I'm modifying myself into the ultimate demon.

Chapter 113 I Became a Ghost Groom!?
Chen Mo returned to his room and packed his luggage. He changed into a new robe, took a broadsword, and then hurriedly went out.

When Chen Mo arrived at the gate of the Chen residence, he saw the familiar carriage.

Cao Kun remained seated on the carriage floor. Upon seeing Chen Mo arrive, he jumped off the carriage and greeted him warmly with a smile, "Brother Chen, you've finally arrived!"

Chen Mo cupped his hands in greeting, then asked, "Is Shao Siming in the carriage?"

Cao Kun shook his head, "The Junior Master of the Palace went to her residence, leaving me only to stay here and guard this place."

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Chen Mo hurriedly entered the Chen residence.

Ma Tie opened the door.

Chen Mo skipped the pleasantries and asked directly, "Did a woman come to your house?"

Ma Tie replied with a smile, "A woman of exceptional beauty has arrived, with a superb figure. I, Ma Tie, have never seen such a beautiful woman in my entire life. I heard she's a big shot in the Red Lantern Society. Second Young Master, you've certainly gained some respect within the Red Lantern Society."

Chen Mo, however, was not happy. "Where is this woman?"

"That woman was quite strange. Earlier, the master and madam came out to greet her and led her to the courtyard to sit down. But the woman didn't really pay attention to them, and directly asked for the young master's residence before going to the east courtyard. Right now, the master and madam are both guarding the main gate of the east courtyard."

After hearing Ma Tie's words, Chen Mo headed straight for the East Courtyard.

Upon arriving at the east gate, I saw my parents, dressed in their finest attire, pacing back and forth, looking quite troubled.

"Xiao Mo, you're finally back. That woman... she's so difficult to please." Chen Yinfu rushed over to greet Chen Mo, his brow beaded with sweat.

After greeting his mother, Chen Mo asked, "How difficult is she to please?"

Chen Yinfu wiped his forehead. "He kept quiet and wouldn't let anyone near, then went into the east courtyard, saying he was waiting for you to come back. Even when I asked Haitang to bring some snacks, they were all returned. Your mother heard that the woman was a big shot in the Red Lantern Society, so she wanted to treat her well to avoid hindering your future in the Red Lantern Society. Who would have thought..."

Chen Mo already knew what was going on and said, "Father, Mother, this is just his nature. You don't need to worry about it. Go back first. I'll take care of it."

After seeing his parents off, Chen Mo didn't go straight inside. Instead, he called Qiu Lan out and asked, "What did that woman do in there?"

Qiulan leaned closer and said, "That woman, aside from being aloof and ignoring everyone, wasn't particularly arrogant. She just sat in the hall waiting. She even went to check on the young master's bedroom and asked me some questions about him."

"About me? Tell me in detail."

Qiulan recalled carefully, scratching her head, "She asked very strange questions. She only asked about the second young master's daily life and habits, his hobbies, and... she also asked if the young master had any special behaviors."

"Special action? What did you say?"

Qiulan had served Chen Mo for many years and had seen many outsiders. But she had never seen such a strange outsider before, and she knew the importance of her reply. "I have said what I should say. I haven't said what I shouldn't say."

"understood."

Chen Mo dismissed Qiu Lan and strode into the hanging flower gate of the East Courtyard. While walking, Chen Mo pondered what Shao Siming was doing.

Go to your own bedroom?

That's rather impolite. Asking about one's daily routine, habits, hobbies, and any unusual behaviors?

Could it be that he suspects I took the ghost bone?

Chen Mo couldn't think of any other reason besides this.

They entered the courtyard and then the living room, where they met Shao Siming.

With her back to Chen Mo, she looked at a calligraphy scroll on the wall. Her long hair cascaded down like clouds, and a tight red dress hugged her slender and graceful figure. The red hairpin in her hair was very eye-catching, and the two small bells at the end jingled in the wind.

Chen Mo cupped his hands in greeting, saying, "My humble abode is simple and unassuming; I am honored that you have to deign to visit me, Young Master Ming."

As Shao Siming turned around, she said, "Wealth and status are fleeting; what matters is living comfortably. Where have you been all this time? We couldn't find you anywhere in the village."

Chen Mo welcomed Shao Siming to the seat of honor, then picked up a teapot and poured her tea. "I'm a martial arts fanatic. Whenever I achieve something in martial arts, I like to seek out some bandits to test my skills. May I ask what business Shao Siming has with me?"

Shao Siming sized up Chen Mo and felt that what Chen Mo said was in line with his temperament, so she didn't ask any more questions. "The head servant told me that there is a powerful ghost in Chunfeng Tower. I also had someone investigate it from the side. I happened to have some free time these past few days, so I thought I'd go to Chunfeng Tower to get rid of that ghost. I heard that you've been to Chunfeng Tower before?"

Chen Mo was taken aback for a moment, then realized he was overthinking it.

His past was marked by dissolute behavior, notorious even in the Chunfeng Brothel. A few questions with the girls would be enough to find out.

Chen Mo said, "Before joining the Red Lantern Gang, I would occasionally go to Chunfengli for a drink with a few friends. Since joining the Red Lantern Gang, I haven't gone there again. This place, after all, incubates people's hearts. It's not good for practicing martial arts."

Shao Siming nodded: "That's perfect. Lead me to Chunfeng Tower. Get rid of that ghost."

Chen Mo naturally didn't want to go.

After all, that ghost was extremely ferocious. Even Tang Xiaoyu almost died inside it.

Shao Siming raised an eyebrow: "Is there a problem?"

Chen Mo shook his head: "There are no difficulties. I am quite familiar with Magistrate Li Wenqing, and I know that several deaths have occurred at Chunfeng Tower recently. I have heard that the ghost is quite powerful. Since Shao Siming wants to go, I will lead the way."

Shao Siming nodded. "Exorcising evil spirits, pacifying the people, and protecting the Red River are the duties of the Red Lantern Guard. Now that such chaos has occurred in the city, we cannot sit idly by. Otherwise, it would damage Your Majesty's reputation."

As she spoke, Shao Siming took out a booklet and handed it to Chen Mo: "Take a look."

Chen Mo opened it and took a look.

It contains information about the construction of Chunfeng Tower, as well as information about the owner behind it. The details, the annual profit sharing, and even the symptoms of the deceased girls are all recorded clearly.

It's clear that red light traffickers still have some influence.

They don't usually show their faces, not because they don't know, but because they haven't paid much attention. Once they do pay attention... then this terrifying machine will start running at high speed.

After reading the contents of the booklet, Chen Mo realized that there were three employers.

One was Wen Yuantu, the county magistrate; another was Zhang Wenbing, the centurion of the garrison; and the third was Huang Silang, the head of a human trafficking ring.

It's truly a collusion between officials, businessmen, and bandits.

That's why so many people died at Chunfeng Tower, yet no one dared to shut it down, and no one even dared to make a fuss.

"Take the booklet and come with me to the yamen." The Junior Master of Justice got up and left.

Chen Mo agreed, then took the booklet and followed Shao Siming out the door, heading straight for the yamen.

……

County government office.

The magistrate's residence in the backyard.

Magistrate Wen Yuantu was a lean, middle-aged man dressed in official robes, possessing a refined and scholarly air. He invited two men to sit at a round table for a meal and drinks.

One was a man in military uniform, Zhang Wenbing, a centurion of the garrison. The other was a burly man with a rugged face, Huang Silang, the head of a human trafficking brokerage.

Everyone toasted and drank, thoroughly enjoying themselves.

"Brother, this five thousand taels is Chunfenglou's share of the profits this month. I'm bringing it to you as promised." Huang Silang drank some wine, took out a thick stack of silver notes, and handed them to Wen Yuantu with a smile.

Normally, it would be difficult for a brothel to earn such a high revenue share in a month. However, Chunfenglou was also secretly selling opium, which truly turned it into a den of iniquity.

Wen Yuantu smiled and accepted the silver notes. He then distributed a portion of the money to Zhang Wenbing and Huang Silang.

After everyone received their share of the silver, they were all beaming with joy.

"Following the eldest brother means you'll get to eat meat."

"I plan to increase the sale of opium in the future," Huang Silang chuckled.

Wen Yuantu frowned: "It's best to keep a low profile lately. There have been a series of murders at Chunfeng Tower recently, and the frequency is getting higher and higher. I have a bad feeling about this."

Huang Silang, however, disagreed. "Brother, you're probably overthinking it. It's just madness. In Honghe County over the years, there have been plenty of people with madness. With so many people in Chunfengli, it's common for a few to die from madness. We have a big brother in the government office and a second brother in the garrison. Our business is getting bigger and bigger. Nowadays, the court is corrupt. Anyone who dares to interfere with our business will be beheaded."

Zhang Wenbing chimed in, “Brother, you’re probably overthinking it. These are chaotic times, rife with evil. A few deaths aren’t a big deal. The more chaotic the times, the more we should amass wealth. Who knows when something big might happen in Honghe County? We’ll have a way out. As long as we have mountains of gold and silver, we can always make a comeback no matter where we go.

Wen Yuantu held the teacup in his hand, his expression solemn.

He bought his position as county magistrate.

The court is now corrupt, and in order to solve its tight financial problems, it has openly implemented a system of selling official positions through donations. This system essentially means the court is openly selling official posts.

Aside from core official positions like prefect and governor, all other official posts have a price tag. They can be bought simply by paying a donation.

Wen Yuantu spent eight thousand taels of silver to buy the position of magistrate of Honghe County.

Because he had spent money to buy his official position, he became even more ruthless in extorting money from the people after taking office. Chunfeng Tower was just one of the ways Wen Yuantu amassed wealth.

In fact, Wen Yuantu is not an isolated case.

Most officials who bought their positions would then go to great lengths to plunder their wealth after taking office.

As a result, the imperial court entered a vicious cycle.

Local officials are all focused on recouping their losses. How many of them truly care about the well-being of the people in their jurisdiction?
After a long pause, Wen Yuantu finally said, "I sense that things aren't going smoothly in Honghe County lately, with undercurrents stirring. Let's put a halt to the opium trade for now. Normally, as long as we make some money without disrupting the local people's livelihood and ensuring these beasts have food to eat, the Red Lanterns won't interfere. After all, the worse the times get, the more people will pray to gods and Buddhas, and the more prosperous the Red Lanterns will become. But if we go too far and disrupt the local order, then the Red Lanterns won't stand idly by."

When the topic of the Red Lantern Gang came up, Zhang Wenbing and Huang Silang's expressions changed, and they dared not say more. They nodded in agreement.

They colluded to amass wealth, unafraid of the imperial court, bandits, or even the lowest of the low. Their only fear was the Red Lanterns.

Huang Silang said, "Brother, now that a few people have died at Chunfeng Tower, the Red Lantern Gang shouldn't care, right?"

Wen Yuantu laughed, "Of course not." "That's good then. Come, let's drink. Wishing the three of us brothers a prosperous year ahead, with profits doubling."

"Here, drink."

The three of them drank happily, laughed heartily, and were full of smug satisfaction.

Just then, a bald old man hurried in. "Sir, two people have come outside. They say they want to see you."

This bald old man was a clerk in the government office and a close confidant of Wen Yuantu.

Wen Yuantu didn't even look up, "Just say that the county is too busy."

The advisor said, "There is a woman who claims to be from the Red Lantern Society."

Upon hearing the words "red light," the three brothers turned pale with fright and lost their appetite. Wen Yuantu even dropped his chopsticks and hurriedly got up to leave, saying, "Why didn't you say so earlier? Come with me to greet them."

Before they had taken two steps, they saw a woman in red leading a handsome young man across the threshold and into the house.

The three brothers hurriedly left the room, approached the woman in red, bowed respectfully, and said, "We were unaware of the arrival of the esteemed Red Lantern Guardian. We apologize for not greeting you properly. We will certainly come out to greet you if you visit in the future."

The woman in red was none other than Shao Siming. The young man beside her was Chen Mo.

Seeing the county magistrate in his official robes being so respectful, Chen Mo directly felt the intimidating power of the Red Lanterns in Honghe County.

It was indeed a chaotic world teeming with evil spirits, and the imperial court had fallen into such a state of decline.

It's likely that Shao Siming came here personally to inquire about the origins of Chunfeng Tower, or perhaps to hold Magistrate Wen Yuantu accountable.

However, what happened next shocked Chen Mo.

Shao Siming remained silent, simply walking up to Wen Yuantu in her embroidered shoes. She gently raised her right index finger, pointed at Wen Yuantu, and said, "There is no future."

The moment the words fell—

boom!
A burst of red power erupted from Shao Siming's fingertips, instantly piercing Wen Yuantu's head.

Blood and brain matter were splattered all over the ground.

Wen Yuantu didn't even have time to scream before he collapsed to the ground.

pat.

Huang Silang and Zhang Wenbing, who were standing nearby, were so frightened that they immediately knelt on the ground and begged for mercy.

A dignified county magistrate, killed without hesitation.

It was done in public.

How could this not make people tremble with fear?
Shao Siming remained silent, then turned her fingertips around and pointed at Huang Silang and Zhang Wenbing respectively.

puff!puff!
A garrison commander and a brokerage foreman died instantly.

The advisor knelt on the ground, trembling.

Shao Siming stared at the clerk. "These three people jointly run Chunfeng Tower, causing frequent outbreaks of madness and widespread resentment. They have ruined the Empress's lineage. Therefore, they cannot be allowed to stay. This is the rule of the Red Lantern Clan."

Bang bang bang.

The advisor nodded repeatedly in agreement and begged for mercy.

Shao Siming continued, "Go and inform Li Wenqing to take the yamen runners and seal off Chunfeng Tower. No one inside is allowed to leave, and no one outside is allowed to enter. Also, prepare enough firewood and torches and await orders."

……

For the first time in all the years since Chunfeng Tower opened, it was openly blocked off by rows of yamen runners wielding knives.

This alarmed the stewards, and one of the stewards with a white beard secretly slipped money to Wang He, the head constable outside the door, hoping to pull some strings.

Wang He dared not accept the white-bearded man's money. "Manager Liu, please don't harm me. I dare not accept this money."

The white-bearded man was extremely respectful, lowering his posture for the first time and smiling obsequiously: "Officer Wang, you're too kind. I will definitely put in a good word for you with my master later."

Wang He had followed Li Wenqing for many years, so he naturally knew that the big boss behind Chunfeng Tower was County Magistrate Wen Yuantu.

Normally, Wang He would have to be extremely respectful to this Steward Liu and would never dare to offend him.

At this moment, however, he straightened his back and said, "Manager Liu, I won't hide it from you anymore. Just now, the magistrate from the Red Lantern Gang came to the county government office and killed the magistrate. He said that the magistrate ruined the Empress's lineage. Right now, that magistrate is in the Spring Breeze Pavilion."

Upon hearing this, Manager Liu was so frightened that he collapsed to the ground, trembling with fear.

The major shareholders are all dead?

It even ruined the empress's lineage...

Is there any way for me to survive?

……

After Chen Mo and Shao Siming entered Chunfeng Tower, it was already dark. The two found Mama Jin, asked for a private room, didn't order any girls, and dismissed all outsiders.

The three of them drank their wine inside, quietly waiting for midnight to arrive.

Finally, midnight arrived.

The candlelight flickered, and a cold wind blew.

The air in the room felt much colder.

A dark figure walked past the door, but instead of knocking on this door, it knocked on the door next door, making a sinister sound.

"Would you like to hear a ghost story from this humble Taoist priest? If you don't like it, you don't have to pay."

The girl inside already knew something was wrong, so she sternly told the old Taoist priest to leave: "I don't want to hear any ghost stories, get out, get out now."

"Then I'll come back and ask again tomorrow."

The old Taoist priest spoke in a sinister tone, about to leave.

Chen Mo felt the air in the room regain some warmth.

Just then, Shao Siming slammed her palm on the table, and the dim yellow candlelight in the room instantly turned crimson. Streams of blood-red light shot out from the room, spreading in all directions. The impact even reached the old Taoist priest outside the door.

Then, Shao Siming spoke up: "Why come again tomorrow? The moon is full today, so I'll spare your life."

Whoosh! The old Taoist priest outside the door seemed to sense the danger and immediately disappeared.

Shao Siming made a grabbing motion in mid-air, and the red light in the room moved in accordance with her gesture, frantically chasing after the old Taoist priest.

However, the red light eventually flowed back and pointed to a dressing mirror behind the two of them.

brush!
Shao Siming suddenly stood up and stared at the mirror.

At first, the mirror was just an ordinary mirror, but as Shao Siming spread red light across it, the old Taoist figure inside slowly appeared.

The old Taoist priest stood in the mirror, smiling sinisterly as he looked at Chen Mo and the other person.

Shao Siming, dressed in a red dress, stood outside, looking at the old Taoist priest. "So you've cultivated such abilities. I underestimated you. However, since I'm here, I'll take your life."

After saying that, Shao Siming glanced at Chen Mo and said, "It's not safe for you to stay outside. Come inside with me."

Shao Siming bit her finger and drew a pattern on Chen Mo's forehead with her blood. Then she dragged Chen Mo into the mirror.

I go!

Chen Mo was momentarily dazed, and actually stepped into the mirror.

Inside, there was a hidden world, exactly like the real world. It was a desolate wilderness.

When the old Taoist priest saw Shao Siming step into the mirror, he panicked and ran away. Shao Siming grabbed Chen Mo and ran wildly, finally arriving at the edge of the wilderness, at an old house adorned with red lanterns.

The ancient house stood in complete darkness at the edge of the wilderness, the sky devoid of moonlight, a pure black expanse. Only the two red lanterns hanging above the house's entrance stood out starkly, their crimson hue like blood.

"Don't wipe the blood from your forehead, or you'll die here and won't be able to get out. Come in with me."

Shao Siming pulled Chen Mo through the gate of the old mansion, where everything was quiet and still. They never saw the old Taoist priest. However, upon entering the central courtyard, they saw a bridal chamber.

That's right, this is the bridal chamber that Chen Mo saw in front of the mirror before.

The old Taoist priest stood inside the bridal chamber, and next to the dressing table sat a woman wearing a red veil. Upon seeing the two, the woman smiled.

"After all these years, we finally have some friends coming in. Guests are guests, Afu, treat our guests well."

The moment he finished speaking, Chen Mo felt a blur before his eyes. When he regained his senses, he found that both Shao Siming and the old Taoist priest Afu had disappeared.

It's still the same bridal chamber, but the scene is completely different.

He found himself sitting at the head of the bed, dressed in... the attire of a groom, wearing a groom's hat, and holding a red embroidered ball.

Chen Mo looked at the other end of the red embroidered ball and was surprised to see that the woman with the red veil was sitting next to it.

"you……"

(End of this chapter)