A heretical cultivator in Bureau 749, I'm the fiercest at pulling out tendons and skinning peop

It's still early; there's still a while before I have to pick up Zhao Lingling from school this afternoon.

Ji Zuodao decided to take the newly minted, elegantly dressed, and adorable Qiqi for a stroll in the Moon Sea District.

Let those who need to recognize faces take a look at their own faces.

Just as I led Qiqi out of 749, I bumped into Li Shuwen, who had just finished his bail procedures and was standing there seemingly arguing about something, along with an old man next to him.

Well, how should I put it? He truly lives up to his reputation as a cultivator of literature and philosophy.

Judging from his appearance, the old man was truly as refined as an ancient pine tree, with an air of otherworldly grace.

Standing there, he looks exactly like a learned scholar or a reclusive master who has stepped out of an ancient painting.

No one who saw him at first glance would ever associate him with the kind of person who was "caught in a prostitution raid for ordering a premium massage package at the Hehuan Sect Association".

"Investigator Hime!"

Li Shuwen, with his sharp eyes, spotted Ji Zuodao first. He immediately tensed up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, and hurriedly bowed, his attitude almost fawning.

He had previously only thought that the young investigator was ruthless and vicious.

But just now, after listening to Liu Ming casually mention a few of his achievements at the bureau, I truly understood just how ruthless this guy really was.

Wu Wen's criminal gang, which had been rampant in several provinces and was known for its cunning and ruthlessness, was brought down by him. It is said that not even a bone fragment was left; the scene was so clean it looked like it had been licked.

Why hasn't the black market in the East District recovered yet? It was this guy who personally raided it, leaving no stone unturned.

How did the Wang family, who had been entrenched in Jinghai for a century and had deep roots in the city, come to an end? It was this man who fired the first shot, shattering the gate.

The head of the Wang family had his spine removed to forge a sword, and the old master of the Wang family... supposedly became a snack for the dog beside him.

Looking back, none of the cases that fell into the hands of this investigator Ji ended up unscathed or had a good beginning and a good end.

The thought that he had not only sold obscene pictures to this living devil, but also tried to use the art of literary escape to run away...

Li Shuwen felt his calves go weak and his liver and gallbladder tremble.

Damn it, their ancestors are probably banging their heads on the ground and sparks are flying out of their heads.

No, I have to build up my favorability! I absolutely must!

Li Shuwen made up his mind instantly.

In case, he meant in case.

If you accidentally fall into trouble again later, or run into this guy's trap, having this impression of "good reporting" and "good attitude" might help you suffer less and escape unscathed.

As for giving up drawing sketchbooks? What a joke! That's the "way" of his literary path, the "root" of his art, something he could never give up in this lifetime!

"Investigator Hime"

Li Shuwen put on a sincere smile, stepped forward, and lowered his voice.

"I'm reporting those vixens from the Hehuan Sect; they're up to no good!"

"Um?"

Ji Zuodao raised an eyebrow, casually pulled the curiously peering Qiqi closer to his side, and lightly covered her little ears.

"I know, didn't they just sweep a batch of people in? You were just processing your master's bail, didn't you see?"

"I saw it! Not only did I see it, I heard it too!"

"I overheard them whispering in the cells, saying something like, 'They gave those men the Ecstasy Pill, and now they're all like tireless oxen...'"

Ji Zuodao tightened his grip on Qi Qi's ears.

"So, you want to report them for giving customers the wrong...blue pills?"

"Oh dear, Investigator Ji, what I mean is, there's something wrong with the Bliss Pill itself!"

Li Shuwen stamped his foot, trying to make his intelligence seem more valuable.

"I know someone who was originally quite wealthy, but this thing almost bankrupted him!"

"These pills have only recently appeared on the black market in Jinghai. The quantity is very small, and they are all sold secretly by disciples of the Hehuan Sect."

He paused, as if remembering something, then abruptly turned to look at his venerable master, his eyes sharpening:

"Wait a minute! Investigator Ji, I'll show you the sample!"

After saying that, he took a step forward and reached out to rummage through the waistband of his master's blue robe.

"Hey! You traitor! What are you doing?!"

The old man, who had maintained a composed demeanor and stroked his beard as he observed from the sidelines, suddenly lost his composure, his face flushed red, and he frantically slapped Li Shuwen's hand away.

"Master! Stop hiding it! I know you too well!"

"With your physique, could you possibly satisfy those vixens of the Joyful Union Sect who practice the art of 'replenishing life'? With your stinginess, would you even part with a 'Supreme Set Meal'? They must have given you the Bliss Pill as a reward! Where did you hide it? Hand it over now, it's crucial evidence!"

"You scoundrel! Talking nonsense! Your master is in his prime, full of vigor and strength. Why would he need such external things to enhance his performance?"

Before the old man could finish speaking, Li Shuwen had already accurately pulled out a pill from a hidden pocket in his master's inner robe.

It is the size of a longan, dark brown in color, and has a faint, unique fragrance.

Mr. Mo: "..."

"What...what...what is this?! Who put this in my pocket?!"

Li Shuwen ignored his master's weak and feeble explanations, took the still-warm Bliss Pill, and presented it to Ji Zuodao with both hands.

Ji Zuodao released his hand from Qiqi's ears, took the pill, and brought it to his nose to smell it carefully.

First comes a faint, calming aroma of poria cocos and licorice, followed by the subtle blend of more than a dozen familiar tonic herbs.

But beneath the layers of medicinal fragrance, there was one scent he didn't recognize.

Strange, there were even some medicinal herbs that he didn't know about.

"Besides adding to the fun, what other problems does this thing cause?" Ji Zuodao asked Li Shuwen.

"Investigator Ji, please be wise!"

Li Shuwen's spirits lifted.

"According to my unfortunate friend, this stuff is indeed incredibly effective at first, giving you boundless energy and a feeling of euphoria. But it's extremely addictive!"

"After taking it for a period of time, once you stop, you will feel weak all over, restless, and it feels like ants are crawling in your bone marrow. It's so uncomfortable that you just want to take another one!"

"Drugs?" Ji Zuodao's eyes turned slightly cold.

"It looks very similar, but that's where the weirdness lies."

Li Shuwen lowered his voice.

"After my friend realized something was wrong, he secretly went to a regular hospital and the most secret monk's clinic for a checkup. His bodily functions were all normal, and he was even healthier than before he took the medicine."

"The effects of the nourishing herbs in this elixir are real. But the feeling of extreme discomfort without it is also real."

"This stuff is very expensive on the black market. The supply seems to be strictly controlled. Many people want to get a piece of the pie but can't find a way in."

"Those vixens from the Joyful Union Sect must have something to do with it! Otherwise, why would they give such a precious item to my master, which is more expensive than the set meal he ordered? Is it because he's old? Or because he doesn't bathe?"

"Moreover, Investigator Ji, several of the Hehuan Sect's important strongholds in Jinghai are located in the Yuehai District."

"You're new in office, and they've already pulled this stunt. Aren't they just trying to make things difficult for you?"

Ji Zuodao held the Bliss Pill in his hand, his eyes dark and unfathomable.

After a moment, he carefully put away the pills and patted Li Shuwen on the shoulder.

"You're quite good at eavesdropping; I've noted that information down."

Upon hearing this, Li Shuwen's face instantly lit up with a smile, and he bent over even lower:

"Investigator Xie Ji is right! It's all a citizen's duty, a duty! Hehe..."

Ji Zuodao said no more, took Qiqi's hand, and turned back to 749.

The old man watched Ji Zuodao's departing figure, then looked at his good-for-nothing disciple, sighed deeply, and flicked his sleeve, saying, "You unfilial disciple! Always causing trouble! Get out of here!"

"Here I am, Master, please don't be angry. I'm just trying to make amends by showing off in front of Lord Ji..."

Li Shuwen quickly followed, muttering to himself, and the figures of the master and apprentice gradually disappeared around the street corner.