Volume One: Menial Servant in Changshui County Chapter Twelve: The Strange Village

After speaking, Zhou Cheng swept his gaze over the crowd below. Everyone lowered their heads, not daring to meet his eyes.

"Let's move!" he commanded loudly. At his order, the group filed out of the Demon-Slaying Bureau's gates, heading straight for the outskirts of the city.

Zhou Cheng was fastest, charging ahead, with the others following close behind. Perhaps mindful that most had yet to reach the ninth rank in martial arts, Zhou Cheng refrained from unleashing his full speed.

Along the way, Song Tao kept close to Lu Jiuzhang.

"Brother Song, you've been with the Demon-Slaying Bureau for years and possess a wealth of experience. If trouble arises, please give me a hand," Lu Jiuzhang said. It was his first time on a mission, and lacking guidance, he sought to build rapport with Song Tao.

"Ah, those are words I like to hear! If you know how to talk, say more," Song Tao replied, clearly enjoying himself. Usually, he was just a menial at the Bureau, forced to curry favor with the officials. Among his colleagues, everyone knew each other's circumstances. Even if Song Tao wanted to show off, no one would humor him. Now, with Lu Jiuzhang at his side, Song Tao finally had the chance to put on airs.

"Brother Lu, when danger comes, hide behind me right away," Song Tao promised. "It's your first mission—you don't understand how perilous it is, nor do you have experience. These demon beasts are fiercer than you can imagine. Some will transform into beautiful women to tempt us and cloud our minds. In this regard, I'm a veteran and won't be easily seduced, but you—it's your first encounter, so be careful not to let them steal your soul!"

He spoke with the air of imparting wisdom.

...

Twenty miles might be a challenge for ordinary folk, but for Zhou Cheng and the Demon-Slaying Bureau, it was routine. Aside from Zhou Cheng's superior rank, the others were far more robust than common people. Lu Jiuzhang, after this long forced march, showed no signs of fatigue or breathlessness, which surprised the group.

"Up ahead is Miaodi Village. The demon-slaying envoys should have arrived at least two hours ago," Zhou Cheng said, gazing at the tranquil village before them.

Demon-slaying envoys were always ranked, usually at the ninth level of martial arts. By all rights, their arrival should have resulted in battles with the monsters, causing some destruction in the village. Yet, all was abnormally calm.

"Teams of ten, search the area, and signal if you encounter trouble," Zhou Cheng ordered, then strode into the village alone.

The rest quickly clustered into groups of ten, forming squads that entered the village one after another.

...

The village was eerily silent.

Lu Jiuzhang's team was not among the first to enter; several squads had already gone in before them.

"Careful—there are two corpses up ahead," someone warned.

Indeed, two bodies lay on the ground nearby. There were no signs of struggle; they looked as if they had merely fallen asleep.

Song Tao stepped forward and turned the bodies over. The group now noticed the faces were sunken, their bodies reduced to skin and bone. On their necks were two holes—once red, but now black with time.

"They were drained of blood," Song Tao analyzed. "Such bloodsucking monsters are common, but it's unclear which kind exactly."

"Why the neck?" Lu Jiuzhang asked, seeking understanding.

"Where else would they suck?" Song Tao glanced at Lu Jiuzhang's third leg and rolled his eyes. "You can't just say things like that! I haven't married yet—don't jinx me!" Lu Jiuzhang protested, waving his hands.

"Old Wang, there's a chicken here!" someone suddenly shouted.

A chicken? Wasn't this place supposed to be devoid of life? Was the term used for a certain profession in this world too? Lu Jiuzhang hurried over, only to realize he had misunderstood—it really was a chicken, and like the two corpses, its blood had been drained.

"What's so shocking about that?" Song Tao glared at the man.

"It's just, I've always been afraid of animals with sharp beaks," the man replied sheepishly.

Song Tao ignored him and resumed his analysis. "Initial assessment: the village has no living humans left. But what surprises me is, the ranked demon-slaying envoys arrived—why is there no trace of them?"

"Could the monsters here be extremely powerful?" If so, they were in grave danger. If even ninth-rank officials couldn't handle it, they were nothing more than fodder.

...

After rushing dozens of miles, they'd arrived only to become appetizers for the monsters.

"Regroup and advance, let's join up with the others," Song Tao said, uneasy. If they could combine forces, their strength and safety would increase. Ideally, they'd unite with Zhou Cheng, the demon-slaying guard—his presence would steady them.

After assembling, Song Tao counted the team. Something was amiss, so he counted again.

Suddenly, his scalp tingled. The first time, there were nine in the group; the second time, only eight. Someone had vanished silently—or was he hallucinating?

"Everyone, report your names so I can tally the numbers. I'll start—Song Tao!"

"Wang Gang!"

"Li Erhe!"

"..."

"Lu Jiuzhang!"

After the roll call, Song Tao's heart sank—only six remained. Though he'd watched closely, he hadn't seen anyone disappear. The weather was clear, not a hint of mist, and the space behind them was empty.

Cold sweat broke out on Song Tao's back.

Unlike towns, the houses here were sparse—one family to the east, another to the west, with wide gaps filled with trees, weeds, and muddy paths. Near the homes were vegetable plots, a typical layout for a village in the Great Xia Kingdom.

Though there were obstacles, one could see everything happening within a hundred meters.

Lu Jiuzhang sensed the abnormality and moved beside Song Tao.

In a single distraction, two more vanished!

Only four remained.

A primal fear of the unknown seized every heart.

A strange sound suddenly echoed through the air, followed by a voice laced with seductive charm: "I told you we'd meet again!"