Demonic Cult's Gaze

Demonic Cult's Gaze

"Damn those traitors! They actually had someone waiting to receive them!"

"Captain Bai, we truly have you to thank this time. Otherwise, I really wouldn't know how to explain this to His Majesty."

Zhou Long came before Bai Yan and said with a bitter smile.

Fortunately, Bai Yan had still captured one of them alive. At least that gave him something to report to the emperor.

Bai Yan smiled and said:

"This batch of traitors has a mysterious origin and a complicated background. Their purpose is certainly far more than what appears on the surface."

"General Zhou, seeing through the traitors hiding among the delegation in time is already a great achievement. There's no need to take it too much to heart."

"Besides, don't we still have one alive? Once General Zhou puts him through a round of harsh interrogation, I imagine there'll be quite a few gains."

Zhou Long nodded.

"Captain Bai is right."

"I must also thank Captain Bai for lending me a hand in this operation. I will never forget your contribution."

"Today, Captain Bai not only drove off the traitors who attacked the Bozeguo delegation, but also ferreted out the assassins hiding among the delegation and plotting against His Majesty. That is unquestionably a great achievement."

"With such merits, you would even be qualified for promotion to Deputy Battalion Commander."

"It is a pity... Captain Bai has only been with the Imperial Guard for a short time, and you have only just been promoted to captain. I imagine it will be difficult for you to rise to Deputy Battalion Commander again in the short term."

Bai Yan did not care much about that. He waved his hand and smiled indifferently.

"Being rapidly promoted to captain was already His Majesty's gracious reward. How could I be so insatiable as to demand more?"

"As long as I wholeheartedly serve His Majesty, he naturally won't treat me unfairly."

Zhou Long clapped his hands in praise.

"Well said, Captain Bai!"

"However, Captain Bai has done me such a great favor this time. I can't let you return empty-handed."

"Those who are capable do more work, and those who do more work receive more. His Majesty has always been fair in reward and punishment. He certainly won't disappoint you."

"Although you cannot be promoted this time, I imagine there will be no shortage of rewards such as gold, silver, jewels, and martial arts manuals."

"I will personally petition His Majesty for your merit. Captain Bai, just return and await the good news."

Bai Yan clasped his fists.

"Then I shall await General Zhou's good news."

That was precisely what Bai Yan had been waiting for Zhou Long to say.

Otherwise, why would he have gone to such lengths and made such a fuss all night? Wasn't it simply to get some benefits?

Work for free?

Not a chance!

Bai Yan would rather have gone home and slept soundly.

Once everything was settled, Bai Yan led the Imperial Guards away.

After returning to the Northern Commandery Investigation Bureau to report, Bai Yan went straight home.

"Young Master, you're back."

When Bai Yan returned home, two young beauties came forward and respectfully bowed to him.

They were maids sent by Ye Youcai to take care of Bai Yan's food and daily needs.

Bai Yan had originally lived alone and did not care about such things, so there had been no servants in his household.

But Ye Lingdang would be marrying into the family soon. Someone had to attend to the household, so his father-in-law had arranged for people to come ahead of time.

"Go prepare some late-night food. I'm a little hungry."

"And heat some water. I'll take a bath in a while."

Bai Yan set down the Snow Drinking Saber and spoke.

After being busy for half the night and getting into a fight, Bai Yan felt a little hungry again.

The lingering smell of blood on his body also had to be washed away. Otherwise, he would never be able to fall asleep with that stench in his nose.

"Yes."

The two maids answered. One went down to prepare the bathwater, while the other spoke.

"Miss sent someone over with chicken soup just now. She made it herself."

"Would you like to have a bowl first, son-in-law?"

Ye Lingdang was no pampered young lady who had never lifted a finger. Besides being proficient in Zither, Chess, Calligraphy, and Painting, she was also an excellent cook.

Over the past few days, she had prepared different dishes every day and sent them to the residence. She clearly cared a great deal about Bai Yan.

Bai Yan understood that this was her way of expressing her affection.

"Since Lingdang made it, of course I have to try it. Bring it here."

Bai Yan smiled faintly.

"Yes, Young Master."

The maid nodded and soon returned with the chicken soup.

She had probably known Bai Yan would want a late-night meal after returning home, because the chicken soup was still hot.

Warmth filled Bai Yan's heart. He ladled out a bowl and savored it carefully. The soup was rich but not greasy, with well-matched medicinal herbs and a hint of fresh sweetness. Its flavor was exceptionally good.

Although Ye Lingdang's cooking could not compare to that of the imperial chef at Cloud Come Restaurant, it was already better than that of many restaurant head chefs.

Ultimately, it could be considered a family tradition.

Ye Youcai had built his fortune through restaurants, and his own culinary skills were also extraordinary.

It was only after he became wealthy that he rarely entered the kitchen anymore.

But cooking was the foundation on which the Ye family had established itself. Naturally, the craft had to be passed down.

Just as Bai Yan was happily savoring the lovingly made chicken soup, deep beneath Yongtang City, the hidden underground palace had already erupted into chaos.

A hideous black fiend-god statue stood at the end of the underground palace. Its three heads glared furiously, radiating an even more terrifying menace than usual.

As if sensing the surging killing intent of the underground palace's master, the fiend-god statue's six eyes bulged wide, as though it were about to come alive.

"So... the plan failed...?"

A cold voice rang out, echoing through the underground palace.

Bone-chilling killing intent spread through the chamber. The temperature plummeted, and a thin layer of frost instantly formed across the floor and walls. Even the air seemed on the verge of freezing.

"This subordinate was incompetent and deserves ten thousand deaths! I beg the Protector to punish me!"

"But the plan did not fail completely. At the very least... those three nails have successfully infiltrated the delegation!"

Three figures knelt outside the black gauze curtain—two men and one woman. All of them had bloodstained clothes, and they kowtowed in humble repentance.

If Bai Yan had been there, he would certainly have recognized them.

Of the two men and one woman kneeling on the ground, the woman was the female traitor who had escaped Zhou Long's grasp that night.

One of the men was the martial arts grandmaster Bai Yan had grievously wounded and forced to flee.

"The plan was so meticulous this time. How did a flaw appear?"

"Don't tell me it was that rabble of Imperial Guards who saw through you!"

The Protector behind the gauze curtain shouted angrily.

The female traitor hurriedly lowered her head and replied.

"Reporting to the Protector, it was indeed Imperial Guard Commander Zhou Long who inspected the delegation members one by one and saw through our disguises."

"But Zhou Long has always been rash. This subordinate suspects that the newly promoted Imperial Guard captain must have interfered and brought him to his senses."

"To protect those three lords, Earth Hound and I had no choice but to expose ourselves and divert their attention."

"An Imperial Guard captain?"

A trace of surprise entered the Protector's voice.

"Could Zhao Gaozhong alone possess such ability?"

The female traitor hurriedly explained.

"The Imperial Guard captain who came to receive us was not Zhao Gaozhong, but a newly promoted captain named Bai Yan."

"This man's Lightness Skill was bizarre beyond compare, his saber technique unbelievably fast, and his strength unfathomably deep."

She swallowed. Recalling Bai Yan's figure, swift as lightning, she still felt shaken.

"He alone annihilated the Netherworld Soldiers. He severely wounded and captured the Three Netherworld Vipers alive. Even Netherworld Soul himself was ambushed and seriously injured by him..."

"The Three Netherworld Vipers were all at the late-stage Innate realm, yet they were defeated by a newly promoted captain?"

"Are you making a joke of me?"

The Protector's voice came again, noticeably calmer this time.

The female traitor was so frightened that she repeatedly knocked her head against the stone floor, the dull thuds echoing loudly.

"This subordinate would never dare deceive the Protector! Every word I said is true!"

"If even one word is false, I willingly submit to the punishment of ten thousand snakes devouring my body!"

Only after seeing her swear such an oath did the Protector behind the gauze curtain slowly nod.

"The Three Netherworld Vipers were merely pawns recruited from the periphery, a bunch of useless trash. Let them die. In any case, they did not know our true objective."

"But according to what you said, this captain named Bai Yan is indeed an unexpected variable."

"He actually saw through my arrangements in such a short time..."

The Protector's voice turned sinister.

"Such a person absolutely cannot be allowed to live!"

"The Protector is wise!"

Someone below hurriedly echoed.

"Bai Yan not only has quick wits, but his strength is extraordinary as well!"

"Tonight, this subordinate failed to rescue Earth Hound precisely because I ran into him!"