The Heavenly Prefecture.
A bustling street corner.
Several figures crouched outside the Small Supermarket, eating popsicles and muttering among themselves.
Cars and pedestrians streamed past.
Strangely, every passerby unconsciously avoided the spot where they sat, and none could hear their conversation.
Shi Yan, a tuft of white hair atop his head, took a bite of his popsicle. "They said they'd give us a break, then turned around and assigned us a mission. Those old men at Heavenly King Hall really aren't playing fair."
"Tell me about it. I wanted to take the chance to teach my foolish little brother a lesson. I hadn't even had my fill of beating him up when they dragged me here."
Shen Dai nodded in heartfelt agreement.
People who worked always felt their vacations were too short.
Ning Shanshan, her hair in twin ponytails, held up a little snowman ice cream packed with milky flavor. "I think missions are nice, though. We all get to be together again. It's so lively."
To Ning Shanshan, nothing made her happier than being with the Storm Demon Hunting Squad.
Luoshan said in his rumbling voice, "Maybe so, but the captain's gone."
At that, everyone fell silent.
After a long pause, Li Zizai spoke.
"Luoshan, watch your wording. The captain went to the Divine Realm. She isn't gone."
The way he'd put it made it sound as though their captain had died a heroic death.
"Right, right. The captain went to the Divine Realm, and now the captain is the old vice captain... Uh, this is complicated."
Luoshan scratched his head. His brain wasn't quite keeping up.
Shen Dai, however, sounded a little eager. "Speaking of which, our squad seems to have a new vice captain. We haven't met him since the appointment. Who could become vice captain of