Recognition, Change

Lu Xin arrived at the military camp.

As the clerk and County Magistrate Guo Yang's secretary, he had been personally promoted by Guo Yang.

Naturally, he knew that everything the County Magistrate had just said was merely polite talk!

What should be eaten had to be eaten, and what should be taken had to be taken!

Just don't go too far.

If they didn't take anything, how were they supposed to increase their cultivation?

By relying on that tiny monthly stipend of silver?

If their cultivation couldn't keep up, what would they use to serve the County Magistrate?

Their own heads?

"General Liu! By order of the County Magistrate, I have come to offer condolences to the soldiers!"

"Clerk Lu! Thank you for your trouble!"

County Lieutenant Liu Ben cupped his fists toward Lu Xin.

"The military suffered considerable casualties this time. Some Demons tried to storm the city, but thankfully, the brothers risked their lives to stop them!

Only then were all the Demons kept outside.

The peace within the city was preserved!"

"Mm, General Liu and all the brothers have worked hard. The County Magistrate has seen it all!

Here are eight thousand taels of silver. Properly compensate the brothers who were killed or wounded.

Don't let the families of the dead and injured grow cold at heart!"

As he spoke, Lu Xin took out the banknotes and handed them to Liu Ben.

"Many thanks to the County Magistrate for his consideration!"

Before long, Lu Xin walked out of the military camp.

There were now another five hundred taels in his hands.

It was Liu Ben's tribute.

"Someone, call Commander Wu over here!"

At that moment, Liu Ben shouted toward the outside of the tent.

Before long, someone entered.

"The reported number of casualties this time is eight hundred men! There are also all manner of losses in weapons and uniforms.

I'll give you four thousand taels of silver.

Make sure the various camps are properly settled!"

"Yes, General!"

And so it was skimmed away layer by layer—clerk, general, commander...

In the end, the families of dead soldiers received only two taels of silver.

It had been cut down five or sixfold.

And they still had to feel gratitude toward those above them!

The next day, the whole of Kaiyang County returned to peace.

Death was far too common.

By the usual pattern, with the Demons' assault having been so fierce this time, there should be peace and quiet for quite a long while afterward.

The county yamen, Aristocratic Clans, gangs, and the Demon Purging Division within the city were all busy recruiting more hands.

Lin Feng arrived at the Slaughterhouse as usual.

Fortunately, Old Wu San had been living in the city with his brother-in-law, Pan Liancheng, and had not been affected.

It was just that several of the laborers had already been replaced multiple times.

Being able to see one another again was the best possible outcome.

After greeting Old Wu San, Lin Feng got to work.

Half an hour later, enhancement points +2

Before heading to the Demon Purging Division, he went to a blacksmith's shop in the city.

"My lord, what weapon would you like forged?"

The moment a burly man from the blacksmith's shop saw the Flying Fish uniform on Lin Feng, he immediately greeted him respectfully.

"Forge me a butcher's knife."

"A butcher's knife?"

It was truly rare for someone from the Demon Purging Division to order a butcher's knife!

The burly man thought he had misheard!

"Does my lord have any special requirements?"

"It must be heavy, sharp, and sturdy!"

Lin Feng stated his requirements.

"My lord, understood. We still have a piece of heavy iron here, weighing sixty or seventy jin. I will forge it a hundred times.

Then make it into a butcher's knife!"

said the burly man.

"Mm, that will do!"

Lin Feng nodded. This material and craftsmanship were already the limit of Kaiyang County!

To repeatedly hammer a sixty- or seventy-jin piece of heavy iron, remove its impurities, and finally forge it down to the size of a butcher's knife was no easy feat!

If he wanted better materials, he could only go to a larger prefectural city.

Or exchange military merit for them at the Demon Purging Division's treasure vault.

But even if he had the materials, there would be no master capable of forging them!

This was the largest and finest blacksmith's shop in Kaiyang County.

Soon, Lin Feng paid fifty taels of silver as a deposit.

In three days, he would be able to collect his new weapon.

He arrived at the Demon Purging Division.

Early in the morning, Zhao Hu, the Hundred Commander, assembled everyone.

Of course, General Ding was excluded.

This General Ding seemed determined to carry his slacking through to the bitter end.

He actually dared to skip even a meeting called by the Hundred Commander himself!

Ding Yun's conduct once again refreshed Lin Feng's understanding.

Wasn't the man afraid that the Hundred Commander would make things difficult for him and, with one careless step, punish him under military law?

Zhao Hu was broad and powerfully built, his aura vast as an abyss!

He was the strongest person Lin Feng had ever seen!

First, he offered consolation to everyone in the Demon Purging Division.

Then he distributed military merit and allocated some silver to those who had carried out the mission.

Even Lin Feng received ten taels of silver.

Ten taels of silver was two months' pay.

That was quite good!

Although Lin Feng now held the enormous sum of two thousand taels, no one ever complained of having too much money!

When Lin Feng received his military merit, however, he discovered that Li Wuyi was looking at him with an expression of shock and displeasure!

Lin Feng keenly sensed that Li Wuyi still seemed to be brooding over what had happened that day!

It seemed he needed to stay on guard.

After all the rewards had been handed out, Zhao Hu gave the order, and everyone dispersed.

At that moment, Zhao Chengzhe and Yu Qingqing also walked over.

"I never expected that you actually killed a second-realm lesser demon yesterday!

That is truly rare!"

Zhao Chengzhe's eyes revealed his astonishment.

Lin Feng cupped his fists toward the two of them.

"It was merely luck! I am far inferior to Young Master Zhao and Miss Yu! The two of you joined forces and killed more than ten Demons!"

Lin Feng had arrived early that morning and had long heard of the achievements of Zhao Chengzhe, Yu Qingqing, Li Wuyi, and the others.

As expected of geniuses—they were immensely powerful!

Their true combat strength and methods were likely even greater than those of Muscle-Tendon Realm figures like Chen Fei.

At that moment, Lin Feng pretended to casually glance at Yu Qingqing.

He found that she showed no unusual expression, and his heart relaxed slightly!

He was now genuinely at the late Bone Forging Realm.

How many days had even passed? If anyone discovered it, it would be far too shocking!

For now, it seemed he had evaded Yu Qingqing's scrutiny.

He just didn't know whether he could hide it from those true experts.

This Qi Concealment Technique had to be improved as quickly as possible!

"Mm, I'm two years older than you. How about you call me Brother Zhao from now on?"

Zhao Chengzhe said with a smile.

"Brother Zhao!"

Lin Feng cupped his fists. No matter what, Zhao Chengzhe had helped him greatly.

It would be good to befriend him and deepen their relationship.

He understood that Zhao Chengzhe had initially only been somewhat curious about him!

It was only after yesterday's performance that Lin Feng had truly entered Zhao Chengzhe's sight.

Zhao Chengzhe sincerely wished to befriend him.

Yu Qingqing, meanwhile, remained as neither cold nor warm as before.

She maintained the same attitude toward Lin Feng.

Soon afterward, the two of them left.

Lin Feng also returned to the courtyard with You Lin, Mu Yu, and the others.

He continued honing his knife technique!

You Lin and Mu Yu began cultivating even more diligently.

Although they had not experienced yesterday's great battle, quite a few new recruits who had entered alongside them had vanished overnight.

Their sense of urgency was through the roof!

If you didn't cultivate hard in ordinary times, you'd become brothers in a Demon's belly!

At noon, when Lin Feng went to get food, the mocking voices had become much fewer!

Even the person serving dishes in the cafeteria became friendlier.

He gave Lin Feng extra food.

Some people were also quietly discussing Lin Feng and Chen Fei's performances yesterday.

Lin Feng in particular had remained unruffled in the face of danger and actually severed the head of a second-realm lesser demon with a single slash!

It made some of the new recruits click their tongues in wonder!

When they looked at him, there was now a trace of reverence in their eyes.

Even You Lin and Mu Yu shared in his glory!

The strong would be respected and welcomed wherever they went.

However, Lin Feng, Chen Fei, and the others still weren't used to eating in the cafeteria. After collecting their meals, they still found another place to eat.

Today was the once-every-three-days medicinal meal. It was not something medicinal meals from a place like Drunken Immortal Tower could compare to, and Lin Feng ate with great relish.

He gained another two enhancement points in one go.