Volume One: Menial Servant of Changshui County Chapter Forty-Nine: Leave No Survivors

“Director Chen!”

At that moment, Lu Jiuzhang and Zhou Cheng had already descended from the mountaintop, only to see Chen Xuanfeng standing at the entrance of the cave.

Chen Xuanfeng paid no heed to Lu Jiuzhang, his gaze fixed intently on the thicket not far behind him.

The guard Mo quietly concealed himself within the woods.

In an instant, Chen Xuanfeng leaped into the air, tapping the void several times before darting into the forest.

His speed was astonishing; neither Lu Jiuzhang nor Zhou Cheng had time to react.

Was this the power of a martial artist of the eighth rank?

A loud bang resounded.

The hidden guard Mo revealed himself.

Their fists collided, creating a sonic boom.

Mo staggered back several steps, only then dissipating the force.

Chen Xuanfeng stood with his hands behind his back, calmly gazing at Mo.

“We’re all on the same side, Director Chen!”

The situation had shifted so swiftly that by the time Lu Jiuzhang processed it, both sides had already exchanged blows.

Upon hearing this, Chen Xuanfeng ignored Mo and strode toward Lu Jiuzhang and Zhou Cheng.

Chen Xuanfeng exuded confidence, leaving his back exposed to Mo without a hint of fear for a sneak attack.

“I have no patience for those who lurk in the shadows,” Chen Xuanfeng said coldly. “Don’t pretend to be a master in front of me.”

With those words, Mo stepped out from concealment, a bitter smile on his face.

Terrifying!

Though they were both martial artists of the eighth rank, Mo could clearly sense he was no match for Chen Xuanfeng.

Was this the true strength of the Demon Slaying Bureau?

Initially, when overhearing the conversation between Lu Jiuzhang and Zhou Cheng, Mo hadn’t thought much of Chen Xuanfeng.

He believed that since they were both eighth rank, there was nothing to fear.

Now, he realized he had overestimated his own abilities.

Chen Xuanfeng absolutely had the power to seriously injure or even kill him.

“So it was him who intervened and helped you two deal with those dead monsters?”

Chen Xuanfeng asked, stepping in front of Lu Jiuzhang.

“Exactly,” Lu Jiuzhang nodded.

“Well, lucky kid. Last time it was your elder brother’s lover who stepped in, and this time? Who is he?”

Chen Xuanfeng asked directly.

Lu Jiuzhang wished he could explain that Li Muyun was not his elder brother Lu Huaigu’s lover; at most, they were friends. If anything, perhaps friends with feelings not yet fully realized.

But this was hardly the occasion for such clarification.

“Director Chen, he’s a helper I invited. This time, he followed me and resolved my troubles,” Lu Jiuzhang replied simply.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk. You’ve cheated death again.”

Chen Xuanfeng smacked his lips but said no more.

…

Soon, the group descended the mountain together.

At the foot, Wang Yunshan and his men had already found the sorcerer, trapping him inside a manor house.

But Wang Yunshan and the others dared not go further.

The opponent, after all, had reached a high rank—likely the eighth.

They could not afford to be careless.

“A sorcerer relies on manipulation. Though he’s eighth rank in sorcery, his physical strength is weak. Without help from those monsters, not to mention thirty strong men, even a dozen would be enough to give him trouble!”

“Of course, sorcerers know this, so they deploy other methods.”

“That’s why these people circle outside, afraid to enter. Whoever goes in first might well be the first to die.”

Mo explained as they walked.

Lu Jiuzhang understood now.

They feared being singled out, afraid to risk their lives.

Before the manor gates, Chen Xuanfeng gripped his blade and shouted, “Chen Xuanfeng of Changshui County’s Demon Slaying Bureau is here! How dare you strike against the Bureau—have you grown tired of living?”

No answer came from within.

The next moment, Chen Xuanfeng smashed through the door.

As he entered, a thick black mist immediately surged from the courtyard.

With a single slash, the wind from his blade dispersed the fog.

Inside, an old man, panic-stricken, appeared.

He wore tattered hemp robes, his face pitted and scarred, instinctively poised to flee.

“Die!”

Chen Xuanfeng’s blade came crashing down.

“Save him!” Lu Jiuzhang shouted to Mo beside him.

But he was a step too late. In the blink of an eye, the old man’s head was severed from his body.

Had the old sorcerer lived, they might have uncovered more clues.

Now, with his death, the trail was broken once again.

“My orders are to protect your safety,” Mo said quietly. “Other lives are not my concern.”

Lu Jiuzhang fell silent.

Mo had been exchanged from Director Zhao, with the sole promise to protect Lu Jiuzhang for two months.

It was reasonable that he didn’t help.

Besides, Mo was no match for Deputy Director Chen Xuanfeng.

If it came to blows, it would do Lu Jiuzhang no good.

He had simply acted rashly.

Clearly, he still lacked composure.

But why had Chen Xuanfeng been so eager to kill this eighth-rank sorcerer?

Lu Jiuzhang glanced at Zhou Cheng nearby.

At this moment, Lu Jiuzhang began to suspect Chen Xuanfeng anew.

Was it possible that Zhou Cheng truly wasn’t one of Chen Xuanfeng’s men?

But perhaps Zhou Cheng simply didn’t know Chen Xuanfeng’s nature.

Could Chen Xuanfeng wish to kill Lu Jiuzhang without informing Zhou Cheng?

No matter—best to remain cautious.

No matter what, vigilance could not be relaxed.

Another assassination attempt!

This time, even an eighth-rank expert was involved. Next time, would the mastermind deploy a seventh-rank?

If a seventh-rank monster appeared, Mo could never withstand it.

Moreover, Chen Xuanfeng remained highly suspicious.

In terms of strength alone, Chen Xuanfeng would have little difficulty dealing with Mo.

Yet there was one thing Lu Jiuzhang couldn’t understand: if Chen Xuanfeng truly wanted to kill him, he’d had plenty of chances.

Not just this time—even the last time at Sanyi Manor!

If Chen Xuanfeng had arrived a bit later, or blocked Miss Muyun from acting, both Zhou Cheng and Lu Jiuzhang would have met their end.

But in the critical moment, Chen Xuanfeng arrived.

It simply didn’t make sense.

After Zhou Cheng’s persuasion, Lu Jiuzhang’s suspicions toward Chen Xuanfeng lessened somewhat, but he remained ever watchful.

Until the true culprit was revealed, anyone could be guilty.

“To harm those of the Demon Slaying Bureau is to accept the fate of being killed,” Chen Xuanfeng said blandly, gazing at the corpse.

“Zhou Cheng, take your men and clear the scene. The rest, prepare the troops—we march in two hours back to the Bureau!”

Chen Xuanfeng barked orders.

An hour meant two hours.

In other words, they would return in four hours.

Clearing the scene would take no more than the time of a single incense stick.

What would Chen Xuanfeng do with the remaining time?

He offered no explanation, striding outside and leaving the rest of the Bureau to the site.

Lu Jiuzhang, being of higher rank, was different from ordinary servants—he was not required to assist.

Wang Yunshan, eager to shirk labor, sidled over with a smile, hoping to chat with Lu Jiuzhang as an excuse.

“Brother Lu, when we return this time, I wager you’ll earn quite a bit of silver again!”

Wang Yunshan grinned.

“What do you mean?” Lu Jiuzhang asked, puzzled.