Demon hunter's Cooking Manual

"Die!"

Watching the tall and burly figure in front of him, Zhao Yang muttered under his breath, thrusting the dagger straight ahead, targeting Jason's lower back.

But just as the dagger was only a fist's distance away from Jason's back, Jason suddenly bent forward, his left leg swung up like a giant scorpion raising its tail.

Bang!

Zhao Yang's jaw was kicked hard, lifting his whole body off the ground, flying backward, crashing heavily against the wall.

After pausing for a full second, Zhao Yang's body slowly slid down.

His jaw had already shattered; more than half his face was crushed too, brain matter oozing out through his broken nostrils.

Zhao Yang twitched twice before he breathed his last.

To his dying moment, he couldn't comprehend how Jason was so fast.

Clearly, his physique suggested great strength, implying slowness rather than speed.

Jason turned his head to glance at Zhao Yang.

"This must be the leader of the group."

The different reaction and the skillful moves just now gave Jason a clearer judgment.

Then, Jason quickly began searching the entire courtyard.

He wouldn't let any stragglers escape.

Finally, he confirmed that everyone in this group was dead.

He also confirmed that there were no secret rooms or account books, only several iron cages in Zhao Yang's room, seemingly for keeping large dogs, but Jason knew their true purpose.

Seeing the bloodstains left on them, Jason dragged the bodies inside from the courtyard.

He overturned the kerosene on the table onto the ground.

Then, he threw a match on it.

Whoosh!

Flames leapt up instantly.

Jason disappeared into the courtyard with the 103 Silver Coins, a few banknotes, and 10 Gold Leaves he found.

The fire spread quickly, soon engulfing the entire house.

Thick smoke billowed skyward.

Clang!

Clang clang!

"Fire! Fire!"

The surrounding neighbors all rushed out, starting to put out the fire.

There was even a 'fire truck' modified from a flatbed appearing.

And as the flames were extinguished, the charred corpses in the house were revealed.

"Ah! Someone's dead!"

shouted a neighbor.

People around began avoiding it urgently, but some bold ones wanted to watch the commotion, yet were stopped by the man who came with the 'fire truck'.

"Nobody move."

"Call the authorities."

the man said.

"Xin-ger, what happened here?"

Another neighbor asked.

"These guys lived alone, but I've seen them coming and going, all strong and fierce-looking, and each one looked ill-natured, so they shouldn't be good people. Now that there's a fire and no one escaped, it's hardly possible, they're not even old or incapacitated, so I suspect it's gang rivalry and murder."

The man called Xin-ger said.

After hearing this, the surrounding neighbors gasped and started to retreat.

They were all poor folks, unable to provoke gangs, and even less able to provoke the government.

Thus, when Jia Youcai arrived, it was a white-bearded elder who represented everyone to greet Jia Youcai.

The government had a clear mandate, those over sixty could be 'excused'.

Besides not needing to bow anymore, many so-called rules were gone too.

And looking at the elder in front, Jia Youcai felt a headache.

It wasn't just due to the absence of benefits, but the elder couldn't see clearly, couldn't hear well, and couldn't answer anything sensibly.

However, this did not stump Jia Youcai.

The snake has its path, the rat has its hole.

Jia Youcai had his own channels for information.

Though useless while people are alive, they surely work when people are dead.

After all, gangs value their territory highly.

Whoever helps him, he gives the vacant territory to them.

This is the rule.

Of course, they can't be short of the 'tribute'.

This is also the rule.

"Xiao Liu, go inquire for news."

Jia Youcai waved his hand, and a clever-looking constable ran out.

Soon, the exact information was obtained.

"Boss, this group was Zhao Yang!"

"Hiss, Zhao Yang?"

"The Zhao Yang who once wiped out an entire family?"

Jia Youcai took a sharp breath.

"That's him."

The young constable said, his face also filled with horror.

And just as Jia Youcai and Xiao Liu exchanged glances, Jason had already returned to the martial arts school.

This time, he didn't hide the Silver Coin and Gold Leaves in the previous secret place but instead placed them directly on the beam, leaving only the banknotes with a total value of 31 Jings in the purse sewn by Dou Bao.

Chen Tong's illicit wealth was considerable, and so many Gold Leaves were too conspicuous.

What he had now was not much, even if discovered, he could explain it as his savings.

After finishing all this, Jason patted his clothes, confirmed that there was no kerosene smell, and then walked out of the room.

By this time, the apprentices had already dispersed.

Two old matrons, one was cleaning, the other assisting Dou Bao.

Jason didn't disturb the cook who was working hard and just walked around his martial arts school, first inside, then outside.

"Master Mu, hello."

"Master Mu, hello."

All along the way, passers-by greeted him.

Clearly, 'he' had a good reputation here previously.

To fit this persona, he nodded in response one by one, his eyes continuously scanning the surroundings.

This was his first time truly observing the surroundings.

On the restaurant, the signboard was hanging, the red flag fluttering in the evening breeze, the wooden plaque inscribed with the words 'Drunken Fragrance House', the handwriting clear and the strokes sharp. Jason couldn't make much sense of it, but the characters were beautiful, much better-looking than those on the signboards of nearby shops.

Pedestrians were endless, among the men, some wore suits, some long gowns and jackets, others short-sleeved and bare-chested.

The women, however, wore bright, colorful cheongsams and the student uniforms with black skirts and light blue or white blouses.

As two female students in distinctive student uniforms passed by Jason, they couldn't help but take a second glance at him standing by the roadside, their eyes full of curiosity.

Clearly, they rarely saw someone as tall and robust as Jason.

"Is he a martial artist?"

The braided girl quietly asked her companion.

"Definitely."

"The martial arts school is not far behind him."

The round-faced, fair-skinned girl said, looking at the martial arts school with some longing.

"Forget it, your father letting you study is already the biggest concession, and you still want to learn martial arts?"

"Be careful or you'll never get out for the rest of your life."

"Otherwise, you'll end up straight into marriage and having children."

The braided girl clearly guessed what her friend wanted to do.

"You speak as if you don't want to learn martial arts."

"My brother says that if martial arts are practiced to a certain level, they can resist firearms."

The round-faced girl said, the longing in her eyes deepening.

"I've also heard my sister mention it."

"But those martial artists can only be found in major martial arts schools in the Northern Capital, Magic Capital, Fragrance City, and the like, right?"

"In our Mountain City, even the most powerful chief arrest officer in Eastern City may not be capable."

The braided girl shook her head and sighed.

Feeling both lamentation for Mountain City's smallness and remoteness, and longing for big cities.

"Eastern City chief arrest officer?"

"I've heard he practices the Iron Cloth Shirt."

"Able to be impervious to sword and spear."

The round-faced girl evidently knew a bit more.

But that was all she knew.

More information?

Clearly, it wasn't something two students could know, but it was enough.

It was enough to prove that their families were not ordinary families.

Jason couldn't help but glance at the two, immediately, the two female students stopped talking, but didn't lower their heads bashfully or run away like ordinary girls.

Instead, they gave Jason an apologetic smile.

"Sorry, my friend and I disturbed you with our conversation."

The braided girl and the round-faced girl repeatedly apologized.

Then, they turned and left.

To this, Jason naturally had no resentment at all.

The road ahead was everybody's, not his, plus they were just chatting and not hindering him in any way.

Of course, Jason didn't pay them much more attention.

Attractive people matter less than delicious food.

Jason turned around with his hands behind his back, just as Dou Bao walked out wearing an apron.

Seeing Jason waiting at the door, Dou Bao beamed and said —

"Master, it's time to eat."