I Am Your Natural Enemy

”Hey, bro, still busy? On another business trip again? The director really is something.”

Oh, you haven’t finished the last job yet? Then keep at it, nothing urgent, just wanted to check in on you.

I’ve got something going on in the next few days, just wanted to ask where you’re at.

Alright, you’ll be back tonight, then I’ll head out to take care of things.”

After hanging up, Wen Yan called Fourth Great-uncle Master next.

”Hey, Fourth Great-uncle Master, there’s something I’m not quite sure how to handle. Wanted to ask you all for some guidance.”

”What is it? Just say it.” Fourth Great-uncle Master chuckled, thinking it was another cultivation question.

”What if a demon is scheming against me, seizes the chance when I’m not home, disguises themselves, sneaks into my place, and tries to kidnap a child? What do you think is the right way to deal with that?

The demon is a white fox, I caught three of them alive.”

At those words, the smile faded from Fourth Great-uncle Master’s face.

”Is everyone okay?”

”All good, no problems. Might just be a little shaken up, hasn’t slept yet.”

Fourth Great-uncle Master glanced at the phone on the table, then looked over at Seventh Great-uncle Master.

”You answer him.”

”Wherever you caught them, that’s where you kill them.”

”But what if the ones sent for this job are just a couple of grunts following orders? These guys are probably tied to the folks who broke the prison, and to the ones who attacked the Scorching Sun Department camp.”

At those words, Fourth Great-uncle Master’s expression turned cold.

”If I remember right, the white fox clan’s territory is in the old forests up in the Northeast. You need a token to get in and out.”

”A kind-hearted soul just sent me a necklace, said it’s such a token.”

”Wait outside the old forest, I’ll get there before dark.” Fourth Great-uncle Master didn’t hesitate at all, and seeing that Third Great-uncle Master, who had been silent, finally looked up, he made up his mind to head out right away.

If Third Senior-brother went, there’d be no way to talk things out; when talks break down, it turns into a fight, and Third Senior-brother doesn’t know how to hold back—if he acts, someone’s definitely dying.

If this turns into a massacre, even if we’re in the right, it’ll make us look like we’re not.

After all, these days aren’t like the old days. We have to show some restraint.

Fourth Great-uncle Master gave instructions and had someone book the flight.

...

Wen Yan didn’t rush out. He stayed home to look after the little fox first.

Under Shishi’s guidance, the little fox’s bones were set precisely, fixed in place; now it was just a matter of slow healing.

”Nicely done, your grandmother would definitely be proud of you.”

Wen Yan lavished praise, making the little fox feel a bit shy.

The truth was, he’d been desperate and had no idea what to do, and out of nowhere just thought to bite himself.

And actually, breaking his own leg worked ridiculously well; snapped him right out of panic.

Looking at the little fox, Wen Yan threw another splash of cold water on him.

”You did well, and there’s definitely a reward—except it’s not like you stuck to the rules on your own. You got stopped by someone else from rushing out the door, so that cancels out. Still, you did a lot better than before.”

As they ate, Wen Yan took some bone meal and sprinkled it into the little fox’s puppy milk kibble.

”Eat up, it’s good for you—no side effects. Your bones are just going to get stronger and stronger. If you go a whole month without breaking the rules, I’ll send you home with a bone as a prize.”

Wen Yan ate and drank at leisure, and in the afternoon, when he saw Pei Tugou driving back, he gave a heads-up and got ready to leave.

”Gray Cloth, let’s go, time to get to work.”

He called out, and Gray Cloth wriggled out from the crack above the ceiling fan, wrapping itself around Wen Yan’s left arm.

”Try to learn the good stuff—don’t go hanging people off lampposts every other day like certain folks.”

Gray Cloth played dead, unmoving. Wen Yan took out the box he’d used for the little fox, stuffed the two foxes hanging on the lamp post inside, covered it, slung the Chunjun Mace over his back.

On his way out, he called Li Linlin.

”Where are you now?”

”Hey, boss, I’ve already made it to the Northeast. Where are you?”

”Rent a car and wait for me.”

”Oh, boss, isn’t anyone handling things over in the Qinling Mountains anymore?”

”Wasn’t our job to handle that to begin with, okay?

We were just pitching in to help out for the emergency.

Besides, you can steal for a thousand days, but nobody guards against thieves for a thousand days straight.

Unless the Scorching Sun Department builds a Monster Suppression Tower there, that place is always going to be a manpower drain.

Watch your own back—did you eat the snacks I gave you?”

”Yeah, I ate them.”

”Good, just sit tight and wait.”

After hanging up, Wen Yan carried the box and entered the Nether Path.

The Nether Path had gotten even wider again; this time, Wen Yan could just make out a faint trickling sound coming from one side of the road.

But when Wen Yan looked, there was nothing to be seen.

He didn’t waste any time here—just dragged the unconscious foxes all the way to the Northeast.

More than an hour later, he met up with Li Linlin outside the old forest, along with Fourth, Seventh, and Eighth Great-uncle Masters.

And in addition to the three Great-uncle Masters, there were two old Taoists with them.

”This is Wudang’s Li Qixue, Taoist Li. He’s the Wudang Sect Leader’s junior, with deep Daoist skill and broad learning. He heard about this and specially came to help.”

”Greetings, Taoist Li,” Wen Yan greeted politely. ”How has the Sect Leader been? I had planned to visit and apologize to the elder in person, but things have been hectic lately and I just couldn’t find the right time.”

As soon as Wen Yan spoke, Taoist Li smiled—he knew what had really happened that day.

Wen Yan had already done Wudang a huge favor; if word had gotten out that Wudang was keeping man-eating demon beasts, even the ancestors would turn in their graves.

Now, with Wen Yan shouldering some of the blame, no rumors had gotten out, and Wudang looked like something of a victim.

And now Wen Yan was still being so courteous—Taoist Li immediately understood why, on hearing about this, their Sect Leader had sent him to represent Wudang.

It really was a big favor they owed—they all owed Wen Yan for this one.