"They're waiting for me," the young man said with vacant eyes.
"Waiting to catch monsters?" Lü Bing asked, a look of surprise on his face.
The young man nodded.
"You catching monsters," Lü Bing pointed at him, chuckling dryly. "Senior Brother, you're scared of dogs sometimes. How can you catch monsters? Isn't that making things difficult for you?"
"It's all Mu Anxiao's fault," the young man said.
"Who told you to offend her all the time?" Lü Bing replied.
The young man pouted. "I really regret it now. Why did I always target Mu Anxiao? What should I do now?"
"Refuse," Tian Jiang said, spitting out two words.
Hearing this, the young man turned back to Tian Jiang. "Boss lady, I understand you're trying to be pragmatic. You're capable, but I... I'm scared."
"If you charge them a high price, they'll surely give up on you," Tian Jiang said again.
The young man gave a dry chuckle. "Then they'll definitely go back and report me. If Master finds out, I'll be in serious trouble."
"Then I can't help you," Tian Jiang said, lowering her head to tally accounts.
The young man let out a long sigh. "Boss lady, I'm your subordinate now. Please help me."
"If I help you, you won't have to go back to the cultivation sect," Tian Jiang said.
"I..." The young man uttered a syllable, then suddenly remembered Tian Jiang's identity. He hesitated before saying, "Alright, I'll figure it out myself." With that, he turned and walked away.
Lü Bing glanced at Tian Jiang and followed the young man.
Tian Jiang snorted, "It's only because of my status that you're so respectful. Just watch. If you come to me again, I won't help you." Then, her gaze shifted back to Mu Anxiao.
Lü Bing followed the young man to the backyard and asked, "Why didn't you let the boss lady help you?"
Hearing this, the young man turned to look at Lü Bing, then glanced around. "She's a monster. What if she eats me if she helps me?"
"If she wanted to eat people, she would have done it long ago," Lü Bing said.
"You have a point, but I still don't want to get too involved with monsters," the young man said, lowering his head.
Lü Bing sighed. "You're just making yourself suffer out of pride."
"I..." The young man started to speak, then suddenly remembered something. He frowned and asked, "By the way, did Mu Anxiao tell those two people that you're also from the cultivation sect?"
"No," Lü Bing shook his head.
Upon hearing this, the young man clenched his fist. "What kind of person is she?"
"Perhaps she values you," Lü Bing said softly.
"Values me," the young man repeated, sneering. "She doesn't value me; she just wants to see me killed by monsters."
"Why are you so petty?" Lü Bing muttered.
The young man glared at Lü Bing. Just as he was about to speak, Lü Bing suddenly said, "Something's not right about this."
"What's wrong now?" the young man asked, meeting Lü Bing's eyes.
Lü Bing said, "Mu Anxiao isn't familiar with the people here, just like us. Why would those two choose to bring her out? And then look for someone from the cultivation sect? This is too strange."
"What do you mean by that?" the young man's nerves tensed.
"Do you remember the village people plastering wanted posters all over the outside a few days ago?" Lü Bing asked.
The young man lowered his head and thought. "Of course, I remember. They said those posters were collected and burned by Mu Anxiao."
"Didn't you say you saw the person in the posters?" Lü Bing asked again.
"Yes, that person was sitting opposite Mu Anxiao that day. It looked like they knew each other," the young man said excitedly.
"Then... do you know what crime he committed?" Lü Bing became serious.
The young man's expression turned nervous. "I don't know. However, those posters... it seemed like they weren't posted by the constables; it was the villagers' own decision."
"Yes, it was their decision. I heard... that person escaped from the village," Lü Bing said.
"Are you implying... that because they couldn't find the person in the posters, they targeted Mu Anxiao? In other words, they know the constables," the young man analyzed the situation seriously.
Lü Bing nodded. "Yes, if they didn't know the constables, how would they dare to plaster those posters everywhere? I remember before, someone posted one poster and was lectured by the constables for a quarter of an hour."
"Mu Anxiao is in danger."
"Possibly. And I heard... the people from that village have a tendency towards violence," Lü Bing said earnestly.
The young man thought about Lü Bing's words. "You didn't mention it, but now that you have, I remember. The person who was talking to Mu Anxiao clearly had injuries on his face."
"So, that means Mu Anxiao is in danger," Lü Bing became anxious.
"Possibly. Her seeking me out was actually her trying to save herself," the young man began to be self-indulgent.
Lü Bing looked at the young man's narcissistic side and chuckled dryly. "Perhaps that's the case." He thought to himself, *No, if Mu Anxiao wanted to save herself, she should have gone to the boss lady. Why would she seek out Senior Brother... isn't that too risky?* With that thought, he smiled at the young man.
The young man straightened his collar. "In that case, I can't just stand by and do nothing, right?"
"Right," Lü Bing nodded.
"Although Master taught us to act according to circumstances and run when faced with trouble, since they've come to our door, it would be too much to not help. Don't you think so, Junior Brother?" the young man said with a smile.
Lü Bing looked at the young man's beaming face and said, "Senior Brother, don't expect me to help you."
"Can't we do it together?" the young man asked in a gentle tone.
Lü Bing chuckled. "Senior Brother, you say that so lightly. But the fact is, I'm even more timid and fragile than you. So, I think you're capable enough on your own."
"I can't save Mu Anxiao by myself," the young man stammered.
"I believe you can," Lü Bing said excitedly.
The young man smiled at Lü Bing. "I think I can achieve true success with you by my side."
"This..." Lü Bing looked hesitant. After thinking for a moment, he said, "But thinking about it again, it doesn't seem right. They mentioned monsters, and Mu Anxiao brought them to find you. Then... it's not just about saving her. Maybe you really have to fight monsters."
"Ah?" The young man, who had just relaxed, became anxious again at Lü Bing's words. "What should I do then?"
"How about we run?" Lü Bing suggested.
The young man shook his head. "That's not realistic."
"Then..." Lü Bing took a deep breath and thought for the young man. "You can only ask the boss lady for help, because I feel that only she can deal with those two villagers. And perhaps, she can save Mu Anxiao too."