Chapter 132: The Daoist Robe

"What’s in it for me?"

Li Changluo poured himself a cup of tea with a grin, gulped it down, and then set the cup aside to bargain with Bai Lianhua.

The task board at the tavern was a place where one could openly accept missions to hunt demons. However, the fact that Bai Lianhua had gone to such great lengths—even threatening him into helping—meant that this matter was not as simple as it appeared and could not be handled out in the open. Li Changluo was confident that he could leverage this to his advantage and secure a good deal.

"I won't gouge your eyes out, for starters..."

Bai Lianhua picked up the teapot and thoughtfully refilled Li Changluo's cup. Li Changluo didn't stand on ceremony; he lifted the cup and downed it in one go.

"Don't take me for a fool. I am a—"

"I am a good person. Whenever I see someone in trouble, I, Li Changluo, never hesitate to draw my blade and help. No questions asked. Whatever the task, just name it..."

Though Li Changluo spoke with such righteous indignation, his expression remained deeply displeased.

"Get up first, then we can talk."

Bai Lianhua reached out gently to pull Li Changluo, who was kneeling on the floor, to his feet. Li Changluo stiffened his neck and remained firmly on his knees, refusing to budge no matter how she pulled.

Why was he kneeling? Because after drinking the tea, his legs had suddenly felt paralyzed, turning soft and numb, forcing him to the ground. By the time he realized the tea was tainted, it was too late; small insects were already crawling out of the teacup. He couldn't help but sigh—why did every demon in this world love using poison? Couldn't everyone just be sincere? Since arriving in this world, he had been inexplicably poisoned more than three times already. This world was truly toxic.

"Fine, if you like that position, sister will indulge you." Bai Lianhua sat down in her chair with an understanding expression, looked at the kneeling Li Changluo, and said softly, "A wealthy boss in Li City has a demon infestation. Just go and bring that troublemaking demon back to me."

"That's it?" Li Changluo looked up and asked suspiciously.

"Yes." Bai Lianhua gave a slight nod.

"Does a task like this really need to be kept so hush-hush?"

Although Li Changluo had only been in this world for a short time, he understood that these demons who plagued humans were essentially tracked like data on a credit score. If a demon had a record of evil deeds, they wouldn't just be barred from the tavern; they would appear on the tavern’s task board, becoming prey for other monsters looking to trade their service for food and drink. If this was truly a case of a demon causing trouble, why go through all this extra effort and secrecy?

Bai Lianhua seemed to read his thoughts. She leaned in close to the kneeling Li Changluo and whispered in his ear, "Side hustle."

Li Changluo was stunned. He understood now—it was for extra cash. That explained perfectly why Bai Lianhua had sought him out for this job. But for the proprietor of a grand monster tavern to be looking for a side hustle?

"Don't ask too many questions," Bai Lianhua said languidly before standing up. She looked at Xiaoqing and continued, "I like little Qing very much. She isn't an official staff member of the tavern, but if you complete this task, she can stay by my side..."

Li Changluo was a smart man; he knew that Bai Lianhua’s words carried a dual meaning. *Do a good job, and Xiaoqing can live a life of luxury by your side. If you try to pull anything on me, remember that Xiaoqing is in my hands.* It was a classic "carrot and stick" approach.

Yet, for Li Changluo, this wasn't necessarily a bad thing. Having the tavern proprietor as his backer—even if it meant potentially becoming a scapegoat if things went south—at least meant he had support. What was the alternative? To be stubborn, stand on his dignity, and refuse? *You think you can bite me? You think you can poison me to death?* Ha, that was impossible.

Li Changluo had no choice but to nod in agreement. Bai Lianhua nodded with satisfaction and walked over to the wardrobe to rummage through some clothes. Li Changluo watched her with anticipation. Was she going to issue him a uniform? Perhaps something embroidered with a mysterious pattern so that when the demons of this world saw it, they would know he was an agent of the tavern and be struck with awe? Ah, was he finally about to live the life of a fox exploiting a tiger's might? Was his life finally losing its struggle?

"This... what is this?" When Li Changluo saw what she was holding, he stood up in disbelief.

"A Taoist robe, of course..." Bai Lianhua handed the garment to him.

"No way..." Li Changluo shook his head.

However, under the gentle yet murderous gaze of Bai Lianhua, Li Changluo reluctantly took the robe.

"The boss in Li City is paying a high price for an exorcist. Naturally, you have to wear this outfit to pass the test. Unless you’d prefer a monk’s habit?" Bai Lianhua pursed her lips and smiled softly. She thoughtfully spread the robe out and draped it over Li Changluo, then placed the hat on his head—just like a virtuous wife dressing her husband before he set out on a journey.

"..."

Li Changluo felt extremely awkward wearing the Taoist robe, but what could he do? Once he was dressed, Bai Lianhua took out her phone and looked up a phone number. Only after seeing that he had memorized it did she gesture for him to leave, signaling for him to get out of there quickly.

"Remember, don't use the demonic power inside you recklessly. If you cause a scene, I won't be able to help you even if I want to." Bai Lianhua stopped him, her smile fading into a serious expression. Even her eyes, which usually held a hint of warmth, were now cold as she stared at him. "The money the boss gives you is yours to keep, but... you cannot touch that demon. Bring it back to me."

Li Changluo grunted and walked away in his robe. He headed through the second floor of the tavern down to the main hall. The group of fanatical female demons who had been waiting to avenge the young master Long Qi had already dispersed. The monsters in the tavern were all giving Li Changluo strange looks, which made him uncomfortable.

*Could he feel comfortable?* A demon wearing a Taoist robe to go and hunt demons—it was a farce.

"Li, why are you wearing that?" Hei Wa was already standing at the tavern entrance.

"What are you doing here?" Li Changluo asked, looking at him in confusion.

"Miss Mingshan said you were going out to swindle some food and drink. I figured since we’re brothers who share through thick and thin, I couldn't let you suffer alone, so I decided to go with you." Hei Wa grinned, his round, dark face displaying a sincere smile.

"..."