619: Chapter 619 I'm Quite Civilized!

Outside the alley entrance, inside a small tavern hanging red lanterns, warm yellow light spilled through the wooden windows onto the bluestone road.

Ye Chen found a seat by the window and sat down, ordering a pot of local rice wine and pouring himself a drink.

The clear rice wine went down his throat, carrying a faint aroma of rice.

He leaned back in the wooden chair, closing his eyes to rest, looking just like an ordinary tourist.

Not long after.

"Da da da—"

The sound of hurried footsteps came from a distance.

Shi Xiaonian rushed into the tavern at a trot, her small face covered in sweat and her hair a bit disheveled. She spotted Ye Chen by the window at a glance and hurried over, plopping down opposite him.

"I have a lead!"

She panted heavily, her hands propped on the table, her chest heaving slightly.

Ye Chen picked up his wine glass, took a shallow sip of the rice wine, and looked up at her, his tone flat: "Tell me about it."

Shi Xiaonian composed herself and quickly began to explain.

"This afternoon, a travel-worn team entered the ancient town, but they didn't go into the core scenic area; they took a detour directly to Shuikou Village."

She paused, pulled her phone from her pocket, and unlocked the screen. "I asked an informant at the village entrance to take some photos. You'll know as soon as you see them."

Ye Chen set down his glass, the corners of his mouth turning up slightly: "It seems I was right to find you. Let me see."

Shi Xiaonian immediately handed the phone to him, opening a candid photo in the album.

The photo was a bit blurry, but a group of people in black martial arts attire could be clearly seen surrounding a figure in a police uniform, walking along a rural path.

Ye Chen's gaze narrowed, his fingertip lightly tapping the screen.

That figure was none other than Bai Shanshan!

His eyes instantly turned cold. He pushed the phone back to Shi Xiaonian and stood up to leave.

"Take me to Shuikou Village."

Shi Xiaonian had just picked up her phone when her expression suddenly changed upon hearing this: "Shuikou Village is the Nan Family's territory. They are the local tyrants, ruthless and cruel. We of the Stealing Sect usually don't dare go there..."

Ye Chen paused his steps, looked back at her, and directly interrupted.

"Don't beat around the bush. Tell me, what are your conditions?"

Shi Xiaonian's small face turned red: "I... I need more money."

Ye Chen was speechless.

Good grief, this little slip of a girl actually dared to negotiate for more money with him.

Shi Xiaonian felt uneasy from his chuckle. She gripped the hem of her clothes and hurriedly explained.

"I... I'm not being greedy. I'm just forced by the hardships of life!"

"Shuikou Village is too dangerous. If something happens to me, there won't even be anyone to collect my body..."

Looking at her cowardly and guilty appearance, Ye Chen waved his hand, caught between laughter and tears.

"Fine, more money it is. Let's head over first."

Shi Xiaonian's eyes instantly lit up: "You... you're really giving me more money?"

"Stop wasting breath." Ye Chen glanced at her, his tone indifferent. "Any more nonsense and you won't get a cent."

"Yes, yes, yes! Absolutely no more nonsense!"

Shi Xiaonian responded repeatedly, then jumped up from her chair, her face full of a fawning smile. "Big Brother, this way please! I'm very familiar with the road to Shuikou Village; I could take you there with my eyes closed!"

After speaking, she ran toward the door, but after a few steps, she doubled back, snatched the unfinished pot of rice wine from the table, and tucked it into her arms.

"Can't let it go to waste."

Ye Chen's mouth twitched. He didn't bother with her and strode out of the tavern.

The two of them soon arrived at Shuikou Village.

Compared to the bright lights of Phoenix Ancient Town, this place was unnervingly quiet.

The bluestone road was covered in moss, the doors and windows of the wooden houses on both sides were tightly shut, and the red lanterns under the eaves had long since faded, creaking in the night wind.

The entire street was deserted.

There wasn't even the sound of a dog barking.

Shi Xiaonian walked beside Ye Chen, shrinking her neck: "This place... usually isn't this eerie!"

Ye Chen didn't answer, walking unhurriedly toward the depths of the village.

However, his perception, like invisible ripples, spread out in all directions with him as the center.

Earth Vein Tracking, fully activated!

The earth became transparent beneath his feet.

One layer.

Two layers.

Three layers.

He sensed the underground dark river, the insects and ants in the soil, and every wooden beam and brick inside the buildings.

Then.

He found it.

In a side room of the manor at the very depths, a familiar aura.

Bai Shanshan.

She was still alive. Although her aura was weak, it was stable; she hadn't suffered any overly serious injuries.

But it made sense.

Bai Shanshan couldn't be allowed to die; once she died, the Bai family's scheme would be ruined.

Ye Chen took a deep breath and didn't stop his pace.

Seeing him walking so fast, Shi Xiaonian followed at a trot, asking breathlessly: "Big Brother, are... are you sure you know where you're going?"

Ye Chen didn't look back.

"The Nan Family Manor."

Shi Xiaonian's face instantly turned pale: "The Nan Family Manor? You... you want to go to the Nan Family Manor?"

Ye Chen gave a hum of affirmation.

Shi Xiaonian's steps came to a sudden halt, her whole body freezing in place as if nailed down.

Ye Chen walked several steps before noticing the lack of movement behind him. He looked back at her: "What is it?"

Shi Xiaonian swallowed hard, the expression on her face worse than crying.

"Big Brother... no, Instructor, do you know what kind of status the Nan Family holds in Phoenix Ancient Town?"

"I don't," Ye Chen said honestly.

Shi Xiaonian took a deep breath and began counting on her fingers.

"The Nan Family are the bosses of Shuikou Village. They've operated here for generations and have influence in both the legal and criminal worlds."

"It's said their family patriarch is a martial artist, a very powerful one."

"They keep a large group of thugs under them, none of whom are easy to deal with."

"Locals give them a wide berth when they see their people."

"Are you... are you sure you want to go in?"

Seeing her cowardly look, Ye Chen couldn't help but laugh: "Are you scared?"

Shi Xiaonian puffed out her chest.

"I... I'm not scared!"

But her trembling legs betrayed her.

Ye Chen stopped teasing her and turned to continue forward.

Shi Xiaonian bit her lip, stomped her foot, and trotted after him again.

Forget it.

If I die, I die.

Anyway, Shi Xiaonian's life is worth little; no one would mourn if I died.

But if I survive, I can get the reward.

The other party is the Chief Instructor, so he shouldn't be short on money, right???

Amidst Shi Xiaonian's wild thoughts along the way, the two soon arrived before a grand manor entrance.

High walls of blue brick, upturned eaves, and two vermilion gates over three meters high.

A plaque hung over the lintel with four large characters inscribed—[Nan Manor].

A stone lion crouched on each side, baring its fangs and claws in a majestic display.

Hmm...

Very ancient and traditional!

Aside from the courtyard houses in the capital, this should be considered quite special within the borders of Dragon Country!

Shi Xiaonian looked up at the gates, her legs starting to shake again.

She pulled at Ye Chen's sleeve, her voice as small as a mosquito: "Big Brother, how about... I go knock on the door for you?"

Ye Chen turned his head and glanced at her: "Knock?"

"Yeah."

Shi Xiaonian took it for granted. "Although the Nan Family is overbearing, they are people who care about their reputation. If you pay a formal visit, they can't exactly turn you away, can they?"

Ye Chen looked at her and suddenly laughed: "I'm not here as a guest, why should I knock?"

Shi Xiaonian was dumbfounded.

"If you're not knocking, then what are you going to do?"

Ye Chen withdrew his gaze and looked at the vermilion gates, speaking flatly: "Fight my way in."

Shi Xiaonian: "???"

Before she could even react.

Ye Chen raised his right foot.

Then.

He kicked out.

"Boom!!!"

A world-shaking explosion rang out.

Those gates, over three meters high, along with the frame, lintel, beams, and the entire gate wall, were sent flying back as if hit head-on by a high-speed train.

Wood splinters sprayed everywhere.

Bricks and stones flew horizontally.

Dust filled the air.

The entire manor trembled.

Shi Xiaonian stood in place, her mouth hanging open wide enough to fit a fist, her entire person like a stone statue, completely petrified.

Her mind was a complete blank.

The gates over three meters high...

They flew away?

Those gates must have weighed at least several hundred jin...

One kick?

Just one kick?

Shi Xiaonian's brain completely crashed.

She mechanically turned her head to look at Ye Chen beside her.

He, however, looked perfectly calm and unruffled.

"Bi... Big Brother..."

Shi Xiaonian's voice was trembling. "You... you're being way too violent!"

Ye Chen said indifferently: "Violent? I think I'm being quite civilized."

Shi Xiaonian: "???"

Kicking someone's gates flying is called civilized?

Then what would you be like when you're not civilized?

Tearing their house down?

But she didn't dare ask.

Because she realized that after Ye Chen kicked the gates flying, not a single person had come out from inside the manor.

Quiet.

A deathly silence.

Not even a dog barked.

This was too abnormal.

The corners of Ye Chen's mouth curled up slightly as he stepped over the threshold and entered the manor.

Shi Xiaonian stood outside the gate, looking at his back, hesitating for a second.

Then.

She bit her lip and followed him.

She wanted to see what other outrageous things this person who kicked the Nan Family's gates flying could do.

The manor was large.

The front courtyard was paved with bluestone, with several old locust trees planted on both sides. Their canopies blotted out the sky, completely blocking the moonlight.

At the end of the courtyard was a large three-entry mansion with black tiles, white walls, and carved beams, exuding an ancient charm.

But in the mansion, there were no lights.

No sound.

No sign of human presence.

It was like an empty house that had been abandoned for a long time.

But Ye Chen knew there were people inside.

Many people.

He stood in the center of the front courtyard and spoke flatly.

"All of you, come out."

"Don't you get tired of hiding?"