Chapter 57: Let Me Help You Find Justice

Chapter 57: Let Me Help You Find Justice

In the middle of the night, Chen Yin was still sitting at the desk, poring over documents by the light of a candle.

These materials were purchased from Wanxiang Pavilion and contained miscellaneous folklore and unverified accounts related to the demonic faction and Changli Palace. They might not be particularly useful, but he figured it wouldn't hurt to read through them.

Flipping through the pages absentmindedly, he suddenly noticed two fluffy ears slowly rising beside the desk.

“Finished being shy?” Chen Yin asked casually without even looking up.

After a moment, a pair of timid, wavering eyes peeked out, followed by a hesitant, soft voice:

“Uh… Is Young Master still mad at me?”

“Why would I be mad at you? You didn’t write these books.”

“But, but still… it’s because of me—”

“Relax.” Chen Yin closed the scroll in his hand, his broad hand ruffling her hair with a smile. “Just don’t run off picking up random things next time.”

“If you want something, just tell me. I’ll buy it for you.”

Luo Luo perched on the edge of the desk, showing only half her head, and obediently murmured an “okay.”

The night deepened.

Finding nothing particularly useful in the materials, Chen Yin tossed the scrolls aside, leaned back against the bedhead, and beckoned to Luo Luo.

“It’s been a while since I’ve fluffed you. Come here and cheer me up.”

Luo Luo’s face flushed, and she fidgeted nervously with her fingers.

“Young… young master…” she called softly.

Chen Yin froze.

Wait a minute—when he fluffed her before, wasn’t she always happy to eagerly offer her little head? Why the sudden bashfulness?

“What’s wrong?”

“N-nothing.”

Luo Luo hesitated for a while, her cheeks still rosy, then slowly scooted closer to Chen Yin, lightly leaning against his chest.

Chen Yin didn’t hold back, his hand naturally reaching up to stroke her fluffy ears with practiced ease.

“Ah… I feel like my mood just improved instantly. Fluffy things really are the best cure.”

Chen Yin sighed in contentment, but noticed Luo Luo in his arms keeping her head down in silence.

“…Still upset about missing the chance to tell your story?”

“Mm…”

“It’s okay.” Chen Yin ruffled her hair gently and said softly, “I can tell you another story.”

Luo Luo’s interest was piqued. She nestled into his arms, wagging her tail with excitement.

Chen Yin began to speak in a low voice: “I’ve always liked fluffy creatures because I used to have a dog.”

It was a golden retriever—obedient and loyal. Every time he came home from work, it would wait eagerly by the door for him.

During a lonely period of his life, that golden retriever became his sole source of comfort. All the weariness and exhaustion of the day would melt away the moment he hugged its soft, furry body.

“That golden retriever was warm, gentle, and adorable… just like you, Luo Luo,” Chen Yin said with a chuckle, giving her a playful ruffle.

Luo Luo immediately pouted, baring her little fangs in protest. “I’m not a dog!”

“Haha, of course you’re not.”

Chen Yin’s gaze darkened ever so slightly. “But back then, I didn’t have you.”

“When I was sad, it was the only one who would come over and lick my face.”

“When I ate alone, it would quietly lie at my feet, as if keeping me company.”

In that empty world, I had nothing.

Just that dog.

Maybe, if you count me, it was two lonely dogs relying on each other.

“What happened after that?” Luo Luo asked.

“One day, it died. I didn’t even know why at first.”

—Actually, I did know.

The neighbor’s brat played a cruel prank, feeding it chocolate.

A lot of it. An entire bag.

He didn’t know that chocolate was dangerous for dogs.

At the time, I was too engrossed in writing something that wouldn’t even sell to notice.

By the time I realized and rushed it to the vet, it was too late.

“It closed its eyes in my arms for the last time.” Chen Yin’s voice was soft, tinged with nostalgia.

Luo Luo’s ears drooped as she murmured, “I don’t want to hear such a sad story…”

“Sorry. Maybe I should have told a different one.”

Chen Yin blinked. “It’s just… seeing you reminds me of it sometimes.”

Luo Luo hesitated for a moment before asking, “Have you ever told anyone else about this?”

“No.” Chen Yin shook his head. “You’re the first.”

Luo Luo nestled closer, gently rubbing her cheek against Chen Yin’s chest. “If that’s the case, then it’s okay.”

“My mother always said that keeping sad things bottled up inside only makes them worse.”

“If telling me makes you feel better, then I’d love to hear this story.”

Saying that, Luo Luo suddenly lifted her head and gave Chen Yin a soft, quick lick on the cheek.

Chen Yin was stunned. He touched his still-damp cheek absentmindedly and asked, somewhat bewildered, “You… what are you doing?”

“Didn’t you say that, when you were feeling sad, it would come and lick your cheek?”

Luo Luo chuckled softly, her little canine teeth showing. “I guessed that Young Master is feeling sad right now.”

Chen Yin was silent for a long time before he suddenly laughed soundlessly.

“…Didn’t you just say you’re not a dog?”

“Luo Luo isn’t a dog. Luo Luo is a fox.”

Luo Luo blinked her bright eyes earnestly. “But now, it’s my turn to stay by Young Master’s side.”

“Whether you’re happy or sad, you can always tell Luo Luo.”

Chen Yin gently pinched her soft, tender cheeks, making her let out a muffled little protest.

“You’re right.” Chen Yin’s expression softened as he rested his chin lightly against her ear.

“Luo Luo is not a dog.”

You don’t need to take its place.

—You’re my little maid, Luo Luo.

The night breeze swayed gently. This time, Chen Yin didn’t rub her ears again but let her lie against his chest.

Before long, he heard the soft, innocent sound of the little fox snoring.

<+>

Carefully tucking the blanket around her, Chen Yin returned to the desk and spread out a map.

His gaze slowly moved over the wide expanse of the map until it settled on the mark of a city.

—Xianyun Prefecture.

From the demonic faction branch in Xiang City that day, the location of their main headquarters he had interrogated out was here.

Xianyun Prefecture lay on the western edge of the Central Part of the continent, said to have thin spiritual energy and few cultivators. Chen Yin wasn’t very familiar with the area.

Thinking it over, only such a remote place could potentially house the headquarters of the demonic faction.

Over the past few days, he had dealt with nearly everything that needed handling in Xiang City. The last thing left was to wait and see if Luo Qiaoqiao could extract any information from her parents about Changli Palace.

Once he met with her, it would be time to pay the demonic faction headquarters a visit.

As he was lost in thought, a faint groaning sound came from behind him.

Chen Yin turned to see Luo Luo’s face pale, her expression twisted in pain, and her small body trembling slightly.

He immediately picked her up gently, worry etched in his voice. “Luo Luo? What’s wrong?”

“Young Master…”

Luo Luo slowly opened her eyes and murmured softly, “I… I had a nightmare.”

“I dreamed of Ya Ya and the others…”

Chen Yin smoothed out her disheveled hair. “Your friends you mentioned when we first met?”

“Mm.”

Her eyes dimmed, and she said quietly, “That day, I was just playing with Ya Ya and the others like usual, sneaking out of the city.”

“But that day, we ran into bad people.”

“A group of people using sinister techniques, with an aura that felt terribly uncomfortable.”

“They captured Ya Ya and the others. I was hiding in the void, playing hide-and-seek, but I was so scared I didn’t dare make a sound.”

Lowering her head in guilt, she continued, “In the end, I could only watch as they were taken away, powerless to do anything…”

“It’s all my fault.” Her voice cracked as she began to sob softly.

“My mother warned me so many times not to leave the city’s protective formation.”

“But I insisted on taking Ya Ya and the others out to play, and that’s how they got captured…”

Chen Yin was silent for a moment before asking softly, “Are you sure they were demonic cultivators?”

Luo Luo nodded, her eyes red-rimmed. “Mother examined the lingering aura nearby and confirmed it—they were demonic cultivators.”

“But Mother only said she’d sent people to investigate and wouldn’t let me get involved.”

“I… I couldn’t sleep at night, thinking about Ya Ya and the others, so I sneaked out to look for them myself.”

“But after so much effort, just as I found some clues, I lost the trail…”

Her fluffy tail drooped lifelessly over the edge of the bed, and she looked utterly dejected.

At last, Chen Yin fully understood how this innocent, naive little fox-girl had ended up wandering the martial world.

“It’s okay, don’t be sad anymore.”

Chen Yin gently wiped away her tears with his sleeve and said softly, “Actually, you should have listened to your mother.”

“Wandering around the human world instead of staying within your clan’s protective formation is very dangerous.”

“You’re lucky you ran into me. Otherwise, even with your ability to hide in the void, it wouldn’t have taken long for someone to notice you.”

Luo Luo rubbed her reddened eyes like a child caught doing something wrong.

“Young Master… I’m sorry.”

“If we’re heading to the demonic faction’s headquarters, I… I still want to avenge Ya Ya and the others.”

She spoke earnestly, “I just hope Young Master will give me a chance to see if I can find the culprits who hurt them.”

“I promise I won’t trouble Young Master. I’ll find them myself and take revenge with my own hands. I won’t interfere with your mission.”

“Is that okay?” She looked up timidly.

“No.”

Chen Yin’s response was decisive.

Luo Luo immediately hung her head in disappointment.

“First of all, based on what you’ve said, your friends might not have been harmed.”

—The Fox Spirit Clan Luo Luo belonged to had unique talents. If demonic cultivators had stumbled upon them, it was more likely they’d be kept alive as captives.

There might still be a chance to find some information at the main headquarters.

“Second, and most importantly,” Chen Yin said calmly, “You’re my maid. We’re bound by a master-servant contract.”

“This kind of thing—don’t ever say it won’t trouble me.”

“If you say something like that again, I’ll get angry and spank you.”

Luo Luo stared at him, stunned. “So… what you mean is…”

“Get some good rest.”

Chen Yin’s tone was steady as he said, “In two days, after I get the information I need…”

“…I’ll take you to the demonic faction headquarters to settle the score.”

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