My lord, spare his life!

Wang Qi stared intently at Zhang Yang.

"You should change back into that human skin."

Zhang Yang said, "Oh, there's no room for discussion. No matter how much you dislike my face, you'll have to find it pleasing to your eye now!"

She won't cater to the aesthetics of NPCs.

Wang Qi was not surprised by Zhang Yang's strong opposition.

If anyone else had said that, Wang Qi would have already beheaded them. But unfortunately, the person who said that was threatening to let him try being cut in half at the waist if he continued to mess around. Wang Qi didn't want to be cut in half at the moment, and miraculously managed to suppress his true emotions.

Wang Qi conceded, "Won't a human skin get dirty after wearing it for so many days? Would it be acceptable to change and wash it every few days?"

Zhang Yang was speechless: "There's a human behavior called bathing."

I've never seen anyone else change their skin while taking a bath.

"And why do you insist on me wearing this human skin?"

No matter what the commissioning teacher looks like, the face-sculpting tool can perfectly recreate them, and it doesn't even discriminate based on body type. Could it be that she misjudged this wild, naked guy, and he actually has eyes that can see the inner beauty of a soul?

Zhang Yang had his own logic: "If you, Wild Man, value appearance, then whoever wears this human skin doesn't matter. If you value inner qualities more, then whether my real appearance is beautiful or ugly doesn't matter."

In conclusion, the "Wild Man Naked Runner" is just being unreasonable.

Wang Qi pondered for a moment.

"Because only if you wear this will I not kill you."

Zhang Yang: "..."

This guy actually went so far as to violently murder the commissioned teacher? If this fearsome reputation gets out, who would want to take this bastard's jobs?

Xiao Sui, who had been paying attention to the conversation, thought, "..."

Guan Si chuckled.

Wang Qi's reasoning was exactly what he expected.

The "Wild Man Naked Runner" continued to eloquently explain his reasons: "A mountain spirit that I can kill is not a real mountain spirit."

How could a mountain goddess be killed by a mortal weapon?

He wasn't just obsessed with physical appearance! He wanted a more vivid and realistic embodiment of that spirit! He wanted a mountain spirit whose strength rivaled or even surpassed his own! A spirit that would treat any of his deadly attacks as child's play! He disdained a mere puppet, a hollow shell that could crumble at the slightest touch. Such trash was a desecration of the mountain spirit's form!

The one who can trample him underfoot and look down upon him from a high place is the true mountain spirit; those who can be killed by him are all inferior imitations!

Wang Qi's explanation was somewhat abstract, but Zhang Yang miraculously understood it.

She took a few big strides and went straight to Guan Si, who was sitting under a tree eating dry food. She grabbed his wrist with one hand and forcibly pulled him up.

"he--"

Wild Man Bro is definitely no match for Easter Egg Bro!

"A tutor who perfectly matches your criteria!"

If you put that human skin on Egg Bro, you'll get a mountain spirit that can look down on Wild Man Bro from above, a cold and taciturn one!

Wang Qi: "..."

Guan Si: "...Do you all want to die?"

If they had just said yes, he would have buried them on the spot!

Wang Qi's expression at this moment was as twisted and ferocious as if he had eaten a bowl of excrement. He endured it for a long time, but finally couldn't help turning his head away to dry heave!

"Unreasonable, you're too picky..." Guan Si's appearance is so rare that he's a commissioned tutor. Not only is he a top-notch modeler and character sculpter, but he also has an amazing physique and impressive skills. How can Wild Man Brother still complain? Who gave him the courage?

Wang Qi gritted his teeth: "Get out!"

If he didn't leave, he would make Zhang Yang find out whether she cut him in half or he chopped off her head and used it as a football!

Zhang Yang shrugged and spread his hands.

For the rest of the day, Wang Qi ignored everyone.

Zhang Yang was naturally happy to have some free time.

As soon as they stepped into Tianyue County, the group felt the intense heat of the sun overhead. The official roads within the county had been renovated; where weeds once grew rampant, official trees had been planted to stabilize the soil and protect the roads, and once the branches and leaves grew lush, they would provide shade for travelers. In addition, there were shrubs and flowers that Zhang Yang recognized very well.

She provided these flower and grass seeds.

I just never expected it to be used on official roads.

Xiao Sui said in surprise, "It wasn't there when I left."

The official roads within Tianyue County had fallen into disrepair over the years, with many sections abandoned. The county government lacked the funds for repairs and could only leave the task to the nearest county government. The official trees originally used to mark distances were also secretly cut down by commoners for firewood, and the government had no way to investigate.

Now it has been replanted. The official tree has not yet sprouted or turned green, but the unknown shrubs and flowers under the official tree have already sprouted, with scattered flower buds of various colors dotting the green landscape.

As they continued along the official road, Guan Si's expression changed.

Gritting his teeth: "Guan Zong!"

That old geezer is really tired of living!

Why are his Hundred Ghost Guards here?

Guan Si's aura was revealed, and the man carrying a tree and planting it into the pit ahead seemed to sense it and turned his head. The Right Vice-Commander was initially delighted, but then became guilty. He stepped forward and saluted under the general's murderous gaze. His face remained calm, but his back was already soaked with sweat.

"You still know your own identity?"

The Hundred Ghosts Guards, instead of training their troops, are digging holes and planting trees here?

Suppressing his urge to tear Guan Zong to pieces, Guan Si demanded, "Where is Guan Zong? Tell him to get over here and see me!"

Zhang Yang complained, "Guan Zong is my subordinate."

The observations from the samples are quite right; even when beating a dog, one should consider its owner.

Guan Si's temper flared, and his tone became harsh and sinister: "We entrusted the Hundred Ghost Guards to his care for the time being, and look what he's done!"

"What are you doing? Work, isn't that normal?" Although Zhang Yang didn't know when the road maintenance project started, it must have been approved by the prefectural governor, the prefectural magistrate, and the chief clerk. In other words, the project in front of him was a normal project to benefit the people.

Zhang Yang will definitely protect his own people.

"Guan Zong is also a worker who follows orders."

"The Hundred Ghost Guards were born to kill!"

"But isn't there no one to kill right now? It's just called the Hundred Ghost Guards; it's not actually a hundred ghosts. It's still a mortal being that needs to eat, drink, relieve itself, and sleep. What's wrong with people taking on some projects in addition to training, earning money while maintaining their exercise levels?"

The right deputy, kneeling on one knee, listened with his head bowed, not daring to even breathe loudly.

She was terrified that the general would cleave her in two with a single blow.

When Zhang Yang challenged him like that, Guan Si opened and closed his mouth repeatedly, a rare emotional fluctuation appearing on his usually indifferent face.

"Zhang! Bo! Yuan!"

All three characters sound like they were squeezed out from behind the molars.

Zhang Yang rubbed his ears and said dismissively, "I heard it, I heard it with both ears. Even if they were born to kill, they'll get old and won't be able to lift a knife anymore. You should at least give them a chance to save up for retirement, right?"

It's unclear which word struck Guan Si, but he suddenly opened his eyes wide, looking at Zhang Yang as if he were a ghost. The murderous intent on his face visibly faded, and the name above his head, which had been flashing yellow and red, gradually stabilized at yellow, and after a few breaths, it slowly transitioned to green.

He turned to look at the right deputy, who was still kneeling.

"Did Guan Zong force you?"

The right deputy dared not say there was coercion, but he also dared not say there wasn't. He simply kept his head down, sweat beading on his forehead. If the general found out the whole story, he would probably be ready to purge the entire family. Not for any other reason than that they were incredibly, incredibly, incredibly stupid…

In the first few days after Guan Si left, the Hundred Ghosts Guard continued their daily routine as usual.

Guan Zong came to inspect and pointed out that the Hundred Ghosts Guard's training intensity was insufficient. What was the point of training in one place every day? The Hundred Ghosts Guard wasn't a regular army that charged head-on; their strength lay in mobility and flexibility, and they should integrate themselves into various environments and terrains. The Left and Right Deputys thought this made sense; that's exactly what the Hundred Ghosts Guard did when they were killing the Eastern Bandits in the Eastern Mountains.

However, since the general is not here, they cannot leave their posts without orders. Upon hearing this, Guan Zong suddenly beamed with joy.

Guan Si is gone, but Guan Zong is here.

He knew where there were enough training equipment and grounds.

And so—

At first, they only transported stones and timber, then tree saplings, and later flowers and plants planted in ceramic pots. Every day, they had to travel two or three hundred miles over mountains and valleys carrying heavy loads.

As they practiced, the right assistant felt something was wrong.

She noticed that the official trees along the main road looked familiar.

Before she could even voice her doubts, the training exercise had already progressed to digging holes and planting trees. Unable to sit still any longer, she went to Guan Zong to ask him for clarification. Guan Zong, however, smugly retorted, leaving the Right Vice-Commander speechless.

You've practiced everything you were supposed to practice, so how can you say you haven't practiced anything?

Right Deputy: [...]

Guan Zong also whispered to her not to make a fuss.

Their project was mandated by the county government, so they not only received regular military pay subsidies but also shared the project funds.

Right Vice-Minister: "...We are not short of money."

Guan Zong clicked his tongue twice: [Aren't you being contradictory? You're not short of money, so what was your diet like back in the mountains? What kind of life did you lead? Now you have logistics provided, there are cooks in the mess hall, armor menders, and ordnance maintenance...]

Right Deputy: [...]

She didn't answer, but Guan Zong understood.

Guan Zong: [It's only slightly better than eating raw meat and drinking blood. Don't I know Guan Siyin's personality? He'd probably pluck the feathers and roast the prey after catching it to maintain the Hundred Ghosts Guard's fighting strength and ferocity, not caring about the taste at all. Is that how a human should live?]

Right Deputy: [...]

??(σ???)σ..:*☆

The weather has been changing drastically these past few days. I woke up with both noses stuffy, feeling dizzy and having a cold... so today's chapter is a bit short. I'll finish it when I feel better.