The woman in the dark grey nun’s robe kept her hand behind her back, true energy gathering in her palm.

“Jiu’er, careful!” Qiao Mu strode forward.

Feng Jiu’er put out a hand to stop her. “She can’t hurt me.”

Still uneasy, Qiao Mu followed close behind Feng Jiu’er alongside Jian Yi, one on each side.

Sensing Feng Jiu’er’s formidable aura, the woman’s true energy gradually dispersed from her hand.

“Let’s go.” Feng Jiu’er said, her expression calm as she looked at the woman. “Come with me.”

The woman took a deep breath and turned around.

“Don’t try anything clever!” Feng Jiu’er stared at her retreating back, lips curving slightly.

The woman turned back, meeting her gaze, brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”

“You know exactly what I mean.” Feng Jiu’er’s expression remained calm.

“Whoever commits a crime can’t escape it, no matter how cunning—not even Mao Linye could. Do you think you’re smarter than Mao Linye? Or more capable than he was?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” The woman turned and walked slowly forward.

Feng Jiu’er narrowed her moon-shaped brows slightly and followed.

As they walked further in, Feng Jiu’er clearly sensed the woman’s aura shift.

She stopped walking and said softly, “This is your last chance. Cooperate with us, and perhaps your future days won’t be as prosperous as before.”

“But if you don’t cooperate with us, your days are over—there won’t be any other possibility.”

The woman paused, then took a step forward.

“The distance between us isn’t far. Once the mechanism triggers, I’ll have plenty of time to capture you and use you as a shield against everything.”

“So, are you really not considering cooperation?”

The woman froze and immediately pulled back the foot she’d just extended.

She stood there, her back rigid, as if something were struggling within her.

After a moment, she took a deep breath, turned, and faced Feng Jiu’er.

“I’m just a gatekeeper. I guard for the town chief, and the town chief guards for Mao Linye.”

“You’re right, I don’t want to die.”

“What is it you’re guarding?” Feng Jiu’er asked in a deep voice.

“If you haven’t guessed wrong, it’s exactly what you’re looking for.” The woman replied.

“Where?” Feng Jiu’er raised an eyebrow. “I mean all of it, every last bit!”

“It’s all in the cave.” The woman turned again. “Follow me.”

Feng Jiu’er didn’t move forward immediately. She watched the woman go and switch off several switches before following.

They walked to the innermost door, and the woman pressed a switch. The large door opened.

The moment the door opened, Feng Jiu’er caught the scent—one she had no desire to smell at all.

Inside sat wooden crates, each lined with black cloth, concealing whatever was within.

But Feng Jiu’er knew this scent well; there was no mistaking it.

“It’s all here?” She stood at the doorway without entering.

“Mm.” The woman nodded. “It’s all here.”

“You said you’d let me live, but honestly, these things are worth a great deal—they’ve already been ordered by buyers.”

“Are you really going to destroy them? Or perhaps you could reconsider—I think the town chief, he…”

“What else do you know?” Feng Jiu’er waved a hand. “Have your people leave, I want to talk with you properly.”

The woman nodded, stepped past Feng Jiu’er, and called out to those outside.

“All of you go outside, I’m fine.”

“Yes.” Someone answered—no one knew who—and footsteps soon receded down the passage.

Once the noise had faded into the distance, Feng Jiu’er asked, “Tell me everything you know about the hidden poison and Mao Linye.”

“I’m not afraid of Mao Zhongcai or Mao Linye. I won’t fear some mere town chief.”

“I’ll ask again—the hidden poison Mao Linye had you guard, is it all here?”

“I told you, this is what the town chief had me guard.” The woman replied. “But as far as I know, the town chief hasn’t handed the poison off to anyone else.”

“Ten years ago, I brought a group of women together and founded the Nanshan Retreat.”

“Because we had all suffered harm or had nowhere else to go, we all chose to cut our hair and start anew.”

“Our Nanshan Retreat started off only in the herbal medicine trade, and later, with the town chief’s favor and support, we branched into running an inn as well.”

“About five years ago, the town chief began bringing things over for us to store. It was only later that I learned these were Mao Linye’s hidden poisons.”

“This place is a transit point. Once a buyer is found for the poison, it gets shipped out from here.”

“We’re only responsible for guarding it. As for where these things come from or where they go, we don’t know.”

“Open it.” Feng Jiu’er glanced at the crates.

The woman looked at her but didn’t move right away.

“This belongs to the town chief. Are you sure you want to touch it?”

Feng Jiu’er met her gaze without a word.

The woman nodded and continued, “My Nanshan Retreat has over six hundred people, up and down. Can you guarantee that they—”

“No.” Feng Jiu’er cut her off.

The woman frowned, not moving.

“Do you know how many people this poison, once sent out, has harmed? How many families it’s destroyed?”

“After collecting a hefty reward, did you really think you could all walk away unscathed? Isn’t that a bit too naive?”

“They don’t know about any of this.” The woman shook her head. “Those who do know number only a few dozen.”

“I don’t know whether this town chief of yours will let you off, but the poison—I must destroy it.”

The woman hadn’t expected Feng Jiu’er to be this ruthless. She still said nothing, seemingly waiting for some kind of promise.

“Open it! I don’t have this much time to waste!” Feng Jiu’er said flatly.

A massive explosion had occurred in the mountains, and although they’d sealed off many routes, there was no telling if anyone had slipped through the net.

Besides, an explosion of this scale—even if no one had escaped—the town chief would surely receive word of it soon.

In Feng Jiu’er’s plan, the hidden poison had to be completely destroyed before the town chief arrived.

“All of Nanshan Retreat’s other businesses are legitimate, you can’t—” the woman said, staring hard at Feng Jiu’er.

“The fault isn’t theirs. I’m willing to accept whatever punishment is due, but you must guarantee their lives and their future.”

“I can’t even guarantee my own people’s lives with one hundred percent certainty.” Feng Jiu’er’s expression turned serious.

“They’ve endured so much hardship following me, and even I can’t guarantee that—so why should I guarantee your people’s health and prosperity?”

“Everyone must answer for their own actions. If they truly did nothing wrong, I imagine the City Lord won’t casually condemn them.”

“I’ll say this one last time—open the crates!”

The woman didn’t dare delay any longer and went to open the crates herself.

Word had indeed reached the town chief quickly.

By the time he arrived with his soldiers, wisps of black smoke were already curling up from the mountain.

“Town Chief, look!” A soldier, spotting the black smoke, pointed in its direction.

The town chief looked up, clenched his fist hard, and waved a hand.

“Quick! Move! Pick up the pace!”

After the town chief’s troops had passed, another group emerged from within the forest, following their tracks deeper into the woods.