It Turns Out, They Are the Protagonists

Shortly after Mu Zhi’an left the room, Bai Ruoxi finished comforting the assaulted young woman and followed him out.

“What are you going to do now?” she asked softly, her gaze fixed on him.

Killing Gongsun Zan might have offered a moment of satisfaction, but it would undoubtedly bring a world of trouble. While the Mu family could handle it, they would still suffer losses.

Mu Zhi’an seemed lost in thought. After a while, he blinked as if waking from a daze. “Do about what?”

Bai Ruoxi’s lips parted slightly. “About Gongsun Zan…”

“What does Gongsun Zan have to do with me?” Mu Zhi’an asked.

Bai Ruoxi stared at him, then seemed to understand. “You’re planning to sneak out of here?”

She shook her head. “It won’t work. The Gongsun family servants saw you enter. Even if you leave now, word will reach them eventually.”

Mu Zhi’an remained silent, continuing down the path.

Mu Zhi’an shook his head. “If I had the chance to do it again, I would.”

“You’re a good person, Young Master Mu,” Bai Ruoxi murmured.

With his status, he could have easily ignored the situation. No one in Tianxuan City could touch him… Yet, he had intervened, bringing trouble upon himself for no personal gain.

“I’m not a good person,” Mu Zhi’an replied with a smile. “I just don’t want to be a bad one. And I can’t stand to watch someone commit evil acts right before my eyes.”

Bai Ruoxi opened her mouth to speak, to point out that he himself had a terrible reputation, but then she thought about his actions these past few days and swallowed her words.

If he truly wanted to do evil, he could have forced himself on her in the carriage… Although she would have likely rejected him.

When she’d pleaded with him for help, she hadn’t been prepared to go that far.

Can a person truly change overnight…?

If someone had asked her that before, she wouldn’t have known the answer.

But now, she could answer with certainty: Yes.

The notorious playboy of Tianxuan City had truly changed.

Mu Zhi’an, oblivious to her thoughts, asked, “Speaking of which, aren’t you worried that Gongsun Zan’s servants might escape?”

Bai Ruoxi shook her head. “Mengrou is guarding the entrance. No one will get past her.”

So that’s why she came in. Mengrou was outside… Mu Zhi’an nodded in understanding.

“How how are you going to handle the Gongsun Zan situation, Young Master Mu?” Bai Ruoxi couldn’t help but ask.

Their initial plan was to approach Gongsun Zan and gather information. Now, he was dead, and Mu Zhi’an had made a powerful enemy… If this wasn’t handled properly, it would cause a major headache for the Mu family.

“We’ll handle it the usual way,” Mu Zhi’an replied casually.

“Cremation, water burial, or we could just leave his body out for the dogs. Plenty of options.”

Bai Ruoxi frowned.

He was joking at a time like this. Didn’t he realize the trouble they were in?

As if reading her mind, Mu Zhi’an chuckled. “Actually, Miss Bai, Gongsun Zan is far more useful to us now than he ever was alive.”

Bai Ruoxi stared at him, confused. “But… he’s dead.”

“Ah, but that’s where you’re mistaken, Miss Bai.”

He turned to look at her, his gaze meeting hers. “Sometimes, the dead are far more useful than the living.”

Bai Ruoxi was stunned.

“Gongsun Zan is more useful dead?”

She was about to ask him to explain, but they had already reached the courtyard.

The servants involved in the raid were gathered in an open space, their eyes filled with fear as they looked at Mu Zhi’an.

As if he was a demon.

They had overheard the confrontation between Mu Zhi’an and Gongsun Zan. Afterward, there had been silence… And their comrade who had been sent to investigate was nowhere to be found.

Mu Zhi’an… had likely killed Gongsun Zan!

“Mengrou,” Mu Zhi’an called out.

Wei Mengrou nodded. She gestured towards the group of servants. “What should we do with them?”

The servants shuddered, and one of them dropped to his knees, pleading for mercy. “Please spare me, Young Master Mu! I was only following Young Master Gongsun’s orders! I—”

“Were you following his orders when you assaulted the female servants?” Mu Zhi’an asked, his voice laced with scorn.

The servant fell silent.

“Don’t worry. Someone will decide your fate. But it won’t be me.”

Mu Zhi’an scanned the group, his gaze cold. “I’m not going to kill you… However…”

He paused. “Did you see anything in the manor?”

“We saw nothing” they replied in unison.

“Wrong,” Mu Zhi’an said, shaking his head. “You saw everything.”

The servants looked up at him, their eyes wide with terror.

He was going to silence them…

“You saw Gongsun Zan assaulting the women. You saw Mu Zhi’an intervening to stop him,” Mu Zhi’an continued.

Bai Ruoxi glanced at him, her brow furrowed.

That explanation wouldn’t account for Gongsun Zan’s death… And they had been seen on the street by other residents of Tianxuan City. The Gongsun family would easily uncover the truth.

“Afterward, Mu Zhi’an left,” Mu Zhi’an continued. “But after the raid was concluded, Gongsun Zan was killed by a mysterious black-robed man. Understand?”

A black-robed man…?

The servants exchanged glances, skepticism etched on their faces.

But they quickly realized they had no other choice. They nodded eagerly.

Mu Zhi’an turned to Wei Mengrou. “I’ll leave the rest to you, Mengrou.”

“Very well,” she replied.

Core Formation cultivators trained their Primordial Spirit. At this level, Wei Mengrou could manipulate memories, or rather, implant suggestions.

Of course, this required the target’s cooperation.

And these servants had no other options. They didn’t care about Gongsun Zan’s fate. Their own survival was all that mattered.

Bai Ruoxi, however, remained worried. She approached Mu Zhi’an and whispered, “The Gongsun family patriarch won’t believe this story.”

No one had ever seen this supposed black-robed man. The shrewd Gongsun patriarch wouldn’t accept such a flimsy explanation.

“Of course not,” Mu Zhi’an replied with a smile. “But what if he saw the black-robed man with his own eyes?”

Bai Ruoxi stared at him, confused.

“A mysterious Core Formation expert infiltrating Tianxuan City… such a threat would surely unite everyone against a common enemy, wouldn’t it, Miss Bai?” Mu Zhi’an asked, his gaze meeting hers.