I'm modifying myself into the ultimate demon.

Chapter 81 Zhang Ru is pregnant, and there are eight ulterior motives.
run! !

Zhou Kuan hesitated for only a moment before making his decision: Run!
He was calculating:

Although Chen Qingyan was old, he was still very strong. Even more terrifying were Granny Li and her daughter Li Hongxi, whom Zhou Kuan feared from the bottom of his heart.

And given the current situation... it's clear that Chen Mo has taken care of Granny Li's entire family.

This clearly demonstrates just how terrifying Chen Mo's strength is.

In addition, Chen Mo specially found a little girl to come to the branch office entrance while eating candied hawthorns, so that the shop assistant could inform him of the news.

That's incredibly cunning.

Faced with such a young man, Zhou Kuan did not believe he had any chance of winning.

"If you leave, your master will be lonely..."

Chen Mo's cold voice came from behind him. The first half of the sentence was still far away, but the second half... appeared right in front of him. Zhou Kuan looked up abruptly and was shocked to see Chen Mo standing in front of him without him even noticing.

pat.

Without saying a word, Zhou Kuan was so frightened that he knelt on the ground and begged for mercy.

"Young Master Mo... it was all Chen Qingyan who colluded with Granny Li to harm you. I stayed in the hall the whole time today and didn't come out. Young Master Mo, please be magnanimous and spare my life."

Zhou Kuan pleaded as he crawled toward Chen Mo, looking utterly pitiful.

"No need to beg anymore, you know too much, you're dead!"

Without saying a word, Chen Mo raised his palm and slapped Zhou Kuan on the head.

boom!
Zhou Kuan immediately raised his hand to block, but the moment he touched Chen Mo's palm, he realized what it meant to be a mayfly trying to shake a tree. He felt that although the palm looked very ordinary, the amount of true energy it contained was as majestic as a mountain.

In an instant, with a "crack," Zhou Kuan's palm was shattered. The force of the blow remained undiminished, slamming into Zhou Kuan's forehead... His head was smashed to pieces, brain matter and blood splattered everywhere, still radiating heat.

In his final moments, Zhou Kuan was still regretting that he shouldn't have had ambitions beyond his capabilities, and that he should have reported it to Chen Qingyan earlier... If he had been prepared, Chen Qingyan and Granny Li wouldn't have been killed.

In this way, although I will continue to be forced by Chen Qing to be a manager... being a manager is really quite good.

unfortunately,

There is no if in this world...

Chen Mo dragged Zhou Kuan's mangled body back to the backyard, started another fire, and threw Zhou Kuan's body into the flames. To speed up the burning, he even used the intense heat of the Mingyu Gong to urge it on.

In no time, the body was burned to ashes.

After completing all this, Chen Mo made some plans in his mind:
Guo Ziyu and the others will be coming to find me soon... but this matter is of great importance, and Guo Ziyu and Guo Songyang may not be trustworthy.

I can't wait for them here; I should leave now.

If no clues are left at the scene, who would dare to say that I killed the person?

With this in mind, Chen Mo hurriedly made his escape.

Just as he reached the door, Chen Mo seemed to remember something and suddenly turned around to look at the ancient well in the courtyard. A wild idea flashed through his mind: Could it be that Li Hongxi's resurrection was related to that ancient well?

"I'll find a red candle later and seal this ancient well."

……

Meanwhile, Guo Ziyu and her two companions arrived at Granny Li's house as quickly as possible.

Guo Ziyu, in particular, was very concerned about Chen Mo and was the first to rush into the backyard. She expected to see Chen Mo in danger or even meet with misfortune, but what she saw before her truly surprised her:
The courtyard was quiet; not a soul was in sight. However, a patch of charred ash remained in the center, emitting a pungent, burnt smell.

Guo Ziyang, who followed in, looked around and asked curiously, "Hey? Where are they?"

Guo Ziyu squatted down next to the charcoal ash, sniffed it carefully, and said, "Ziyang, go to the Blood Ridge Hall quickly and ask if Zhou Kuan is inside."

Guo Ziyang nodded in agreement and then ran off.

In the vast courtyard, only Guo Ziyu and Guo Songyang remained. A chilling wind howled all around, creating an eerie atmosphere. The stench that permeated the air lingered for a long time.

Guo Songyang, holding his pipe, looked around and said, "There's still ghostly energy lingering in the air from the infant spirit, and it came from four different people, probably Granny Li's family and Chen Qingyan. But there are no obvious signs of a fight, so these four were instantly killed. Chen Mo is only a fourth-level Martial Master, and his Three-Stage Divine Realm cultivation isn't quite there yet. His talisman techniques are also just beginner level. How could he instantly kill four people?"

Guo Ziyu did not answer immediately, but carefully examined the courtyard inside and out before saying, "It seems we greatly underestimated Chen Mo. He's quite an interesting fellow. Zhou Kuan didn't worship the spirit infant, and there's no ghostly aura on him. I can't tell whether he's dead or not."

Guo Songyang added, "If Zhou Kuan wasn't in the hall, he would have been killed by Chen Mo as well."

Guo Ziyu said, "If that's the case, then he has eliminated all hidden dangers, eradicated the root of the problem, and destroyed all evidence. He is truly meticulous and capable of great things."

Guo Songyang asked, "What if Zhou Kuan hadn't died?"

Guo Ziyu said, "Then let's go and send him on his way. Let's eliminate any potential threats."

Guo Songyang took out a bag of tobacco, grabbed a handful and stuffed it into the copper pot, then held the pot over the still-burning embers to light it.

He took a puff of his pipe and let out a comfortable breath, "Mmm."

Not long after, Guo Ziyang hurriedly returned. Because he had run so fast, he was out of breath and took several deep breaths before speaking. "I asked the shop assistants at the branch, and they said that at dusk, a little girl eating candied hawthorns went to the branch to report that Granny Li had come here looking for Manager Zhou. After that, Manager Zhou was never seen going back."

Guo Ziyu and Guo Songyang exchanged a glance, then simultaneously smiled and uttered a name: "Little White Sugar..."

Guo Ziyu smiled, a rare occurrence for her. "This guy really has a good intention."

Guo Ziyang was a little confused and scratched his head: "Sister, what are you talking about?"

"nothing."

Guo Ziyu didn't say it explicitly, but instead said to Guo Songyang, "Uncle Guo, please go to the Blood Ridge Hall immediately and tell them that Chen Qingyan and Zhou Kuan colluded with Granny Li, the Spirit Infant Attendant, to tarnish the reputation of the Red Lantern Hall and attempt to overthrow the hall. You should kill them on the spot. Make sure all the details are done properly and can withstand the scrutiny of the Court of Judicial Review."

Guo Songyang agreed without hesitation, but Guo Ziyang still had a question, "Sister, what about you?"

Guo Ziyu said, "I will enter the city first. After you have settled things here, we will meet at the Baiyun Inn in the city."

……

By the time Chen Mo returned to the city, it was completely dark.

Wine flags fluttered in the streets and alleys of the city, but it was not as lively as usual. Many shops on both sides of the street were closed and their lights were off.

Chen Mo sensed that something was amiss.

The city is different from the outside. Because the security is better, the shops are brightly lit at night.

However, there were still some scattered peddlers on the street, so Chen Mo found one who sold candied hawthorns and bought five different flavors of candied hawthorns. He wrapped them in mulberry paper before heading towards the Chen residence.

As I passed by a house, I saw several constables standing at the door, driving away the crowd that had come to watch.

The leader was none other than Constable Wang He.

Upon seeing Chen Mo, Wang He warmly greeted him, "Young Master Mo, why are you still out at night? Would you like me to send two constables to escort you home?"

Chen Mo understood the implication in the words, "Officer Wang, has something happened in the city recently?"

"Eh!"

Wang He, carrying a broadsword and looking exhausted, sighed, "I don't know what's going on lately, but more than a dozen new cases of madness have appeared. Some of them have even escaped the authorities' pursuit and are staying in the vicinity. They often come out at night to eat people. The authorities have issued reward notices and increased patrols, warning everyone not to go out at night."

Chen Mo understood.

These days, it's not uncommon for people in the city to suffer from madness.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, he declined Wang He's offer to send him off and headed home alone.

When they arrived at their doorstep, they found the Chen family mansion gate tightly closed.

This is likely due to adherence to the official government notice.

Chen Mo stepped forward and knocked on the door.

dong dong dong.

After a moment, the door creaked open, and Ma Tie poked his head out to look around warily. When he saw that it was Chen Mo, Ma Tie immediately opened the door to greet him, "Second Young Master. You're finally back. It's windy outside, come in quickly."

As Chen Mo entered the room, he asked, "Has anything happened at home recently?"

Ma Tie closed the door again and answered from the side, "With Master Zhou and Master Zhou managing things at home, everything has been peaceful. It's just that Madam often talks about the Second Young Master and hopes for his early return."

Hearing this, Chen Mo felt relieved. He first went to the east courtyard to put down his bundle, and as soon as he entered, he saw Qiu Lan, wearing a light pink jacket, cleaning in the living room. Perhaps because the second young master was not there, Qiu Lan seemed to be working rather listlessly.

"Qiu Lan".

Chen Mo called out.

Qiu Lan was stunned for a moment before turning around to look. Sure enough, she saw Chen Mo. The wrinkles on her face smoothed out, and she stepped forward to give Chen Mo a deep bow. She said with a smile, "Second Young Master, you're finally back. I just heard Master talking about whether you would come back for the New Year."

As she spoke, Qiulan casually reached out and took the bundle from Chen Mo's shoulder, saying, "Young Master, you must be tired from your journey. I'll go boil some water for you to bathe. I'll also prepare some festive clothes for you."

Chen Mo finally experienced what it was like to be waited on. Life in Black Mountain Village was indeed rather austere...

After taking a bath and changing into new clothes, Chen Mo hung up a jade pendant and a sachet, then called Qiu Lan and Ma Tie over and gave each of them New Year's money, saying, "Today is New Year's Eve, this is for you."

Qiulan smiled as she accepted the New Year's money, then gave a curtsy, saying, "Thank you, young master. I wish you all the best in the coming year."

Ma Tie also bowed and thanked him, "Thank you, young master. May you break through the inner defenses and rise to great heights."

Chen Mo glanced at Ma Tie but didn't point it out. "You're all the same, everything is going smoothly and your wishes are fulfilled. By the way, Qiu Lan, has the family prepared New Year's Eve dinner tonight?" Qiu Lan smiled and said, "Master and Madam have been preparing it for a long time, but since the young master hasn't returned, they've been waiting and haven't started the feast yet."

"Come with me to the central courtyard."

Chen Mo led Ma Tieqiu and Lan away from the East Courtyard and went to the Central Courtyard.

Upon entering, the courtyard was unusually lively. Eight large round tables were set up, laden with a sumptuous feast. Familiar faces were all waiting: Wei Heng, Liu Jiang, Zhou Liang, Ma San…

Everyone was overjoyed to see Chen Mo and stood up to bow in greeting.

"The second young master is back."

"Greetings, Second Young Master."

"Greetings, Second Young Master."

"Hello everyone, please don't stand on ceremony, please take your seats," Chen Mo smiled at everyone in response. He then went to the living room.

As soon as they stepped across the threshold, a little one ran into Chen Mo's arms, "Second Brother, Little Fish missed you so much!"

"I missed you too." Chen Mo squatted down and picked up Chen Yu'er, then handed her a handful of candied hawthorns. "Look what I brought you."

Little Fish opened the mulberry paper and his face lit up with a smile. "Wow, it's candied hawthorn! Second Brother is so good to me."

As she spoke, Xiaoyuer didn't hold back at all. She picked up a bunch of hawthorns, took a bite, and immediately showed a happy smile.

Chen Mo carried Xiaoyuer into the living room. Upon seeing the familiar family, he put Xiaoyuer down and bowed to his parents, saying, "Father, Mother. I am late in returning home. I have kept you waiting."

Chen Yinfu remained unsmiling, saying, "It's good that you're back."

Lin Yulan stepped forward and pulled Chen Mo to sit down, saying, "The whole family is waiting for you to come back for a reunion dinner. Sit down quickly, the food is getting cold."

Before taking their seats, Chen Mo greeted Chen Wu and Zhang Ru. He noticed that Chen Wu seemed uninterested, while Zhang Ru looked sallow and exhausted, barely managing a brief greeting to Chen Mo before appearing drained. However, it was New Year's Eve, a time for family reunion dinner, so Zhang Ru forced herself to cheer up.

The meal was enjoyed by everyone.

Lin Yulan was particularly interested in what had happened to Chen Mo recently and kept asking him questions.

This is similar to how, in Chen Mo's previous life, whenever he went home from university, his parents were always very interested in what happened to him at school.

Chen Mo didn't mince words, only recounting the pleasant and glamorous aspects, automatically concealing the dangerous ones.

Lin Yulan was very satisfied to hear this, especially when she learned that Chen Mo would be the manager of Black Mountain Stronghold after the New Year. She was overjoyed. "Second Brother is really promising. He's not even sixteen yet and he's already going to be the manager of the stronghold. Our Chen family can finally have something to look forward to. He's even better than your father."

Chen Yinfu remained noncommittal, praising Chen Mo for his success, but did not forget to advise, "Once you become a manager, you are more likely to be watched. You need to be careful in everything you do, and avoid showing off, lest you offend someone without even realizing it. The higher you are, the more vigilant you should be."

Chen Mo nodded in agreement: "Father's teachings are correct."

Lin Yulan glared at Chen Yinfu, "It's the New Year, can't you be a little less serious? Wouldn't it be better if everyone just had some fun?"

Chen Yinfu blushed slightly. "It's my fault. I'm usually too serious. Let's not talk about that. Let's drink freely today."

After saying that, Chen Yinfu led Chen Mo, Lin Yulan, Chen Wu and others out of the living room, clinked glasses with the servants and guards outside, and exchanged encouraging words of blessing.

The family reunion dinner lasted a full hour before it came to an end.

According to the customs of this world, on New Year's Eve, the whole family needs to stay up together and chat around the fire.

The family stayed in the living room. Haitang and Qiulan lit the stove, brought out snacks and fruits, and chatted around the stove, keeping vigil for the New Year. They hoped for a smooth year ahead and peace year after year.

Second Aunt Zhang Ru didn't look well, and after only a short while, she said she was feeling unwell and left.

Chen Wu bowed to Chen Mo, Chen Yin, Fu Linyu, and Lan, then helped Zhang Ru leave the courtyard and head to the North Courtyard.

Watching his second aunt leave, Chen Mo asked, "What's wrong with your second aunt?"

Lin Yulan said, "About seven days ago, Zhang Ru's complexion started to look bad. She was weak and often vomited. I took her to a doctor, who said she was pregnant and prescribed some nourishing medicine. But seven days have passed and she hasn't gotten better, which is strange. Your father and I have discussed it and decided that once she's recovered, we'll find a good doctor to take a look at Zhang Ru again tomorrow."

Chen Yinfu sighed, "When Ru'er gave birth to Xiao Wu, she injured her body. Perhaps that's why she has a lingering illness. Her body has always been weak. But we've been given the best medicine, so she should be fine."

Although his parents' explanation seemed reasonable, Chen Mo still felt uneasy. "Mother, could you please show me the prescription the doctor gave to Second Aunt?"

Lin Yulan was taken aback: "Erlang also understands pharmacology?"

Chen Mo said, "I have practiced martial arts for many years and have some knowledge of pharmacology."

Lin Yulan nodded, then instructed Haitang, "Haitang, go and get the prescription from my drawer."

"Yes, ma'am."

Haitang quickly went into the bedroom, and soon returned with the prescription, handing it to Chen Mo: "This is the prescription the doctor gave me back then."

Chen Mo took it and looked at it.

It was just a common prescription for calming the nerves and nourishing the fetus, with the addition of highly tonifying herbs like ginseng. Logically, such a prescription should have a very good effect on preventing miscarriage. Her complexion shouldn't have remained poor. Moreover, Chen Mo had just keenly sensed that something was off about his second aunt's aura.

Lin Yulan asked with great concern, "Erlang, is there a problem with this prescription?"

Chen Mo put down the prescription. "The prescription is fine. But there's something I want to ask Father. Did Father and Stepmother sleep together more than a month ago?"

Chen Yinfu stammered, "There was one time, and the timing... barely matches up."

Chen Mo noticed that Chen Yinfu was hesitant, so he said seriously, "Father, this matter is of great importance. Please tell me the truth."

Chen Yinfu looked at Lin Yulan, who said, "You already have a child, so tell me."

Chen Yinfu then said, "Logically speaking, it takes more than forty days after intercourse to detect pregnancy. It has only been thirty days since my intercourse ended, and seven days ago... that is, twenty-three days after intercourse, so theoretically, pregnancy should not be detectable. But the doctor also said that this varies from person to person. There is no fixed number. I know that old doctor well, and I know that his medical skills are good, so he will definitely not make a mistake."

Chen Mo fell silent for a long time before standing up. "You all stay here to celebrate the New Year. I'll go check on Second Aunt."

Lin Yulan said, "I'll go with you. It's inconvenient for you, a man, to do many things."

"No need, Mother can stay here. I know what I'm doing," Chen Mo said before hurriedly leaving.

When they arrived at the North Courtyard and saw Second Aunt again, they found her lying on the bed, half asleep. Chen Wu was attending to her at the bedside.

Upon seeing Chen Mo approach, Chen Wu cupped his hands in greeting, "Second Brother."

Zhang Ru, lying on the bed, forced herself to stay awake and said, "Second Young Master, why didn't you stay in the courtyard with your parents on New Year's Eve? Why did you come to see me? This is unfilial."

Chen Mo gave Chen Wu a look, and the latter understood, getting up and moving aside. Chen Mo then sat on the edge of the bed, holding Zhang Ru's hands tightly, "I know my second aunt treats me well. In my heart, you are also my mother. How can it be unfilial of me to come and see my second aunt on New Year's Eve?"

Zhang Ru was deeply moved, her eyes glistening with tears. She smiled and said, "I'm fine. It's just that I'm getting older, and my body hasn't been able to handle the pregnancy. I'll be fine after some rest."

Chen Mo smiled and said, "Second Aunt isn't very old, and her family has excellent medicinal herbs to nourish her, so she'll definitely be fine. I just came to ask if Second Aunt has been anywhere recently?"

Zhang Ru smiled wearily, "What else could I possibly have? Master said that the ancestral hall enshrines the image of the Red Lantern Goddess, and he told me to go there often to worship, hoping she would bless the Chen family with another healthy son to continue the family line. It's just that my body is failing me. I should be staying by the image of the goddess in the ancestral hall day and night, chanting scriptures and praying. But I can only manage half a day each time before I can't take it anymore. I've disappointed Master."

Chen Mo held Zhang Ru's hand tightly, "Second Aunt, are you having any hallucinations? Like dreaming about something?"

Zhang Ru thought for a moment and then smiled, "I often dream that the baby in my womb is moving, and it even appears in my dreams. It's just that this child is very naughty and always does some strange things."

Chen Mo's heart tightened, but he didn't show it. He said in a reassuring tone, "Then it's probably a boy. They're so mischievous. What strange things might a child do?"

Zhang Ru blushed slightly. "What's there to say? Maybe it's just my own imagination. It's all just my own fantasy. It would be laughable to say it out loud."

Chen Mo smiled and said, "I also want to see what my future younger brother will be like. Second Aunt, tell me what you think."

Perhaps touched by Chen Mo's kindness, Zhang Ru spoke up, "I often dream that the baby in my belly comes out of my belly and often runs to the offering table to steal fruit and sacrificial meat. It's so mischievous."

Chen Mo's heart sank.

This is exactly the same situation as described by Granny Li.

Chen Mo stared at Zhang Ru's abdomen and opened the control panel.

Chen Mo was quickly shocked.

A box appeared, with a full eight black bars on it.

[Currently available original solution essence: 600]

[Current available read count: 8]

[A readable item has been detected.]

[Read?]

Chen Mo looked at his second aunt, who was stroking her belly with both hands, and smiled weakly and lovingly, "This little guy is moving, he's really naughty."

Chen Mo felt a pang of guilt.

But Chen Mo knew very well that the situation had already come to this, and he had no choice but to face it. The sooner the better.

Soon, Chen Mo hardened his heart.

Read!

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

P.S.: I'm still writing the second chapter. I'll post it as soon as it's finished. Don't wait, everyone. You'll see it when you wake up tomorrow morning.

(End of this chapter)