Chapter 42 The Setup
Aside from a transmigrator, who else could be so insidious, stabbing people where it hurt most with a single sentence?

Hu Ma relaxed upon hearing this, but he still dared not scrutinize Erguotou.

The more he saw of them in the real world, the more cautious he had to be. Therefore, he simply lowered his head, adopting a spectator's mindset, quietly listening to how this Incense Master Zheng was being ridiculed.

"I... I really wouldn't dare say the incense burner made a mistake..."

Incense Master Zheng also short-circuited for a moment, reacting after quite a while. He hurriedly said, "The Qing Stone Town branch previously dismissed a manager. It was a special period, so things were a bit chaotic."

"Hmph!"

Erguotou, wearing the smiling face mask, coldly snorted. "Even if it's chaotic, can it be so chaotic that you don't even know who the manager is?"

His voice softened as he said to Incense Master Zheng, "Incense Master Zheng, you don't need to be afraid. I know you're considering things for the sake of the Society. What you said just now was also very reasonable. It's just that those incense burners are acting too improperly. Now they can't even tell who the manager is. If that goes on, won't they eventually not even be able to tell who the Red Lantern Goddess is?"

Hearing this, it was clear he was looking for trouble with the incense burners, and Incense Master Zheng felt cold sweat pouring down.

*This is bad. Isn't he making me offend the incense burners?*

Although he was an Incense Master in the Red Lantern Society, would he be in for anything good after offending someone close to the Red Lantern Goddess?

He wanted to explain for a moment, but he really didn't know how to.

"Old Brother Erguotou's acting is really good..."

Hu Ma didn't dare reveal anything in his expression, but he was enjoying the show. However, at that moment, a beam of cold, sharp gaze landed on him.

It was Erguotou. From behind his smiling face mask, he spoke sternly, shouting, "And you, little manager, you're really getting too audacious. You eat the money and grain bestowed by the Goddess every day, yet now, at this important time, you dare to desert your post?"

"..."

*Damn it, that scared me.*

Hu Ma felt a shiver down his spine under that gaze, as if a demon had pounced on his face.

If he hadn't known it was Erguotou, his legs would probably have gone weak.

He quickly composed himself, pulling out the excuse he had prepared long ago. "Protector, please investigate. I didn't desert my post. I didn't know beforehand that the Society would have such a big event requiring manpower. I..."

He paused slightly, glancing at Sun Niuzi, "...I did receive a message earlier that I was going to be promoted to manager, but then, this... this Manager Sun came and said it was Incense Master Zheng's order to let him take the manager position so I could follow and learn the rules."

Incense Master Zheng's expression changed upon hearing this, and Sun Niuzi, kneeling at the very back, frantically said, "I didn't..."

"I... I just did what my brother-in-law said..."

"..."

Incense Master Zheng abruptly turned his head, glaring at him so fiercely that he didn't dare to continue speaking.

At this time, the Protector wearing the crying face mask became a little impatient. "I haven't heard how you usually do things. Stop arguing here. Little Manager, don't act wronged. Whether it's reward or punishment, you can't escape."

"Yes."

Hu Ma hurriedly said, "I just wanted to say that this time I went out, I was on an errand for the Society and had reported it to the city."

"I was thinking that if I could solve the case of the Shen family's wealthy household being exterminated, I could gain some merit before returning..."

"..."

He stopped there, but everyone understood.

"Really, fighting over a small manager position, it's worth it to snatch it to this disgraceful extent."

Erguotou above, at this time, took over the conversation, looking at Hu Ma with no small amount of sarcasm. "So, did you accomplish your task?"

Hu Ma looked ashamed and shook his head. "No, I was injured instead, and almost lost my life..."

"Who wants to hear that?"

Erguotou was already impatient. "Don't you see what time it is? Disturbing us for such a trivial matter, stop rambling and take him out to be beaten half to death!"

Upon hearing his words, the people beside him were about to make a move.

Incense Master Zheng and others beside him were already slightly excited. They weren't afraid that the little manager would be punished, or even that the Protector would be angry. Now they needed a scapegoat anyway. The heavier his punishment, the less likely he could escape being that scapegoat.

*You didn't accomplish the things outside, and now you've come back. Isn't this just giving you a contribution?*

"Why do you have to beat me half to death..."

Hu Ma was startled and hurriedly said, "Please let me finish, Protector. I also know that since I didn't complete the task, I shouldn't have come back."

"It's just that I accidentally ran into a group of people and learned that they were going to make things difficult for our Red Lantern Society, so I rushed back to report."

"..."

Upon hearing these words out of nowhere, everyone, including Incense Master Zheng, was a little surprised.

Before Erguotou could say anything, the Protector with the crying face mask looked at Hu Ma with surprise. "Who are they?"

Hu Ma took a deep breath and quickly said, "That person's surname is Lu, and his name is Lu Xiujin."

"He was originally the young master of the Lu family rice shop in Wutong Town, but he secretly learned a unique skill in Yellow Official Paper magic, and the master he apprenticed to is an old retainer of the Green Cloth Gang. Now, he is deceiving many martial artists, borrowing people to refine treasures..."

"He is also preparing to help the Green Cloth Gang come to compete after he has refined that unique skill, so as to make a name for himself..."

"..."

"What?"

Upon hearing this, everyone present was instantly shocked.

Hu Ma could feel countless gazes suddenly looking at him, like needles piercing him.

He hurriedly said, "This matter is absolutely true. I... I was originally injured and almost died, and was injured by this person's junior sister. He... he doesn't seem to have a good relationship with his junior sister either. It was precisely when the two of them were fighting that I heard this sentence..."

"..."

Seeing Hu Ma speaking, seeming to be a little confused, the Left Protector with the crying face sternly shouted, "Who cares about that?"

"I only ask you, are you sure they are coming to fight?"

"..."

Hu Ma paused for a moment and said, "Yes."

After he said this word, the two Protectors actually seemed a little excited and trembling.

It was understandable that the Protector with the crying face was a little excited after hearing this matter out of nowhere, but Erguotou was trembling even more than her.

*Old brother, your acting is really on point...*

"Quick..."

Without waiting for Erguotou to speak, the crying face mask said anxiously, "What kind of sect are they from, what kind of abilities do they have? Tell me in detail!"

"Yes."

Hu Ma hurriedly said, "At that time, I took the errand and asked Manager Sun to watch over the village, and then I set off, thinking... to collect some travel expenses. Hearing that Man Cang Town was haunted by a drought demon, I went over..."

"...to collect some travel expenses."

"I happened to meet an old beggar with a monkey, who led me to Wutong Town, saying that there was a big job there. I thought there might be clues, so I followed him to take a look. As a result, this beggar was not a good person and deceived me..."

"..."

This explanation was full of loopholes, but that was intentional.

Sure enough, Incense Master Zheng immediately wanted to open his mouth to rebuke him, but the crying face mask had already impatiently said, "Don't try to justify yourself, don't I know what kind of work you do?"

"Taking the Red Lantern Goddess's money and grain, and you are all greedy and insufficient, using the Red Lantern Goddess's name to make money outside, and throwing the real business aside..."

"...but I don't care about you, I only ask how you met them?"

"..."

"Yes, yes..."

Hu Ma hurriedly explained in detail what happened in Wutong Town, how the Lu young master recruited people, how he promised money, how he fished for souls, how he led them up the mountain, and how he suddenly attracted his junior sister, and all the things about the two of them fighting.

These were originally his own experiences, so he naturally spoke without the slightest error.

He was putting on a full performance for this moment.

And as he said it one by one, especially when he said that he saw the pair of martial siblings fighting on the first day, but they were as good as new on the second day, and when he went to take revenge, he was injured by his junior sister, the two Protectors with the crying face and smiling face could no longer hide the excitement under their masks.

Erguotou chuckled and raised his hand to stop Hu Ma's narration, asking the crying face, "What do you think of this information?"

Behind the crying face mask, the three battles must be won."

"And in these remaining three battles, we have one chance to call a challenge. This time, we are bound to win. The difficulty lies in the two times we are challenged."

"..."

Erguotou also smiled at the appropriate time and said, "Didn't we already discuss a foolproof strategy yesterday?"

"Actually, strictly speaking, we only lack confidence in one battle now."

"..."

The Left Protector under the crying face mask was slightly stunned and a little excited. "You mean..."

"Calling a challenge, calling a challenge, it's always about giving people difficult problems with one's most proficient unique skill..."

Erguotou chuckled in a low voice and said, "If we knew the other party's ways in advance and guessed the other party's unique skill..."

The Left Protector under the crying face mask was already slightly excited. "Could it be that before the start, all three battles will be won?"

Erguotou clapped his hands and laughed loudly, "Our Red Lantern Goddess's luck is still heaven-defying. What this little manager brought back is simply the hand that determines victory or defeat..."

As they spoke, they became more and more cheerful.

At this point, Hu Ma closed his mouth, knowing that his contribution had been obtained. However, Incense Master Zheng next to him did not expect this at all, and even more did not expect the topic to deviate here.

Seeing the two Protectors smiling, he could only force a smile and tentatively said, "Then this matter..."

"Incense Master Zheng, rest assured, we know how to reward him..."

Erguotou glanced at Hu Ma and said with a smile, "Of course, his little thief's mind, even the Shen wealthy household may not have been killed by the Yellow Official Paper sect. At most, both sides used Yellow Official Paper magic. This little manager is talking nonsense without any evidence, but it can also be seen that he is very bold, but compared with the martial arts competition, these are minor details."

"Hearing that someone was making things difficult for our Red Lantern Society, he thought of coming back to report, which is already worthy of praise."

"It's you..."

"..."

He suddenly turned his gaze and looked at Incense Master Zheng, saying, "This little manager has helped us make a contribution, which is already good."

"What about you?"

"Incense Master Zheng, are you willing to let us win another battle?"

"..."

Hearing these words, Incense Master Zheng already had a desperate expression. After a long time, he lowered his voice and said, "I am willing."

(End of this chapter)