After a mere brief pause, he asked again:
"Sister Xiao Yun, did you notice any clues?"
Yang Xiaoyun thought for a moment before shaking her head:
"The continual conflicts in Tianxia martial jianghu are countless, while some people live in places where sunlight never reaches.
"The darkness that grows behind the scenes gives rise to many evils that ordinary people cannot imagine.
"Such people must engage in secretive actions, unknown to the masses."
Su Mo nodded and stood up, walking over to the two individuals.
He untied the Suffering People Scripture binding them and pointed to the paper and pen.
Both of them were in so much pain that their faces lost all color; understanding the implication upon seeing the paper and pen,
they immediately pounced on it—one of them grabbed it and stabbed at Su Mo...
Even if they were in a different setting, with each holding a fine sword, they would still lack countless years of cultivation to take on Su Mo.
What’s more in their current state, with their acupoints sealed, unable to utilize their martial arts?
Su Mo kicked casually, and the brush instantly flew away.
Seeing this, the other White Robed Swordsman lunged for the brush.
He grasped the brush and stabbed it towards his own throat.
They did not know how to write, nor did they want to endure the Suffering People Scripture any longer.
Unable to assassinate Su Mo, they preferred to end their own lives rather than continue the agony.
The brush shaft pierced the throat, but death did not come instantly.
The man turned over and fell to the ground, his eyes showing pain but even more so, a sense of relief.
Seeing this, the White Robed Swordsman who had intended to kill Su Mo struggled to reach him, attempting to pull out the brush shaft from his neck.
Su Mo saw this, shook his head gently, and with a snap of his fingers, hit the man’s Dan Zhong Acupoint.
The man shuddered, his head drooped, and he breathed his last.
Another glance was cast towards the dying White Robed Swordsman, and Su Mo delivered another finger strike, granting him a swift end.
Just as he finished killing the two men, someone leaped through the window.
While squeezing into the room, he said:
"I bought quite a few things: that elbow dish you had just now, and kinds of roast chicken, roast duck...
"It’s just that I don’t know if she would like to eat them or not. Oh right, if it really comes to eating human flesh, haven’t you brought two here?
"They were springy and jumping; much tastier than what I’ve got."
Upon saying this, he noticed two corpses already stretched out on the ground.
The talk of eating humans was just a joke, but seeing those two bodies, Xu Lu felt a pang of regret.
"This... after spending half the night’s effort, just like that, they’re dead?"
"Can’t speak, can’t write either; what use is keeping them alive?"
Su Mo glanced at Xu Lu: "What happened to you? Did these two come from Wang Dingsheng’s place? Given your Qinggong, it’s unlikely they noticed and pursued you."
Xu Lu was at a loss and could only recount his experience.
At the end, he said: "I couldn’t bear to let them kill the innocents, so I rashly made my presence known and spoiled the plan. I must ask Su, the Chief of the Escort to punish me."
After hearing this, Su Mo’s expression revealed a slight, unexpected joy.
He tapped lightly on the table twice:
"It’s good. Hero Xu was willing to intervene to save the innocent, and that is admirable.
"Were I in the same position, even I would not allow them to kill wantonly.
"You did nothing wrong."
Hearing this, Xu Lu finally relieved, his antidote was safe.
Indeed, even though Su was referred to as a Demon by the Night Lord of Eternal Night Valley, even though his smile conceals knives, he still honors the rules of Jianghu.
He is a person of the Path of Chivalry.
Different from those who would stop at nothing.
But on second thought, he wondered whether Su Mo would be even more terrifying than the Night Lord if he were to become a Demon.
Just harboring such a thought made Xu Lu shiver.
Lost in his musings, he heard Su Mo say:
"I would like to ask for Hero Xu’s help again."
"Lord Su, you need not be polite, just ask!"
Xu Lu immediately nodded.
"Make another trip to that household, the one these two wanted to assassinate, and find out who they are...
"And who their enemies might be."
Xu Lu immediately agreed, but then hesitated as he looked at the large and small packages he had just placed on the table.
After a moment, Su Mo handed over a wrapped roast chicken to Xu Lu:
"Thank you for the trouble."
"...Thank you, Lord Su."
Xu Lu silently accepted it, though tears were in his heart.
Was this roast chicken his compensation for the trip?
But the problem was... I bought this roast chicken!
Just as he was about to depart, Su Mo pointed toward the two bodies on the ground:
"Just take them away, if you wouldn’t mind..."
Once Xu Lu had taken both the bodies and the chicken, Yang Xiaoyun looked at the window that had just been closed, then turned her gaze to Su Mo:
"Why does it feel... that Hero Xu is a bit odd?
"He obeys you as if he was your subordinate."
Su Mo smiled: "I think he might want to join our escort agency, but is too embarrassed to say it. Otherwise, he would have left after following me back to Luoxia City..."
"His Qinggong is extremely skilled; if he could join our escort agency, it would indeed be a valuable asset."
Yang Xiaoyun immediately nodded in agreement.