A person sacrifices himself to become a saint in a chaotic world of martial arts.

After the rewards were announced, Su Bai returned to the team expressionlessly, his steps slightly stiff.

Sun Hou, who was standing nearby, came over, his face still showing lingering indignation and a hint of envy, and patted his shoulder forcefully:

"Brother Su, don't look so serious. At least you got five taels of silver! It's a blessing in disguise... Sigh, that kid Chen Dongquan really got lucky!" He rambled on, offering words of congratulations and comfort.

Su Bai forced a smile, which was his response, but his heart was a frozen quagmire, and there was no way he could recover.

Those five taels were like a resounding slap in the face, mocking his desperate struggle.

He stood silently, like a puppet who had lost his soul, until Officer Li finished explaining the day's arrangements and announced the end of the shift.

The crowd began to loosen, and noise resumed.

Su Bai finally moved.

He couldn't wait any longer; he had to get to the bottom of this. He absolutely couldn't just swallow this insult without understanding why!

He did not approach Officer Li, nor did he look at Chen Dongquan, who was surrounded by several constables offering congratulations and was in high spirits in the distance.

Instead, he walked straight through the courtyard and headed towards the office of Chief Chen, a place he rarely frequented.

"Chen the constable."

Su Bai pushed open the door, went inside, and gently closed it behind him.

The click of the wooden door closing shut out the noise from outside, making the room feel dim and oppressive.

Officer Chen was sitting behind his desk, holding a file in his hand, when he heard the sound and looked up.

"Hmm? It's Su Bai. What's wrong?" He put down the file, his voice calm and unreadable.

Su Bai walked to the table and stood still. Without beating around the bush, he looked directly into the other person's eyes and asked, word by word:

"I want to know, I was the only one who discovered, tracked down, and ultimately killed Mao Buli. Why are there so many other people listed on the merit list?"

His voice wasn't loud, but it was exceptionally clear in the quiet room, even carrying a hint of suppressed tremor.

Seeing Su Bai's blunt, almost interrogative tone, the seriousness on Chen Chatou's face suddenly cracked, revealing a meaningful smile.

That smile held no warmth, only a knowing, cynical glint in its eyes and a faint mockery.

"Su Bai," he leaned back in his chair, his fingers lightly tapping the smooth tabletop, "since you came directly to ask me, without going to find Officer Li or causing a scene... then I think you already know what you need to know, don't you?"

These words sounded like an admission, yet also like a warning.

Su Bai's heart sank to the bottom.

He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down, his voice lower but clearer:

"Officer Chen, now that things have come to this, everyone knows the truth. I also believe that you have covered everything up perfectly, and the evidence and testimonies are probably airtight. I, Su Bai, admit defeat this time."

He paused, his Adam's apple bobbing, before managing to utter the next sentence with difficulty: "But... not enough for me."

He came here not hoping to overturn the verdict.

Lacking strength and without any background, and with the other party so blatantly seizing and plundering, turning against them would only lead to their demise.

He came only to try to get some real "compensation" and recoup some of his losses.

"Hmph!" Chen Cha Tou's expression suddenly changed. His previous smile vanished without a trace, replaced by an offended air of authority and undisguised mockery.

He leaned forward slightly, his gaze piercing Su Bai like an awl.

"What nonsense are you spouting! What do you mean you're admitting defeat? What's not enough? We gave you a reward for providing the clues, isn't that enough? What else do you want?"

His voice suddenly rose, carrying the coldness and oppressive quality characteristic of officialdom.

"Su Bai, let me tell you, this is a public matter! Merits and demerits, rewards and punishments, all have their own rules and regulations. How dare you make a scene and try to bargain here? What do you take the Zhenfu Division for? A vegetable market?!"

His words were forceful and righteous, as if Su Bai were the greedy and ungrateful villain.

Su Bai's face darkened completely, and his fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

Shameless!

This is utterly shameless!

He had already backed down, asking for only a little practical benefit, but the other party wouldn't even give him this scrap, insisting on standing on the moral and legal high ground, trampling his last bit of dignity into the mud!

That's fucking awful!

……

Su Bai didn't say anything more. He just looked at Chen Chatou with a blank expression, then turned around, opened the door, and walked out.

He was too lazy to say anything more.

He went to cause trouble?

The ending has definitely been handled well.

Perhaps it's because the body was found in his home.

So there's no way around him.

They only gave him a little something.

Otherwise, they might not give us anything at all.

He didn't ask Xiang Quan; there was no need.

Xiang Quan didn't come looking for him either; he probably didn't have the face to do so.

Su Bai maintained a somber expression throughout the entire day of patrolling the streets.

Sun Hou leaned closer, curiously inquiring about the specific details of last night, wanting to know how he "assisted." Su Bai simply shook his head blankly, casually brushing it off with words like "nothing to say" or "just luck," his eyes staring blankly ahead.

Being weak is indeed the original sin!

If he were strong enough, why would he need to swallow his anger? Tonight, he could make those people pay for their crimes in blood!

If he were truly capable, why would he need to hide his abilities? He could simply display his talent, and who would dare to easily claim credit for his accomplishments?

After a day of patrolling the streets, Su Bai dragged his tired body home.

He pulled out a rough little cloth bag containing fifty taels of silver that he had taken from Mao Buli's corpse the night before.

Then look at the sacrificial scales in your mind.

Three ounces of 50-year-old wild ginseng rootlets, and a whole leopard gall bladder...

The tiger and leopard's strength is complete.

It will allow him to enter the second realm of martial arts more quickly.

But we're still fifty taels of silver short for the offerings!

Because of Chen Chatou and his gang, he not only lost his readily available official constable status and the merit that could have changed his fate, but also had a large part of his path to gather enough cultivation resources cut off!

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

The anger that had been suppressed all day finally broke through the dam of reason.

Su Bai roared and rushed to the old locust tree in the courtyard. His fists, as if oblivious to pain, pounded hard against the rough, hard trunk again and again.

The bark cracked, and wood chips pierced his fist, drawing blood, but he seemed oblivious.

The dull thud echoed in the quiet courtyard, accompanied by his heavy, painful breathing.

He was so angry he felt like he was going to explode, but he could only vent his anger on these silent trees!

The days passed by.

The news of Mao Buli's execution initially caused quite a stir and discussion in the streets and government offices, but like a stone thrown into a lake, the ripples eventually subsided.

The Zhenfu Division quickly returned to its usual rhythm, with trivial cases and repetitive street patrols, as if the bloody battle of that night had never happened.

Nothing major has happened recently.

Besides, that guy named Chen Dongquan had changed into brand-new formal yamen uniforms, his waist badge gleaming, and his steps in the yamen were a bit lighter. Occasionally when he looked at Su Bai, a quick, elusive smile mixed with smugness and contempt would flash in his eyes.

Su Bai saw this and felt a surge of anger rising to his head every time, making him furious. But he could only clench his fists tightly and slam all his resentment, along with his sweat, into his increasingly frantic and desperate cultivation every day.