The Overbearing Human Race! The Humble Human Race!

Fang Yang's voice abruptly cut off.

He stared blankly downwards, at the blade piercing his chest.

He had originally resolved to follow Liang Hu and leave, but knowing how dangerous Lin Jiang Ward was, he had risked turning back. This was because he had seen that Wuchang Banner Bearer.

He felt his chance to earn merit had arrived, wanting these three to help him gather evidence of Wuchang's dereliction of duty.

He never expected that this golden opportunity to gain merit would turn into a fatal disaster.

His eyes grew unfocused, and he looked up, somewhat incredulously.

Why, after he brought this chance to earn merit, did the other party not only refuse it but also stab him?

"Have you ever seen someone deserting in the face of battle charge towards the most dangerous area with their blade drawn?"

Xiao Hui's voice was icy as he slowly said, "He might have been derelict in his duty, but he returned to reinforce Lin Jiang Ward, drawing his sword against the Demonic Evils..."

He slowly twisted the blade, and said in a deep voice, "Liang Hu abandoned Lin Jiang Ward, but this new Banner Bearer wants to save the lives of everyone in Lin Jiang Ward!"

With a swish, the middle-aged man took a step forward and suddenly plunged his blade into Fang Yang's abdomen once more.

"Xiao Hui is right..."

Following this, the ear-missing middle-aged man and the youth named Xiao Hui both looked at another person.

The youth named Zheng Liu seemed to understand something. He immediately stepped forward and severed Fang Yang's head.

"This new Banner Bearer dared to confront that Bear Demon. He truly seems stronger than Liang Hu."

Zheng Liu's expression was solemn as he said, "As long as he's still alive in the Banner Bearer's position tomorrow, Liang Hu will have no connection to Lin Jiang Ward."

He kicked Fang Yang's head away and then said, "Now, the three of us brothers are on the same boat."

"But the owner of this boat is that Fifth Master."

The ear-missing middle-aged man said in a deep voice, "Whether we can climb onto his boat is still uncertain."

"We were already prepared to die. Now that we see a glimmer of hope, what is there to fear?"

Xiao Hui drew his blade and kicked over Fang Yang's corpse, saying, "It's our good fortune that Fifth Master is willing to take us in! If he's not willing, can it be worse than death?"

After speaking, he strode towards the street where the Bear Demon was.

The remaining two exchanged glances and followed, quickening their pace.

However, before they could even reach the street.

They saw a massive head rolling out onto the ground.

Covered in black fur, with scarlet eyes, it still faintly held traces of fear and disbelief.

It was the head of a giant bear!

The three trembled, and following the bloody trail left by the rolling bear's head, they slowly looked up.

They saw a body covered in black fur, as stout as an iron tower, standing still in the middle of the street.

Even without its head, it was still tall enough to inspire dread.

Its powerful aura and immense might caused the three to freeze, their eyes filled with astonishment.

With a thump!

It fell backward, shaking half the street for a moment.

In the dead of night, it was like a clap of thunder!

It jolted the three awake!

"Quite impressive."

Just then, a booming voice came from behind them: "Chopped off the Bear Demon's head with a single strike..."

The three felt a chill in their hearts and turned to look.

They saw a man with a simple, honest face looking down at the bear's head.

And not far away, an old man leaning on a cane, supported by a young girl, walked slowly towards them.

"Duke Lu."

The honest-faced man looked up and said with admiration, "This person's knife was so fast, clean and decisive... and he came and went like the wind. He beheaded the bear and was gone before the body even fell."

Duke Lu slowly stepped forward and examined it for a moment.

"You didn't get a clear look at his appearance just now?"

"..." The honest-faced man was taken aback for a moment, then said in a low voice, "Duke Lu thinks I should have seen it clearly?"

"That person was probably nine feet tall, stout as a bear, with bulging muscles and a full beard, wasn't he?"

"It seems so."

The honest-faced man scratched his head, then looked at the other three Junior Banners and asked, "What do you think?"

The three looked at each other.

Ultimately, the ear-missing man, being the oldest and most experienced, bowed and said, "What we saw was just as the elder gentleman described."

"Go home, everyone. You're not needed here anymore."

Duke Lu waved his hand and turned to leave, saying lightly, "Since someone has already slain the Bear Demon, we should be heading home too."

"..."

The man with the missing ear, Xiao Hui, Zheng Liu, and the other two exchanged glances.

Then Xiao Hui was heard saying in a low voice, "Is this the old Temple Priest who returned from Phoenix Perch Prefecture City?"

"I've heard for a long time that Duke Lu was planning to move to the outer city, but I never expected it to be in Lin Jiang Ward."

Zheng Liu whispered, "As Junior Banners of Lin Jiang Ward, we weren't informed beforehand."

"I suspect that scoundrel Liang Hu doesn't know either, or he wouldn't have abandoned Lin Jiang Ward so readily," the man with the missing ear said. He continued, "Since Duke Lu has spoken, then tonight, we never saw Wuchang, the Banner Bearer."

Xiao Hui seemed to finally understand, his eyes lighting up. "Duke Lu is covering up Fifth Master's dereliction of duty?"

"So, Duke Lu is Fifth Master's backer?"

Zheng Liu's heart trembled, and he whispered, "If that's the case, Fifth Master's background is even stronger than Liang Hu's!"

"And in terms of strength and courage, Liang Hu feared the Bear Demon, but Fifth Master went alone with his saber and cleaved the Bear Demon on the spot."

"If that's the case, wouldn't it only take Fifth Master one strike to kill Liang Hu?"

The three fell silent for a moment, then looked at each other.

A thought occurred to all of them.

Where did Liang Hu get the guts to try and seize power from Fifth Master?

"During the day, we chose the wrong side," the man with the missing ear suddenly said. "Tonight, perhaps, is an opportunity to make amends."

At the other end of the street.

The honest-looking man appeared somewhat surprised.

"This giant bear, its true form is no weaker than a fierce tiger, and after becoming a demon, it's comparable to the Essence Refining Realm."

"I originally thought that in the southern area of the outer city, besides myself, only Banner Commander Han Zheng could slay this Bear Demon!"

"I didn't expect there to be someone else with such skill?"

The honest-looking man sighed with emotion, then said, "Duke Lu seems to already know who this person is? Why is he covering for him?"

"A tall tree catches the wind," Duke Lu shook his head. "Being too outstanding easily invites disaster."

He recalled the prodigies he had seen in his life.

Not a single one had been as astonishingly brilliant as this.

"Duke Lu thinks this person is exceptionally outstanding," the young girl suddenly spoke, her voice clear. "So outstanding... that Duke Lu feels it would be a great pity if he died."

"Such a rare talent, more outstanding than Li Shenzong," Duke Lu sighed. "But not everyone can tolerate the growth of a prodigy that threatens their own position... this is the inherent flaw of humanity!"

"The reason I value Han Zheng is precisely because he not only doesn't envy the capable but also promotes them."

Speaking of this, Duke Lu looked ahead and said with emotion, "Humanity... has had a very difficult time over the long years."

"Tonight's events, the grand scale, the cooperation of various departments to defend the city, slay demons, and drive away malevolent spirits, seems thrilling."

"But in my eyes, it's ultimately a bit pathetic."

As Duke Lu spoke, the two beside him fell silent.

Tonight's events were essentially about offering incense to appease the demonic evils and ask them to leave.

It was like having a notorious bandit lurking at the doorstep.

Gao Liu City could only prepare a large sum of money to buy their way out of trouble.

"Humanity struggles to survive in this world, living in humility," Duke Lu sighed. "Therefore, the more talent we have, the more hope there will be for future generations."

He looked at the young girl beside him and said, "Earlier, you said something wrong."

"It's not that I feel it would be a pity if he died."

"Rather, I feel that if he dies, it would be a loss for humanity."