screen.

”Zhang Qingtian’s judgment is impeccable. An adulteress like her does indeed deserve to die!”

Everyone looked at the monitor.

They had no idea what Li Mingyue was up to.

...

「The ruined temple.」

Li Mingyue bowed low.

Two beads of sweat were clearly visible on the stone floor.

It was obvious how terrified Li Mingyue was at that moment.

Li Mingyue took a few deep breaths, clenched her jaw, and said:

”But! This territory is under the jurisdiction of the South Sea County Yamen. The adulteress should be dealt with by the South Sea County Yamen!”

For a long moment, Li Mingyue heard nothing.

If the Ghost County Magistrate had become enraged, he should have immediately ordered his men to beat her to death.

She had dared to say this, and it was a gamble.

’A case solved by the South Sea County Magistrate is his achievement, and it can’t be stolen by another county’s magistrate.’

Li Mingyue was betting the Ghost County Magistrate would be wary of the South Sea County Magistrate and willing to give him some face.

She was betting that the Ghost County Magistrate was unwilling to offend a fellow official.

Li Mingyue carefully raised her head.

The Ghost County Magistrate had a conflicted expression on his face.

He was thinking, weighing his options.

After a long pause, the Ghost County Magistrate spoke.

”That is a valid point. I, Lord Qingtian, have overstepped my authority.”

Li Mingyue let out a sigh of relief. She looked back at the woman and secretly gave her a wink.

The woman covered her mouth, not daring to breathe, her eyes filled with gratitude.

...

「Inside the van.」

After hearing this, Fatty exclaimed in pleasant surprise:

”Awesome! A corrupt official is still a corrupt official!

They’ll be vicious to the common folk, but they look out for their own.

He’s not going to offend another County Magistrate over a single criminal.”

A smile played on Luo Quan’s lips, his eyes full of admiration.

In truth, Luo Quan had no confidence even if they deployed the Military Officer Corps against the Ghost Government Office.

If Li Mingyue could talk her way into saving the victim, then everything would be perfect.

Once they returned to the Sheriff’s Bureau, they could properly discuss and research a strategy to deal with the Ghost Government Office.

By then, he probably wouldn’t even have to worry about it anymore. The Imperial Capital would send all sorts of combat units and experts over.

Suddenly, the Ghost County Magistrate’s voice came from the monitor:

”Where is the South Sea Government Office? I, Lord Qingtian, should pay a formal visit someday.”

...

「The ruined temple.」

Li Mingyue froze. Steeling herself, she gave the address of the Sheriff’s Bureau:

”Fifty kilometers to the east.”

’Actually, it might be a good thing to lure the Ghost County Magistrate to the Sheriff’s Bureau.’

’Once he’s at the Sheriff’s Bureau, he’ll be on the Sheriffs’ turf.’

”Nonsense!”

The Ghost County Magistrate’s eyes blazed with ghost fire once more.

”That’s clearly the Water Mansion Dao Platform!”

’This is bad,’ Li Mingyue thought to herself.

Her mind raced.

In truth, she had already done an outstanding job just to get this far.

But the outcome was the outcome; it didn’t matter how good the process was.

Li Mingyue glanced back at the woman, who had collapsed to the ground with despair once again filling her eyes. Clenching her teeth, Li Mingyue said:

”There is something you don’t know, Zhang Qingtian.

The Water Mansion Dao Platform has been renamed South Sea City.”

The County Magistrate froze for a moment, muttering continuously:

”South Sea City, South Sea City...”

The County Magistrate paused, as if he had remembered something, and mumbled:

”The Water Mansion is gone... The Water Mansion is gone.

Does that mean... the Great Qing is gone, too?

Right, the Great Qing has fallen. The Great Qing has fallen.

The Great Qing that I swore allegiance to has truly fallen.”

The County Magistrate suddenly fell from his chair, prostrating himself on the ground. Facing north, he wailed mournfully:

”This slave deserves death! This slave deserves death!

This slave has failed to protect the glory of the Aisin Gioro! This slave has failed to repay His Majesty’s grace!”

The eerie ghost flames in the County Magistrate’s eyes burned fiercely.

He snapped his head around to glare at Li Mingyue, his ghostly face contorted with rage.

”You’re a rebel!”

Seeing this, Li Mingyue’s pupils contracted sharply.

She took a few quick steps to the woman’s side, pulling her protectively behind her.

She pulled a police-issue retractable baton from her pocket and cursed under her breath, ’Fuck. So vicious to the common folk, but so damn loyal to his master!’

...

「Inside the van.」

The hearts of the onlookers plunged from Heaven back to Hell.

Luo Quan pursed his lips and said:

”Drive faster.”

The colleague at the wheel stomped on the accelerator:

”Chief, we’re almost there, but... I don’t think we’ll make it in time.”

A silence fell over the group.

The van would reach the foot of the mountain, but then the Sheriffs would have to climb it and find the ruined temple.

In that amount of time, Li Mingyue could die ten times over.

Besides...

Even if they did make it in time, did they really have the ability to pull someone out of a Ghost Government Office?

The Sheriffs weren’t even thinking about wiping out the Ghost Government Office. If they could just rescue the person, that alone would be something to brag about for the rest of their lives.

Luo Quan remained silent, quietly taking out a lighter and a cigarette.

Suddenly, the driver yanked the steering wheel, and the van, traveling at high speed, nearly flipped over!

Luo Quan shot an angry glare at the driver.

The driver swallowed hard.

”Chief, a modified car just passed us. It was going incredibly fast.

Damn, it was like a lightning bolt.

The craziest part is, it was an antique car.

Don’t tell me we’ve seen another Ghost, have we?

This place is seriously cursed!”

Luo Quan narrowed his eyes, peering ahead.

He could faintly make out taillights before they vanished in an instant.

The driver said with certainty:

”It has to be a Ghost. Who would dare to drive that fast on a rainy night like this!”

Only then did Luo Quan notice that it had, at some point, begun to rain outside.

Fatty suddenly shouted:

”Chief! What the hell! The antique car Brother Wang was talking about just appeared on the video feed!”

Everyone crowded around to look.

Sure enough, a rust-spotted antique car had appeared abruptly inside the temple.

...

「Inside the ruined temple.」

The County Magistrate’s eyes were so venomous they looked like they might drip poison. He pointed a withered finger at Li Mingyue.

”Seize her for me! Tear her to pieces! I will eat her flesh and sleep on her skin!”

The Government Officials swarmed toward Li Mingyue and the other woman.

Li Mingyue held the woman’s head with one hand and aimed the retractable baton at the Government Officials with the other.

Her hand was trembling, and her teeth were chattering.

Suddenly, two beams of light pierced the courtyard, cutting through the darkness.

Li Mingyue watched in astonishment as an antique car drove into the courtyard.

’How... How did it drive up here?’

All the Government Officials turned their heads to look at the antique car.

The County Magistrate roared in anger:

”Who dares to trespass in this court! They deserve fifty strikes of the paddle!”

The car door opened.

An old man in black got out of the driver’s seat.

The aura of resentment radiating from him sent a chill down to the bone.

The strangest thing was, he had no shadow!

On this rainy night, he looked like an old Water Ghost.

From the passenger seat, a purple-haired beauty with an explosive figure emerged. Holding an umbrella, she swayed her slender waist as she strode in high heels to the back of the car, respectfully opened the door, and carefully held the umbrella over the opening.

The rear door opened slowly.

A man in a black business suit stepped out of the car.

...