Longdong Village

"Where are the demons that have appeared located, approximately?"

"East of Qingcheng City, about twenty li away," Zhu Huan replied.

Then, without waiting for Wei Qing to speak, he continued, "My lord, if you wish to investigate the village, perhaps it would be best to go tomorrow."

"It's already late now, and our night vision is limited, which would be disadvantageous when dealing with demons."

"Going during the day, with the sun high in the sky, will make it easier to deal with them."

"Alright."

Wei Qing did not refuse Zhu Huan's suggestion.

It wasn't that dealing with demons was strictly easier during the day.

Strictly speaking, demons were not afraid of the scorching sun.

The feeling that demons' strength greatly increased at night was purely a psychological illusion caused by humans' limited night vision and environmental factors.

During the day, when vision was not impaired, this illusion would completely disappear.

Wei Qing had no such concerns thanks to the system's holographic map projection ability.

The reason he agreed to Zhu Huan's suggestion was that after confirming his own judgment, he needed to make some preparations.

Soon.

After politely declining Fang Youting's invitation to stay at Fang Manor, Zhu Huan arranged for Wei Qing to stay at the best inn in Qingcheng.

"Lord Wei, please rest well tonight. This subordinate will pick you up tomorrow."

"Thank you, Captain Zhu."

"Lord Wei, you are too kind. This subordinate shall take his leave!"

After Zhu Huan left, Wei Qing went downstairs and approached the inn's front desk.

"This is Zhang Zhidong of the Night Owl Guard, greetings, Lord Wei."

The innkeeper bowed respectfully.

"You know me?"

"How could the Night Owl Guard not have heard the news that the Heavenly Realm Division dispatched you to eliminate demons? I was even planning to visit you."

"I didn't expect you to check into our humble establishment directly," Zhang Zhidong said with a smile.

"Do the Night Snack Guards have any new information regarding the demons' location?"

"Three days ago, Night Owl Guards investigating Yandang Mountain reported that some villagers heard strange calls that carried for several li. Subsequent investigations by the Night Owl Guards found no abnormalities."

"On the same night, at the third watch in the Black Mist Wasteland, a strange blood-red light erupted within the fog, lasting for half an hour. The Night Owl Guards used Mechanical Flame Sparrows to scout, and when they returned, a standard-issue Ink Blade from the Heavenly Realm Division was stuck in one of them."

Wei Qing's gaze sharpened, and a cold glint flashed in his eyes.

Information about Yandang Mountain and the Black Mist Wasteland immediately surfaced in his mind.

Yandang Mountain, a hundred meters high and spanning a hundred li north to south, served as the boundary between Jizhou and Youzhou.

In the third year of Mingxing, the Heavenly Realm Divisions of Jizhou and Youzhou jointly annihilated a Third-Rank Great Demon, completing the clearance of Yandang Mountain.

The Black Mist Wasteland was perpetually shrouded in a dense fog, and no one who entered had ever emerged.

There were rumors of demons appearing within, but they had never been confirmed.

"I understand."

"Bring me a pot of 'Black Jade Dew'."

"Yes."

Saying this, Zhang Zhidong pressed a button beneath the counter, and a hidden compartment popped open with a "click." He took out a red medicine bottle from the compartment and handed it to Wei Qing.

Taking the bottle, Wei Qing turned and returned to his room.

The night passed without incident.

As soon as the sky began to lighten, Wei Qing was already awake.

Ever since he began practicing martial arts, he had developed the habit of waking up early.

Suddenly.

His ears twitched, and then he got up and opened his room door.

Zhu Huan, who was about to knock, was taken aback for a moment but quickly regained his composure.

"Good morning, Lord Wei!"

"Good morning, Captain Zhu, please come in."

As he spoke, Wei Qing had already walked to the table in the room and sat down.

"I figured you probably haven't eaten yet, my lord. I specifically brought some local snacks from Qingcheng for you to try."

As he spoke, Zhu Huan opened three paper-wrapped parcels.

The moment the paper was opened, steam carrying a rich aroma rushed out.

Zhu Huan introduced them, "These three are: Golden Canary, Four-Flavor Glutinous Rice Cake, and Cloud Mushroom Pastry."

"Let's eat together."

"This humble subordinate has already eaten. Please, my lord."

"Then I won't stand on ceremony."

Wei Qing first ate a Cloud Mushroom Pastry. Its crispy outer layer made a "crunch" sound.

As he chewed, the fragrance of scallions mixed with the Cloud Mushroom juice, rendered from pork lard, exploded in his mouth.

His eyes immediately lit up.

Finishing the Cloud Mushroom Pastry in a few bites, he picked up the Four-Flavor Glutinous Rice Cake and took a gentle bite.

The sweetness of chestnuts.

The saltiness and spiciness of cured meat.

The refreshing aroma of lotus leaves.

The four flavors blended perfectly, combined with the unique chewiness of glutinous rice. Wei Qing couldn't help but give a thumbs-up.

"This taste is in no way inferior to the Three-Flavor Longxing Cake from Longxing Zhai in the capital."

"I'm glad you like it, my lord."

After eating two pieces of the Four-Flavor Glutinous Rice Cake, Wei Qing finally picked up the "Golden Canary."

With one bite, meat juice infused with fruitwood aroma flooded his mouth. Inside, there were also pine nuts, bamboo shoots, and other auxiliary ingredients.

Wei Qing smiled slightly and turned to ask, "Captain Zhu, what are your thoughts on this demon?"

"This... please forgive my ignorance, my lord. I currently have no leads regarding this demon."

Clap, clap.

Wei Qing clapped his hands and stood up, "In that case, please lead me to Longdong Village first."

"Yes."

With Zhu Huan leading the way, the twenty-mile journey on horseback wasn't too far.

Along the way, Wei Qing casually asked, "Has this incident significantly impacted the villagers of the several villages?"

Zhu Huan couldn't help but shake his head and sigh, "Indeed, it has. Many villagers have temporarily left their homes to stay with relatives."

"Those who work in Qingcheng have rented cheap inns to stay in the city for the time being."

"For those without work who wished to leave the village, Lord Fang has also temporarily arranged accommodations for them."

"Oh, Lord Fang truly cares for his people."

"Lord Fang is indeed a good official. For fifteen years, he has worked tirelessly to govern Qingcheng and ensure the people live good lives, to the point where his hair has turned mostly white."

"What's even more commendable is that in the face of demonic rampages, Lord Fang has always chosen to remain in Qingcheng and actively resolve the aftermath caused by the demons."

"From what I know, in places plagued by demons, the county magistrates have been replaced one after another."

"Officials like Lord Fang, who truly care for their people, may exist, but I haven't encountered any yet."

Speaking of Fang Youting, Zhu Huan's face was filled with admiration.

Wei Qing nodded slightly upon hearing this.

Finding an official who could persevere for more than ten years in the face of demonic threats was no easier than winning the lottery.

At least, in his memory, there were none in the Heavenly Realm Division's archives.

Not long after.

The two arrived at Longdong Village.

The golden wheat fields at the village entrance were deserted, with no one harvesting.

Despite it being the harvest season, the place felt lifeless.

"My lord, Longdong Village is just ahead."

Zhu Huan pointed towards the rows of houses a hundred meters away and said in a deep voice.

At the village entrance, four runners were on duty. Their faces were tense, and they kept looking back into the village as if fearing something terrifying would rush out.

"Captain Zhu is here."

"Captain Zhu."

Seeing Zhu Huan arrive, the four men seemed to find their backbone and shouted excitedly.

"This is Lord Wei Qing from the Heavenly Realm Division. He is here to deal with the demon."

The Heavenly Realm Division.

Upon hearing this, the runners looked at Wei Qing with a newfound sense of reverence. "Greetings, Lord Wei."