- Ah? The Wives I Abandoned Turned Out to Be Real

Chapter 156: A Female Thief? A Female Detective? Capturing Kong Bing. "That's more like it." After speaking, Bai Suzhen continued to snuggle in Su Mo's embrace, her expression blissful and sweet. Watching her elder sister effortlessly handle Su Mo, Xiao Qing felt a pang of envy. She recalled having tried to seduce him for three days, down to her undergarments, yet Su Mo remained unmoved. Clearly, there was much to learn from her sister. Nearby, Xu Miaoyin had just finished wiping sweat off with a towel soaked in well water when she heard the main door of the courtyard clanging. Curiously, she approached and peered through the peephole, finding two strangers, a middle-aged man in his forties or fifties and a young woman in her twenties. From their attire, Xu Miaoyin recognized them as members of the Divine Capture Sect, suggesting their high-ranking positions due to the intricate patterns on their clothing. Contemplating their purpose, Xu Miaoyin decided to open the door. As she did, Li Dingtian and Kong Bing were momentarily taken aback by the sight of such a graceful and radiant woman before them. However, her silver hair intrigued them even more. Lately, the Blood-clad Tower had embarked on a series of notorious crimes, leaving many families devastated. A confidential tip had hinted that the master of the Blood-clad Tower was closely connected to a tavern owner in Linjiang City. Acting on this, the duo came to the city and learned that the tavern had recently shut down, with the owner seemingly not up to much across the street. Now encountering Xu Miaoyin, Li Dingtian and Kong Bing were unsure how to proceed. Seeing their hesitation, Xu Miaoyin inquired politely, asking them their business. Kong Bing replied, "Sister, we're here to see the owner of the Linjiang Spring Tavern. Could you introduce us?" Knowing her husband was under significant stress, Xu Miaoyin was determined not to let these two disturb Su Mo. "My husband is resting. It'd be best if you came another time." Intrigued by the revelation of such a beauty being the tavern owner's wife, Li Dingtian inquired further. "We're simply seeking a person through your husband. If you're his wife, then let us be frank. Recently, the Blood-clad Tower has committed numerous major crimes, and we're here to trace their leader. Could you inform your husband?" Realizing they were after Fei Lingsue and suspecting they had links to Su Mo, Xu Miaoyin reflected on the matter. With the Blood-clad Tower in turmoil and the recent betrayals, it was better to shed light on the issue now and redirect their investigation. Thus, she said, "To be honest, I've met the Blood-clad Tower's leader. She's long gone now due to internal strife, resulting in their branches acting independently. Perhaps you should focus on the renegades instead." With that, Xu Miaoyin promptly closed the door. Kong Bing wanted to knock again but was stopped by Li Dingtian. "Binger, don't be rash." "Yes, godfather." Li Dingtian felt Xu Miaoyin's words confirmed his suspicions. "As I thought, the Blood-clad Tower is fracturing." Kong Bing probed, "Godfather, what do you mean?" Li Dingtian elaborated on his deductions. "The Blood-clad Tower was brazen before but had limits, unlike now. It's chaos everywhere, unlike their style. Stay in Linjiang to watch the tavern owner for more clues. I have a major case in Qingyang to handle, so be cautious. If needed, use the token I gave you for local support." "Understood, godfather." After Li Dingtian rode off, Kong Bing led her horse to find lodging at a local inn. Meanwhile, Xu Miaoyin returned to the garden, surprised to see Bai Suzhen and Xiao Qing had vanished. Curious, she asked Su Mo, "Where did those girls go?" Su Mo nonchalantly replied, "They left." In reality, Bai Suzhen and Xiao Qing had not departed, as they wished to protect Su Mo with their formidable presence. Having informed them of the potential threat, the two had decided to find a quiet room to stay vigilant. Interrupting Su Mo's thoughts, Xu Miaoyin recounted the visit from the Divine Capture Sect officials. Su Mo listened, intrigued. "Describe them," he requested. "One was a middle-aged man with a square face and a heavy stubble, eyes sharp like an eagle, exuding a menacing aura. The other was a young lady with a delicate face, almond-shaped eyes, quite beautiful." Su Mo nodded, suspecting, from their descriptions, that they were Kong Bing and Li Dingtian, their inquiry prompted by the Blood-clad Tower's dubious actions. Concerning Fei Lingsue's safety, Su Mo wasn't overly worried. With her soaring skills and his protective talisman, she could easily handle any threat, except an impossible foe or formidable magical artifact. At this moment, Huang Qingwan emerged with Guo Lin, who appeared to have been crying, her eyes red with tear stains. Guo Lin approached Xu Miaoyin apologizing, "Sister Miaoyin, I'm sorry for earlier. I was wrong." With grace and generosity, Xu Miaoyin accepted her apology without holding a grudge. "It's nothing. I'm glad you came around." As Guo Lin's gaze shifted to Su Mo, sensing her vulnerability, he comforted her with an embrace, reassuring, "There, there. We're family now. No more tears." During the afternoon, Su Mo escorted Huang Qingwan and Guo Lin back to the general's residence. Returning, he resumed practicing the Yi Jin Jing, reaching its sixth level, enhancing his considerable physical strength even further and diving into his training with renewed vigor. In the brightly lit bedroom, under the glow of an oil lamp, Su Mo was entirely absorbed in becoming stronger. Xu Miaoyin, clad in a delicate undergarment and silk stockings, sat at the bedside tending to Su Mo’s feet. Su Mo leaned back contentedly on the bed, casually checking the status of his game, "A Life of Affection." The screen signaled that his passive progress was complete: [You have died.] [You slipped and fell to your death while gathering herbs on a cliff.] [In your final moments, you recalled your life with a sense of relief, ready to reunite with your long-deceased wife.] [Would you like to review this character's life story?] [No.] [Settlement of system rewards: no reward for this simulation.] Seeing no reward, Su Mo shrugged it off. Such occurrences were frequent; rewards were rare. Opening a new simulation, he planned to multi-task, letting it run while he continued practicing Yi Jin Jing. [Would you like to start a new simulation?] “Start!” [Randomizing birth location.] [Your birth location for this simulation is the xanadu of Earth Immortal Realm, Xiaoshi Village at the foot of Tianzhu Mountain.] Earth Immortal Realm! Su Mo’s heart skipped a beat—a first for him to encounter a simulation set in the Earth Immortal Realm. Hmm! Best not to let this one run passively, he mused. It was a prime opportunity to gather intelligence about the Earth Immortal Realm. Noticing Su Mo's shift in demeanor, Xu Miaoyin looked up with concern. "What’s wrong, my love? Is the water too hot? I can fetch some cooler water." “No, everything is perfect,” Su Mo reassured her. “Good then, let me continue.” Xu Miaoyin gently massaged his feet, even channeling some true energy to ease his fatigue. Her husband worked tirelessly during the day, and without proper relaxation, his next day would be affected. Under Xu Miaoyin’s tender care, Su Mo returned his attention to the ongoing "A Life of Affection." [Selecting a random romance character.] [Your randomly bound romance characters are “Bai Ningshuang” and “Rakshasa Woman.”] [Multiple romance options detected, please choose one for this simulation.] Huh? To his surprise, there were two. Choosing meant giving up one. Though unfamiliar with Bai Ningshuang, he recalled the mesmerizing Rakshasa Woman, whose allure rivaled Nangong Liuli and Meng Hongshang. Binding with her seemed like a twist of fortune, especially since she was rumored to be a princess in the Ashura realm. How fortunate. He chose Rakshasa Woman without hesitation. [Your assigned romance character is the Ashura Princess “Rakshasa Woman.”] Continuing, the simulation randomized: [Randomizing identity.] [Assigned identity: son of the village chief of Xiaoshi Village.] The son of a village chief? Not bad, a high starting point. [Randomizing talent.] [Your assigned talent is “Blessed with Fortune.”] [Blessed with Fortune (Purple): Born with deep luck, you frequently encounter serendipities and can turn crises into opportunities.] [Run passively?] [No!] Seeing the purple-tier talent “Blessed with Fortune,” Su Mo was pleasantly surprised. Such luck-aligned talents were rare. It seemed this simulation could offer a smooth start, perhaps even many opportunities to change fate. Excited, Su Mo couldn't wait to begin the simulation. With a holographic image unfolding, a new life for Su Mo initiated. [You were born.] [You are born in Xiaoshi Village at the foot of Tianzhu Mountain, in the Earth Immortal Realm, to the village chief’s family.] [Village Chief Su Erniu, pleased with a late-in-life son, named you Su Mo. Because of your “Blessed with Fortune” talent, your mother survived childbirth against the odds.] Su Mo was astonished. A twist of fate right from the start? Impressive. If this was the tone of the simulation, the final rewards could be extraordinary. Just as he prepared to delve further into the simulation, a noise interrupted him from the roof—tiles shifting under a stealthy weight. The subtle sound was picked up by Su Mo’s heightened senses. “My husband,” Xu Miaoyin noticed too, quickly dressing to cover her revealing attire. “I’ll go check.” “Wait, Miaoyin,” Su Mo advised, releasing the Six-winged Centipede, controlling it as one would a precision drone, silently through the window and to the rooftop. Through its eyes, he saw a woman clad in tight black clothing, head covered by a scarf and veil, crouching there. Her figure was notably shapely. A female thief! Without hesitation, Su Mo directed the Six-winged Centipede to unleash an electric arc. The arc struck strongly, knocking the woman unconscious as her body tumbled from the roof. “Crash!” “Thud!” She landed in the courtyard. “Let’s go see,” Su Mo said. “Mmm, alright!” Putting on shoes and a coat, he and Xu Miaoyin went out. Su Mo trusted the Six-winged Centipede’s arc, estimating its voltage at about a thousand volts, enough to incapacitate even martial experts. Xu Miaoyin approached first, pulling away the veiled woman’s mask. “It’s her!” Startled by Xu Miaoyin’s exclamation, Su Mo hurried over, recognizing the charming face before him. Kong Bing! Why was she here? Was it related to the Blood-clad Tower? While Su Mo pondered, Xu Miaoyin fetched some hemp ropes, expertly tying Kong Bing in an intricate yet secure binding. “Dear, how shall we handle her?” Xu Miaoyin asked. (Chapter end)