Departure, the Battle Begins

Su Fei looked at the man's utterly panicked expression. His gaze no longer evaded him; he knew Zhao Feiying was probably telling the truth this time.

Commander Feng furrowed his brow and asked.

"How many people are in Lijia Village, and what exactly is their cultivation?"

Zhao Feiying answered readily.

"As for numbers, judging by how often the White Lotus Envoy buys grain, there should be around two hundred people. I don't know their cultivation. I've never been there. The White Lotus Envoy is the one in charge there, and he's a Grandmaster. There shouldn't be any Great Grandmasters there, or he wouldn't be qualified to be in charge."

"As for how many Grandmaster Realm experts there are in total, that's beyond my knowledge. The White Lotus Envoy wouldn't tell me something that secret either."

Commander Feng and Su Fei exchanged a glance, each seeing gravity in the other's eyes.

The White Lotus Sect's hidden strength ran even deeper than they had anticipated.

A martial force of a full two hundred people, with a Grandmaster Realm expert like the White Lotus Envoy among them.

Commander Feng gave his orders in a deep voice.

"Captain Li, I recall that you know quite a few people from the gangs, as well as several chief escorts from escort agencies. I'll give you two days. Find someone to pretend to pass through Lijia Village and verify whether this information is true."

"Once you've checked it out, return and report to me at once."

Captain Li accepted the order and departed.

Two mornings later, in Commander Feng's office.

Su Fei sat to one side, flipping through case files, while Commander Feng stared thoughtfully at the map of Qingzhou City on the desk, seemingly pondering something.

The office door was pushed open. Captain Li strode in quickly, his face carrying a trace of gravity.

"Commander, Officer Su, there's news."

Commander Feng raised his eyes.

"Tell me. What is the situation in Lijia Village?"

"I found three escorts from the Zhenyuan Escort Agency. They were all late-stage Body Tempering Realm martial artists, and their Martial cultivation wasn't conspicuous. They deliberately passed by Lijia Village with an escort cart, but the moment they reached the village entrance, they were stopped by two guards."

"They used the excuse of asking for a bowl of water, hoping to enter the village."

"Those two guards said the village was holding a wedding feast and considered it taboo for outsiders to barge in. No matter how the escorts pleaded, they refused to let them enter. Their attitude was extremely firm; even a few copper coins couldn't move them."

"The escorts also noticed that although those guards wore coarse cloth, their eyes constantly swept in every direction. Their backs were straight, their steps steady, and every gesture carried the vigor of trained fighters. They were unquestionably martial artists."

"That's rather strange. Why would an ordinary little village be extravagant enough to use martial artists as guards?"

"What was even stranger was that after being turned away, the escorts circled half the village and found that the entire outer perimeter had been built up with wicker fences, with people standing guard atop them. Their defenses were exceptionally tight."

"What kind of village held a wedding feast while maintaining such airtight security?"

Commander Feng pressed a finger heavily onto the map.

"An ordinary village that wouldn't even let people enter for a drink of water after being offered a few copper coins, and even used martial artists as guards, with wicker fences built around its perimeter."

"It seems Zhao Feiying wasn't lying."

Su Fei set down the case file, his gaze sharp.

"The wedding feast is only an excuse. They simply don't want anyone getting close. So many White Lotus Sect members have become villagers; if they weren't tightly guarded, their tracks would still be exposed."

Captain Li nodded in agreement.

"Exactly."

"The escorts said the village was unnaturally quiet. A wedding feast should have been bustling and lively, yet apart from the guards at the entrance, there wasn't a single villager or hunter walking outside. It was far too suspicious."

Commander Feng rose to his feet and walked to the window, looking out at the drill ground with a grave tone.

"It seems Lijia Village truly is a White Lotus Sect stronghold. That lad Zhao Feiying has provided an important clue."

He turned around and looked at Su Fei.

"Su Fei, what do you think we should do?"

Su Fei pondered.

"A force of two hundred martial artists, with a Grandmaster Realm White Lotus Envoy holding the fort—if they are determined to flee for their lives, I'm afraid quite a few will escape."

Hearing this, Commander Feng nodded repeatedly.

"You're right. Every person who escapes is a share of the merit that escapes with them. Lijia Village has front and rear entrances on the map. We can ask the Qingzhou Army for help and have them block both entrances with military weapons, cutting off their retreat."

"Then we'll lead the Imperial Guard in and slaughter our way through. It would be best to kill the White Lotus Envoy first, then uproot this stronghold. What do you think?"

Su Fei considered it and felt the plan was quite reasonable. The only question was whether Commander Feng was strong enough to take down the White Lotus Envoy.

Still, Su Fei nodded, indicating his approval of the plan.

After receiving the approval of Su Fei, Qingzhou's foremost Imperial Guard case-solver, Commander Feng felt reassured. He turned to the map of Qingzhou on the desk and said with some excitement.

"I never expected the White Lotus Sect to have hidden so many people in Qingzhou without making a sound. If we can uproot this stronghold, with so many demon cultists, this will be a tremendous merit."

"I'll contact Long Teng right away. It'll also count as sharing some merit with that old fellow. He'll definitely come."

Ding! Mission triggered: Exterminate the White Lotus Sect stronghold.

Mission requirement: Assist in exterminating the White Lotus Sect stronghold (Lijia Village), capture or kill all persons in charge.

Mission reward: God of Slaughter's Blade Slash, one hundred years of cultivation.

Since the system had issued a mission, Lijia Village was definitely a White Lotus Sect stronghold. There was no doubt about it.

Then he would do it. As an Imperial Guard, as long as he put in the effort, he could gain both mission rewards and merit.

Three days later, at dusk, the setting sun was red as blood, and an air of grim slaughter spread between heaven and earth.

Four hundred Imperial Guards, clad in Flying Fish Robes with Spring Embroidered Sabers at their waists, moved through the forest.

Behind them were five hundred Qingzhou Army soldiers led by Long Teng, each clad in gleaming armor and carrying spears or lances, some with military crossbows on their backs.

Their military formation was solemn. Although these men could not compare to the Imperial Guards in Martial cultivation, their ranks were far more orderly.

At the front of the force, Commander Feng wore the Flying Fish Robe of a Commander.

"We're only a few li away now."

Half an hour later, the outline of Lijia Village emerged in the twilight. The wicker fence around the village stood much higher than those of ordinary villages.

Dark figures could vaguely be seen moving atop the fence. They were White Lotus Cultists on watch.

"Stop."

Commander Feng raised a hand, and the entire force froze in an instant.

He looked toward Long Teng beside him.

Long Teng grinned.

"Don't worry. I sent three hundred brothers to guard the rear entrance of Lijia Village, led by the newly promoted Deputy Commander Zhang. That kid is stubborn as a mule. Forget people—even a rabbit won't slip past under his nose."

He patted Commander Feng on the shoulder.

"My five hundred men are guarding the front entrance, and the archers are ready. Not a single White Lotus Cultist will be allowed to rush out. You charge inside without worry; all the merit will be yours. I'll just play the gate guardian."

Then Long Teng's smile vanished, and killing intent surged from him.

"There's only one thing: kill this batch of White Lotus Cultists without mercy. They tried to poison me to death before. Now it's my turn to pay them back."

Commander Feng smiled.

"Now that's the spirit. You've got my word, Old Long."

He turned to the Imperial Guards.

"Do you see it, men? The chance to build merit and make your names is right before you. Every White Lotus Cultist is merit. Anyone who resists will be killed without exception!"

"Kill!"

At Commander Feng's command, the Imperial Guards pounced toward Lijia Village like arrows released from the bowstring.

The guards at the village entrance had only just reacted and tried to sound the alarm when several blades hacked them into pieces.

The crisp crack of Spring Embroidered Sabers chopping through wooden barricades tore through the dusk. The instant the Imperial Guards flooded into the village, the once-silent Lijia Village suddenly erupted with earth-shaking battle cries.

A group of people dressed as villagers snatched up weapons from inside their houses.