Evil Extermination Division

Why me?

It was not only others who were puzzled by this question; Liang Yue himself did not understand it either. Compared to those wealthy patrons, it would have been good enough if his painting had escaped ridicule. It had actually been chosen?

For some reason, it felt like an imperial appointment.

Rather than any so-called "care," he was even more inclined to believe it was because he was handsome.

But no matter what, since they had chosen him, it would not do for him to refuse.

Under the guidance of a maid, Liang Yue could only head for the Quiet Room within Fragrant Garden amid the teeth-grindingly envious gazes of the crowd.

Fine sandalwood incense curled through the Quiet Room. A screen stood within it, and behind that screen sat a graceful figure.

Red candles cast a warm glow; a beauty sat waiting.

With a touch of unease, Liang Yue walked around the screen and saw a stunningly beautiful figure. Startled, his pupils contracted slightly.

A face like that of an immortal maiden was no exaggeration.

Behind the screen stood a broad wooden couch with a small table atop it. The woman seated behind it wore a peach-red, wide-sleeved silk gown, its collar and cuffs embroidered with golden patterns. A glittering gold floral hairpin adorned her piled-cloud coiffure. Peach red and scarlet gold set off a face as white and lustrous as snow.

Such vivid colors would magnify even the slightest blemish on one's cheeks, yet not only did this woman withstand them, she was made all the more radiant, like blazing fire. Her limpid, almond-shaped eyes rippled with light; her nose bridge bore the faintest aquiline curve; her vermilion lips were perfect. Not a single feature was lacking.

But Liang Yue was not shocked by her beauty. He had seen this face before.

This was the Traveling Official of the Evil Extermination Division, Wen Yifan!

How had Miss Wen, whom he had once seen on the street that day, become a musician in Mystic Sound Pavilion?

White robes and a white sword that day; a fiery red gown today. Her style had changed, but her peerless beauty and that faint, indifferent gleam in her eyes had not. Such a bright and lovely face bore not the slightest expression, bringing to mind the words: beautiful as peach blossoms and plum flowers, cold as frost and ice.

A change of clothes, and she felt utterly different.

"Sit." Wen Yifan raised a hand and pointed across from her.

"Miss Wen..." Liang Yue sat down cautiously, glanced around, and asked, "What is going on?"

Of course, he did not think she was moonlighting after work. His first thought was that the Evil Extermination Division might be carrying out some secret mission within Mystic Sound Pavilion.

Sure enough, Wen Yifan said, "I will explain slowly. Do not act too flustered. There are people outside; do not reveal any flaws."

"Mm." Liang Yue nodded lightly. Though his gaze remained clear and bright, his whole posture suddenly relaxed, as though he had truly come to meet a beautiful woman.

"What did you come here for?" Wen Yifan asked first.

Anyone else would probably have been stunned upon hearing that.

This was a brothel. What else could one come here for, other than to seek lovely ladies?

But Liang Yue immediately understood. She must have seen that neither his clothes nor demeanor resembled those of a scholar and gentleman seeking pleasure. With such an air of righteous dignity, he must have had another purpose in coming here.

"With a subordinate guard's salary, it is unlikely that you came here for amusement, right?" Wen Yifan added.

Liang Yue fell silent for a moment before answering, "Things have not been very peaceful in our district lately. I came with a colleague to gather some information."

"Very good." Wen Yifan nodded, then asked without beating around the bush, "Can you help me with something later?"

She wanted his help?

Liang Yue hesitated slightly. At present, Miss Wen was practically synonymous with unfathomable abilities in his eyes. What could she possibly need his help with?

Still, he quickly agreed. "If there is anything Miss Wen needs my assistance with, please speak freely."

Since she had asked, she must have believed he was capable of it. There was no need for him to overthink it.

Wen Yifan gave him a satisfied look, then asked, "Do you know the origins of the Evil Extermination Division?"

"It was established to purge the spies of the Nine Yang?" Liang Yue replied.

There were many rumors among the common folk concerning the origins of the Evil Extermination Division.

It was said that after the Battle of Heavenly Gorge twenty-six years ago, the Nine Yang tribes were defeated and had been willing to submit to the Yin Dynasty. At the time, the Yin Dynasty had been exhausted by years of war, while its southern border remained unsettled, so it had agreed to end the war.

The Yin Dynasty had won that battle by a narrow margin and had been battered until it was riddled with holes. The two sides had thus entered the period of peace that had continued to this day.

Yet the Nine Yang tribes harbored the ambitions of wolves and the hearts of wild beasts. Unable to defeat the Yin Dynasty in open warfare, they began a vast and secret espionage operation not long after the peace talks.

They sent hundreds and thousands of elite spies into the lands of the Nine Provinces, secretly studying and sabotaging the Yin Dynasty.

After decades of infiltration, some of these spies had built up shops and businesses, some had entered academies, some had joined martial arts sects, and some had even become high-ranking court officials. They existed in every guise, searching for every weakness within the Yin Dynasty's territory. The moment an opportunity arose, they would bare their fangs—turning officials, stealing secrets, and inciting rebellion.

Anything that could plunge the Yin Dynasty into chaos was their target.

Moreover, their organization was exceptionally tight-knit. Sometimes, even if certain spies were exposed, it did not affect the operations of the others. It was not until ten years ago that the Yin Dynasty finally learned of this enormous infiltration scheme.

Although the Imperial Court immediately began a purge, these spies had already sunk their roots too deeply. Every organization, from top to bottom in the court, might harbor their eyes and ears. Operation plans were repeatedly exposed ahead of time, and even after several years of effort, the results had remained poor.

After Left Prime Minister Liang Fuguo took office, he proposed a plan: bring in immortal officials from the Mystic Sect.

Mystic Sect cultivators lived in seclusion beyond the mortal world, cultivating atop immortal mountains. Their numbers were few, making them an organization that the Nine Yang spies could never possibly infiltrate. If their assistance could be secured, they would gain an absolutely clean, sharp blade.

In the Yin Dynasty's past, Mystic Sect cultivators had also been invited down from the mountains and respectfully called "immortal officials." But that had been because the Demon Race of the four seas had rioted, and they had been asked to purge the demonic scourge from the Nine Provinces. Qi Refiners were more specialized in that regard.

Inviting Mystic Sect cultivators to deal with the Nine Yang tribes had never been done before, and no one knew whether they would be willing to help.

Liang Fuguo personally ascended Three Purities Mountain Jade Capital Peak and met Chen Yan Dao, the Celestial Master who commanded the current generation. In the end, he secured the aid of Chen Yan Dao's direct disciple, Chen Su.

Chen Su accepted the responsibility of an immortal official and recruited manpower from the Mystic Sect Eight Veins, forming the present Evil Extermination Bureau. It had existed for only two and a half years so far.

Officials like Wen Yifan held the post of "Traveling Official," without any formal rank, precisely because they had only come temporarily to assist the Imperial Court. Sooner or later, they would return to the immortal mountains beyond the clouds.

Seeing that Liang Yue knew of this, Wen Yifan did not waste words on the matter and continued, "Yu Wenlong, whom you saw a few days ago, was the highest-ranking court spy we have uncovered in two and a half years. He should have possessed many secrets, but he died on the night he entered the Evil Extermination Division."

"He died?" Liang Yue was somewhat surprised.

The Evil Extermination Division ought to have many methods to prevent prisoners from committing suicide. Yet Yu Wenlong had still died under such circumstances. Could the Nine Yang spies' infiltration truly be so terrifying that they had already penetrated the Evil Extermination Division, which had only been established two and a half years ago?

"Mm. He died of poison." Wen Yifan did not elaborate and continued, "We did not pry any intelligence from him, but his return itself revealed the problem."

"Indeed." Liang Yue frowned in thought. "He had already escaped, yet he went to such lengths to return to the Divine Capital. There must have been something he absolutely had to do. Was it to notify his accomplices that he had been exposed? No, an organization like theirs would certainly have a way of knowing when someone ran into trouble. He returned because of something more important, something perhaps only he himself knew about! Even his accomplices did not know... or could not obtain it."

"You are very clever." Wen Yifan seemed a little surprised that this subordinate guard's mind was so quick. Following his line of thought, she said, "That is our guess as well, but Yu Wenlong's trail has already gone cold. We investigated every trace of his movements within Dragon Abyss City. Aside from his official dealings, the person closest to him was a lover at Mystic Sound Pavilion, named Phoenix Butterfly."

"Oh..." Liang Yue understood. "Miss Wen, you came here to approach Phoenix Butterfly?"

"Yes," Wen Yifan said. "I have been at Mystic Sound Pavilion for two days, and I have not seen her associating with anyone suspicious. She should not be a Nine Yang spy. But when I secretly entered her Water Ripple Courtyard to search, I found nothing that might be connected to Yu Wenlong. I suspect the Nine Yang spies may also be watching Phoenix Butterfly. If the Evil Extermination Division approaches her directly, I fear we will alert the snake in the grass."

"Phoenix Butterfly has kept her doors shut these past few days, so it has been difficult for me to come into contact with her personally. Today, we originally planned to choose one of our people as the object of my private conversation. We would then quarrel, and I would use that as an excuse to drive him to Water Ripple Courtyard to speak with Phoenix Butterfly and see whether he could find any clues."

"But while playing the zither earlier, I infused my Divine Sense into the music and swept it across the room. I discovered two suspicious people who seemed to be watching our man. I fear he has already been exposed. If he approaches Phoenix Butterfly now, he will still alert them. I happened to see you at that moment. Since you rendered merit during Yu Wenlong's arrest, you could not possibly be colluding with the Nine Yang spies. That is why I wanted you to help me complete this mission."

Wen Yifan explained slowly, making clear how she had come to choose Liang Yue.

But Liang Yue looked up, somewhat at a loss. "Me?"

For some reason, he felt his shoulders grow heavy.

Was something involving the undercurrents between the Yin Dynasty and the Nine Yang truly something he could handle?

"Do not worry. Wear this Following Jade Talisman on your body, and I will be able to hear every word you say. If necessary, I can also transmit my voice directly through your Divine Sense and tell you how to respond." Wen Yifan handed over an exquisite white jade talisman, engraved with intricate formation patterns.

Liang Yue accepted it. The small jade talisman was cool and smooth to the touch, as though it still carried a faint fragrance.

Was this the legendary magical artifact of immortals?

He held it, then suddenly remembered something. Taking out a handkerchief from his breast, he offered it to her. "The handkerchief Miss Wen used to wrap the pill last time—I washed it clean. I had been thinking of returning it to you if we met again. I thought there would be little chance of that, but I did not expect to see you again so soon."

Wen Yifan lowered her eyes to glance at the perfectly square-folded handkerchief in his palm, then shook her head. "No need. Keep it."

Good morning.