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Chapter 56: I Excel at Killing Demons
Chapter 56: I Excel at Killing Demons
In the Outer Affairs Hall of the Qingzhou Demon Suppression Division, figures clad in black satin with gray tiles and white walls stood tall, while the scarlet doors stood open, allowing a steady stream of people to enter and exit, their faces bearing hurried expressions.
Shen Yi observed his surroundings quietly.
Although they all wore black satin with gray tiles and white walls, more than 60% of their cuffs lacked cloud patterns.
Their average age was around forty.
The auras they exuded were indeed at the Initial Stage, but they were somewhat unstable, barely crossing that threshold.
Were these the "bathed in medicine" Demon Suppression Captains that Butcher Zhang had mentioned?
On the other hand, the few who walked by wearing cloud-patterned shirts were younger and had sharper gazes.
"There are three thousand people in the inner camp and over eight thousand in the outer camp, totaling more than ten thousand brothers, responsible for the safety of the twelve counties and three hundred and forty-two counties of Qingzhou."
The beggar walked over, a hint of emotion in his voice.
"Excluding the necessary two thousand five hundred warriors stationed in Qingzhou, on average, every twenty people are responsible for securing a county. So, our manpower basically matches this number. When a Deputy Commander goes out on a mission, they usually only bring around twenty Captains, and even if they encounter an uncontrollable crisis and everyone perishes, the loss won't be too significant."
After eavesdropping on their conversation for a while, Shen Yi also learned the beggar's name—Ma Tao.
Seeing Ma Tao's nonchalant expression, Shen Yi raised an eyebrow.
It seemed like total annihilation was considered a normal occurrence for them.
From the looks of it, to become a Deputy Commander and lead a team independently, one would need to be at least a Jade Liquid Realm expert. In BAIYUN County, that would make them an untouchable overlord. And yet, they considered such a loss insignificant?
"But don't worry, as long as you don't die without a trace, at most half a month later, someone from your family will come to avenge you."
Ma Tao grinned and sighed, "The Demon Suppression General of YuShan County was ambushed and killed by the three major local sects. They thought they had done it flawlessly, but the second disciple of the General, along with a thousand men, took only six days to avenge him. They returned with two thousand three hundred heads, which are still piled up at the city gate, I heard."
Rather than being shocked by the power of the Demon Suppression Division, Shen Yi furrowed his brows and made a mental note.
He had thought that with his current strength, he would not only be able to rise in rank but also protect himself easily. He never imagined that the world was even more chaotic than he had thought. Not only were the lives of ordinary people worrisome, but even those with great reputations could suddenly perish.
"Hey, what are you good at?"
Li Mujin walked out of the yamen and looked at the group. "Tracking and uncovering secrets? Long-distance travel?... Oh, are you particularly good at close combat and capturing demons?"
Recalling Shen Yi's earlier display that had left Fang Heng embarrassed, there was a hint of curiosity in her last sentence.
Ma Tao shrugged at the question and awkwardly fiddled with his fingers.
If two people in a team had similar martial arts skills, and one happened to be significantly stronger, the other would naturally become redundant.
Noticing Shen Yi's confused expression, Ma Tao sighed and quickly composed himself. He explained, "Just make a record. If something unexpected happens to Li in the future and you happen to survive, it will be easier for other Deputy Commanders to pick their teams. Don't worry about anything else; just tell us which martial art you've cultivated to the highest level."
"Is that so?"
Shen Yi pondered for a moment, his face contorting slightly as he pondered.
The others looked at him with slight confusion.
What was there to think about? Surely he knew which martial arts he had mastered and which ones he had only dabbled in.
After a moment, Shen Yi lifted his head and said uncertainly, "Killing demons?"
Eight Treasure Mysterious Body, Greedy Wolf Exorcising Evil, Heavenly Canopy Blood Satan, Vein Cutting Capturing Dragon...
It seemed difficult to say which one was the strongest; they all felt equally useful.
Hearing his response, Liu Xijie and Ma Tao stood stunned.
"Ha!"
Li Mujin froze, then covered her mouth and laughed, her body shaking with mirth. She turned and went back inside, saying, "Alright, write it down. He said he's good at killing demons."
"Little Er, go arrange for a carriage. We're headed to Shuiyun Village in Linjiang County."
Li Xinhan collected his thoughts and nodded, and the short man, who looked like a child, cupped his hands and silently left.
Li Xinhan led the group out of the Demon Suppression Division.
"Li's a bit nervous," Liu Xijie remarked, noticing his companion's unease. He lowered his voice and continued, "He has a low position, so any good opportunities are taken by the other Deputy Commanders. Rescuing Official Lin can be considered a meritorious deed, but they can't publicize it until the official returns."
"If we count their merits, and they handle one more yao disaster related to the Jade Liquid Realm, Li will be able to be promoted to a Deputy Commander..." Ma Tao trailed off, unsure of what this endeavor would bring.
Talking about merit, the two longtime brothers' eyes lit up.
After all, they both came from prestigious families and joined the Demon Suppression Division to make a name for themselves.
Only then did Shen Yi notice that the cloud patterns on their cuffs had two lines each. It seemed that Li Xinhan was indeed eager for merit, and even his subordinates had benefited from his achievements.
"Don't be envious. As long as you participate in five yao disasters related to the Jade Liquid Realm or make a significant contribution, you can add another line to your sleeve, and it will be much easier to grant you internal strength." Liu Xijie consoled.
As they stepped out of the Demon Suppression Division's main door and onto the long street, the two veterans skillfully wiped the smiles off their faces.
Passersby stopped in their tracks to make way for them.
Only when the group had walked a distance did the pedestrians resume their activities.
They walked until they reached the majestic city tower, where Li Er was already waiting with the yao horses.
"This is our spy. When he rushes, he can travel between Baiyun County and Qingzhou City in just one day. If you ever need to send a message, he's your man." Liu Xijie jumped onto the carriage and teased.
Li Er glared at him and then politely nodded to Shen Yi, concisely saying, "I can deliver it, and it'll be quick."
As the group settled into the carriage, Li Mujin pulled on the reins and rode at the front of the group.
Shen Yi sat in the carriage and gained some insight.
Even the allocation of who rode horses and who rode in the carriage was carefully considered.
Only those with the highest realm could maintain their alertness for long periods and react promptly in case of emergencies.
"... "
Li Xinhan leaned against the carriage, his hands clasped together as his fingertips rapidly tapped against his palm in a display of worry.
"It won't be that bad," Ma Tao reassured, waving his hand in front of Li Xinhan's eyes. "Even though we have fewer people this time, it's just a matter of finding a few people in Shuiyun Village."
Liu Xijie took the opportunity to brief Shen Yi on their mission: "A few captains went to supervise Shuiyun Village. According to the rules, they should send a letter back to their families on the 15th day, but we haven't received any news from them... It's probably nothing serious. Shuiyun Village has a river god. If something happened to the river god, the villagers would have rushed to Qingzhou by now."
Li Xinhan remained silent for a long time before taking out a bloodstained waist token from his pocket. "This was delivered by someone from the Linjiang County government office and just handed to me by the Outer Affairs Hall."
He looked at Shen Yi and continued, "I originally wanted to bring you along to get familiar with the area... You don't have any experience fighting real demons, so be extra careful."
Hearing this, Liu and Ma's breaths caught in their throats. They both knew about Shen Yi slaying the dog demon and the ape demon in Baiyun County.
How could he say he had no experience?
Was he already at the Jade Liquid Realm? Ma Tao recalled how he had been casually talking about death and revenge earlier, trying to liven up the atmosphere. Now, he felt a bit apologetic.
"Pui! I've got a crow's mouth." Ma Tao spat, feeling embarrassed.
Shen Yi shifted slightly to the side, and Li Er, expressionless, wiped the spittle from his face and glared at Ma Tao.
(End of Chapter)
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