Becoming a god by following the natural order and seeking good fortune and avoiding misfortune.

Chapter 87 Humility and Respect!

The fact that Lin Shou had homosexual desires was the most secret and taboo subject in his heart. It was a sensitive topic that he tried his best to cover up and would never allow outsiders to see.

At this moment, being exposed so brutally in public by Madam Yang was like having all his fig leaves stripped away. The pent-up anger, shame, and panic instantly overwhelmed his reason, reaching the breaking point.

"I'll kill you, you vile woman!"

Lin Shou's face contorted, and he let out a beast-like roar. He suddenly leaped into the air, his right palm whistling through the air as he slammed into Madam Yang, who was nestled in Chen Sheng's arms.

He was so enraged that he wanted nothing more than to kill the vile woman who had exposed his greatest secret.

Madam Yang felt a gust of evil wind hit her face, her heart tightened, and she subconsciously gripped Chen Sheng's clothes tightly.

Faced with Lin Shou's furious, all-out attack, Chen Sheng remained unmoved, not even changing his sitting posture.

Although he was not at his peak due to the fact that his blood essence had not recovered from activating the Blood Fiend Demon Talisman, how could mere anger bridge the gap between the Marrow Transformation Realm and the Bone Forging Realm?
He casually raised his left palm, and with a light, effortless motion, met the attack.

However, just as their palms were about to touch, he suddenly released a powerful and refined force, far surpassing Lin Shou's, which erupted like a long-dormant, angry dragon!
"Bang——!!!"

A dull, loud bang echoed in the study.

The moment their palms clashed, Lin Shou's expression changed drastically. He felt as if he had struck an immovable wall of bronze and iron, and the opponent's pure and domineering force surged back like a hot knife through butter.

"Crack!" A faint sound of bone cracking rang out.

"Ugh!"

Lin Shou screamed and flew backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily onto the heavy mahogany desk behind him.

With a loud crash, the desk shattered, scattering wood chips and paper everywhere. Lin Shou tumbled to the ground in a disheveled state, a sweet taste rising in his throat, and he spat out a mouthful of blood.

The air in the study seemed to freeze completely at that moment.

Chen Sheng slowly withdrew his hand, his gaze coldly sweeping over Lin Shou, who was struggling and groaning on the ground:

"Vulnerable."

Lin Shou clutched his noticeably sunken chest, feeling as if his internal organs had shifted, and felt a burning pain.

He struggled to lift his head, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, his eyes filled with shock, anger, and a hint of incredulous fear. He hissed, his voice a mixture of bravado and cowardice:
"Chen Sheng, how dare you lay such a vicious hand on an official of the imperial court? Are you trying to rebel?!"

Upon hearing this, Chen Sheng's lips curled into a cold smile. He gently pushed away Madam Yang from his arms, slowly rose, and walked step by step to Lin Shou. The steady footsteps, in the silent study, struck Lin Shou's heart like a death knell.

He slowly bent down, and a large hand, like an iron clamp, easily gripped Lin Shou's throat, lifting him off the ground. Lin Shou's feet left the ground, and he kicked in vain, his face quickly turning from red to purplish-red due to suffocation.

Chen Sheng's cold gaze, filled with undisguised contempt, stared intently at Lin Shou's wide-open eyes, his voice low and dangerous:
Do you think I wouldn't dare?

"I...I am a seventh-rank official of the imperial court. You dare to kill my yamen officials? I will never let you get away with this!" Lin Shou forced out the warning from his throat, his eyes filled with terror of death.

There are many ways to kill you.

“As long as I don’t do it myself, who can do anything to me? Do you think that only you, Lin Shou, have a powerful backer? Do you think that Wu County Magistrate and I can stir up such a storm in Changshan without anyone behind us?”

He tightened his grip slightly, watching Lin Shou's eyes roll back as he suffocated, and said, word by word:

"I usually give you some face and address you respectfully as 'Magistrate,' but if I don't, I can turn you into a dead man at any time!"

The undisguised killing intent in those words pierced Lin Shou's heart like a solid ice spike.

He truly felt Chen Sheng's determination, and the chill that came from the bottom of his heart instantly spread to his limbs and bones, making him feel as if he had fallen into an ice cave.

"Oh!"

The next moment, Chen Sheng tossed Lin Shou onto a bookshelf as if he were discarding a piece of trash.

Lin Shou's body crashed into the bookshelf and rolled to the ground, causing a clattering sound as books scattered all over the floor.

"Cough...cough...cough..."

Lin Shou curled up on the ground, coughing violently. Each cough aggravated the sharp pain in his chest and brought more fear.

At this moment, he dared not look up at Chen Sheng directly, nor dared to utter any more words of rebuke. Faced with the absolute difference in strength and ruthless methods, his little bit of official prestige seemed so laughable and fragile.

Chen Sheng calmly sat back down in his chair, once again pulling the pale-faced, still-trembling Madam Yang into his arms. He gently placed her on his bed, her clothes still on, and then casually touched her nipples. His gaze then returned to Lin Shou, who lay there like a dead dog. His tone returned to its previous calmness, but carried an even deeper sense of oppression:

"Magistrate Lin, I suppose you've already received the documents from the prefectural city? What did you think of them after reading them?"

Lin Shou opened his mouth, but his throat was dry, and he couldn't utter a single word.

At the same time, an even deeper shock gripped him—how could Chen Sheng know so much? He even knew the exact time he received the document.

Could it be that... this person's connections and informants have already reached the upper echelons of the government?

Seeing Lin Shou speechless, Chen Sheng continued calmly:
"I'm sure you understand what the prefectural government means. From now on, you need to learn to recognize your place in Changshan County, otherwise..."

Then Chen Sheng paused, his tone casual yet carrying an undeniable force: "It wouldn't be difficult to replace this position with a more pragmatic magistrate."

Normally, Lin Shou would have scoffed and ridiculed Chen Sheng for being arrogant and ignorant.

A county magistrate, a seventh-rank official appointed by the imperial court, is not someone who can be replaced so easily. But now, having personally experienced Chen Sheng's ruthlessness and unfathomable background, he no longer had the courage to refute him.

"...I...understand."

Lin Shou replied in a hoarse voice, his head lowered.

He tried to hide the resentment and unwillingness churning in his eyes.

He secretly vowed that he would not let this humiliation go unpunished. If he could escape, he would secretly report everything to Deputy General Hao and would not allow Chen Sheng to completely suppress him.

After all, he was the head of a county.

No, you don't understand.

Chen Sheng seemed to see through his thoughts and directly interrupted his wishful thinking: "I know what you're thinking right now. Are you planning to write a letter as soon as I leave, to your backer in the Ning'an Military Army—Deputy General Hao Tong—and beg him to take charge for you and turn the situation around?"

Upon hearing this, Lin Shou abruptly raised his head, his eyes filled with extreme terror, as if he had seen a ghost.

How could he know about Deputy General Hao's existence?
Their relationship was his most closely guarded secret, which he had never revealed to anyone.

But then, his gaze swept fiercely towards Madam Yang again, convinced that it must have been this wretched woman who had leaked the information; she must have somehow found out and told Chen Sheng. Caught between shock and rage, Lin Shou forced a sliver of composure onto his face, trying to grasp at the last straw:
"Commander Chen, since you know that General Hao is behind me, aren't you afraid of incurring my wrath? As long as you hand over this slut... this woman to me, I can pretend that everything that happened before never happened."

In the future, I wish to cooperate sincerely with Commander Chen and County Lieutenant Wu, so that the three of us can join forces to govern Changshan!

Now that his cards were out in the open, he decided to stop hiding them and tried to use 'cooperation' as a pretext to buy himself some breathing room, while demanding Madam Yang to vent his anger and silence her.

Upon hearing this, Madam Yang, nestled in Chen Sheng's arms, trembled violently, her face turning deathly pale. She instinctively gripped Chen Sheng's arm, fearing that he might use her as a bargaining chip for greater gain.

Although she was reluctant to admit it, her relationship with Chen Sheng was essentially a transaction. Her greatest value was to help him cultivate, and if he broke his promise...
She had no means to retaliate because she had run out of bargaining chips.

Chen Sheng seemed to sense the fear in the woman's arms, lowered his head to give her a reassuring and comforting look, then looked up at Lin Shou with a mocking gaze:
"Magistrate Lin, it seems you still haven't figured out the situation. I'm not here today to discuss any cooperation with you."

His tone turned cold: "Since I knew that Hao Tong was backing you, you still dared to act this way. Do you really think... I am a reckless fool with no support?"

"You...what do you mean?"

Lin Shou's ominous premonition grew stronger and stronger.

"Does your Deputy General Hao really think he would go to such lengths to target me, an 'old friend' who has already lost his value and might even bring shame upon himself?"

Chen Sheng slowly analyzed: "Don't forget, I am not without support. Moreover, as far as I know, Deputy General Hao Tong is known for cherishing his reputation and valuing his official honor above all else."

Tell me, if I were to subtly reveal your homosexuality, would he spare no effort to protect you, even at the cost of getting himself into trouble? Or would he immediately distance himself from you, perhaps even personally taking action to clear his name and prove his innocence?

"You...you dare?!"

Lin Shou panicked completely, and his voice changed.

Chen Sheng's analysis hit his weak spot with every single sentence!
The reason he was transferred to Changshan was largely because Hao Tong was unwilling to get too close to him anymore, lest it damage his reputation.

If this scandal gets out, Hao Tong will definitely abandon him without hesitation.

"Lin Shou, do you think I dare or dare not?"

Chen Sheng leaned forward slightly, his condescending gaze carrying a suffocating sense of oppression, as if he had completely grasped Lin Shou's fate in his palm.

Lin Shou trembled upon hearing this.

He didn't dare to gamble.

Because this was his last and most unreliable reliance.

Chen Sheng didn't stop, and continued to throw out even bigger bargaining chips:

"Furthermore, the 'generous gift' you originally intended to present to Deputy General Hao—Madam Yang's Three Yin Body—has now been 'accepted' by me. Tell me, having lost this gift that was enough to move him, and facing the risk of disgrace, does Deputy General Hao... still want to fight me to the death for you?"

Lin Shou's face turned deathly pale instantly, his last shred of hope shattered. His voice trembled, tinged with despair:

"What exactly do you want?"

Chen Sheng stood up, walked to Lin Shou who was slumped on the ground, bent down slightly, and patted his cheek lightly with his palm, but his tone was chillingly indifferent:
"It's very simple. From now on, in Changshan County, you must keep your head down and behave humbly. That way, you can still enjoy wealth and security and continue to be the county magistrate. But if you harbor even the slightest improper thoughts..."

He paused, a cold glint flashing in his eyes: "When the time comes, think carefully about Gao Yuanfeng's fate, and think about your own fate."

Chen Sheng's goal was never simply to kill Lin Shou.

Killing an official would have too great an impact and would be a losing proposition.

What he needed was a puppet magistrate who could be completely subdued and used by him, which would greatly enhance his actual control over Changshan. Of course, all of this was contingent on Lin Shou being 'sensible' enough.

If he doesn't know his place, Chen Sheng won't show the slightest bit of womanly compassion.

Lin Shou's expression shifted rapidly, turning red and then pale, as he struggled intensely with inner turmoil.

Only now did he truly understand Chen Sheng's scheme, and clearly realize that he had no cards left to play. Having lost all his chips and backers, he was utterly powerless to resist this fierce dragon crossing the river.

The study grew increasingly silent. Lin Shou slowly exhaled a breath of stale air, as if all his spine had been removed, and collapsed to the ground, his voice hoarse and weak.
"I understand. From now on, I will obey Commander Chen's orders."

"That's right."

Chen Sheng finally showed a hint of satisfaction, as if he had only accomplished a trivial task: "Now that you understand, you may leave. Later, you will accompany me to see County Magistrate Wu."

Lin Shou nodded blankly, struggled to get up from the ground, and staggered toward the study door. However, just as his hand touched the door, his movement suddenly stopped.

its not right……

here……

This looks like my study, doesn't it?

How come... I'm the one who got kicked out?
Does Chen Sheng want to
Lin Shou turned around abruptly and saw the ambiguous smile on Chen Sheng's face. He felt a chill in his heart and dared not say anything more. He bowed and left the study, then obediently closed the study door behind him.

"This trouble has been resolved. Are you satisfied, Madam?"

Chen Sheng asked with a smile.

"Commander Chen truly trusts people."

Madam Yang was overjoyed; with this worry gone, she could finally rest easy.

"Given the current situation, if Madam wants a divorce in the future, it will only be a matter of a word."

"Thank you."

Madam Yang pursed her lips, her eyes slightly moist, and nestled into Chen Sheng's arms, feeling incredibly at ease.

Outside the door.

Lin Shou's expression was uncertain, and for a moment he didn't know what to say. After thinking for a long time, he could only sigh and order someone to bring a jade flute to play and cover up the situation.

At the same time, it was also placed outside to prevent anyone from getting close.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

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